Improvements in Fish Plates for Use on Railways and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fish Plates for Use on Railways and the like.
I, ROBERT GAMBLE MARKS, of 17, Osborne Place, Halifax Road, Todmorden,
Signalman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in fish plates for use on railways and the like
has for its object an improved construction of fish plate whereby the rails are
supported at their ends and connected together; and consists essentially in pro-
viding one of the two fish plates at present used for fastening the rail ends
together, with an extension adapted to pass underneath the rail ends and rest on
the sleepers.
This
In carrying this invention into practical effect, the fish plate at one side is
similar to those at present in use, but the other fish plate is constructed with
a downward extension fitting the rail and then passing underneath it.
underneath portion rests on the sleepers at either end and is attached to the rails
by means of bolts passing through the two fish plates and the web of the rail
in the usual way.
It will be seen that the rails are supported at their ends and the bumping and
jerking when passing over rail joints is obviated.
This construction of fish plate is specially adapted for use on viaducts bridges
and the like although it may also be employed on the ordinary permanent way.
This invention can also be applied by suitably shaping the fish plate for rails
other than the bull-headed type.
D
LA 12th
1000
Improvements in Fish Plates for Use on Railways and the like.
I, ROBERT GAMBLE MARKS, of 17, Osborne Place, Halifax Road, Todmorden,
Signalman, 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 for improvements in fish plates for use on railways and the like
has for its object an improved construction of fish plate whereby the rails are
supported at their ends and connected together; and consists essentially in pro-
viding one of the two fish plates at present used for fastening the rail ends
together, with an extension adapted to pass underneath the rail ends and rest on
the sleepers.

page_text: In carrying this invention into practical effect, the fish plate at one side is
similar to those at present in use, but the other fish plate is constructed with
a downward extension fitting the rails and then passing underneath them. This
underneath portion rests on the sleepers at either end and is attached to the rails
by means of bolts passing through the two fish plates and the web of the rail
in the usual way.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had
to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings on which Fig. 1 is a section
of a rail fitted with a fish plate constructed according to this invention and Fig. 2
is a side view of the rail joint.
In the drawings double bull headed rails A. A¹ are shown. The fish plate B
on one side is similar to those at present in use, but the fish plate C on the other
side with a downward extension C fitting the rails A A¹ and then passing under-
neath them at C3 as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. This portion Crests on the
sleepers D at either end. The bolts E passing through the fish plates B C and
through the webs of the rails A A¹ in the usual way secure the whole together.
It will be seen that the rails A A¹ are supported at their ends and the bumping
and jerking of the train when passing over rail joints is obviated.
This construction of fish plate is specially adapted for use on viaducts, bridges,
and the like although it may also be employed on the ordinary permanent way.
This invention can also be applied by suitably shaping the fish plate for rails
other than the bull headed type.
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) An improved fish plate for railway rail joints having a downward extension
fitting the joints and then passing underneath them and resting on the sleepers
at either end, an ordinary fish plate being used on the other side of the rails
and the whole secured together by bolts in the usual way, substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 17th day. of October 1898.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.