US1952600A - Rail joint spring - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1934. R. J MCCOMB RAIL JOINT SPRING Filed March 11, 1932 Jan LZZL WITNESSES 13 INVENTOR 105 /L 4 m" M X M Patented Mar. 27, 1934 PATENT; OFFICE RAIL JOINTSPRING Richard J. McComb, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Woodings-Verona'Tool'Works, Verona, Pa., a corporation ,of Pennsylvania Application March 11, 1932, Serial No. 598,162

Claims.

This invention relates to compression springs adapted to maintain a constant tension on bolts and the like, Particularly the invention is adapted tobelapplied' to rail joints for track construcition."

The objects of the invention are to-provide a pring member adaptedto seat under a bolt head or the like and to be compressed against a base member thereby, the spring being constructed 71.0 with aplurality of arches and oftransversely 1' 0 tact of portions of the spring against a base member, further compression will have to overcome a, secondary resistance furnished by individual arches of the spring member, ,thetotal efiective resistance being a resultant of the resistance to v,95 distortion of the metal in two or more directions, and a plurality of individual arches- Generally speaking the-object of the invention is to -provide a spring of, the kind referred to adapted, to furnish a maximum amount of resistance to compression, 2. maximum amount of efieetiveresistance to-compression before a permanent set is produced in the spring, and a maxi- 'mum amount of reactance after compression. By reactance is here meant the power of the spring constantlyexerted against the compressing members tending to separate them, and following the compressing members as they are moved apart, up to the normal original condition of the sp ng.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through a rail end showing splice bars applied thereto and held thereon by bolts of the usual type, with a compression spring embodyin-gthe Present invention ppliedto one of the bolts; Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a bolt, end with a spring underneath-it; Fig. 3 is a partialhorizontal section through the spring on the line IIIIII of Fig.2, showing the spring in normally compressedposition; Fig.- 4 is a secfully compressed; Figs. 5, 6, '7, and 8 show cross sectional outlines of several forms of rolled bar stock :of suitable steelthatmay-be used in manufacturing thespring of this invention; andFigs. 9, 10., 11, 12,13, 14 and 15 are side elevations showing various arched forms in which the spring stock of Figs. 5, 6, 7 or 8-may be bent to form individual springs. V

In making up springs according tothis invention, bars of suitable spring steel are rolled to a cross sectional shape such as that shown inFigs. 5,. 6, 7 orv 8. It will be observed that the bars of Figs. 5, 6 and? are rolled with thickened edges, and that these edges are turned down to form a transversely arched bar, or channel. This stiffens and strengthens the spring longitudinally and permits the use of a minimum of metal. In Fig. 5 the upper side of this bar is substantially flat, in Fig. 6 it is slightly concave, and in Fig. 7 it is convex. The flat orconcave top is preferred so thatthe seat of the nut or other compression member on the spring may not be confined to-a median line, as is the'case with the shape of Fig. 7. I

In Fig. 3 a modification is shown in that the bar or stock is of substantially the same thickness throughout its cross section, but the baris rolled with two parallel raised portions intermediate the edges and middle. The edges and middle portion of the under side lie in the same base plane, with the intermediate bends raised therefrom.

The bar stock of of the forms shown in Figs. 5, 6, '7 or 8, but preferably that'of Fig. 6, is cut to length, perforated to provide a single bolt hole in the middle, and forged toa longitudinal shape such as that shown in one of the Figures 9 to 15, inclusive, preferably that of Fig.

9. All of the springs shown in Figs. 9 to 15 are adapted to contact with the Work upon which they are seated only at their edges, the intermediate portion of the transverse section being raised or arched with respectto such seating surfaces. 1

Referring to Fig. 9 the spring 1 there illustrated is formed with ends turned down to con- .tact at the corners with the base member upon which it is to be seated, with two adjacent longitudinally arched portions 10 and 11, and an intermediate down-turned longitudinal arch por- 1;

tion 12. This down-turned or reversely arched portion 12 has its lowest point normally lying in a'plane above that in whichthe corners 13, 13

of the spring lie. 50 tion similar to that of Fig. 3,,showing the spring In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, springs 1 are shown applied to a standard railway joint, in which to the railR are applied splice bars S, S, connected by a bolt B, having a head H on one end and a nut N threaded on .the other end. I

When the nut is turned down on the bolt to draw the parts together, the spring will first contact at the four corners thereof, the spring being in normal shape as shown in Fig. 9. As the nut is turned down the spring will be compressed until the intermediate longitudinally arched portion 12 is depressed to the point where this depending arched portion contacts the splice bar at the outer edges of the spring as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Ordinarily for railway track use these springs will be so proportioned and shaped that it will take say twenty thousand pounds pressure to compress the springs to the point where the intermediate arches 12 seat against'the splice bars. That is usually about the spring action desired in track work for holding the splice bars in position, to constantly take up wear, and to prevent loosening of the nuts. If still greater tension on the bolt is desired, the nut may be turned down still further, in which case the spring will yield further by flattening the individual longitudinal arches 10 and 11, and to some extent the transverse arch of the channel-shaped spring. This secondary distortion of the spring requires great pressure and consequently puts greatly increased tension on the bolt. The shape of the spring permits even this severe secondary distortion without loss of resiliency and power of reactance.

