Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1895-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1595
I, Alfred BuCKINGHAM 【BBOTSON, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
England, and cf Villa Ibbotson, Porta Romana, Florence, Italy, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to rail joints and comprises the improvements hereinafter
indicated.
According to one part of my invention I provide improved forms of reversible
fish-plates of the kind or class described in the Specification of prior British Letters
Patent No. 7048° granted to me.
By another part of my invention I provide for joining the ends of rails in a
very rigid manner without using bolt holes in said rails as will be hereafter fully
explained.
In the said Specification No. 7048 A.D. 1891, fish-plates of various forms are
shewn in all of which however, with the exception of the angle fish-plate shown in
Figure 7 of the drawings annexed to the said Specification, the bearing faces of the
two operative parts are not on the same side of the plate.
The objects of the first part of my present invention are to afford greater facility
in the rolling of the reversible fish-plates; to give in some cases more vertical
strength to the rails at their joints with less weight of material; and to insure less
exposure to rain and less liability to rust of the second operative parts while the
first operative parts are being used. I also provide means for preventing the
creeping of the rails..
According to my present invention I construct a vertical deep-dipping fish plate
which has two operative parts approximately in the same plane and on the same
side of the plate. Between the said operative parts I form a deep groove in which
the lower part of the rail is received; the metal of the plate is preferably reduced
in thickness at the groove so as to decrease the weight of the plate.
When such plates are to be used with flange or "Vignoles" rails I preferably
cut away or bend down a portion of the flange which is enveloped by the fish
plates.
In another form of reversible fish plate 1 construct said plate of a channel
section the two operative parts being on the outside of the two opposite sides of
the channel and a comparatively thin web joining two said sides and forming the
bottom of the channel. The channelled plates may be used with any description of
rail, and as they do not, when in position, dip below the level of the tops of the
sleepers or touch said sleepers, they may be used when a sleeper passes directly
under the rail joint.
In another construction of channelled fish-plate the two operative parts which
form the sides of the channel make a suitable angle with each other instead of being
parallel, the web joining the said operative parts being curved to envelope the
Hauge of the rail. The flanges of the rail when the same is of "Vignoles" section
may or may not be partly cut away or bent down.
In this construction of fish plate, that operative part of the plate which is not
in use will generally dip below the level of the tops of the sleepers and therefore
employ these plates for a "suspended" joint; when a single joint sleeper is used I
cut channels therein on each side of the rail to receive the lower parts of the fish
plates, or I sink the entire sleeper and support the rails at the joint with wood or
metal placed between the sleeper and the rails. It may be observed that if the

page_text: web of a channel fish plate is bent double so that the two sides of the channel are
approximately in the same plane a fish plate similar to the vertical deep dipping
fish plate described hereinabove is produced with the operative parts on the same
side of the plate.
The bolts use with channelled fish plates are provided with a nut at each end
and the middle or plain portion thereof is preferably provided with two projecting
ribs. When making a rail joint with the channelled plates I place the first
operative part of one of the plates against the inner sides of the new rail, and with
the other hand I insert the bolts one by one from the other side of the rails to be
jointed or coupled together, then with the fingers place the washers and screw the
nuts on the inner end of the bolts as far as is necessary. Owing to the projecting
ribs on the bolts which ribs are arranged to come at the top and bottom of each
bolt, said bolts will be held horizontal so that the other reversible fish plate may be
placed over the outer ends of the bolts and the outer nuts screwed on by the fingers.
The nuts are then simultaneously tightened from both ends of the bolt.
beadless bolts of the ordinary section without projecting ribs.
may use
When my improved fish plates dip below the level of the tops of the sleepers a
suspended joint will in general be made, in which case the lower portions of the
fish plates prevent the rail from "creeping" by maintaining the two joint sleepers
a fixed distance apart. I thereby avoid the necessity for notching flanged rails
to keep them in place on the sleepers which is a great advantage as the notches
reduce the strength of the rail very considerably. In order however still further to
maintain the joint sleepers on each side of a suspended rail joint more steadily
apart at their required distance from each other I provide according to this
invention, a bolt that can be passed through such joint sleepers at a lower level
than the bottom of the fish plate which bolt is provided with slots or shoulder
and cottar-pins, washers and nuts for holding both sides of both joint sleepers firmly
together.
