US2728120A - Treating abandoned spike holes in wood railway ties - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1955 J. R. SNYDER 2,728,120

TREATING ABANDONlFD SPIKE HOLES IN WOOD RAILWAY TIES Filed Aug. 22, .1950

- WWW fie 8 INVENTOR. 6 ul 4605 Paw/Swab Arwe ve'xs United States Patent Ofiice TREATWG ABANDONED SPIKE HOLES IN WOQD RAILWAY TIES Jacob Rush Snyder, Cleveland, Ghio Application August 22, 1950, Serial No. 180,863

3 Claims. (Ci. 20-93) This invention relates generally to the treatment of abandoned spike holes of wood railway ties and to the improved wood tie resulting from such treatment.

1' t frequently happens during railroad maintenance work that the spikes of rail fastenings are withdrawn from the wood ties and, if the ties are still sound, the spikes are again driven into the same ties but at new locations. Such withdrawal of the spikes may be for the reason that the spike holes have become worn or may be in connection with the installation of rails of a heavier gauge which require larger tie plates and a different spacing for the spike holes.

in either case some or all of such previously used spike holes are abandoned and steps must be taken to prevent water, brine or the like from entering the same. It has heretofore been the practice of maintenance workers to drive wood pegs into such abandoned spike holes for this purpose but, because of the worn condition of the spike holes and various other factors, the holes have been only partially closed, with the result that water, brine and the like flows or seeps into the abandoned spike holes and causes an early and rapid decay of the ties, and particularly of the interior portions thereof to which the conventional creosoting treatment has not penetrated.

it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide for a more effective closing of these abandoned spike holes such that the water, brine and the like will be excluded therefrom and the decay of the ties will be retarded or prevented and the need for replacement of the ties will be considerably postponed with a consequent great saving in expense.

Another object is to provide for the treatment of the abandoned spike holes of wood ties by the use of wood pegs therein in combination with thermosetting material which forms a water insoluble seal and an adhesive bond between the pegs and the ties into which they are driven and also serves to harden the wood and render the same resistant to decay.

A further object is to provide for the treatment of the abandoned spike holes in the manner just mentioned but in which the thermosetting material is initially contained in the spike hole in a fluid condition and is pressurized therein by the driving of the wood peg, such that the material will be distributed between coextending portions of the peg and tie and some of the material will be forced into the peg and into the portions of the tie surrounding the spike hole.

Still another object is to provide for the treatment of abandoned spike holes in the manner above referred to and in which the thermosetting material is a synthetic resin material or a mixture of a synthetic resin material and cellulose.

Yet another object is to provide for the treatment of abandoned spike holes in the manner mentioned but in which the peg has at least one portion thereof, preferably its upper end portion, of a size or oversize such as to substantially fill and tightly close the upper end of the spike hole, and in which the peg has a longitudinal grain and is made of a soft wood which is yieldable or compressible in a direction transversely of the grain, so as to facilitate obtaining the tight fit in and the substantially complete closure of the upper end of the spike hole.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and in the accompanying sheet of drawings in which,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a portion of a wood tie containing an abandoned spike hole resulting from the withdrawal of a cut spike and which has been treated according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the tie portion containing such an abandoned spike hole, substantially as indicated by section line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing a spike hole of the kind which extends entirely through the tie;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the portion of the wood tie of Fig. 2 in which the abandoned spike hole is located;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a wood peg in detached relation and of the kind used in treating the abandoned spike hole of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the treatment of an abandoned spike hole of the kind which does not extend entirely through the tie;

Fi 6 is a top plan view showing a portion of a wood tie having therein an abandoned spike hole resulting from the withdrawal of a screw spike and which has been treated according to the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken through the abandoned screw spike hole and adjacent portions of the tie, substantially as indicated by section line 7-7 of Fig. 6 and showing a spike hole of the type which extends entirely through the tie;

Fig. 8 is a partial bottom plan view of the tie of Fig. 7 at the location of the abandoned spike hole; and

