US2265745A - Rail fastener - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 9, 1941. G. H. RoscoE 2,265,745

RAIL FASTENER Filed March 12, 1941 u 22 i BY 22 W/Bwudrmf ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 9, 1941 -Y UNITED sra'rssr'rnr orrlcs BAEL FASTENER George H. Roscoe, Aurora, ll.

Application March l2, 1941, Serial No. 382,888

8 Claims. (Cl. 23S-349) This invention relates to rail retaining devices, and more particularly to ra-il fasteners of the spring clip type. v

Various types of spring clip rail fasteners have been held in operative positions on tie plates in several diierent ways heretofore. Many of them are slotted or perforated so that spikes or screws can be driven through them and the underlying tie plates and into lthe supporting ties. This requires a spike or screw for each clip in addition to those used solely for fastening the tie plate to the tie. Another way of holding such clips in place has been to provide the top of a tie plate withan upwardly projecting stirrup having a horizontal upper portion, and in so far as I am aware, to extend the arm of the spring clip that engages the rail base flange through the stirrup in engagement with the lower surface of its horizontal upper portion. Consequently, the effective length of the spring arm is measured from its point of engagement with the stirrup to its point of engagement with the rail, and this length is rather short. As a result the spring arm is apt to soon take a permanent set and thereby become substantially useless, or to be over-stressed and broken.

It is arnongthe objects of this invention to provide a rail retaining device utilizing a spring clip which has a lon T life, which does not take a permanent set, which is adjustable, which does not wear against the retaining stirrup, which has a relatively long effective spring arm for engaging the rail, and with which there is no loosening of the clip due to its flexing under the wave motion of the rail.

In accordance with this invention a rail fastener is formed from a resilient metal strip bent to provide an upper arm for engaging the top of a rail base flange on a tie plate, the arm extending across the top of an upwardly projecting stirup on the tie plate. The stirrup may be formed by a separate member attached to the tie plate or by upstruck lugs having horizontal upper portions. The fastener then curves downwardly and extends inwardly through the stirrup where it is so formed that it is compressed between vthe top of the tie plate and the upper portion of the stirrup. Preferably, the inwardly extending portion is provided with one or more notches for receiving a portion of the stirrup in order to hold the fastener in rail retaining position.

' The invention is Yillustrated in the accompanying drawing in whichFig. 1 is aplan View of one form of my fastener in operative position-on a tie plate; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line II-II of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an end view and section of the tie plate and fastener taken on the line Ill-III of Fig. l; and Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections, similar to Fig. 2, of two modifications-of this invention.

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, a tie plate I is mounted on a wooden tie 2 in the usual manner by means of screws or spikes 3. Extending transversely of the upper surface of the tie plate is a pair of spaced parallel shoulders 4 that denne a seat between them for a rail 5. Spaced outwardly from each shoulder is an upwardly projecting stirrup formed by striking up a pair of lugs 6 from the plate and bending their upper ends toward each other to form horizontal portions or cross pieces. The purpose of these stirrups is to hold in operative position a pair of spring clips l that fasten the rail to the tie plate as will now be described.

Each clip is formed from a resilient metal strip bent into the shape shown in-Fig. 2. Thus, the clip is provided with a laterally extending upper arm H having an upturned inner end that bears down against the top of the adjacent rail base flange. From its inner end the upper arm of the clip extends outwardly across the top of the adjacent stirrup from which it is spaced. At a suitable distance beyond the stirrup `the clip curves downwardly into contact with the tie plate and then extends inwardly through the stirrup. This inwardly extending portion l2 is in the form of a reverse bend the lower portion of which bears at against the tie plate and the upper or free end portion projecting outwardly above its lower portion and thereby extending back through the stirrup. This reverse bend `is made wider than the height of the stirrup opening so that the reversely bent lower portion i 2 of the clip must engage the top portion of the stirrup and be compressed between it and the top of the tie plate. Consequently, the lower portion of the spring clip is held tightly within the stirrup and the clip as a whole thus maintained in operative position.

To prevent the clip from working out of the stirrup the lower free end portion is crimped to provide on top a series of notches I3 any one of which is adapted to receive a projection of the stirrup. This projection is preferably formed by charnfering the lower surface of the stirrups upper portion so that an edge is formed that can project into the underlying notch in the clip.y The pressure of the clip upon the rail can be Varied l and any possible wear can be compensated for by driving the clip farther into the stirrup from l the position shown in Fig. 2. Thepressure of any particular clip on the rail base also depends upon the distance of the stirrupfrom the rail and the height of the stirrup opening.

