GB2096212A

GB2096212A - Rail keepers and rail retaining equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2096212A
Application number: GB8110499A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Current assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Priority date: 1981-04-03
Filing date: 1981-04-03
Publication date: 1982-10-13

Abstract

A rail keeper (20) for retaining a flanged rail (1) in a desired position on a sleeper deck (4) comprises a body defining a resilient fork (21) and an abutment formation (23, 24) which, in use, when the keeper is accommodated in a recess (7) provided in the sleeper deck, is adapted to abut a boundary (11) of the recess substantially to prevent movement of the body away from the rail. The limbs (25, 26) of the fork (21) are adapted to resiliently urge the rail flange towards the sleeper deck. Alternative forms of keepers are shown in Figs. 3 and 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rail keepers and rail retaining equipment This invention relates to rail keepers provided to retain flanged rails in desired positions on sleeper decks, and to rail retaining equipment comprising rail keepers.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved rail keeper which is reliable, robust, easy to use and inexpensive.

According to the present invention a rail keeper for retaining a flanged rail in a desired position on a sleeper deck, the sleeper deck having a recess for accommodating the keeper, comprises a body defining a resilient fork and an abutment formation which, in use, when the keeper is in a rail retaining position accommodated in the recess, is adapted to abut a boundary of the recess substantially to prevent movement of the body away from the rail, the limbs of the fork being adapted such that when the keeper is in a rail retaining position with portions of the rail flange and sleeper deck sandwiched between the splayed limbs, the rail flange is resiliently urged towards the sleeper deck.

Preferably, the body comprises at least one further abutment formation which, in use, tends to retain the body accommodated in the recess.

Conveniently, the body defines a recess for accommodating a tool for releasing the keeper from a rail retaining position.

The invention also provides rail retaining equipment for use with a flanged rail, comprising a sleeper defining a sleeper deck having a recess and a rail keeper comprising a body defining a resilient fork and an abutment formation which, in use, when the keeper is in a rail retaining position accommodated in the recess, is adapted to abut a boundary of the recess substantially to prevent movement of the body away from the rail, the limbs of the fork being adapted such that when the keeper is in a rail retaining position with portions of the rail flange and sleeper deck sandwiched between the splayed limbs, the rail flange is resiliently urged towards the sleeper deck.

Preferably, the body defines a recess for accommodating a tool for releasing the keeper from a rail retaining position.

Advantageously, the sleeper deck defined two recesses which, in use, lie on opposed sides of the flanged rail and in which case, two rail keepers are provided to engage flanges provided on opposite sides of the rail, respectively.

By way of example only, three embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view through a flanged rail and an associated portion of a sleeper deck, and showing two opposed rail keepers constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a rail keeper constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention, the second embodiment being drawn on a much smaller scale than Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the keeper of Figure 2 and shown in an operational position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a flanged rail and a sleeper having a sleeper deck provided with recesses for the rail keeper of Figures 2 and 3, the rail keepers being omitted in Figure 4; and Figure 5 is a sectional view through a flanged rail and an associated portion of a sleeper deck and showing a third embodiment of rail keeper.

Figure 1 shows a sectional view through a generally 'I' sectioned rail 1 having two opposed and upwardly increasing tapered base flanges 2 and 3 mounted on a deck 4 of a sleeper 5 (only a portion of which is shown). The sleeper deck 4 is provided with two recesses or slots 7 and 8 located on opposite sides of the rail. As seen in Figure 1 one end boundary 9 of each recess lies in the same vertical plane as the vertically extending outer end margin 10 of the associated rail flange 2 or 3. The opposed end boundary 11 of each recess is more remote from the rail the recesses extending normal to the rail.

Figure 1 shows the rail 1 retained in a desired position on the sleeper 4 by two opposed rail keepers 20 located on opposite sides of the rail.

Each rail keeper 20 comprises a body defining a resilient fork 21 and an abutment formation 22 accommodated in the associated recess 7 or 8, each abutment formation defining abutment shoulders 23 and 24 for abutment with the aforementioned recess and boundaries 9 and 1), respectively. The abutment formation engages in the recess substantially to prevent movement of the keeper body away from the rail.

As seen in Figure 1 the limbs 25 and 26 of each rail keeper fork are adapted such that when the keeper is in a rail retaining position (as seen in Figure 1 ) with portions of the rail flange and sleeper deck sandwiched between the splayed limbs, the rail flange is resiliently urged towards the sleeper deck. It will be appreciated that as each rail keeper is urged into a rail retaining mode the limbs of the resilient fork are urged apart by the action of the upwardly directed taper on the rail flange. The reaction of the splayed limbs is to urge the associated portion of the rail flange towards the sleeper deck, thereby tending to retain the rail in a desired vertical position relatively to the sleeper.

