AU774152B2 - Rail fasteners - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): ONESTEEL MANUFACTURING PTY LTD A.R.B.N. 004 651 325 Invention Title: RAIL FASTENERS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 RAIL FASTENERS This invention relates to rail fasteners and in particular relates to rail fastening clips and rail fastening assemblies that operate to locate a rail on a sleeper.

There are many types of rail fastening assemblies that operate to locate a rail on a sleeper. Rail fastening systems need to prevent lateral displacement of the rail on the sleeper or longitudinal creep of the rail on the sleeper. The system should also prevent rail overturn and be able to withstand high stresses and vibrations. There is also a need that the fastening systems can be positioned on site without the need of complicated ancillary tools or additional fasteners. A further feature of rail clips is that they do not extend upwardly to a height which may impede ballast regulators, snow ploughs or the like.

A successful rail fastening system is disclosed in Australian Patent 528374. The disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference. In Australian Patent 528374, there is disclosure of a rail fastening clip that is manufactured of spring steel of general U shape to define bifurcated upper and lower limbs which merge into a heel portion. The sleeper or tie on which the rail stands incorporates an upstanding lug or shoulder that is fixed or otherwise secured to the tie or sleeper. The clip is driven laterally onto the lug or shoulder with the bifurcated lower limb straddling the lug or shoulder and the head of the lug or shoulder engaging the upper surface of the bifurcated upper limb to place the spring clip into compression and to force the lower limb down into engagement either against the foot of the rail or against the sleeper adjacent the foot of the rail. The upper and lower limbs of the clip are profiled to include sloping surfaces that prevent possible movement of the clip both N:\MCooper\Keep\Speci\PQ4605-CAP.doc 7/12/00 i rI 3 inward towards the rail or outward from the rail. The clip is also designed to prevent rotational movement that might be caused by rail creep.

The fastening clip described above has to be fully removed from the lug or shoulder that is fixed or otherwise secured to the rail sleeper. Thus, during maintenance the clips are removed which results in a tendency of the clips to fly off or be misplaced and furthermore the clips can only be attached to the lug or shoulder on site.

It is these problems that have brought about the present invention.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a rail fastening assembly for use in retaining a rail on a sleeper, the assembly comprising a "fastening clip of spring steel adapted to engage a lock-in 20 shoulder arranged to be secured to the sleeper; the lockooooo in shoulder having an upstanding lug and head, the clip being of spring steel of U shape having bifurcated upper :°ooo o and lower limbs which straddle the lug of the lock-in shoulder with the head of the lock-in shoulder engaging the 25 upper limbs so that the clip can be driven against the ego* lock-in shoulder to place the clip in compression causing the lower limbs to bear against the rail or the sleeper adjacent the rail characterised in that the upper limbs define a primary bearing point spaced from a secondary bearing point whereby the clip can be driven against the lock-in shoulder to assume two positions where the head of the lock-in shoulder can engage the upper limbs, and when the head engages the secondary bearing point, the lower limbs do not bear against the rail or sleeper adjacent the rail.

In a preferred embodiment, the bearing points are N:\MCooper\Keep\Speci\PQ4605-CAP.doc 7/12/00 V 4 defined by spaced depressions in the upper limbs.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a rail fastening clip of spring steel comprising a U shaped body having spaced apart bifurcated upper and lower limbs adapted to be driven onto and to straddle a lug associated with a sleeper, the lower limb including a portion adapted to engage the rail and the upper limb defining a primary bearing point spaced from a secondary bearing point, the primary bearing point being adapted to engage the lug when the clip is driven against the lug and the secondary bearing point being adapted to engage the lug when the clip is in a second position in which it engages the lug but does not bear against the rail or the sleeper adjacent the rail.

Preferably, the primary and secondary bearing points are defined by spaced depressions in the upper limbs.