Fig. 9 is an elevational view showing a wood peg in detached relation and of the form used in the treatment of the abandoned screw spike hole of Fig. 7. 1

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing the invention is shown applied to a wood tie 10 having an abandoned spike hole 11 therein of a generally quadrangular crosssection which has resulted from the withdrawal of a conventional cut spike (not shown) from the tie. The tie 1b is a conventional wood tie which has been sawed or otherwise prepared from a timber of oak, pine or any other suitable kind of wood, and which has a grain extending generally longitudinally thereof as indicated at 12. The tie 10 was initially provided with a bored hole 13 extending entirely therethrough, as indicated by the remaining portion of this bored hole, and into which bored hole the cut spike was driven.

The generally quadrangular cross-sectional shape of the abandoned spike hole 11 results from the corresponding quadrangular shape of the stern of the cut spike which was driven into the bored hole 13. The abandoned spike hole is usually in a worn or frayed condition as the result of the lateral thrust and tilting to which the cut spike was subjected during service by forces transmitted thereto from the rail. The frayed or worn condition of the abandoned spike hole 11 is usually greatest at or adjacent the upper end thereof and results in an enlargement of the hole in the direction of the longitudinal grain 12 of the tie 16, as is represented in Figs. 1 and 2 by the hole portion 11a.

The treatment of the abandoned spike hole 11, according to the present invention, involves the use of a relatively long wood filler peg 14 therein and which is driven into the spike hole from the upper end thereof, and the use of a thermosetting material 15 therein which forms a Patented Dec. 27, 1955 water resistant seal and adhesive bond between the peg 14 and the portions of the wood tie surround the abandoned spike hole into which the peg is driven. When the abandoned spike hole 11 is of the type which extends entirely through the tie as shown in Fig. 2, this treatment also involves the use of a relatively short dowel pin 16 therein as a plug for closing the remaining portion of. the bored hole 13.

The dowel pin 16 is preferably made of wood for purposes of economy, but could also be made of metal or any other suitable material. This dowel pin is of a generally cylindrical shape and has a cross-sectional size which will permit it to be driven into the quadrangular spike hole 11 to the bottom thereof and form a closure means or plug for the portion of the bored hole 13 still remaining in the tie 10. To facilitate the insertion and driving of the dowel pin 16 in the abandoned spike hole 11 and to insure a tight engagement of the lower end of the dowel pin in the bored hole 13, such lower end of the dowel pin is preferably provided with a converging taper as indicated at 16a.

The wood filler peg 14 is of a quadrangular cross-section corresponding generally with the quadrangular crosssection of the abandoned spike hole 11 so as to have a relatively tight fit therein and is of a length to extend into the spike hole and substantially fill the same for a substantial portion of the depth thereof. This wood filler peg 14 has the grain of the wood extending generally longitudinally thereof as indicated at 17 and for an important reason is preferably made of a relatively soft wood such as cottonwood or poplar. When the peg is made of a soft wood of this character it will be somewhat yieldable of compressible in a direction transverse to the grain 17, such that when the peg is driven into the abandoned spike hole 11 the compression of the wood of the peg between the opposite side walls of the spike hole will result in a tight fit of the peg in the spike hole and a substantially complete closing thereof, particularly at the upper end of the hole.

To insure such a tight fit of the pegs 14 in the spike holes 11 being consistently obtained, the peg is preferably made somewhat oversize in its transverse dimensions with respect to the corresponding transverse dimensions of the spike hole. For example, when the wood peg is made of a cross-sectional size such that its transverse dimensions are or of an inch larger than the corresponding dimensions of the spike hole 11, the desired tight fit will be obtained during the driving of the peg thereinto. This oversize relation of the peg to the spike hole will be such as to result in the desired tight fit being obtained without causing splitting of the tie 10, particularly since the soft character of the wood of the peg will permit the above mentioned compression of the peg transversely of the grain thereof.

