US2600183A - Rail brace - Google Patents

Description

June l0, 1952 G. ARNOLD ETAL RAIL BRACE Filed Nov. 12, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEEI l 56.1 I'Imumul if ff, /lq

BY [aw/N I #llanos June 10, 1952 G. ARNOLD ETAL 2,600,183

RAIL BRACE Filed Nov. 12, 194e 2 snEETs-srms'r z f lllllmlnl jf I @DHHi IlMIC) i III ff" im. IP- -f 12 -/76.f0

17 JNVENTOR.

` Grams 4f/w40 56.5 By Meer 4.5010422 Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIL BRACE Application November 12, 1948, Serial No. 59,654

(Cl. 23S-292) 20 Claims. l

This invention relates to a rail brace such as is applied to a railroad rail to resist any tendency of the rail to overturn outwardly from the center of the track and to clamp it to the tie plate, base plate or switch plate on which it rests, thus holding the rail against movements relative to the plate, which latter, in turn, is secured to a supporting tie as is well understood in the art.

Rail braces of the type contemplated by this invention are most frequently applied against the stock rails alongside split switch points but their use is not necessarily limited to such application.

Further, braces of this type are frequently made adjustable to compensate for variations in the dimensions of the rail, the seat for the rail and brace, in the brace itself, and`also to aiord a means of retightening the assembly after Wear takes place.

Rail braces employed for this purpose generally have a portion which engages one of the sloping base flanges of the rail and the Vertical web of the rail where it merges with the base anges and a portion which engages the web beneath the rail head. Difficulty has been experienced with the rail braces in use, in that the braces tend when in track to work downwardly of the sloping base flanges of the rails and away from the webs of the rails until the braces do not electively clamp the rails to the base plates or brace the rails against tilting or moving away from the shoulders of the base plates. This di'ieulty has been accentuated by the use of vertical hold-down or clamping bolts for securing the braces to the base plates in rail clamping and bracing position.

Various arrangements have been employed to overcome this tendency of the rail braces to work away from the rails as, for instance, it has been usual to employ wedge members inserted between the rail braces and fixed abutment or back stops secured to the base plates, the function of the wedges being to force the braces toward the rails. However, such wedge members have not been entirely satisfactory for the purpose since there is a tendency for the wedges to work toward loosened position due to wear occurring between the parts of the brace and wedge and to the vibratory, jarring and other `forces set up by the passage of trains along the rails.

An object of the present invention is to provide a rail brace which is so constructed that when installed the brace is at all times and under trackage conditions held in tight and effective 2 rail clamping and bracing position, thus insuring adequate, safe and effective maintenance of the necessary clamping and bracing relationship between the brace and the rail.

Another object is to provide a rail brace construction employing a wedge to maintain the brace in proper rail bracing and clamping relationship and wherein the wedge member under the vibratory, jarring and other forces occasioned by trains passing along the rail tends at all times to move automatically into tight wedging position thereby maintaining the brace in the proper clamping and bracing position and compensating for wear which may occur between the parts.

A further object is to provide a rail brace construction as dened in the last object and wherein it is not necessary when installing the rail brace to drive the wedge member into operative position since said member automatically will move into tight wedging position under the action of trains passing along the rail.

A still further object is to provide a rail brace construction such as dened in the last two mentioned objects and wherein, in combination with the self-tightening wedge member, a holddown bolt arrangement is employed which acts at all times and under trackage conditions to urge the rail brace toward the rail rather than away from the rail, thus doubly insuring the maintenance of the necessary clamping and bracing relationship between the brace and the rail.

Further and additional objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter during the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention which is to follow.

The inventioncontemplates a self-tightening rail brace wherein the self-tightening action is obtained by a novel wedge construction that is automatically self-tightening under trackage conditions or is obtained by said wedge construction acting in combination with a holddown bolt arrangement which tends at all times to urge the rail brace toward the rail and into proper rail clamping and bracing position.