S" Embodiments of the present invention will now be S"described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a rail fastening clip in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the clip, Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the clip, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the clip when in use on a sleeper and rail assembly in a secondary position, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the clip in use with a sleeper and the rail assembly in a primary position.

The rail fastening clip 10 illustrated in the accompanying drawings is a generally U shaped member made of spring steel having upper and lower limbs 11, 12 joined N:\MCooper\Keep\speci\P04605-CAP.doc 7/12/00 5 by a curved heel 13. The upper limb 11 has two forwardly projecting arms 15, 16 that are spaced by an elongated slot 17. The lower limb 12 extends forwardly or short distance further than the upper limb 11 and terminates in an upturned foot 19. The lower limb has lateral extending bifurcated legs 20, 21 spaced by an elongate slot 22. The slot 22 extends below the slot 17 in the upper limb.

The clip 10 is adapted to engage a lock-in shoulder 50 secured to a sleeper 100 across which the rail 90 extends. The lock-in shoulder 50 comprises an upstanding lug 51 that terminates at one end in an enlarged head 52 and the other in a heel and toe assembly 53 that locates in an aperture 81 in the sleeper 100. The heel and toe assembly 53 comprises a lower hook shaped toe 55 joined to a heel 56 via a circular shank 57. The heel 56 and toe extend laterally in opposed directions and the length of the shank 57 is slightly greater than the thickness of the sleeper wall 80 that the heel 56 and toe 55 engage opposite •sides of the sleeper. The upper surface of the heel 56 defines a ramp 60 upwardly inclined towards the lug 51.

The head 52 is of rectangular cross-section with a planar .i upper surface 61 having long sides 66, 67 and convex undersurface 62. The convex undersurface defines tapered walls 63 and 64 (Figure The lock-in shoulder 50 is located in the aperture 81 of the sleeper with the long sides 66 extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sleeper and parallel to the rail.

Each arm 15 or 16 of the upper limb 11 of the fastening clip 10 has an undulating configuration when viewed from the side comprising a downwardly inclined portion 25 that turns upwardly to form a first depression 26 and peak 27 to again extend downwardly and upwardly to define a second depression 28 terminating in a slightly upwardly curved end 29. The slot 17 between the arms 16 terminates at an end wall 28 that is slightly displaced from the base of the first depression 26 towards the heel N:\MCooper\Keep\Speci\PQ4605-CAP.doc 7/12/00 w 6 13.

Each leg 20 or 21 of the lower limb 12 has an upwardly inclined portion 30 which peaks at the mid point 31 of the limb and then extends downwardly to terminate at the upturned foot 19. The slot 22 is formed centrally of the lower limb 12 to extend between the foot 19 at the forward end and the peak 31 of the inclined portion 30 to terminate near the heel 13.

The means of inserting rail fastening clip 10 to a sleeper and rail assembly is shown in Figures 4 and The sleeper has a horizontal bearing portion 80 with a pair of spaced apertures 81 positioned on either side of the foot 90 of a rail. The apertures 81 locate the lock-in shoulder 50 as described above. It is understood that the rail fastening clip and assembly may be used with or without an insulation pad of suitable rubber or plastics that fits over the rail foot 90 between the rail foot and the sleeper to insulate the rail from the sleeper.

To assemble the components the lock-in shoulder is first positioned within the aperture of the sleeper as shown in Figure 4. The clip 10 can then be forced past the head of the shoulder with the arms extending on either side of the head so that the curved ends 29 of the arms and 16 slide down the tapered walls 63 on the underside of the head so that the apex of the head of the lug rests in the second depressions 28 adjacent the curved ends 29 of the arms. At this stage the legs 20 and 21 of the lower limb 12 have ridden up the inclined portion of the base of the lug and the clip has been placed in compression so that it is firmly located between the head of the lug and the upper surface of the sleeper in turn positively securing the lock-in shoulder 50 to the sleeper. This is the position referred to as the "park" position shown in Figure 4 and has particular relevance where the lock-in shoulders N:\MCooper\Keep\Speci\P04605-CAP.doc 7/12/00 r 7 and clips are attached in a spaced apart manner to sleepers in a factory where they can then be transported to a site where the rail can simply be laid between adjacent lock-in shoulders. At this stage, the clip is then driven laterally further into the gap between the head and the base of the lock-in shoulder to assume the operative position of Figure 5 where the legs 20 and 21 ride up past the lock-in shoulder to rest on the inclined surface of the rail foot and the arms 15 and 16 ride past the base of the apex of the head of the lock-in shoulder until the head locates in the first depressions 26 which are positioned approximately at the mid span of the length of the arms.

