GB2435285A

GB2435285A - Fastening railway rails

Info

Publication number: GB2435285A
Application number: GB0603434A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen John Cox; John Phillip Porrill; Robert John Hamilton; Paul Hewlett; Martin Somerset; Christopher Gardner; Josef Nevidal
Original assignee: Pandrol Ltd
Current assignee: Pandrol Ltd
Priority date: 2006-02-21
Filing date: 2006-02-21
Publication date: 2007-08-22
Also published as: EG25342A; BRPI0706821B1; JP5172712B2; ATE470756T1; UA99435C2; CA2642251C; BRPI0706822A2; ZA200806904B; AU2007217203A1; SI1987200T1; KR20080098669A; KR101392930B1; EP1987201B1; HK1211635A1; NO341359B1; CA2642106A1; DE602007007060D1; ES2441265T3; AU2007217202B2; JP2009527667A

Abstract

A shoulder (1) for retaining a railway rail fastening clip (3), comprises two interconnected spaced-apart walls (10), between which a portion (34) of the clip to be retained is held in use, and clip-engaging means (11), supported by the walls, for engaging a portion of the clip to be retained, does not have any feature or surface which engages the surface of that clip portion which faces downwardly when the clip is in use. The shoulder may have a Y-shaped stem (100), and may be used with a sealing plate (2), extending over the underside of the head (1A) of the shoulder when the stem is being set in a concrete sleeper to prevent ingress of concrete into the head, and being retained on the surface of the sleeper thereafter. A major face (20) of the plate, uppermost in use, may be provided with at least one clip seat portion (25) for receiving part of the rail clip. A rail pad is also disclosed, the pad having two upstanding portions, integrally formed with the rail seat portion along opposite edges thereof, so as to extend along only a central part of the edge. A substantially M-shaped rail clip is also disclosed in which the clip is substantially flat when in its non-operative configuration, and, when the clip is in an operative configuration, the toe of the clip lies substantially in a second plane and the legs of the clip lie substantially in a third plane, the second and third planes being non-parallel to one another.

Description

FASTENING RAILWAY RAILS

The present invention relates to fastening railway rails.

In the documents W093/12294, W093/12295 and W093/12296, the present applicants disclosed a railway rail fastening system in which a rail fastening clip is driven laterally onto the rail and can be held in a clip anchoring device (shoulder) in a "pre-assembly" or "parked" position in which the toe portion of the clip does not bear on the rail. This enables railway sleepers to be preloaded at the factory with clips which are held in the pre-assembly position such that when the sleepers are delivered to site the clips can simply be driven home once the rail is in place. In addition, when maintenance of the rail or sidepost insulators (which lie between the rail and the shoulder) is subsequently required, the clip can be driven off the rail back into the pre-assembly position, or further into an "insulator-change position" in which the clip does not overlie the sidepost insulator, so complete withdrawal of the clip from the shoulder is not necessary.

Such clips are sometimes known as "switch-on/switch-off" clips. Such a fastening system has proved to be very successful, but the applicant is desirous of making improvements to some aspects of its manufacture and use.

Shoulders 1' for retaining switch-on/switch-off clips, such as shown in Figs. 1A and lB of the accompanying drawings, are made by casting. Features on the casting cooperate with mating features on the clip to retain the clip positively at each of the positions described above.

The process by which cast iron shoulders are manufactured is usually highly automated, but is really just a mechanized version of the following simple manual process.

A pattern is first manufactured, which is basically a re-useable model of the finished part. The pattern is pressed into a box that is made up of two halves, each of which is filled to the brim with moulding sand. The two halves are separated and the pattern is removed, so that a mirror image impression is left in the sand, half of which is in one box and the other in the other box. In order to be able to pull the pattern out of the sand without the walls of the void caving in, the pattern has to taper away in all directions from the joint line between the two halves of the box. The two halves of the box are then joined back together, and molten cast iron is poured into the void.

When it has set, the box is split again, and the finished part is removed. The sand is then taken out of the box, cleaned, and repacked in for the next moulding cycle. On the finished part, you are typically left with a flash line around the joint (the split line) between the two halves of the box, and a sprue where the molten metal was fed in. If these are in critical areas on the finished part, they have to be dressed off (fettled) . In particular, fettling is required if overhangs and the like, which form clip-retention features on the casting, have to be formed on the split line, it not being possible to create overhanging features or voids in the casting without using separate cores (which is undesirable as it adds to the complexity and expense of the process) . In some castings, the shape of the part may dictate that, rather than having a simple planar split between the two halves of the box, the joint will need to be stepped. Although quite possible, this more complex joint line is a disadvantage in production.

A shoulder 1' of the kind shown in Figs. 1A and lB requires a relatively complex stepped split line, as shown by the line SSL in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Moreover, as shown by the ringed area F in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, part of this stepped split line is critical to the function of the final part and needs to be fettled, but is not easily accessed and so is difficult to fettle accurately.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an anchoring device for use in retaining a railway rail fastening clip, the device comprising two interconnected spaced-apart walls, between which a portion of the clip to be retained is held when the anchoring device is in use, and clip-engaging means, supported by the walls, for engaging a portion of the rail fastening clip to be retained, wherein the device does not have any feature or surface which engages the surface of that clip portion which faces downwardly when the clip is in use.

In an anchoring device embodying a second aspect of the present invention, the clip-engaging means define contact regions at which the device engages the rail clip to be retained when the clip bears on a railway rail, the device not engaging the clip at any other region of the device when the clip is bearing on the rail in normal operation, such that none of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from above when in its operative orientation in which it will be used when adjacent to a railway rail and all of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from below when in the said operative orientation.

In an anchoring device embodying a third aspect of the present invention, when the device is in use, all the said contact regions of the device lie substantially at the same horizontal distance from the edge of the rail foot when measured perpendicularly to the axis of the rail and in the plane of the rail foot.

By removing the clip-engaging features on the lower part of the walls of the shoulder 1, the split line SSL can be moved to an area where minimum fettling is required, whilst allowing the sand to be drawn at an angle sufficient to allow a sharp clip retention feature to be formed, as required for the switch-on/switch off function of the shoulder, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. Moreover, by moving the split line compared to the prior art, the shoulder 1 is strengthened against accidental damage when in track if struck by machinery or hand-held equipment.