Rail braces employing the usual vertically acting hold-down bolts may be rendered self-tightening in use by means of the novel self-tightening wedge that urges the brace toward and maintains the same in proper relative clamping and Ibracing position with respect to the rail.

The novel wedge and the parts of the rail brace that coact therewith are so constructed that when'the brace is in trackage the vibrations,

shocks, jars and other forces to which the brace is subjected by the passage of trains along the rail automatically produces movement of the wedge in the tightening direction, wherefore the wedge maintains the brace in proper relative clamping. and bracing position; notwithstanding the occurrence of wear in the parts of the brace.

In addition, the invention contemplates, as

a further aspect thereof, the use of the novel..

wedge construction in combination with a hold-l down bolt arrangement such that the hold-down bolts not only exert a verticaliclamping. force;`

but also produce a horizontal force onlthe brace overcoming the tendency of thebrace -to movef downwardly of the sloping base flange of the Fig. 2 is partial plan and partial sectional view of -the-rail, rail brace and-base plate shown in Fig. 1, with the head/of the rail omitted and the-.web 'thereof `shown in horizontalsection and with the clamp plate of .the rail brace omitted and the brace and wedge shown in plan, said Fig.v 2 Vl being taken lookingat Fig. l substantially along the line..2-2 :of Fig. l.

Fig..,3 'isan:elevationalviewfof the rail brace with theA clamping nuts Vand .washers omitted from the hold-'down bolts,.and Awith the base plate f shown as secured-to a tie, said `view being taken looking from the right hand side Vof Fig. l..

Fig.. 4-is a .detached detailtopplan view of the WedgeV member shown in 1 to 3.

Fig..5 Aisa longitudinal side elevationalview of r' said .wedge. member.

Figsr; '7 and 8 are views similar to Figs.:1 to 3 inclusive but Aillustrating a modified form :of construction 4embodying the. invention.

Fig.;9isa top planwiewof. the two separate 1 wedgegmembers employed inthe; modified Ycon.- struction ofzFigs. -6 to 8 inclusive, and

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal side elevational view of thewedge. members shownin Fig. ,9.1

The noyel ..wedg'e mem-ber embodying the .ine

vention is-illustrated `as employed in-a ra brace in combination with ahold-,downfbolt .arrangementsuchjthat the latter; .tends Vat Valltimes to urge the. rail vbrace towardl the rail and into proper railxclampingand ibracing position.`A It twill be 1 understood, however,V that `insofar as VA,the vwedge aspect of #the invention :is iconcerned,l the novel wedge maybe usefully-employed in;a rail brace of, ordinary construction :wherein rthe holdedowr,A

bolts .exert imerely-.vertical -clamping `forces on the railibrace.

Referring. to' the construction; shownA in Figs. 1 to..5 inclusive, a railroad :railis` .indicated `generally at; I I andsaidrail comprises abase Vformed of-thebaseiianges I2. having, downwardly sloping upperfsurfaces I3.: The raiflfurther includesa vertical 'web i4 .which at its lower end. is integral=.with andmerges into the base .while.:at, its upper end it is integral .with land .merges .into the rail head fl 5'. The construction of the rail is conventional.

.the right hand shoulder thereof.

The rail I I is shown as mounted in a recess formed in the upper side of a base plate IS which base plate is secured to the top of a cross tie Il in a manner well understood in the art (see Fig. 3). The rail II is held against the left hand shoulder of the recess in the upper sideof the base plate as viewed'in Fig. 1 while avxed abutment of back stop member I8 is secured by rivets or other suitable means in the recess and against The iixed abutment or back stop member I8 is shown as in the form of a -rectangular block having a longitudinal Vstraight side contacting the right hand shoulder of the -recess in the upper side of the base plate and a similar longitudinal straight sidelocated adjacent to but spaced from the rail brace. The construction thus far set forth is conventional and well understood.

The rail brace comprises a block B having a vertical portion I9 which when the brace is in position extends longitudinally of the rail adjacentto vthe web vthereof and is provided adjacent its upper end with a web engaging portion 20, it being noted that clearance exists between the upper end surface of the portion 20 and the underside of the rail head I5 so that the portion 20 exerts horizontal thrust against the web of the rail without any upward thrust on the underside of the rail head I5 that would tend to tilt the rail.