An abutment shoulder 27 provided on the limb 25 of each rail keeper 20 abuts the aforementioned vertically extending end margin 10 of the rail flange tending to horizontally retain the rail in a desired position.

Each limb 25 is cut away at 30 to ensure that a downwardly projecting foot 31 abuts the rail flange, the foot being adjacent to the end margin of the limb and enabling a desired mechanical advantage to be obtained.

Each body also defines a lip 32 having a face 33 for abutting the upper surface of the sleeper deck and retaining the rail keeper in a rail retaining position. The lip has a recess 34 enabling a tool (not shown) to be inserted to prise the body upwards when it is desired to remove the keeper to release the rail. The lip 32 is raised until the abutment shoulder 24 clears the adjacent end boundary 11 of the recess, the body then is slid backwards in a direction away from the rail until the fork disengages the lower surface of the sleeper deck. The keeper then may be freely removed.

A lip 35 and adjacent taper 36 on the lower margin of the keeper body are provided to assist in installing the keeper. In the installation procedure the operator places the body in the recess with the lip 35 just located in the recess adjacent to the end boundary 11 of the recess. The operator then forces the body downwards with, for example, the use of a lever or hammer, with the taper 36 riding on the upper limit of the end boundary 11 until the abutment formation engages in the recess to retain the keeper in a rail, retaining mode. During this installation procedure the action of the taper rail flange and deck is gradually to splay apart the limbs of the resilient fork to generate a resilient reaction tending to retain the rail in a desired position relative to the rail.

Rail keepers 20 can be used in opposed pairs as seen in Figure 1. Alternatively, a rail keeper 20 is provided on one side of the rail only, a different keeper or fixed abutment being provided on the other side of the rail.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 relate to a second embodiment of the invention in which the rail keeper body 39 defines a cylindrical portion 40 rotatably mountable in a recess 41 providing a pivotal mounting for the body. This second embodiment enables the rail keeper to be inserted in the recess with the resilient fork substantially extending parallel with the rail 1. Once the rail keeper is fully accommodated in the recess the keeper is rotated until the fork reaches the position as shown in Figure 3 with the inclined rail flange and deck sandwiched between the splayed limbs of the fork.

A releasable detent 44 is engaged in a hole 45 in the sleeper deck 46 to retain the rail keeper in a rail retaining mode.

Other features of the rail keeper substantially are as disclosed with reference to the first embodiment.

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention in which the body 50 defines a second resilient fork 51 extending through the recess 52 in the sleeper deck 54. Once the fork 51 is accommodated in the recess a tapered cylindrical member 60 is driven through a hole 61 in the body to force apart the limbs of the fork 51 to retain the body in position. As seen in Figure 5 the body defines a resilient fork 63 for engaging the tapered rail flange and the sleeper deck in a similar manner to that of the resilient fork 21 of the first described embodiment.

Claims

1. Rail keeper for retaining a flanged rail in a desired position on a sleeper deck, the sleeper deck having a recess for accommodating the keeper, comprising a body defining a resilient fork and an abutment formation which, in use, when the keeper is in a rail retaining position accommodated in the recess, is adapted to abut a boundary of the recess substantially to prevent movement of the body away from the rail, the limbs of the fork being adapted such that when the keeper is in a rail retaining position with portions of the rail flange and sleeper deck sandwiched between the splayed limbs the rail flange is resiliently urged towards the sleeper deck.

2. A keeper as claimed in claim 1, in which the body comprises at least one further abutment formation which, in use, tends to retain the body accommodated in the recess.

3. A keeper as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the body defines a recess for accommodating a tool for releasing the keeper from a rail retaining position.

4. A rail keeper for retaining a flanged rail in a desired position on a sleeper deck, substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in Figure 1 or Figures 2, 3 and 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

5. Rail retaining equipment for use with a flanged rail, comprising a sleeper defining a sleeper deck and having a recess and a rail keeper comprising a body defining a resilient fork and an abutment formation which, in use, when the keeper is in a rail retaining position accommodated in the recess, is adapted to abut a boundary of the recess substantially to prevent movement of the body away from the rail, the limbs of the fork being adapted such that when the keeper is in a rail retaining position with portions of the rail flange and sleeper deck sandwiched between the splayed limbs, the rail flange is resiliently urged towards the sleeper deck.

6. Equipment as claimed in claim 5, in which the body comprises at least one further abutment formation which, in use, tends to retain the body accommodated in the recess.

7. Equipment as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the body defines a recess for accommodating a tool for releasing the keeper from a rail retaining position.

8. Rail retaining equipment for use with a flanged rail, substantially as described herein and substantially as shown in Figure 1, or Figures 2, 3 and 4, or Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.