US2797876A - Rail spike - Google Patents

Description

y 1957 J. A. c. VAN DER WEYDEN 2,797,876

Filed Nov. 24, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2, 1957 J. A. c. VAN DER WEYDEN RAIL SPIKE Filed Nov. 24, 1955 FIG.4

J y 1957' J. A. c. VAN DER WEYDEN 2,797,876

RAIL SPIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 24, 1953 .FIG.6

tr-ed nan srnm Claims priority, application Netherlands November 26, 1952 Claims. (Cl. 238-349) Rail spikes serve the purpose to secure rails to sleepers.

Experience teaches that a device for securing a rail to a base or sleeper should be resilient as well in upward as in downward direction.

It has been found that taking this experience into account it is also very useful to make the means for securing the rail in such a manner that their resiliency can be varied.

In known constructions this result can be only achieved by varying the length of arms connecting a cross piece engaging the rail and the leg or legs of a spike. Said legs are driven in the sleepers.

The invention provides a rail spike comprising other and better means for varying its resiliency, if desired.

The spike according to the invention comprises two legs which are resiliently connected with a cross piece adapted to urge a rail against a sleeper, each connection between a leg and the cross piece being shaped as one or more helicoidal windings, all the windings having a common axis.

In such a spike the lever arm between the windings and the place of contact with the secured rail and the diameter of the windings can be kept constant, such that the bending moment on the spike whilst maintaining the clamping force on the rail remains unaltered. By increasing the number of the windings however the resiliency of the spike may be varied.

In spikes according to the invention the stresses in the spike material may be reduced by increasing the number of windings which also gives the greater resiliency.

The spike according to the invention may be made from rod-shaped material having a circular or oval cross section or a square, rectangular or polygonal cross section.

Said cross section has preferably rounded corners.

A further advantage of the spike according to the invention is that it can be driven in the rail base or sleeper and drawn therefrom without the necessity of driving or bringing the legs of the spike in an inclined position which would cause undesired widening of the holes in the sleeper into which the leg are driven.

The spikes may be driven in and removed by means of an apparatus and a rod inserted in the windings. Said rod guides the legs perpendicularly to the sleeper.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a spike according to the lnvention in engagement with a rail;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a spike according to Fig. 1;

Figures 3 and 4 represent another embodiment of a spike according to the invention in side elevation and plan view respectively; and

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a third embodiment in side elevation and plan view respectively.

All the spikes illustrated have two legs 1 and 2 and a cross piece 3 which is shaped as a loop with parallel arms and at 4 contacts a rail 5. Said rail is kept in position on a sleeper. The arms of the loop may converge in line with the pitch direction of the windings such on behalf of an easier manufacture. Between the cross piece 3 and the legs a number of helicoidal windings 7 having all a common axis are provided.

In Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 there are two windings between each leg and the cross piece 3, whereas in Figures 5 and 6 only a single winding is provided.

In Figures 3 and 4 the common axis of the windings is in the plane through the legs.

According to Figures 5 and 6 a resili nt clip 20 is mounted between the spike and a base plate 21 for the rail 5. The clip is prevented from being pushed aside and from slanting by the arms of the loop 3 which in this case are parallel. The rail can be removed without the necessity of drawing out the spikes.

The clip 20 can be removed by lifting the loop 3 by means of a claw-wrench. Then it may be pulled towards the rear.

What I claim is:

1. A rail holder for holding a rail against a base member comprising two parallel legs adapted for being driven into the base member and a connecting member integral with said legs and comprising two helical springs each having an end connected to one of said legs and an end remote therefrom, and an intermediate rail flange engaging member connected to said remote ends and extending therefrom to one side of the common plane containing said legs, said springs being oppositely wound on a common axis parallel to said common plane in a direction to tighten the coils thereof with said legs driven into the base member, and at least half of the circular cross-section of said springs being situated to the other side of said plane.

2. A rail holder as in claim 1 wherein said helical springs are situated wholly on said other side of said plane.

3. A rail holder as in claim 1 wherein said common axis is contained in said common plane.

4. A rail holder as in claim 1 wherein said intermediate member is of U-shape comprising a leg connected to each of said springs and a rail flange engaging bight.

5. A rail holder for holding a rail against a base member comprising two parallel legs adapted for being driven into the base member, two helical springs, each having an end connected to one of said legs and an end remote therefrom, and an intermediate rail flange engaging member connected to said remote ends and extending therefrom to one side of the common plane containing said legs, said springs being oppositely wound on a common axis parallel to said common plane in a direction to tighten the coils thereof with said legs driven into the base member, and at least half of the circular cross-section of said springs being situated to the other side of said plane, said intermediate member having a U-shape and comprising a leg connected to each of said springs and a rail flange engaging bight; and a resilient clip comprising an end portion extending underneath, said bight in contact with a rail flange, a central portion extending between the legs of said U-shaped member and between said springs, and a support portion remote from said end portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 469,911 Krimer Mar. 1, 1892 1,192,631 Hick July 25, 1916 1,192,655 Lyons July 25, 1916 1,673,185 Des Combs June 12, 1928 2,162,365 Willard June 13, 1939 2,209,552 Armstrong July 30, 1940 2,287,843 Tvrzicky June 30, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 53,586 Netherlands Aug. 7, 1939

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