The vertical portion I9 below the web engaging portion 20 is spaced iromthe web I4 and at its lower end is integral with and merges into an intermediate portion 2| which has on its underside a curved surface complementary to the merging radius between the web I4 and the downwardly vsloping surface I3 of the base flange I2 of the rail and a downwardly inclined surface which engages the downwardly inclined upper surface I3 of the right hand rail base ange l2.

The rail brace further includes a downwardly inclinedportion 22 which is integral with the intermediate portion 2| and has its underside spaced from the downwardly sloping upper surface of the right hand rail brace flange I2 and from thefupper surface-of the base plate It. The portion 22 at its Vouter end is provided on its underside'with a rib 23 extending transversely of the rai-l brace and of the base plate I6 and bearing `uponthe base plate within the recess and to the 4left -of the backstop `I3 asA viewed in Fig. l.

The right hand or'freeendv ofthe portion 22 is formed in the present instance with two incl-ined parallelwedging surfaces 24 and 25 that vextend Ain a direction transversely of the base plate and are separated-intermediate the longitudinal sides of the rail brace by a recess 26. The purpose of the `inclinedsurfaces 24 and 25 and the recess 26 will be explained in greater detail hereinafter.

The portion 22 ;of the railbrace adjacent its junction with the intermediate portion 2 I' and :on the upperside of the portion 2 2 is' provided with a downwardlyinclined surface' 21 'that is shown -as angularly *disposedy with respect to the downwardly sloping upper surface i3 of the base ange l2 of the rail, :itbeing .noted-that the surface 2l isv A.somewhat nmore steeply `downwardly inclined than is` the surface .I3 of therail; The portion 22 of the rail brace' intermediate .the rib 23y and its point of `joinder withithe intermediate portion 2I is; provided with spaced openings 28 which are elongated Ain a direction towardthe web of the ra'iLor longitudinally of the railbrace.

The openings 28 are spaced apart transversely .of the rail brace or longitudinally of the rail and accommodate the shanks 29 of the hold-down bolts later to be referred to, it being understood that the elongation of the openings 28 is for the purpose of providing adjustment for the rail brace toward and from the web of the rail and to facilitate the installation of the brace.

The hold-down bolts have their shanks 29 disposed at an angle to the vertical and substantially perpendicular to the downwardly sloping upper surface I3 of the rail brace flange I2. The Shanks 29 of the hold-down bolts at their lower ends are provided with. integral vertically extending short portions that have integrally formed on their lower ends bolt heads 30, said short vertical portions of the hold-down bolts being located in vertical openings 3| in the base plate I6 and which openings 3| terminate in recesses on the underside of the base plate I6 and in which recesses the bolt heads 30 are located flush with said underside of the base plate. The shanks 29 of the hold-down bolts are of such length as to extend well above the upper side of the portion 22 of the rail brace and have their upper ends threaded as indicated at 32 to receive f thereonaheavy spring washers 33 and cap nuts 34.

A clamping plate 35 provided with openings through which the hold-down bolt shanks 29 project with suitable clearance is interposed between the portion 22 and the heavy spring washers 33.

The clamp plate 35 adjacent its left hand end as viewed in Fig. 1 is provided on its underside with a downwardly inclined surface adapted to bear upon and complementary to the downwardly inclined surface 21 of the portion 22. The underside of the clamp plate 35 to the right of the downwardly inclined surface that engages said surface 21 is spaced from the upper surface of the portion 22 and it will be noted that the clamp plate 35 extends beyond the free end of the portion 22 and terminates closely adjacent to the left hand side of the fixed abutment member I8; that is, the clamp plate 35 is provided with a lip portion which overlies the space between the end of the portion 22 of the rail brace and the xed abutment member I8. The underside of this lip portion of the clamp late 35 is provided with parallel upwardly inclined surfaces 36 and 31 (looking from left to right of Fig. 3) with said surfaces separated by an intermediate recess 38.

