Improvements relating to Railway-rails and Rail-joints.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889 ·
CUMI MIE DI BUITIVATION.
Improvements relating to Railway-rails and Rail-joints.
I, GEORGE DUNCAN MOFFAT, of 137 Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America, Merchant 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 :-
My invention relates to railway-rails and is designed to provide improved means
for securely joining or uniting such rails.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan partly in section.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, and,
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figures 1 and 2 showing one
form of my improved rail joint.
Like letters indicato corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the bulb head or tread of the rail, B is the flange or foot thereof, C is
the web.
The head or tread A of each of the adjacent rails is cut away for a suitable distance
at the extremities of the said rails, as shown.
a is an extra or supplementary piece having a bulb head or tread of similar
dimensions to the bulb head or tread A. The extra or supplementary piece a is
formed integrally or in one with a fish-plate b, upon the lower part of which is
provided a flange bl arranged to overlap the flange or foot B of the rail and having
a groove to receive the said flange or foot B. c is another fish-plate having upon
its upper edge a projecting surface c¹ adapted to enter a corresponding groove a in
the bend or tread a of the said extra or supplementary piece a. The fish plate c is
provided moreover with an over-lapping flange d having a groove d¹ substantially
similar to that of the flange b¹. Suitable bolt-holes e are provided in the fish-
plates and c, and in the webs C of the rails, the holes in the latter being preferably
slotted or elongated to allow for expansion and contraction of the said rails. e¹ are
bolts for securing the fish-plates b and c in position.
By forming the said fish-plates b and c longer than the cut away portions of the
bulbs, heads or treads A I provide additional support against longitudinal curvature,
the said fish-plates passing under the said bulbs, heads or treads, and bearing
against the latter and against the foot or flange of each of the adjacent rails.
The improved rail-joint above described is more efficient than the joints hitherto
in use, and affords greater resistance to longitudinal or lateral curvature; moreover
it effectually maintains the adjacent rails in position flush with one another,
and ensures
the distribution over a considerable area of the weight of vehicles passing over the
joint. It is evident moreover that by obvious modifications my improved joint may
also be applied to double headed rails or to rails of any other suitable
description.
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient and advantageous method of
carrying my said invention into practice it is obvious that I can somewhat modify
the construction of my improved joint without departing from the nature of my said
invention. For instance I can form the extra or supplementary piece of the bulb or
head partly on one fish plate and partly on the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the. same is to be performed, I wish it understood
that I claim :-
First. A fish-plate provided with a bulb head or tread corresponding with that of
the rails with which it is to be used, for the purpose above specified.

page_text: Second. A fish-plate provided with a grooved flange adapted to engage with the
flange of the rail, for the purpose above specified.
Third. A rail-joint comprising fish-plates having grooved flanges to engage with the
flanges of the rails and a bulb, head or tread corresponding with that of the rails,
for the purposes, above specified.
Fourth. The improved rail-joint constructed substantially as described with reference
to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 12th day of September 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.