Improvements in Railway Rail Joints.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by BERNHARD GUSTAV MAERCKLEIN, of
1810, State Street, Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, United States of America,
Physician.]
Improvements in Railway Rail Joints.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 railway rails and is illustrated in the accompanying
drawing in which
Figure 1 is a plan of the ends of two rails which form the splice.
Figure 2 a horizontal section through the splice portion on line y Figure 3.
Figure 3 a longitudinal elevation of Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 a vertical cross section of the main rail on line z Figure 3.
Figure 5 a cross section of the splice on line x Figure 2.
The features of novelty of this invention will be fully understood from the detail
description.
The ends of two rails A, B, are shaped by means of suitable dies to form a lap
splice as shown at C which extend diagonally through both rails; so that when the
two portions are brought together, the rail lies in a straight line with itself. This
construction differs from all other splices in that there is no offset or shoulder to
weaken the rail. E, E, represent the webs of the main rails and D, D, are the
diagonal webs which are formed to lie parallel with the joint C; and each web D
extends past the junction of the webs D and E and is tapered inward at G; so
as not to extend laterally beyond the track A, B, of the rail; and yet the extension
is such that the extreme points of the splices are firmly supported by solid metal
extending up from the base of the rail. This construction is such that between
the extensions G, G, and the webs E, E, there is an open space opposite to the
said webs. This form of rail is employed for passenger roads and for tracks for
lighter coaches, but for freight traffic and for roads requiring great strength the
spaces between the extension G, G, and webs are filled with metal C' which is
formed as parts of each extension G; so as to closely fit the webs E. The
plates F are formed each with an angle in longitudinal projection and in cross
section as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5; and two, or more bolts a are employed to
secure each plate, thus providing two bolts for securing the diagonal webs D, D.
Angular plates thus constructed and secured give to the splice a resisting strength
equal to the main portion of the rail; and rails thus spliced serve the purpose of
a continuous rail, saving great cost in the repairs of rolling stock, should it become
possible to cast steel rails, the lap splice can be cast as a part of my improved
rails without additional cost. In practice the bolt holes through the rails and
plates F are slotted to allow for expansion and contraction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
The herein described improvement in railway rails consisting of a diagonal splice
the face of which is parallel to itself entirely through the rails and the diagonal
webs of the spliced portion bevelled to thin edges to lie parallel with the edges of
the top of the rail, and extending under and to the points of the splice and
Price R

page_text: projecting outward from the webs of the main rails; as and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 19th day of April 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.