GB2048345A - Rail fastener assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A rail fastener assembly includes an anchor member (10) which is embedded in a concrete sleeper and a spring clip (12) which extends through an opening (26) in the anchor member and which is held by the anchor member in a flexed condition in engagement with the rail (R) through an insulator (16). The spring clip includes a notch (12b) in the end thereof which is remote from the anchor member, and a locking rod (14) extends through the notch into an aperture in the anchor member so as to lock the spring clip in place in flexed engagement with the rail. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rail fastener assembly The present invention relates to an improved rail fastener for affixing the base flange of a rail to an associated rail foundation such as a concrete railroad sleeper.

A number of devices have been developed for fastening or securing railway rails to sleepers or ties fabricated of wood, concrete and other materials. These devices characteristically include a rail clip which is adapted at one end thereof to engage the base flange of the rail and which is supported by some form of anchor secured in the foundation on which the rail is mounted, e.g., in a concrete sleeper. The clip is generally fabricated ol a resilient metal so as to provide flexible engagement with the rail and is insulated from the rail by a suitable insulator.

Examples of rail fastener devices of the type discussed above are disclosed in US Patent No.

2,724,558 (Jones); 3,429,505 (Newton); 3,515,347 (Waters et al); 3,881,652 (Jacobson); and 3,887,128 (Ruble), although, of course, this listing is not in any way exhaustive. Briefly considering these patents, the Jones patent discloses a rail fastener wherein one end of a rocker plate extends through a rocker bar to engage the rail and the other end is rockably mounted by a jack screw. The Newton patent discloses a rail fastener wherein a clip engages by it opposite ends the rail and the sleeper and a fastener member screwed into the sleeper include a stem which extends through the clip. A spring arrangement mounted on the stem engages the upper surface of the clip. The Waters et al patent discloses a rail fastening device wherein a bifurcated rail clip engages the rail at one end and a back support at the other end, the clip extending through a reaction piece secured to the sleeper.

The Jacobson patent discloses a rail fastening assembly including a resilient rail clip of a specialized shape. The Ruble patent discloses a rail fastener wherein one end of the L-shaped rail clip engages the rail and the other end beams downwardly on the base portion of an anchor member. A cross pin mounted in the anchor engages the clip intermediate the ends thereof.

While the rail fasteners of the prior art will carry out the function for which they are designed, such prior art fasteners suffer a number of disadvantages from standpoint such as complexity of design, and ease of manufacture. A further important disadvantage involves the ease of assembly or installation of the fastener, particularly with respect to locking or otherwise fixing the rail clip in place.

In accordance with the invention, a rail fastener assembly is provided which affords excellent rail retention, and which is, at the same time, exceptionally easy to install and maintain.

According to a preferred embodiment thereof, the rail fastener assembly of the invention comprises an alongate spring clip, an anchor member which is anchored to the rail foundation ; and which includes an opening therein through which the spring clip extends. The spring clip includes an opening in the end remote from the anchor member and the latter includes a co operating aperture therein on the side of the opening which is remote from the rail. The assembly also includes a locking rod which, in use, extends through the opening in the spring clip and into the aperture in the anchor member so as to secure the spring clip in engagement with the rail through an insulator.

The anchor member includes a base portion on which a part of the spring clip rests and a head portion which also engages the spring clip, the head and base portions of the anchor member serviny to maintain the spring clip in a flexed condition in engagement with the rail. The base portion of the anchor member may extend so as to engage a downwardly depending part of a said insulator.

The opening in the spring clip preferably comprises an open-ended notch and the locking rod advantageously comprises an L-shaped member conveniently serving as a gripping handle.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the principal elements of the preferred embodiment of assembly Figure 2 is a front elevation of the anchor member of the assembly, Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the anchor member of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rail insulator of the assembly, Figure 5 is a top plane view of the spring clip of the assembly, Figure 6 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of the rail fastener assembly in its operative condition.

Referring first to Figure 1, an exploded view of three of the basic elements of a concrete sleeper rail fastener assembly is provided. The assembly comprises four basic elements, viz., an anchor member 10, a spring clip 12, a locking rod 14 and a rail shoulder insulator 16 (see Figures 4 and 6).

The anchor member 19, which is also illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, comprises plate-iike base portion 18 on the upper surfaces of which a spring clip 1 2 slides into position. Base portion 1 8 includes an outwardly extending tongue part 20 adapted in use to engage insulator 16 and, as is best seen in Figure 3, the upper surface of the base portion 1 8 is downwardly inclined toward the front of the anchor member (toward the left as viewed in Figure 3). A vertically extending aperture 22 located near to the rear of the base portion 1 8 is adapted to receive a locking rod 14.

