AU5408701A - A resilient clip for a rail - Google Patents

Description

S&FRef: 561643

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: General and Railway Supplies Pty. Ltd.

Institute Road Montacute South Australia 5134 Australia Robert J Rex Spruson Ferguson St Martins Tower,Level 31 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 (CCN 3710000177) A Resilient Clip for a Rail Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country [31] Applic. No(s) AU PQ8865 [32] Application Date 19 Jul 2000 r The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815c A RESILIENT CLIP FOR A RAIL Technical Field The present invention relates to resilient clips for railway fastening systems.

Background of the Invention Described in Australian Patents 630250, 652883, 663629, 659578, 688359 and 640655 are resilient clips used in securing rails and position on their supporting ties or sleepers.

One of the above-mentioned clips has projections which engage the associated stud to inhibit unauthorised or accidental removal of the clip.

It is also known to provide ties and/or sleepers with the stud or insert mounted therein so that when the rail is being laid all that is required is the insertion of the clip.

When the rail is in position the clip is driven "home" so that it is compressed and urges the rail into engagement with a supporting plate, tie or sleeper.

Is The above discussed method of assembly is generally time consuming and is therefore expensive.

e* Object of the Invention 0 0000It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the e 20 above disadvantage.

0 Summary of the Invention oThere is disclosed herein a resilient clip to engage a stud or insert of a rail fastening "eo" assembly, the clip being adapted to engage a rail to aid in securing the rail in position, the 25 clip being moveable relative to the stud or insert between an operative position at which the clip is resiliently deformed so as to aid in retaining the rail in position, and a "park" position at which the clip is engaged with the stud or insert so as to be retained in position S. relative to the stud but space from said operative position, said clip having a generally S. "U-shaped" configuration providing a base from which there extends a pair of arms, each arm terminating at an end remote from said base, and wherein each arm has a slot extending from the arm end towards the base, with at least one of the arms having a projection extending inwardly relative to the slot of said one arm to engage the stud or insert to aid in locating the clip in said "park" position.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of a rail secured to a supporting tie by means of a resilient fastening assembly; Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation of a clip of the assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic top plane view of the clip of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a schematic plane view of a blank employed to form the clip of Figures 2 and 3; Figure 5 is a schematic end elevation of the blank of Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a schematic end elevation of the clip of Figure 2.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment In the accompanying drawings, there is schematically depicted a rail 10 having a foot 11 supported on a tie or sleeper 12 and to be secured in position by means of resilient fastening assemblies 13. Each assembly 13 includes a stud or insert 14 having an anchor portion 15 secured to (embedded) in the tie or sleeper 12 so as to be secured in position.

Extending upwardly from the anchor portion 15 is a head 16 which is of a "T" configuratiQn so as to have a stem 17 terminating with an upper transverse bar 18.

Associated with each stud or insert 14 is a spacer 19 which may also be an insulating member together with the mounting pad *e..Each assembly 13 further includes a resilient clip 21 which is locatable in an operative position and a "park" position In the operative position the clip 21 is resiliently deformed so as to urge the rail 10 into contact with the pad 20 and therefore aids in retaining the rail 10 correctly mounted on the tie or sleeper 12. In the "park" position the clip 21 is spaced from the operative position so that the rail 10 can be manipulated.

The clip 21 is of a "U-shaped" when viewed in side elevation so as to have a base 22 from which there extends arms 23 and 24. The arm 23 has an end extremity 25 while the arm 24 has an end extremity 26. Extending inwardly from the end extremity towards the base 22 is a slot 27. Extending inwardly from the end extremity 26 towards the base 22 is a slot 28. The slots 27 and 28 enable the clip 21 to be positioned about the stem 17. More particularly when the clip 21 is being inserted the stem 17 enters the slot 27 and 28.

At least one of the arms 23 and 24 is provided with at least one projection extending inwardly of the slot 27 or 28 to engage the stem 17 to aid in locating the clip 21 in the "park" position. In this particular embodiment two transversely aligned projections 29 are provided on the arm 24 adjacent the end extremity 26 which engage the stem 17 to aid in locating the clip 21 in the "park" position. Also in this embodiment the arm 23 is provided with a pair of transversely aligned projections 30 which aid in retaining the clip 21 in the operative position by again engaging the stem 17.

When the clip 21 is being initially located in the "park" position, the stem 17 passes between the projections 29 so that the projections 29 are deflected laterally enabling the stem 17 to enter the slot 28. When in this initial position the projections 29 inhibit dislocation of the clip 21 away from the rail 10, while the projections 29 inhibit entry of the stem 17 into the slot 28. Upon an insertion force being applied to the clip 21 to move the clip 21 from the "park" position to the operative position, the projections 30 are transversely displaced so that the stem 17 can pass and enter the slot 27.

It should be appreciated that the clip 21 is formed of resilient steel enabling its compression in the operative position, and resilient defamation of the arm parts 31 and 32 to provide for the entry of the stem 17 in the slots 27 and 28. During insertion of the stems 17 in the slots 27 and 28 the arm parts 31 and 32 are transversely, resiliently e. deflected to enable the stem 17 to pass the projections 29 and ooo* ooo.

Claims (6)

1. A resilient clip to engage a stud or insert of a rail fastening assembly, the clip being adapted to engage a rail to aid in securing the rail in position, the clip being moveable relative to the stud or insert between an operative position at which the clip is resiliently deformed so as to aid in retaining the rail in position, and a "park" position at which the clip is engaged with the stud or insert so as to be retained in position relative to the stud but space from said operative position, said clip having a generally "U-shaped" configuration providing a base from which there extends a pair of arms, each arm terminating at an end remote from said base, and wherein each arm has a slot extending io from the arm end towards the base, with at least one of the arms having a projection extending inwardly relative to the slot of said one arm to engage the stud or insert to aid in locating the clip in said "park" position.

2. The resilient clip of claim 1 wherein said projection is a first projection, and said resilient clip includes a second projection on one of said arms extending inwardly with respect to the slot of the arm having said second projection.

3. The resilient clip of claim 1 wherein said at least one of said arms has a further projection projecting inwardly relative to the slot of said at least one of the arms •so that the projections are transversely aligned.

4. The resilient clip of claim 3 further including a further second projection extending .20 inwardly relative to the slot of said second projection and transversely aligned with -""respect thereto.

5. A resilient clip for a rail fastening assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. In combination a stud or insert of a rail fastening system, and a resilient clip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 25 June, 2001 GENERAL RAILWAY SUPPLIES PTY LTD Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [R:\LIBTT]02867.doctyb