US2533375A - Rail anchor - Google Patents

Description

Dec: 32,, 1950 J, HYLE 2,533,375

RAIL ANCHOR Filed May a, 1949 F 7 I i 2 JNVENTOR. dacos 47. A4 45 Patented Dec. 12, 1950 tllED STATES ATENT OFFICE RAIL ANCHOR deceased Application May 3-; 1949, Serial No; 91,169

6 Claims.

The present invention consists in a new and improved rail anchor which may readily be mounted on the base flange of a railway rail, and as readily dismounted therefrom, and which will positively prevent longitudinal shifting of the rail induced by the wheels of traffic traveling along the rail.

In the use of rail anchors it is important toprovide means whereby the anchor may be maintained in contact with the side surface of the crosstie to prevent the rail and the anchor from shifting in unison, it is equally important that the anchor be prevented from contact with thetie plate, which in standard practice is interposed between the base flange of the rail and the tie. Such contact would result in loosening the spikes which fasten the rail and tie plate to thetie, thus permitting moistureto enter the spike holes and rot the wood of the tie, as the creosote treatment to which the ties are subjected does not impregnate the wood for more than half an inch.

My improved rail anchor is formed by a dieing and bending operation from a single length of steel bar which is preferably provided with a cen tral longitudinal groove rolled in itstop surface.

In the dieing operation the intermediate portion of the steel bar is punched downwardly through its thickness, thus spreading the steel laterally and forming a pair of twin vertical walls which are substantially parallel and are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the original th opening between the vertical walls and is of a length to extend along the lower loop or portion of the S-spring later to be describe'cll In the bending operation the shorter end po'r'- tion of the bar is bent first in an upward slant extending above theplaneof the top edges of the vertical walls and then horizontallyoutwardly to provide a flat surface which, when theanch'o'r' is" in operative position on the rail, mates in surface contact with the flat under'surface of'the base flange of the rail. The adjacent extremityofthe bar is bent upwardly to provide" an upstandingjaw having a vertical inner facewhichgripsthe' 2 adjacent perimetral edges of the base flange of the rail. V I

The opposite and longer end portion of the bar is bent curvilinearl'y first downwardly, then inwardly between the twin vertical walls, then upwardly to a level above the top edges of the walls, then outwardly, and finally inwardly to complete an S-shape'd spring, the upper end portion or loop of the spring forming what may be termed a G- shaped jawwhich receives and grips the adjacent portionof the base flange of the rail.

The narrow slot made in the; longer end portion of the bar in the dieing operation facilitates the bending operation and prevents the spreading of the cross-sectional width of the bar. Such spreading would interfere with the insertion of the end portion upwardly between the vertical walls in the formation (it the lower portion of the S-spring, and also prevents the latter from being wedged between the said walls; which would inerfe'r'e with its spring action hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, which are intended to illustrate a practical embodiment of the principlesofthe invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the length of steel bar stock from which the improved rail anchor is formed. 7

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bar after the die operation which produces the twin walls andthe narrow'slot.

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the anchor as it ispreliminarily mounted on the rail base before it is sprung'into final operative position by the secondhammer blow. v

Fig. lshowsthe anchor fully engaging the rail, and

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken along the line" 55 in Fig. 4, showing the anchor in operative position with one of the twin walls bearing against the side of the tie but maintained out of contact with the edge of the tie plate.

Referring in detail to the drawings, id indicates thelengthoi the steel bar or" rectangular cross-sectional shape from which the anchor is material is'spre'a'd'to form'a'pair of substantially said slot communicating at its inner end with the space l3.

In the fabrication of the anchor, the end portion it, the shorter end portion, is bent adjacent the ends of the twin walls, first to slant upwardly as at a and then horizontally outwardly to form a flat portion i'l', which when the anchor is in operative position on the rail, as shown in Fig. 4, mates in surface contact with the flat under face of the base flange of the rail. Furthermore the extremity of the bar is provided with an upwardly extending jaw l8 having a fiat vertical inner face ES which, when the anchor is forced into its final operative position on the rail, snaps into engagement with the adjacent perimetral edge of the base flange of the rail 2|.