A rail fastener constructed in accordance with l this invention not only holds the rail down on l the tie plate, but it also serves' as a check against creeping of the rail in either direction. The fastener is in one piece and does not require addil tional separate members for holding it in position. The effective length of the spring arm is relatively great because it extends from the point clip disappears where the upper spring arm en- 1 gages the tie plate, so there is no relative Inotion between the lower portion of the .clip and l the tie plate and stirrup which it engages. Therel of engagement between clip and rail to the point of engagement between clip and tie plate without v interference from the stirrup. This means that flexing of the clip under the wave motion of the l rail will not break or give a permanent set to the clip because the bending stresses will be absorbed over such a long spring arm. This flexing of the l fore, there is no wear at thosepoints of engageagainst the stirrup and tie plate remains the same regardless of the flexing of the upper spring arm.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the lower l portion of the clip yextending through the stirrup is provided with a reverse bend I6 the free end portion of which engages the tie plate instead of the topI portion of the stirrup. The retaining notches I1 in the cliprare therefore formed in the portion of the reverse bend opposite to the free end portion.

Yment and there is no tendency for the clip to 1 work loose in the'stirrup, because its pressure In the embodiment of Fig. 5 the tie plate stirl rup 2| is much lower than in the preceding embodiment, and the inwardly projecting lower porl tion 22 of the fastener does not have a reverse bend. Instead, it is merely arched longitudinally Y a slight amountv so that it will bear against the tie plate on opposite sides of the stirrup with its central portion pressing against the lower portion of the stirrups cross piece; As inthe other'embodiments of the invention the lower portion of the clip is'provided on top with notches 23 for receiving a projecting edge of the stirup so that the clip will'not work out of position.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I'haveY explained the principle and construction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now considery to represent its best embodiments. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and` 2. A rail fastener for use with a tie plate having an upwardly projecting stirrup at one side of its rail seat, said fastener consisting of a resilient metal strip formed to bear at its upper end on top of a rail base flange on said seat and to extend outwardly over the stirrup and then downwardly and inwardly entirely through the stirrup for engagement with the tie plate at both sides of the stirrup and for compression between the top portion of the stirrup and the tie plate, said inwardly extending portion being provided on top with a notch for receiving some of the top portion of the stirrup to hold the fastener in rail retaining position.

3. A rail fastener for use with a tie plate having an upwardly projecting stirrup at one side of its rail seat, said fastener consisting of a resilientmetal strip formed to bear at its upper end on top of a rail base ange on said seaty and to extend outwardly over the stirrup and then downwardly and inwardly entirely through the stirrup for engagement; with the tie plate at both sides of the stirrup and for compression between the top portion of the stirrup and the tier plate, said inwardly extending portion being crimped to form on top a series of notches any one of which is adapted to receive some of the top portion of the stirrup to hold the fastener in rail retaining position.

4. A rail fastener for use with a tie plate having an upwardly projecting stirrup at one side of its rail seat, said fastener consisting of a resilient metal strip formed to bear at its upper end on top of a rail base flange on said seat and to extend outwardly over the stirrup and then downwardly and inwardly entirely `through the stirrup for engagement with the tie plate at both sides of the stirrup, said inwardly extending portion being arched longitudinally for bearing against both the top. portion of the stirrup and the tie plate.

5. A rail fastener for use with a tie plate having an upwardly projecting stirrup at one side of its rail seat, said fastener consisting of a resilient metal strip formed to bear at itsY upper end on top of a rail base flange on said seat and to extend outwardly over the stirrup and then downwardly and inwardly through the stirrup, said inwardly extending portion being provided with a reverse bend adapted to be compressed between the top portion of the stirrup and the tie plate.

6. A rail fastener for use with 'a tie plate having an upwardly projecting stirrup at one side of its rail seat, said fastener consisting of a resilient metal strip formed to bear ati-ts upper end on top of a rail base flange on said seat and to extend outwardly overfthe stirrup and then downwardly and inwardly through the stirrup for compression between the top portion of the stirrup and the tie plate, said inwardly extending portion being provided with a reverse bend Vthe free end portion of which is adapted to bear against the top of the tie plate and the opposite portion of which is adapted to lbearagainst the topV portion of the stirrup. j

'7'. A rail fastener for use with a tie plate having an upwardly projecting stirrup at one side of` its rail seat, said fastener consisting of a resilientmetal strip formed to bear at its upper end on top of a rail basev flange on said seat and to extend ,outwardly over :the stirrup and then downwardly and inwardly through the stirrup for compression between the top portion of the stirrup and the tie plate, said inwardly extending portion vbeing provided with a reverse bend the free end portion of which is adapted to bear against the top portion of the stirrup and the opposite portion of which is adapted to bear against the top of the tie plate.

8. A rail retaining device comprising a tie plate provided with a rail seat, an upwardly projecting stirrup connected to said tie plate and spaced from one side of said seat, and a fastener clip consisting of a resilient metal strip formed for bearing at its upper end on top of a rail base flange mounted on said seat and for extending outwardly over the stirrup and then downwardly and inwardly entirely through the stirrup where it engages the tie plate at both sides of the stirrup and is compressed between the top portion of the stirrup and the tie plate, the lower surface of said stirrup top portion being chamfered to form an edge extending transversely of the fastener, and said inwardly extending portion of the fastener being provided in its top with a notch for receiving lsaid stirrup edge to hold the 10 fastener in the stirrup in rail retaining position.

GEORGE H. ROSCOE.

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