JP7622965B2 - Rail fastening device and rail fastening method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a rail fastening device and rail fastening method for fastening a rail to a support body.

For example, a screw-type rail fastening device is used to fasten a rail to a support such as a sleeper, and the device fastens the rail to the support using a leaf spring, which is a spring member, and a bolt and nut fastener consisting of a male thread included in a shaft member and a female thread formed on the top surface of the support.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3-89701 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology for a leaf spring for a PC fastening device for elastically fastening rails used in a concrete sleeper support, in which part of the center of the leaf width of the leaf spring in the portion that directly contacts the top surface and side surface of the bottom of the rail is perforated in contiguous relation to the long diameter side of the hole for the fastening bolt.

JP 2004-300691 A (Patent Document 2) discloses a technology for a rail fastening device that fastens a rail to a support, which includes a fastening spring that presses down on the rail to fasten it, and a fastening member that tightens the fastening spring, and which includes a first spherical portion between the fastening spring and the fastening member, and a second spherical portion that contacts the first spherical portion.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3-89701 JP 2004-300691 A

In recent years, screwless rail fastening devices have come to be used in place of the screw-type rail fastening devices described above. When using screwless rail fastening devices, there is no need to maintain the bolt and nut fasteners to prevent them from loosening after the rail is fastened to the support body, so compared to using screw-type rail fastening devices that require maintenance to prevent the bolt and nut fasteners from loosening, it is possible to reduce the labor and cost of maintenance work while still achieving the specified performance.

However, when changing from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device, it is necessary to replace the existing bearing (rail bearing) with a bearing such as a PC (Prestressed Concrete) sleeper equipped with a dedicated fastening mechanism, or to embed a dedicated insert in the existing bearing. For this reason, it was not easy to change from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional technology as described above, and aims to provide a rail fastening device that fastens rails, which does not require replacing the existing support body, does not require embedding a dedicated insert in the existing support body, and can be easily changed from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device.

The present invention solves the above problems by the means described below.
In addition, although the present invention will be described with reference to corresponding reference numerals, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
The invention of claim 1 is a rail fastening device for fastening a rail (3) to a support body (2), as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 , 6, 7, and 9 to 12, which includes an axis member (4) inserted into and fixed to a hole portion (9a) of the support body, a spring member (5) for pressing a bottom portion (3b) of the rail, and a frame member (5) inserted laterally between a head portion (4b) of the axis member inserted into and fixed to the hole portion of the support body and the spring member, and the axis member is a screwless rail fastening device that is inserted into and fixed to the hole portion of the support body from which the fastening bolt (4c) of a screw-type rail fastening device (1a) has been removed. The frame member has a notch that opens toward the outer periphery for inserting the shaft member, and the flat underside (14b) of the frame member is in contact with the flat plate-shaped portion (5e) of the spring member, the screw-type rail fastening device presses a spring member (5i) that presses down on the bottom of the rail with a head (4b) of the fastening bolt that has a male threaded portion that screws into a female threaded portion (9b) of a hole in the support body, and the non-screw-type rail fastening device presses the spring member with the frame member .

The invention of claim 2 is the rail fastening device of claim 1, characterized in that it has a matable convex portion (17) and concave portion (18) to prevent the relative position of the frame member with respect to the shaft member from shifting, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5.

The invention of claim 3, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 , 6, 7, and 8 to 12, is a rail fastening method for fastening a rail (3) to a support body (2), comprising an axial member fixing step (S3) of inserting and fixing an axial member (4) of a non-screw-type rail fastening device into a hole of the support body after removing a fastening bolt (4c) of a screw-type rail fastening device (1a) from the hole of the support body, and a frame member inserting step (S5) of inserting a frame member (6) laterally between a head (4b) of the axial member inserted and fixed in the hole of the support body and a spring member (5) that presses down on a bottom part (3b) of the rail, The frame member insertion step includes a step of inserting the shaft member into a notch of the frame member that opens toward the outer periphery of the frame member and bringing the flat underside (14b) of the frame member into contact with the flat plate-shaped portion (5e) of the spring member, and the screw-tightening type rail fastening device presses a spring member (5i) that presses down on the bottom of the rail with a head (4b) of the fastening bolt having a male threaded portion that screws into a female threaded portion (9b) of the hole in the support body, and the screwless type rail fastening device presses the spring member with the frame member, which is a rail fastening method characterized in that the screw-less type rail fastening device presses the spring member with the frame member.

The invention of claim 4 is the rail fastening method of claim 3, characterized in that, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5, the frame member insertion process includes a process of fitting a convex portion (17) into a concave portion (18) to prevent the relative position of the frame member with respect to the shaft member from shifting.

By applying one aspect of the present invention, in a rail fastening device that fastens a rail, there is no need to replace the existing support body, and there is no need to embed a dedicated insert in the existing support body, and it is possible to easily change from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device.

FIG. 2 is a top view showing the rail fastening device of the first embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view showing a shaft member of the rail fastening device of embodiment 1. FIG. 3A and 3B are top and cross-sectional views showing a spring member of the rail fastening device of embodiment 1. 2A and 2B are top and cross-sectional views showing a frame member of the rail fastening device of embodiment 1. FIG. 11 is a top view showing a rail fastening device of a comparative example. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening device of a comparative example. FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a part of a rail fastening process in embodiment 2. A cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening process in embodiment 2. A cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening process in embodiment 2. A cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening process in embodiment 2. A cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening process in embodiment 2. A cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening process in embodiment 2. A cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening process in embodiment 2.

Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Note that the disclosure is merely an example, and any appropriate modifications that a person skilled in the art can easily conceive of while maintaining the gist of the invention are naturally included within the scope of the present invention. In addition, in order to make the explanation clearer, the drawings may show the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part diagrammatically compared to the embodiment, but these are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

In addition, in this specification and each figure, elements similar to those previously described with respect to the previous figures are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

Furthermore, in the drawings used in the embodiments, hatching (shading) may be omitted even in cross-sectional views to make the drawings easier to read. Hatching may also be added even in plan views to make the drawings easier to read.

In the following embodiments, when a range is indicated as A to B, it means A or more and B or less unless otherwise specified.

(Embodiment 1)
<Rail fastening device>
A rail fastening device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in comparison with a rail fastening device of a comparative example.

Figure 1 is a top view showing the rail fastening device of the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the rail fastening device of the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a side view showing the shaft member of the rail fastening device of the first embodiment. Figure 4 is a top view and a cross-sectional view showing the spring member of the rail fastening device of the first embodiment. Figure 4(a) shows a top view, and Figure 4(b) shows a cross-sectional view. Figure 5 is a top view and a cross-sectional view showing the frame member of the rail fastening device of the first embodiment. Figure 5(a) shows a top view, and Figure 5(b) shows a side view. Note that in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 2, a side view of the spring member and embedded plug is shown on the left side of the rail, and a cross-sectional view of the spring member and embedded plug is shown on the right side of the rail.

