IE48083B1 - A railway sleeper and a railway rail-and-fastening assembly employing it - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a rail tie (also called a railway sleeper) and to a railway rail-andfastening assembly including a rail tie.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a rail tie comprising: first and second support surfaces on each of which a flange at the bottom of a railway rail is to stand; first and second projections which are fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and joined to it, the first projection being associated with and on one side of said first support surface and the second projection being associated with and on one side of said second support surface, part of each projection being higher than its associated support surface and such that it can lie above, and close to, the top of one side of the rail flange when the flange stands on said associated support surface; and first and second portions, associated with and on the opposite sides of said first and second support surfaces respectively, each of which portions is fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and projects higher than the associated support surface for locating the edge of the other side of the rail flange and forms a substantially horizontal passageway substantially perpendicular to the length of the rail tie, each of said passageways being closed at the top and open at least at one end and being suitable for-, receiving part of a rail clip for holding the rail down on the tie, the two projections being between the two passageways.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a railway rail-and-fastening assembly comprising: a rail tie having first and second support surfaces; a first railway rail having at its bottom a flange standing on said first support surface and a second t railway rail having at its bottom a flange standing on ‘ i said second support surface; first and second projections i which are fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and are joined to it, the first projection being assoc- ; iated with and on one side of said first support surface and the second projection being associated with and on one side of said second support surface, part of each projection being higher than its associated support surface and lying above, and close to, the top of one side of the rail flange standing on its associated support surface; ( first and second portions associated with and on the opposite sides of said first and second support surfaces respectively, each of which portions is fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and projects higher than the associated support surface for locating the edge of the other side of the rail flange standing on its associated support surface and forms a substantially horizontal passageway substantially perpendicular to the length of the rail tie, each of the first and second passageways being closed at the top and open at least at one end; and a first rail clip having a first part in the first passageway and a second part pressing downwardly on the top of said other side of the first rail flange and a second rail clip having a first part in the second passageway and a second part pressing downwardly on the top of said other side of the second rail flange, the two projections being between the two passageways.

Each projection and/or each said portion may be integral with the remainder of the tie or permanently fixed to it.

Preferably, each said projection, proceeding from its root to its tip, first extends upwardly at a first angle to the horizontal and then extends upwardly at a second and smaller angle to the horizontal. The first angle may exceed 60° and the second angle may be less than 30°.

Preferably, the tie is made of rolled sheet steel and is in the form of a flat-bottomed trough in10 verted, each said projection being a lug pressed out of the material of the top of the tie and integral with it, leaving a hole in the top of the tie beneath the lug.

Alternatively, or in addition, the tie could be made of rolled sheet steel and in the form of a flat15 bottomed trough inverted, each said portion being a rib pressed out of the material of the top of the tie and integral with it.

If the lugs and ribs are provided, preferably they are all pressed out from the tie simultaneously.

Alternatively, first one lug and one rib, both in one half of the tie, are pressed out simultaneously and then the tie is reversed in order to bring the other half near the pressing tools and then the other lug and the other rib are pressed out simultaneously.

An example in accordance with the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure 1 shows an end view of part of a railway rail-and-fastening assembly, Figure 2 shows a plan view of the same part of the assembly as Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows an end view of the complete assembly.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the illustrated b assembly includes a rail tie 1 made of rolled sheet steel and in the conventional shape of a flat-bottomed trough inverted. In «ch half of the length of the tie (only one half being shown) there is a projection in the form of a lug 2 which has been pressed out of the material of the top 3 of the tie (i.e. the base of the trough). There is also in each half of the length of the tie a portion in the form of a rib 4 which has been pressed out of the material of the top of the tie. Each rib forms a horizontal passageway 5 closed at the top, open at both ends and perpendicular to the length of the tie.

On each half of the length of the tie rests a rail 6, having a flange 7 at its bottom, which stands on a support surface on the tie, the lug 2 in that half of the tie having, proceeding from its root to its tip, firstly a part 2A extending up the edge of one side of the flange at an angle of more than 60° to the horizontal and then a part 2B which lies above and close to that side of the flange and extends upwardly at an angle of less than 30° to the horizontal. The passageway 5 in that half of the sleeper is beside the edge of the flange on the other side of the flange and is parallel to the rail.

Two rail clips 8 are used to hold the rails to the tie, each having been made by bending a steel rod of circular cross-section, a substantially straight leg 8A of each clip being in a respective one of the passageways 5, a portion 8B of each clip bearing downwardly on the flange of a respective one of the rails and a portion 8C of each clip bearing downwardly on a respective fixed surface 9 which, as seen from the associated rail, is beyond the associated passageway 5, the surface 9 being part of the top of the sleeper.

The illustrated lug 2 is integral with the top of the tie and joined to it on one side of the abovementioned support surface and the illustrated rib A is on the opposite side of the support surface and is likewise integral with the top of the tie. It projects higher than said support surface and locates that edge of the illustrated rail flange which is remote from the projection 2 and from the other rail.

