US552875A - Railroad-tie plate - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

L. A. BOWER.

RAILROAD TIE PLATE.

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RAILROAD TIB PLATE.

NO. 552,875. Patented Jah. 7, 1896.

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RAILROAD-TI E PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,87 5, dated January 7, 1896.

Application ledllovemhel 20, 1894. Serial No. 529,431. (No model.)

To all wbmn t may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS A. BOWER, a citizen ot' the 'United States, and a resident of ll'vilinington, in the count;7 of New Castle and State of' Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad- Tic llates, ot which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to anew article of manufacture-to Wit, an improvement in what are known as rai lroad-tie plates -that is to say, a plate to be interposed between arail and a Wooden tie, for purposes Which will be hereinafter more fully referred to.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts.

Figure I is a plan view of the plate. Fig. II is an end view' of the same. Fig. III is a side view of the same, showing a section of the rail. Fig. IV is a pla-n view otl the under side of the plate. Fig. V is a perspective view of the saine.

A is a metal plate, provided With spikeholes a and a2, which are preferably inade square and adapted to receive the spikes by which the rail is secured to the tie.

a3 and a* are lugs, preferably made as part of the plate, and slightly elevated above its top surface. These lugs are adapted to engage that flange of the rail which is on the outside of the track.

a5, u, al, and usare llanges, preferably ina-de as part of' the plate, and projecting from the under side thereof at right angles to the surface of the plate. These flan ges are arranged on the opposite side of the plate from that on which the lugs are located, and in the following arrangement: Granted that the plate is in the form of a rectangle, I arrange the flanges d5, d, u?, and u? in the lines of the hypotenuses of two right-angled and equal triangles, the base of each of said triangles being' onehalf the line of the outside of' the plate ad j oining the lugs of and d4. The longitudinal axis ot' the plate is a line commonl to both of said triangles, and forms a right angle with the base referred to, and the apexes of said right-angled and equal triangles terminate at a point common to both. I prefer that the angle should be approximately that shown in the drawings. The angle at which these flanges are arranged is of material importance, for the reason that it Will be observed that the greater the angle the greater number of the fibers of the Wooden tie Will be crossed by the flanges when it is placed in position on the tie, and therefore the greater resistance will be formed to the driving of the flanges into the tie, and the consequent seating of the plate flush with the tie. It is, therefore, of the greatest importance that the angle at which the flanges diverge outwardly should be as small as possible consistent with the purpose for which they are made to diverge-that is to say, the gripping by them of the heart of the tie as opposed to an ont- Ward or lateral movement of the plate-the operation thereof being more fully referred to hereinafter. These flanges may be said to be located in lines divergin g toward the outside of the plate, and when I refer hereinafter to the location of said flanges in lines divergent I desire to be understood as re ferring` to the arrangement above described. I also place the flanges a5 and al across the line of the outside of the rail, and the flanges a and as across the line of the inside of the rail. Then I refer to these lines I mean lines run along the outside or inside of the rail when in position on the plate, and I place these flanges across said lines at the points indicated for the purpose of bracing the plates at those points, for the reason that I consider that the greatest strain on the plate is at those points. In Fig. I these flanges are indicated by dotted lines. I prefer to make them in the forni of a V-that is to say, broad at the base and tapering to an edge; but I find under some conditions that it is desirable to make these flanges with one side at right angles to the plate and the other side beveled and at an acute angle to the plate, thus making a chisel-edge, as shown in Fig. V. lVhen this form of' flange is used, I prefer to make the rect-angular surface of the flanges opposed to a similar rectangular surface opposed thereto. In practice this plate is interposed between the rail and the Wooden tie, the lugs as and at being on the outside of the rail. I then introduce suitable spikes through the spike-holes a' and (1,2, and drive the saine home in the usual manner of secur ing a rail to a tie. It will be understood that IOO as the spikes are driven home the flanges a5, a", a7, and a8 are driven into the wooden tie until the under surface of the plate rests flush with the surface of the tie. The operation of this plate is to form a seat for the rail and to protect the tie from wear. It also acts as a support for the rail and relieves the spikes .from the pressure incident to the spreading of the rail. The lugs on the top and outside of the rail receive the outward and lateral pressure of the rail. This pressure is particularly noticeable on the outside of curves, but it is present wherever the car-wheels are passing over a track. This pressure on the lugs has a tendency to cause the plate to move laterally and outwardly, and the underlying flanges above described are provided to prevent this outward and lateral movement. The manner of their operation is as follows: The angle at which the flanges are caused to diverge outwardly is as nearly parallel with the grain of the wood of the tie as is consistent with the resistance required and the purpose for which they are caused to diverge. The purpose of this slight divergence is to permit the ready introduction of the flanges into the tie. The greater the divergence the greater the number of the fibers of the wood will be crossed bythe flanges when they are set in position to be driven into the tie, and the greater the force required to drive said flanges into the tie. The divergence is, however, sufficient when the flanges are driven into the tie and the under side of the plate is flush with the surface of the tie for the flanges to present to each other a resistance to an outward and lateral pressure upon the lugs by the rail. Then such pressure is exerted upon the tie-plate the flanges grip the heart of the tie, into which they are driven, and the wood of the tie forms a wedge between such flanges, effectually presenting to and between said flanges a resistance to such lateral movement. This resistance is positive and certain, for the reason that the heart of the tie is the most solid part thereof, and when presented as a wedge between the flanges becomes a wedge that holds the plate rigid and firmly in position as opposed to said outward movement. It will be noted also that I have placed the flanges under and across the outside lines of the rail. These are the lines of the greatest pressure upon the plate, and it is along these lines that the plate is liable to bend or buckle. I find that it is sufficient to lend stiffness to the plate to place the flanges in the positions that I have indicated.