The block B is provided with longitudinal Side walls 39 which are integral with the portions I9, 20, 2| and 22 and extend from the portion 20 to the free end of the portion 22, with the upper surfaces of the side walls being formed with a slight concave curvature.

A lwedge member indicated generallyat 48 is mounted in the recess of the base plate I6 intermediate the free end of the portion 22 of the block B and the xed abutment member I8 and underlying the lip portion of the clamp plate 35. The wedge 40 is provided with a straight side surface 4| that reacts against the longitudinal straight side of the fixed abutment I8 that is adjacent to but spaced from the rail brace. The opposite longitudinal side of the wedge 40 is shown as comprising two parallel inclined wedging surfaces 42 and 43 spaced apart intermediate the ends of the wedge by a space indicated at 44. The wedging surfaces 42 and 43 coact with the wedging surfaces 25 and 24, respectively, on the end of the portion 22 of the block B and as the wedge moves in the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 2 it forces the block B ltoward thewebof 6 the rail and upwardly of the downwardly sloping surface I3 of the base flange I2 of the rail as'will be well understood.

It will be noted that a shoulder 43a is provided at the high end of the wedge surface 43 and that said shoulder is located in the recess 26 in the free end of the block portion 22, wherefore, should the wedge work in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow A, said shoulder 43a would positively engage the lower end of the`v recess 26 (as viewed in Fig. 2) and thus arrest further movement of the wedge 40 in the loosening direction, thereby assuring against complete displacement of the wedge from its operativeposition beneath the lip of the clamp plate 35. l

The upper surface 45 of the wedge 40 is provided with upwardly inclined (looking from left to right of Fig. 5) wedge portions 46 and 41 that have their wedging surfaces parallel to each other and the portions 46 and 41 are separated intermediate the ends of the wedge 40 as clearly indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. .i

The wedge portions 46 and 41 cooperate with the upwardly inclined surfaces 36 and 31, respectively, on the underside of the lip of the clamp plate 35 to eifect the self-tightening action of the wedge as will more fully be explained hereinafter.

Assuming that the rail II is positioned in the recess of the base plate I6v is shown in Fig. k1 and that the block B is mounted in position against the rail, also as indicated in Fig. 1, with the inclined shank portions 29 of the hold-,down bolts. extending through the openings 28 and with the wedge member 40 positioned intermediate the free end of the portion 22 of the block B and the fixed abutment member I8, it will be noted that the wedging surfaces 42 and 43 of the wedge member engage the surfaces 25 and 24 on the freevend of the block and may act to urge the block toward the rail. The clamp plate 35 is then positioned on the block B with the shanks 29 of the hold-down bolts extending through the openings in the clamp plate and with the downwardly inclined surface on the underside of the left hand end of the clamp plate bearing against the downwardly inclined surface 21 of the portion 22 of the block. At this time the lip of the clamp late 35 will overlie the wedge 40 and the inclined surfaces 38 and 31 on the underside of the lip will bear against the wedging surfaces of the wedge portions 45 and 41 on the upper side of the wedge. The heavy spring washers 33 and the cap nuts 34 are now positioned on Vthe hold-down bolts with said washers bearing against the upper side of the clamp plate 35, wherefore when the cap nuts 34 are screwed downwardly on the bolts the holddown forces of the bolts and nuts act through thewashers33 upon the clamp plate 35. The holddown forces acting through the inclined surface 21 of the portion 22 of the block B results not only in a vertical hold-down or clamping action but also in a horizontal clamping action which tends to force and maintain the block B tightly against the rail in proper clamping and bracing relationship thereto, with the left hand base flange of the rail as viewed in Fig. 1 held firmly against the left hand shoulder of the recess in the base plate. This horizontal hold-down force tends to cause the intermediate portion 2| of the block B Iat all times to ride upwardly of .the downwardly sloping surface I3 of the right hand rail base fiange I2 and obviates any tendency of the portion 2| to work downwardly of the surface I3. Therefore, the arrangement described withl'respectto the hold.- down ibolts and-'the mannerfinfwhich' the yhold-doWmforce thereof is iexerted on the block B results inra self-.tightening action onthe rail brace :at alli .times thatma'intai-ns `the. brace in proper-clamping and bracing position f relative to. the rail; i notwithstanding vibrations, `j ars,'shocks and wear to vwhich the brace may be subjected inuse, it being -observedthatthe -holddown'force is transmitted 'through ftlievheavy 'spring-washers 33.

