US427109A - Street railway or tramway - Google Patents

Description

- (No Model.)

J. M. PRICE. STREET RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY.

Patented May 6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. PRICE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STREET RAILWAY OR TRAMWAY.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,109, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed June 21, 1889. Serial No. 315,056. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. PRICE, a citizen of theUnited States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Street Railways or Tramways, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a rail of novel construction, supports for the rail, also of novel construction, and novel fastening devices, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and each definitely claimed. I

Figure 1 represents a transverse section of a street-railway embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of a por tion of a rail. a fastening-bar, and tie-rod. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of a stringer and supporting-base thereof. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of a portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of a cross-tie embodying my invention. Fig. 6

represents a perspective view of a portion of Fig. 5, a portion of a stringer, and a clamping device on an enlarged scale. Fig.7 represents a perspective view of said clamping device prior to location in position.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a street-car rail, from whose under side depend the vertical flanges B, the latter having openings 1 therein, through which is passed the bar or rod 0, which also passes under the heads or crowns of the stringer D, and have their ends bent upon the outer faces of the flanges B, thus holding the rail firmly'to the stringer, so that it is prevented from rising and falling by vibration.

The stringer D is formed of a flat band of suitable metal corrugated or creased into folds of two or more truncated pyramids, flat or level on their heads and bases'or feet, and connected at the base in a series, the width of the stringers being such that they enter snugly between the flanges B of the rail and fit the flat center of the rail.

In the flanges B are openings to receive the headed tie-rod E, whose end is threaded for engagement of a nut, whereby the opposite rails may be firmly bound together, the gage maintained,andthe trackkept from spreading. The stringer is supported upon a metallic base or stretcher F of channeled form, and secured thereto by a clamp G, which is located on the under side of the stretcher F, and having its ends passed upwardly through openings a a in said stretcher and bent down upon the base of the stringer, said ends being flattened or hammered, as at G, whereby they tightly embrace the base of the stringer and firmly secure the stringers to the stretcher.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a narrow 'Tshaped crosstie H is shown, the same supporting the stringer D, and having openings a a for the reception of' the ends of the clamp G. The rail is shouldered, as at 2, along its sides, so as to project outwardly and overhang the tops of the flanges B B, thus guarding the ends of the bars or rods 0 from being cut by Wheels of vehicles, and also avoiding the formation of ruts in the roadway adjoining the rails. The flanges of the rail add greatly to the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal strength of the rail, and distribute the weight superimposed upon the latter over the several heads of the stringer. At the joints of adjacent rails two bars or rods pass under one head of the stringer, one for each rail, (see Fig. 4,) thus assuring a perfectly true and continuous level for the surfaces of the rail, even when the traction, and stopping the separate vibration of the rails, which-otherwise causes the usual j olting of the cars at the joints.

It will be seen that the several parts or members enumerated are formed of metal, thus avoiding the defects and objections incident to wooden ties, stringers, &c.

A level is madein the road-bed at the proposed depth from the general surface for the stretcher or cross-tie, and the latter is located after attaching to it the base of the stringer; The rail is then laid upon the stringer and fastened to the heads thereof by the bars or rods 0. Tie-rods are occasionally applied and the track brought to gage, when the usual filling in with stones, 850., follows, the surface under the stretchers being profitably faced or finished with small stones or cinders, cement, &c.

produce, with the fillings at the sides thereof,

The folds or undulations of the stringer rails are separated by their maximum con-' a-succession of closed air cells or spaces, in which the stringers prevent free circulation. These air-spaces, being excellent non-conductors so long as the air is confined, preclude any serious attack upon the earth just below by the frost, thus relieving it from serious upheaval and inequalities produced by freezing and thawing.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A street-car rail or tramway-rail with Vertical ridges or flanges overlapping and embracing the heads of ametallic'stringer folded into alternate truncated pyramids, substantially as described.

2. A street-car rail or tramway-rail, in combination with a metallic stringer of continuous truncated pyramidal shape and a metallic support, the rail resting upon the heads of the stringer and embracing its sides, and the stringer resting upon said support, the rail and stringer and the stringer and support being respectively bound together by metallic straps, substantially as described. I

3. A street-car rail with vertical flanges beneath, in combination with a metallic un dulating stringer confined and embraced by the flanges, and with a metallic base or sup- .port upon which the stringer rests, the parts in contact with each other being interbound with metallicstraps,substantiallyasdescribed.

4. A street-car rail or tramway-rail shouldered laterally and ridged beneath, embracing a metallic stringer on which the rail is seated, and supported by a metallic stretcher or cross-tie, in combination with a tie-rod or clamp across the road-bed, substantially as described. I 5. A street-car rail flanged beneath to embrace a metallic stringer folded into connected undulations of the shape of a truncated pyramid, in combination with the metallic stretchers or cross-tie under its feet and fastened thereto by metallic bars or bolts, with an occasional tie-rod above, as at E, Figs. 1 and 2, to maintain gage, substantially as described. 6. A support for a streetcar rail, consisting of a metallic stringer of the form of truncated pyramids, and a base or cross-tie on which said stringer rests, in combination with clamps passing through said base and embracing the bases or feet of said pyramids, substantially as described.

'7. The combination of a rail having depending flanges and shouldered sides with an undulating stringer having its heads embraced by said flanges and bars passingx through said flanges and beneath said heads and having bent ends, the said shouldered ends of the rail being over and above said bent ends of the bars, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a channeled stretcher with openings therein and undulating stringer on said stretcher, and a clamp having its ends passing through said openings in the stretcher and bent on the feet of said stringer, substantially as described.

JAMES M. PRICE.

l/Vitnessesz JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, TM. 0. XVIEDERSHEIM.

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