It will be readily understood that in the operation last described the plate effectually bears the greater part of any lateral pressure that may be exerted upon the rail and that between the lugs on the top of the plate and the flanges which grip the heart of the tie the great resistance to such outward pressure is found. Of course there is a co-operation between the operation of the plate and thespikes, but it is intended that the plate Shall need that has long been felt in railroad con- 1f struction, but which has never been satisfactorily supplied. The difficulties encountered in such plates may be briefly stated as follows The first tie-plates consisted simply of a thin sheet of metal with two spike-holes suitably arranged. This metal plate was interposed between the rail and the tie, and the spikes were driven home in the usual manner. In practice it was found that tie-plates of this construction buckled under the weight of the rail and under constant friction moved laterally and bore upon the spikes, until by constant wear the spikes would be severed. It became necessary therefore in the construction of the plates to overcome these two difficultiesthat is to say, the buckling of thc plate and the lateral movement thereof-and to accomplish both of these results with that economy of material and construction which is requisite in an article of this character in order that the same maybe commercial. In solving` these difficulties I have found that the point or points at which the tie-plate needs strength to prevent the buckling of the same under the pressure of the rail thereon incident to the weight of the load carried is immediately under the lines of the outside of the rail, commonly known as the base of the rail, and thatin bracing' the rail for this purpose it is only necessary to brace immediately beneath these lines. I have therefore disposed or arranged the flanges a5, a, a7, and as across these lines, and have made them only of sufficient length to act as a brace for the plate immediately under these lines and consistent with the lateral pressure to be opposed. I have also discovered that the strongest and most positive resistance to an outward and lateral movement of the plate is found when the flanges are so arranged as to present to each other a binding resistance when they are driven into the heart of the tie. As hereinbefore related, the wood of the tie in this case becomes a wedge between the flanges, the wedge shape preventing any movement of the plate. of the tie for this purpose is important for the reason that it is the hardest and most enduring portion. Another feature which I have observed in this connection is the importance of the angle at which the flanges are arranged. I have discovered that the angle at which the flanges are arranged in the plate illustrated in my drawings accompanying this IIO The use of the heart application is the best arrangement for the purpose, for the reason that in this position the flanges readily sink into the wood of the tie, for the reason that they are not greatly out of parallel with the grain of the wood of the tie. lVhere they cross a number of such fibers, the difficulty of driving or pressing the flanges into the wood is greatly increased This is a serious difficulty, for unless the flanges sink into the wood readily the under side of the plate will not restfirml y on the surface of the tie, in which case the plate is rendered worse than useless. I have therefore made the flanges tapering to an edge, to facilitate introduction, and arranged them at an angle which permits their introduction into the wood of the tie with the least resistance consistent with. their divergence for purposes heretofore described.

'With reference to the lugs on the top of the plate, which serve as abearing for the outside edge of the base of the rail, I have observed that the best results are obtained by placing those lugs at the corners of the plate on the outside thereof, for the reason that ample space is then left between the lugs in which to introduce the spikes, and, furthermore, economy of construction is found over those tieplates where the lug is carried all the way across the plate, and this arrangement of the lugs admits of the more convenient and ready introduction and removal of the spike, without danger of breaking or bending the plate.

Another and fundamental difficulty which has been encountered in making a practical and commercial tie-plate has been the expense of construction. Unless such plates can be made very cheaply they are of no practical use. To accomplish this end I have so arranged my plate that it can be made very light in weight, and at the same time it is so constructed that it can be rolled or stamped out by the well-known die processes, and thus great economy of manufacture is found. I consider this an important feature of my invention.

I distinguish my invention from the prior state of the art in that l claim a combination of elements in my tie-plate which I consider essential to the construction of a practical and commercial tie-plate.

I am aware that others have made tie-plates with flanges arranged obliquely to the longitudinal axis of the plate, but the purposes and operation of such flanges have been different from mine, and without the beneficial results that I attain-that is to say, the gripping of the heart of the tie, and the strengthening of the plate under the lines of the outside of the rail, the arrangement of lugs on top of the plate, and the economy of manufacture which I have described.

l. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate provided with flanges on the under side thereof, said flanges being arranged in lines slightly oblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate and diverging toward the outside of the plate, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate provided with fianges on the under side thereof, said flanges being arranged in lines, slightly oblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate and diverging toward the outside of the plate, and so disposed as to cross the lines of the outside or base of the rail, to brace the plate beneath these lines, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate providedwith four flanges on the under side thereof arranged in lines slightly oblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate and diverging toward the outside of the plate, two of such flanges locatedbeneath and across the line of the outside of the rail, and two beneath and across the line of the inside of the rail, to brace the plate beneath the base of the rail, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

a. As a new article of manufacture, a rail road tie plate, provided with four flanges on the under side thereof arranged in lines slightly oblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate, and diverging toward the outside of the plate, two of such flanges located beneath and across the line of the inside of the rail to brace the plate beneath the base of the rail, and also provided with two lugs, one at each corner of the outside of the plate, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a railroad tie plate consisting of a metal plate provided' on the under side thereof with the flanges a5, a, al, and a8, arranged in lines slightly oblique to the longitudinal axis of the plate, diverging outwardly and in the position shown, and two lugs co3, and a4, on the top of the plate, and spike-holes, a and a2, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

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Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York., this 10th day of November, A. I). 1894.

LEWIS A. BOI/VER. lVitnesses Louis HICKS, EDWARD J. MCGUIRE.

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