Furthermore the hold-dormi forces 'on the ciampi-pleite causesuthej-.surfaces 35fam-1.191' on the lundersid'eof the lip of the iclamp plate tofreact on Athe vvedging surfaces ofthe wedge portions 46 and 4l on the fuppersidefof. ,the Wedge 4l) 'and suchreaction produces :.a resultantforce tending 'to move the wedgeatall times ,inthe direction'of the arrowr'Aof Fig.;2,. thatisinra directionfthat tightensthe fwedgingsur-faces 42 Zand '43 of 'the wedgezwith .respect .to theircoactng wedg'ng `surfaces-.Hand 24 and thus enable'rthev :wedge 40 tto electively and fully operate 'to maintain the block Binfproper rail bracing Vposition wherein the rail is? held against the aleftfhand shoulder'of. therecessin the base plate.

Iniactualpractice it vhas been found notneceslsary in installing the rail ibrace, todrve thewedge 40 tightly home since the wedge is self-tightening; It has been found thatr under the vibration. shocks and jars of a train passing .alongitlierail the-reaction of fthe' surfaces 36 and 3l on the underside ofithe lip of theclampplate 551against v-thewedg'irig surfaces `of -the wedge portions1i46 and 4`| 'of the Wedge actually causes thefwedge Vautomatically tormovein the directionofthezarrowA-of Fig. 2 and thus the Wedge is selfetighten- Intlre event of wear .taking place betweenv'the parts oftherail brace, the vwedge .wiflrnotwork loose due tothe self-tightening characteristics re- Vferred-tolbu-t,on the contrary, :Willbecome tighter and-"tighter under ltrain vibrations, itl being "recalled that the hold-downfo'rce acting on `the vclamp plate v35 is transmitted through the heavy fsprin'gfwashers-SS and therefore the inclined surfaceson the underside vof fthe Vlip-of Athe clamp plate react on the wedge surfaces of the portions 46and-41 of the .Iwedge to cause the flatterto travel ina self -tig'hteningdirection.

It'wlll be understood that in place oftwowedging surfaces 42-and443 the `Wedgemay belprovided -witha'greater number of such Wedg'iingsurfaces or zwith 'a single wenig-ing f surface -and 'that the cooperatingsurfaces 24 and l25 on the-free yend 'of the blockiB-maybe correspondingly varied-asv tonumber. Also it will belunderstood that in place of-two Wedging portions'lll and4'l-a greater number `of such-wedgingportions might be providedfon the -YWedge or elsing-le .wedging portion utilizedjand in suchievent tlie-underside of the lip ofthe clamp plate would 'be provided With morev than two inclined-surfacesorfwith a single inclined Vsurface-as the case 4mtght be.

As previously stated; the `Wedge embodying the Yinvention can `be -usedwith great utilityyin a brace Vconstruction embodying the inventionis disclosed. The difference `betvveexrthis Vmodified form of construction andthe first described form of constructionlresides in the wedge A,and in the arran'gement of the surfaces on the block B'V and clampplate 35 that cooperate -with the wedging surfaces of' the Wedge. Accordingly itwill not be `necessary to repeat herein the description-oftbose portions of the construction which are identical ,with the .previously wdescribed' construction and the 'same reference `characters are employed in Figs. 6, Y and 8 to indicate the corresponding parts. as are employed in the previous `views.

