An Improved Fastening System Of Rail To Sleeper For Railway Track
Abstract:
Presently the rail is fixed to wooden bridge sleepers by rail screws which are non elastic and are to be tightened carefully in order to allow freedom for rail to move longitudinally.
This arrangement is being done very carefully and is subject to wear and tear.
Similarly, in the case of holding rail to steel sleepers, a metal steel plate clip with a lip overiding the rail foot is used and this clip is fixed to the steel structure with nut and bolt.
This arrangement have several drawbacks like frequent maintenance, wear and tear and do not achieve the purpose.
We have improved this system by providing metallic bearing plate 1) having a central recess to seat the bottom surface of the rail and a pair of end recesses 1(b) and 1(c), one on either side of the rail, the end recesses being made for accommodating a pair of metal shoulders 2 and liners 3 wherein the liners 3 are of special construction.
Each liner has a heel resting portion HS and a toe resting portion TS joined together by a pair of curved central portions 9 and 10.
The centra! portions have recess 11 to accommodate the shoulder and the rail fastening clip rest on the special liner in such a way that there is a gap provided between the top of the rail flange and the bottom of the metallic liner on which the toe resting portion presses.
This arrangement is trouble free, long-lasting, maintenance free and ensures longitudinal movement of the rail flange due to any expansion or contraction.
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Notices, Deadlines & Correspondence
INTRODUCTION OF THE INVENTION.
This invention relates to Improved Fastening System of
Rail to sleeper for Railway Track.
The improved fastening system relates to fastening of
rail of railway track on bridge sleepers or on ballastless track
slab so that the rail is free to expand or contract due to
temperature variations. The sleeper can be of steel, structural
steel (Viz. channel sleeper, H-beam etc.) or of concrete slab or
wood.
Known Art
Presently, the rail is fixed to wooden bridge sleepers
(called bridge timbers) by rail screws which are non-elastic and
the rail screws have to be tightened with caution to the extent that
there is a gap between the rail foot and the head of the rail
screw so that it does not exert pressure on the rail foot and the
rail is free to move longitudinally.
The known arrangement of holding rail to the steel /
structural steel sleepers consists of mild steel plate clip with a lip over-
riding the rail foot and the steel clip is irvturn fastened to the steel /
structural steel with nut and bolt arrangement comprising large
number of components.
Drawbacks of Prior Art.
The known system is non-elastic and works loose due
to vibrations and calls for repeat maintenance operations for the
track. The system also makes the nut-bolt application difficult on
the bridge due to assembly of large number of different loose
parts of the system.
For concrete sleeper track, as per knowledge of the
applicant an arrangement with elastic clip fastener consists of a
cover plate which has the toe resting and the heel resting portions
for the clip and a curved portion between the two said portions
and its curvature matching the curvature of the shoulder and is
disposed above the shoulder and the elastic clip fastener being
used in the arrangement is different than the clip used in the
normal running line track.
It also does not provide electrical insulation between two
companion ( opposite ) rails for track circuiting.
The applicant is also aware of granted prior art US Patent 5042717. The applicant has studied
and state as follows.
The object of thw-specification lies in the invention of a specially designed component in the rail
seat assembly the component being called as special liner for the use in the assembly keeps the
rail free from the load effect of the rail clips, so that the rail is free to expand and contract due to
temperature changes and move longitudinally without restraint on rail and thus prevent any
resulting stress transferred to Girder Bridge on which the track is laid.
1. U.S. Paten spec. 50 42717 vis-a-vis 521/CAL/1999
Dt.27.08.1991 dt.03.06.1999
(a) Looking into the object of the US patent, it may be observed from the text, that it relates to a
system the object of which is to grip the flange of rail . Due to gripping of rail flange, there is
imposed restraint on longitudinal movement of rail which is not the case with the applicant's
invention.
(b) The gripping of rail in the U.S patent is achieved by the invention of a component being
referred to as "fastening strap". The constructional details/features are nearer to that of a coil with
spring action. This fastening strip and can be made only from spring steel alloy metal.
(c) The freedom from hold on rail in the applicant's invention is achieved by the invention of a
special liner component, the constructional details of which do not require spring steel alloy and
no coiling is involved.
(d) The Application of fastening strap of the U.S patent involves rotation about a vertical part for
installed position so as to cause tension in the strap in order to grip the rail at the flange. In the
applicant's invention the principal component i.e. special liner does not require any rotation and
its installation is manual and very simple adapting a shoulder of conventional know technology.
No tensioning of Special Liner takes place. The Elastic Rail Clips of Known art and technology
are deployed to keep the said liners in position such that no pressure is exerted on Rail foot thus
allowing Rail to move on account of change of temperature.
Because of these important differences at least, there being many more, the above U.S. patent is
ir-relevant to the applicant's invention.
