US2167870A - Rail fastening - Google Patents

Description

WM, fi. EBUYEZE RAIL FASTER! ING Filed July 24, 3.935

Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFEQE 15 Claims.

This invention has particular reference to improved means for holding railroad rails in proper place and the structures herein described may be deemed improvements on the structure described in my copending application Ser. No. 758,569 issued Dec. 20, 1938, as Patent No. 2,140,891.

The main objects of the invention herein described are to provide rail fastening structures of the type disclosed in my said copending applica- .tion, but of even greater commercial practicability due to changes and modifications of certain details of the structure disclosed in my said copending application.

In general, it may be said that the objects of i the invention are to provide a simple yet effective rail fastening which will be strong and durable and which will be adapted to be employed Without modifying substantially conventional rail laying practices, and to provide an arrangement which will avoid certain damaging effects on ties such as are incident to most prior forms of rail fastenings.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein there are illustrated several embodiments of rail fastenings according to the present invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a clip structure employed in the form of fastening illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are side elevations illustrating other forms of the rail fastening;

Fig, '7 is a section on the line l--'l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing still another form of rail fastening in the process of being assembled;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, corresponding to Fig. 8 but showing the structure fully assembled;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line I5llll of Fig. 9; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are a side elevation and plan view respectively of another form of the fastenmg.

Referring now to the drawings, the railfastening illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive comprises a tie plate I!) provided with upstanding rail abutting shoulders H and I2 respectively on opposite sides of the rail seat portion 13 of the tie plate.

The opposite end portions 14 and I5 respectively of the plate are formed with their upper surfaces it and ll both arranged at substantially the same angle to the horizontal and the shoulders I l and It also hear like relationship to the horizontal. The top surfaces of the respective ends are disposed, for example, at a downward and outward inclination of about 5 degrees to the horizontal planes passing through the respectively adjacent side edges of the rail seat.

The rail seat 13 is preferably, but not necessarily, inclined upwardly and outwardly. The outer end portion I5 is also preferably made longer than the inner end portion. Said inclination of the rail seat and the greater length of the outer end portions cooperate to overcome ordinary outward overturning tendency of the rail under load. It should also be observed that because of the increased thickness of the rail seat portion of the plate at its outer edge, owing to the inclination of the rail seat and the maintenance of both end top surfaces in substanwhich most frequently attacks the outer end por- 4 tion of the plates.

A rail 3 having its base flange seated on the rail seat it between the shoulders M and 12 is adapted to be held in operative position on the tie plate by means of clips such as indicated at it secured to the tie plate on opposite sides of the rail. In Figs. 1 and 2, a clip is illustrated as applied to the tie plate at only one side of the rail and the clip is omitted on the other side to more clearly illustrate the arrangement. However, it will be understood that clips such as it are preferably employed on both sides of the rail. It should also be understood that if desired, any other suitable means may be provided on one side of the rail for holding the latter in operative position on the tie plate, and a clip arrangement such as It provided only on the other side. Also, more than one clip may, in some instances,

'be employed on either or both sides of the rail.

Because of the desired similar relationship between the rail seat and both end portions and the respective shoulders, it will be evident that the same clip structure may be employed on both ends of the plate. This feature is an advantage, first, in that it simplifies manufacture, in that only one set of rolls or equipment is required to produce the clips for both ends, as distinguished from the usual requirement of separate sets of equipment for producing clips or the like for each end. Secondly, the feature is an advantage in that installation is facilitated by elimination of the necessity for careful selection of clips according to location on the plate.

