US2322742A - Rail anchor - Google Patents

Description

June 22, 1943. c GAlLOR 2,322,742

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Nov. 14, 1941 n 4 i H [Ill-3' l V E N TO R 6959759549 0? ATTORNEY Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIL ANCHOR Chester Francis Gailor, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Evelyn P. Gailor, administratrix of said Chester Francis Gailor, deceased Claims.

The present invention relates to rail anchors or anti-creepers for railroads and has for its object refinements in one piece anchor construction designed to produce a materially improved anchor adapted to offer, to a substantial degree, greater and more effective resistance to rail creeping for the weight of material employed than has been attained by devices as heretofore made.

A further important object of the present improvements is to combine in a simple and strong design of a one piece anchor, structural and functional characteristics which contribute materially to more successfully meeting the stringent requirements of advanced anchor construction. as considered with relation to the maintenance conditions. These requirements comprehend such factors as facility of application of the anchor to the rail; security against displacement of the anchor when installed; operating effectiveness of the device in its anti-creeping functions and rigid economy in manufacture and in the weight of material employed.

In addition to successfully meeting the structural requirements as aforesaid, the improved anchor of my present invention is of a form to obtain functional advantages offering material improvement over the devices as heretofore employed for the purpose. In accordance therewith, the improved anchor is designed in the first instance to effectively provide for an initial resilient grip on the rail upon its application thereto. As a result of :this a constant frictional grip is maintained at all times to insure against displacement of the anchor from its operative position; secondly, to further tighten upon being driven into operating position in engagement with the tie thus to be fully effective as initially installed to offer immediate resistance to rail creeping. Thirdly, it is further operative to progressively tighten the grip of the anchor upon the rail under the load pressures or creeping action of the rail so as to augment the grip and insure effective resistance to creeping as the conditions require.

Important features constributing to my improved design of anchor include a body portion arranged to extend transversely beneath the rail base flange and formed with a slight curvature and having upwardly extended jaws at its end portions to engage the vertical edges of the rail base flange with inward shoulders or lug portions overlying the flange outer ends; the body being further formed intermediate of its ends with resilient, offset bearing members positioned for tie engagement and operative from such engagement to further flex the body portion to increase the gripping action .on the rail.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present improvement will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters are applied to the corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of my improved anchor applied to the rail and taken endwise of the latter.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view with the end portion of the anchor shown in horizontal section.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing a desirable modified form of anchor as applied to the rail and taken endwise thereof.

Fig. .5 is a plan view thereof.

In the approved embodiment of the features of my invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the rail is indicated at r to which is applied the improved anchor formed in one piece from fiat sheet stock to comprise the body I having oppositely positioned, vertically enlarged end portions 22 connected by cross-bar tension member 3*. The ends have upwardly extended rail engaging jaw portions l-.4 terminating in inwardly directed hook or shoulder portions 55 adapted to overly the rail base flange outer edge portions. The anchor body is formed with a normal slight curvature from end to end thereof and as applied to the rail is vertically positioned as shown with the tension .connection member 3 immediately underlying the rail base flange, the jaw portions engaging the vertical base flange edges and the shoulders overlying the flange edge portions as shown. Inwardly extending from the end portions. 2', at the lower portions thereof, the anchor is provided with inwardly projected and offset bearing members or flanges 6-.6 positioned for tie engagement.

The inwardly directed rail engaging edge surfaces of the jaw portions ,4 are bevelled or angularly formed .as shown at 8 to have reduced area or line contact with the rail so as to increase or intensify the gripping action thereon. Also, the curvature and relative dimensions of the anchor are such that the normal distance between the rail engaging edges of the jaws is slightly less than the width of the rail base so that upon assembling of the anchor on the rail it will have a resilient securing grip thereon. Accordingly, the application of the anchor to the rail is effected by flexing of the anchor body to reduce the curvature suficient to allow springing of the shoulders over the rail flange. This is facilitated by the forming of one of the jaw engaging surfaces, at the right hand side as shown, with a vertical curvature; this end being first hooked over the rail base edge and maintaining a rocking engagementas the opposite end is sprung over the base flange as is readily understood.

