IMPROVE- MENTS IN JOINING THE ENDS OF RAILWAY RAILS, PART OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Milner at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd June 1877. A communication from
abroad by John E. Atwood, of Stonington, in the United States of America.
WILLIAM MILNER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Merchant. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN JOINING THE ENDS OF RAILWAY RAILS, PART OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS
BEING APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by
John E. Atwood, of Stonington, in the United States of America.
This Invention relates chiefly to certain improvements in railway rail joints, and
it consists of a novel construction and combination of parts as herein-after described.
In carrying out this Invention, the rails of a line of railway which are arranged
so as to rest upon cross ties or sleepers, are, by preference, each made single faced,
that is, are formed with an inside face only, whereby a longer rail can be rolled
from a bloom of a given weight without materially, if at all, diminishing the strength
of the rail, and making a less number of joints necessary; also reducing the cost
per mile.
Furthermore, by this form or construction of rail to which this Invention is not
restricted, however, the face on the inside of the rail may be placed nearer to the
web than in the double or inside and outside faced rail, and it will be less liable
to be hammered down by the wheels of the carriages or trucks running over it,
particularly at the ends of the rail; also the outer side of the rail, which is not
exposed to the same severe service, is proportionately reduced as regards its weight
of metal.
To make an effective joint at the junction of the rail sections, it is proposed to
make the ties at the joint longer than usual, or to extend them to a greater distance
beyond the rails than the other ties, when practicable to do so, thereby giving more
base and tie support and reducing the tendency to sink into the ground. The fish
plates should also be of sufficient length to cover at least three ties, with the joint
over the centre one. These fish plates extend down to and together with the rail,
which they clamp or hold in between them, rest upon the ties, thereby giving the
whole structure a wider and better base at such place of rest, and reducing the
tendency to cut into the ties; nor by this construction is it necessary to increase
the height of the rails from the ties, and the general grade of the ties is not disturbed,
chairs being dispensed with, and the rails with their fish plates resting only on
wood; the same will not be as readily pounded out of shape as if resting on metal,
$

page_text: neither will the adjacent ends of the rail sections sink one below the other and be
exposed to battering by the wheels of the carriages or trucks running over them.
The outside fish plate is made heavier than the inside one, and extends to or
above the rail at the joint to prevent the wheels which run over it from striking
the ends of the rails; but it is made of less depth or height at its ends than the
rails to ease contact of the wheels when riding on to or over the said fish plate.
This extension of the fish plate at its centre above the rail or joint of the rail
sections, while its ends fail to reach the top surface of the rail, and the extension of
both inner and outer fish plates at their bases so as to rest upon the ties, may
either be used separately or conjointly, as desired, and in connection with the form
of rail shown, or any other.
The rails may be held down to the ties by spikes, and the fish plates be united
with the rails, and, if desired, the opposite or parallel rails forming a single track
tied together by bolts and nuts. The nuts however, as also certain washers used in
connection with them, it is proposed to peculiarly construct and apply without
restriction to the precise form-of rail and fish plates here shown. Thus the bolts
which pass through the web and fish plates of the rail, also hooked bolts which
bind the fish plates and rail together at or below the base of the latter in between
the ties, likewise other bolts, which are but extensions of the last-mentioned bolts,
for the purpose of performing the additional duty of connecting the opposite rails
together, are tightened. up or secured, and have applied to thom-pendalous nuts
which are not only made heavier on their one side than on the other, but are of an
eccentric or other equivalent shape, with flat or angular sides, adapted to be received
within or grasped by a wrench for the purpose of tightening up the nuts. By this
construction, when the said nuts are in proper position upon the bolts they not only
serve by their overhanging weight to tighten up the fastenings rather than to
unscrew therefrom by the vibrations on the bolts and nuts consequent upon the
running of trains over the tracks, but they may be adjusted from time to time, as
required, by applying to them a positive wrench on opposite ends of a bar, which
wrench may have its opposite ends reversed to enable the operator to turn the nut
ȧs desired.
The desired position of the nuts to suit varying requirements can be secured by
changing them or the nuts and washers; but the construction of the nuts is such
that, in the case of their becoming loose from any cause, they will not unscrew when
in an approximately horizontal position.
A washer is also applied to the nuts or certain of them. This washer is of a
hook shape or construction, so as to hook at its one end on to the base flange of the
fish plates or rails. Such washer serves to hold the bolt to which the nut is applied
in place, and to more securely unite and support the rails and fish plates.
.
The pendulous nuts are also applicable to a variety of useful. purposes where it
is desirable to have a nut which will not shake loose with vibrations, but, on the
contrary, has a tendency to tighten itself, their essential feature being that one side
is made of greater weight than the other, as herein-before described.