IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS OF JOINING AND SUPPORTING THE ENDS OF RAILS ON RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Ebenezer Talbot, of Paddington, in the County
of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS OF JOINING
AND SUPPORTING THE ENDS OF RAILS ON RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Ebenezer Talbot
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1882.
EDWARD EBENEZER TALBOT, of Paddington, in the County of Middlesex,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS OF JOINING AND SUPPORTING THE ENDS OF RAILS
ON RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS,"
My present invention relates to joints used for connecting together the ends of
iron or steel rails on railways, and it has for its objects improvements in such joints
and in the method of making them, so that by its use the ends of adjoining rails
are very firmly, strongly, and durably connected together, whilst at the same time
the rails are capable of contraction and expansion to a sufficient extent. My
invention in a modified form may be applied to supporting the rails to which it
is applied as well as to connecting together their ends as described. It is
applicable to all kinds of rails but more especially to steel rails which are not
liable to lamination as they wear.
In order to put my present invention in operation, I make in the ends of the
rails which are to be joined together, openings or holes, preferably rectangular, for
the reception of bolts similar to those ordinarily used for bolting fishplates to the
rails, but instead of making two such holes in the end of each rail I prefer to
make one hole only at a sufficient distance from the end of each rail, and a part
of a second hole in the extremity of the rail, so that when the ends of two rails
are brought together, a third hole is formed partly in each, such third hole being
preferably of larger size than the other holes made as described near the end of
each rail.
Round the central part or web and round the lower flange of the rail I fit a
casing preferably of wrought or sheet iron of sufficient thickness, one half of such
casing being fitted upon each side of the rail and the two halves meeting below
the bottom flange.

page_text: This casing ends below the upper flange of the rail and is of such a length as
to extend for a sufficient distance beyond the inner holes already described through
the rails, and it is bolted firmly to the rails by bolts passing through the rectangular
holes in the rails and through corresponding holes in the casing; one such bolt,
which is preferably larger than the others, passing through the central hole half of
which is formed in the end of each rail, whilst the other bolts pass through the
other holes. Each bolt is provided with a nut, preferably square, at its outer end,
by which it can be tightened up, and these nuts are also provided with two or
more projecting arms or lugs. Or, each bolt may be provided with a square nut
as described and with a second or lock nut outside, the latter being provided with
projecting lugs. The parts of the bolts which pass through the rails and casing
are made rectangular and fit tight into the casing, and also into the rails except in
the direction of the length of the latter where a sufficient space is left to allow for
the movement of the rails by expansion and contraction.
The ends of the rails being firmly bolted together by means of the thin casing
as described, I then arrange round them when they have been adjusted in their
proper position upon the railway, a case or mould of sufficient length the ends of
which fit round the ends of the casing plates whilst its interior sides and bottom
correspond in shape with and form a mould for melted cast iron which I now pour
into it so as to form a cast iron block embracing and enclosing the ends of the
rails, the casing plates, the heads of the bolts, and the nuts and projections upon
the latter.
The block of cast iron thus formed, connects the, ends of the two rails solidly
and firmly together and prevents the possibility of their ever becoming loose. At
the same time it does not touch the rails themselves but only the external casing,
the heads of the bolts, and the nuts, the whole being so firmly held by the cast
iron block when it has cooled that looseness or vibration become impossible, whilst
the ends of the rails are yet free to move longitudinally, by their expansion and
contraction, through the wrought iron case described and upon the bolts which pass
through them. Instead of three bolt holes and bolts, prepared and arranged as
above described, four or any other convenient number may be used. The improved
joint may therefore be readily applied to the ends of rails as now ordinarily used,
the holes and bolts for the ordinary fishplates being made use of; and in this way
the improved joints may be applied without interfering with the usual traffic,
though I prefer, where possible, to adopt the method of arrangement first described.
Every part of the bolts and nuts is so completely covered and protected by
the cast iron joint that it is impossible for them to meet with accidental or other
injury.