The anchor, thus applied by means of a suitable tool, is disposed with the offset bearing members 6 directed toward a co-operating tie as indicated at t and the anchor is then forcibly driven against the tie, the flexible bearing members by the engagement with'the tie causing flexing of the anchor body to increase the frictional grip on the rail. Thereby the anchor, as initially and fully installed, is immediately effective to resist creeping action of the rail.

The pressures of rail creeping, as is apparent, acting through the resilient bearing members will progressively tighten the resilient grip of the anchor on the rail by the arcuate deflection of the anchor body, particularly of the connecting portion 3. This arcing, tending to shorten the distance between the jaws 4, is more effectively produced by the particular arrangement of the bearing members as shown connecting with the end portions of the anchor in vertical planes spaced inward of the jaw engagement. The bearing members are curved inwardly and toward the tie with the free end portions thereof reversely turned into parallel relation to the'tie surface. This provides for large area engagement with the tie and avoidance of objectionable tie cutting.

While the foregoing refers to the preferred embodiment of the features of my invention, it'

will be understood that varied modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. As illustrative thereof, I have shown in Figs. 4 and 5 a desirable modified structure wherein the connecting body portion 3' is formed beneath the resilient bearing flanges 66; the latter immediately underlying the rail base. The jaw portions are likewise modified to have rail engagement through laterally curved engaging lips or inward shoulder extensions l2 providing convex inner engaging surfaces for restricted or vertical line contact with the rail positioned in offset relation to the anchor body and at the side opposite to the tie bearing members 6'.

The improved rail anchor as is to be noted is designed so as to resiliently grip the rail as initially applied thereto therebyto be securely retained in position on the rail at all times, is capable of being spring energized when forced home against the tie so as to be immediately and fully effective in resisting creeping, progressively increases its grip under tie pressure and moreover is of a design wherein the resilience occurs throughout substantially the full length of the anchor thereby to avoid concentration of stresses and resulting weakness.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1.1A rail anchor of the character described comprising a body having opposite end portions and a transverse connecting tension member underlying the rail base, the end portions being formed with upwardly extended jaw portions to engage the rail base vertical edges and having shoulders overlying the rail base flange and offset, resilient bearing flanges extending inwardly from the inner sides of the end portions and positioned to engage the tie and operative to effect flexing of the body under pressures of tie engagement to increase the gripping pressure responsive thereto.

2. A rail anchor of the character described comprising a body having opposite end portions and a transverse connecting member underlying the rail base, the end portions being formed with upwardly extended jaw portions to engage the rail base vertical edges and having shoulders overlying the rail base flange and offset, resilient bearing flanges extending inwardly from the inner sides of the end portions and positioned to engage the tie and said body portion having a horizontal curvature convex to the side opposite the bearing flanges.

3. A rail anchor of the character described comprising a body having opposite end portions and a transverse connecting member underlying the rail base, the end portions being formed with upwardly extended jaw portions to engage the rail base vertical edges and having shoulders overlying the rail base flange and offset, resilient bearing flanges extending inwardly from the inner sides of the end portions and positioned to engage the tie and said body having a horizontal curvature convex to the side opposite the bearing flanges and said jaws having a normal spacing slightly less than the width of the rail flange.

4. A rail anchor of the character. described comprising a body portion having opposite end portions and a transverse connecting member underlying the rail base, the end portions being formed with upwardly extended jaw portions to engage the rail base vertical edges and having shoulders overlying the rail base flange offset, resilient bearing flanges extending inwardly of the end portions and positioned to engage the tie and operative to effect flexing 'of the body under pressures of tie engagement to .increase the gripping pressure,'said body portion having a normal curvature convex to the side opposite from the bearing flanges and said jaws bein formed for line contact with the rail.

5. A rail anchor of the character described comprising a horizontally curved body portion having opposite end portions and a transverse connecting portion underlying the rail base, the end portions being formed with upwardly extended jaw portions to engage the rail base verti cal edges and having shoulders overlying the rail base flange, offset resilient bearing flanges extending inwardly from the inner sides of the end portions and positioned to engage the" tie and said bearing flanges having free inner end portions substantially parallel to the tie surface engaged therebyfi- V Y CHESTER. FRANCIS GAILOR.

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