Year: 1888

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by GEORGE SETH LEE, of Denver, in the County of
Arapahoe and State of Colorado, United States of America, Civil and Mining
Engineer.]
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, 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 fish plates for rails so constructed that they can be
reversed, that is to say the portion lying upon the rail foot can be brought against the
web of the rail while the part directly underlying the rail head can be placed
upon the rail foot and thus tho fish plate can be used for about double the usual
period of service. The fish plates are also provided with means of locking the nuts
used to fix them, and are so formed that the elastic yield of the plate is substantially
the same throughout while its supporting strength is greatest at the junction of the
rails the union of the rails being thus rendered practically continuous.
Tho construction and arrangement of parts for these purposes, and various
modifications will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved fish plates the view being
taken from one end showing one of the engaging surfaces. Fig. 2 is an end elevation
of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the back or engaging surface of the plate. Fig. 4
is a cross section of Fig. 3, in the lino 4, 4. Fig. 5 is a similar section on the
line 5, 5. Fig. 6 is a front view showing the construction of the nut locking recesses.
Fig. 7 is a section showing a modification. Fig. 8 is a similar section showing a
further modification. Fig. 9 is a transverse section of a rail showing the plate
attached. Fig. 10 is a cross section of a rail showing the plate in position. Fig. 11
is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 12 is a detail section showing the manner of
forming the locking openings. Fig. 13 is a transverse section of a rail with means of
locking the nuts. Fig. 14 is a side elovation. Fig. 15 is a similar view showing the

page_text: parts in a different position. Fig. 16 is a detail perspective showing a modified
method of fastening the fish plate. Fig. 17 is a cross section showing a modification.
Fig. 18 is a cross section showing a novel form of fastening to be substituted for the
ordinary spike fastening. Fig. 19 is a detail perspective of the tool used in locking
the nuts. Fig. 20 is a detail perspective of the nut lock fastener shown in Fig. 18.
Fig. 21 is a transverse section of a rail near the joint. Fig. 22 is a section showing
a modified construction. Fig. 23 is a detail perspective showing the nut lock.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive of the drawings 1 is a rail of the usual
construction having a head 2, a web 3, and a foot or flange 4.
5 is the fish plate which is of angular form in cross section, being composed of the
two equal and similar portions 6 and 7 such that either part can lie between the
head 2 and foot and against the web 3 of the rail while the other similar portion
rests upon the foot 4.
In each of the sides 6 and 7 are slotted bolt holes 8 having in front of them shallow
recesses 10 formed with a circular portion 12 concentric with one end of the bolt
hole 8, and a slotted extension 13 with parallel sides 14, a little wider apart than the
diameter of the nut 9. The bolt openings 8 are elongated sufficiently to permit the
fish plate to be moved longitudinally far enough to bring the nuts into the slotted
portions 13 of the recesses. The nuts while in the circular portions 12 are screwed
up, and then the fish plate is moved lengthwise to bring the nuts into the straight or
locking portions 13.
This part of the recess may have an inclined face 13 a, and if desired beyond the
incline a straight face 13 b, on which the nut rests when locked. The construction
shown in Fig. 7 is however sufficiently effective.
The two paris 6 and 7 of the fish plate are made with concave inner surfaces 15 so
that they present parallel ribs or edges 16 and 16 a. Over the ribs 16 the edge 17 is
formed to fit under and support the head of the rail as shown in Fig. 9 and this edge
is widened by a marginal rib 18.
In the hollow 15 is formed an arch 19 its ends resting upon the rib 16 a, and its
middle supporting the rib 16.
The arch is angular in cross section but does not project from the concave surface 15
beyond the plane of the ribs 16 and 16 a.
Thus when the fish plate is on the rail the ridge of the arch rests against the web of
the rail and bears against the rail head at the middle of the arch giving great strength
and clasticity at the junction of the rails.