Preferably, the walls are interconnected by a connection portion which has a part which extends between the walls from the one end thereof, which will be closest to the railway rail when the device is in use, towards the other end thereof and has a top surface which extends in a downwardly-inclined direction so as to form a ramp for deflecting a portion of the railway rail fastening clip to be retained as it is driven into the anchoring device. The ramp also serves the function of bracing the walls of the anchoring device, making it stronger.

Preferably, the connection portion has another part which extends between the one end of the walls below the top surface to form a bearing face. Desirably, the height of the bearing face is less than that of the said walls, more preferably approximately half that of the walls.

The part of the connection portion forming a ramp may be connected to the walls along its side edges.

An anchoring device embodying the first to third aspects of the present invention may comprise a head provided with the said clip- engaging means and a stem extending downwardly beneath the head of the device, for use in connecting the device to a concrete sleeper. The stem may be located at a first end of the head, which first end is adjacent to a railway rail when the device is in use and is preferably approximately Y-shaped such that the portions of the stem which form the upper ends of the Y are connected to the head of the device. Preferably, the anchoring device further comprises at least one tang which extends downwardly from the underside of the head of the device, which may be located at or near a second end of the head, opposite to the first. Alternatively, or in addition, there is at least one web extending between the stem and the underside of the head.

A Y-shaped stem on the shoulder allows some weight to be saved relative to existing shoulders. It may be applied not only to shoulders embodying the first to third aspects of the present invention, but also to other shoulders.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a rail clip anchoring device comprising a head for retaining a railway rail fastening clip and a stem extending downwardly beneath the head of the device, for use in connecting the device to a concrete sleeper, the stem being approximately Y-shaped such that the portions of the stem which form the upper arms of the Y are connected to the head of the device.

The stem preferably extends from the head of the device at one end thereof. Desirably, the anchoring device further comprises at least one tang which extends from the underside of the head of the device at a location adjacent to the end opposite to its one end. Alternatively, or in addition, there is at least one web extending between the stem and the underside of the head.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sealing plate, for use with a rail clip anchoring device having a head and a stem which extends from the head into a concrete sleeper when the anchoring device is in use, the plate being designed to extend over the underside of the head when the stem of the device is being set in a concrete sleeper, thereby to prevent ingress of concrete into the head of the device, and to be retained on the surface of the sleeper thereafter, wherein a major face of the plate, which is uppermost when the sleeper is in use, is provided with at least one clip seat portion for receiving part of a rail clip.

Thus the sealing plate can replace the clip engaging features omitted from the shoulder embodying the first to third aspects of the present invention, and, if made of plastics material, also allows weight and cost, to be taken out of the overall assembly. The plate is desirably made, for example, of nylon, glass-reinforced plastic or similar.

Preferably, the plate is formed such that a seal is created around the periphery of the said major face of the plate when pressure is applied to the other major face, and is desirably made of plastics material.

Preferably, the plate is substantially rectangular in outline.

Desirably, one edge of the plate has a cut-out portion shaped for receiving a portion of the head of the anchoring device adjacent to the stem thereof. The cut-out portion may have a bevelled edge which matches a bevelled edge of the said portion of the headof the anchoring device.

The plate preferably comprises locating means for locating the plate on the head of the anchoring device.

The locating means may comprise at least one tab protruding from a major face of the plate for engaging with a corresponding feature on the anchoring device.

The or each clip seat portion may be of greater resilience to wear than other parts of the plate. The clip seat portions (heel seats) of the plate may be reinforced with stronger material or with small steel bearing plates, to cope with the loads on this part of the assembly imparted by the heel portions of the clip.

The clip seat portion may comprise a projection, which is preferably L-shaped in plan.

The clip seat portion may have a clip-receiving surface which is shaped so as to match the profile of that part of the clip which is to bear thereon. By shaping the heel contact areas so that they match the shape of the heel bearing areas of the clip, the pressure on the plastic plate will be reduced.

The major surfaces of the plate may be formed with one or more apertures therethrough for receiving respective a portion of the anchoring device which extends from the underside of the head of the anchoring device.

The major face of the plate which is lowermost when the sleeper is in use is preferably provided with strengthening ribs which intersect to define a plurality of rebates.

Thus, the plate is effectively hollowed out underneath, where possible, to reduce section thickness and material.

These voids (rebates) are filled with concrete during sleeper manufacture, which means that the plate is fully supported across its whole lower surface.

When a sealing plate embodying the fifth aspect of the present invention is used in combination with a concrete sleeper into which it has been set, the major face of the plate which is uppermost when the sleeper is in use may desirably be flush with the uppermost surface of the concrete sleeper.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention there is provided an anchoring device embodying the first to third aspects of the present invention in combination with a sealing plate embodying the fifth aspect of the present invention. Preferably, the or each tab on the sealing plate is operable to engage with the ramp of the anchoring device.

Typically, shoulders for retaining switch-on/switch-off clips are secured to concrete railway sleepers (ties) by embedding a stem of the shoulder in the concrete during manufacture of the sleeper. The sleepers are manufactured upside down, so that the top of the finished sleeper is formed by the bottom of the mould pocket. During manufacture, the parts of the shoulder that stick up above the finished sleeper therefore stick down through apertures cut into the floor of the mould pockets at appropriate positions for this purpose. The stems of the shoulders that end up cast into the concrete sleeper stick up into the mould pocket before the concrete is poured. The first step in the manufacturing process is to turn the cast shoulder upside down and push it down from above through an aperture in the mould pocket to refusal. When the concrete has been poured and allowed to set, the sleepers are lifted out of the moulds and turned the right way up. A difficulty with the process is that if the apertures in the bottom of the mould pockets are not a very close fit around the edges of the cast shoulders, concrete will leak through the gap and it may then set on to parts of the shoulder above the finished concrete level and prevent the clip from engaging properly. On the other hand, if the aperture is too small, additional dressing off of the shoulder is required, which is very costly. Given that cast iron shoulders are subject to relatively wide tolerances -typically 0.8mm or more -and that the patterns used to produce them wear with time and so the physical size of the part reduces with time, it can be difficult to achieve a good compromise between the necessity of sealing and that of ensuring fit. This is especially the case if the shape of the aperture is relatively complex. Flexible rims fitted to the apertures may be a partial solution, but these wear and require maintenance.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a concrete sleeper with at least one embedded rail clip anchoring device of the type having a head for retaining a rail clip and a stem extending from the underside of the head, in which method the floor of a mould, from which the sleeper is to be formed, is provided with an aperture, the head of an anchoring device is inserted through the aperture such that the head of the device extends out of the mould and the stem of the device is located within the mould, and concrete is introduced into the mould, wherein before the concrete is introduced into the mould the aperture is sealed off around its edges and around the underside of the head of the anchoring device by placing a sealing plate over the aperture on the floor of the mould, the plate overlapping and sealing around the edges of the aperture other than where the anchoring device is located and having a mating interface with the anchoring device such that a seal is formed therewith.