The other and longer end portion of the bar is bent to form an S-shaped spring 22, first downwardly as at 23, then inwardly and then upwardly in the space 33 between the vertical walls [2 to a level substantially above the said walls as at 24, then outwardly as at 25, then upwardly as at 23, then inwardly as at 2?, thus producing a continuous substantially S-shaped spring integral with the twin walls, the portions and 2'. forming a jaw with walls converging toward their connecting portion 28, said jaw adapted to receive and be wedged on the adjacent portion of the base flange 20.

It will be noted that the portions 25 and 21, which engage the lower and upper surfaces of the rail flange, slightly diverge adjacent the con ne ting portion 25 as indicated at 26a, thus preventing the jaws of the jaw from spreading out of tight wedging contact with the rail flange as the jaw is driven onto the latter and permitting the perimetral edge of the rail to move into contact with the face of the connecting portion 26.

To add to the resilient action of the metal it is preferable that jaw I8 be disposed at a slightly higher elevation than the C-jaw, as for instance, a quarter inch.

When the anchor is to be mounted on the rail it is first positioned on the latter as illustrated in Fig. 3, the jaw being driven on the rail flange into tight clamping engagement with the rail by a smart blow of a hammer struck as indicated at Y in Fig. 3, the opposite jaw !8 bearing upwardly against the flat under surface of the base flange, thus putting the S-spring under strong tension. Then a second blow of the hammer is applied to the lower portion of the S-spring as indicated at X in Fig. 4, thereby springing the latter causing the body of the anchor to shift to the left and jaw iii to move along the rail base and snap up into engagement with the perimetral edge of the base flange, thus securing the anchor in place against accidental dislodgment.

My improved anchor is so designed and constructed that it functions entirely against the crosstie. In the case of many types of anchors previously employed the tendency is for the anchor to cut into the wood of the tie eventually contacting the tie plate, whereupon the motion of the passing traific and the consequent vibration soon causes the spikes to be loosened with the result that water seeps into the spike holes below the area of the wood which is impregnated by the creosote treatment, causing the wood to rot and requiring replacement of the costly tie.

My improved anchor is readily and inexpensively formed by a dieing and bending machine from a bar of suitable steel, preferably having a longitudinal groove rolled in its upper face. This method of manufacturing the anchor is economical and requires the minimum amount of steel, rendering the improved anchor relatively inexpensive.

In the manufacture of my improved rail anchor approximately two and three-fourths pounds of steel are required, while approximately three and three-fourths pounds are required for the anchor now in service, and due to its structure and the extended bearing of the wall of the anchor against the tie fewer anchors per mile are required compared to the present practice. The saving in rail anchors is calculated to reach twenty-five percent.

The bar Hi from which my anchor is fabricated is first heated to approximately 2000 F. and then subjected to the dieing and bending operation, at the completion of which the temperature of the metal has been reduced to approximately 1600 F. The bar is then dropped into an oil bath for approximately seventy seconds. It is then annealed at a heat of about 800 F. for about forty-five minutes. The metal used is preferably a .60 or .70 carbon steel.

When my improved anchor is properly applied to the rail it cannot be dislodged from the latter except intentionally. The only method by which it can be dislodged is the application of a blow from a heavy hammer on the top surface of the jaw I9 to drive the latter downwardly out of engagement with the base flange of the rail.

The anchor is mounted on the rail with one of its twin walls abutting against the vertical side surface of a tie 28 as indicated in Fig. 5. It will be noted that the elevation of the two jaws above the walls 12 results in the top of the wall being located considerably below the level of the tie plate 29 so that there can be no possible contact between the tie plate and the anchor, and there is no danger of the tie plate being moved relative to the tie or the spikes loosened.

I claim:

1. The method of manufacturing a rail anchor of the character described which consists in fabricating a bar of resilient steel to form its intermediate portion into substantially parallel spaced apart walls, the space between said walls being slightly greater than the cross-sectional width of the original bar, forming an upstanding jaw at the extremity of one end portion of the bar, at a higher level than the walls, to engage one perimetral edge of the base flange of the rail, and bending the opposite end portion of the bar into the form of a substantially S-shape curvilinear jaw extending upwardly between the parallel walls and above the same to overlie and grip the opposite perimetral portion of the base flange of the rail.

