Improvements in Rail Bonds for Electric Traction Systems:
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 24th Oct. 1899-Accented. 25th Nov. 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rail Bonds for Electric Traction Systems:
We, HUGO HIRST, of 69-71-88-92, Queen Victoria Street, in the City, and
County of London, Electrical Engineer, and IvOR VICTOR ZEALANDER, Peel Works.
Silk Street, Salford, Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
+6
"
Our invention relates to improvements in bonds employed for bridging, the
joints in rails used upon electric railway or tramway systems, where the rails
are utilised as one of the conductors, or return for the actuating electric
current, and has for its object the provision of a practically perfect contact
between two rail lengths, and allowing of the use of the ordinary fishplate joint
without deterioration by the expansion and contraction due to changes of tem-
perature.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we have appended
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of
the jointing of two rail ends, and Figure 2 a sectional plan thereof. Figure 3
is a transverse section of the same. Figure 4 is a half sectional plan of one
part of the connector, and Figure 5 a similar view of the corresponding part.
Like letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views..
In carrying our invention into effect, the two rail ends A and B are connected
by the fishplates C C¹ and bolts D in the usual manner. The bond, forming
the electrical connection is made in two parts, each of metal plate, preferably
copper. These parts are shown detached by Figures 4 and 5. One plate,
Figure 5, carries two or more hollow plugs a projecting from the inner face.
The other plate or strip, Figure 4, carries two or more solid pins b, adapted to
enter the holes in the hollow plugs when considerable pressure is applied.
The webs of the rails A B are drilled near the joint ends to receive the hollow
plugs a, the drilling preferably being bare size to allow of reamering the holes
out to make a good contact fit when the plugs a are pressed in. When this is
done the other plate, carrying the pins 6 is placed in position; and then said
pins are forced into the plugs b, until both plates are flush with the 'rail' webs,
as shown by Figures 2 and 3. The fish plates C of ordinary construction are.
then placed over them and bolted to both rails by the bolts D in the usual manner,
the bonds being thus perfectly enclosed, and firmly held in position. The hollow
plugs a may be partly split to ensure a good fit, and the pins b may be similarly
formed. It is preferred to shape the bonds so that the bearing of the fishplates
comes directly upon the back of the plugs a and pins b, the centre of the bond
opposite the rail joint being curved slightly to compensate expansion, and also
facilitate fitting. The bonds may also be made so that a pin b is formed at one end
and a hollow plug a at the other, these being alternated where more than two occur
on each bond. In this case, the hollow plugs a of one plate correspond to a pin
upon the opposite plate of the two forming the bond.
T11:11
T1800

page_text: Improvements in Rail Bonds for Electric Traction Systems.
We, HUGO HIRST, of 69-71-88-92, Queen Victoria Street, in the City and
County of London, Electrical Engineer, and Ivor VICTOR ZEALANDER, Peel Works.
Silk Street, Salford, Draughtsman, 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:-
-
Our invention relates to improvements in bonds employed for bridging the
joints in rails used upon electric railway or tramway systems, where the rails
are utilised as one of the conductors, or "6 return "for the actuating electric
current, and has for its object the provision of a practically perfect contact
between two rail lengths, and allowing of the use of the ordinary fishplate joint
without deterioration by the expansion and contraction due to changes of tem-
perature.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we have appended
to our Provisional Specification a sheet of drawings, in which Figure 1 is an eleva-
tion of the jointing of two rail ends, and Figure 2 a sectional plan thereof. Figure 3
is a transverse section of the same. Figure 4 is a half sectional plan of one
part of the connector, and Figure 5 a similar view of the corresponding part.
Like letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.
In carrying our invention into effect, the two rail ends A and B are connected
by the fishplates C C¹ and bolts D in the usual manner. The bond, forming
the electrical connection is made in two parts, each of metal plate, preferably
copper. These parts are shown detached by Figures 4 and 5. One plate
Figure 5, carries two or more hollow plugs a projecting from the inner face.
The other plate or strip, Figure 4, carries two or more solid pins 6, adapted to
enter the holes in the hollow plugs a when considerable pressure is applied.
The webs of the rails A B are drilled near the joint ends to receive the hollow
plugs a, the drilling preferably being bare size to allow of reamering the holes
out to make a good contact fit when the plugs a are pressed in. When this is
done the other plate, carrying the pins b is placed in position, and then said
pins are forced into the plugs until both plates are close up to the rail webs,
as shown by Figures 2 and 3. The fish plates C of ordinary construction are
then placed over them and bolted to both rails by the bolts D in the usual manner,
the bonds being thus perfectly enclosed, and firmly held in position. The hollow
plugs a may be partly split to ensure a good fit, and the pins 6 may be similarly
formed. It is preferred to shape the bonds so that the bearing of the fishplates
comes directly upon the back of the plugs a and pins b, the centre of the bond
opposite the rail joint being curved slightly to compensate for expansion, and also
to facilitate fitting. The bonds may also be made so that a pin b is formed at one end
and a hollow plug a at the other, these being alternated where more than two occur
on cach bond. In this case, the hollow plugs a of one plate correspond to a pin b
upon the opposite plate of the two forming the bond.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: -
First. In joints for rails in electric traction systems the construction and use
of two plates forming a bond, with hollow plugs upon one plate, passing through
the rail webs on both sides of the joint, and pins upon the other plate fitting

page_text: such plugs, in combination with a fishplate joint as ordinarily used, substan-
tially as herein described and shown by the appended drawings.
Second. In joints for rails in electric traction systems the method of and
means for fixing and utilising bonds as referred to in the preceding claim, sub-
stantially as herein described with reference to the appended drawings.
Dated this 8th day of October 1899.
FREDK. WALKER,
73, St. Stephen's Road, Upton Park, London, E., Agent for the Applicants.