In this configuration, the clip has been compressed still further and operates to place a firm downward pressure on the rail foot and positively locate the clip and lock-in shoulder against the rail foot so that the rail is located both laterally and longitudinally.

For maintenance purposes, the clip can be displaced laterally of the lock-in shoulder from the operative position shown in Figure 5 to the park position e shown in Figure 4 where it cooperates with the lock-in shoulder to hold the assembly together whilst releasing the rail foot. In this manner, the rail can be then removed for maintenance but the clip stays with the assembly preventing potential loss. Furthermore, the two stage removal and assembly process provides greater control of the clip and improves safety.

The ability to assemble the lock-in shoulders and clip to a sleeper off site allows the efficiency of automated equipment in a factory and considerably simplifies the total assembly to a rail on site.

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Claims (7)

1. A rail fastening assembly for use in retaining a rail on a sleeper, the assembly comprising a fastening clip of spring steel adapted to engage a lock-in shoulder arranged to be secured to the sleeper; the lock-in shoulder having an upstanding lug and head, the clip being of spring steel of U-shape having bifurcated upper and lower limbs which straddle the lug of the lock-in shoulder with the head of the lock-in shoulder engaging the upper limbs so that the clip can be driven against the lock-in shoulder to place the clip in compression causing the lower limbs to bear against the rail or the sleeper adjacent the rail characterised in that the upper limbs define a primary bearing point spaced from a secondary bearing point whereby the clip can be driven against the lock-in shoulder to assume two positions where the head of the lock-in shoulder can engage the upper •limbs, and when the head engages the secondary bearing point, the lower limbs do not bear against the rails or S* sleeper adjacent the rail.

2. The rail fastening assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bearing points are defined by spaced depressions in the upper limbs.

3. The rail fastening assembly according to claim 2, wherein each upper limb terminates in an undulating configuration when viewed from the side, the configuration defining a first depression forming the secondary bearing point, a peak and a second depression adjacent the end of the limb forming the primary bearing point.

4. A rail fastening clip of spring steel comprising a U-shaped body having spaced apart bifurcated upper and lower limbs adapted to be driven onto and to straddle a lug associated with a sleeper, the lower limb including a N:\MCooper\Keep\Speci\PQ4605-CAP.doc 7/12/00 V I 9 portion adapted to engage the rail and the upper limb defining a primary bearing point spaced from a secondary bearing point, the primary bearing point being adapted to engage the lug when the clip is driven against the lug and a secondary bearing point being adapted to engage the lug when the clip is in a secondary position in which it engages the lug but does not bear against the rail or sleeper adjacent the rail.

5. The rail fastening clip according to claim 4, wherein the primary and secondary bearing points are defined by spaced depressions in the upper limbs.

6. The rail fastening clip according to claim 4, wherein each upper limb terminates in an undulating configuration when viewed from the side, the configuration defining a first depression forming the secondary bearing point, a peak and a second depression adjacent the end of the limb forming the primary bearing point.

7. A rail fastening assembly substantially as herein •e described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 25 3. A rail fastening clip substantially as herein e described with reference to and as illustrated in the S. accompanying drawings. Dated this 7th day of December 2000 ONESTEEL MANUFACTURING PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia N:\MCooper\Keep\SpeCi\PQ4605-CAP.doc 7/12/00