Thus, the sealing plate may be used to seal the aperture in the mould pocket and prevent the ingress of concrete into the head of the shoulder. When in use the sealing plate is effectively glued on to the top of the concrete sleeper, such that its top face is flush with the face of the top surface of the concrete on the sleeper top.

Preferably, before the sealing plate is introduced into the mould, it is connected to the anchoring device so as to extend over the underside of the head, the sealing plate being introduced into the mould together with the anchoring device and located over the aperture when the head is inserted through the aperture. Thus, if designed to interlock with the shoulder, the sealing plate can be accurately positioned with ease, and it cannot move up, forward or side-to-side. Nor can it move down or back because it is bonded to the concrete sleeper.

It can easily be made so as to have a simple outline, which need not match the outline of the shoulder, such as rectangular, so the aperture can also have a simple outline. If formed as a plastic moulding, the sealing plate can also have a much tighter tolerance than a cast-iron part, typically +0.15mm. However, if the sealing plate is made so as to be significantly larger than the aperture, neither the exact size nor exact shape of the aperture is critical any longer.

Nhen the aperture in the mould is substantially rectangular and a first face of the head of the anchoring device abuts one side of the aperture, the sealing plate is preferably shaped so as to mate with a second face of the head of the anchoring device, opposite to said first face, and to overlap the edges of the aperture on the other three sides thereof. The edge of the sealing plate which mates with the second face of the head may be bevelled so as to match bevelling on the said second face. The sealing plate is preferably a plate embodying the fifth aspect of the present invention.

Rail fastening assemblies as described in the applicant's patent applications W093/12294, W093/12295 and W093/12296 have a rail pad which underlies the foot of the rail, providing cushioning and electrical insulation, and electrical "sidepost" insulators which are located between the rail foot and the front face of an adjacent shoulder.

Although once installed on a sleeper in the factory or in track the sidepost insulators are held in place by the rail clip, the installation process is comparatively difficult and costly.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention there is provided a rail pad for use beneath a railway rail in a rail fastening assembly as cushioning and/or electrical insulation, the pad having a major face providing a rail seat portion on which the foot of the railway rail sits when the rail pad is in use, wherein the rail pad further comprises two upstanding portions, integrally formed with the rail seat portion along opposite edges thereof, so as to extend along only a central part of the edge.

The upstanding portions are preferably made of electrically-insulating material and are shaped and arranged so as to form insulation members for electrically insulating the rail foot from rail clip anchoring devices located one on either side of the rail when the pad is in use.

By forming the pad and side post insulators as one part, rather than two separate insulators and a pad, means that the unit can be produced more cheaply that the three separate parts. Because it is one part, it is also easier to fit than three separate parts -both in the sleeper

factory and in the field. In addition, because the

sidepost insulator members and rail seat portion are formed as one part, the rail pad will contribute to good overall electrical resistance of the assembly. In particular, by making a good seal between the insulator members and the rail seat portion, electrical insulation can be improved, as compared to having separate pad and insulator parts, because there is no path for moisture to be drawn through.

Desirably, the insulation members are formed of a material having greater resilience to damage than the rail seat portion of the pad, since these portions are subject to much higher pressure than the rail seat portion, due to the lateral loads which are transmitted through them to the shoulder. For example, the insulation members may be made of nylon and the rail seat portion of EVA.

It will, however, probably be necessary to replace worn sidepost insulators in track before the rail seat portion is due for replacement and accordingly, in order to avoid having to unclip the rail and jack the rail up in order to remove the rail pad, the upstanding portions are preferably attached to the rail seat portion in such a manner as to be readily detachable therefrom. The upstanding portions desirably mechanically interlock with the said rail seat portion.

Thus, in this preferred embodiment of the pad, the pad is such that the side post elements can be torn away from the rail seat portion after the pad is installed in track, thereby eliminating the need to jack the rail and the cost of replacing the rail seat portion of the pad. The new replacement parts would be separate individual side post insulators, that would not need to connect to the rail seat portion of the pad. It would not be a problem if one or both of the insulator members became detached from the rail seat portion in service, through wear or mechanical action rather than through deliberate action, as once in place the rail seat portion and insulating members of the pad can

function separately, as in the prior art.

In use, the load has to go straight through the insulators into the shoulder, so the insulators must be hard up against the shoulders with no clearance. However, the actual positions of the shoulders will vary due to the tolerance on sleeper manufacture and it is obviously undesirable to provide a number of rail pads of different widths. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment of the pad, the width of the said rail seat portion can conform to a range of rail seat widths. Preferably, this is achieved by providing the rail seat region of the pad with a concertinaed section which can be stretched or squeezed between a minimum width and a maximum width, so as to adjust the overall width of the rail seat portion. Thus, the pad is sized to fit a maximum railseat, and would be a squash fit' into a narrower railseat.

W093/l2294, W093/12295 and W093/12296 disclose a resilient railway rail fastening clip for fastening a railway rail to an underlying foundation, the clip being such that it can be deflected from a non-operative configuration to at least one operative configuration in which a toe portion of the clip bears on a railway rail, in which the clip is made from a rod of resilient material shaped so as to have, proceeding from one end A of the rod to the other end B of the rod, firstly a substantially straight first portion, then a substantially bent second portion, then a third portion, then a fourth portion which is substantially U-shaped and forms the toe portion of the clip, then a fifth portion, then a substantially bent sixth portion, and finally a substantially straight seventh portion, the first and seventh portions of the clip forming leg portions, the longitudinal axes of which lie substantially in a first plane when the clip is in its non-operative configuration and, when the clip is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the said first plane, the third and fifth portions appear to lie between the first and seventh portions. In the prior art the clip is such that in its non-operative configuration the third, fourth and fifth portions of the clip lie in a second plane inclined to the first plane, and, when the clip is in its operative configuration, the third, fourth and fifth portions of the clip lie in a third plane, where the second plane is identical to, or spaced from and parallel to, the first.

