AU607644B2 - Base plate stud - Google Patents

Description

S F 61764 41 S F Ref: 61721/86D1 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Cliass mEt Class d *n 4 pr t 4 i- I :II i;s Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name and Address of Applicant: Albert Edward Rex General and Railway Supplies Pty Ltd Institute Road Montacute South Australia 5134

AUSTRALIA

Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia ^^Byy" 1 Address for Service: Address for Service: Complete Specification for the invention entitled: BASE PLATE STUD The following statement is a full description of this Invention, Including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5845/3 i i -e r -2- This invention relates to an insert which can be used In conjunction with a stool sleeper or a base plate, for retention of a resilient rail retaining clip, which clip retains in position rails upon which railway vehicles pass.

There is frequent use of base plates for supporting rails from r sleepers, the base plates performig the function of holding gauge over a predetermined area, and usually the rail foot and base plates of a rail are retained by dog spikes which are driven through apertures In the base plates, the dog spikes having heads thereon which engage over the rail foot, One of the problems which is encountered in track maintenance of a railroad track is that the dog spikes, particularly those directly engaging the rail, eventually work loose from a sleeper (particularly a timber S sleeper) and this allows both the base plate and the rail to have movement with respect to the supporting sleeper.

There is considerable demand for resilient fastening systems which employ resilient clips to secure the rail to the base plate. The above described conventional dog spike systems are not resilient, in that they do not allow movement between the dog spike and the rail. These conventional systems are not adapted to employ resilient clips and accordingly conversion to a resilient fastening system is expensive.

The closest prior art which Is known to the applicant Is the United States Patent 2,333,518, wherein there Is disclosed a threaded stud having a leg with a toe which was capable of gripping be'ow the undersurface of a w base plate, and a heel which, upon tilting of the leg, would bear against 2, the upper surface. However, such an arrangement is not suited for use in conjunction with the U-shaped type bifurcate clip, firstly since the use of a nut on the end of a threaded stud Is unreliable due to the possibility of the nut slackening with the effluxlon of time, secondly the threads can and I frequently do rust and lose much of their strength, and thirdly, no provision is made or can readily be made for restraint of the stud against tilting as a U-shaped clip is driven Into position. Still further, If a spiral spring Is used as shown in that specification, the amount of force I exerted by the spring In Inhibiting tilting Is relatively small since the spring will compress on one side but release on the other, and If for any reason a rail foot moves away from the fasteners, tilting is liable to occur.

One particular resilient fastening system employs a T-shaped stud to hold In position a resilient clip which biasses the rail Into contact with I the base plate. The T-shaped stud Is welded to the base plate. This JLH/357t I I -v v -3 d .1 previously known system has several disadvantages including the cost of Installation of the studs and the weakening of the supporting area of the base plate resulting from the welding process.

Resilient fastening systems are also employed with steel sleapers.

However the inserts used with steel sleepers are difficult to secure to the steel sleeper and do not provide for the easy Insertion of resilient clips.

It Is the object of the present Invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein an Insert for a rail fastening system employing a rail support having generally vertical internal surfaces defining an aperture through which the Insert passes, to secure a rail having a head to the support by means of a resilient clip, said insert having an elongated shank to extend below the support, an upper end to 1S engage said clip and to retain said clip in a compressed state to bias said rail into engagement with said support, and a lower end to be positioned below the support, which lower end has a lower abutment surface to engage the support to prevent withdrawal of the Insert by forces applied thereto by said clip, said upper end having a downwardly facing clip engaging surface which permits installation of the clip In a direction transverse of said shank, the shank having a front surface adjacent the rail and an opposing rear surface, one of the shank surfaces Including a relief surface *0 near said lower abutment surface but In the shank surface remote therefrom, enabling insertion of the shank Into said aperture by tilting of the Insert, and a generally transverse surface above said relief surface to securely engage against sadqsep internal surfaces to orient said insert In use relatively normal to the support, when Inserted In said aperture.

