US1382424A - Rail connecting and supporting means - Google Patents

Description

.J. H. JENNINGS.

RAIL CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, I92].

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RAIL CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING MEANS. APPLICATION FILED APR.20. I92].

1,382,424, PatentedJune 21, 1921 {SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNEKS ATENT OFFKIE.

JOHN HENRY JENNINGS, OF GEORGETOVJN, CONNECTICUT.

RAIL CONNECTING- AND SUPPORTING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 21, 1921.

Application filed April 20 1921. Serial No. 462,896.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JoHN H. JENNINGS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Georgetown, in the county of F airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Rail Connecting and Supporting Means, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to rail joints and more particularly to connecting and sup porting meansfor the meeting ends of a pair of rails.

The invention contemplates an effective means of connecting and supporting the meeting ends of a pair of rails with a view of minimizing the jar incident to the passage of the wheels of the rolling stock over the rail ends, to prevent wear both on the rail heads at this point and a possible fracture or chipping of the wheels.

A. further object of the invention resides in the provision of a supporting and connecting means for the meeting ends of rails which positively prevents creeping of the same with respect to the ties.

A further object in view resides in the provision of a connecting and supporting means of the character described which eliminates thenecessity of altering in any manner the construction of standard rails which might tend to weaken the structure or add to the expense of manufacture of the same. j

A still further object in view resides in the provision of a connecting and supporting means for the meeting ends of rails which is readily applicable to or removable from the ties, and which when properly as sociated with the ties and rails provides a safe and efficient connection therebetween and eliminates the possibility of spreading,

means illustrating the same associated with the meeting ends of a pair of rails.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Flg. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the chair members and bridge plate removed and arranged in juxtaposition.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the details of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view thereof.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference 10 and 11 designate respectively the meeting ends of a pair of rails and 12 a pair of adjacent ties underlying the same. The supporting and connecting means include a pair of chair members 13, 13 of similar construction, a bridge plate 14:, and angle bars 15, 15 of similar construction to each other. The chair members are each constructed from a rectangular piece of material of a length slightly less than the width of the tie and of a width slightly less than the width of the base of the rail. Each of the chair members is provided with a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally extending upstanding ribs 16 adapted to receive and embrace therebetween the rail base. The outer sides of said chair members are provided with spike-receiving openings 17 and 18, the latter passing through the ribs 16. One end of the portion of the chair member which lies between the ribs 16 is cut away as at 19 and the said cutaway portion is provided with laterally extending recesses 20. The bridge plate 14 is provided with intermediately bulged side walls 21 each having an inwardly extending notch 22 centrally thereof. The opposite side walls of the ends of the bridge plate converge and provide'a reduced neck 23 having laterally extending ears 24: at the oppositesides of the extrem- 1- ity thereof. The upper surface of the bridge plate is longitudinally convexed as at 25, and the under side of the same is provided with spaced parallel transversely extending ribs 26. The reduced necks 28 of the bridge plate are designed to be received by the cutaway portion 19 of the chair members and the cars 24 are adapted to interengage with the recesses 20 of said cutaway portion. The chair members are designed to be arranged on the adjacent ties 12 which underlie the meeting ends 10 and 11 of the rails order to prevent creeping of the rails longi-,

tudinally with relation to the supporting -means, the lower flanges or aprons of the angle bars are provided with depending lugs centrally thereof which are designed to be received by the notches 22 in the bridge ing chair'members adapted to be arrangedv plate. This arrangement locks the railsand angle bars 15 to the bridge plate it retained against longitudinal movement by the depending ribs 26, and the interengagement of the ears 24 withthe recesses 20 of the chair members, which are in turn secured to the ties by the spikes, and the longitudinal convexity of the upper surface of the bridge plate illustrated at 25' insures a perfect aline-' ment of the meeting ends ofthe rail to prevent relative vertical movements therebe tween and affords a solid support therefor to prevent the sinking or sagging of the same.

It will thus be seen that a simple and eflicient connecting and supporting means for the meeting ends of a pair of rails is provided which effectively supports the same, prevents creeping of the rails relative to the ties, which eliminates all possibility of spreading of the-rails at this point, and which is comparatively inexpensive to produce and install. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: I

1. Means for connecting and supporting the meeting ends of a pair of rails comprising chair members adapted to be secured upon adjacent ties, a bridge member having the opposite extremities thereof interengageably associated with the chair members, and

angle bars secured to the opposite sides of the rail ends and interengageably associated with the bridge plate. 1 v 2. Means for connecting and supportlng the meeting ends of a pair of rails comprison adjacent ties underlying the rail ends, longitudinally extending parallel ribs between which the rail bases are confined against lateral movement, a bridge plateinterengageably associated at its opposite ends with the chair members and upon which the rail endsare supported, angle bars traversing the opposite sides of the rail end, and

Securing spikes 27 are interengageable' means respectively provided on the angle bars and the bridge plate'for locking the same against relative longitudinal movements.

3. A rail joining and supporting means comprising angle bars traversing the opposite sides of the rails and clamped thereagainst, lugs depending from the angle bars at opposite sides of the rail base, a bridge plate supported at its opposite ends on the adjacent ties underlying said rail ends, the said plate having notches in its opposite sides adapted to receive the depending lugs of the angle bars for locking the rails and angle bars against longitudinal movement with respect to thebrid e plate, and chair members respectively secured to said ties having parallel longitudinally extending ribs between which the rail bases are confined against lateral movement, the confronting ends of said chair members having 7 bers between which the rail bases are confined, angle bars traversing the opposite sides of said rail ends and secured thereto, and lugs depending from the angle bars at opposite sides of said rail bases, the said bridge plate having notches'in its opposite sides adapted to receive said lugs for lock-. ing the railsagainst relative longitudinal movement.

5. The combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails and supporting ties underlying the same, of means adapted for conne'ctingsaid rails and supportingthe same on the ties, comprising. angle bars respectively secured to said rail ends at the opposite sides thereof having dependinglugs, a

bridge plate supported at its opposite ends by the ties and underlying said rail ends,

notched portions in the opposite sides of said bridge plate receiving said depending lugs, and rail base embracing members secured to said ties and lnterengageably as-V sociated with the opposite extremitiesof the base plate.

JOHN HENRY JENNINGS-

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