However, it is desirable to reduce the cost of manufacturing such clips. Thus, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, unlike the prior art clips described above, when the clip is in its non-operative configuration, the longitudinal axes of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth portions also lie substantially in the said first plane, and, when the clip is in the said at least one operative configuration, the longitudinal axes of the third, fourth and fifth portions lie substantially in a second plane and the longitudinal axes of the first and seventh portions lie substantially in a third plane, the second and third planes being non-parallel to one another.

Such a clip, which is substantially flat when not in use, has significantly better fatigue performance than an otherwise similar clip formed with some profile, and can be manufactured with less material to achieve the same toe load.

Desirably, the clip is substantially M-shaped in plan, the region joining the inner legs of the M forming the toe portion of the clip and the outer legs of the M forming the leg portions of the clip.

Most preferably, the clip is provided with clip retaining means for inhibiting unintentional withdrawal of the clip from the rail. The clip retaining means are desirably also operable to retain the clip in a pre-assembly position in which the clip does not bear on the rail. The clip retaining means may be provided on the said leg portions of the clip.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention there is provided a railway rail fastening clip having a toe portion for bearing on a railway rail when the clip is in use via an insulating member, carried by part of the toe portion, for electrically insulating the clip from the rail, the surface of the clip being provided with a protective coating, wherein the said coating is not provided on that part of the toe portion of the clip which is to contact the said insulating member. If the toe of the clip, which is subsequently covered by the toe insulator, is left unpainted, then the force required to extract the toe insulator is increased and so further diminish any possibility of its working loose in service.

The clip may be a clip embodying the ninth aspect of the present invention.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention there is provided a railway rail fastening assembly comprising two railway rail fastening clips, two anchoring devices for retaining respective ones of the rail fastening clips when installed therein and a rail pad embodying the eighth aspect of the present invention, located between the two anchoring devices, wherein each insulation member of the pad is formed with a shelf which extends over a portion of that anchoring device which is adjacent thereto, the shelf being overlain by the rail clip installed in the anchoring device when the clip is in a pre-assembly position in which the clip does not overlie the rail seat portion of the pad. Thus, the pad is held in place by the clip. The clip may be a clip embodying the ninth or tenth aspects of the present invention and the anchoring device may be a device embodying the first to fourth or sixth aspect of the present invention.

Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1A and lB (described above) show respective side and plan views of a prior art anchoring device; Figure 2 (described above) shows a side view of Figure 1A illustrating the position of the stepped split line SSL; Figure 3 (described above) shows a side view of Figure 1A illustrating the location F where fettling is required; Figure 4 (described above) shows a side view of an anchoring device embodying the first to third aspects of the present invention on which the position of the stepped split line SSL is illustrated; Figure 5 shows an anchoring device embodying the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, Figure 5A showing a perspective view from above, Figure 5B showing a front view, Figure 5C showing a part sectional view taken on the line Z-Z in Figure 5B, Figure 5D showing a rear view, Figure 5E showing a side view,Figure 5F showing a plan view from above, Figure 5G showing a plan view from below and Figure 5H showing a side view of another anchoring device embodying the first to fourth aspects of the present invention; Figure 6 shows a sealing plate embodying the fifth aspect of the present invention, Figure 6A showing a perspective view from above, Figure 6B showing a plan view of the top surface of the sealing plate, Figure 6C showing a plan view of the underside of the sealing plate, Figure 6D showing a sectional view taken along the line Y-Y in Figure 6B, Figure 6E showing a front view of the sealing plate and Figure 6F showing a cross-sectional view taken along the line Z-Z in Figure 6B; Figure 7 shows a railway rail fastening clip embodying the nnth aspect of the present invention, Figure 7A showing a plan view of the clip, Figure 7B showing a side view of the clip when in its non-operative configuration and Figure 7C showing a side view of the clip when in an operative configuration; Figure 8 shows a railway rail fastening assembly embodying the present invention, in which Figures 8A and 8B show the assembly in a side view in which the clip is in a pre-assembly position with respect to the rail, Figure 8B being a part cross-sectional view, Figures 8C and 8D show another side view of the assembly in which the clip is bearing on the rail, Figure 8D being a part cross-sectional view, Figure 8E shows a rear view of the assembly and Figure 8F shows a perspective view of the assembly; and Figure 9 shows a rail pad embodying the eighth aspect of the present invention, in which Figure 9A is a perspective view from above, Figure 9B is a plan view from above and Figure 9C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in Figure 9B.

With reference to Figures 5A to 5G an anchoring device (shoulder) embodying the first to fourth aspects of the invention will now be described. The anchoring device 1 shown in Figures 5A to 5G comprises a head 1A from the underside of which downwardly project a stem part lB and two spaced-part tangs 10. The stem part lB comprises a substantially Y-shaped stem 100, connected to the underside of the head 1A at the ends of upper arms 101 of the Y, and a bent part 102 at the other end of the Y for resisting withdrawal of the stem from the concrete in which it is embedded when it is in use. As shown in Fig. 5H, which shows another shoulder embodying the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, the underside of the shoulder 1 may be provided with one or more webs 1D connecting the stem 100 of the shoulder 1 to its head 1A, instead or in addition to the tangs 1C (not shown in Fig. 5H), for assisting in preventing the shoulder 1 tipping forward when a clip is driven into it.

The head 1A of the anchoring device 1 comprises two spaced-part walls 10, connected together at one end of the head 1A, at the bottom of the walls 10, by a connection portion 14. The top surface of the connection portion 14 is downwardly inclined and forms a ramp 140, while the front surface of the connection portion 14 forms the front face 12 of the shoulder 1. The end of the walls 10 at the front end of the head 1A are connected to the front face 12 of the shoulder by curved portions 13.