Figure 6 is a top view showing a rail fastening device of a comparative example. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a rail fastening device of a comparative example. Note that in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 7, the left side of the rail shows a side view of the spring member and embedded plug, and the right side of the rail shows a cross-sectional view of the spring member and embedded plug.

As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the rail fastening device 1 of the present embodiment 1 is a rail fastening device that fastens a rail 3 to a support body 2 that supports the rail. In the rail fastening device 1 of the present embodiment 1, the rail 3 is fastened to the support body 2 by the rail fastening method of the embodiment 2 described below. In addition, the rail fastening device 1 of the present embodiment 1 is a direct-connection type rail fastening device that directly fastens the rail 3 to the support body 2, and has a cushioning function that absorbs vibrations that occur when a train passes through.

The rail 3 is a member that supports and guides the wheels of a railway vehicle to allow the railway vehicle to run. The rail 3 includes a rail head 3a that contacts the wheels of the railway vehicle, a rail bottom 3b as the bottom part that is attached to the support body 2, and a rail web 3c that connects the rail head 3a and the rail bottom 3b. The support body 2 is a member that supports the rail 3. For example, existing sleepers such as prestressed concrete (PC) sleepers can be used as the support body 2.

The rail fastening device 1 of this embodiment 1 has a shaft member 4, a spring member 5 also called a fastening spring, and a frame member 6, which is a type of washer. Details of the shaft member 4, the spring member 5, and the frame member 6 will be described later.

A track pad 7 is inserted between the support body 2 and the rail 3. The track pad 7 is an elastic body made of vulcanized rubber or urethane and has a plate-like shape. The track pad 7 has the function of mitigating the impact load generated when a train passes, and the function of ensuring resistance to the longitudinal movement of the rail 3. The track pad 7 also has the function of protecting the surface of the support body 2 and electrically insulating the rail bottom 3b from the support body 2.

A receiving plug 8 is inserted between the support body 2 and the spring member 5. The receiving plug 8 is a member made of resin such as plastic that is embedded in the surface of the support body 2 to support the spring member 5, and has the function of electrically insulating the support body 2 and the spring member 5.

When the support body 2 is an existing sleeper such as a PC sleeper, the embedded plug 9 is embedded in the embedded hole 2a formed on the upper surface of the support body 2. In such a case, the support body 2 is an existing sleeper such as a PC sleeper with the embedded plug 9 embedded in the embedded hole 2a formed on the upper surface. The embedded plug 9 is made of unsaturated polyester resin or nylon. A hole 9a is formed on the upper surface of the embedded plug 9, and a spiral groove 9b is formed on the inner surface of the hole 9a. Although the details will be described later, the shaft member 4 is embedded in the hole 9a. A spiral iron wire 9c is provided around the embedded plug 9, and a water drainage collar 9d is connected to the lower part of the embedded plug 9. The embedded plug 9 also has the function of electrically insulating the support body 2 and the shaft member 4.

Next, we will explain in detail the shaft member 4, spring member 5, and frame member 6 of the rail fastening device 1 of this embodiment 1.

The shaft member 4 includes a shaft portion 4a and a head portion 4b connected to the shaft portion 4a. The shaft member 4 is fixed to the support body 2 on the side of the rail 3 supported by the support body 2 by embedding and fixing the shaft portion 4a in a portion of the support body 2 that is disposed to the side of the rail 3, with the head portion 4b disposed above the shaft portion 4a and the head portion 4b disposed (protruding) above the support body 2.

As described above, the bearing 2 may be one in which the plug 9 is embedded in the hole 2a formed in the upper surface of an existing sleeper such as a PC sleeper. In this case, the plug 9 has a hole 9a formed in the upper surface, and the hole 9a has a spiral groove 9b formed in the inner peripheral surface. Therefore, the bearing 2 may be one in which the hole 9a is formed in the upper surface of the part of the bearing 2 arranged to the side of the rail 3, and the hole 9a has a spiral groove 9b, i.e., a female thread, formed in the inner peripheral surface. In this case, the shaft member 4 is fixed to the bearing 2 by inserting the shaft portion 4a into the hole 9a with the head portion 4b arranged above the shaft portion 4a and the head portion 4b arranged above the bearing 2, and the shaft portion 4a inserted into the hole 9a is bonded to the hole 9a with adhesive GL1, embedded, and fixed to the bearing 2. Although only a portion of the adhesive GL1 is shown in FIG. 2, the adhesive GL1 may be present between the shaft portion 4a and the spiral groove 9b throughout the entire hole portion 9a.

As described above, the shaft member 4 is fixed to the support body 2 by embedding the shaft portion 4a in the support body 2, and the method of fixing the shaft member 4 to the support body 2 does not have to be by adhesion and is not particularly limited. Therefore, the shaft portion 4a may be a threaded portion, i.e. a male screw, that can be screwed into the spiral groove 9b formed on the inner surface of the hole portion 9a, but it does not have to be a threaded portion. However, when the shaft portion 4a is a threaded portion, the shaft member 4 is fixed to the support body 2 on the side of the rail 3 supported by the support body 2 by screwing the threaded portion into the spiral groove 9b with the head portion 4b arranged above the threaded portion and the head portion 4b arranged above the support body 2, and the threaded portion screwed into the spiral groove 9b is glued to the hole portion 9a, embedded, and fixed to the support body 2. In this case, the adhesive surface area can be increased compared to when the shaft portion 4a is not a threaded portion, so the shaft portion 4a can be more firmly adhered and embedded, and the shaft portion 4a can be more firmly fixed.

The spring member 5 is disposed between the support body 2 and the head portion 4b, and is elastically deformable in the vertical direction. The spring member 5 also includes a pressing portion 5a that presses against the rail bottom portion 3b of the rail 3. The spring member 5 is also called a fastening spring.

The spring member 5 is a spring that presses down on the rail 3 and fastens it. The spring member 5 is a leaf spring formed by bending a plate-shaped spring steel into an approximately U-shape, and functions as a presser, i.e., a spring clip. The spring member 5 includes tip portions 5b and 5c, plate-shaped portions 5d and 5e, and a bent portion 5f. The tip portions 5b and 5c are portions that press down the upper surface of the rail bottom portion 3b by the elastic force of the leaf spring. The tip portion 5b is formed in a hook shape and presses down the upper and side surfaces of the rail bottom portion 3b. The tip portion 5c presses down the tip portion 5b from the upper side and presses down the upper surface of the rail bottom portion 3b. The plate-shaped portions 5d and 5e are flat portions formed in a plate shape. The plate-shaped portions 5d and 5e have through holes (long holes) 5g and 5h whose hole diameter in the width direction of the rail 3 is longer than the hole diameter in the length direction of the rail 3. The bent portion 5f is an end portion formed by bending the spring steel into an approximately U-shape.

