Improvements in Rail-joints.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
Improvements in Rail-joints.
I, FREDERICK WRIGHTON of 82 Balcorne Street, South Hackney, in the
County of Middlesex, Cabinet 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in rail-joints whereby vertical play
between the abutting ends of the rails during the running of vehicles over them is
prevented and the jolting generally experienced when travelling over rails with
ordinary joints is avoided.
According to my invention the ends of the rails are formed with right and left
handed tongues and recesses which are so arranged that when the rails are joined
together the tongue of one rail corresponds with or fits into the recess of the other.
The shape and construction of these tongues and recesses are such that the ends of
the rails mutually support each other without its being possible for one end to rise
above the other, and at the same time the stiffness of the rail-joint is increased.
In order that my said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to
the accompanying drawings in which :
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and
Figure 2 a plan of the abutting ends of two ordinary flat bottomed rails
constructed and joined together in accordance with my invention.
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section on the line 1. 1 of Figure 1 and
Figure 4 another vertical cross-section on the line 2. 2 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a side elevation and
Figure 6 a plan of the end of the left hand rail.
In all these figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is the head, B the web, and C the foot of the rail; D, D are the fish-plates,
and E the fish-bolts, all of these parts being of well known construction.
The head of the rail, near each of its ends is formed with a prolonged portion
or tongue a and with a lateral ledge or recess b. The width of the tongue and of
the recess is equal to half the entire width of the rail-head and the portion of the
tongue which projects beyond the end of the rail is equal in length to that of
the recess. The outer extremities a' of the tongues and the inner ends 6' of the
recesses are bevelled as seen at Figure In order to give extra strength and
support to the tongue a I prefer to form the ends of the rail-web angularly at c each
of said angular portions being half the width of the rail-web. The outer
inclined edge c¹ of one of these angular portions corresponds with the inner inclined
edge of the angular portion of the adjacent rail (Figure 1). It will thus be seen
that the ends of each rail are symmetrically formed, but in the reverse manner, so
that when said ends are brought together they will exactly fit each other, the
tongues a entering the corresponding recesses and the outer edges c¹ of the angular
portions c meeting the inner edges in which position the rails are retained by the
fish plates D and bolts E. A continuous rail is thus formed of the same cross-
Bection throughout its length, the weight of the vehicles as they pass over the joints
being supported by the tongues resting upon the lower surface of the recesses and
not by the fish plates as heretofore. By forming the extremities a¹ of the tongues
and the ends of the recesses bevelled as already explained, instead of the wheels
passing suddenly from one rail to the next, as would be the case if said
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page_text: extremities were straight, I ensure that the wheels shall not leave one rail before
reaching the next. These bevelled ends also prevent any lateral movement taking
place between the rail-ends irrespective of the fish-plates so that in the event
of the fish-plates or the fish-bolts becoming for any reason inoperative, my rail-
joint will still remain intact until the fish-plate or fish-bolts have been properly
attended to. Instead of forming the ends of the tongues and the recesses bevelled
as shown in the drawings I may if preferred curve or otherwise form them in order
to accomplish the purpose in view.
When it is desired to disconnect a pair of rails provided with my joint it is only
necessary to remove the fish-plates and to raise the abutting ends of the rails by
means of a lever, then by giving a slight lateral movement to the abutting ends of
said rails in opposite directions they become entirely disconnected. This operation
is reversed when connecting the rails together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
1.. A rail-joint in which the ends of the rails are formed with tongues and lateral
recesses which are so arranged that the tongue of one rail is adapted to fit and be
supported by the recess of the other substantially as described, and for the purpose
specified.
2. In a rail-joint, constructing the tongues and recesses with bevelled or
interlocking ends substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
3. A rail-joint in which the rail-head is formed with tongues and lateral recesses,
and the rail-web with angular portions substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
4. A rail-joint constructed substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 17th day of April 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.