US1925124A - Tie plate - Google Patents

Description

Patented sept. s, 1933 UNITED STATES 'rm PLATE Harold G. wm, rai-k mage, nl., signor so The P & M Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Applicaties: May 25. 1931. Serlal'No. 539,856

BClaimz.

This invention relates to improvements in supporting and retaining means for railroad rails and particularly to tie plates having means carried thereby for maintaining the rails in proper position on the cross ties.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved tie plate and rail retaining means which when assembled will permit the plate to be secured rigidly to a cross tie without danger of the vertical or wave movement of the rail imparting pumping and rolling movements to the cross tie.

When a railroad rail is held in close contact with a cross tie, the depression of the rail between adjacent cross ties, produced by the weight of tramo, imparts a corresponding upward movement oi' the rail at the opposite side of the tie. This distortion of the rail not only tends to roll or cant the tie in the ballast of the road-bed, but

0 also tends to loosen and partially withdraw the spikes employed to attach the rail to the cross tie. The rolling movements of the cross tie and also the vertical or pumping movements thereof permit ballast to work beneath the tie and thus impair the alignment and surface of their-ack.

The present invention, by the provision of relative movement between the tie plate and the rail, overcomes the above mentioned and other incidental objections to the tie plate and securing means heretofore used toeifect rigid attachment of such plates to therail base or involving a like attachment of the rail to the cross tie. The pro` vision for relative movement between the base of the rail and the tie plate, permits the rail to move freek;v within a range sumcient to compensate for the normal wave movement of the rail. By avoiding the objectionable movements of the cross tie in the ballast, the roadsbed is main- .46 tained in a relatively firm condition and consequently reduces Athe wave motion of the rail to the extent caused by the depression of the roadbed. A further and (more speciic object of the invention is to provide, in a tie plate having provision for rigid attachment to the cross tie and for vertical movement of the rail base relative to the tie plate. a rail base securing means which so cooperates with the tie plate as to provide a reliable attaching means which can be readily 5o and conveniently applied and which, when in its applied position, will maintain auch position without engagement with the rail` base. thereby making it practical to apply or to remove the rail from the tie plate without disturbing the retaining means at one side of the rail. In this connection.,

the invention includes the provision of a resilient .faces of the shoulders and the adiaomt edges key, one end of which is movable through a keyway formed in the plate member so that the end of the key will overlie the base portion of the rail and the other end of which is adapted to be flexed into locking engagement with the tie plate Q member; the ilrst mentioned end portion of the key being provided with means for limiting its l applying movement, whereby the key. when in' its applied position, is so stressed and interlocked with the plate member as to maintain its pomtion 05 and resist displacement or any turning movement in the key-Way.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a railway tie plate 7' constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrating the rail retaining key members in their normally applied positions.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the stmoture shown in Fig. 1. 7 Fig. 3 isV a -view in perspective of the resilient key member illustrated in Figs. l and 2, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view muetroting a slightly modified construction. whereby the inner end of the key will bear resiliently against 3 the upper surface of the rail base.

Referring first to Figs. l to 3 inclusive of the drawing, 10 designates the base portion oi a radroad rail, 1l. one of the cross ties. and l2 indicotes the body portion ot a tie plate comi-usted in accordance with vthis invention. The tie plate is interposed between the base portion oi the rail and the top face of the cross tie and is proies'w ably secured rigidly to the tie by means of lag screws 13-13 or other suitable fastening devices so as to prevent movement of the plate relative to the tie. Spaced shoulders 14 and lo are formed y on the upper face of the tie plate. Tame shoulders preferably extend entirely across the plate l2 and serve as abutments to preventedL tial lateral movement of the rail. The be tween the saidshoulders is preferaioiy auch es to provide a slight clearance it between the arail base. lit will be observed. therefore. that n of the plate 412. The inner end each key is n.

- plate.

preferably freely movable in the slot or key-way through which it projects, theA amount of inward movement being limited by one or more stopsl end 24 of each key is turned downwardly and is' formed with a tongue portion 25. The tongue 25 is formed preferably by reducing the width of the end 24 and it is adapted to be sprungl toward the rail into locking engagement with the wall of a slot 26 formed'in the body 12 of the key up against the upper wall of the key-way or slot with which it cooperates. The compression of the key, together with the engagement of the shoulders 27g-27 on the upper face of theV tie plate body, resist any turning action of the key in the key-way of the tie plate that might otherwise result when upward pressure is exerte the shoulders 14 and 15 of the plate. After the rail is in place, the keys 17 and 18 may be driven to their applied position. The initial movement of the keys, that is to say, the insertion of the end 23 in the key-Way can be readily accomplished without striking the key witha hammer or sledge. The slots or key- ways 19 and 20 are preferably made somewhat larger than the thick-` ness of the portion 23 so that the upturne'd end 28 may be readily inserted therethrough. After the shoulders 21-22 of the key are brought into engagement with the outer face of the upstanding shoulders of the plate, the downturned end 24 of the key is sprung transversely of the rail by striking the lower portion of the key with a.

suitable hammer or sledge, thereby forcing the tongue portion 25 into snap lock engagement with the walls of the recess 26. The spring pressure exerted by the compression of the key supports it in position without' requiring bearing engagement on the rail base. Consequently there is no tendency for the key to turn in the key-way and therefore avoid any wearing or rubbing engagement of the key in the key-way.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified construction in which the end 28l of the key 17a is so formed as to bear against the top surface of the rail base 10a. The pressure of the key on the top surface of the rail base will depend entirely upon the stiffness of the spring member. Preferably the spring key is of sufficient resilience to permit the base portion of the rail to move vertically relative to the plate 12a, the upward movement of the base being resisted as the point of enggq" ment between the spring and rail base moves toward the inner face of the shoulder 14a of thev tie plate. In other respects, the construction Stop shoulders 27-2'7 rest on the upper shown in Fig. 4 may be and preferably is the sameI as that shown in the preceding figure.

