Boltless, friction-fit, adjustable rail brace
AssigneeBethlehem Steel Corporation
InventorTilghman H. Keiper, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A boltless, friction-fit adjustable brace for bracing rails on a tie plate wherein a plurality of friction surfaces of a removable side brace engage corresponding surfaces on a rail. The brace is provided with a serrated portion on its side for engagement with a serrated washer, which washer has a pair of ear lugs which span and contact a mounting plate on the tie plate. Finally, a resilient spring clip is applied thereto to engage the serrated washer, to prevent longitudinal, lateral and elevational movement of the side brace, when the rails are under load.
Claims4
A boltless, friction-operated, adjustable brace for bracing a single rail or a pair of parallel, spaced-apart rails, the brace, in combination, comprising:
- (a) a tie plate having a bed longitudinally crossing the tie plate, for carrying the rails;
- (b) a stop block affixed to the tie plate adjacent the bed, the stop block having an upstanding front frictional surface extending longitudinally of the tie plate and angled toward the bed;
- (c) the tie plate having a horizontal frictional surface adjacent to the upstanding front frictional surface of the stop block;
- and
- (d) a removable side brace contacting one of the rails, the side brace having:
- (i) means for frictionally engaging the rail, said means including a top surface for frictionally engaging a fishing area on a rail, and a slanted bottom surface for frictionally engaging a flange portion on a rail;
- (ii) means for frictionally engaging the tie plate, said means including an upstanding front surface extending longitudinally of the tie plate, the surface extending parallel to and frictionally engaging the stop block front frictional surface;
- and a horizontal bottom surface extending longitudinally of the tie plate, the surface extending parallel to and frictionally engaging the tie plate horizontal frictional surface;
- (iii) means for interference engagement between the side brace and the stop block;
- and
- (e) spring clip means for resiliently holding the side brace and stop block together.
A boltless, friction-operated, adjustable brace for bracing a pair of parallel, spaced-apart rails, with a separator therebetween, each rail having a head portion, a web portion, a fishing area connecting the head and web portions, a base, and an angled flange portion connecting the web and base portions;
- the brace, in combination, comprising:
- (a) a tie plate having a bed longitudinally crossing the tie plate, for carrying the pair of rails and separator;
- (b) a stop block affixed to the tie plate adjacent the bed, the stop block having an upstanding front frictional surface extending longitudinally of the tie plate and angled toward the bed;
- (c) the tie plate having a horizontal frictional surface adjacent to the upstanding surface of the stop block;
- (d) a removable side brace contacting one of the rails, the side brace having:
- (i) a top surface for frictionally engaging the fishing area;
- (ii) a slanted bottom surface for frictionally engaging the flange portion;
- (iii) a horizontal bottom surface for frictionally engaging the tie plate horizontal frictional surface;
- (iv) a back portion connecting said top and slanted bottom frictional surfaces;
- (v) an upstanding, front surface extending longitudinally of the tie plate, the surface parallel to and frictionally engaging the stop block front frictional surface;
- (vi) a serrated face portion extending longitudinally of the tie plate and parallel to the front frictional surface;
- and
- (vii) a front surface angled upwardly between the face portion and top frictional surface;
- (e) a removable serrated washer interference-fit onto the serrated face portion, the washer having a pair of spaced-apart ear lugs extending over the top surface of the stop block;
- and
- (f) a removable spring clip means on the stop block, positioned between and contacting the spaced ear lugs, for preventing the washer from raising and for preventing the side brace from moving longitudinally or laterally of the tie plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.