The clips herein contemplated comprise a body portion 20 having a lip 2! extending laterally from the inner end of the body portion. The

bottom surface of the body portion of the clip is shaped to substantially conform to the top surfaces I6 and H and the adjacent shoulders II and I2 of the plate ends so that the clip is adapted to be seated on said plate ends. When properly seated as indicated in Fig. 2, the lip portion 2| projects into overlying relation to the adjacent marginal portion of the rail base flange. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lip 2| of the clip is offset upwardly relative to the surface portion of the clip which rests on the top of the tie plate shoulder so that a space such as indicated at 22 is provided between the rail base flange and the lip of the clip. It being understood that the clip is securely anchored to the plate by means which will presently be described, it will be observed that the described arrangement permits the rail to move upwardly to a limited extent, thereby permitting free, normal wave motion of the rail which is incident to the movement of rolling stock over the rails. If desired, the lip 2| may obviously be lowered so as to directly engage the rail base flange to prevent, or at least resist, said normal wave motion of the rail.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the clip is attached to the tie plate by means of a depending lug 23 which extends transversely of the clip and preferably across the entire width 1 of the clip. The depending lug isarranged at an angle to the vertical and in this instance, extends downwardly and inwardly toward the rail base. The tie plate is provided with a corresponding slot or opening 24 also arranged at an angle to receive the lug 23 of the clip. It will be evident that the clip will be held against vertical separation from the tie plate by reason of the engagement of the inclined or under-cut face or wall of the opening 24.

Under normal circumstances, the only forces which tend to raise the clip are those applied by the rail base flange to the lip portion 2!, so that the normal tendency is to rock the clip upwardly at its inner end about its outer end as a fulcrum. It will be apparent that such upward movement of the clip would require the latter to move laterally outwardly to permit the inclined lug 23 to rise upwardly along the inclined inner face of the opening 24. To prevent such lateral outward movement of the clip, the body of the clip is provided with an opening 25 extending therethrough and the plate is provided with an opening 21 adapted to at least partially register with the clip opening 25 for the reception of a spike or other fastening means indicated at 28. The spike 2B illustratedin this instance may be considered a conventional cut track spike which penetrates a tie on which the tie plate is seated to the extent of about four to six inches.

In this instance, the opening 25 in the clip is arranged to be axially vertical when the clip is in its operative position on the tie plate. Also, the opening 25 is so located that it is at least partially within the area of the depending lug 23, so that a continuation of the opening 25 through the lug portion forms a recess, indicated at 26, for receiving a portion of the spike. The opening 21 in the tie plate is preferably of the same dimension from side to side as the width of the spike or fastening 28, and, as illustrated, it may be punched at the same angle as the opening 24. The dimension of the opening 27 lengthwise of the plate is such that when the spike is driven into place, as illustrated in Fig. 2, it will engage the edge portion of the tie plate at the lower end of the inclined outer wall 21 of the said opening 21.

The openings 24 and 21 in the tie plate being in communication with each other, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, form a T-shaped opening. The top wall 24 of the T-shaped opening is disposed at an angle to the vertical and, in this instance, is inclined downwardly and inwardly of the plate and the outer walls 24 and 2'! of the openings 24 and 2! respectively are disposed substantially parallel to said top wall. The opposite side walls of the openings are substantially vertically disposed. Hence it will be understood that the T- shaped openings comprising the open portions 24 and 21 may be punched in a single operation. Economy of production is thereby attained.

Lateral outward movement of the clip is re-. sisted by engagement of the spike with the outer wall portion 21 of the tie plate and by the anchorage of the spike in the tie, supplemented by engagement of the portions of the depending lug on opposite sides of the spike with the corresponding rear or outer wall portions 24 of the opening 24.

It will be observed that the spike and lug, being arranged at diverging angles, form a downwardly expanding structure on the bottom of the clip and that such downwardly expanding structure is. received by the T-shaped opening in the plate so that the clip is effectively interlocked with the tie plate against vertical separation. Such interlocking is effective as long as the spike remains inserted in the openings in the plate and clip. Hence, the spike or similar fastening means must be entirely withdrawn before the effectiveness of the anchorage of the clip on the tie plate is impaired.

It may be said that the clip is effective to maintain the rail in place, first, by reason of the fact that upward rocking of the inner end of the clip about its outer end as a fulcrum is effectively resisted by engagement of the inner face of the lug with the adjacent face of the opening in the tie plate, the outer end of the clip being effectively held down by the spike, and that the clip is further effective for its said purpose by reason of the downwardly expanding dovetail-like interlocking connection between the clip and the plate.