The illustrated tie can be used with a rail having a narrower flange, the left-hand edge of which, in contrast to what is shown in the drawing, will not extend to the junction between the parts 2A and 2B of the projection 2, The rib 4 is such that a straight rod of circular cross-section 1 centimetre in diameter can pass through the passageway 5 and project out of both ends of it without touching the top of the tie at either end of the rib.

Figure 3 shows ends A and B of the tie and the two rails, two lugs, two ribs, two passageways and two clips, in the one case with the prefix 1 and in the other case with the prefix 2 before the reference numerals used in Figures 1 and 2. It is to be noted that the lugs 12 and 22 are between the passageways 15 and 25.

The lugs 12 and 22 prevent the rails tipping so that the distance between the tops of the rails increases, i.e. the gauge of the railway track increases.

Claims (13)

1. A rail tie comprising: first and second support surfaces on each of which a flange at the bottom of a railway rail is to stand; first and second projections 5 which are fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and joined to it, the first projection being associated with and on one side of said first support surface and the second projection being associated with and on one side of said second support surface, part of each pro10 jection being higher than its associated support surface and such that it can lie above, and close to, the top of one side of the rail flange when the flange stands on said associated support surface; and first and second portions, associated with and on the opposite sides of 15 said first and second support surfaces respectively, each of which portions is fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and projects higher than the associated support surface for locating the edge of the other side of the rail flange and forms a substantially hori20 zontal passageway substantially perpendicular to the length of the rail tie, each of said passageways being closed at the top and open at least at one end and being suitable for receiving part of a rail clip for holding the rail down on the tie, the two projections being between 25 the two passageways.

2. A rail tie according to claim 1, in which each of said projections, proceeding from its root to its tip, first extends upwardly at a first angle to the horizontal and then extends upwardly at a second and smaller angle to the horizontal..

3. A rail tie according to claim 2, in which said first angle is more than 60° and said second angle is less than 30°.

4. 5 4. A rail tie according to claim 1, 2 or 3, which is made of rolled sheet steel and is in the form of a flat-bottomed trough inverted, each of said projections being a lug pressed out of the material of the top of the tie and integral with it, leaving a hole in 10 the top of the tie beneath the lug. 5. A rail tie according to any preceding claim, which is made of rolled sheet steel and is in the form of a flat-bottomed trough inverted, each of said portions being a rib pressed out of the material of the top of the 15 tie and integral with it.

5. 6. A rail tie according to claim 1, 2 or 3, which is made of rolled sheet steel and is in the form of a flatbottomed trough inverted, each of said projections being a lug pressed out of the material of the top of the tie 2o and integral with ii, leaving a hole in the top of the tie beneath the lug, and each of said portions being a rib that was pressed out of the material of the tie simultaneously with a said lug, said ribs also being integral with the material of the top of the tie. 25

6. 7. A railway rail-and-fastening assembly compris9 ing a rail tie having first and second support surfaces; a first railway rail having at its bottom a flange standing on said first support surface and a second railway rail having at its bottom a flange standing on said second 5 support surface; first and second projections which are fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and are joined to it, the first projection being associated with and on one side of said first support surface and the second projection being associated with and on one side 10 of said second support surface, part of each projection being higher than its associated support surface and lying above, and close to, the top of one side of the rail flange standing on its associated support surface; first and second portions associated with and on the opposite 15 sides of said first and second support surfaces respectively, each of which portions is fixed with respect to the remainder of the tie and projects higher than the associated support surface for locating the edge of the other side of the rail flange standing on its associated 2o support surface and forms a substantially horizontal passageway substantially perpendicular to the length of the rail tie, each of the first and second passageways being closed at the top and open at least at one end; and a first rail clip having a first part in the first 25 passageway and a second part pressing downwardly on the top of said other side of the first rail flange and a second rail clip having a first part in the second passageway and a second part pressing downwardly on the top of said other side of the second rail flange, the two proIQ jections being between the two passageways.

7. 8. An assembly according to claim 7, in which each of said projections, proceeding from its root to its tip, first extends upwardly at a first angle to the horizontal and then extends upwardly at a second and smaller 5 angle to the horizontal.

8. 9. An assembly according to claim 8, in which said first angle is more than 60° and said second angle is less than 30°.

9. 10. An assembly according to claim 7, 8 or 9, in 10 which the tie is made of rolled sheet steel and is in the form of a flat-bottomed trough inverted, each of said projections being a lug pressed out of the material of the top of the tie and integral with it, leaving a hole in the top of the tie beneath the lug. 15

10. 11. An assembly according to claim 7, 8, 9, or 10 in which the tie is made of rolled sheet steel and is in the form of a flat-bottomed trough inverted, each of said portions being a rib pressed out of the material of the top of the tie and integral with it. 20

11. 12. A rail tie, substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12.

13. A railway rail-and-fastening assembly, substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.