I sometimes modify the form of the casing, which is cast as described round the
ends of the rails, so that it forms also a chair to carry the rails. For this purpose
I make the shape of the case or mould into which the metal is cast such that a
flange or base is formed upon the casting by which it can be supported and
attached to sleepers in the ordinary way, and great solidity and durability are in
this way attained.
The iron may be cast round the ends of the rails in the way described from any
suitable furnace in which it is melted. A portable cupola melting furnace may be
arranged so as to be readily moveable along the railway as required, the iron in it
being melted by means of a portable fan and Engine similarly moveable upon the
railway, and the joints can thus be readily and quickly made, the cupola with
its apparatus being conveyed along the line as the joints are completed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Ebenezer Talbot in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th March 1883.
EDWARD EBENEZER TALBOT, of Paddington in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS OF JOINING AND SUPPORTING THE ENDS OF RAILS
ON RAILWAYS AND TRAMWAYS
"
My present invention relates to joints used for connecting together the ends of iron
or steel rails on railways, and it has for its objects improvements in such joints and
in the method of making them, so that by its use the ends of adjoining rails are
very firmly, strongly, and durably, connected together, whilst at the same time the
rails are capable of expansion and contraction to a sufficient extent. My invention
in a modified form may be applied to supporting the rails to which it is applied as
well as to connecting together their ends as described.
It is applicable to all kinds of rails but more especially to steel rails which are
not liable to lamination as they wear..
In order to put my present invention in operation, I make in the ends of the
rails which are to be joined together, openings or holes, preferably rectangular, for
the reception of bolts similar to those ordinarily used for bolting fish plates to the
rails, but instead of making two such holes in the end of each rail I prefer to make
one hole only at a sufficient distance from the end of the rail, and a part of a
second hole in the extremity of the rail so that when the ends of two rails are
brought together, a third hole is formed partly in each, such third hole being
preferably of larger size than the other holes made as described near the end of
each rail.
Round the central part or web and round the lower flange of the rail I fit a
casing preferably of wrought or sheet iron of sufficient thickness, one half of such
casing being fitted upon each side of the rail and the two halves meeting below the
bottom flange. This casing ends below the upper flange of the rail and is of such
a length as to extend for a sufficient distance beyond the inner holes already
described through the rails, and it may be bolted firmly to the rails, by bolts:
passing through the rectangular holes in the rails and through corresponding holes
in the casing; one such bolt which is preferably larger than the others passing
through the central hole half of which is formed in the end of each rail, whilst the
other bolts pass through the other holes. Each bolt is provided with a nut,
preferably square, at its outer end, by which it can be tightened up, and these nuts
are also provided with two or more projecting arms or lugs. Or, each bolt may be
provided with a square nut as described and with a second or lock nut outside, the
latter being provided with projecting lugs. The parts of the bolts which pass
through the rails and casing are made rectangular and fit tight into the casing, and
also into the rails except in the direction of the length of the latter where a
sufficient space is left to allow for the movement of the rails by expansion and
contraction.
•
The ends of the rails being firmly bolted together by means of the thin casing as
described, I then arrange round them when they have been adjusted in their proper
position upon the railway, a case or mould of sufficient length the ends of which fit
round the ends of the casing plates whilst its interior sides and bottom correspond
in shape with and form a mould for melted cast iron or other suitable metal which
I pour into it so as to form a cast metal block embracing and enclosing the ends of
the rails, the casing plates the heads of the bolts, and the nuts and projections upon.
the latter...
=

page_text: The block of cast iron or other metal thus formed, connects the ends of the two
rails solidly and firmly together and prevents the possibility of their ever becoming
loose. At the same time it does not touch the rails themselves but only the
external casing, the heads of the bolts, and the nuts, the whole being so firmly held
by the cast metal block when it has cooled that looseness or vibration become
impossible, whilst the ends of the rails are yet free to move longitudinally, by their
expansion and contraction, through the wrought iron case described and upon the
bolts which pass through them.