In other words, the spring member 5 may include an elastic plate portion 11, an elastic plate portion 12, and an elastic plate portion 13. The elastic plate portion 11 is made of a tip portion 5b and a plate-shaped portion 5d, and extends in the width direction of the rail 3. The elastic plate portion 12 is made of a tip portion 5c and a plate-shaped portion 5e, and is disposed above the elastic plate portion 11 and extends in the width direction of the rail 3. The elastic plate portion 13 is made of a bent portion 5f, and connects the end portion of the elastic plate portion 11 on the opposite side to the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3 and the end portion of the elastic plate portion 12 on the opposite side to the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3. In this case, the pressing portion 5a is the tip portion of the elastic plate portion 12 on the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3, i.e., the tip portion 5c, or the tip portion of the elastic plate portion 11 on the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3, i.e., the tip portion 5b.

The spring member 5 is not limited to the above example, as long as it is disposed between the support body 2 and the head 4b, elastically deforms in the vertical direction, and includes a pressing portion 5a.

The frame member 6 includes a frame portion 14. The frame portion 14 has an upper surface 14a and a lower surface 14b, and has a C-shape, a U-shape, or a U-shape with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction when viewed from above. The frame member 6 is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b so that the frame portion 14 surrounds the shaft portion 4a when viewed from above.

In other words, the frame portion 14 includes two extension portions 15 that are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the rail 3 with a gap IN1 wider than the outer diameter DM1 of the shaft portion 4a when viewed from above and that each extend in the width direction of the rail 3, and a connection portion 16 that connects two ends EP1 of each of the two extension portions 15, which are the ends opposite the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3.

The shaft member 4 includes a spherical portion 17, and the frame member 6 includes a spherical portion 18 and two tapered portions 19. The spherical portion 17 is formed between the shaft portion 4a and the head portion 4b, and has a spherical shape. The spherical portion 18 is formed on the upper surface 14a of the frame portion 14, and has a spherical shape that can fit with the spherical portion 17. The two tapered portions 19 are connected to two ends EP2, which are both ends of the frame portion 14, respectively, and the thickness in the vertical direction decreases with distance from the center of the frame portion 14. The two tapered portions 19 are also arranged at a distance IN2 wider than the outer diameter DM1 of the shaft portion 4a in the longitudinal direction of the rail 3 when viewed from above.

There is a gap GP1 between the shaft portion 4a and one of the two extension portions 15, and the average value of the two gaps GP1 can be set to a certain lower limit value or more and a certain upper limit value or less. In addition, there is a gap GP2 between the shaft portion 4a and one of the two tapered portions 19, and the average value of the two gaps GP2 can be set to a certain lower limit value or more and a certain upper limit value or less, which is equal to the average value of the gap GP1. When the average value of the gap GP1 and the average value of the gap GP2 are equal to or more than a certain lower limit value, the frame member 6 can be easily inserted between the spring member 5 and the head portion 4b with the two tapered portions 19 sandwiching the shaft portion 4a, and the inserted frame member 6 can be easily pushed in until the shaft portion 4a approaches the connection portion 16, compared to when the average value of the gap GP1 and the average value of the gap GP2 are less than a certain lower limit value. When the average value of the gap GP1 and the average value of the gap GP2 are equal to or less than a certain upper limit, the relative position of the frame member 6 inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b to the shaft member 4 in a top view is less likely to shift, compared to when the average value of the gap GP1 and the average value of the gap GP2 exceed a certain upper limit.

In the rail fastening device 1 of the present embodiment 1, the frame member 6 is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b so that the spherical portion 18 fits with the spherical portion 17, the pressing portion 5a is pressed down by the insertion of the frame member 6, and the rail bottom 3b is pressed by the pressed down pressing portion 5a, thereby fastening the rail 3 to the support body 2. In other words, in the rail fastening device 1 of the present embodiment 1, with the spherical portion 18 fitted with the spherical portion 17, the frame member 6 is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b, and the rail bottom 3b is pressed by the pressing portion 5a, thereby fastening the rail 3 to the support body 2.

In the present embodiment 1, an example is given in which the spherical portion 17 is a convex portion having a downwardly convex spherical shape, and the spherical portion 18 is a concave portion having a downwardly convex spherical shape. However, the spherical portion 17 may be a concave portion having an upwardly convex spherical shape, and the spherical portion 18 may be a convex portion having an upwardly convex spherical shape.

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the rail fastening device 1a of the comparative example is a rail fastening device that fastens the rail 3d to the support body 2, similar to the rail fastening device 1 of embodiment 1, and has an axis member 4c and a spring member 5i, a track pad 7 is inserted between the support body 2 and the rail 3d, a receiving plug 8 is inserted between the support body 2 and the spring member 5, and an embedded plug 9 is embedded in the embedded hole 2a formed on the upper surface of the support body 2. On the other hand, unlike the rail fastening device 1 of embodiment 1, the rail fastening device 1a of the comparative example does not have a frame member 6 (see Figure 2). Also, in the comparative example, the spring member 5i may be different from the spring member 5.

In the comparative example, as in the first embodiment, the shaft member 4c includes a shaft portion 4a and a head portion 4b connected to the shaft portion 4a. However, in the comparative example, unlike the first embodiment, the shaft portion 4a is a threaded portion 4d, i.e., a male screw.

In the comparative example, as in the first embodiment, the bearing 2 is formed with an embedded plug 9 embedded in an embedded hole 2a formed in the upper surface of an existing sleeper, such as a PC sleeper. A hole 9a is formed in the upper surface of the embedded plug 9, and a spiral groove 9b is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the hole 9a. Therefore, the bearing 2 is formed with a hole 9a formed in the upper surface of the bearing 2, and a spiral groove 9b, i.e., a female thread, is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the hole 9a. In such a case, the shaft member 4 is fixed to the bearing 2 by screwing the screw portion 4d into the spiral groove 9b with the head 4b positioned above the screw portion 4d.

In the comparative example, as in the first embodiment, the spring member 5i is disposed between the support body 2 and the head 4b, and is elastically deformed in the vertical direction. Also, in the comparative example, as in the first embodiment, the spring member 5i includes a pressing portion 5a that presses against the rail bottom portion 3b of the rail 3d.

