EP1672121B1 - Device and method for fastening a rail on a fixed support - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a fastener (16) forming a spring with two branches joined by a central loop (21). The branches are applied against a rail flange, and a sleeper screw (18) traversing the loop is screwed in a fixed support. A spacer (30) traversed by the screw has stressing units (31) to stress the fastener. The stressing units are arranged to yield from certain effort transmitted by the screw on the spacer. Independent claims are also included for the following: (A) a railway track tie (B) equipment for assembling a rail fastening device (C) a method for assembling a rail fastening device.

Description

The invention relates to a device for fastening a rail to a fixed support, this device comprising essentially a spring clip, comprising two branches joined by a central loop, (said branches being intended to be applied against a rail pad). a lag bolt passing through said central loop and screwed into said fixed support. The invention also relates to a rail attachment method using such a device.

A device of this type is known to EP 0 694 649 A .

Traditionally, when installing a railroad track, the fasteners are pre-assembled at regular intervals on the support (typically the sleepers) in the waiting position along the location provided for the rail but outside the -this. The attachment consists, once the rail is laid, to put the fasteners in contact with the runners of the rail and to tighten the lag bolts until the spring fasteners exert on said rail a suitable clamping force.

Before the installation of the rail, the fasteners are premounted under stress, both to not be lost and for each fastener is in a position of pre-assembly well defined. Some fasteners are designed to be put in place by a 180 ° rotation, others, for example according to EP 0 401 424 A by a simple translation in a direction perpendicular to the rail. In both cases, it is necessary, at the time of this operation, to unscrew the lag bolt to release the fastener, to put it in position on the runner of the rail and to screw again the lag bolt until with complete tightening of the spring clip.

The invention aims to simplify fastening operations of the fastener, in particular by removing the unscrewing of the lag bolt to release the fastener before its introduction.

For this purpose, the invention proposes a device for fixing a rail to a fixed support, of the type comprising a spring fastener, comprising two branches united by a central loop, said branches being intended to be applied against a rail pad and a lag bolt passing through said central loop, screwed into said fixed support, characterized in that it comprises an intermediate piece traversed by said lag bolt and comprising means for stressing said fastener, the stressing means being arranged to yield from a certain force transmitted by said lag bolt on said intermediate part, in order to release said fastener in the substantially unconstrained state and allow its displacement in mounting position and its final tightening.

By "give way" one does not necessarily hear a rupture or permanent deformation of the stressing means. Preferably, on the contrary, it will rather be an elastic and reversible deformation of the insert and / or the fastener itself (the central loop being elastically deformable), the desired technical effect is rather to obtain an "overrun" of the position of the lag bolt for which the fastener is moderately stressed pending along the rail location.

In the case where it is essentially the intercalary part that is deformed, it can be made in an elastically deformable material and / or arrange its shape to facilitate the elastic deformation (slit of elasticity).

Advantageously, said insert is made of electrically insulating material which allows to isolate the lag bolt relative to the fastener.

One of the advantages of the invention lies in the fact that the transition from the premounting position to the final position is effected by a single screwing movement. The tool is coupled to the lag screw head once and the rotation thereof is in one and the same direction.

Preferably, the device can be completed to ensure automatic positioning of the fastener as soon as it has been released by screwing the lag bolt.

The stressing means may comprise two ribs projecting from the lower part of the intermediate piece, the height of which, above said rib, is sufficient to allow the loosening of the fastener after passing said ribs.

Advantageously, when said fastener is designed to be implemented essentially by a rotation of 180 ° around the lag bolt, the intermediate part may comprise means of coupling with said fastener, cooperating with it, after erasing said setting means. in constraint, for its rotational displacement together with said fastener to said mounting position. For example, the coupling means of the intermediate piece may consist of a relatively thick central body having a hole for the passage of the lag bolt and having a side wall whose contour matches the inner contour of said central loop of the attached.

In this way, the clip and the intermediate piece pivot together and automatically position themselves relative to the rail pad.

