Improvement in Joints for Railway Rails.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1899-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Joints for Railway Rails.
I, ALFRED DAVID CRESSLER, of the City of Fort Wayne, County of Allen, State
of Indiana, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 present invention relates to improvements in joints for railway rails.
It is well known that a smooth continuous tread at the joints of railway rails
which will obviate the unavoidable jarring and jolting action and disagreeable
sensation incident to passing over the uneven joints of the railway rails now in
common use, is very desirable.
The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and efficient joint
for railway rails so arranged as to present a smooth and practically continuous
tread surface over the abutting ends of the said rails, thereby overcoming the
said jarring sensation and also efficiently protecting the said abutting ends of
the rails and rolling stock from the usual wearing action thereon incident to
the common form of joint.
Another object of my invention is to provide a rail-joint adapted to be readily
and economically employed upon the form of railway rails now in common use,
by simply cutting off the abutting ends of the rails in conformity to my invention
My invention consists in a rail-joint for railway rails formed by cutting or
shaping and uniting the abutting ends of the adjacent rails at such an angle
that when secured in position the car wheels in passing over the same will rest
upon the tread of the forward rail at the joint before leaving the tread of the
adjacent rail at the joint, thereby providing, by means of such a lap-joint, a
smooth, uniform and continuous tread surface.
•
The novel feature of my improvement resides in the construction of the abut-
ting ends whereby a lap joint and a smooth continuous tread is secured.
Similar reference numerals in the accompanying drawings represent like parts
in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved lap joint with one of the
fish-plates, by which the abutting ends are secured, broken away to show
the continuation of the joint through the web and base of the rails."
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lap joint with the fish-plates removed.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one abutting end which forms the lap joint.
As clearly shown in Fig. 2 the abutting ends of the rails 1 and 2 are cut
diagonally at any desired angle which will insure the entry of the car wheels
upon the tread of the forward abutting rail before they have left the tread of the
adjacent abutting rail, preferably at an angle of about twenty-two degrees from
a longitudinal line as shown, though I do not wish to be understood as in any
way limiting myself to any particular angle at which the lap of the meeting
ends shall be made, so long as a smooth tread with its advantages is secured.
With my improved lap joint the common or any other proper form of fish-
plates 3 can readily be employed, as shown in Fig. 1 which are secured in
position by proper bolts 4 and washers 5, or it can be rigidily secured by any
other proper means.

page_text: Obviously one great advantage of my invention is that the present form of
railway rails can readily and cheaply be provided with my improved joint by
simply cutting off the worn ends thereof and then rigidly securing the joint
with the ordinary fish-plates, thereby avoiding the expense of any additional
attachments.
It will readily be seen that in the use of my improved joint the car wheel will
enter upon the forward point or portion of the tread 6 at the point 8 before they
leave the tread 7 at the point 9 Fig. 2 so that they thus have one continuous
tread surface, as the slight customary longitudinal contraction of the rails will
have no appreciable effect upon the operation thus described.
The customary wearing off of the abutting ends of the rails by the striking
contact of the wheels thereon, which thereby greatly aggravates the jolt and
jar occasioned by passing over the rail joints now in use, is obviated by the use
of my improvement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A lap-joint for railway rails formed by uniting the abutting ends of the
-1ails at such an angle as to form a smooth continuous tread, as described.
2. A joint for railway rails formed by rigidly uniting the lapping ends of the
abutting rails at such an angle that the car wheels in passing over the same
enter upon the tread surface at one side of the joint before leaving such surface
upon the other side of the joint, for the purpose of forming a smooth continuous
tread.
3. A joint for railway rails formed by uniting the abutting ends of the rails
at such an angle that the tread of the car wheels in passing over the same rests
simultaneously upon both sides of the joint substantially as described, and for
the purposes set forth.
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