In the comparative example, as in the first embodiment, specifically, the spring member 5i may include an elastic plate portion 21, an elastic plate portion 22, and an elastic plate portion 23. The elastic plate portion 21 is made of a tip portion 5b and a plate-shaped portion 5d, and extends in the width direction of the rail 3d. The elastic plate portion 22 is made of a tip portion 5c and a plate-shaped portion 5e, and is disposed above the elastic plate portion 21 and extends in the width direction of the rail 3d. The elastic plate portion 23 is made of a bent portion 5f, and connects the end portion of the elastic plate portion 21 opposite the rail 3d side in the width direction of the rail 3d to the end portion of the elastic plate portion 22 opposite the rail 3d side in the width direction of the rail 3d. In such a case, the pressing portion 5a is the tip portion of the elastic plate portion 22 on the center side of the rail 3d in the width direction of the rail 3d, i.e., the tip portion 5c, or the tip portion of the elastic plate portion 21 on the center side of the rail 3d in the width direction of the rail 3d, i.e., the tip portion 5b. Although through holes 5j and 5k are formed in plate-shaped portions 5d and 5e, unlike through holes (long holes) 5g and 5h (see FIG. 2) in embodiment 1, the diameter of the holes in the width direction of rail 3d is equal to the diameter of the holes in the length direction of rail 3d.

Meanwhile, in the comparative example, unlike the first embodiment, the shaft member 4c does not have a spherical portion 17 (see FIG. 2). Also, in the comparative example, unlike the first embodiment, the head 4b is disposed above the threaded portion 4d, and a spring member 5i including a pressing portion 5a that presses the rail bottom portion 3b of the rail 3d is disposed between the support body 2 and the head 4b. With the head 4b included in the shaft member 4c, which is threaded into the spiral groove 9b, pressing the pressing portion 5a with the head 4b, the pressing portion 5a pressed by the head 4b presses the rail bottom portion 3b, thereby fastening the rail 3d to the support body 2.

That is, the rail fastening device 1a of the comparative example is a screw-tightening type rail fastening device that fastens the rail 3d to the support body 2 using a leaf spring as the spring member 5i and a bolt and nut fastener consisting of a male thread included in the shaft member 4c and a female thread formed on the upper surface of the support body 2. In addition, a washer 4e is inserted between the spring member 5i and the head 4b.

Here, we explain the problems with the rail fastening device and rail fastening method that fasten the rail to the support (rail support).

Traditionally, in Japan, screw-type rail fastening devices have been used that fasten the rail to the support using a leaf spring and a bolt and nut fastener, as in the rail fastening device of the comparative example. Meanwhile, in recent years, screwless rail fastening devices that do not use bolt and nut fasteners have come to be used in place of screw-type rail fastening devices that use bolt and nut fasteners. When using screwless rail fastening devices, there is no need to maintain the bolt and nut fasteners to prevent them from loosening after the rail is fastened to the support. Therefore, compared to using screw-type rail fastening devices that require maintenance to prevent the bolt and nut fasteners from loosening, it is possible to reduce the labor and cost of maintenance work while still achieving the specified performance.

However, when changing from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device, it is necessary to replace the existing support body (rail support body) with a support body such as a PC sleeper that is equipped with a dedicated fastening mechanism, which results in high introduction costs. In this way, the high introduction cost is a factor that inhibits the spread of screwless rail fastening devices. In other words, because it is necessary to replace the existing support body, it is not easy to change from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device.

As a screwless rail fastening device, for example, a wire spring is used instead of a leaf spring. However, when using a screwless rail fastening device that uses a wire spring, it is necessary to embed a dedicated insert into the existing support body (rail support body). In this way, the need to embed a dedicated insert into the existing support body is a factor that inhibits the spread of screwless rail fastening devices. For this reason, it has not been easy to change from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device.

On the other hand, the rail fastening device of the present embodiment 1 has a frame member 6 in addition to the shaft member 4 and the spring member 5. The frame member 6 includes a frame portion 14 that is C-shaped, U-shaped, or U-shaped in top view, and is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head portion 4b so that the frame portion 14 surrounds the shaft portion 4a in top view.

In this embodiment 1, unlike the comparative example, the shaft member 4 is fixed to the support body 2 on the side of the rail 3 supported by the support body 2 by embedding and fixing the shaft portion 4a in a portion of the support body 2 that is disposed to the side of the rail 3 with the head portion 4b disposed above the shaft portion 4a. The shaft member 4 also includes a spherical portion 17, and the frame member 6 includes a spherical portion 18 that can be fitted with the spherical portion 17, and two tapered portions 19. The frame member 6 is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head portion 4b so that the spherical portion 18 fits with the spherical portion 17, and the rail bottom portion 3b is pressed by the pressing portion 5a, thereby fastening the rail 3 to the support body 2.

This makes it possible to realize a screwless rail fastening device that utilizes an existing rail support and uses a leaf spring, which is the same spring member as existing rail fastening devices that have excellent fatigue resistance and strength. Also, by modifying the shape of the fastening bolt portion and changing the fastening method of the rail fastening device from a screw-tightening type using a bolt and nut fastener to a screwless fastening method in which a wedge-shaped frame member is inserted (installed) between the spring member and the head of the shaft member, it is possible to easily change from a screw-tightening type rail fastening device to a screwless type rail fastening device.

In other words, according to the first embodiment, in the rail fastening device that fastens the rail, there is no need to replace the existing support body, and there is no need to embed a dedicated insert in the existing support body, and it is possible to easily change from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a non-screw-tightened rail fastening device.

In addition, existing stock of supports (rail supports) can be used as is without replacement, reducing maintenance costs. In addition, the lack of screw tightening eliminates the need for fastening status management, such as the inevitable loosening and retightening of bolt and nut fasteners, and reduces the labor required for maintenance work.

If the tip of the frame member 6 is not made thin, it is difficult to act as an opening for pushing the frame member 6 when inserting (installing) it between the spring member 5 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4. On the other hand, by having two tapered portions 19, the frame member 6 has a wedge shape when viewed from the side. Therefore, it is easy to act as an opening for pushing the frame member 6 when inserting (installing) it between the spring member 5 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4.

When the shaft member 4 does not include the spherical portion 17 and the frame member 6 does not include the spherical portion 18, the relative position of the frame member 6 to the shaft member 4 in the top view is likely to shift, and therefore, after the rail 3 is fastened to the support 2, the frame member 6 may shift from its predetermined position in the top view, or the spring member 5 may shift from its predetermined position in the top view. On the other hand, when the shaft member 4 includes the spherical portion 17 and the frame member 6 includes the spherical portion 18, the spherical portion 18 fits into the spherical portion 17 to prevent the relative position of the frame member 6 to the shaft member 4 in the top view from shifting, and after the rail 3 is fastened to the support 2, the frame member 6 is prevented from shifting from its predetermined position in the top view, and the spring member 5 is prevented from shifting from its predetermined position in the top view.

In the technology described in Patent Document 2, a first spherical portion and a second spherical portion that contacts the first spherical portion are provided between the fastening spring and the fastening member. However, in the technology described in Patent Document 2, the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion are intended to ensure that the fastening bolt and the washer come into substantially uniform contact at the spherical portion even if the height of the rail is adjusted to change the position of the fastening spring and the washer. Also, in the technology described in Patent Document 2, the first spherical portion and the second spherical portion are intended to fasten the rail to the support body with an appropriate pressing force so that the fastening bolt tightens the fastening spring with a substantially uniform tightening force.