A similar system may be proposed in the case where the fastener is designed to be implemented by simple translation perpendicular to the rail. For example, as soon as the fastener is released, by screwing the lag bolt, the operator can push it back, foot, to the rail and continue to screw the lag bolt. It is also possible to provide a spring precompressed between the fastener in the waiting position and a fixed stop. In this case, the fastener will be pushed back to the rail by the expansion of the spring as soon as it has been released by screwing the lag bolt. The operator does not have to worry about its installation and can continue to screw the lag bolt until complete tightening of the fastener against the rail pad.

Finally, the invention also relates to a method of mounting a fixing device between a rail and a fixed support, said device comprising a spring clip comprising two branches joined by a central loop, said branches being intended to come to apply against a rail pad and a lag bolt passing through said central loop, screwed into said fixed support, characterized in that it consists in premounting said clip on said support in a standby position adjacent to a rail location and in a state constrained by said lag bolt, the stressing means being arranged to yield from a certain force transmitted by said lag bolt, then, after placing said rail, to actuate said lag bolt until causing said stressing means to be released and releasing said fastener in the substantially unconstrained state, moving said fastener towards its mounting position and continuing actuation of said fastener bottom-up until the fastener is properly tightened on said rail pad.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une partie d'une traverse de rail, avant montage de ce dernier, ladite traverse étant équipée d'un système de fixation prémonté, en position d'attente, conforme au principe de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue générale en perspective d'une clé de serrage d'un tire-fond pour la mise en place de l'attache par rotation; l'invention ne concerne pas cet équipement de montage;
• la figure 3 illustre en perspective la traverse sur laquelle on a monté le rail, la clé de serrage du tire-fond étant mise en place sur l'un des dispositifs de fixation ;
• la figure 4 est une vue analogue à la figure 3 illustrant la libération de l'attache formant ressort après un début de vissage du tire-fond ;
• la figure 5 est une vue analogue à la figure 4 illustrant la rotation de l'attache ;
• la figure 6 est une vue analogue à la figure 5 illustrant la fin de la rotation de l'attache ;
• la figure 7 illustre la position de l'attache après serrage complet du tire-fond ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en perspective d'une variante du système de fixation prémonté en position d'attente.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will become more apparent in the light of the following description of a rail fastening device according to its principle and equipment for setting it up. ci, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• the figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a rail cross member, before mounting the latter, said cross member being equipped with a premounted fastening system, in the waiting position, in accordance with the principle of the invention;
• the figure 2 is a general perspective view of a tightening wrench of a lag bolt for setting up the fastener by rotation; the invention does not relate to this mounting equipment;
• the figure 3 illustrates in perspective the crossbar on which the rail has been mounted, the tightening key of the lag bolt being put in place on one of the fixing devices;
• the figure 4 is a view similar to the figure 3 illustrating the release of the spring clip after a start of screwing the lag bolt;
• the figure 5 is a view similar to the figure 4 illustrating the rotation of the fastener;
• the figure 6 is a view similar to the figure 5 illustrating the end of the rotation of the fastener;
• the figure 7 illustrates the position of the fastener after complete tightening of the lag bolt;
• the figure 8 is a perspective view of a variant of the preassembled fixing system in the waiting position.

On the figure 1 , there is shown a cross member 11 equipped with two rail fastening devices 12 according to the invention, facing each other on either side of a rail slot occupied by an insulating base 14. Of course, the crossbar comprises such a system for each rail slot provided thereon. Each fastening device is of the type comprising a fastener 16 and a lag screw 18. The lag bolt is screwed into the fixed support constituted by the crossbar. The fastener 16 is made of steel and forms a spring comprising two branches 20 joined by a central loop 21. figure 1 , The branches are removed from the rail location but they are intended to come against the foot of such a rail, once the fastener is put in place and tightened.

In known manner, the fastener 16 rests on a lateral abutment 24, made of insulating material, through which the lag bolt passes. The lateral abutment comprises a song 26 capable of being applied along the rail pad. The fastener 16 is placed and stressed on the lateral stop 24, by a moderate tightening of the lag bolt.