TheV free end of the portion 22 of the block B ofthe modified construction is provided withoppositely :inclined-surfaces@ .and 49 that serve the function of the surfaces 24 and 25 of Vthe previously 'described form. The surfaces '.48 ,fand 49 zare-'inclined inwardly of Vthe 'block B"Y and away from-the adjacent straight side of the fixed abutment member I8 and their inner ends-are separated by a recess 50`formed in the free edge of the portion 22 of the block- B';

In the modified construction, in place of using a single wedge lmember provided vWitharplurality of wedging surfaces ra .pair of separatewedge members 5l `and 52 is employed and whichzseparate .wedge members are provided on their. sides with wedging surfaces 53 and 54, respectively, that cooperate with the inclinedxwedging surfaces 48 and 49 respectively. The Wedge members 5|and1521are positioned'between the free end of the portion -22 of the-block Brand the vadiacent straight-,side ofthe back stop i8 :and beneatni-the liplof the clamp plate 35 with the large endsof the Wedge members located inwardlyY andadjacent to `each other wherefore the. wedging action of the wedge members is increasedby the vmovement of the members outwardly away fromveach other and toward the opposite longitudinalasides ofthe base platevl.-

In order to produce such'movement automaticallyduring the use of the railbraceinztrackage. the Wedge ymembers 5Il 'and` 52I are providedfmith Ainclined lupper surfaces55 and 55,1' suchzsurfaces being inclined upwardly from the large. or :inner ends of `the Y Wedge fmembers toward the ismaller orv outerr ends thereof. The inclined V.surfaces :55 and-56 cooperate with similarly inclined surfaces 51 and 58 Sformed on the undersideof lipgof the clamp plate-35 andfhaving their :inner ends separated by Ia recess 59 formed `onthe runder-side of'said lill.r

It will be 'seen that when the rail brace of: Figs. Gtolinclusive isi installed and the :surfaces'l and- 58 on the underside of the lipof thezclamp plate 35 varepressing on the. upperJsuraces 55 and 56 of the vWedge :members 5l 'and 52.,f.a,reac tion occurs that tends to move said `Wedge mem- Ywbers'outwardly and awayfrom each other in a tightening direction. Under the I vibrations.. jars and shocks produced bytrainspassingialonggthe rail this tendency Ais augmentedandthe wedge members actually move inthe self tightening .fdi- -rection and thus are mainltainedflinr anposition at-all timesvvherein'fthe wedgermembers function to -wedgethe .block l3"toward the .rail into proper clamping and Y bracing .Y relationship with respect to-t-he 'rail Inother words.,the wedge members v'5 Iy Land 52 "--are self-tightening i similarly l to lthe single Wedge member 40 Iof. the `.previously rdescribed form `and `the construction. shownl-infFgs. 6 to Y* 10 possessesl all'ltne 4advantages enumerated for the -previouslyldescribed rconstruction;\`

VVl'lurther it will benotedthatnot 'oniys-isx-itunnecessary to drivethe-wedge members 5Lv ands52 9 i I and 52 cannot possibly free themselves from assembled relationship in the brace construction since any outward movement of the wedge members acts to tighten the wedge members into their operative wedging relationship.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein it will be understood that the invention is susceptible. of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention,fwe claim:

1. A rail brace construction comprising, in combination, a base plate element adapted to be secured to a tie and to support the base of a rail, said base plate element being provided with a fixed stop adapted to be engaged by one of the rail base fianges and with a fixed abutment member spaced from said stop; a block element, and wedge means; said block element being provided with a portion adapted to engage the web of said rail and with a second portion extending outwardly therefrom and overlying said base plate element and adapted to be connected thereto by hold-down bolt means, and a lip part connected with and extending from said second portion and overlying said wedge means; said wedge means being interposed between said second portion and said abutment member with said wedge means, second portion and member having cooperating wedging surfaces and cooperating straight surfaces that cause said wedge means to urge said block element toward said rail; said wedge means, said base plate element and said lip part being provided with cooperating contacting surfaces including wedge tightening surfaces inclined to the horizontal in a direction to cause the force of the hold-down bolt means to react on said tightening surfaces and tend to urge the wedge means at all times, and particularly under the vibrations created by moving trains, to move in a direction to increase the wedging cooperation between said wedging surfaces.

2. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein said wedge means, said base plate element and said lip part are provided with cooperating contacting surfaces including a plurality of sets of wedge tightening surfaces inclined to the horizontal in a direction to` cause the force of the hold-down bolt means to react on said tightening surfaces and tend to urge the wedge means at all times to move in a direction to increase the wedging cooperation between said wedging surfaces.

3. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein said wedge means, said base plate element and said lip part are provided with cooperating contacting surfaces including a plurality of sets of wedge tightening surfaces inclined to the horizontal in a direction to cause the force of the hold-down bolt means to react on said tightening surfaces and tend to urge the Wedge means at all times to move in a direction to increase the Wedging cooperation between said Wedging surfaces, the said sets of wedge tightening surfaces being spaced apart longitudinally of each other.

4. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein said wedge means includes a wedge member having a wedging surface on one side thereof and an inclined wedge tightening surface on an adjacent side thereof.

5. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 1 and wherein said wedge means includes a plurality of separate wedge members.

6. A rail brace construction as defined n claim 1 and wherein said wedge means and said lip part are provided with cooperating contacting wedge tightening surfaces inclined to the horizontal in a direction to cause the force of the hold-down bolt means to react on said wedge means and urge the latter at all times to move in a direction to increase the wedging cooperation between sai wedging surfaces. v

7. A rail brace construction as defined in claim l and wherein said second portion of said block element and said Wedge means are provided with cooperating wedging surfaces and said fixed abutment member and said wedge means are provided with cooperating straight surfaces.

8. A rail brace of the type described for usel against a rail supported on a base plate and comprising a block having a rail engaging portionv and a laterally extending portion adapted to overlie the base plate which supports the rail, said laterally extending portion being provided with means adapted to cooperate with hold-down bolts to connect the brace to the base plate, said laterally extending portion being provided'with an end surface, wedge means cooperating with said end surface and adapted to cooperate with a fixed abutment carried by the base plate to wedge said block toward the rail, and a lip part connected with and extending from said laterally extending portion and overlying said wedge means, said lip part and said wedge means being provided with cooperating contacting wedge tightening surfaces inclined to the horizontal in a direction to react under the forces to which the. brace is subjected in use to urge said wedge means auto,- matically in a wedge tightening direction.

9. A rail brace as defined in claim 8 and wherein the end surface of the laterally extending portion is an inclined wedging surface that cooperates with an inclined wedging surface of said Wedge means.

10. A rail brace as defined in claim 8 'and wherein said lip part and said Wedge vmeansare provided with a plurality of pairs of cooperating contacting wedge tightening surfaces inclined to the horizontal in a direction to react4 under the` 11. A rail brace as defined in claim 8 and wherein said lip part is integral with a clamp plate adapted to cooperate with the hold-down bolts that connect the brace tothe base plate,

said lip part on its underside and said wedge means on its upper side being provided with cooperating contacting wedge tightening surfaces inclined to the horizontal in a direction to react under the forces to which the brace is subjected in use to urge said wedge means in a wedge tightening direction.

12. A rail brace as dened in claim 11 and wherein the contacting surfaces on the underside of the lip part of said clamp plate and on the upper side of said wedge means are arranged in cooperating pairs spaced longitudinally of each other.

13. A rail brace construction as defined in claim 11 and wherein said wedge means comprises a plurality of separate wedge members.

