US2276799A - Rail anchoring means - Google Patents

Description

.March 17, 1942. L. SPENCER 2,276,799

RAIL ANCHORING MEANS File d Aug. 1, 1940 T TT W I I W .27

v 25 Lee 1n ventor Spencer A iiomey Patented Mar. 17, 1942 UNITED smrs rear 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved rail and tie assembly and has more specific reference to the particular means for anchoring or fastening the rail, either directly or indirectly, to the cross-tie or equivalent foundation.

In carrying into effect the principles of the present invention I have evolved and produced novel interlocking means interposed between the rail and its foundation and functioning as a self-compensating adapter, whereby to allow slight vertical rise and fall of the rail in relation to the tie or foundation, this to permit requisite freedom of motion between the parts such as is considered essential toaccomplish the improved results which I have achieved.

Broadly, therefore, in reducing to practice the improved inventive concept with which we are here concerned, I have chosen to utilize interlocking connection means providing the desired but limited play between the rail and tie considered essential to substantially eliminate the objectionable floating or wave motion.

More specifically, the invention pertains to a rail foundation, either a solid or hollow tie, this serving as a seat or bed for the rail and being provided at a predetermined point with an upstanding abutment shoulder at one portion and a longitudinally elongated slot, the slot being wide at one end and narrow at the opopsite end and having its longitudinal edges at the narrow portion undercut to provide key retention shoulders, the rail having a base flange equipped with a key or equivalent element and the key fitting into the restricted or narrow portion of the slot and its longitudinal edges being constructed to correspond with the undercut edges, and the adjacent faces of the key and undercut edges or s oulders being'spaced apart.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a top plan view showing a fragmentary portion of a wooden cross-tie, a tie plate thereon, the conventional rail, and the improved fastening or anchoring means constituting the particular subject of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View on the plane of the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one form of tie-plate utilized in carrying into effect the instant invention.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 3 showing a modification, wherein the rail rests directly on a hollow metal or equivalent tie.

By way of introduction to the detailed'description, it is to be pointed out that the invention at bar is susceptible of use and association with either a wooden tie having a tie plate thereon,

or a specially constructed hollow metal tie. In either event, the basic principle of interlocking rail motion compensating means is basically the same.

Reference. being had to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the wooden cross-tie which is conventional, is denoted by the numeral l2. Superimposed on this is a rectangular tie-plate l3. This plate as shown to advantage in Figure 4 has spike openings Hi and i5 located at predetermined points. At its center the tie-plate is provided with a slot. Extending transversely of the plate and formed integral with the upper surface thereof is an abutment shoulder Hi. Noting the construction of the slot it will be observed that one end portion is relatively wide as at H, and the opposite end is restricted or narrow as at 18. The longitudinal side walls of the restricted end portion are undercut, or bevelled, as at l9, to form retention shoulders. These shoulders serve to coact with the correspondingly shaped or dove-tailed rib or key 2!! on the rail 2 l. The rail is conventional, that is, comprises a base flange 22, a vertical web 23 and a ball or head 24. As indicated the key or rib is dove-tailed in crosssection, that is, has bevelled edges 25, these to coact in spaced relation with the undercut shoulders or bevels l9. Incidentally, the rib or key 26 may be formedintegral with the rail or may be made as a separate part and bolted thereon. In any event, its length is coextensive with the width of the base flange 22. It will be noted also that it extends at right angles to' the longitudinal dimension of the rail. It is to be noted in connection with the spike openings 14 and I5, that the conventional spikes 26 oocupy points of anchorage spaced from the base flange of the rail. In other words, the spikes are merely used to secure the tie-plate l3 on the tie and not to secure the rail on the tie-plate. The means for separably joining the rail to the tie-plate is the key and keyway construction just described. This may be referred to as interlocking means.

In practice, after the tie-plate l3 has been secured on the tie I 2 as shown in Figure 2, the rail 2| (shown in dotted lines) is placed over the tie-plate so that the key or rib 20 registers with the enlarged or entrance portion of the slot l1. Then the rail is shifted over so that the key slips into the keyway I 8. One longitudinal edge of the base flange engages the abutment shoulder I6. Then the retention plate 21 is dropped into the slot l8 to function as a detent for holding the key in the restricted portion [8 of the slot construction. This cleat or plate 21 is secured in place by appropriate fastenings 28.

In the embodiment or alternate arrangement illustrated in Figure 5, the cross-tie 29 is of hollow metal construction, depicted in Figure 4, and the slot construction is formed in the top wall 38. Otherwise, the principle of construction is the same and therefore a specific description is thought unnecessary. That is to say, all that I am attempting to illustrate in this arrangement is the fact that the interlocking means may be directly between the tie and rail or a tieplate may be utilized.

In the form of the invention described and illustrated, it will be observed that I utilize coacting anchoring means, that is, means which coact between the base (made up either of the tie individually or the tie in conjunction with the tieplate) whereby to provide the desired interlocking effect. The point with which I am most concerned is the fact that the so-called key and keyway assembly is such that the coacting retention shoulders or faces are spaced slightly from each other. The degree of spacing is of course, variable, but in any event, suificient space between the parts is provided for in order to allow for the desired play. It is this play which is the gist of th invention, since it accomplishes the desired floating freedom of the rail in relation to th tie. Consequently, by this means I am able to overcome the aforementioned objection and at the same time provide a construction which is susceptible of reliability.

In conclusion, it is thought that the particular mode of visible and physical expression of the invention illustrated in the drawing represents an assemblage which is feasible from the standpoint of manufacture and is aptly fitted for the intended purposes.

It is thought that the description taken in connection with the drawing will enable a clear understanding of the invention to be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that minor changes coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to if desire.

I claim:

In a structure of the class described, in combination, a rail-tie, a tie-plate secured thereon, said tie-plate being provided with a transverse upstanding abutment shoulder at one end portion, being further provided with spike holes and a longitudinally elongated slot, the slot being wide at one end and narrow at the opposite end, the last named end having undercut longitudinal edge portions functioning as retention shoulders, a rail seated on said tie-plate, the base flange of the rail on one side engaging the abutment shoulder, said rail being provided with a rib constituting a key, the rib being on the under side of the base flange of the rail and being adapted to fit into the restricted portion of said slot, the longitudinal edges of said rib being beveled to coact with the undercut shoulders of the slot, the beveled faces of the rib and coacting undercut shoulders of the slot being normally spaced apart in the manner and for the purposes described.

LEE SPENCER.

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