The oversize relation of the peg 14 relative to the spike hole 11 can extend for the full length of the peg but preferably it extends for only a portion of the length of the peg so as to facilitate the driving of the peg into the hole. Thus, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the filler peg 14 may have such an oversize portion only at the upper end thereof as represented by the substantially straightsided upper end portion 14a and may have a gradual converging taper or undercut on the side 14b below the oversize portion l ia and a substantially sharp converging taper 18 at its lower end.

The sharp end taper 18 will enable the peg to be easily inserted into the spike hole 11 and to be readily driven downwardly therein. The long gradual taper or undercut of the side 14b will also permit the peg to be readily driven into the spike hole 11 with the peg forming a relatively tight fit in the spike hole for a substantial portion of the depth thereof. The oversize portion 14a at the upper end of the peg will form a tight fit in the spike hole, particularly at the upper end thereof, so as to substantially close the hole and exclude water, brine, cinders, gravel and other foreign matter.

The peg 14 as here shown may also be of the type which is formed as one of a series of such pegs connected in stick form by a breakable Wood stem 19 of relatively reduced size between the adjacent ends of contiguous pegs, and adapted to be separated by the breaking of this stem.

The thermosetting material 15 used in the spik hole 11 represents an important feature of the present invention because this material forms a water resistant seal and adhesive bond between the peg 14 and the portions of the tie 10 surrounding the spike hole. This thermosetting material is also distributed along and around the peg 14 so as to substantially seal and close all crevices existing between the peg and the tie. The thermosetting material is also a wood hardening and preservative material and is impregnated into the grain 17 of the wood peg 14 and into the grain 12 of the portions of the tie surrounding the spike hole and serves to harden and render resistant to rot and decay these impregnated portions of the peg and tie.

The thermosetting material 15 can be any one of various chemical materials suitable for this purpose, such as a syn thetic resin or synthetic resin glue, for example, the resins of the aldehyde or phenol aldehyde class, such as urea. formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde or resorcinol formaldehyde. Another such synthetic material suitable for this purpose is urea formaldehyde in aqueous solution and of a neutral or slightly alkaline pH value produced by the use of ammonia as the neutralizing agent and containing a potentially acidic substance in the form of a salt of any one of various suitable acids. These synthetic resin materials are potentially thermosetting and can be rendered actually thermosetting when introduced into the spike hole by the admixture of a suitable amount, such as 5% to 16% by weight, of a so-called catalyst or hardener therewith, such as formaldehyde or ammonia.

In treating the abandoned spike holes 11 according to the present invention, the thermosetting material 15 is introduced into the spike hole in an initially fluid form and in suitable amount as by injecting a suitable quantity of the thermosetting material into the hole or by introducing thereinto a breakable capsule containing a suitable quantity of the thermosetting material. When the spike hole is of the type which extends entirely through the tie, as shown in Fig. 2, the thermosetting material 15 is introduced into the spike hole from the upper end thereof after the dowel pin 16 has been driven into the hole for the desired distance to form a plug therein.

After the thermosetting material 15 has been introduced into the spike hole 11, the filler peg 14 is driven into the hole from the upper end thereof and causes a displacement-of a portion of the material and a distribution of such material between the coextending portions of the peg and tie such that the material substantially fills all existing spaces and crevices and forms a seal and adhesive bond between the peg and tie. The driving of the filler peg 14 into the spike hole also subjects the trapped material 15 to pressure sufficient to cause some of this material to be forced into the grain of the portions of the tie surrounding the spike hole as indicated by the lines 10a, and into the grain of the peg itself, as well as into the grain of the dowel pin 16. The thermosetting ma terial thus impregnated into the peg, dowel pin and tie serves to harden and preserve the wood thereof and the adhesive bond thus provided between the tie and the wood of the peg and dowel pin causes the latter to be tightly held in place.

The thermosetting material 15 may also comprise a mixtureof oneor more of the-above-mentioned synthetic resin materials with wood cellulose, wood flour or the like used in an amountup to 10% by weight of the mixture. This wood component renders the thermosetting material more satisfactory as a filler for the spaces and crevices of the spike hole and imparts added strength to this material in its set condition. The thermosetting material may also comprise a mixture of one or more of the above-mentioned synthetic resins and a plasticizing agent such as a vinyl resin, for example, vinyl acetate or vinyl butyral, which when added to the synthetic resin or to the mixture of synthetic resin and wood component in an amount of 2% to 20% by weight, will prevent undesired brittleness and cracking in the thermosetting material after it has become set.