Instead of three bolt holes and bolts, prepared and arranged as above described,
four or any other convenient number may be used. The improved joint may
therefore be readily applied to the ends of rails as now ordinarily used, the holes
and bolts for the ordinary fish plates being made use of; and in this way the
improved joints may be applied without interfering with the usual traffic.
Every part of the bolts and nuts is so completely covered and protected by the
cast metal joint that it is impossible for them to meet with accidental or other
injury.
In a modified form of my invention, which I prefer to adopt where possible, I
use no bolts or nuts, but I bring the ends of the two rails which are to be connected
together into their proper position sufficiently near to each other, and I fit casing
plates of sufficient length round them in the method already described, such casing
plates being without bolt holes through them. Round the casing plates so fitted I
arrange a mould put together in two or more parts, its ends and upper lateral edges
embracing and holding firmly in position against the rails the extremities and the
upper edges only of the casing plates, and its interior being formed of such shape
that when cast iron, steel, or other suitable melted metal is poured into it through
one or more suitable: openings, a cast block is formed of great strength which when
cold and after the mould has been removed serves as a perfectly solid and rigid
connection to the two ends of the rails, whilst as it nowhere touches the rails but
only the casing plates which surround them the rails are free to move endways by
their expansion and contraction, and in this way a very strong, simple, and cheap,
joint is obtained. The cast block is preferably made of sufficient thickness at the
centre of its length but tapering gradually down to a lighter section at its ends.
Ribs or strengthening pieces may be cast upon it of any suitable size and shape if
desired.
In the accompanying drawings which are in illustration of my invention,
figure 5 is a side view, figure 6 a horizontal section, figure 7 a transverse section,
and figure 8 an end view of a joint arranged and made in the way just described.
a, a, are the ends of the rails which are to be joined together, h, h, are the side
plates in two halves, meeting at the bottom of the rails and fitting round them up
to the lower side of their upper flange. i is the block of cast iron or other metal
which when cast round the plates h, h, as described embraces the latter and holds
them perfectly firmly against the rails whilst the latter are able to move end ways
within them during any expansion or contraction.
In figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, my invention is shewn applied in the manner first above
described to rails having bolt holes through them. a is the web or body of the
rail, b is the upper flange and b¹ the lower flange. At c is a hole for the central
bolt, formed partly in each rail and d, d, are the holes for the side bolts. c' is
the centre bolt, and d², d³, the side bolts, all fitted with nuts e, and locknuts f, the
latter having projecting fangs g, g₁. At h is shown a wrought iron casing in two
i is the
parts surrounding and fitting the rails to which it is fixed by the bolts.
block of cast iron or other metal, enclosing the casing h, the bolts c, d, d³, and the
nuts e, f, and their fangs g, g', but not touching the rails itself.
In figure 4, the locknut is omitted, one nut only being fitted upon the bolt d²,
and provided with fangs at g. In figure 4 the cast metal block i is shewn in
dotted lines made of such shape as to serve for a support as well as a joining to
the rails.
The iron or other metal may be cast round the ends of the rails in the way

page_text: described from any suitable furnace in which it is melted. A portable cupola
melting furnace may be arranged so as to be readily moveable along the railway as
required,. the iron in it being melted by means of a portable fan and Engine
similarly moveable upon the railway, and the joints can thus be readily and
quickly made, the cupola with its apparatus being conveyed along the line as the
joints are completed.
.
Having now described my invention and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I claim :-The combination of the casing plates h, h, and the metal
block cast round them, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described
and shewn in figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the accompanying drawings. Also, as a
modification, the combination of the casing plates h, h, held to the rails by bolts
and nuts, and the metal block cast round them, substantially as and for the purpose
described and shewn in figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof, I the said Edward Ebenezer Talbot, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this 17th day of March in the year of our Lord 1883.
EDWARD EBENEZER TALBOT