The plate may also be bolted on the rail foot, if desired thus utilising the
duplicate bolt holes and recesses formed in that part of the plate which lies on the
rail foot.
Referring to Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive, 20 is the head of the rail, 21 the web, and 22
the foot of any usual form. In this case 23 is the fish plate consisting of a sheet of
elastic steel bent first to form a lip 24 which underlies the head 20 on the inner side
of the rail; secondly from the angle 25 under the lip 24 it is curved convexly outward,
is again bent at 27, extended over the rail foot and preferably beyond it as shewn in
Fig. 10. It is then folded over and curved inwards towards the convex portion 20
forming a concave part 28 terminating with an edge bearing up against the under
surface of the lip 24.
Upon the outer side of the rail is placed a splice plate 29 having outwardly
curved lips 30, and a convex intermediate portion 31. The lips 30 lie in the angles
formed by the web with the head and foot of the rail.
There are the usual bolt holes through the web 21 and through the splice 29, but
through the convex and concave portions 26 and 28 of the fish plate there are slotted
holes 32 and on the exterior face of 28 are shallow recesses 34 having an outline
resembling a key hole with a flat circular portion 35 and an inclined portion 36 as
shewn in Fig. 12.
A portion 38 of the plate may be punched, and bent outward as shown in Fig. 10,
and in dotted lines in Fig. 11, and a spike 39 driven against its edge to fasten the
plate to the sleepers. Or the portion 38 may be quite cut away the spike being driven

page_text: with its head lying in the opening left, or without removing any portion of the plate
the spike may be driven close to its edge.
When the nuts 40 are screwed up turning in the circular recesses 35 until two of
their parallel sides are in line with the edges of the inclined portions 36 of the
recesses; the plate is moved slightly longitudinally so that the nuts are made to
occupy the parts 36 of the recesses and thus are locked.
The screwing up of the nuts causes the edge of 28 to bear strongly against the
margin 24, and if 28 is in contact with 26 the angles 25 and 27 aro made to bear with
great stress upon the head and foot of the rail, a like action taking place with respect
to the splice 29.
In this manner the rails are very strongly-connected-and at the same time there is
certain freedom for expansion: and contraction, and great elasticity at the junction of
the rails especially when spring steel is used as the material of the fish plato."
Referring to Figs. 13 to 20 inclusive, .41 is the rail of the usual form, 42 is the
inner and 43 is the outer fish-plate, both of the ordinary construction except that the
outer plate 43 is made with a recess 44, extending from end to end of the plate, of
such width as to receive the nuts 47 of the bolts 46, when their sides are parallel with
the walls of the recess 44.
"
When the nuts 47 are screwed up as far as the upper edge of the recess 44
permits, the nuts having their sides parallel to that edge, a lever 48 shown in
detail in Fig. 19 is hooked over the head of the rail and the point of a screw 49 is
brought down upon the foot flange 43 a of the outer fish plate, compressing it on to
the foot of the rail, and slightly tilting the fish plate so as to draw its recessed portion
away from the web of the rail thereby engaging the nuts in the recess 44. Spikes 50
are then driven into the sleepers through the ordinary notches in the edge of the foot
flange of the outer fish plate thereby holding the latter down upon the foot of
the rail and permanently preserving the engagement between the nuts and the
channel 44.
Instead of spikes, short bolts 52 may be used as shewn in Fig. 17 with nuts 53
bearing on the foot flange of the outer fish plate. When such bolts and nuts are used
the tool or lever 48 is not required.
The upper edge 47 a of the recess 44 may be cut away at intervals to form
openings 54, each corresponding with one end of the slotted bolt holes. The foot
flange also may be made with an angle projecting over the edge of the rail foot and a
notch 57 being made in it while a similar notch 56 is made in the rail flange in such
positions that when the two notches are in line, the bolts 46, will be at the right ends
of the slotted holes. The nuts 47 being screwed up while the fish plate is as shewn in
Fig. 14, cach nut facing an opening 54 and the sides of the nuts are parallel with the
edge of the recess 44, the fish plate is moved longitudinally till the notches_56_and_57
coincide,-the-nuts-being then locked as shewn in Fig. 15. A spike driven into the
sleeper and engaging with the notches 56 and 57 retains the fish plate in position.