The walls 10 extend outwardly at their tops to provide respective clip-engaging surfaces 11 provided with two clip-engaging projections 11OA, 11OB, which project downwardly and are connected by means of a ramped surface 111 which inclines downwardly from the rear of the shoulder 1 to the front of the shoulder 1, for deflecting the leg of a railway rail fastening clip. The front face 12 of the shoulder 1 is provided with projections 120 for engaging with the sleeper mould so as to set the shoulder at the correct height in the mould before the concrete is introduced. The shoulder 1 has a rear face 15 opposite to the front face 12.

Unlike the prior art shoulder 1' shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the shoulder 1 is not provided with any parts or surfaces which would engage the downwardly-facing surface of the clip leg when installed, or partly installed, in the shoulder 1. Moreover, when the shoulder is in its operative orientation, the clip-engaging surfaces 11 cannot be seen when the shoulder is viewed from above, but can be seen when viewed from below, and all the clip contact points lie substantially at the same horizontal distance from the edge of the rail foot when measured perpendicularly to the axis of the rail and in the plane of the rail foot.

In addition, compared to the prior art clip shown in Figures 1A and lB. the features on the top of the shoulder that were there to provide reaction points for the clip installation and extraction tools have been eliminated, new designs of tools having been developed which locate on and react off the rail rather than the shoulder. The elimination of the tool location features saves significant weight and cost from the shoulder, and also reduces the height of the shoulder and makes it less susceptible to damage. Most of the features that were used to locate the side post insulator on to the shoulder and to hold it into position have also been removed and the complexity of the shape of the shoulder has been significantly reduced, making design and manufacture of the shoulder much easier.

A plastic sealing plate 2 embodying the fifth aspect of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 6A to 6F. The sealing plate 2 has a first major face 20 which is uppermost when the plate 2 is in use on the top of a sleeper and a second major face 21 opposite to the first. The sealing plate 2 is substantially rectangular in outline, having a cut-out portion along one side 22, defining ears 23 which ensure a seal at the corners of a shoulder 1 located above the plate 2 within the cut-out 22. The cut-out 22 has a bevelled edge 22a which mates with a corresponding bevelled edge on the rear face 15 of the shoulder 1. The cut-out 22 also has radiussed recesses 24 for mating with corresponding radiussed portions of the shoulder 1.

The first major face 20 of the sealing plate 2 is formed with two clip seat projections 25, which are substantially L-shaped and are located in respective corners of the first major face 20 adjacent to the side of the plate which is opposite to that having the cut-out 22.

The clip seat projections 25 have respective top surfaces 25a, which are planar in Figs. 6A to 6F, but may have some form of profile (see Fig. 8F) to match that of the part of the clip which is to bear on the projections 25, with a view to reducing plastic flow and wear in these areas. The plate 2 may have reinforcement in the region of the clip seat projections 25, for example the projections may be formed of a stronger material or reinforced with small steel bearing plates.

Apertures 26 are formed through the major faces 20/21 of plate 2 so as to receive portions of the shoulder 1, namely the tangs lC, which extend through the apertures 26 in the plate 2 into the concrete of the sleeper. The major face 20 of the plate 2 is also formed with upstanding tabs 27 which are provided for cooperating with respective features on the underside of the shoulder 1 to retain the plate 2 on the shoulder 1 (and vice versa) before the plate 2 and shoulder 1 have been set into the concrete of the sleeper. If the plate is to be used with a shoulder 1 as shown in Fig. 5H, in which webs 1D are provided on the underside of the shoulder 1 between the stem 100 and the head lA, the radiussed recesses 24 on the plate 2 would have to be deeper. If the tangs 1C on the underside of the shoulder 1 were omitted, the apertures 26 in the plate 2 could be made smaller, but would still be present to allow formation of the underside of tabs 27 during moulding of the sealing plate 2.

The shoulder 1 is held in place and positioned in the mould by means of a mechanism which pulls on the head lA that protrudes through the bottom of the mould. The projections 120 on the shoulder 1 serve to reduce the amount of this pulling force which is applied to the sealing plate, which might otherwise distort. The walls of the projections 25 serve to prevent sideways movement of the sealing plate and shoulder during sleeper manufacture by acting against the edges of the aperture in the mould pocket.

The second major face 21 of the plate 2, which forms the underside of the plate, is formed with a plurality of intersecting ribs 28 which define numerous rebates 29.

When the plate is set into the top surface of a concrete sleeper, these rebates 29, and the underside of the projections 25 which are also hollow, are filled with concrete, providing additional strength to the plate 2, and thereby reducing the amount of material, and hence cost, required to make the plate 2.

A railway rail fastening clip 3 embodying the ninth aspect of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 7A to 7C. The rail clip 3 is formed from a steel rod bent so as to have, proceeding from one end A of the rod to the other end B of the rod, firstly a straight first portion 31 forming one leg of the clip, then a bent second portion 32 which bends through more than 180 , then a third portion 33, then a fourth portion 34 which forms the toe portion of the clip and is bent through 180 , then a fifth portion 35 which mirrors the shape of the third portion 33, then a sixth portion 36 which mirrors the shape of the second portion 32 and finally a seventh portion 37 which forms the other leg of the clip. Thus, when viewed as seen in Fig. 7A, the clip may be considered to be substantially M-shaped. The free ends A, B, of the rod have a chamfer 37a on the surface of the leg which is to be uppermost when the clip 3 is bearing on a rail for assisting in inserting the clip into the shoulder. Adjacent to the ends A, B, on the uppermost surface of the clip 3, the clip 3 is formed with detents 38 for cooperating with the projections llOA, ilOB formed on the walls 10 of the shoulder 1 to retain the clip 3. The detents 38 are formed so as to have two oppositely-inclined spaced-apart faces defining respective pre-assembly and insulator-change positions relative to the shoulder 1.

Although not shown in Figures 7A to 7C, but seen from Figures BA to 8F, the toe portion 34 of the clip 3 when in use normally carries a toe insulator 34a for insulating the clip 3 from the rail. The toe insulator 34a also extends over parts of the third and fifth portions, 33, 35 of the clip 3. In order to reduce the likelihood that the toe insulator 34a may be removed unintentionally from the clip 3, those portions of the toe portion 34 and third and fifth portions 33, 35 which come into contact with the toe insulator 34a when it is located on the clip 3 may be left free of the coating which is generally applied to the remainder of the clip.