In the described structure, the tie plate is, in general respects, one of conventional size and weight, it being noted that the shoulders I l and I2 are not specially formed to provide anchorage or for other purposes, as in many prior forms of rail fastenings.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the clip l9 has its lip portion 2| modified to engage the marginal portion of the rail base flange to thereby resist any vertical movement of the rail relative to the tie plate Ill. The clip is provided with a depending inclined lug 23 but in this instance, the lug is arranged at a downwardly and outwardly inclined angle to the vertical, as distinguished from a downwardly and inwardly inclined angle, as. in the form shown in Fig. 2. The spike 28 in this instance is also disposed inwardly of the lug 23 instead of outwardly. Otherwise, the relative engagement of the parts are substantially the same as described in detail in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the clip is effectively interlocked by a dovetail-like arrangement against vertical separation from the tie plate. Upward rocking movement of the inner or lip end of the clip about its outer end as a fulcrum is resisted by the shear action of the 15 clip and tie plate on the spike or other similar part and by engagement of the innermost face portions designated 29 of the lug on opposite sides of the spike 28 with adjacent face portions 3!! of the lug-receiving opening in the plate. Such rocking movement of the clip is also resisted by engagement of the face or wall 3! of the recess formed in the lug 2? with the adjacent face of the spike 23 which is held against lateral inward movement relative to the plate by engagement of its innermost face with the adjacent face of the opening in the plate through which it extends.

An abutment 32 may be provided on the tie plate for engaging the outer end of the clip to cooperate with the lug and spike to prevent lateral outward displacement of the clip.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the tie plate i0 is not provided with a rail abutting shoulder such as indicated at El or l2 in Fig. 2, but the clip I9 is modified to provide a shoulder 33 which is adapted to engage the adjacent side edge of the base flange of the rail l8 to prevent sidewise displacement of the rail. The lip portion 2! of the clip is illustrated as being spaced upwardly from the base flange of the rail to permit a normal wave motion thereof, but it may be arranged in contact with the base flange, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 4, to resist such wave motion. The angular relationship between the depending lug 23 and the spike is illustrated as being smaller than that contemplated in Figs. 2 and 4, but it will be apparent that the operative effect remains the same.

In Figs. 6 and '7, there is disclosed an arrangement in which the clip i9 is provided with a depending lug 23 which is substantially axially vertically disposed when the clip is in its operative position on the tie plate. In this instance, the clip is provided with a spike-receiving opening 25 which is also substantially axially vertically disposed and said opening extends downwardly through the lug 23 which is somewhat wider in the direction transversely of the rail than the corresponding dimension of the spike and considerably longer in the direction parallel with the rail than the corresponding dimension of the spike. As illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7, the spike 28 is received wholly within the area of the lug 23 The lug is of such depth that upward movement of the inner end of the clip about its outer end as a fulcrum will cause cramping engagement of the lug with the inner and outer walls of the tie plate opening. Such cramping action effectively prevents the rail from rocking the clip out of operative position. The spike assists the lug in holding the clip in place as an incident to its normal hold-down power due to its penetration of the railroad tie, but it also assists by, in effect, providing a lengthened cramp-action zone. When the clip is urged upwardly at its inner end, the inner face of the spike will be engaged by the adjacent top edge of the clip, outward movement of the clip under the force of such engagement being stopped by engagement of the spike with the outer face of the hole in the plate. The lower inner edge of the lug will, at the same time, engage the adjacent wall of the hole in the plate.

Since the only forces normally applied against the clip are those which are directed upwardly against the inner or lip end of the clip, it will be seen that the described axially vertical lug and opening arrangement is effective to interlock the clip and tie plate to form an effective raiL-retaining arrangement. As indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, the tie plate H] may be provided with a shoulder or abutment 31 for engaging the outer end of the clip to cooperate with the lug and opening connection in resisting outward lateral movement of the clip relative to the tie plate.

