GB2389867A

GB2389867A - Stackable steel railway sleeper

Info

Publication number: GB2389867A
Application number: GB0214319A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Farrington; David Clague
Original assignee: Corus UK Ltd
Current assignee: Corus UK Ltd
Priority date: 2002-06-21
Filing date: 2002-06-21
Publication date: 2003-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-21
Also published as: GB0214319D0; GB2389867B; EP1516090A1; WO2004001135A1; AU2003250365A1

Abstract

The sleeper of inverted "U" cross-section has side which extend downwardly and outwardly from a rail supporting surface. Each side leg is formed with a plurality of spaced internal projections 4 which extend inwardly towards the longitudinal centre line of the sleeper. Each projection is positioned and dimensioned to engage an external surface of a side leg of another sleeper on which the sleeper is stacked. Accordingly, the opposed surfaces of the sleepers are spaced apart other then where contact is made by the projections.

Description

1 2389867

STEEL RAILWAY SLEEPERS

This invention relates to steel railway sleepers. More especially, the invention relates to stackable steel railway sleepers.

Steel railway sleepers of inverted "U" cross-section are well known. This shape enables sleepers to be stacked during transportation. The ability to stack is an important feature because of the increasingly large number of sleepers required for any given installation. To provide enhanced stability, it is conventional that the sleepers are stacked in such a way that a small distance remains between the opposed rail supporting surfaces of the sleepers. Stacking in this way can cause damage to clips and other rail attachment devices pre-assembled onto the rail supporting surfaces of the sleepers. One way adopted to increase the spacing between the opposed rail supporting surfaces is to insert metal wedges or pieces between superimposed sleepers. The presence of such metal pieces tends to introduce instability to the stacked sleepers. Additionally, because of the large surface contact between superimposed sleepers stacked conventionally difficulties can be encountered when seeking to unstack sleepers.

The present invention sets out to provide an improved stackable steel railway sleeper which does not suffer from, or at least alleviates, disadvantages to be found in existing sleepers.

In one aspect, the invention provides a steel railway sleeper of inverted "U" cross-

section, the side walls of the sleeper each being deformed to define indentations which project inwardly towards the centre line of the sleeper.

Each indentation is preferably positioned between one end of the sleeper and the position of a rail attachment device carried on the rail supporting surface of the sleeper.

In another aspect, the inversion provides a stackable steel railway sleeper of

inverted "U" cross-section having side legs extending downwardly and outwardly from a rail supporting surface, each side leg being formed with a plurality of spaced internal projections which extend inwardly towards the longitudinal centre line of the sleeper and each projection being positioned and dimensioned to engage an external surface of a side leg of another sleeper on which the sleeper is stacked, whereby the opposed surfaces of the sleepers are spaced apart other then where contact is made by the projections.

In a preferred arrangement, the positions and dimensions of the projections are such that the opposed rail supporting surfaces of the stacked sleepers are separated by a distance greater than one half of the sleeper height.

The projections may be formed by a continuous rolling process and the projections may extend lengthwise of the sleeper to a greater or lesser degree.

The external surfaces of the sleeper side walls which, in use, are engaged by projections formed in the internal surfaces of a superimposed sleeper, and the projections, are preferably inclined at a large angle to the vertical to prevent jarurning between the sleepers when stacked.

Each sleeper may include at each of its ends a spade which inclines downwardly from the respective end of the rail support surface of the sleeper to engage, in use, the ground on which the sleeper is positioned. The sides of these spades are preferably generally vertical or partially vertical and/or planar or flat.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end view of two stacked railway sleepers in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view from above of one of the sleepers illustrated in Figure 1; and

( Figures 3 and 4 are details of sleepers in accordance with the invention.

The sleepers illustrated in Figure 1 are of inverted "U" cross-section and comprise upper walls 1 which define rail supporting surfaces bordered by downwardly and outwardly extending legs 2. Feet 3 are positioned on the ends of the legs 2 remote from the upper walls 1.

As will be seen from Figure 2, the side walls of the sleeper are inwardly deformed to define inwardly extending projections 4. These deformations generate inclined surfaces 5 which, when the respective sleeper is superimposed on another sleeper, make contact with complementary inclined faces 6 positioned at the upper end of each leg.

The projections 4 are positioned towards the feet 3 of the sleepers and are inclined to complement the inclination of the surfaces 6 against which the projections abut when the sleepers are stacked.

The projections 4 are positioned so that the opposed rail supporting surfaces 1 are spaced one from the other. This is advantageous to prevent damage to rail attachment devices carried on the rail supporting surfaces of the sleepers.

As will be seen from Figure 3, the sides 9 of the spade ends 8 of the sleepers are flat to enable contact to be made between generally vertical surfaces when sleepers or stacks of sleepers are placed side by side for purposes of transportation or distribution.

The engaging flat sides prevent or Anise relative movement between neighbouring sleepers or stacks of sleepers during transportation.

Figure 4 shows that the shape is designed to have contact over a wide range of relative movement of neighbouring sleepers.

It will be appreciated that tle foregoing is merely exemplary of stackable steels railways sleepers in accordance win the invention and that various modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

( CLAIMS

1. A stackable steel railway sleeper of inverted "U" cross-section having side legs extending downwardly and outwardly from a rail supporting surface, each side leg being formed with a plurality of spaced internal projections which extend inwardly towards the longitudinal centre line of the sleeper and each projection being positioned and dimensioned to engage an external surface of a side leg of another sleeper on which the sleeper is stacked, whereby the opposed surfaces of the sleepers are spaced apart other then where contact is made by the projections.

2 A sleeper as claimed in claim I wherein the positions and dimensions of the projections are such that the opposed rail supporting surfaces of the stacked sleepers are separated by a distance greater than one half of the sleeper height.

3. A sleeper as claimed in claim I or claim 2 wherein the projections are formed by a continuous rolling process and the projections may extend lengthwise of the sleeper to a greater or lesser degree.

4. A sleeper as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the external surfaces of the sleeper side walls which, in use, are engaged by projections formed in the internal surfaces of a superimposed sleeper, and the projections, are inclined at a large angle to the vertical to prevent jamming between the sleepers when stacked.

5. A sleeper as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each sleeper includes at each of its ends a spade which inclines downwardly from the respective end of the rail support surface of the sleeper to engage, in use, the ground on which the sleeper is positioned.

6. A sleeper as claimed in claim 5 wherein the sides of the spades are generally vertical or partially vertical and/or planar or flat.

7. A stackable steel rail sleeper substantially as herein described and as described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.