On the other hand, the spherical surface portion 17 and the spherical surface portion 18 in the present embodiment 1 are intended to prevent the position of the frame member 6 from shifting relative to the shaft member 4 when viewed from above by fitting the spherical surface portion 18 into the spherical surface portion 17, and the first spherical surface portion and the second spherical surface portion in the above Patent Document 2 have different purposes.

Preferably, the spring member 5 includes a through hole 5h that penetrates the spring member 5 in the vertical direction, the minimum diameter of the inner diameter DM2 of the through hole 5h is larger than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 of either the head 4b or the spherical portion 17, and the frame member 6 is engaged with the peripheral portion of the through hole 5h of the spring member 5. Similarly to the through hole 5h, the minimum diameter of the inner diameter of the through hole 5g that penetrates the spring member 5 in the vertical direction is also larger than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 of either the head 4b or the spherical portion 17. That is, the head 4b and the spherical portion 17 can be inserted through the through holes 5h and 5g. It goes without saying that the outer diameter DM3 is larger than the outer diameter DM1 of the shaft portion 4a, and the shaft portion 4a can be inserted through the through holes 5h and 5g.

Consider the case where the spring member 5 is not fastened by pressing it by screwing in the shaft member 4, for example, where the spring member 5 is placed first, and then the shaft portion 4a is inserted into a hole 9a formed in the upper surface of the portion of the support body 2 that is placed to the side of the rail 3 with the shaft portion 4a passing through the through holes 5h and 5g, and the shaft portion 4a inserted into the hole 9a is glued and embedded, thereby fixing it to the support body 2. In such a case, it is necessary to press the shaft member 4 against the support body 2 while the shaft portion 4a is glued and fixed to the support body 2.

In addition, as the railway vehicle travels on the rail 3, the rail head 3a wears. Therefore, even after the rail fastening device 1 of the present embodiment 1 is installed, the rail 3 needs to be replaced periodically, and it is desirable to make the spring member 5 detachable even after the rail fastening device 1 of the present embodiment 1 is installed.

On the other hand, if the minimum diameter of the inner diameter DM2 of the through holes 5h and 5g is larger than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 of both the head 4b and the spherical portion 17, as will be described later with reference to Figures 12 and 13, in the rail fastening method of embodiment 2, after the shaft portion 4a is fixed to the support body 2, the spring member 5 can be placed between the support body 2 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4. As a result, even if the spring member 5 is not pressed by screwing (threading) the shaft member 4 to be fastened, it is not necessary to place the spring member 5 before the shaft portion 4a is fixed to the support body 2, and therefore it is not necessary to press the shaft member 4 against the support body 2 while the shaft portion 4a is being bonded and fixed to the support body 2.

In addition, if the minimum diameter of the inner diameter DM2 of the through holes 5h and 5g is larger than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 of both the head 4b and the spherical portion 17, the spring member 5 can be made detachable even after the rail fastening device 1 of this embodiment 1 is installed, and the rail 3 can be easily replaced even after the rail fastening device 1 of this embodiment 1 is installed.

Preferably, the upper surface 19a and the lower surface 19b of each of the two tapered portions 19 are inclined with respect to the upper surface 14a such that the lower surface 19b is flush with the lower surface 14b and the upper surface 19a becomes thinner with increasing distance from the center of the frame portion 14.

In this case, the bottom surface of the frame member 6 becomes flat, so that the frame member 6 can be easily slid on the spring member 5, i.e., on the elastic plate portion 12 including the plate-shaped portion 5e, and the frame member 6 can be easily inserted, i.e. installed, between the spring member 5 and the head portion 4b of the shaft member 4. This makes it even easier to carry out construction work at the site where the rail 3 is laid.

Preferably, each of the two tapered portions 19 is spaced apart from the spherical portion 18. In this case, even if vibrations are applied to the rail fastening device 1 when the railway vehicle travels on the rail 3, it is possible to reliably prevent or suppress the planar position of the spherical portion 18 engaged with the spherical portion 17 from shifting in the direction from the tapered portion 19 toward the spherical portion 18 (the direction away from the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3), causing the spherical portion 17 to come off the spherical portion 18.

In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing the planar position of the spherical portion 18 from shifting in the direction from the tapered portion 19 toward the spherical portion 18 while easily forming the spherical portion 17, when the lower surface 19b of each of the two tapered portions 19 is flush with the lower surface 14b, it is preferable that the spherical portion 17 is a convex portion having a downwardly convex spherical shape, and the spherical portion 18 is a concave portion having a downwardly convex spherical shape. In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing the spherical portion 17 from coming off the spherical portion 18, it is preferable that the spherical center of the spherical portion 17 overlaps with the shaft portion 4a when viewed from above, that is, the spherical portion 17 has a shape that is approximately symmetrical with respect to the shaft portion 4a.

Preferably, the tip of each of the two tapered portions 19 on the side opposite the frame portion 14 (the side toward the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3) has an arc shape centered on the center of the frame portion 14 when viewed from above. In such a case, the tip of one tapered portion 19 on the side opposite the frame portion 14 protrudes further toward the side opposite the other tapered portion 19 than the side opposite the other tapered portion 19. This makes it easier to insert, i.e., install, the frame member 6 between the spring member 5 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4, compared to when the tip of one tapered portion 19 on the side opposite the other tapered portion 19 protrudes further toward the side opposite the frame portion 14 than the side opposite the other tapered portion 19.

Preferably, the frame portion 14 has a side surface 14c arranged on the opposite side of the two tapered portions 19 across the center of the frame portion 14 on the opposite side of the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3 in a top view, and the side surface 14c is a plane that intersects, preferably perpendicular to, the width direction of the rail 3. In this case, the frame portion 14 has a U-shape with the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3 open in a top view.

In this case, since the side surface 14c is flat, the frame member 6 can be easily inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4 by hitting the side surface 14c of the frame portion 14 with a hammer or the like.

Preferably, the spherical portion 18 is integrally formed from one end EP2 of both ends to the other end EP2 of both ends. In this case, the frame portion 14 and the spherical portion 18 have a C-shape or U-shape with a portion of the circumferential direction cut out on the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3 when viewed from above.

In such a case, the area of the spherical portion 18 can be increased, so that the planar position of the spherical portion 17 fitted into the spherical portion 18 can be shifted, and the spherical portion 17 can be reliably prevented or suppressed from coming off the spherical portion 18.

(Embodiment 2)
<Rail fastening method>
Next, a rail fastening method according to the second embodiment will be described. The rail fastening method according to the second embodiment is a rail fastening method for fastening a rail to a support body that supports the rail. As described above, the rail fastening device in which the rail is fastened to the support body by the rail fastening method according to the second embodiment is the rail fastening device according to the first embodiment.