In Figs. 8 and 9, there is illustrated an arrangement similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, but wherein there is provided a yielding arrangement which serves to take up impacts on the lip end of the clip and thereby tends to pre vent shocks. In the arrangement illustrated, the opening portion 24 in the tie plate which receives the inclined lug 23 of the clip is made somewhat wider than the lug to provide space, as indicated at 38, between the front or inner face of the lug and the inner inclined wall of the opening. The inner face of the lug is provided with a transversely extending recess or channel 39 in which there is positioned a bowed spring plate 40. The ends of the spring plate are preferably seated in said recess 39 and the intermediate or inwardly bowed portion of the spring is adapted to engage the inner wall of the opening 26.

When the clip is provided with a lip which is spaced upwardly from the rail base flange, the spring arrangement it serves mainly to take up impacts or shocks incident to the engagement of the rail base flange with said lip when excessive vertical or wave motion is caused to take place in the rail. In the event that the lip portion of the clipis made to bear on the rail base flange in the manner illustrated in Fig. l, the spring element 50 would serve to yieldingly hold the clip in such operative relation and would resiliently resist upward movement or wave motion of the rail relative to the tie plate.

In connection with the use of a spring arrangement such as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, an abutment 4i may be provided on the tie plate to firmly engage the outer end of the clip when in its operative position, and such abutment may be of considerable height so as to afford a large area of engagement with the clip end. A high shoulder is made possible by the spring arrangement described, owing to the fact that when the clip is inserted with the spring positioned in its recess in the lug, the clip assumes a position substantially as indicated in broken lines wherein the outer end portion of the clip rests on the top of the abutment il, this relation being incident to the employment of the angularly disposed lug 23. A sharp blow on the outer end of the clip will sufice to flex the spring plate All sufficiently to permit the clipto move inwardly past the shoulder ti and then downwardly into its operative position illustrated in full lines in Figs. 3 and 9.

In Figs. 11 and 12, there is shown another arrangement for providing spring resistance to vertical movement of the rail while retaining the safety of the effective rail-retaining clip structure. The clip is anchored to the tie plate according to any of the described arrangements. A flat spring element 42 of greater width than the width of the clip, is interposed between the clip and the tie plate shoulder. Marginal outer end portions 43, 43 of the spring on both sides of the clip overlap the sides of the clip and an intermediate portion of the outer end of the clip, corresponding in width to that of the clip, is bent to conform to the surface of the plate shoulder on which it rests. The under side of the clip is suitably recessed to fit over the clip without raising the outer end portion thereof from the surface of the plate.

The spring 42 is effectively locked in place and will serve to yieldingly resist upward movement of the rail on which the spring may normally bear or over which it may extend in slightly spaced relation if preferred. The extent of vertical movement of the rail is of course limited by the rigid overlying lip portion of the clip.

The described arrangements are typical of various forms which the invention may take and they are also typical of various commercially practicable forms. By commercially practicable forms, I particularly mean forms of construction which may be manufactured by substantially conventional rolling mill operations. Also, the necessary openings in the plate may be punched in a single operation by conventional machinery employed for the punching of tie plates of common construction.

Other changes in the described structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

1. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip, the clip having an opening for the passage of a spike or the like through the clip and provided with a depending lug inclined to the vertical, said opening being so located and at such an angle to said lug as to cause said spike to engage the outer face of the lug and to cooperate therewith to form a downwardly expanding structure depending from the clip bottom, and the plate having a single opening adapted to receive said downwardly expanding clip structure, the lug being adapted to engage the tie plate edge at one side of the opening therein and the spike the opposite edge, thereby to interlock the clip and plate against vertical separation, and said clip having a lip on its inner end adapted to overlie the base flange of a rail seated on the tie plate to retain the rail in operative relation to the tie plate.

2. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip, the clip having an opening for the passage of a spike or the like through the clip and provided with a depending lug inclined to the vertical, said opening being located so as to be at least partially within the area of the lug and extending through the latter so as to form a recess in one side thereof for receiving a portion of said spike, and the plate having a single opening extending therethrough for receiving said inclined lug and the spike, said opening having its opposed wall portions substantially parallel to each other, one pair thereof being inclined to substantially correspond to the inclination of the lug, whereby said opening is adapted to be punched in a single operation, said spike being adapted to engage the lower edge portion of the plate at the bottom of one of said inclined walls to thereby lock the clip in operative position on the plate.

3. A tie plate for a rail fastening of the class described having a substantially'T-shaped opening extending therethrough substantially as and for the purpose described, the top portion of the T-shaped opening having its top and bottom walls inclined to the vertical but substantially parallel to each other, the bottom wall of the stem portion of the T-shaped opening being substantially parallel to said first-mentioned inclined walls, and the opposed side walls of said opening being substantially vertically disposed, whereby said opening is adapted to be punched in a single operation.

4. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip, the clip having a depending lug inclined to the vertical, and the plate having an opening extending therethrough for receiving said inclined lug, said opening being provided with an under-cut wall adapted to cooperate with said inclined lug to lock the clip against upward displacement from the plate, an abutment on said plate for engaging the outer end of the clip when seated on the tie plate, and resilient means interposed between said under-cut wall and said inclined lug for resiliently maintaining the clip in normal seated position on the tie plate and facilitating assembly of the clip and plate.

5. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and an opening on one side of the rail seat, the opening being inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the rail seat, a clip having a depending lug received in said opening and inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the rail seat, resilient means interposed between the inner side of said lug and the adjacent wall of said opening for resiliently v maintaining the clip in normally seated position on the tie plate while permitting limited movement of the clip incident to normal rail-wave motion, and means for securing the clip to the plate so as to maintain said lug in the opening.

6. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and an opening on one side of the seat, the opening being inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the seat, a clip having a depending lug received in the opening and inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the rail seat, a spring interposed between the inner side of said lug and the adjacent wall of said opening for resiliently maintaining the clip in normal seated position on the plate while permitting limited movement of the clip incident to normal rail-wave motion, said lug having a recess for receiving and positioning said spring thereon to maintain the same in operative position when the parts are assembled and to facilitate assembly thereof, and means for securing the clip to the plate so as to maintain said lug in the opening.

7. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip anchored to the tie plate,

(ill

the latter having a rail abutting shoulder over which the clip extends, and a spring element having a portion of one end intermediate its width overlying said shoulder and bent downwardly over the outer side thereof and marginal portions on opposite sides of said intermediate portion embracing said clip, the latter overlying said intermediate spring portion and shoulder.

8. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip, the tie plate having an opening and the clip being provided with a depending lug adapted to enter said opening, said opening and lug being so shaped as to permit insertion of the lug into the opening by a single movement in a direction extending both transversely and in the direction of the normal plane of the plate, whereby a portion of the plate will overlie a portion of the lug to prevent vertical displacement of the clip from the plate, said opening and lug also being of such interfitting size that the clip is thereby positioned on the plate substantially in operative position relative thereto, and a spike extending through aligned openings in the clip and tie plate and through a part of said lug, the side of the spike remote from the lug being in abutting relation to the tie plate, said spike serving to lock the clip in said operative position on the plate.

9. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip, the tie plate having an opening and the clip being provided with a depending, substantially straight lug adapted to enter said opening, said opening and lug being angularly arranged relative to the normal plane of the plate and the lug being insertable into said opening by a single movement in a direction extending both transversely and in the direction of the normal plane of the plate, whereby a portion of the plate will overlie a portion of the lug to prevent vertical displacement of the clip from the plate, said opening and lug also being of such interfitting size that the clip is thereby posi tioned on the plate substantially in operative position relative thereto, and a spike extending through aligned openings in the clip and tie plate and through part of the lug, one side of the spike being in abutting relation to the lug and the opposite side in abutting relation to the tie plate, said spike serving to lock the clip in said operative position on the plate.

10. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip, the tie plate having a transversely extending, upwardly projecting rail-abutting shoulder forming a zone of increased thickness and strength, said plate having an opening located at least partially in said thickened zone, and the clip being provided with a substantially straight, depending lug adapted to enter said opening, said opening and lug being angularly arranged relative to the normal plane of the plate so that a portion of the plate in said zone of increased thickness overlies said lug to prevent vertical displacement of the clip from the plate, said opening and lug being of such interfitting size that the clip is thereby positioned on the plate substantially in operative position rela tive thereto, and a removable spike extending through aligned openings in the clip and tie plate and through part of said lug, one side of the spike being in abutting relation to the lug and the opposite side in abutting relation to the tie plate, said spike serving to lock the clip in said operative position on the plate, the clip having an end portion adapted to overlie a portion of the base flange of a rail seated on the tie plate.

11. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip, the tie plate having an opening and the clip being provided with a depending lug adapted to enter said opening, said opening and lug being angularly arranged so that a portion of the plate overlies said lug, said lug having an outwardly facing surface adapted to engage an inwardly facing surface of the tie plate at the outer end of said opening so as to resist outwardly directed thrusts on the clip, and a fastening device interposed between oppositely facing, juxtaposed portions of the clip and the tie plate and insertable and removable by movement at an angle to the direction of said lug for preventing such lateral movement of the clip as is required for withdrawal of the lug from said opening.

12. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a rigid clip, the tie plate having a rail seat and an opening extending therethrough outwardly of said rail seat, said clip having a body portion and a pair of vertically spaced projections, the clip having a surface portion intermediate said projections adapted to engage a plate portion inwardly of said opening to thereby predetermine the lateral position of the clip relative to the plate, the uppermost of said projectiens engaging the top of the plate and extending over the adjacent marginal portion of the rail seat for overlying the base flange of a rail seated on the plate, and the lowermost of said projections being such as to underlie a portion of the plate adjacent said opening therein and outwardly of said rail seat, whereby the clip is definitely positioned both vertically and laterally relative to the tie plate, the opening in said plate being of such size as to permit a spike to be driven through said opening into an underlying tie and such that the inner and outer face portions of the spike will respectively engage said clip and the tie plate to lock the clip against outward lateral displacement.

13. In a rail fastening, a combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and an opening spaced outwardly from the seat, a spike for securing the tie plate to a tie, and a clip having a substantially vertical Wall engaged by said spike and provided with a depending lug of greater width than the corresponding dimension of the spike, the lug extending into said opening with one side thereof facing the rail seat and in abutting relation to the corresponding side of said opening, the opposite side of the lug being formed with a substantially vertical slot, a portion of the spike extending through said slot and fitting closely therein, said opening receiving said lug and spike to lock the clip to the plate, the opening being of such size that the lug fits closely therein, whereby the clip is adapted to be operatively positioned on the plate by said interfitting relationship, and the clip having a lip on its inner end adapted to overlie the base flange of a rail on said seat.

14. In a rail fastening, the combination of a. tie plate and a clip, the clip having an opening for the passage of a spike or the like therethrough and provided with a depending lug inclined to the vertical, said opening being located so as to be only partially within the area of the lug and extending through the latter so as to form a recess in one side thereof for receiving a portion of the spike, the plate having a single opening therein for receiving the lug and spike and the plate opening having its opposite wall portions substantially parallel to each other, one pair thereof being inclined to correspond substantially to the inclination of the lug, whereby said opening is adapted to be punched in a single operation, the outer face of the spike being in substantially abutting relation to the corresponding side of said opening in the plate.

15. In a rail fastening, the combination of a tie plate and a clip anchored to the tie plate, the clip having a lip adapted to overlie the base flange of a rail seated on the tie plate, and a spring element having a portion near one end overlying the tie plate outwardly of said seat and having marginal portions on opposite sides of the clip embracing the clip, the clip overlying said first portion of the spring and clamping the same to the tie plate.

WILLIAM S. BOYCE.

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