Improvements in or connected with Rail Bonds.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 14th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
Improvements in or connected with Rail Bonds.
I, STEPHEN PRESCOTT WHITE D'ALTE SELLON, of the Whitehall Club, Parliament
Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to improvements in or connected with rail bonds by means of
which certain advantages are obtained.
In order that the nature of my invention may be readily understood I shall proceed
to briefly describe it by reference to one contemplated form thereof the said
contemplated form being typical and being illustrated in the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
In the said drawings Figure I is a side elevation of the said contemplated form of
rail bond, Figure II is a plan, and Figure III is a diagramatic view shown partly in
plan and partly in section of the right hand end of the bond shown in Figure II
after the said bond has been attached to the rail as will hereinafter be described.
Referring now to the said figures, 1 and 2 are thick perforated discs of copper
united by the copper wire 3. The wire 3 is helically bent as shown at 4 so as to
allow of expansion and contraction under the influence of changes of temperature
and at the same time increase the elasticity of the bond and render it less liable to
breakage through concussion or strain. The orifices or perforations of the discs, 1
and 2, are threaded to receive the copper bolts 5 which are squared or flatted at one
extremity 6 to enable them to be screwed home by means of a spanner or key, or
slotted to receive the point of a screw-driver or the like for the same purpose.
The method of bonding rails by means of my new or improved rail bond is as
follows. The webs of the adjacent ends of the rails to be bonded having been
suitably perforated, as for example by the orifice 7 of the web of the rail shown
in Figure III, the bond is placed in position so that the disc 1 is placed against the
web of one rail and the disc 2 against the web of the adjacent rail in such manner
that the perforations of the discs are coincident with the perforations of the webs
of the rails to be bonded together. The bolts 5 are then inserted in the perforations
and screwed home so as to attach the discs 1 and 2 to the rails. The ends of the
bolts now protrude, one end beyond the surface of the rail-webs away from the discs
and the other end beyond the surfaces of the discs away from the rail-webs. These
protruding ends are now beaten up into rivet heads as shown at 9 and 10 in
Figure III and the bonding is complete, a large and close surface contact, and one
but little liable to corrosion or separation, being thus obtained. Excellent electrical
connection is secured by this means.
I may cause the wire 3 to pass either within or outside of the fish plates, when
such are employed, and may bend it accordingly.
Dated this 14th day of April 1897
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.

page_text: Figure 11 1s a plan, and
Figure III is a diagrammatic view shown partly in plan and partly in section of the
right hand end of the bond shown in Figure II after the said bond has been attached
to the rail as will be hereinafter described.
Referring now to the said figures, 1 and 2 are perforated plates of copper united by the
copper wire 3. The wire 3 is helically bent as shown at 4 so as to allow of expansion
and contraction under the influence of changes of temperature and at the same time
increase the elasticity of the bond and render it less liable to breakage through
concussion or strain. The orifices or perforations of the plates, 1 and 2, are threaded
to receive the copper bolts 5 which are grip-tipped at one extremity 6 that is to say
which are squared or flatted to enable them to be screwed home by means of a
spanner or key, or slotted to receive the point of a screw-driver or perforated to take
a tommie or otherwise adapted to be engaged by a tool for the same purpose.
The method of bonding rails by means of my new or improved bond is as follows.
The webs of the adjacent ends of the rails to be bonded having been suitably per-
forated and either provided with a female thread or left plain, as for example by
the orifice 7 of the web 8 of the rail shown in Figure III, the bond is placed in
position so that the plate 1 is placed against the web of one rail and the plate 2
against the web of the adjacent rail in such manner that the perforations of the plates
are coincident with the perforations of the webs of the rails to be bonded together.
The bolts 5 are then inserted in the perforations and screwed home so as to bring
the plates 1 and 2 close up to the rails. The ends of the bolts now protrude, one end
beyond the surface of the rail-webs away from the plates and the other end beyond
the surfaces of the plates away from the rail-webs. These protruding ends are now
beaten up into rivet heads as shown at 9 and 10 in Figure III and the bonding is
complete, a large and close surface contact and one but little liable to corrosion or
separation, being thus obtained. Excellent electrical connection is secured by this
means.
I may cause the wire 3 to pass either within or outside of the fish plates, when such
are employed, and may bend it accordingly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1. The rail bond substantially as set forth.
2. In a rail bond, a wire with a helical bend therein substantially as set forth.
3. In a rail bond, the combination of a wire with a helical bend 'therein and a
perforated plate or disc at each end of said wire substantially as set forth.

page_text: 4. In a rail bond, the employment of grip-tipped threaded bolts substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
5. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth with
reference to the drawings.
4. In a rail bond, the employment of grip-tipped threaded bolts substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
5. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth with
reference to the drawings.
Dated this 14th day of January 1898.
For the Annlicant
Dated this 14th day of January 1898.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.