Figure 8 is a flow diagram showing a part of the rail fastening process of embodiment 2. Figures 9 to 14 are cross-sectional views showing the rail fastening process of embodiment 2. Note that, like the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 2, the cross-sectional views shown in Figures 9 to 14 show a side view of the spring member and embedded plug on the left side of the rail, and a cross-sectional view of the spring member and embedded plug on the right side of the rail.

Before the rail fastening method of the second embodiment is performed, the rail fastening device 1a of the comparative example described with reference to FIG. 7 is used. That is, the head 4b of the shaft member 4c including the screw portion 4d and the head 4b connected to the screw portion 4d is arranged above the screw portion 4d, the head 4b is arranged above the support body 2, and a spring member 5i including a pressing portion 5a that presses the rail bottom portion 3b of the rail 3d is arranged between the support body 2 and the head 4b. In this state, the screw portion 4d is screwed into the spiral groove 9b, the head 4b included in the shaft member 4c screwed into the spiral groove 9b presses the pressing portion 5a, and the pressing portion 5a pressed by the head 4b presses the rail bottom portion 3b, thereby fastening the rail 3d to the support body 2.

Note that rail 3d may be the same rail as rail 3, but rail 3d may be a rail different from rail 3. If rail 3d is a rail different from rail 3, the rails will be swapped between steps S2 and S3, which will be described later.

As described above, the spring member 5i may include an elastic plate portion 21, an elastic plate portion 22, and an elastic plate portion 23. The elastic plate portion 21 extends in the width direction of the rail 3d. The elastic plate portion 22 is disposed above the elastic plate portion 21 and extends in the width direction of the rail 3d. The elastic plate portion 23 connects the end portion of the elastic plate portion 21 on the opposite side to the center side of the rail 3d in the width direction of the rail 3d and the end portion of the elastic plate portion 22 on the opposite side to the center side of the rail 3d in the width direction of the rail 3d. In this case, the pressing portion 5a is the tip portion of the elastic plate portion 22 on the center side of the rail 3d in the width direction of the rail 3d, i.e., tip portion 5c, or the tip portion of the elastic plate portion 21 on the center side of the rail 3d in the width direction of the rail 3d, i.e., tip portion 5b.

In the rail fastening method of this second embodiment, first, the existing shaft member 4c (see FIG. 7) is removed (step S1 in FIG. 8).

In this step S1, first, as shown in FIG. 9, the shaft member 4c is rotated to rotate the threaded portion 4d screwed into the spiral groove 9b, thereby lifting the shaft member 4c. As the shaft member 4c lifts and the head portion 4b that has been pressing down the pressing portion 5a lifts, the pressing portion 5a, i.e., the tip portion 5c, lifts and moves away from the rail bottom portion 3b of the rail 3d. As the shaft member 4c lifts and the head portion 4b lifts further, the head portion 4b moves away from the elastic plate portion 22 included in the spring member 5i and also moves away from the washer 4e.

In this step S1, next, as shown in FIG. 10, the shaft member 4c (see FIG. 9) is further rotated to remove the shaft member 4c (see FIG. 9) from the embedding hole 2a, i.e., from the hole portion 9a.

Next, as shown in Figure 11, the spring member 5i (see Figure 10) is removed (step S2 in Figure 8).

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the shaft member 4, which includes the shaft portion 4a and the head portion 4b connected to the shaft portion 4a, is fixed to the support body 2 on the side of the rail 3 supported by the support body 2 by embedding and fixing the shaft portion 4a in the portion of the support body 2 that is arranged on the side of the rail 3, with the head portion 4b arranged above the shaft portion 4a and above the support body 2 (step S3 in FIG. 8).

In this step S3, the support body 2 is not replaced, so as mentioned above, specifically, the support body 2 may be one in which an embedded plug 9 is embedded in an embedded hole formed in the upper surface of an existing sleeper, such as a PC sleeper. A hole 9a is formed in the upper surface of the embedded plug 9, and a spiral groove 9b is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the hole 9a. Therefore, the support body 2 used has a hole 9a formed in the upper surface of the part of the support body 2 that is arranged to the side of the rail 3, and a spiral groove 9b, i.e., a female thread, formed on the inner peripheral surface of the hole 9a. In such a case, in step S3, with the head 4b positioned above the shaft 4a and the head 4b positioned above the support body 2, the shaft 4a is inserted into the hole 9a, and the shaft 4a inserted into the hole 9a is bonded and embedded in the hole 9a with adhesive GL1 and fixed to the support body 2, thereby fixing the shaft member 4 to the support body 2 on the side of the rail 3 supported by the support body 2.

As mentioned above, the shaft member 4 may be fixed to the support body 2 by embedding the shaft portion 4a in the support body 2, and the method of fixing the shaft member 4 to the support body 2 does not have to be by adhesive, and is not particularly limited. Therefore, the shaft portion 4a may be a threaded portion 4d (see FIG. 7), i.e., a male thread, but it does not have to be a threaded portion 4d.

In addition, when installing a new rail fastening device, steps S1 and S2 can be omitted and the rail fastening method of this embodiment 2 can start from step S3.

Also, as shown in FIG. 13, a spring member 5 that elastically deforms in the vertical direction is placed between the support body 2 and the head 4b (step S4 in FIG. 8).

In this step S4, as described above, specifically, the spring member 5 may include an elastic plate portion 11, an elastic plate portion 12, and an elastic plate portion 13. The elastic plate portion 11 included in the spring member 5 arranged between the support body 2 and the head portion 4b in step S4 extends in the width direction of the rail 3. The elastic plate portion 12 included in the spring member 5 arranged between the support body 2 and the head portion 4b in step S4 is arranged above the elastic plate portion 11 and extends in the width direction of the rail 3. The elastic plate portion 13 included in the spring member 5 arranged between the support body 2 and the head portion 4b in step S4 connects the end of the elastic plate portion 11 opposite the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3, and the end of the elastic plate portion 12 opposite the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3. In such a case, the pressing portion 5a included in the spring member 5 arranged between the support body 2 and the head portion 4b in step S4 is the tip portion 5c of the elastic plate portion 12 that is closest to the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3, or the tip portion 5b of the elastic plate portion 11 that is closest to the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3.

As mentioned above, the spring member 5 is not limited to the above example, as long as it is disposed between the support body 2 and the head 4b, and includes a pressing portion 5a that elastically deforms in the vertical direction and presses against the rail bottom portion 3b of the rail 3.

Next, as shown in FIG. 14, a frame member 6 including a frame portion 14 having an upper surface 14a and a lower surface 14b and having a C-shape, U-shape, or U-shape with a portion cut out in the circumferential direction when viewed from above is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b so that the frame portion 14 surrounds the shaft portion 4a when viewed from above (step S5 in FIG. 8).