When the clip 3 is in its non-operative configuration, i.e. a non-stressed configuration in which the clip is not in use, the longitudinal axes of all parts of the clip lie substantially in the same plane F, that is the clip is flat.

As shown in Figure 7C, when the clip 3 is deflected into an operative configuration, by driving the clip into a shoulder 1, the legs 31, 37 of the clip 3 are driven downwards out of the first plane P into a second plane Q and the third, fourth and fifth portions 33, 34, 35 of the clip 3 are deflected upwardly out of the plane P into a third plane R, the planes P, Q, R being non-parallel.

Compared to the applicant's prior art switch-on/switch-off clip, a clip embodying the ninth aspect of the present invention may be made from 14mm diameter bar instead of 15mm. In addition, the clip is smaller in plan view, both shorter by about 10mm and narrower by about 10mm. The clip may be rolled around smaller radius formers to make the arches of the clip, in particular at the toe of the clip, as a consequence of which, and the smaller diameter, the clip may be significantly lighter. It also operates at a slightly higher stress level. The clip may be initially produced with some profile and then cold-set so that it returns to a flat shape (i.e. over-pressed when cold such that it yields and takes on some permanent deformation) A studded rail pad 4 embodying the eighth aspect of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 9A to 9C. Rail pad 4 is made of electrically-insulating material and is substantially rectangular in outline, having a first major face 41 and a second major face 42 opposite to the first major face, the first major face 41 providing a rail seat portion 43 on which rows of studs 43a are provided, the rail seat portion 43 providing cushioning between the underside of the rail foot and the underlying concrete sleeper. The rail seat portion 43 is also provided with a concertinaed section 43b which extends across the rail seat portion 43 in a direction parallel to the axis of a rail when seated thereon, the concertinaed section serving to allow the pad to conform to rail seats of varying widths, within a certain range. The four corners of the rail pad constitute ears 44 between which there are defined two recesses 45 which receive respective shoulders 1, providing longitudinal location and creep resistance. Integrally formed with the rail seat portion 43 and the ears 44 are sidepost insulator portions 46 for insulating the rail from the shoulder 1, each insulating portion 46 projecting upwardly from the first major face 41 and having a substantially horizontal shelf 47 which extends away from the rail seat portion 43 such that, when the rail pad 4 is in position between two shoulders 1, the shelf 47 will extend over a portion of the shoulder 1 and will be overlain by the toe portion 34 of a clip 3 installed in the shoulder 1.

To minimize part cost and manufacturing time, the sidepost insulator portions 46, which may be formed of nylon, may be cored out, the cored-out parts of the insulator portions 46 being filled with the material forming the rail seat portion 43, for example EVA.

A railway rail fastening assembly employing the elements described above will now be described with reference to Figures 8A to 8F. The railway rail fastening assembly of Figures 8A to BF, for fastening a railway rail 5, comprises a shoulder 1 embodying the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, a rail fastening clip 3 embodying the ninth aspect of the present invention, a sealing plate 2 embodying the fifth aspect of the present invention and a rail pad 4 embodying the eighth aspect of the present invention. It will be appreciated that, although not shown in Figures GA to 8F, when in use the rail is fastened on both sides of the rail head by such an assembly and that the stem lB and tangs 1C are embedded in the concrete sleeper 6. The sealing plate 2 is also embedded in the concrete sleeper 6, such that the top face of sealing plate 2 is flush with the upper surface of the sleeper 6. As shown in Figures 8A/8B the clip 3 may be driven into the shoulder 1 by introducing the chamfered free ends A, B of the clip legs 31, 37 into the gaps between the top surfaces 25a of the clip seat projections on the sealing plate 2 and the first projection 11OA on the outer surface of the walls 10 of the shoulder 1, and inserting the toe portion 34 of the clip 3, bearing a toe insulator 34a, into the space between the inner surfaces of the walls 10 of the shoulder 1, such that the toe 34 of the clip 3, through the toe insulator 34a, bears on the ramp of the shoulder 1. and the projections 11OA are located within the detents 38 in the clip legs 31, 37, with the projection 11OA contacting the rear face of the detent 38.

This position is known as the "pre-assernbly" or "parked" position, in which the clip does not bear on the rail 5, but overlies the shelf 47 of the side post insulator portion 46 of pad 4. Downwardly- facing parts of the legs 31, 37 rest on the top surfaces 25a of the clip seat projections 25.

As shown in Figures 8C and 8D, the clip 3 can be driven from the pre-assembly position (first operative position) into a second operative position in which the toe portion 34 of the clip 3 bears on the foot of the rail 5, the second projections 11OB on the walls 10 engage the detents 38 of legs 31, 37 of the clip 3 and the second and sixth portions 32, 36 (heel portions) of the clip 3 bear on the top surfaces 25a of the clip seat projections 25. The clip overlies the shelf 47 of the side post insulator portion 46 of the rail pad 4. The clip can be withdrawn from this position back into the pre-assembly position, if required in order to remove or work on the rail, or further back into the "insulator-change" position in which the front face of the detent 38 contacts the projection 11OA and the clip 3 does not overlie the shelf 47 of the sidepost insulator portion 46 of pad 4.

As the clip 3 is installed, the toe 34 of the clip 3 is driven upwards by the ramp 140 in the centre of the shoulder 1, and the legs 31, 37 are driven down, thereby splitting the clip open. This makes it possible to make the assembly a little lower than would otherwise be possible.

The rail fastening assembly described above employs elements in accordance with the first to tenth aspects of the present invention, but it will be clear that elements embodying the first to tenth aspects of the present invention may be employed in any combination with each

other or with prior art components.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. An anchoring device for use in retaining a railway rail fastening clip, the device comprising two interconnected spaced-apart walls, between which a portion of the clip to be retained is held when the anchoring device is in use, and clip-engaging means, supported by the walls, for engaging a portion of the rail fastening clip to be retained, wherein the device does not have any feature or surface which engages the surface of that clip portion which faces downwardly when the clip is in use.

2. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clip-engaging means define contact regions at which the device engages the rail clip to be retained when the clip bears on a railway rail, the device not engaging the clip at any other region of the device when the clip is bearing on the rail in normal operation, such that none of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from above when in its operative orientation in which it will be used when adjacent to a railway rail and all of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from below when in the said operative orientation.

3. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the device is in use, all the said contact regions of the device lie substantially at the same horizontal distance from the edge of the rail foot when measured perpendicularly to the axis of the rail and in the plane of the rail foot.

4. An anchoring device for use in retaining a railway rail fastening clip, the device comprising two interconnected spaced-apart walls, between which a portion of the clip to be retained is held when the anchoring device is in use, and clip-engaging means, supported by the said walls, defining contact regions at which the device engages the rail clip to be retained when the clip bears on a railway rail, the device not engaging the clip at any other region of the device when the clip is bearing on the rail in normal operation, wherein none of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from above when in its operative orientation in which it will be used when adjacent to a railway rail and wherein all of the said contact regions of the device can be seen when the anchoring device is viewed from below when in the said operative orientation.

5. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 4, wherein, when the device is in use, all the said contact regions of the device lie substantially at the same horizontal distance from the edge of the rail foot when measured perpendicularly to the axis of the rail and in the plane of the rail foot.

6. An anchoring device for use in retaining a railway rail fastening clip, the device comprising two interconnected spaced-apart walls, between which a portion of the clip to be retained is held when the anchoring device is in use, and clip-engaging means, supported by the said walls, defining contact regions at which the device engages the rail clip to be retained when the clip bears on a railway rail, the device not engaging the clip at any other region of the device when the clip is bearing on the rail, wherein, when the device is in use, all the said contact regions of the device lie substantially at the same horizontal distance from the edge of the rail foot when measured perpendicularly to the axis of the rail and in the plane of the rail foot.

7. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the device does not have any feature or surface which engages the surface of that clip portion which faces downwardly when the clip is in use.

8. An anchoring device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the said walls are interconnected by a connection portion which has a part which extends between the said walls from the one end thereof, which will be closest to the railway rail when the device is in use, towards the other end thereof and has a top surface which extends in a downwardly-inclined direction so as to form a ramp for deflecting a portion of the said railway rail fastening clip to be retained as it is driven into the anchoring device.

9. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said connection portion has another part which extends between the said one end of the walls below the said top surface to form a bearing face.

10. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the height of the said bearing face is less than that of the said walls.

11. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the height of the said connection portion at the said one end of the head is approximately half that of the said walls.

12. An anchoring device as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the said part of the connection portion forming a ramp is connected to the said walls along its side edges.

13. An anchoring device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the device comprises a head provided with the said clip-engaging means and a stem extending downwardly beneath the head of the device, for use in connecting the device to a concrete sleeper.

14. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the said stem is located at a first end of the head, which first end is adjacent to a railway rail when the device is in use.

15. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the stem is approximately Y-shaped such that the portions of the stem which form the upper ends of the Y are connected to the head of the device.

16. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 13, 14 or 15, further comprising at least one tang which extends downwardly from the underside of the head of the device.

17. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 16, when read as appended to claim A8, wherein the or each tang is located at or near a second end of the head, opposite to the first.

18. An anchoring device as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein there is at least one web extending between the said stem and the underside of the said head.

19. A rail clip anchoring device comprising a head for retaining a railway rail fastening clip and a stem extending downwardly beneath the head of the device, for use in connecting the device to a concrete sleeper, the stem being approximately Y-shaped such that the portions of the stem which form the upper arms of the Y are connected to the head of the device.

20. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the said stem extends from the head of the device at one end thereof.

21. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 20, further comprising at least one tang which extends from the underside of the head of the device at a location adjacent to the end opposite to its said one end.

22. An anchoring device as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein there is at least one web extending between the said stem and the underside of the said head.

23. A sealing plate, for use with a rail clip anchoring device having a head and a stem which extends from the head into a concrete sleeper when the anchoring device is in use, the plate being intended to extend over the underside of the head when the stem of the device is being set in a concrete sleeper, thereby to prevent ingress of concrete into the head of the device, and to be retained on the surface of the sleeper thereafter, wherein a major face of the plate, which is uppermost when the sleeper is in use, is provided with at least one clip seat portion for receiving part of a rail clip.

24. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 23, wherein the plate is formed such that a seal is created around the periphery of the said major face of the plate when pressure is applied to the other major face.

25. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 23 or 24, wherein the plate is formed of plastics material.

26. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 23, 24 or 25, wherein the plate is substantially rectangular in outline.

27. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 26, wherein one edge of the plate has a cut-out portion shaped for receiving a portion of the head of the anchoring device adjacent to the stem thereof.

28. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 27, wherein the said cut-out portion has a bevelled edge which matches a bevelled edge of the said portion of the head of the anchoring device.

29. A sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 28, wherein the plate comprises locating means for locating the plate on the head of the anchoring device.

30. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 29, wherein the said locating means comprise at least one tab protruding from a major face of the plate for engaging with a corresponding feature on the anchoring device.

31. A sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 30, wherein the or each clip seat portion is of greater resilience to wear than other parts of the plate.

32. A sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 31, wherein the or each clip seat portion comprises a projection.

33. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 32, wherein the said projection is L-shaped in plan.

34. A sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 33, wherein the or each clip seat portion has a clip-receiving surface which is shaped so as to match the profile of that part of the clip which is to bear thereon.

35. A sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 34, wherein the major surfaces of the plate are formed with one or more apertures therethrough for receiving respective portions of the anchoring device which extend from the underside of the head of the anchoring device.

36. A sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 35, wherein the major face of the plate which is lowermost when the sleeper is in use is provided with strengthening ribs which intersect to define a plurality of rebates.

37. A sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 36, in combination with a concrete sleeper into which it has been set, wherein the major face of the plate which is uppermost when the sleeper is in use is flush with the uppermost surface of the concrete sleeper.

38. A sealing plate as claimed in claim 37, when read as appended to claim 36, wherein the said rebates are filled with concrete.