My improved form of plate hereinabove described can be used on one side of the
rail and other forms of plate such as those described in my prior Patent above
mentioned on the other side of the rail.
According to the second part of my invention I construct as hereinabove
mentioned a rail joint in which no bolt holes are required to be made in the rails.
In one form of joint use the vertical deep-dipping fish plates hereinabove
described. The two lowest operative parts of the plates are connected by fish bolts
and the two upper operative parts which support the rail are connected by a single
bolt which passes between the ends of the two rails. The end of each rail is
notched to admit said bolt. In order to distribute the pressure of the lower bolts
more evenly and cause the upper operative parts of the fish plates to grip the rails
tightly interpose between said lower parts an elastic plug or packing which may
be a spring or springs of suitable form or a strip of elastic material such as wood
for example of suitable dimensions. I prefer to make the spring or strip the same
length as the fish-plates, holes being provided therein through which the lower
bolts pass.
In a modified form of joint I interpose between the ends of the two rails to he
connected, a short length of rail of similar section through which one or more bolts
connecting the upper operative parts of the fish plates is or are passed. Said short
intermediate length of rail may be provided with projecting parts at its ends which
are received in suitable notches or recesses in the ends of the rails or which may
project under the ends of said rails. The lower operative parts of the fish plates
are connected by bolts as herein before described. When this description of rail
joint is used with flange or "Vignoles" rails, the groove between the two operative
parts of each fish plate is required to be made very deep so as to pass round the
flanges. I may use as the plug or packing between the lower operative parts of
the fish plates a short length of rail preferably similar to those to be connected but
placed upside down so that the wide flange of the under rail beds against the wide
flange of the rails to be connected. lu such a joint I sometimes dispense with

page_text: the reversible fish plates and employ ish plates each of which has what may be
called three bearing surfaces, the upper bearing surfaces act against the slopes of
the sides of the upper rails and of the intermediate piece, and the lower surfaces
press against the under rail and hold the same tightly against the bottoms of the
upper rails.
In another construction l use reversible fish plates of the type which has two
operative parts approximately at right angles to each other. One operative part
of each fish plate is secured in position against the rails by one or more bolts passing
through the intermediate piece or between the ends of the rails as hereinabove
described. The other operative parts, which are approximately horizontal and in
the same plane, are secured to a sole plate of any suitable form and dimensions.
I preferably employ a buckled sole plate with a central dipping portion and turned
down ends which abut firmly against the joint sleepers and keep them apart.
Instead of a sole plate I may employ at each end a piece of angle iron or steel
extending parallel to the sleepers and having one part bolted to the horizontal
portions of the fish plates, and the other part abutting against the joint sleepers.
The advantages of these joints are: First, they require no bolt holes in the
rails; second, by the introduction of the intermediate rail not only will the space
usually left for expansion and contraction be reduced by one half since there are
two gaps between the rails instead of one, but as the rails rest in cast iron chairs
placed on the centre of the joint sleepers and as near to the joints on each side as
possible, the rail ends will not project very far from the chairs and their supporting
power (especially seeing they have no bolt-holes in them) will be therefore very
great; third, the introduction of the sole plate described if firmly attached
at the ends to the second operative parts of my reversible fish plate, or to the first
operative parts thereof when they have been worn down and reversed, will greatly
stiffen the joint, and, by dipping at its extreme ends against the sides of the two
joint sleepers to keep them a part, will thus further prevent the creeping of the
rails; lastly the angle-plate joints formed as above set forth, will resist the bending
strain from a heavy locomotive quite as well as the rails do in their solid parts
between the intermediate sleepers. The cost of this joint may be reduced in
various ways, if not so much rigidity is required, viz. by dispensing with the
recesses in the webs of the rails and the corresponding projections from the short
intermediate rail in which case (as indeed in the former case also, seeing that the
cost of those slots and projections should not exceed the cost of forming the usual
four bolt holes in each rail by this invention rendered no longer necessary) the
intermediate rail being a rail on which the vehicles travel, the cost of it should not
be considered as any part of the cost of the joint. If, instead of the buckled sole
plate, two simple pieces of angle iron or steel are used, a still further reduction in
cost may be effected.
Dated this 1st dor of June 1804
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Rail Joints.