The shaft member 4 includes a spherical portion 17, and the frame member 6 includes a spherical portion 18 and two tapered portions 19. The spherical portion 17 is formed between the shaft portion 4a and the head portion 4b, and has a spherical shape. The spherical portion 18 is formed on the upper surface 14a of the frame portion 14, and has a spherical shape that can fit with the spherical portion 17. The two tapered portions 19 are respectively connected to two ends EP2 (see FIG. 5(a)), which are both ends of the frame portion 14, and the thickness in the vertical direction of each of the tapered portions 19 decreases with increasing distance from the center of the frame portion 14.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, in step S5, the frame member 6 is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b so that the spherical portion 18 fits into the spherical portion 17, and the rail bottom portion 3b is pressed by the pressing portion 5a, thereby fastening the rail 3 to the support body 2.

In the rail fastening method of the second embodiment, in step S5, a frame member 6 including a frame portion 14 having a C-shape, U-shape, or U-shape in top view is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head portion 4b so that the frame portion 14 surrounds the shaft portion 4a in top view.

In the rail fastening method of the second embodiment, similarly to the rail fastening device of the first embodiment, the head 4b is positioned above the shaft 4a and the head 4b is positioned above the support body 2, and the shaft 4a is embedded and fixed in a portion of the support body 2 that is positioned on the side of the rail 3, thereby fixing the shaft member 4 to the support body 2 on the side of the rail 3 supported by the support body 2. The shaft member 4 includes a spherical portion 17, and the frame member 6 includes a spherical portion 18 that can be fitted with the spherical portion 17 and two tapered portions 19. The frame member 6 is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b so that the spherical portion 18 fits with the spherical portion 17. The frame member 6 is inserted to press down the pressing portion 5a, and the pressed down pressing portion 5a presses the rail bottom portion 3b, thereby fastening the rail 3 to the support body 2.

As a result, like the rail fastening device of embodiment 1, there is no need to replace the existing support body, and there is no need to embed a dedicated insert in the existing support body, and it is possible to easily change from a screw-tightened rail fastening device to a screwless rail fastening device.

As with the first embodiment, existing stock of supports (rail supports) can be used as is without replacement, reducing maintenance costs. In addition, the lack of screw tightening eliminates the need for fastening status management, such as the inevitable loosening and retightening of bolt and nut fasteners, and reduces the labor required for maintenance work.

As in the first embodiment, the frame member 6 includes two tapered portions 19, so that the frame member 6 has a wedge shape when viewed from the side. This makes it easier to push in the frame member 6 when inserting (installing) the frame member 6 between the spring member 5 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4.

Also, as in embodiment 1, when the shaft member 4 includes a spherical portion 17 and the frame member 6 includes a spherical portion 18, the spherical portion 18 fits into the spherical portion 17 to prevent the relative position of the frame member 6 with respect to the shaft member 4 from shifting when viewed from above, and after the rail 3 is fastened to the support 2, the frame member 6 is prevented from shifting from a predetermined position when viewed from above, and the spring member 5 is prevented from shifting from a predetermined position when viewed from above.

In step S5, specifically, with the two tapered portions 19 sandwiching the shaft portion 4a when viewed from above, the two tapered portions 19 are inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b, and the frame member 6 is pushed and moved between the spring member 5 and the head 4b from the state in which the two tapered portions 19 are inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b to a state in which the frame portion 14 is inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b and the spherical portion 18 is engaged with the spherical portion 17, and with the spherical portion 18 engaged with the spherical portion 17, the rail bottom portion 3b is pressed by the pressing portion 5a, thereby fastening the rail 3 to the support body 2.

Preferably, the spring member 5 includes a through hole 5h that passes through the spring member 5 in the vertical direction, the minimum diameter of the inner diameter DM2 (see FIG. 4(a)) of the through hole 5h is larger than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 (see FIG. 4(a)) of either the head 4b or the spherical portion 17, and the frame member 6 is engaged with the peripheral portion of the through hole 5h in the spring member 5. Similarly to the through hole 5h, the minimum diameter of the inner diameter of the through hole 5g that passes through the spring member 5 in the vertical direction is also larger than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 of either the head 4b or the spherical portion 17.

In such a case, as shown in FIG. 12, after the shaft member 4 is fixed to the support body 2 (step S3 in FIG. 8), the spring member 5 can be placed between the support body 2 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4 as shown in FIG. 13 (step S4 in FIG. 8). That is, in step S4, with the head 4b and the spherical portion 17 inserted through the through holes 5h and 5g, the spring member 5 can be lowered until it is placed between the support body 2 and the head 4b. Also, even if the spring member 5 is not pressed and fastened by screwing the shaft portion 4a, it is not necessary to place the spring member 5 before the shaft portion 4a is fixed to the support body 2, so there is no need to press the shaft member 4 against the support body 2 while the shaft portion 4a is bonded and fixed to the support body 2.

In addition, if the minimum diameter of the inner diameter DM2 (see FIG. 4(a)) of the through holes 5h and 5g is greater than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 (see FIG. 4(a)) of both the head 4b and the spherical portion 17, the spring member 5 can be made detachable even after the rail fastening device of embodiment 1 is installed by the rail fastening method of embodiment 2, and the spring member 5 can be easily replaced even after the rail fastening device of embodiment 1 is installed by the rail fastening method of embodiment 2.

It is preferable that the spring member 5 is different from the spring member 5i. However, for example, when step S4 is performed before step S3, a spring member in which the minimum diameter of the inner diameter DM2 (see FIG. 4(a)) of the through holes 5h and 5g is smaller than the maximum diameter of the outer diameter DM3 (see FIG. 4(a)) of either the head 4b or the spherical portion 17, such as the spring member 5i, can be used instead of the spring member 5.

Preferably, the upper surface 19a and the lower surface 19b (see FIG. 5(b)) of each of the two tapered portions 19 are inclined with respect to the upper surface 14a (see FIG. 5(b)) such that the lower surface 19b is flush with the lower surface 14b (see FIG. 5(b)) and the upper surface 19a is thinner in the vertical direction as it moves away from the center of the frame portion 14.

In this case, the bottom surface of the frame member 6 becomes flat, so that the frame member 6 can be easily slid on the spring member 5, i.e., on the elastic plate portion 12 including the plate-shaped portion 5e, and the frame member 6 can be easily inserted, i.e. installed, between the spring member 5 and the head portion 4b of the shaft member 4. This makes it even easier to carry out construction work at the site where the rail 3 is laid.

Preferably, each of the two tapered portions 19 is spaced apart from the spherical portion 18. In this case, even if vibrations are applied to the rail fastening device when the railway vehicle travels on the rail 3, it is possible to reliably prevent or suppress the planar position of the spherical portion 18 engaged with the spherical portion 17 from shifting in the direction from the tapered portion 19 toward the spherical portion 18 (the direction away from the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3), causing the spherical portion 17 to come off the spherical portion 18.