In the tool Fig. 19 there is a hook 58, adapted to engage tho rail head and an
adjustable presser scrow 49 screwed through the lever at an angle such that its point
will bear directly upon the foot flange of the fish plate, as shown in Fig. 13. By
adjusting the screw the lever may be adapted to rails of different height and to fish
plates of different size or thickness.
:
The foot flange of the fish plate may extend beyond the foot of the rail as indicated
in dotted lines in Fig. 16, a spike being driven through a notch at its outer angle
into a sleeper. The spiko in this case acting with increased leverage is subject to less
strain.
.
Instead of employing simple spikes 50 a nut lock fastener may be used such as is
shown in Fig. 20 and as applied in Fig. 18.
A piece of metal 59 has at one end jaws 59 a, and 596 forming a gab to embrace the
edge of the foot flange 43 of the fish plate and also the edge of the rail foot 51. A
spike 50 a, holds the fastener in place and a notch 60 may be formed in the rear of tho
fastener to receive the spike.

page_text: Referring to Figs. 21 to 23 of the drawings, 61 is the rail, 62 its head with the
inner side rounded as usual while the outer is more nearly rectangular.
63 is the web of the rail, and 64 is the rail foot, 65 is the inner fish plate and 66
the outer plate, the latter having a margin GG a, which extends up to or nearly to the
outer angle of the rail head. This plate may as shewn in Fig. 21 terminate at the
angle between the web 63 and the rail foot 64, or as shewn in Fig. 22 it may bo
provided with a foot flange 67 extending over the rail foot. 68 is an angle plate
having one part 68 a adapted to lie upon the rail foot, and the other part 686 facing
that part of the fish plate which lies against the rail web. In the part 686 are slotted
bolt holes 69 and on either or both sides of them is a rib 70, distant from the centres
of the bolt holes by about half the diameter of the nut.
The angle of the plate 68 is somewhat more acute than the angle into which it has
to fit, in order that when the nuts are screwed up, the part 68 a, may be forced
downward drawing the ribs 70.over the alligned sides of the nuts, this position being
maintained by spikes 71, driven into the sleepers through notches 72 in the margin of
the foot plate and rail foot.
As shown in Fig. 21 the recess 70.a, in the outer face of the angular locking plate
may have a rib below as well as above the nuts.
Having now particularly. described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A fish plate for rails of angle form with two equal and similar sides each having
like bolt holes and nut locking recesses so that it can be reversed substantially as
described.
2. A fish plate having its inner face concave and made with a reinforcing arch
flush with the margins of the concave face, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. A fish plate having elongated bolt holes with nut locking recesses each consisting
of a circular portion within which the nut can turn and a narrower portion, within
which the nut is locked by a longitudinal movement of the plate, substantially as
described.
4. A spring steel fish plate 29 having marginal portions 30 bearing against the
head and foot of the rail and an intermediate portion 31 curved outwardly
substantially as described with reference to Fig. 10.
5. A spring steel fish plate folded or bent upon itself to form an inner convex and
an outer concave portion intermediate between the head and foot of the rail,
substantially as described with reference to Fig. 10.
6. A nut locking fish plate having a rib or ribs adjacent to the bolt holes for
locking the nuts and a foot flange which forms an angle with the plate less than the
angle into which it has to fit, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 21
and 22.
7. The combination of an inner fish plate, an outer fish plate having a marginal
portion extended nearly to the rail tread and an angular locking plate having a rib at
the side of the bolt holes and fastenings by which the foot plate is drawn downward
to force the said rib over the alligned edges of the nuts, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of March 1888.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.