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 perspective view of a resilient rail fastening system securing a rail to a base plate; Figure 2 Is a schematic sectioned side elevation of the system rail and base plate; Figures 3 to 5 are schematic elevations of an alternative Insert to be employed In the resilient fastening system of Figure 1; Figures 6 to 8 are schematic elevations of a still further

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3a alternative insert to be employed in the resilient fastening system of Figure 1; Figure 9 is a schematic parts exploded perspective view of an alternative Insert and alternative clip to be used in the resilient

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GSA/00 i i 4fastening system of Figure 1; Figure 10 Is a schematic part sectioned side elevation of a resilient rail fastening system securing a rail to a steeool sleeper; Figure 11 is a schematic top plan view of the Insert and resilient clip forming the resilient fastening system employed in Figure Figure 12 Is a schematic side elevation of the Insert employed in Figure Figure 13 Is a schematic rear elevation of the Insert of Figure 12; Figure 14 Is a front end elevation of the insert of Figure 12; Figure 15 is a schematic top plan view of the insert of Figure 12; Figure 16 is a schematic sectioned plan view of the insert of Figure 12 sectioned along the line I-I; and Figure 17 is a plan view of the Insert of Figure 10 horizontally sectioned.

In Figures 1 and 2 there is schematically depicted a rail 10 to engage the wheels of a railway vehicle. The rail 10 Is supported on a base plate 11 fixed to a sleeper 56. Conventionally, the base plate 11 Is supported on timber sleepers by means of "dog spikes". The dog spikes pass through apertures 12 formed In the base plate 11. The rail 10 has a head 49 joined to a foot 13 by a web 14. The foot 13 is directly mounted on the base plate 11 and is held laterally In position by two ribs 15 which extend longitudinally of the rail 10. The base plate 11 is also provided with an aperture 16 through which an insert 17 passes and which in use is upright t+ compared to the plate 11. The Insert 17 Is part of a resilient track fastening system employing a clip 18. The clip 18 Is of a known construction and is of a generally U-shaped configuration providing a base 19 from which there projects two sets of legs 20 and 21. The legs 20 abut the head 22 of the Insert 17, while the legs 20 abut the foot 13 of the rail 10. The head 22 is positioned relative to the foot 13 so that the clip 18 is In a compressed condition thereby biassing the foot 13 into engagement with the base plate 11, More particularly, as the clip 18 is Inserted, the legs 20 and 21 are deflected towards.each other to thereby resiliently deform the clip 18. The legs 21 are separated by means of a groove 23 to allow the legs 21 to pass the insert 17, similarly the legs are provided with a groove 24.

As best seen in Figure 2, the insert 17, as mentioned previously, Includes a head 22 which engages the legs 21. The head 22 Is of a T-shaped configuration so as to provide two horizontally extending arms 35 which are located between the surface 29 and the rail 10 when viewed in plan. The JLH/357t arms 35 extend generally parallel to the rail 10 and provide downwardly facing surfaces 36 which engage the clip 18. The insert basically consists of a shank 25 having an upper end providing the head 22, and a lower end 26 which is located beneath the plate 11. The lower end 26 provides an abutment surface 27 which engages the lower surface 28 of the plate 11.

The abutment surface 27, which is basically a step in the shank prevents the insert 17 from being withdrawn due to forces being applied thereto by the clip 18. The shank 25 is also provided with a further abutment surface 29 which engages the upper surface 30 of the plate 11.

The abutment surface 219 prevents backward tilting of the insert 17. The abutment surface 29 is provided by a step 31 against which an impact force may be applied to aid in insertion of the insert 17. The abutment surface f 9 29 also defines the operative position of the insert 17, in combination with the abutment surface 27. The insert 17 has a cross section adjacent '1 the surface 29 which is approximately the cross section of the aperture 16. As best seen in Figure 1, a vertical surface 37 abuts the internal surface of the aperture 16 together with the vertical surfaces 38 of the insert 17. The surfaces 37 and 38 aid in retaining the insert 17 upright as discussed previously, but engage the vertical forward and rearward surfaces of the aperture 16.

9 o The rear face of the lower end 26 of the shank 25 Is provided with a relief surface 32 which enables the lower end 26 of the shank to be S inserted through the aperture 16. When inserting the insert 17, the longitudinal axis of the insert must be inclined to the horizontal. For example, the end 26 could be designed so that upon the longitudinal axis of the shank 25 being inclined at about 200 to the vertical, the lower end 26 will pass through the aperture 16 enabling the abutment surface 27 to be engaged with the lower surface 28 of the base plate 11. It may be necessary when inserting the insert 17, to apply an impact force against the shoulder 31.

The clip 18 is retained in its operative position by the apex 33 of the head 22 being located within a concave portion 34 provided by each of the legs 21. Accordingly, any lateral movement of the rail 10 will not cause movement of the clip 18 relative to the insert 17. As the clip 18 also engages the base plate 11, the clip 18 aids in inhibiting rail creep, that is, movement of the rail along its longitudinal direction ofI extension, by frictionally engaging both the base plate 11 and the rail It may be advantageous to prevent movement of the head 22 towards the rail 10 during insertion of the clip 18, by locating an anvil between the JLH/357t

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i i ti r 6 -6head 22 and the web 14. Accordingly, as the clip 18 is Inserted in a direction transverse of the shank 25, the head 22 will not be tilted towards the rail The abutment surfaces 27 and 29 are located respectively between the rail 10 and arms 35, and further from the rail 10 relative to the surface 27 when viewed In plan.