39. A method of manufacturing a concrete sleeper with at least one embedded rail clip anchoring device of the type having a head for retaining a rail clip and a stem extending from the underside of the head, in which method the floor of a mould, from which the sleeper is to be formed, is provided with an aperture, the head of an anchoring device is inserted through the aperture such that the head of the device extends out of the mould and the stem of the device is located within the mould, and concrete is introduced into the mould, wherein before the concrete is introduced into the mould the aperture is sealed off around its edges and around the underside of the head of the anchoring device by placing a sealing plate over the aperture on the floor of the mould, the plate overlapping and sealing around the edges of the aperture other than where the anchoring device is located and having a mating interface with the anchoring device such that a seal is formed therewith.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein before the sealing plate is introduced into the mould it is connected to the anchoring device so as to extend over the underside of the head, the sealing plate being introduced into the mould together with the anchoring device and located over the aperture when the head is inserted through the aperture.

41. A method as claimed in claim 39 or 40, wherein, when the aperture is substantially rectangular and a first face of the head of the anchoring device abuts one side of the aperture, the sealing plate is shaped so as to mate with a second face of the head of the anchoring device, opposite to said first face, and to overlap the edges of the aperture on the other three sides thereof.

42. A method as claimed in claim 41, wherein the edge of the sealing plate which mates with the second face of the head is bevelled so as to match bevelling on the said second face.

43. A method as claimed in claim 39, 40, 41 or 42, wherein the said sealing plate is a plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 38.

44. An anchoring device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18 in combination with a sealing plate as claimed in any one of claims 23 to 38.

45. An anchoring device as claimed in claim 44, wherein the anchoring device is an anchoring device as claimed in claim 8, and the sealing plate is a plate as claimed in claim 30, wherein the or each tab on the sealing plate is operable to engage with the said ramp of the anchoring device.

46. A rail pad for use beneath a railway rail in a rail fastening assembly as cushioning and/or electrical insulation, the pad having a major face providing a rail seat portion on which the foot of the railway rail sits when the rail pad is in use, wherein the rail pad further comprises two upstanding portions, integrally formed with the said rail seat portion along opposite edges thereof, so as to extend along only a central part of the edge.

47. A rail pad as claimed in claim 46, wherein the said upstanding portions are made of electrically-insulating material and are shaped and arranged so as to form insulation members for electrically insulating the rail foot from rail clip anchoring devices located one on either side of the rail when the pad is in use.

48. A rail pad as claimed in claim 47, wherein the insulation members are formed of a material having greater resilience to damage than the rail seat portion of the pad.

49. A rail pad as claimed in claim 46, 47 or 48, wherein the upstanding portions are attached to the rail seat portion in such a manner as to be readily detachable therefrom.

50. A rail pad as claimed in claim 49, wherein the said upstanding portions mechanically interlock with the said rail seat portion.

51. A rail pad as claimed in any one of claims 46 to 50, wherein the width of the said rail seat portion can conform to a range of rail seat widths.

52. A rail pad as claimed in claim 51, wherein the rail seat region of the pad has a concertinaed section which can be stretched or squeezed between a minimum width and a maximum width, so as to adjust the overall width of the rail seat portion.

53. A resilient railway rail fastening clip for fastening a railway rail to an underlying foundation, the clip being such that it can be deflected from a non-operative configuration to at least one operative configuration in which a toe portion of the clip bears on a railway rail, the clip being made from a rod of resilient material shaped so as to have, proceeding from one end A of the rod to the other end B of the rod, firstly a substantially straight first portion, then a substantially bent second portion, then a third portion, then a fourth portion which is substantially U-shaped and forms the toe portion of the clip, then a fifth portion, then a substantially bent sixth portion, and finally a substantially straight seventh portion, the first and seventh portions of the clip forming leg portions, the longitudinal axes of which lie substantially in a first plane when the clip is in its non-operative configuration and, when the clip is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the said first plane, the third and fifth portions appear to lie between the first and seventh portions, wherein, when the clip is in its non-operative configuration, the longitudinal axes of the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth portions also lie substantially in the said first plane, and, when the clip is in the said at least one operative configuration, the longitudinal axes of the third, fourth and fifth portions lie substantially in a second plane and the longitudinal axes of the first and seventh portions lie substantially in a third plane, the second and third planes being non-parallel to one another.

54. A clip as claimed in claim 53, wherein the said clip is substantially M-shaped in plan, the region joining the inner legs of the N forming the said toe portion of the clip and the outer legs of the N forming the said leg portions of the clip.

55. A clip as claimed in claim 53 or 54, wherein the clip is provided with clip retaining means for inhibiting unintentional withdrawal of the clip from the rail.

56. A clip as claimed in any one of claims 53 to 55, wherein the said clip retaining means are also operable to retain the clip in a pre-assembly position in which the clip does not bear on the rail.

57. A clip as claimed in claim 55 or 56, wherein the said clip retaining means are provided on the said leg portions of the clip.

58. A railway rail fastening clip having a toe portion for bearing on a railway rail when the clip is in use via an insulating member, carried by part of the toe portion, for electrically insulating the clip from the rail, the surface of the clip being provided with a protective coating, wherein the said coating is not provided on that part of the toe portion of the clip which is to contact the said insulating member.

59. A clip as claimed in claim 58, wherein the clip is a clip as claimed in any one of claims 53 to 58.

60. A railway rail fastening assembly comprising a railway rail fastening clip as claimed in any one of claims 53 to 59, and an anchoring device for retaining the said rail fastening clip, wherein the anchoring device is provided with clip cooperating means for cooperating with the said clip retaining means on the said clip to retain the said clip within the said anchoring device.

61. An assembly as claimed in claim 60, wherein the said anchoring device is a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, 44 or 45.

62. A railway rail fastening assembly comprising two railway rail fastening clips, two anchoring devices for retaining respective ones of the rail fastening clips when installed therein and a rail pad as claimed in any one of claims 46 to 52, located between the two anchoring devices, wherein each insulation member of the pad is formed with a shelf which extends over a portion of that anchoring device which is adjacent thereto, the shelf being overlain by the rail clip installed in the anchoring device when the clip is in a pre-assembly position in which the clip does not overlie the rail seat portion of the pad.

63. An assembly as claimed in claim 62, wherein the clips are clips as claimed in any one of claims 51 to 57.

64. An assembly as claimed in claim 62 or 63, wherein the said anchoring devices are devices as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, 44 or 45.