The lateral abutment 24 has an inclined-face groove 27, parallel to the rail and adapted to later receive rear loops 28 of the fastener.

According to an important characteristic of the invention, the fixing device comprises an intermediate piece 30 traversed by the lag bolt and comprising means 31 for stressing said fastener. These stressing means are arranged to yield from a certain force transmitted by the lag bolt on the intermediate piece. In other words, at first, the lag bolt is screwed to transmit a moderate stress to the spring, through the insert. This moderate constraint makes it possible to immobilize all the elements of the fixing device in the waiting position as represented on the figure 1 . The cross is equipped this way and then transported and set up on the site, in this state. The stressing means, when they give way, make it possible to release the fastener which resumes a substantially unconstrained state, which allows its movement in the mounting position and its final tightening. In the example, the stressing means comprise two ribs projecting from the lower part of the intermediate piece on either side thereof. The height of the intermediate piece above the ribs is sufficient to allow the relaxation of the fastener after passing said ribs.

In addition, the intermediate part comprises coupling means with the fastener cooperating therewith, after erasure of the stressing means, for a joint displacement in rotation of the fastener and the insert, to said position of mounting.

In the example, the coupling means of the intermediate piece comprise a central body 34, relatively thick, having a hole 35 for the passage of the lag bolt and defining a side wall whose contour fits the inner contour of the loop central of the fastener.

In addition, the hole 35 for the passage of the lag bolt is oblong (it extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the buckle of the fastener) while the intermediate piece 30 has a curved stop 38 parallel to said lateral wall of the central body 34 so that said side wall and the curved abutment together form a space 39 adapted to receive a median portion of the loop 21 after loosening the fastener. In this way, after exceeding the stressing means 31, that is to say the two ribs, the intermediate piece and the fastener will be fully interlocked in one another and secured in rotation as well as in one another. in translation with respect to the lag bolt. The intermediate piece has an upper surface covering the two branches of the buckle 21 of the fastener and the head of the lag bolt 18 rests on this upper surface via a washer 36.

As we see on the figure 2 , the actuation key 40 of the lag bolt carries a drive member 42 of the fastener, frictionally connected to said key. Specifically, the drive member 42 comprises two parallel fingers 44 directed downwards and engageable between each branch 20 and the central loop 21 of the fastener. These two fingers are secured to a plate to which is attached a tubular collar 46 engaged around the cylindrical handle 47 of the wrench. A friction material 48 is interposed between the flange and the handle. In addition, a stopper 50 is carried by the drive member 42. It is dimensioned and shaped to come into contact with the rail (or other element) fixed after a predetermined rotation of the drive member, in this case a rotation of a half-turn. The drive member 42 is therefore designed to rotate with the tightening wrench of the lag screw provided that the resistance that is exerted on him is not too important. Beyond a certain resistance, there is a sliding between the drive member and the handle 47 of the operating key.

The mounting of the fixing device 12 which has just been described is evident from the foregoing description.

From the pre-assembly position illustrated on the figure 1 it is sufficient to place the key 40 in engagement with the lag screw head and in such a way that the drive member 42 is engaged with the clip as shown in FIG. figure 3 . In this initial situation, the blocking stop is opposite the rail 43. The operator begins to screw the lag bolt, which has the only consequence of lowering the lag bolt head driving the intermediate piece 30 towards the bottom. On the other hand, the fastener 16 still under stress can not be rotated.

By continuing the screwing of the lag screw, the ribs constituting the stressing means 31, eventually exceed the branches of the loop 21 of the fastener, which releases the latter of any constraint. At the same time, the fastener 16 and the intermediate part 30 are completely solidified since the central part of the loop engages in the space 39 defined between the lateral surface of the central body and the curved abutment.