I, ALFRED BUCKINGHAM IBBOTSON, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
England, and of Villa Ibbotson, Porta Romana, Florence, Italy, 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 rail joints and comprises the improvements hereinafter
described

page_text: According to one part of my invention I provide improved forms of reversible
fish-plates of the kind or class described in the Specification of prior Letters
Patent No. 7048 A.D. 1891 granted to me.
By another part of my invention I provide for joining the ends of rails in a very
rigid manner without using bolt holes in said rails as will be hereafter fully
explained.
In the said Specification No. 7048 of 1891, fish-plates of various forms are shewn
in all of which however, with the exception of the angle fish-plate shown in Figure 7
of the drawings annexed to the said Specification, the bearing faces of the two
operative parts are not on the same side of the plate.
The objects of the first part of my present invention are to afford greater facility
in the rolling of the reversible fish-plates; to give in some cases more vertical
strength to the rails at their joint with less weight of material; and to insure less
exposure to rain and less liability to rust of the second operative parts while the
first operative parts are being used. I also provide means for preventing the
creeping of the rails.
According to my present invention I construct a vertical deep-dipping fish plate
which has two operative parts approximately in the same plane and on the same
side of the plate. Between the said operative parts I form a deep groove in which
the lower part or flange of the rail is received, the metal of the plate being
preferably reduced in thickness at the groove so as to decrease the weight of the
plate.
When such plates are to be used with flange or Vignoles" rails I preferably
cut away or bend down a portion of the flange which is enveloped by the fish
plates.
66
In another form of reversible fish plate I construct the said plate of a channel
section having two operative parts on the outside of the two opposite sides of the
channel and a comparatively thin web joining two said sides and forming the
bottom of the channel. The channelled plates may be used with any description
of rail, and as they do not, when in position, dip below the level of the tops of the
sleepers or touch the sleepers, they may be used when a sleeper passes directly
under the rail joint.
In another construction of channelled fish-plate the two operative parts which
form the sides of the channel make a suitable angle with each other instead of being
parallel, the web joining the said operative parts being curved to envelope the
Hange of the rail. The flanges of the rail when the same is of "Vignoles" section
may or may not be partly cut away or bent down.
In this construction of fish plate, that operative part of the plate which is not in
use will generally dip below the level of the tops of the sleepers and 1 therefore
employ such plates for a "suspended" joint; when a single joint sleeper is used
1 cut channels therein on each side of the rail to receive the lower parts of the fish
plates, or I sink the entire sleeper and support the rails at the joint with wood or
metal placed between the sleeper and the rails.
The bolts I use with channelled fish-plates are provided with a nut at each end,
and have the middle or plain portion thereof preferably provided with two
projecting ribs. When making a rail joint with the channelled plates I place the
first operative part of one of the plates against the inner sides of the new rail, and
then insert the bolts one by one from the other side of the rails to be jointed
or coupled together, I then place the washers on and screw the nuts on the inner
end of the bolts as far as is necessary. The projecting ribs on the bolts are
arranged to come at the top and bottom; they operate to hold the bolts horizontally
so that the other reversible fish plates may be placed over the outer ends of the
bolts and the outer nuts screwed on by the fingers. The nuts are then simul
taneously tightened from both ends of the bolt. I may use headless bolts of the
ordinary section without projecting ribs.
When my improved fish-plates dip below the level of the tops of the sleepers a
suspended joint will in general be made, in which case the lower portions of the fish

page_text: plates prevent the rail from "creeping" by maintaining the two joint sleepers a
fixed distance apart. I thereby avoid the necessity for notching flanged rails to
keep them in place on the sleepers and thus secure a great advantage as the notches
reduce the strength of the rail very considerably. In order however still further
to maintain the joint sleepers on each side of a suspended rail joint more steadily
apart at their required distance from each other I provide according to this
invention, a bolt that can be passed through such joint sleepers at a lower level
than the bottom of the fish plate which bolt is provided with slots or shoulder and
cottar-pins, or washers and nuts for holding both sides of both joint sleepers firmly
together.
My improved form of plate hereinabove described can be used on one side of the
rail and one of the other forms of plate described in the Specification of the
above-mentioned Patent on the other side of the rail.
According to the second part of my invention I construct as hereinabove
mentioned a rail joint in which no bolt holes are required to be made in the rails.