14. A rail brace construction comprising, in combination, a base plate element adapted to be secured to a tie and to support the base of a rail, said element being provided with a fixed stop adapted to be engaged by one of the rail base flanges and with a fixed abutment member spaced from said stop; a block element provided with a acciones 1 1 rstportion adapted-to engage `thefvveloY of said rail and? thedownw'ardlysloping -uppersurface `Tof one foi? the=base iianges ofE the rails,V said blockielement-being provided with an integral second-.portionexteriding-outwardly offsaid -rst portion and overlying said baselplate element, a; lip .partfconnectedwith and lextending-from:said-'second-portion toward said abutment meansl` -holdl-down means interconnecting saidlbase plate and lblock element and `including hold-dovvn :bolts- -and .co-1

operating contacting surfaces including wedgea` tighteningfsurfaces. inclined. tof the horizonizalin afdirection to causev the'. force ioffthe hold-down means toreact ion said. Wedge means .andrtendto urgeithewedge means :at 'all'times to-Inovetin a directiont toincrease the WedgingI cooperation -loe-r tween said-Wedgingsurfaces '15;- A frail .brace-1 construction as :d'efulied'- :in claims-14 and Whereinthe axes Toi said hold-down boltsare 'disposed fat an inclination i to the* perpendicular and substantiallyY 'at' rightgarigles, pto;

the dow'nwardl'yf,slop-ingA upper surface y'of Ysaid one of'-tl=1e rail base". flanges, a While .saidl lcormerating engagingsuriaces 'of'. the" ,hold-down: means are downwardly inclined-.in the same' drectionwas said upper surface of said one base :dangeioffthey rai1 =but disposed at an angie thereto.

16.1-AfraiA brace;y asY deh-ned'.V` in; lclaim` Maand vvhereinsaid second portion Icstsaid blo'ck element andfsaidwedge means have 'cooperatingwedging surfaces` yvvk'n'iefsafid abutmentrmembervand said Wedge means have kcooperating straight surfaces.

Tk 17."A railbrace as' .dened11in`V claiml 3.4: -a-nd wherein the hold-down meanstincludes a cla-mp plete cooperating vvithithel holdedoWnf-bolts and provided with one oflthersaid ycooperating en.

gagging-surfaces, said lip .part'overlying'v said-Wedge means being integraliwith saidzclamp plate,=the

12 underside `'ofsaid flip part andthe:lupper;sidel of sa-dfwdge means. being'. provided withthe said cooperatingcontactingi wedge tightening surfaces. .18.'` In a railflzarace Mirthe .typeesed against a rail suported on albasei plate anda-including; a

block' having a railfengaging portion andan-integral Vportion extendinglaterally. therefromxand adapted tol over-lie` the .basedpiata lwhich 1 supports the-rail and. provided-With. means adapted? tomooperate With heidi-down ffnolts;` 1 wedge means r for urging thevblock-'toward thenrail, `and alipipart connected' with and extending from salid'integal portionA` and 'overlyingfsaddrwedge means `ther-irnprovement; which comprises providing: said Wedge means lon a:sidethereof disposed at substantially ninety. degrees vvto `its'` Wedging sidev with: kanzzupwardlyrinclined iwedge zti'ghteningfsurface: :and providingfsaidlip 4part with a :complementary adjacent-' surface i. cooperating Y with' vsaid Wedge tighteningzsuriace .ofrsaid Wedge-means.

l 119. Arwedgefor afrail-brace-comprising armember; having .on-opposite :sides thereof. a wedging suriace :and a istraightn surface; respectively? and providedonzanother side thereof with arsurface inclinedrupwardhpirr 'a'xzdirection :toward-the :low end .pif saidvwedging :surface and adapted'to K'co-- operate with azcomplementary surfaceon a rail braceieo'nstruction.

l '20: A- '.'Wedge" forY a 'rail brace: comprising'. an elongated member having a straight side and an oppositersi-de provided with aplurality -of longitu'dnallyfspaced similar vWedging' surfaces; said member having another sideprovided with a pluralty -of- 1longitudinally spacedI similar v surfaces inclinedf. upwardly in-v a# direction towardthe 10W endsfof-sa-idwedging surfaces and adapted -to-cooperate-wth-complementary'surfaces on a rail braceconstruction.

1 I f f GEQRGE ARNOLD.

-HARRY- A. ySGI-IULTZ.

yEDWIN RHOADS.

l.I tiiFE-)RENCES CITED i The 'following Yreferences.."are Vof record init-he 'i le of. thisepatent:

UNITED sTATEsrATENTs V2,449,260 .vickroy sepan, 1948

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