In Figures 6 to 8 there Is schematically depicted an insert 40 which may be used as a replacement for the Insert 17 of Figures 1 and 2.

Basically, the Insert 17 of Figures 1 and 2 is designed to be employed where a dog spike aperture has been previously formed In the timber sleeper. The insert 40 of Figures 6 to 8 Is provided with a pointed lower end 41 enabling the lower end 41 to penetrate a "soft timber" sleeper.

S4 Accordingly, the sleeper need not be provided with a dog spike aperture.

The insert 40 has features In common with the insert 17, which common features appearing in the Insert 40 having been given the same numerals as the features of the insert 17.

0; s Figures 3 to 5 illustrate a further insert 45 with the lower end 46 thereof being tapered so as to provide a "chisel" edge 47 to replace the point 41 of the Insert 40. The chisel edge 47 Is provided to enable the Insert 45 to be used In Instances where the sleeper is not provided with a dog spike aperture.

In Figure 9 there Is schematically depicted an Insert 50 and clip 51 of a resilient fastening system which may be used as an alternative to the fastening system of Figures 1 and 2. In this particular embodiment, the o4,4,26 Insert 50 is similar In construction to the Insert 45 in that It is provided with a chisel edge 47. However, the head 22 Is provided with a transverse passage 52 to receive a straight section 53 of the clip 51. The clip 51 has a rail foot engaging portion 54 and a base plate engaging portion 55. In use, when the clip 51 Is applied to the insert 50, the 30 straight section 53 passes through the passage 52, and the portions 54 and engage the rail foot and base plate respectively. In this position, the clip 51 Is resiliently deformed in order to bias th. rail into contact with the base plate. The clip 51 is of a known construction and is sold under the Trade Mark "PANDROL". It should be appreciated that the clip 51 Is inserted in the passage 52 by moving the cl1p 51 In a direction transverse of the shank With the above described preferred embodiments of the present invention, existing dog spike arrangements may be replaced with a resilient fastening system. For example, a dog spike can be removed and replaced :1 JLH/357t ~I i -e 4 -7with one of the above described inserts and the appropriate clip used, The insert is positioned by inclining the shank and then driving the insert outwardly until the abutment surface 27 is engaged beneath the base plate, and the abutment surface 29 engaged on top of the base plate. The appropriate clip 18 or 51 can then be inserted and an anvil used if necessary.

As best in Figures 4 and 7, the inserts 40 and 45 have vertical surfaces 39 and 48 respectively to abut the internal surfaces of the aperture 16, as seen in Figures 1 and 2. This then assures a snug fit between the inserts 40 and 45 and the aperture 16. In this portion the inserts 40 and 45 are oriented generally normal to the plates.

In Figures 10 to 16, there is schematically depicted a resilient 4, fastening system 60 used to secure a rail 61 to a steel sleeper 62. The rail 61 has a rail head 63 joined to a rail foot 64 by means of a web The steel sleeper 62 has apertures 66.

The resilient fastening system 60 includes an insert 67 which engages resilient clip 68. The insert 67 retains the clip 68 in a tensioned state so that the clip 68 applies a force to the rail foot 64, to bias the rail foot 64 into contact with the steel sleeper 62. The apertures 62 are circular in transverse horizontal cross section. The clip 68 is of a simlarcofigratonto the clips previously described, suhas tie clip 0 10 18.

The insert 67 has a shank 69 terminating at its upper end with a head 70 of 'ITshpd cofgrtnsoa to provide a pair of horizontally 26 extending arms 71. The clip 68 engages the arms 71 in a manner similar to that previously described. Located below the shank 69 is a lower portion .4 engage the vertical surfaces of the sleeper 62 surrounding the aperture 66.

The surfaces 73 and 74 fit snugly within the aperture 66 and orient the insert 67 generally vertically relative to the sleeper 62.

The lower portion 72 Is also provided with a horizontal extension having an upwardly facing abutment surface 76 which engages the lower surface 77 of the sleeper 62. Behind the abutment surface 76 is a release surface 78 which allows the insert 67 to be inserted in the aperture 66.