The base portion 18 of anchor member 10 together with a head or crown portion 24 forms an opening which is a slot 26 through which, in use, spring clip 12 extends. The lower slot-defining surface of crown portion 24, i.e., the surface which defines the top of slot 26 is downwardly convexly curved, as illustrated in Fig. 3, with the lowermost portion of this surface being enabled to engage spring clip 1 2. A pair of recesses 28 are provided in the top of crown portion 24.

Anchor member 10 also includes a support spike or holder 30 which is adapted to be set in concrete so as to anchor or fix anchor member 10 in place. Holder 30 comprises a central core and four radially spaced, outwardly extending flanges 30a the outer surfaces of which are of an undulating shape so as to more firmly fix the anchor member 10 in place in the concrete rail foundation such as a sleeper. Anchor member 10 is fabricated of a suitable malleable material.

Spring clip 12 is best illustrated in Figures 1 and 5 and comprises a generally planar member including a tapered front portion 12a and a notch 1 2b in the centre of the rear edge thereof. Spring clip 1 2 is preferably fabricated of spring steel.

Locking rod 14 is L-shaped and comprises a transversely extending gripping leg or handle portion 1 4a and an elongate vertically extending leg 14b which is adapted to be received in aperture 22 of anchor member 1 0.

Rail shoulder insulator 1 6 includes an inclined base 16a, a downwardly depending frontwall 1 6b, and a pair of side walls 16c. The plane of base 1 6a is inclined to the horizontal at an angle a which corresponds to the angie of inclination of the shoulder of the base flange of the rail and which is about 14 in an exemplary embodiment. Insulator 1 6 is fabricated of suitable insulating material such as 801 Nylon.

In use, as illustrated in Figure 6, anchor 10 is set in a concrete rail foundation such as a sleeper, indicated at C, adjacent to a rail R with holder 30 extending down into the concrete foundation C so as to fix anchor member 10 in place. Base portion 18 is substantially flush on the upper surface of the concrete foundation C and insulator 1 6 is disposed on the base flange of rail R with one side of the base 1 6a thereof in engagement with the inclined surface thereof and with the front wall 1 6b in engagement with the generally vertical outboard end surface of rail R.The tongue 20 of the anchor member 10 is disposed so as to engage the front wall 16b of insulator 1 6. Spring clip 12 is inserted through the slot 26 defined between the crown portion 24 and base portion 18 of anchor member 20 so that the tapered end 1 2a thereof engages the base 1 6a of insulator 1 6 as illustrated, and because of the downward slope of the surface of the base 18 is held by anchor member 1 2 in a slightly flexed condition so as to increase the force with which clip 12 bears on rail R. The depth of penetration of spring clip 12 through the slot 26 is such that root of the notch 1 2b in clip 1 6 is aligned with aperture 22 in anchor member 1 0. Thus, by inserting locking rod 14 through the registering opening provided by notch 1 2b and aperture 22, spring clip 12 is readily locked into place.

The action of locking rod 1 6 together with the support and constraint provided by anchor member 10 ensures that spring clip 12 provides a substantial rail-retaining force so as to hold rail R firmly and securely in place.

Although the invention has been described relative to an exemplary embodiment thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected in this embodiment without departing from the invention.

Claims (9)

1. A rail fastener assembly for fixing a rail in place, said rail fastener assembly comprising an elongate spring clip, an anchor member providing an opening through which the spring clip extends and including holder means for securing the anchor member in place on a rail foundation; an insulator adapted to engage the base flange of the rail and including a base which is engaged by one end of said spring clip, the spring clip including an opening in the other end thereof and the anchor member offering an aperture in the end of the anchor member which is to be remote from the rail; said assembly further comprising a locking rod which, in use, extends through the opening in said spring clip and is received in the aperture in said anchor member so as to secure said spring clip in engagement with said insulator and hence with said rail.

2. A rail fastener assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the opening in the spring clip is an openended notch.

3. A rail fastener assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the one end of the spring clip is tapered.

4. A rail fastener assembly according to Claim 1 Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the locking rod is an Lshaped member including a first leg which, in use, extends substantially vertically and extends through the opening in the spring clip and is received in said aperture in said anchor member a second leg which, in use, extends substantially horizontally and serves as a handle.

5. A rail fastener assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the anchor member includes a plate-like base portion the upper surface of which is inclined downwardly in the direction which is to be toward the rail so as to maintain the spring clip in a flexed condition when in engagement with the rail.

6. A rail fastener assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper surface defining the opening in the anchor member is downwardly convex in cross-section.

7. A rail fastener assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the base portion of the anchor member includes a portion which, in use, engages said insulator.

8. A rail fastener assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said holder means is for holding the anchor member to a concrete foundation and includes a central core and a plurality of radially spaced members extending outwardly from said central core, each radially spaced member having an undulating edge surface.

9. A rail fastener assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.