Fig. of the drawing shows the above described treatment of an abandoned spike hole applied to a wood tie 21 in which the abandoned spike hole 22 resulting from the withdrawal of a conventional cut spike does not extend entirely through the tie but is a so-called blind spike hole and has a depth, as well as a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding with the cut spike which was withdrawn therefrom. The abandoned spike hole 22 has been treated with a quantity of thermosetting material which was introduced into the spike hole prior to the driving of the wood filler peg 14 thereinto. Substantially the same beneficial results are obtained for the abandoned spike hole 22 as have been described above for the spike hole 11.

Figs. 6 and 7 show this invention applied to the treatment of an abandoned screw spike hole 23 of a wood tie 24. The screw spike hole 23 is here shown as being of the type which extends entirely through the tie 24 and the remaining portion 25 of the bored hole is closed by a dowel pin 26. The screw spike hole 23 conforms generally to the cross-sectional size and shape of the screw spike which was withdrawn therefrom and is here shown as having a downwardly converging taper and a helical thread impression 27 in the side wall thereof.

The treatment of the abandoned screw spike hole 23 is similar to that described above in detail for the abandoned cut spike hole 11 and substantially the same beneficial results are obtained. In the treatment of the screw spike hole 23 the wood filler peg 28 which is driven into the spike hole is a peg of a round cross-sectional shape and has a converging taper for a substantial portion of its length, as indicated at 28a, to facilitate the driving of the peg into the spike hole. The peg 28 has an oversize transverse dimension for a portion of its length and is made of a soft wood for the same reasons as have been explained above in connection with the filler peg 14. In this instance the peg 28 is shown as having a substantially cylindrical oversize portion 28b at the upper end thereof which forms a tight fit in and substantially closes the upper end of the abandoned screw spike hole 23 when the peg is fully driven thereinto.

In the treatment of the abandoned screw spike hole 23 the synthetic resin material 15 is trapped between the peg and the dowel pin 26 in the case of a screw spike hole which extends entirely through the tie, and is trapped between the peg and the lower end of the spike hole in the case where the spike hole is a so-called blind hole. The trapped thermosetting material is pressurized into the wood during the driving of the peg 28 in substantially the same way and produces the same beneficial results as have been explained above for the spike holes 11 and 22.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing it will now be readily understood that this invention provides a novel treatment for the abandoned spike holes of wood ties, and also provides an improved tie construction resulting from such treatment and by which used railway ties may have a prolonged life and thus eifect a substantial saving in the cost of railway maintenance. It will also be understood that the use of the above described thermosetting material in combination with wood filler pegs in such abandoned spike holes results in a closing of such spike holes in a manner to effectively exclude water, brine and other foreign matter and to prevent decay of the ties at the location of such abandoned spike holes, as well as to prevent accidental loosening of the wood filler pegs. It will likewise be seen that the oversize relation of the filler pegs and the soft character of the wood thereof makes possible the attainment of a desired tight fit of the pegs in the abandoned spike holes without splitting of the ties, as well as the pressurizing of the thermosetting material into the wood for the hardening and preservation thereof. Additionally, it will be seen that since the thermosetting material forms a filler for the crevices of the treated spike hole, as well as an adhesive bond between the peg and tie, it will produce an effective seal capable of preventing the entry or seepage of water, brine or other fluid material into the abandoned spike hole.