This insertion is accomplished by first locating the lower portion 72 in the aperture 66 and then rotating the head 70 towards the rail 61. Thle surface 73 also abuts the rail foot 64.

Abutting the upper surface of the steel sleeper 62 is a transverse abutment 77, which engages the rail foot 64 and provide the upper portion of the surface 73.

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Claims (22)

1. An Insert for a rail fastening system employing a rail support having generally vertical internal surfaces defining an aperture through which the insert passes, to secure a rail having a head to the support by V means of a resilient clip, said insert having an elongated shank to extend below the support, an upper end to ergage said clip and to retain said clip in a compressed state to bias said rail into engagJement with said support, and a lower end to be positioned below the support, which lower end has a lower abutment surface to engage the support to prevent withdrawal of the insert by forces applied thereto by said clip, said upper end having a downwardly facing clip engaging surface which permits installation of the clip in a direction transverse of said shank, the shank having a front surface adjacent the rail and an opposing rear surface, one of the shank surfaces including a relief surface near said lower abutment surface but in A 4 4 a the shank surface remote therefrom, enabling insertion of the shank into said aperture by tilting of the insert, and a generally transverse surface above said relief surface to securely engage against saidb& s internal surfaces to orient said insert in use relatively normal to the support, when inserted in said aperture.

2. The insert of claim I wherein said insert Is adapted to engage with said support by rotation of the Insert about a horizontal axis parallel to the rail, while said lower end passes through said aperture, said insert being rotated from the tilted or an inclined orientation to an upright orientation operatively engaged with said support.

3. The insert of Claim 1 or 2, wherein said upper end is of a T-shape configuration so as to provide two horizontally extending arms, 4extending gererally transverse of said shank and which, in use, are generally parallel to said rail, said arms providing said clip engaging surface.

4. The insert of Claim 3, wherein said lower abutment surface, in use, is located to project toward said rail when viewed in plan.

S. The insert of Claim 3, wherein said lower abutm~nt surface, in use, is located to project away from said rail when viewed in plan.

6. The insert of any one of Claims 1 to 51 including an upper further abutment surface which, In use, is located further from said railI relative to said lower abutment surface, when viewed in plan, which further abutmient surface engages an upper surface of said base plate.a

7. The insert of any one of Claiiis I to 5, wherein said lower end GSA/SO0t 9 9 is provided with a tip for penetrating a timber sleeper.

8. The Insert of any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said front surface has sufficient height to project upwardly from within said aperture to engage the rail.

9. The Insert of any one of Claims 1 to 8 further Including a transverse abutment extending transverse of said shank so that in use it extends parallel to the rail, to abut said support and said rail.

The Insert of any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein said upper end Is provided with a passage extending generally transverse of said shank so that, in use, said passage extends generally parallel to said rail, said passage being dimensioned to receive a portion of said clip and to provide I said downwardly facing clip engaging surface.

11. In combination the insert of any one of Claims 1 to 9 and said support.

12. The combinations of Claim 11, wherein said Insert lower end has trt an effective width normal to said rail, which is larger than the corresponding width of said aperture, so that said Insert Is only engagable with said support by rotation of the Insert about a horizontal axis parallel to the rail, while said lower end passes through said aperture, said Insert being rotated from the tilted or an Inclined orientation to an upright orientation.

13. The combination of Claim 10, wherein said aperture has a forward and a rearward generally vertical surface, and said front surface is 'o generally vertical and engages with said forward surface, and said t transverse surface Is generally planar and engages the rearward surface of said aperture.

14. The combination of Claim 11, when appended to Claim 5, when said transverse surface extends downward from said further abutment surface.

The combination of Claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein said support Is a steel sleeper. i

16. The combination of Claim 10, 11 or 12, wherein said support Is a r base plate means.

17. The combination of claw. 10, 11 or 12 wherein said support Is a base plate to be mounted on a tir s'eper.

18. The combination of an r Jf Claims 11 to 16, wherein said clip engaging surface In use extenc Irallel to the rail.

19. An Insert for a rail istening system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings, GSA/SOt t k

20. The combination of any one of Claims 11 to 18 wherein said shank has a transverse horizontal cross section, adjacently above said lower abutment surface, which is approximately equal to the transverse cross section of said aperture.

21. In combination, an insert, base plate and resilient clip, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. In combination, an insert, resilient clip and a steel sleeper, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. SDATED this THENTY-EIGHTH day of SEPTEMBER 1990 Albert Edward Rex Patent Attorneys for the Applicant I' SPRUSON FERGUSON A 444r* 18Also -L