Improvements in Rail-joints.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
CUMI LIELM
Improvements in Rail-joints.
I, CECIL URQUHART FISHER of 45 Holborn Viaduct in the County of London,
Solicitor and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention (com-
municated to me by The Heath Rail Joint Company of Lumber Exchange
Building, Minneapolis, Minnesota) 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 rail-joints, and in particular to a trussed rail joint
formed from sheet or wrought metal; aud the object of the invention is to provide a
rail-joint which will be reasonably cheap and simple, which will be comparatively
light in weight and will occupy but little space, and will at the same time be
substantially as strong or stronger than any part of the rails.
Another object of the invention is to provide a rail-joint, the main part of which
can be formed of steel or wrought iron and can be formed integrally from a single
sheet or plate of metal.
The invention consists generally in a combined trussed base plate and angle bar
formed from a single piece of wrought metal.
The invention consists further in a detachable angle bar adapted for use with
said integral part, and provided with means for securing the same in place.
The invention consists further in the constructions and combinations hereinafter
described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings forming a part of this Specification, in which,
Fig. 1 is a transverse section of a rail-joint embodying our invention.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the middle of the joint, showing the hooked
clamping bolt which may be used for fastening the separable angle bar.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the middle portion of the joint.
Fig. 4 shows a blank from which the combined base plate and angle iron or bar
is formed, the blank being shown with the spike holes.
Fig. 5 shows the blank after the trusses have been formed.
Fig. 6 is a cross section of the plate shown in Fig. 5.
Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a plan and cross-section showing the plate with
the angle iron portion struck up into a vertical position preparatory to finally
shaping the angle iron to fit the side of the rail or rails.
In the drawings 2-2 represents the rails; 3 one of the ties; 4 an ordinary
angle iron used upon one side of the rail and provided with the bolt holes 6; and 7
represents the bolts used for securing the angle irons and rails in the usual manner.
There is used the combined truss, base plate and angle iron formed integrally and
arranged to support the ends of the rails, and also to engage the flange and side of
the rail, so as to hold the rails firmly in position.
In constructing this combined trussed base plate and angle iron a sheet of metal
is provided, preferably steel, of suitable thickness and cut substantially in the form
shown in Fig. 4. Suitable spike holes 9 and 11 are preferably first punched in
this plate or blank, and then as shown in Fig. 5, the slots 19 are preferably cut so
that when the angle iron part is turned up, ears or end lugs will be made projecting
beyond the line of the angle iron or bar and each adapted to receive a spike. The
holes 15 are then preferably punched and a slot struck in the blank on a line
between them. At the next step the trusses 13 are bent down so that the plate
then presents the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The angle iron portion 17 is then
bent or struck up as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the bend being made preferably on a
line extending about through the middle of the slots 9. The angle iron portion 17

page_text: is then bent over a suitable former or otherwise brought into substantially the
shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2, having the inclined portion adapted to fit against
the flange of the rail. This angle iron portion is preferably formed with the
outer part marked "21" in Figs. 1 and 2 nearly parallel with the base plate or
at a slightly different angle from the inner part of the angle iron. The object of
this is to permit the use of varying sizes of lengths upon rails, the largest of
which will be admitted, in the space 20, while the inner part of the angle bar
will swing sufficiently to fit the other part to the rail, thus, holding, the flange, of
the rail as in a vice and preventing any looseness between the combined base plate
and angle iron and the rail.
The angle iron 4 may be of the usual construction, and it may be secured to the
rail and to the combined base plate and angle iron by suitable bolts 7. We may,
however use in addition the hooked clamping bolt 19' as an additional fastening.
The hook upon this bolt is adapted to engage the underside of the truss 13, while
the threaded end of the bolt extends up through a hole in an extension of the angle
bar 4, the bolt being secured by a locking nut as shown.
The depending trusses 13 it will be noted are intended to stand between the ties,
and the middle portions of the trusses are preferably straight, while their ends are
merged into the outer edges of the plate by sharp curves. The result of this
construction is the production of a rail-joint which while very light, simple to
construct, and comparatively inexpensive, is capable of securely holding the ends
of the rails and preventing depression thereof by the passage of trains over the
track.
While there is shown and described the depending trusses as arranged at the
edges of the base plate and formed by turning down portions of the metal at
the edges thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this
mode of forming the trusses, as the same may be arranged in an equivalent manner
at the centre of the plate, or one or both of the trusses may, if preferred, be entirely
omitted.
Having now particularly described this invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, what is claimed, is:
1. The method of making a combined base plate and angle iron, which consists in
first cutting out the metal plate, punching the spike holes therein, bending portions
of the plate at right angles with the main part thereof to form longitudinal trusses
in said plate, and bending up one edge of the plate to form an angle iron portion
integral with said plate, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the rails and an angle iron fitting upon one side of
the rails, of a combined trussed base plate, and angle iron formed integrally of
wrought metal, and bolts securing said angle irons to the rails, substantially as
described.
3. The combined base plate and angle iron consisting of a sheet metal plate
having one or more depending trusses formed integrally therewith, and with the
angle iron portion also formed integrally with said plate and adapted to fit against
the side and flange of a rail.
4. As a new article of manufacture, a combined base plate and angle iron formed
integrally from a sheet of metal and having a depending truss or trusses, and an
angle iron portion adapted to fit against the flange and side of the rail.
5. The combined base plate and angle iron having the end portions adapted to
rest upon the ties, a depending longitudinal truss or trusses between said end
portions, and an angle iron portion adapted to fit against the flange and side of
a rail, said plate, truss or trusses, and angle iron portions being formed integrally
from a sheet of metal.
6. The combination with the rails, of a trussed base plate, an angle iron secured
to the rails by bolts and a clamping bolt engaging the truss of said base plate and
also engaging said angle iron, substantially as described.
7. A combined base plate and angle iron. consisting of a sheet metal plate, an

page_text: upwardly turned integral angle iron portion formed on said plate, and integrally
depending trusses, substantially as described.
8. The combined base plate and angle iron consisting of the sheet metal plate
provided with the integral longitudinal trusses and the integral angle iron or bar
provided with a vertical portion adapted to fit against the side of the rail, an
inclined portion adapted to rest upon the flange of the rail, and a portion 21
adapted when the device is in use to stand at a slight distance from the flange of
the rail, for the purpose specified.
9. The combined base plate and angle bar consisting of the plate provided with
the integral trusses, and the integral angled iron, said plate also provided with the
end projections or ears having spike holes, substantially as described.
10. The combination with the rails, of a sheet metal base plate whereon the rails
are adapted to rest the integral depending trusses provided on said plate, the
integral angle iron formed by bending up one edge of said plate, the separable
angle iron 4, and the bolts for securing said angle iron 4 and said integral iron to
the rails.
Dated this 4th day of July 1893
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.