US2008786A - Rail bond and method of making same - Google Patents

Description

July 23, 1935. H. H. FEBREY 2,003,786

RAIL BOND AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Sept. 9, 1926 igll.

ll Za'nesses: 17611873507:

2am? y', #49040 Fi /9 Patented July 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Harold H. Febrey, Newark, N. J., assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation oi. New Jersey Application September 9, 1926, Serial No. 134,454

'7 Claim.

This invention relates to rail bonds, and while not limited thereto, relates more particularly to rail bonds of the pin or stud terminal type and has for its object the provision of an improved bond and method of producing the same.

Heretofore in making pin or stud terminal bonds, it has been the general practice to drill the terminals and then to insert the flexible concluctor in the openings thus formed and secure them in position.

The drilling of the terminals was an expensive operation, and the separate operations necessary to secure the conductor to the terminal were all more or less expensive. Therefore, the cost of producing this class of bonds has been very high.

The present invention provides for securing the conductor and terminals together by a simple butt welding operation, and, therefore, materially reduces the cost of production of the bonds and provides a more secure joint having a higher electrical bond than the joints heretofore formed.

Figure l is an elevation of a bond showing the parts in assembled position, but unwelded.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the finished bond after the terminals are welded to the conductor.

Figure 3 is an elevation of one end of a modified bond showing the terminal and conductor in assembled position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the parts welded together.

Figure 5 is an elevation of a bond having two conductors.

Figure 6 is a similar view of a bond having two conductors andsleeves on the ends of the conductors.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

the numeral 2 designates the stranded flexible conductor, which may be composed of any suitable metal or combination of metals, such as a 40 copper core and ferrous metal outer wires, all copper or all ferrous metal, or copper or steel clad Wires. The conductor 2 is provided with a ferrule or sleeve 3 at each end to bind the strands together. The ferrules 3 may be composed of either ferrous or cuprous metal. The pin terminals 4, which may be composed of ferrous or cuprous metal, are of one piece construction and are preferably formed by forging or machining, although any other method of forming may be used.

The conductor 2 is secured or joined to the terminals 4 by butt welding as at 5, thus forming a secure joint having a more efficient electrical bond than the joints formed in the prior art.

I have discovered that when a stranded conductor made of a cuprous metal core and ferrous outer strands, or made of copper clad steel wires, or of other combinations of cuprous and ferrous metals, is used the welds at 5 between the terminals 4 and ends of the conductor 2 are of a much better quality, and a material reduction in imperfect welds is had in the manufacture. Experience has shown that by the use of a conductor composed of a combination of cuprous and ferrous metals, the number of imperfect welds obtained is reduced approximately onehalf in single conductor bonds, and from as high as fifty per cent. of the total production to less than ten per cent. of the total production in double conductor bonds.

In carrying out my method, the terminals 4 are formed in any desired manner, such as by forging, the conductors 2 are cut to length, and when used the ferrules or sleeves 3 are secured on the ends of the conductors. The butt ends of the conductor 2 and sleeves 3, and the portion of the terminals to which the conductor 3 is to be secured are then heated to a welding temperature by passing an electric current at low pressure through the parts, or by passing an electric current through the parts while they are in light contact and then separating the parts to form an arc. After the parts are heated to a fusing temperature the conductor and terminals are forced together, forming a butt weld connection which is permanent.

Instead of first heating and then pressing the parts together to form a butt weld as described above, the parts may be pressed together with considerable pressure and while under such heavy pressure an extremely heavy current is passed through the parts for an instant. In such case the current will heat the abutting faces of the parts and the pressure applied to the parts will cause the metal to be taken up in the instant that the parts are heated so as to form a butt weld.

The labor and time consumed in making a bond by my improved method is much less than by the methods heretofore practiced, and, therefore, the cost of manufacturing the bond is reduced, and at the same time a superior bond is produced.

In Figures 3 and 4 I have shown one end of a bond, in which the ferrule or sleeve 3 is omitted, the bonds without the sleeves being the preferred construction. The method of manufacturing the bond shown in Figures 3 and 4 is the same as that described for the manufacture of the bond of Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that the step of securing the ferrules or sleeves 3 is omitted.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a double or duplex conductor bond composed of two parallel conductors 2 which have their ends butt welded as at 5 to the solid terminals 4 as in the previous construction described.

The bond of Figure 6 differs from that of Figure 5 in that the conductors 2 are provided with sleeves 3 similar to the conductors of Figures 1 and 2.

The bonds of Figures 5 and 6 are made according to the method described above, except that the two conductors 2 are preferably simultaneously welded to the terminals 4.

In manufacturing bonds of Figures 5 and 6 when all ferrous metal conductors are used, the imperfect welds 5 run as high as fifty per cent. of the total production, while when conductors composed of a combination of cuprous and ferrous metals are used the imperfect welds are reduced to less than ten per cent. of the total production.

When a cuprous metal or combination cuprous and ferrous metal conductor is used, the electric current used to heat the parts to be welded is more readily conducted through the conductor and is more evenly distributed so that the end of the conductor is evenly heated throughout and a more perfect weld is made.

While I have shown certain specific embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: g

1. In a rail bond comprising a pair of terminals and at least one flexible stranded conductor united thereto, the method of manufacturing the same which comprises applying the butt end of the stranded conductor to a face of said terminal and uniting the said butt end thereto by electric resistance welding, the said welding process providing for the pressure consolidation of the abutting faces while the metal comprising said'faces is heated at least to a plastic temperature.

2. In a rail bond comprising a pair of terminals and at least one flexible stranded conductor united thereto, the method of manufacturing the same which comprises applying the butt end minals and at least one flexible stranded conductor united thereto, the method of manufacturing the same which comprises securing a sleeve member upon the stranded cable end with the butt ends of each in substantial cross-sectional alignment, applying the said butt ends to a face of said terminal and uniting the same thereto by electric resistance welding, the said welding process providing for the pressure consolidation of the abutting surfaces while the metal comprising said faces is heated at least to a plastic temperature.

4. In a rail bond comprising a pair of terminals and at least one flexible stranded con ductor united thereto, the method of manufacturing the same which comprises preforming the said terminals to the desired size, shape and configuration, securing a sleeve member upon the stranded cable end with the butt ends of each in substantial cross-sectional alignment, applying the said butt ends to a face of said terminal and uniting the same thereto by electric resistance welding, the said welding process providing for the pressure consolidation of the abutting surfaces while the metal comprising said surfaces is heated at least to a plastic temperature.

5. A rail bond comprising terminals adapted to be aflixed to a rail and at least one inter-- connecting stranded conductor united thereto, the butt ends of said conductor being pressure welded to said terminals.

6. A rail bond comprising terminals adapted to be affixed to a rail and at least one interconnecting stranded conductor united thereto, thebutt ends of each strand comprising said conductor being pressure welded to said terminals.

7. A rail bond comprising terminals adapted to be affixed to a rail face and at least one interconnecting stranded conductor united thereto, the ends of said conductor being enclosed in a sleeve member, the butt ends of said conductor and enclosing sleeve member being pressure welded to said terminals.

HAROLD H. FEBREY.

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