The applicant is also aware of US Patent 5069386. For reasons stated herein the said US Patent
is totally irrelevant to the applicant's invention for the following reasons.
(a).The applicant's invention is for an improved Rail "Fastening System" for fastening rail to
sleeper in which "Elastic Rail Fastening Clip" of known art is one of the constituents. Elastic
Fastening of known art is not claimed as an invention
(b) In the applicant's invention the system does not exert force or load on the Rail foot or
Base flange of the rail on the sleepers laid on Girder Bridges or Ballestless track slab. So
that the Rail/Long Welded Rail (LWR) is free to move in longitudinal direction caused due
to temperature variations thus prevent transfer of resulting stresses to girder Bridge of
Ballastless slab
(c) In the applicant's invention, this invention step is clear if referred to assembly of Fastening
system in which a clear gap between the Top of Rail Foot or Base Flange of the Rail and
Toe resting portion of special liner on which Toe portion of Elastic Rail Clip rests.
(d) Thus the force/pressure or Toe load is exerted on portion of special liner AND NOT ON
THE RAIL FOOT OR Base Flange of rail.
(e) Compared to this in the cited American Patent the Claim of invention is of the "Elastic
Rail Fastening " or what is referred to as "SPRING CLIP" WHICH EXERTS FORCE OR
LOAD ON base of Flange of Rail/LWR, PREVENTING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF
THE RAIL/LWR. These feature make it clear 5 the spring clip firmly rest on Electrically
insulated plate , which in turn rests firmly on Base flange of the Rail 8 thereby transferring
force or pressure on to the Base. Flange of the Rail.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
(i) It is an object of the present invention to provide a
fastening system for railway track on a sleeper of steel, structural
steel or of concrete or wood and/or on ballastless bed^which is
1 elastic and is adapted to absorb vibrations but it does not exert
pressure on rail foot.
(ii) It is another object of the present invention to provide
such a system by the use of which the rail is free to move
longitudinally due to temperature variations particularly in case of
LWR track, thereby protecting the sub-structure i.e. pier / abutment
of a railway bridge from transfer of thermal force from rail to the
sub-structure and vice-versa, the sub-structure having not been
designed for such purpose and continue to exist in railway track
due to residual life.
(Hi) Yet another object of this invention is to provide a
specially designed liner having the heel resting portion resting on
the shoulder fixed in the sleeper or directly on the sleeper /
bearing plate, and a toe resting portion over-nding the foot of the
rail such that a rail with its foot seated on the sleeper or a
bearing plate, forming part of sleeper is fastened by the fastening
system.
(iv) It is yet another object to use in this system elastic rail
clips of designs as in use in normal track for holding the rail to
the bridge steel / structural steel sleeper or the concrete sleeper
and / or, ballastless track on concrete bed, without the possibility of
getting loosened due to vibrations during service
(v) Yet another object of this invention is to make the above
invented fastening system suitable for providing electrical insulation
for track circuiting for railway signalling.
(vi) Yet another object of this invention is to make the
concrete sleeper with cast in malleable / steel shoulders suitable
for use of the above fastening system.
These and other objects of this invention will be clear from
the following paragraphs.
PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF THE INVENTION
There is provided a special liner, henceforth referred to
as liner, having two curved portions (vertical' U ' curves) joining
the heel and toe-resting portions of the liner located at the end
portions and a recess in its middle to accommodate the shoulder,
a shoulder forming part of the bearing plate and an elastic rail
clip of normal track with its toe resting on the toe resting portion
of the liner, its heel resting on the heel resting portion of the liner
and its central leg driving into the eye/recess in the shoulder. The
curved portion of the liner are disposed below the central leg of
the elastic rail clip and the liner, in its recess, is interlocked with
the shoulder of the bearing plate / sleeper and is obstructed to slide
on the shoulder during driving of the dip.
In the circumstances , where it is desired to use the
same sleeper / bearing plate for purpose of inter-changeability of
rail sections, the special liner can be suitably modified in respect
of dimensions.
In the further circumstances where if it is required to
use the above invented fastening system for providing electrical
insulation in track , the said liner is provided with lining of nylon or
rubber or any other suitable electrical insulating material on the
interface of the steel liner with the rail.
For the use of the above invented liners for assembly on
the in use concrete sleeper designs with cast in shoulders (of
malleable or steel etc.), the sleeper is modified by creating
recesses for housing the curved portions of the liner by cutting
vertically into concrete sleeper top surface near the end faces of the
shoulder and away from the rail seat actual.
STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention there is provided an improved rail fastening
system for fastening rail to sleeper comprising:
(a) a metallic bearing plate having (i) a central recess adopted to seat the
bottom surface of the rail to be fastened and (ii) a pair of end recesses
one on either side of the said central recess for accommodating a pair
of metallic shoulders and liner.