In one form of joint use the vertical deep-dipping fish-plates hereinabove
described, the two lowest operative parts of the plates being connected by fish
bolts, and the two upper operative parts which support the rail being connected by
a single bolt which passes between the ends of the two rails. The end of each rail
is notched to admit the said bolt. In order to distribute the pressure of the lower
bults more evenly and cause the upper operative parts of the fish plates to grip the
rails tightly I interpose between the lower parts an elastic plug or packing which
ay be a spring or springs of suitable form or a strip of elastic material such as
wood for example of suitable dimensions. I prefer to make the said spring or strip
of the same length as the fish-plate, holes being provided therein through which the
lower bolts can pass.
In a modified form of joint I interpose between the ends of the two rails to
he connected, a short length of rail of similar section through which one or more
bolts connecting the upper operative parts of the fish plates is or are passed. The
said short intermediate length of rail may be provided with projecting parts at its
ends which are received in suitable notches or recesses in the ends of the rails or
which may project under the ends of the rails. The lower operative parts of the
fish plates are connected by bolts as hereinbefore described. When this description
of rail joint is used with flange or "Vignoles" rails, the groove between the two
operative parts of each fish plate is required to be made very deep so as to pass
round the flanges. I may use as the plug or packing between the lower operative
parts of the fish plates a short length of rail preferably similar to those to be
connected but placed upside down so that the wide flange of the under rail beds
against the wide flange of the rails to be connected. In such a joint 1 sometimes
dispense with the reversible fish-plates and employ fish-plates each of which has
what may be called three bearing surfaces; the upper bearing surfaces act against
the slopes of the sides of the upper rails and of the intermediate piece, and the
lower surfaces press against the under rail and hold the same tightly against the
bottoms of the upper rails.
In another construction I use reversible fish plates having two operative parts
approximately at right angles to each other. One operative part of each fish-plate
is secured in position against the rails by one or more bolts passing through the
intermediate piece or between the ends of the rails as hereinabove described. The
other operative parts, which are approximately horizontal and in the same plane,
are secured to a sole plate of suitable form and dimensions. I preferably employ a
buckled sole plate with a central dipping portion and turned down ends which abut
firmly against the joint sleepers and keep them apart. Instead of a sole plate I may
employ at each end a piece of angle iron or steel extending parallel to the sleepers
and having one part bolted to the horizontal portions of the fish-plates, and the
other part abutting against the joint sleepers.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
:

page_text: Figure 1 is a transverse section of a rail joint constructed with one form of my
improved fish-plate, and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views respectively of a rail-joint constructed with
another form of fish plate.
Figures 5 and 6 are also similar views respectively shewing a further modification
of my improved fish plate.
Figure 7 is a transverse section shewing two flat-bottomed or "Vignoles" rails
with portions of their flanges cut off, and joined by means of fish plates such as
those shewn in Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a side elevation, and
Figure 9 a plan of the same.
Figures 10 to 13 are transverse sections shewing various modifications of my
improved fish plate.
Figure 14 is a transverse section of a rail joint, in which bolt holes are not
required in the rails, constructed according to my invention.
Figure 15 is a side elevation, and
Figure 16 a plan of the same.
Figure 17 is a side elevation of the ends of the rails.
Figure 18 is a transverse section shewing a modification hereinafter described.
Figure 19 is a transverse section,
Figure 20 a side elevation, and
Figure 21 a plan shewing another construction of rail joint.
Figure 22 is a side elevation of the rails.
Figure 23 illustrates a detail view hereinafter explained.
Figure 24 is a transverse section showing a further modification of the reversible
fish plate joint.
Figure 25 a side elevation, and
Figure 26 is a transverse section shewing how the modification illustrated in
Figure 24 may be applied to non-reversible fish-plates.
Figure 27 is a transverse section, and
Figure 28 is a side elevation of a further modification of the rail joint shewn in
Figures 14 to 23.
Figure 29 is a transverse section and
Figure 30 is a side elevation shewing a form of rail joint made with a sole
plate.
Figure 31 is a plan of the sole plate.
Figure 32 is a transverse section and
Figure 33 is a side elevation of a modification of the rail joint shewn in
Figure 27.
Figures 10 to 13, 29, 30, 32 and 33 are drawn to a larger scale than the
remaining figures which are approximately one quarter of full size.
Like letters denote similar parts in all the drawings.
A, A are the rails to be joined ; B, B are the fish plates; C, C are the sleepers;
and D the fish bolts.