There will thus result a secondary transverse and longitudinal distortion of the spring. This will require considerably more pressure than the primary distortion resulting in flattening of the spring longitudinally. When the spring is flattened further in longitudinal and somewhat in transverse direction the result will be maximum tension on the bolt for the amount of metal in the spring.

In Fig. 10 a modification is shown in that the ends of the spring 2 are straightened out and consequently not turned down as abruptly as in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a further modification in which the outer ends of the spring 3 are turned up slightly beyond the base-contacting corners. The method of operation of the springs of Figs. 9, 10 and 11 is substantially the same, the degree of compression required to flatten them longitudinally being varied in each according to the proportioning of the arches and the height of the intermediate seating edges above the base member in uncompressed condition.

In Fig. 12 a spring 4 is shown in which the intermediate arch 120 is permanently positioned in the same plane as the lowermost portions of the ends 130 of the spring. Consequently the initial distortion of the spring consists in flattening the longitudinal arches 10c and 110 without depression of the intermediate portion. This spring gives more initial resistance to distortion than springs 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 13 is a modification of the form shown in Fig. 12, in that the ends 13d of the spring 5 are not turned up beyond the outer points of contact, but on the contrary form seating corners, the arches 10d and 11d being of shorter radius than those of Fig. 12. This is a stiffer spring than that of Fig. 12.

The spring 6 of Fig. 14 is similar to that of Fig. 13 except that the arches 10c are more flattened by straightening out the end portions thereof. This allows the spring to be more easily compressed.

The spring '7 of Fig. 15 difiers from any of the others in that it seats on the middle down-turned arch 12f, the ends 13 of the spring being normally above the plane of the lowermost point of the middle arch 12f. This spring is initially distorted by bringing the ends 13 down to contact with a base member, the spring being preliminarily seated at its middle point.

The operation of all of the forms shown and described will be apparent to those familiar with the art, as will also the very distinct advantages that result from the construction described. The spring has a plurality of arched portions, which are adapted to be distorted or flattened, seriatim, thus giving readily determinable stages or degrees of resilience or resulting tension. And under maximum pressure the spring gives a maximum reactance within the elastic limit of the steel. Thus for a given amount of metal a maximum amount of spring action and consequent reactance is secured before destruction of the spring by permanent set of the metal.

By observing the degree of distortion of the spring, workmen may readily determine the amount of tension it is exerting, and so tell whether tightening is necessary. For example, knowing the clearance of seating arch 12 of spring 1, workmen can tell whether it is half down, all down, and further whether individual arches 10 100 and 11 are flattened. As the tension of the spring is determined by the degree of distortion, and as this never reaches the straight or completely flat condition, observation will readily show the u amount of tension that is being exerted on the 105 bolts.

I claim:

1. A compression spring comprising a perforated piece of bar spring steel arched in cross sec- 4 tion and also arched longitudinally to provide "110 corner seating portions, longitudinally arched portions adjacent the corners, and an intermediate depending portion whose lower surface is normally above the common plane of the corner M seating portions, the longitudinal arches being 115 adapted to be partially flattened by compression applied to the spring whereby to bring the said intermediate portion into the plane of the corner seating portions.

2. A compression spring comprising spring steel 1-20 stock arched in transverse section and also arched longitudinally to provide two raised individual arches and an intermediate depending arch, the spring being adapted to seat upon a base member at its four outer corners, the lowermost part of 125 the depending arch being normally in a plane above that of the four corners, the spring'bein'g adapted upon the application of pressure to be distorted to first bring the depending arch into contact with the base member, and then upon ap-'--130 plication of excess pressure to distort the transverse arch of the spring and the individual longitudinal arches.

3. A combined bolt-tensioning spring and nut lock adapted to be applied under the nut of a tracki bolt in railway construction, comprising a plate of spring steel arched transversely and having its edges thickened, perforated at its middle point, longitudinally arched to form a central depending portion spaced from each end of the spring lai by a single arch, a portion of the spring being adapted to be brought down to contact with a base member upon application of a predetermined amount of tension on the spring, whereby to fur nish a constantly-apparent gage of the bolt tension.

4. A compression spring comprising a perforated piece of bar spring steel having depending ends and an intermediate depending portion the lower surface of which is normally spaced from 15% intersecting the lowermost parts of said ends, the portion of the spring between said depending portion and each of said ends being formed as a longitudinal arch, the spring also being arched transversely to provide corner portions adapted to be brought into a plane intersecting the lower surface of said depending portion when pressure is applied to the tops of said longitudinal arches.

RICHARD J. MCCOMB.

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