2. The method of claim 1 characterized by the provision of a longitudinal slot in the material which forms the lower portion of the S-spring, which slot prevents the spreading of the material in bending which otherwise would render that portion of the S-spring of too great width to move freely between the parallel walls.

3. In a rail anchor, the combination including an intermediate portion consisting of a pair of spaced apart substantially vertical walls, an arm fixedly connected to one end of said walls and inclined outwardly and upwardly therefrom, an angular jaw carried by the free end of said arm and. arranged to engage one of the longitudinal perimetral edges of the base flange of a rail, and a substantially S-shaped spring fixedly connected at its lower extremity to the opposite end of said walls and extending up between the walls and free of engagement with the latter, the upper loop of said S-spring being elevated above said walls and facing inwardly over the latter to form a jaw to engage the opposite edge portion of the base flange of the rail to finally seat the anchor in operative position.

4. In a rail anchor, the combination including an intermediate portion consisting of a pair of spaced apart substantially vertical walls, an arm fixedly connected to one end of said walls and inclined outwardly and upwardly therefrom, an angular jaw carried by the free end of said arm and arranged to engage one of the longitudinal perimetral edges of the base flange of a rail, and a substantially S-shaped spring fixedly connected at its lower extremity to the opposite end of said Walls and extending up between the latter and free of engagement with the latter, the upper loop of said S-spring being elevated above said walls and facing inwardly over the latter to form a jaw to engage the opposite edge portion of the base flange of the rail, the first mentioned jaw, when the anchor is not installed on the rail being disposed at a higher elevation than the upper loop of said S-spring, thus when the anchor is applied to the rail the angular jaw will engage the under side of the rail flange, placing the S-spring under tension and a blow of a hammer exerted against the lower loop of the S-spring will cause the latter to expand and permit the first mentioned jaw to spring into engagement with the perimetral edge of the base flange of the rail which is adjacent thereto and finally seat the anchor in operative position.

5. In a rail anchor formed integrally of a bar of resilient steel which comprises an intermediate portion composed of a pair of substantially parallel and spaced apart walls and opposite end portions of less width than the space between said walls, one of said end portions of the barslanting outwardly and upwardly to a level above the top plane of the walls, the extremity of 6 this portion of the bar being provided with an upwardly extending jaw having a face which engages the adjacent longitudinal edge of the rail flange when the anchor is in operative position, and the opposite end portion of the bar being of less width than the space between the Walls, is curvilinearly bent first downwardly and then inwardly and then upwardly, between said walls and free therefrom, to a level above the top plane of said walls and then outwardly, and then upwardly and then inwardly to complete a substantially S-shaped spring, the top loop of which forms a second jaw which receives and is clamped onto the opposite longitudinal edge portion of the rail base.

6. In a rail anchor formed integrally of a bar of resilient stee1 which comprises an intermediate portion composed of a pair of substantially parallel and spaced apart walls and opposite end portions of less width than the space between said walls, one of said end portions of the bar slantin outwardly and upwardly to a level above the top plane of the walls and provided at its extremity with a substantially horizontal portion arranged to fit under the surface of the rail flange when the anchor is in operative positlon and the extremity of this portion of the bar being provided with an upwardly extending jaw having a face which engages the adjacent longitudinal edge of the rail flange when the anchor is in operative position, and the opposite end portion of the bar, being of less width than the space between the walls, is curvilinearly bent first downwardly and then inwardly between said parallel walls and then upwardly between the walls to a level above the top plane of said walls and then outwardly, and then upwardly and then inwardly to complete a substantially S- shaped spring, the top loop forming a jaw which receives and is clamped onto the opposite longitudinal edge portion of the rail base.

JACOB A. HYLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,647,376 Smith Nov. 1, 1927 1,708,477 Larmo-nth Apr. 9, 1929 2,268,327 Thomann Dec. 30, 1941 2,373,923 Thomann et a1. Apr. 17, 1945 2,473,345 Preston June 14, 1949

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