GB190713963A - Improvements in and relating to Composite Railway Ties. - Google Patents

Abstract

13,963. Chapman, R. M. June 17. Sleepers.-Composite railway sleepers are built up from two rectangular prisms, preferably made of a cementitious material such as concrete, between the end portions of which a square wooden block is provided to carry the rails, the whole being secured together by steel straps. Fig. 1 shows a plan of the sleeper, Fig. 6 a transverse sectional view taken through one of the wooden blocks, and Fig. 7 a sectional elevation of one of the rectangular prisms. The prisms are formed at each end with a pair of shallow recesses 23, which extend across their upper, lower, and outer faces and are adapted to receive the steel straps 30, of which one is shown detached in Fig. 8. The wooden 'blocks are placed between and supported by these straps, and recesses 221 are formed in the prisms to allow the expansion of the blocks due to moisture. Reinforcing-bars 225, preferably arched and provided with projections, are placed in the prisms during their manufacture. The straps are secured by bolts 37, and the wooden blocks are prevented from moving transversely by plates 40, Figs. 6 and 9, fitted in the slots 32 in the base of the straps and bent so as to engage the bolts 37. The flanges 35 of the straps are formed as shown so as to give slightly under transverse stresses. If desired, the wooden blocks may be composed of several similar pieces matched together. In a modification, the prisms are made of cast iron or of a cast-iron shell filled with concrete.