In Figures 1 and 2 I shew a rail joint made with vertical deep-dipping fish-
plates B, B each of which has two operative parts b and 61 approximately in the
same plane and on the same side of the plate. Between the said operative parts
I form a deep groove b in which the lower part or flange a of each of the rails A, A
is received; the metal of the plate is preferably reduced in thickness at the groove
as shewn so as to decrease the weight of the plate.
Figures 3 and 4 shew a joint in which the two operative parts of the fish plates
are at an angle with each other so that the parts 6 of said plates which are not in
use only dip a short distance below the level of the tops of the sleepers. I also
shew in Figure 4 a bolt E which is passed through the sleepers C C at a lower level
than the bottom of the fish plate. This bolt is provided with a head or shoulder E
at one end and slots fitted with cottar pins e and washers e² so that the joint

page_text: sleepers can be held very firmly and prevented from creeping. F, F are the spikes
that hold the rails to the sleepers. I sometimes use nuts screwing on the bolt E in
place of the cottar pins e¹ e¹. In Figures 5 and 6 the two operative parts b, b₁ of
each fish plate are shewn as being approximately at right angles to each other, also
the web joining the two operative parts is made rather thicker than is the case in.
the fish plate shewn in Figure 3 at b³.
**
When my improved fish plates are used with flange or Vignoles" rails:
I sometimes cut away a portion of the flange a which is enveloped by the fish plates.
as shewn at a' in Figure 5 for example and also in Figures 7 and 12 hereinafter
described. The said cut away portion extends along each rail for a distance equal.
to half the length of the fish plate. Instead of cutting away a portion of the foot.
of the rail I may bend down the same.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 shew two " Vignoles "rails joined by vertical deep-dipping
fish plates similar to those shewn in Figure 1. The aforesaid portions of the
Hauges of the rails are cut off as clearly shewn in Figures 7 and 9. The plan view
Figure 9 shews that the flanges are cut off for a distance equal to the length of the
fish plates which is also preferably the distance between the joint sleepers.
66
The fish plates herein before illustrated generally dip below the level of the tops
of the sleepers and act to maintain the sleepers in place and prevent the rails
'creeping"; it is however sometimes desirable to place a sleeper immediately
below the rail joint. With this object in view I have designed the form of fish
plate shewn in Figure 16. The two operative parts 661 of the fish plate ar
approximately parallel and are united by a thin web . The ordinary headed fish
bolts cannot be used with this form of fish plate but a bolt having a nut at each
end must be employed. In making this joint I place the first operative part b
of one of the fish plates against the inner sides of the new rails and pass the bolt,
through the holes in the rails and fish plates with one hand, placing the nuts and
washers on the bolt with the other hand. These nuts are screwed up as far as is
necessary, or possible, by hand alone. I then place the first operative part of the
other fish plate over the projecting ends of the bolts and screw the second nuts on,
also by the fingers. The bolts are then tightened up by the aid of two spanners
working at same time in opposite directions in a manner well understood. prefer
that the plain portions d of the bolts should be made with a projecting rib d' at the
top and bottom so that the vertical diameter of the bolt is the same as that of the
hole in the rail. When the inner nuts are screwed on, the remaining portions of
the bolts will then be approximately in one horizontal plane which arrangement
enables the second fish plate to be very readily slipped over all the bolts at once.
When I desire to place a sleeper immediately under a rail joint made with fish
plates of the form shewn in Figures 3 and 5 I cut away a portion of said sleeper or
place the sleeper at a lower level than the remaining sleepers and provide a
suitable packing between the sleeper and the foot of the rail. For example with a
sleeper of the form shewn in Figure 3 cut channels across the sleeper as shewn
at c Figure 11 in which the lower parts of the fish plates are received.
Figure 12 shews fish plates similar in form to those shewn in Figure 1, the web b*
joining the two operative parts being however thicker; portions of the feet a of
the rails are also cut away as indicated by the dotted lines.
In Figure 13 1 shew a section of a rail joint having on the outside of the rails a
fish plate of the form shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings annexed to the
Specification of Letters Patent hereinbefore mentioned. The fish plate on the
inside is somewhat similar in form to that shewn in Figure 13. It will be observed
that the top of the rail a is worn down from its original form shewn in dotted
lines, and the second operative parts 6 of the fish plates are applied to the rails.
