TRAMWAY RAIL JOINTS. CII. 
running purposes, were used. The fishplates were designed 4’ 
long, 1” thick, and secured with ten 1}” bolts made a driving fit. 
To obtain a good mechanical fit both rails and fishplates were 
milled, and to ensure the rails abutting properly the ends were 
brought together and cut through with a cold saw. 
The guards and rails break joint with one another, enabling 
the fishbolts of both to be tightened when necessary through the 
groove without in any way disturbing the street surface. The 
work of milling the fishplates and rails was carried out by the 
Interlocking Engineer, and it is due to that gentleman and his 
foreman that such excellent results were obtained, in the face of 
many difficulties chiefly due to the extreme hardness of the rails. 
A short description, therefore, of the machine and cutters, kindly 
supplied the author by Mr. Wilkin, may not be uninteresting to 
members. 
“The machine was originally a planer of the ordinary type, 
and of the following dimensions—length of bed, 15’; table, 10’ 
6” x 3’ 1”, and would take in an object under cross slide 2’ 0” 
high, and was fitted with two tool boxes. The machine has been 
in constant use for over eighteen years, planing points and cross- 
ings. 
“The following alterations were effected to convert the planer 
into a milling machine. The two tool boxes were taken off, and 
in their place one double and one single bearing bracket were 
fitted. These carry a very strong steel horizontal shaft, on which 
is fitted four cutter heads. On the end of this shaft is a bevel 
wheel, which is driven by a corresponding wheel on a vertical 
shaft connected to the driving gear. The table is fitted with the 
old rack in which a pinion engages, but this is now driven by a 
worm and wheel so as to give the proper rate of travel to the 
table. The gear is arranged in such a way that the shaft carry- 
ing the cutter heads can be put out of gear while the table travels 
back with a quick return motion, thus preventing a back rubbing 
. of the cutters. Altogether, the machine may be considered 
entirely suitable for the work it was designed to perform. 