(b) a pair of metallic shoulders each adopted to be anchored to the
respective end recess of the bearing plate and each having two arms
with a curved portion between.
(c) Characterized in that there are provided a pair of metallic liners each
having a heel resting portion and a toe-resting portion joined together
by a pair of end curved central portions, each located near the end on
either side has a recess in the near middle to suite the shoulder and
said toe-resting portion being adopted to override the adjacent rail foot
in the assembled condition while the said curved
portions are adopted to lie in the middle recess of the bearing plate.
(d) a pair of elastic rail fastening clips each having in the assembled
condition one end driven under the curved portion, of the shoulder and
disposed above the curved portions of the liner, its toe portion pressing
down on the toe-resting portion of the liner which is adapted to over
ride the rail foot while its heel portion bears down on the heel -resting
portion of the liner, the arrangement being such that there is a gap
between the rail and the toe resting portion of the liner and the rail foot
remains fastened to the bearing plate which is anchored to the sleeper.
The central recess in the bearing plate is formed between a pair of
ridges and is formed in a horizontal plane slightly higher or lower than or in the
same horizontal plane of the either of the end recesses and the two end
recesses are formed at the same horizontal plane, one on the left side of the
central recess and the other on the right side of the central recess.
The left side recess is formed between an outer most left side ridge
and a right side ridge, which is also the left side ridge of the said central recess,
and the right side recess is
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is further described with the help of
Figures of the accompanying drawings wherein :
FIGURE-1,1A : shows the assembly of a rail, a
specially designed liner (3) , an elastic clip (4) on the bearing
plate (1) of which the shoulder (2) is the essential constituent.
The assembly may be with or without the rubber pad below rail
foot.
FIGURE-2: shows the plan view of the Fi^ 1.
FIGURE-3: shows the sectional view of the special
liner for the rail fastening system of the present invention.
FIGURE-3A: is the sectional view of another embodiment
of the present invention provided with stems 12 and 13 protruding
below the toe resting portion and the heel resting portions
respectively of the liner.
FIGURE-4: shows the top view of both Figures-3, 3A of
the specially designed liners of the present invention
FIGURE-5: shows the sectional view of inverted 'IT
shoulder.
FIGURE-6: shows the top view of Fig.-5 of the
inverted'U' shoulder.
FIGURE-7: shows the sectional view of the bearing
plate for use on the sleeper/ballastless concrete bed to constitute
the rail seat with liners of Figure-3
Figure-7A: Shows sectional view of embodiment of
another bearing plate and for use with special liner of embodiment
Fig.3A.
Figure-8: Shows the sectional view of the special liner
(of Fig.3, 3A) with lining (14) of nylon or rubber or any other
suitable insulating material for providing electrical insulation on its
interface with the rail, the thickness of lining being at least 1 5mm.
Alternately, the liner may be manufactured from insulating material
by itself.
Figure-9: Shows the modification made to the concrete
sleeper (15) of which the shoulder (16) is an integral part The
modification constitutes in creating recesses (17) for housing the
liner by cutting into the sleeper top surface near both the end
faces of the cast in shoulder (16). The curvature and depth of recesses (17) match portion (9)
Of the special liners of Fig.3, 3A.
Figure -10: Shows another view of the concrete sleeper (15) with cast in shoulder (16)
and the recesses(17)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS.
Referring to figure 1, it will be seen that the elastic fastening system consists of a steel bearing
plate,' steel shoulder 2, a special liner 3, an elastic rail clip 4 of the same type as in use on the rail
sheet assembly in the normal track or approach track to the bridge.
It will also be seen that the bottom of the rail rests on the middle region of the bearing plate while
its two flanges are engaged from above by the toe resting portion of two special liner 3. Each liner
has curved portion accommodated in respective recesses in the ends of the bearing plate while
the free ends of the liners rest on the far end of the raised portion of the respective recesses. It
will also be seen that the two elastic clips 4.4 are positioned with their respective toe on the toe-
resting portion of the liner 3.3 pressing same on the respective rail flange while the heel portions
3.3 of the clip 4.4 rest on the far end of the liner pressing same on the raised portion of the
recess. The free end of the clip is locked inside the shoulders 2.2 thus firmly holding the rail to the
bearing plate. This assembly may have a rubber pad below the rail foot.
Referring to figure 1A, it will be seen that the assembly is the same as in figure 1 but for the
addition of a rubber pad below the rail foot and the special liner 3.3 are of different design and
configuration. This is more clearly shown in figures 3A, 4 and 8 also.
This liner has a middle curved portion 9 as before and has two downwards extending ste0m
Documents
Application Documents
#
Name
Date
1
521-CAL-1999-FER-[14-01-2004].pdf
2004-01-14
2
521-CAL-1999-LETTER OF PATENT CERTIFICATE-[05-01-2007].pdf