An Improved Rail-joint.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1900.
An Improved Rail-joint.
I, BERNHARD STÜRENBERG, of Alfhausen, near Osnabruck, in the Empire of
Germany, Mining Student, 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:-
The object of this rail-joint, is, on the one hand, to carry the wheels of the
railway carriages more smoothly from the one rail to the other than is possible
with the rail-joints hitherto employed, and on the other hand, to weaken the
stock rail to a less degree at the ends which have to be fish-jointed together;
than is the case with rail-joints in which the ends of the rails overlap the sides
of the fish-plates and half of the head, the web and foot of each rail are corre-
spondingly cut away at the point where the fish-joint is made.
Fig. 1, shews the rail-joint from the inside of the track..
Fig. 2, is a plan view of the rail-joint, and
Fig. 3, a horizontal section of the same along the line 3, 3, Figs. 4 to 9.
Figs. 4 to 9, being transverse sections of the rail joint along the lines 4, 4
to 9, 9, Fig. 2.
The essential feature of the rail-joint consists in the heads of the ends of the
rails which are to be fish-jointed in the manner shewn in Fig. 2, being cut away
obliquely to a considerable length, and these cut away parts replaced by a
double-wedge shaped fish-plate. The two points of these fish-plates, however,
are so formed, or in other words, the two stocks-rails are of such a shape at that
part which comes into contact with the thin parts of the double-wedge shaped
tish-plate, that these points of the fish-plate run under the head of the rail, and
thereby are withdrawn from the direct shock of the wheels of the carriage, so
that they cannot be injured or be more worn away than to the extent to which
the rail heads themselves are liable from the wheels and their flanges.
In the drawing, a represents the two rail ends to be joined together, and bis
the double wedge shaped fish-plate already mentioned. In the drawing, it is
assumed that the fish-plate is about a metre long; it, may however without
being essentially altered, be of the usual length, and there is nothing to prevent
its being of such a length that it will extend over four or more sleepers, instead
of over two as shewn in the drawing.
The greatest thickness of the fish-plate measured sideways is at the spot where
the actual recess is formed for receiving it. The rail-ends to be joined together,
can, as shewn, in Figs. 2 and 3, be cut away to the extent of half the thickness
of the web; as however, the fish-plate b, as shewn in Fig. 1, and 4 to 9, itself
supports the wheels, whilst these are running over the rail-joint, the rail. ends
to be joined together can be cut away until the web of the rail is quite pointed
provided that the fish-plate is of sufficient length. In all cases however, only
the web and head of the rail are tapered off in this way, whilst as shewn in Figs. 4
to 9, the feet of the rails retain their original form. From sections 4, 4, to 6, 6,
the head of the fish-plate is cut vertically on the side adjacent to the rail, but
at an acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the rail. This, is clearly shewn
in Fig. 2.

page_text: From the section 6, the upper edge of the head of the fish-plate 6 is turned
outwards, whilst the lower edge runs on farther, parallel to the direction of
the rail. Thereby the two actual points or free ends of the fish-plate assume
the form of a screw surface in the upper part adjacent to the head of the stock-
rail, and Figs. 6, to 9, shew the manner in which, in consequence of this screw-
shape formation, the points or ends of the fish-plates run under the head of
the rail.
In Fig. 9, the declination of the surface of the fish-plate blying against the
head of the rail amounts to about 30%. This angle, as a matter of course, can
be enlarged for the purpose of still further withdrawing the points of the fish-
plate heads from the influence of the wheel flanges.
The web of the fish-plate 6 which thus lies adjoining the webs of the rails, is
at the same time strengthened from the ends of the fish-plates to the planes 5, 5,
Figs. 2 and 3. As the tapering off of the railends in their webs begins from the
planes 5, 5, the web of the fish-plate ↳ must also be of double wedge-shape
from 5, 5, to the recess in the rail, as seen in Fig. 3, in order that it may be
able to lie closely against the web of the rail. The fish-plate b, owing to this
construction, acquires very considerable solidity especially at the recess, as a
comparison of Figs. 4 and 5, will shew, and which enables it to withstand very
great strain.
In
As the fish-plate rests on the unimpared feet of the rails, as shewn in Figs. 4
to 9, the ends of the two rails to be joined together, each take up a part of the
vertical pressure near the recess, even should the wheels only come into contact
with the head of the fish-plate, but not with the rail heads near the recess.
this novel construction, there is a considerable advantage as compared with the
rail-joints folding over sideways, in which half of the foot of the rail is cut away.
For the purpose of firmly fixing the fish-plate to stock-rails, the old simple
fish-plate c can be inserted in the web between the head and the foot of the
stock-rail. The free ends of the fish-plates 6 can be pressed against the web of
the rail by means of bent (or curved) plates d in the manner shewn in Fig. 3,
and Fig. 6, to 9. As the points of the heads of the fish-plate run under the
head of the rail ends to be joined together, the end plates are not indispensably
necessary. Of course, if the end plates d be dispensed with, care must be taken
that the ends of the fish-plate are pressed firmly against the stock-rail by
means of a sufficient number of screws f.
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:-
The improved rail-joint, the distinguishing feature of which is a double-wedge
shaped fish-plate b, lying against the suitably tapered-off heads and webs of the
rail ends to be joined together, the head of the fish-plate being cut away at both
ends in the form of a screw, or in a similar manner, so that it runs under the
heads of the stock-rails, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 13th day of Drooma 1900
HUGHES & YOUNG,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.