Although the improved tie construction and the treatment of abandoned spike holes provided by this invention have been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a wood railway tie having a closedbottom previously used spike hole extending thereinto crosswise of the grain of the tie, a one-piece substantially solid wood filler peg driven into the said spike hole and being of a cross-sectional shape and size to engage the sides of the spike hole for the major portion of the length of said peg and to substantially fill and close the upper end of said spike hole, said peg having a longitudinal grain and being of a length to extend into said spike hole for a substantial portion of the depth of the latter, and a wood-hardening thermosetting material comprising a mixture of synthetic resin and a catalyst distributed between coextending portions of said peg and tie and forming a water-resistant seal and adhesive bond therebetween, said material being initially contained in said spike hole in an initially fluid condition and being pressurized and displaced by the driving of said peg into the spike hole to cause distribution of some of said initially fluid material between the coextending peg and tie portions and to also cause impregnation of the wood of said coextending peg and tie portions by some of said initially fluid material, the impregnated peg and tie portions being hardened and rendered water-resistant by the setting of said initially fluid material therein, said peg being strongly and permanently connected with the tie by the adhesive bond between said hardened peg and tie portions such as to condition the tie for further railway track use.

2. In combination, a wood railway tie having a closedbottom previously used spike hole extending thereinto crosswise of the grain of the tie, a one-piece substantially solid wood filler peg of longitudinal grain driven into said spike hole from the upper end thereof and extending into the spike hole for a substantial portion of the depth of the latter, said peg having a stem portion of a crosssectional shape and size in relation to the spike hole to enter the same and have a relatively close-fitting engagement with the side walls thereof for the major portion of the length of said peg and said peg also having an enalrged portion at the upper end of said stem which is of an oversize cross-section in relation to said spike hole for forming a relatively tight fit in and substantially closing the upper end of the spike hole, said peg being made of a relatively soft wood such that said enlarged portion of oversize cross-section is yieldable in a direction transverse to said longitudinal grain in forming said tight fit in the upper end of the spike hole, and a woodhardening thermosetting material comprising a mixture of synthetic resin and a catalyst distributed between coextending portions of said peg and tie and forming a water-resistant seal and adhesive bond therebetween, said material being initially contained in said spike hole in an initially fluid condition and being pressurized and displaced by the driving of said peg into the spike hole to cause distribution of some of said initially fluid material between the coextending peg and tie portions and to also cause impregnation of the Wood of said coextending peg and tie-portions by some of said initially fluid material, the impregnated peg and tie portions being hardened and rendered water-resistant by the setting of said initially fluid material therein, said peg being strongly and permanently connected with the tie by the adhesive bond between said hardened peg and tie portions such as to condition the tie for further railway track use.

3. In combination, a wood railway tie having a previously used spike hole extending therethrough crosswise of the grain of the tie, a closure member introduced into the spike hole for closing the same at a point spaced a substantial distance from the upper end of the spike hole, a one-piece substantially solid wood filler peg driven into said spike hole from said upper end and being of a crosssectional shape and size to engage the sides of the spike hole for the major portion of the length of said peg and to substantially fill and close said upper end of the spike hole, said peg having a longitudinal grain and being of a length to extend into the spike hole for a substantial portion of the depth of the latter but terminating above said closure member, and a Wood-hardening thermosetting material comprising a mixture of synthetic resin and catalyst distributed between coextending portions of said peg and tie and forming a water-resistant seal and adhesive bond therebetween, said material being initially contained in said spike hole above, said, closure member in an initially fluid condition and being pressurized and displaced by the driving of said peg intothespike holeto cause distribution of some of said initially fluid material between the coextendingpeg and tie portions and to also cause impregnation of the wood of said coextending peg and tie por tions by some of said initially fluid material, the impregnated peg and tie portions being hardened and rendered water-resistant by the setting of said initially fluid material therein, said peg being strongly and permanently connected with the tie by the adhesive bond between said hardened peg and tie portions such as to condition the tie for further railway track use.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 406,566 Dudley July 9, 1889 519,553 Rounds May 8, 1894 626,060 Goldie May 30, 1899 703,780 Fredericia July 1, 1902 1,111,286 Aylesworth Sept. 22, 1914 1,338,444 Heiln Apr. 27, 1920 1,584,337 Warne May 11, 1926, 1,588,617 Rose June 15, 1926 2,389,464 Snyder Nov. 20, 1945

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