Notwithstanding the wearing of the rails, however, the wheel flauge G will never
strike against the fish plate as the second operative part 6 of the plate does not
project laterally beyond the head of the rail.
The remaining figures of the drawings illustrate methods of making rail joints in
which no bolt holes are required to be made in the rails to be joined.

page_text: In Figures 14 to 17 I shew a method in which vertical deep-dipping fish-plates
such as are shewn in Figures 1 and 12 are used. The ends of the rails A, A have
a semicircle cut out in the web as shewn at a² Figure 17 through which a single
'bolt D' passes, the said bolt being screwed tight so as to maintain the operative
parts bb of the fish plates close against the rails. The lower operative parts b,
are maintained apart by an elastic plug such as a spring H (see Figure 14) and
four or any other suitable number of bolts are passed through said parts and screwed
tight. These lower bolts assist the upper bolt D' in keeping the fish plates in
position. The spring H may if desired be inverted, its function being to cause
the pressure to be distributed equally between all the bolts.
'In Figure 18 a wooden block H' is substituted for the spring H of Figure 14.
In Figures 19 to 21 I shew a modified form of joint wherein I interpose between
the ends of the rails to be connected a short length of rail I of similar section
provided with projecting parts i, i at its ends, which are received in notches a², a in
the ends of the rails A, A and also project under the ends of said rails as shewn
'at, Portions of the rails A, A and the intermediate,piece I are shewn in side
elevation in Figure 22, and an end view of the intermediate piece I is shewn in
Figure 23. In these figures the intermediate piece I is provided with a single hole
through which the bolt D' passes to secure the upper operative parts of the fish
plate in position; in Figure 25 hereinafter described a longer intermediate piece I,
provided with two bolts D¹, D' is shown. The projections and notches a² may
sometimes be dispensed with.
set in
In Figure 24 I have shown a further modification of my reversible fish plates
where instead of using the spring H of Figure 14 or block H' of Figure 18 I use
'a piece H2 of rail of suitable length having its base turned upward as shown and
bearing against the base of the rail A. This piece of rail H³ is of similar section
to the rail A but is specially prepared to receive the second operative parts of the
fish plates which are secured by bolts and press the rail H2 upwards.
slightly those parts of the reversible fish plates which rest against the lower parts
of the upper rails at 6 and bind upwards against the lower piece of rail at 61 so that
when making the joint it will be necessary to force the fish plates against the upper
rail A and lower piece H2 at both sides of the joint with a cramp. The part B
of the fish plate if hardened and tempered will act as a spring to grip the
rails A and H together until the fish bolts and rivets are inserted and screwed up.
In Figures 25 and 26 I shew two rails of "Vignoles" section joined by means of
non-reversible fish-plates having three bearing surfaces 63, 64, 65 and a short length
of rail H2 like that shown in Figure 24. Two of the bearing surfaces of each
plate bear against the upper and lower sloping parts of the rails to be connected
and the third bears against the lower sloping bar of a short length of rail H’
which is inverted and placed beneath the ends of the rails to be connected.
In Figures 27 and 28 I shew a further modification wherein I use reversible
deep-dipping fish plates B B with an intermediate piece I between the ends of the
rails A, A. Two bolts D' D' pass through the interinediate piece and two bolts D, D
pass through the lower operative parts of the fish plates. I then prefer to
use two short springs or plugs H3, H³ instead of one spring extending the whole
length of the fish plate. I may if desired provide bolt holes in the ends of the
rails shown in Figure 28, and put bolts through them. The reversible fish-plates
herein shown applied to flat bottomed rails with a portion of the flanges cut away
can in many instances be also applied to bull-beaded rails such as shown in Figures 29
and 32 and may by this invention be applied to such rails.
In Figures 29 to 31 I shew a form of rail joint made with angle fish-plates the
lower operative parts of which are secured to a sole plate J shewn by itself in
plan in Figure 31 on a smaller scale. The upper operative parts b, b of the fish
plates are secured against the rails by two bolts D', D: passing through the
intermediate piece I and the other operative parts 61, 6 which are approximately
horizontal are secured by bolts D2, D² to the sole plate J. The said sole plate is
preferably provided with a central dipping portion J baving a drainage hole j

page_text: therein and with turned down ends J, J' which abut firmly against the joint
sleepers C C and keep them apart. The bolt holes j¹, are elongated as shown so
that when wear sets in and the fish plates are being further screwed up the bolt
holes in the sole plate will still correspond with the holes in the fish plates.