While the invention is illustrated herein in certain specific embodiments, it will be obvious to persons familiar with this art that various changes in construction might be made without departure from the spirit of the invention. It will be understood, therefore, that the invention contemplates all such changes as coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Supporting and retaining means for a railroad rail comprising, in combination, a tie 'plate member having a seat portion for the base of the rail, an upstanding shoulder on the plate having a key-way therein and providing an abutment for one flange of the base of said rail, and a spring key provided at one end with a portion for projecting through said key way into a position above the adjacent-flange of the rail base and with means engaging the shoulder of the plate for preventing further movement of the key therethrough, and provided at the other end vof the key with a portion adapted to be flexed toward said upstanding shoulder and into locking engagement with a portion of the tie plate, whereby the key is held in its normal position in said key-way by virtue of the resilient force exerted lengthwise of the key between said tie plate shoulder and the point of said locking engagement of the key with said plate.

2. Supporting and retaining means for a railroad rail comprising, in combination, a tie plate g member having a seat portion for the base ol the rail, an upstanding shoulder on the plate having a key-way therein and providing an abut- Vment for one flange of the base of said rail, and

a spring key provided at one end with a portion of reduced width which projects through the keyway and provides a shoulder for engagement with the shoulder of the tie plate to limit the movementI `o1' the key through said key-way, the other end of the key being adapted to be flexed transversely of the rail into locking engagement with a portion of the tie plate to hold the key under compressiongbetweeng-the said shoulder thereof and the point of locking engagement with said plate..

3. Supporting and retaining means for a railroad rail comprising, in combination. a tie plate y member having a seat portion for the base of the raill an upstanding shoulder on the plate having a key-way therein and providing an abutment for lone flange of the base of said rail, and a spring key provided at one end with a portion of reduced width which projects through the key-way and provides a stop for engagement with `the shoulder of the tie plate to limit the movement of the key through said key-way, the other end of the key being adapted to bev flexed transversely of the rail into locking engagement with a portion of the tie 'plate to hold the key under compression between the said stop thereof and the point of locking engagement with said plate body.

4. Supporting and retaining means for a rail-l road rail comprising, in combination, a tie-plate member having a seat portion for the base of the rail, an upstanding shoulder on the plate having a key-way therein, and providing an abutment for one flange of the base of said rail, and a spring key provided at one end with a portion of reduced width which projects through the keyway and provides a stop for engagement with the shoulder of the tie plate to limit the movement of the key through said key-way, the other end Leashes of the key being downturned and adapted to be i flexed transversely of the rail into locking engagement with a portion of the tie plate to hold the key under compression between the said stop thereof and thepoint of locking engagement with said plate.

5. Supporting and retaining means for a railroad rail comprising, in combination, a tie plate member having a body portion adapted to be secured to a cross tie and having spaced up-L standing shoulders providing abutments for opposite edges of the railV base, one of said shouljacent ange of a rail base, lont normally out or" engagement therewith, and is provided with means for engaging the last mentioned shoulder of the tie plate, the key being provided at the other end with a portion adapted to be flexed toward said shoulder and into locking engagement with a portion of the tie plate body, whereby the key is held in its normal position in the key- Way by the resilient force exerted lengthwise of the key between said shoulder and the body portion of the pla-te."V f

6. Supporting and retaining members for a railroad rail comprising in combination, a tie plate member having a body portion adapted to be secured to a cross tie and having spaced upstand=l ing shoulders providing abutments for opposite edges of the rail base, one of said shoulders having a key-way therein which extends above the upper-corner -portion of the rail base flange, and means for retaininga rail in position between said shoulders, but with capacity for limited vertical movement thereof relative to the plate comprising a spring key, one end of which ex tends through said key-way and overlies the adjacent iiange of the rail base, but normally out of engagement therewith, and is provided with means engaging said key-wayed shoulder for limiting the movement of the -,key through said key-way, the said key being providediat the other end with a portion adapted to flex toward the tie plate shoulder engaged and into locking engagement with a portion of the tie plate body to hold said key in its normal rail free vposition in said hey-way.

7. Supporting and retaining means for railroad rails comprising in combination a 'tie plate member having a body portion adapted to be secured to a cross tie and having spaced upstanding shoulders providing abutments for engaging opposite edges of a rail base, means carried by one or said shoulders for limiting upward vertical movement of the rail and means carried by the other shoulder for limiting said upward movement comprising a spring key, one end of which extends through a slot in said shoulder to over-lie the adjacent iiange of the rail base, but normally out or engagement therewith, and provided at its other end with a portion adapted to ilex toward said shoulder and into locking engagement with a portion of the tie plate body, whereby thekey is held in its normal rail free position in said key-way by the resilient force ofV the key exerted in the direction of its length between said tie plate shoulder and the point of engagement of the key with the tie plate body. y

8. Supporting and retaining means for a railroad rail comprising in combination a tie plate member having means upon its upper face to provide abutments for opposite edges of a rail base, said abutments being provided with key-ways extending longitudinally of the rail for the reception of key members, the said key members being each formed at one end with a portion for bearing against the top surface -of the rail base and with stop'members engaging the adjacent abut- I ment on the plate for limiting the applying movement of said end portion of the key and the other end of the key-being bowed downwardly and adapted to be exed toward said adjacent abutment and into locking engagement with a portion of said tie plate whereby the key is heldin its Sil normal position in said key-way by virtue of the f HAROLD G. WARE.

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