US774506A - Insulated rail-joint. - Google Patents

Description

PATENT-ED NOV. 8, 1904. 1

0. J. BUCK. INSULATED RAIL JOINT.

AYPLIOATION FILED MAY 12, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented November 8, 1904.

PATENT Qrricn.

CHRISTIAN J. BUCK, OF GALLITZIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

INSULATED RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,506, dated November 8, 1904.

Application filed May 12, 1904.

To all whmn it may concern.-

bars, this form of rail-joint being employed on roads where extensive systems of electric signaling are used. 4

To this end the invention consists in the novel construction of the splice-bars and their arrangement with respect to the meeting ends of the rails which they connect, as will be more particularly described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 isa perspective view of a rail-joint made in accordance with my invention, in which the various elements are shown assembled. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2. 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the members comprising the splice-bar, showing in detail the construction and contour thereof.

Like characters represent like parts throughout.

The splice-bar employed in my invention is of approximately square contour in cross-section for about two-thirds of its length, as indicated at 1, and then it gradually slopes off into an angle, as shown at 2. From the squared portion 1 and extending the length thereof I cut a member 3, thedirection of the cut eX- tending the length of the splice-bar until the latter tapers toward its angular end, and then extending at right angles thereto, as shown at 6, until it reaches the inner side of the said splice-bar. The member 3 is cut with abeveled Serial No. 207,714. (No model.)

face 4, which forms a bearing-surface for the corresponding beveled inner face 5 of the squared portion 1.

In assembling the splice-bars upon the ends of the rails I place insulating-strips 7, of any and 5 of the members 3 and 1, respectively, and then bend the said strips, as at 8 in Fig. 1, to conform to the angle 6 of the inner face of the squared end 1, as it is when the member 3 has been cut therefrom. The splicebar upon the other side has its members put together in the same manner. I then insulate the ends of the rails from one another by means of an end strip 9. In joining the meeting ends of the rails I arrange the splice-bar (arbitrarily termed A) with its squared end adjacent the rail a, and the splice-bar B with its squared end adjacent therail 7), so that the squared end of one bar, A, on one side of the rail is adjacent the angular end of the other bar, B, on the other side of the same rail, this arrangement being necessary to completely insulate the rails from the splice-bar and being a distinctive feature of my invention. It is also advantageous in preserving an even weight and balance throughout the structure. ;It is advantageous in-assembling the members of the joint that the ends 6 of the squared portion 1, formed by cutting away the members 3, shall in each splice-bar be adjacent the point Where the ends of the rails meet, so that when the insulating-strips '7 are inserted the bent portions 8 between the members 1 and 3 thereof in each splice-bar will be adjacent the end strip 9. The various elements having been properly arranged I connect the rails and the splice-bars by bolts 10, passing through apertures 11 in the splice-bars, the said bolts having their threaded ends secured adjacent the squared portion 1 by nuts 12, insulated by bushings 13 in the usual manner. Thus the ends of the rail are insulated from one another by the insulation 9 and from the splicebars by the insulation 7 so that there are no points Where the iron is in contact, and all danger of completing a circuit is obviated.

The outside members of each splice-bar are suitable material, between the beveled faces 4:

provided with notches 2 3 to receive spikes l of the usual form to engage in the cross-ties. (Not shown.)

It is obvious that several minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a rail-joint the combination with the meeting ends of the rails having a strip of insulation interposed therebetween, of a pair of splice-bars insulated from the rails, each of said splice-bars having an enlarged end, one of said splice-bars being located on each side of the rails and connected to the adjacent splicebar by bolts passing through the rails.

2. In a rail-joint the combination with the meeting ends of the rails, having a strip of insulation interposed therebetween, of asplicebar, said splice-bar being formed in a plurality of separable sections and being insulated from the rails which it connects.

3. A splice-bar for rail-joints having a portion of its body rectangular in cross-section and consisting of two members, one of said members being cut from the squared portion of the said splice-bar and a strip of insulation interposed between the said members, substantially as described.

i. A splice-bar for rail-joints having an angular smaller end and a squared larger end, said splice-bar being formed of two members, one of said members being cut from the said I squared end, the surface of the said end from i which the said member has been out being l i l l l i l l beveled and the adjacent surface of the said member being beveled and having a strip of insulation interposed between the said beveled surfaces substantially as described.

5. In a rail-joint the combination with the meeting ends of the rails having an end strip l of insulation interposed therebetween, of a 1 splice-bar having a squared end and comprising two members, one of said members being l cut from the said squared end, the said cutl away member having its end extending at a right angle to its side thereby leaving the surface of the splice-bar from which the said member has been cut approximately L-shaped, and a strip of insulation interposed between the two members and having its end adjacent the end of the cut-away member and the end of the squared portion of the splice-bar bent at right angles to that portion of the said strip between the adjacent faces of the said members of the splice-bar.

6. In a rail-joint, the combination with the meeting ends of the rails having an end strip of insulation interposed therebetween, of a 1 splice-bar having a squared end and compris- L ing two members, one of said members being 1 cut from the said squared end, the surface of l the said squared end where the member has been cut away and the adjacent surface of the said cut-away member being beveled, the said cut-away member having its end extending at a right angle to its beveled side thereby leaving the surface of the splice-bar from which the said. member has been cut approximately L-shaped. and a strip of insulation interposed. between the beveled surfaces of the two members and having its end adjacent the adjacent ends of the cut-away member and of the squared portion of the splice-bar bent at a right angle to that portion of the said strip between the beveled faces of the adjacent members of the splice-bar.

7. In a rail-joint, the combination with the meeting ends of the rails, having a strip of insulation interposed therebetween,-of a pair of splice-bars insulated from the rails, said splice-bars having one end larger than the other, one of said splice-bars being located on one side of the meeting-rails and the other of said splice-bars being located on the other side of the meeting-rails, the splice-bars being so positioned with relation to one another that the smaller end of one splice-bar is adjacent the larger end of the other splice-bar, the said splice-bars being connected by bolts passing through the rails.

8. In a rail-joint the combination with the meeting ends of the rails having an end strip of insulation interposed therebetween, of a pair of splice-bars, said splice-bars having one end larger than the other, one of said splice-bars being located on one side of the meeting-rails and the other of said splice-bars being located on the other side of the meetingrails, the larger ends of the splice-bars being insulated from the rail to a point adjacent the said end strip of insulation interposed between the meeting ends of the rails, the enlarged end of one splice-bar being ad acent the smaller end of the other splice-bar, the splice-bars being connected by bolts passing through the rails.

9. In a rail-joint, the combination with the meeting ends of the rails having an end strip of insulation interposed therebetween, of a pair of splice-bars having one of their ends larger than the other, the enlarged end being formed in detachable sections, and having a strip of insulation interposed between the said sections, said strip of insulation terminating adjacent the end strip of insulation between the meeting-rails, the enlarged end of one splice-bar on one side of the rail being adjacent the smaller end of the corresponding splice-bar on the other side of the rail, the splice-bars being connected by bolts passing through the rails.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN J. BUCK.

Witnesses:

J. E. BURNs, Gnonen Hoses.

IIO

Images