In addition, from the viewpoint of easily forming the spherical portion 17 while preventing the planar position of the spherical portion 18 from shifting in the direction from the tapered portion 19 toward the spherical portion 18, when the lower surface 19b (see FIG. 5(b)) of each of the two tapered portions 19 is flush with the lower surface 14b (see FIG. 5(b)), it is preferable that the spherical portion 17 is a convex portion having a downwardly convex spherical shape, and the spherical portion 18 is a concave portion having a downwardly convex spherical shape.

Preferably, the tip of each of the two tapered portions 19 on the side opposite to the frame portion 14 (the side toward the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3) has an arc shape centered on the center of the frame portion 14 when viewed from above. In this case, as described above, it becomes easier to insert or install the frame member 6 between the spring member 5 and the head portion 4b of the shaft member 4.

Preferably, the frame portion 14 has a side surface 14c (see FIG. 5(a)) that is arranged on the opposite side of the two tapered portions 19 across the center of the frame portion 14 on the opposite side of the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3 when viewed from above, and the side surface 14c is a plane that intersects, preferably perpendicular to, the width direction of the rail 3. In this case, the frame portion 14 has a U-shape with the center side of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3 open when viewed from above.

In this case, since the side surface 14c is flat, the frame member 6 can be easily inserted between the spring member 5 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4 by hitting the side surface 14c of the frame portion 14 with a hammer or the like.

Preferably, the spherical portion 18 is integrally formed from one end EP2 of both ends (see FIG. 5(a)) to the other end EP2 of both ends. In this case, the frame portion 14 and the spherical portion 18 have a C-shape or U-shape with a portion of the circumference cut out toward the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3 when viewed from above.

In such a case, the area of the spherical portion 18 can be increased, so that the planar position of the spherical portion 17 fitted into the spherical portion 18 can be shifted, and the spherical portion 17 can be reliably prevented or suppressed from coming off the spherical portion 18.

Also, consider the case where the elastic plate portion 12 included in the spring member 5 arranged between the support body 2 and the head 4b in step S4 includes a plate-shaped portion 5e having an upper surface that is inclined so that the height position becomes lower as it moves away from the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3, and the pressing portion 5a included in the spring member 5 arranged between the support body 2 and the head 4b in step S4 is separated from the rail bottom 3b of the rail 3. Also, in step S5, consider the case where, after step S4, the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 5e included in the elastic plate portion 12 is inclined so that the height position becomes lower as it moves away from the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3, and the pressing portion 5a is separated from the rail bottom 3b of the rail 3, and the frame member 6 inserted between the elastic plate portion 12 and the head 4b presses the pressing portion 5a downward, and the pressing portion 5a pressed downward presses the rail bottom 3b, thereby fastening the rail 3 to the support body 2.

In such a case, preferably, the vertical thickness TH1 (see FIG. 5(b)) of the tip of each of the two tapered portions 19 on the side opposite the frame portion 14 (the side toward the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3) is thinner than the vertical distance IN3 (see FIG. 13) between the first portion of the elastic plate portion 12 located directly below the second portion of the spherical portion 17, which is the peripheral portion opposite the center of the rail 3 in the width direction of the rail 3, and the second portion, which is the first portion of the elastic plate portion 12 before the frame member 6 is inserted in step S5.

In this way, since the thickness TH1 is thinner than the interval IN3, the frame member 6 can be more easily inserted (installed) between the spring member 5 and the head 4b of the shaft member 4.

The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiment thereof, but it goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the invention.

A person skilled in the art may conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the concept of this invention, and it is understood that these modifications and alterations also fall within the scope of this invention.

For example, any embodiment described above in which a person skilled in the art has appropriately added or removed components or modified the design, or added or omitted steps or changed conditions, is also included within the scope of the present invention as long as it contains the essence of the present invention.

The present invention is effective when applied to a rail fastening device and rail fastening method that fastens a rail to a support body.

Reference Signs List 1, 1a Rail fastening device 2 Support body 2a Embedded hole 3, 3d Rail 3a Rail head 3b Rail bottom 3c Rail web 4, 4c Shaft member 4a Shaft portion 4b Head 4d Threaded portion 4e Washer 5, 5i Spring member 5a Pressing portion 5b, 5c Tip portion 5d, 5e Plate-shaped portion 5f Bent portion 5g, 5h, 5j, 5k Through hole 6 Frame member 7 Track pad 8 Receiver plug 9 Embedded plug 9a Hole portion 9b Spiral groove 9c Spiral iron wire 9d Water drain collar 11-13, 21-23 Elastic plate portion 14 Frame portion 14a, 19a Upper surface 14b, 19b Lower surface 14c Side surface 15 Extension portion 16 Connection portion 17, 18 Spherical portion 19 Tapered portion DM1, DM3 Outer diameter DM2 Inner diameter EP1, EP2 End GL1 Adhesive GP1, GP2 Gap IN1-IN3 Distance TH1 Thickness

Claims (4)

A rail fastening device for fastening a rail to a support body,
A shaft member that is inserted into and fixed to a hole in the support body;
A spring member that presses against the bottom of the rail;
a frame member that is inserted laterally between the head of the shaft member that is inserted and fixed in the hole of the support body and the spring member,
the shaft member is a shaft member of a screwless rail fastening device that is inserted into and fixed in a hole portion of the support body from which a fastening bolt of a screw-type rail fastening device has been removed,
The frame member is
The notch for inserting the shaft member is open toward the outer periphery,
The flat lower surface of the frame member is in contact with the flat plate-shaped portion of the spring member,
The screw-type rail fastening device presses a spring member that presses down on the bottom of the rail with the head of the fastening bolt, which has a male thread that screws into a female thread of the hole of the support body,
The non-screw type rail fastening device presses the spring member with the frame member,
A rail fastening device comprising: The rail fastening device according to claim 1,
a protrusion and a recess that can be fitted together to prevent the frame member from being displaced relative to the shaft member;
A rail fastening device comprising: A rail fastening method for fastening a rail to a support body, comprising the steps of:
a shaft member fixing process for inserting and fixing a shaft member of a non-screw-tightening type rail fastening device into the hole of the support body after removing a fastening bolt of the screw-tightening type rail fastening device from the hole of the support body;
a frame member inserting step of inserting a frame member laterally between a head of the shaft member inserted and fixed in the hole of the support body and a spring member pressing down on a bottom of the rail,
the frame member inserting step includes a step of inserting the shaft member into a notch of the frame member that opens toward an outer periphery of the frame member, and bringing a flat lower surface of the frame member into contact with a flat plate-shaped portion of the spring member;
The screw-type rail fastening device presses a spring member that presses down on the bottom of the rail with the head of the fastening bolt, which has a male thread that screws into a female thread of the hole of the support body,
The non-screw type rail fastening device presses the spring member with the frame member,
A rail fastening method comprising the steps of: The rail fastening method according to claim 3,
the frame member inserting step includes a step of fitting a convex portion into a concave portion to prevent a relative position of the frame member with respect to the shaft member from being shifted;
A rail fastening method comprising the steps of:

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