An Improved Foot Guard for Application to the Rails of Railways.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1898
IDIONAL SPECT
An Improved Foot Guard for Application to the Rails of
Railways.
I, JOSEPH KNEEDLER RILE of the Village of Centreville, County of St. Joseph,
Michigan, U.St.A., Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The device of this invention is more especially applicable to frogs, guard rails
and branching rails of railways. It consists of a bottom plate bolted to the foot of
each rail and is taperingly dovetailed for the reception of a plate on which are held
springs. Upon the top of the springs is supported a plate tapering down at the
ends to allow of the easy passage of trains over the same. The resistance to
downward movement of the top spring plate is somewhat more than sufficient to
bear the weight of a man but may be easily overcome and the top plate depressed
so long as a train is passing over it.
1
1000
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Foot Guard for Application to the Rails of
Railways.
I, JOSEPH KNEEDLER RILE of the Village of Centreville, County of St. Joseph,
Michigan, U.S.A., Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a foot guard for the rails of railways as for frogs, guard
rails and branching rails. The object of the invention is to provide a safe,
noiseless, and durable foot guard which may be readily placed in position and
removed.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railway with the foot guard of the invention
in place.
Fig. 2 a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 a section on line 3--3 of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 an enlarged detail view of the means for securing the guard detachably
in place.
Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 6 and
Fig. 6 a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5 of a detail.
A are branching rails of a railway which may occur in a frog, or at an
intersection of lines, or between a guard rail and a main rail.
Price 8d.L

page_text: To the base of the two rails and between the same, is secured a plate D by
suitable bolts n. The top of the plate is dovetailed to serve as a suitable guide way
and as means for clamping the plate C securely in place, and as the sides of the
dovetailed part of the top plate D taper, the plate C can be readily moved to its place.
A locking plate F is inserted at the back of the same to prevent its withdrawal.
This locking plate may be secured by a screw or bolt but its weight will usually be
sufficient to hold it in place. To the upper side of the plate C are secured
springs E in sufficient number to properly support the upper or guard plate B.
The springs are secured by slipping the ends of the same through appropriate
lugs F and keying them there by the key F', a notch being cut in the springs for
the purpose. The springs are also secured to the under side of the plate B in the
same manner. The plate B is supported so as to be a little below the beads of the
rails. The springs E are of sufficient strength to support a weight of about three
hundred pounds without yielding, that being more than the weight of an ordinary
The guard plate B will be depressed when a train passes over it, the wheels
passing gradually on to it and away from it by reason of its tapering ends so that
the springs will not have a tendency to snap and throw the plate against the heads
of the rails or cause a noise.
man.
The improved guard plate supported a little distance below the head of the rail
on powerful springs can be used with other means for securing it in position than
those described, which however are preferred owing to the ease with which the
guard may be removed and replaced for cleaning purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a foot guard for railways, the combination of the plate D securely boltel
to the base of the rails with longitudinal dovetail grooves in the top; the plate C
bevelled at its edges to fit said dovetailed grooves; the plate F for securing the
plate C in position; the guard plate B a little below the heads of the rails and
sloping gradually down at each end; coiled springs E to support said guard plate
and securely attached to the same and to the place C, substantially as described
and shewn.
2. In a foot guard for railways, the combination of a plate securely bolted to the
base of the rails between the angle portion; a suitable guide in the top of said
plate; a detachable plate adapted to be slipped into the guides on the top of the
fixed plate with suitable means for securing the same in position; the guard plate B
a little beneath the heads of the rails, sloping gradually down to each end and
tapered to conform to the sides of the rails; springs between the guard plate and
removable plate for holding the guard plate in position, substantially as described
and shewn.
3. In a foot guard for railways, the combination of the guard plate sloping
downwardly at each end and supported a little beneath the heads of the rails; a
detachable plate beneath; a spring E between the guard plate and detachable plate
connected to the same by passing through suitable lugs F and engaged by keys F',
substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 29th day of October 1806
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.