IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR CONVENA
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Pickering of New Bridge Street in the City of
London, Contractor for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS
FOR CONVENA
"
LETTERS PATENT to John Pickering of New Bridge Street in the City of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS
London, Contractor for an invention of
FOR CONNECTING SWITCHES
10 THE RAILS OF RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Pickering at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1882.
JOHN PICKERING of New Bridge Street in the City of London Contractor
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR CONNECTING SWITCHES TO THE RAILS
RAILWAYS."
OF
The arrangement in general use for securing the heel of point switches to the
back rail is by fish plates of the same pattern as those used for coupling ordinary
joints, which fish plates are loosely attached to the parts to be coupled to allow of
the requisite play between them. The disadvantages of this arrangement have
long been acknowledged; and it is to provide a coupling which will allow of the
free movement of the switch rail and yet maintain a firm connection between it
and the back rail that my invention is designed.
To this end I form a clip for the reception of the heel of the switch somewhat
resembling two fish plates which terminate in or are connected together by a
couple of lugs and I form a similar clip for the back rail, the fish plate sides
terininating in or being connected together by a single lug which lug is intended
to fit the space between the two lugs of the other clip A bolt passed through
holes in these several lugs constitutes a hinge or pivot pin; Before inserting the
heel of the switch and the end of the back rail into their respective clips (which
I first hinge together as explained) I cut away portions of the abutting ends of
the rail and switch to provide space between them for the hinge and I leave the
heads of the two rails intact so that they by overhanging the head of the hinge
bolt will retain it in its place. When the rail and switch are fitted to this hinged
clip they are secured thereto by bolts and nuts similar to those used for attaching
ordinary fish plates to their rails. By thus coupling switches to their back rails
their freedom of action is secured, an efficient fish joint is provided and that at
small additional cost.
The invention it will be understood is readily applicable to existing perinanent
ways, as the platelayers have merely to trim the abutting ends of the switch and
back rail to provide the space for the hinge.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Pickering in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th January
1883.
JOHN PICKERING of New Bridge Street in the City of London Contractor
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS FOR CONNECTING SWITCHES TO THE RAILS OF
RAILWAYS
"
The arrangement in general use for securing the heel of point switches to the
back rail is by fish-plates of the same pattern as those used for coupling ordinary
joints, which fish plates are loosely attached to the parts to be coupled to allow of
the requisite play between them The disadvantages of this arrangement have
long been acknowledged, and it is to provide a coupling which will allow of the
free movement of the switch rail and yet maintain a firm connection between it
and the back rail that my Invention is designed.
:
In Sheet I of the accompanying drawings, Fig: 1 is a partial side elevation of a
flat bottom point or switch rail and a back rail mounted according to my Invention.
Fig 2 is a plan view partly in section of my improved clip joint for connecting
the point or switch rail and back rail together. Fig: 3 is an end view of the clip
joint with a rail in place, and Fig: 4 shows portions of the two rails detached from
the clip joint, but in their proper relative positions, the same being shaped at their
.near ends to adapt them to the clip joint.
A is the point or switch rail and B the back rail. C is a clip for receiving the
The clip C for receiving
point rail and D is the clip for receiving the back rail.
the heel of the switch rail somewhat resembles two fish plates which terminate in
or are connected together by a couple of lugs, and D is a similar clip for the back
rail, the fish plate sides terminating in or being connected together by a single lug
which lug is intended to fit the space between the two lugs of the clip C. E is a
bolt passed through holes in these several lugs and constituting a hinge or pivot pin
for the switch rail clip or holder. Before inserting the heel of the switch and the
end of the back rail into their respective clips (which I first hinge together as
explained) I cut away portions of the near ends of the switch and back rails as
indicated by the dotted lines at Fig: 4 to provide space between the rails for the
hinge and I leave the upper portion of the heads of the two rails intact so that by
overhanging the head of the hinge bolt E they will retain it in its place. When
the back rail and switch rail are fitted to this hinged clip they are secured thereto
by bolts and nuts similar to those used for attaching ordinary fish plates to their
rails. By thus coupling switches to their back rails their freedom of action is
secured, an efficient fish joint is provided and that at small additional cost.
Invention it will be understood is readily applicable to existing permanent ways
as the plate layers have merely to trim the abutting ends of the switch rail and
back rail to provide the space for the hinge.
The
In Sheet II Fig: 5 shows in side elevation a hinged clip or holder for receiving
a double headed back rail and switch rail and Fig: 6 is an end view of the hinged
clip with the back rail in section.
By comparing these figures with those in Sheet I it will be seen that there is a
slight difference in the sectional form of the clips to adapt them to the double
headed rail, but in other respects the jointed holder is identical with that shewn in
Sheet I. The near ends of the rails are also cut away for the purpose explained
with reference to Fig: 4, their heads overlapping the head of the joint pin and
serving to retain it in position.
The advantage which the use of this Invention is calculated to confer is a great

page_text: reduction of the strain on the point connection between point or switch boxes and
points, whereby the buckling and fracture of the connection rods is avoided, and a
proper closing of the switch is ensured.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
means for connecting switches to the rails of railways" and explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim :-
Connecting switch rails to their back rails by means of hinged clips or equivalent
hinged couplings in the manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof I the said John Pickering have hereunto set my hand
and seal the nineteenth day of January in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
JOHN PICKERING (L.S.)