As, moreover, the fastener 16 is no longer force-applied against the lateral stop, it can be rotated ( figure 5 ) until the locking stop 50 meets the rail, which corresponds to a correct positioning of the fastener relative to the rail pad 51. The operator does not have to worry about the positioning of the fastener, which immobiiise naturally, in final mounting position along the rail pad. The operator is content to continue screwing the lag bolt ( figure 6 ), which results in putting the elastic tie back under constraint while causing a slight retreat thereof until the lateral loops 28 of the fastener are positioned in the groove 27 of the lateral abutment 24. At the end of screwing the lag bolt, the situation is as illustrated on the figure 7 . Clamping of the fastener is carried out when the head of the lag bolt 18, resting on the washer 35, presses the intermediate piece against the lateral abutment 24, causing the lowering of the central loop 21 of the fastener, which results in a clamping effect, transmitted by the two branches 20, on the runner of the rail.

On the figure 8 where structural elements similar to those of the figure 1 have the same reference numerals, the insert is summarized as a stop 30a integral with the lag bolt 18. This is a frustoconical ring of decreasing diameter from top to bottom surrounding the lag bolt 18, welded to the here or in one piece with him. As is visible, the stressing of the fastener 16 is obtained via the stop 30a by a moderate tightening of the lag bolt. Continuing the screwing thereof, the stop 30a passes below the central loop 21 of the clip 16 and releases the latter which can be moved to its final position and tightened with the lag screw head. The distance between the stop 30a and the lag screw head is determined to accommodate the central loop 21 when the clip is released.

The fixed support may be, for example, a crossbar supporting one or more rails. In this case, said crosspiece comprises, for each rail, two fixing devices as defined above, facing each other on either side of a rail location defined on said crossmember. The invention can also be applied to a similar assembly, fixed on a concrete slab.

Claims (11)

1. A device for fastening a rail (12) on a fixed support, of the type including a fastener (16) forming a spring, comprising two branches joined together by a central loop, said branches being intended to be applied against a rail base (51) and a sleeper screw (18) passing through said central loop, screwed into said fixed support, characterized in that it includes a spacer part (30) crossed by said sleeper screw (18) and comprising means for stressing (31) said fastener, the stressing means being laid out so that yielding occurs above a certain force transmitted by said sleeper screw onto said spacer part, in order to release said fastener in a substantially unstressed condition and allow its displacement in the position of assembly and its definitive tightening.
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said stressing means comprise two ribs (31) protruding at the lower portion of the said spacer part, the height of the latter above said ribs being sufficient for allowing said fastener to be released after passing said ribs.
3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said spacer part includes means for coupling with said fastener, cooperating with the latter after passing said stressing means for its displacement in rotation together with said fastener towards said assembly position.
4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that said coupling means of said spacer part comprise a central body (34) including a hole (35) for letting through the sleeper screw and a side wall, the contour of which fits the interior contour of said central loop of the fastener.
5. The device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said hole (35) for letting through the sleeper screw is oblong and in that said spacer part includes a space (39) able to receive a middle portion of said loop after releasing said fastener.
6. The device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a side stop (24) able to be applied along a rail base and on which said fastener is laid and stressed in a pre-assembly position.
7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said spacer part is a stop (30a) integral with the sleeper screw (18).
8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that said stop is a truncated conical ring encircling said sleeper screw.
9. A railway track sleeper, characterized in that, for each rail location which it includes, it is equipped with two fastening devices (12) according to any of the preceding claims, facing each other on either side of said rail location.
10. A railway track sleeper according to claim 9,
    characterized in that said rail location is covered with an insulating sole (14).
11. A method for assembling a fastening device, between a rail (12) and a fixed support, said device comprising a fastener (16) forming a spring including two branches joined together by a central loop, said branches being intended to be applied against a rail base (51) and a sleeper screw (28) passing through said central loop, screwed into said fixed support, characterized in that it consists of pre-assembling said fastener (16) on said support in a waiting position adjacent to a rail location and in the stressed condition (31) by said sleeper screw, the stressing means (31) being laid out so that yielding occurs above a certain force transmitted by said sleeper screw (18), and after placing said rail, of then actuating said sleeper screw until said stressing means yield and release said fastener in the substantially non-stressed condition, of displacing said fastener towards its assembly position and of further actuating said sleeper screw until the fastener has been suitably tightened on said rail base.

Images