For the sole plate J, I may substitute two pieces of angle iron or steel K, K. in
Figures 32 and 33. The said angle irons are secured by bolts D2, D² to the lower
operative parts of the fish plates and abut against the joint sleepers as shown.
The advantages of these joints are: First, they require no bolt holes in the
rails; Second, by the introduction of the intermediate rail the space usually left
for expansion and contraction is reduced by one half since there are two gaps
between the rails instead of one, and as the rails rest in cast iron chairs placed on
the centre of the joint sleepers as near to the joint on each side as possible, the
rail ends will not project very far from the chairs and their supporting power
(especially seeing that they have no bolt-holes in them) will be therefore very
great; Third, the introduction of the sole plate described if firmly attached at the
ends to the second operative parts of my reversible fish plate, or to the first
operative parts thereof when they have been worn down and reversed, will greatly
stiffen the joint, and, by dipping at its extreme ends against the sides of the two
joint sleepers to keep them apart, will thus further prevent the creeping of the
rails; Lastly the angle-plate joints formed as above set forth, will resist the
bending strain from a heavy locomotive quite as well as the rails do in their solid
parts between the intermediate sleepers. The cost of this joint may be reduced in
various ways, if not so much rigidity is required, for example by dispensing with
the recesses in the webs of the rails and the corresponding projections from the
short intermediate rail in which case (as indeed in the former case also, seeing that
the cost of those slots and projections should not exceed the cost of forming the
usual four bolt holes in each rail by this invention rendered no longer necessary)
the intermediate rail being a rail on which the vehicles travel, the cost of it should
not be considered as any part of the cost of the joint. If, instead of the buckled
sole plate, two simple pieces of angle iron or steel are used, a still further reduction
in cost may be effected.
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. A deep-dipping reversible fish plate having two operative parts and four
bearing surfaces, said operative parts being approximately in the same plane, and
all the bearing surfaces being on the same side of the fish plate, substantially as
described, and for the purpose specified.
2. A reversible fish plate of channel form, having two operative parts and four
bearing surfaces, said operative parts being approximately parallel and all the
bearing surfaces being on the same side of the fish plate, substantially as, and for
the purpose, specified.
3. A rail joint formed without bolt-holes in the rails, by two reversible vertical
fish plates adapted to be clamped together by fish bolts passing through the lower
operative parts of the fish plates below the rails and by a single fish bolt passing
through the upper operative parts and through notches in the ends of the rails, one
or more pieces of elastic packing being interposed between the said lower operative
parts of the fish plates, substantially as described.
4. The modified form of such rail joint wherein the upper operative parts are
clamped by one or more bolts passing through a short length of rail placed between
the ends of the rails to be joined, substantially as described.
5. A rail joint formed without bolt-holes in the rails, by two reversible fish
plates of angle form, the vertical portions of the said fish plates being clamped
together by a bolt passing between the ends of the rails, or by a bolt or bolts
passing through a short length of rail placed between the ends of the rails to be
joined, the horizontal portions of the said fish plates being bolted to a sole plate or
B

page_text: to two angle plates placed below the ends of the rails to be joined, substantially as
described.
6. A reversible fish plate constructed substantially as described with reference to
either of Figures 1, 3, 10, 12 and 24 of the accompanying drawings.
7. A non-reversible fish plate constructed as described with reference to
Figure 26 of the accompanying drawings.
8. A rail joint constructed substantially as described with reference to Figures 1
and 2, or to Figures 3 and 4, or to Figures 5 and 6, or to Figures 7, 8 and 9,
or to Figure 10, or to Figure 13,. or to Figures 14 to 17, or to Figure 18, or
to Figures 19 to 23 or to Figure 24 or to Figures 25 and 26, or to Figures 27
and 28 or to Figures 29, 30 and 31, or to Figures 32 and 33 of the accom-
panying drawings.
9. The combination, with a rail joint, of a fish bolt having its plain part
formed with two ribs at opposite ends of a diameter, substantially as described
with reference to Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings, for the purpose
specified.
10. The method of maintaining the joint sleepers in position substantially as
described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
11. The combination, with deep-dipping fish plates such as those herein
described, of rails having portions of their lower flanges cut away or bent
down, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Doted this lat
A 1005
+
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.