# US 2018/0023256 A1 · Track rail fastening mechanism and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023256 A1 - Document ID: US20180023256A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/215,225 - Filed: 2016-07-20 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20 - Assignees: Progress Rail Services Corporation - Applicants: Progress Rail Services Corporation - Inventors: Edward Constantine - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023256A1 ## CPC - E01B 9/42: of two or more parts - E01B 9/38: Indirect fastening of rails by using tie-plates or chairs; Fastening of rails on the tie-plates or in the chairs - E01B 9/483: {the clip being a shaped bar} - E01B 9/62: Rail fastenings incorporating resilient supports - E01B: PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS (derailing or rerailing blocks on track, track brakes or retarders B61K) ## Abstract A mechanism for coupling a track rail to a substrate includes a rail plate and a base plate, where the rail plate surrounds the base plate. An overmolded coating is formed of a non-metallic material and encases the rail plate and the base plate. Related methodology is disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fastening mechanism for coupling a track rail to a substrate comprising: a rail plate formed of a metallic material and including a lower side structured to face a substrate, and an upper side including a rail support surface extending between a front edge and a back edge of the rail plate, and the rail plate further including an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter defining an opening; a base plate formed of a metallic material, the base plate including a first lateral end and a second lateral end having a first bore and a second bore formed therein, respectively, and each structured to receive an anchor extending into the substrate, and the base plate being positioned within the opening such that the rail plate surrounds the base plate and a gap extends peripherally between the rail plate and the base plate; and an overmolded coating formed of a non-metallic material that is resiliently deformable relative to the metallic material, and the overmolded coating encasing the rail plate and the base plate and at least partially filling the gap to resiliently couple the rail plate and the base plate together. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the gap has a non-uniform contour and extends peripherally around the base plate such that the base plate is isolated from contact with the rail plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mechanism of claim 2 wherein the base plate includes a plurality of prongs projecting in a forward direction and a plurality of prongs projecting in a rearward direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mechanism of claim 3 wherein the rail plate includes a first outboard body section, a second outboard body section, and a core extending laterally between the first outboard body section and the second outboard body section, and a stepped up profile from the core to each of the first outboard body section and the second outboard body section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The mechanism of claim 4 further comprising a first clip receiver attached to the first outboard body section, and a second clip receiver attached to the second outboard body section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The mechanism of claim 5 wherein each of the first clip receiver and the second clip receiver is positioned within a footprint of the rail plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The mechanism of claim 4 wherein the overmolded coating includes a first pad positioned vertically below the first outboard body section and a second pad positioned vertically below the second outboard body section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1 wherein each of the first bore and the second bore is non-circular having a relatively greater extent in lateral directions and a relatively lesser extent in fore and aft directions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the base plate further includes a first set of indexing elements adjacent the first bore and a second set of indexing elements adjacent the second bore, and each being structured to couple with a clamping collar for clamping anchors extending into the substrate to the base plate. ### Claim 10 A system for coupling a track rail to a substrate comprising: a fastening mechanism including a rail plate, a base plate, and an overmolded coating encasing the rail plate and the base plate, each of the rail plate and the base plate being formed of a metallic material and the overmolded coating being formed of a non-metallic material; the rail plate including a lower side structured to face a substrate, and an upper side including a rail support surface extending between a front edge and a back edge of the rail plate, and the rail plate further including an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter defining an opening; the base plate including a first lateral end and a second lateral end having a first bore and a second bore formed therein, respectively, and each structured to receive an anchor extending into the substrate; and the base plate being positioned within the opening such that a gap extends peripherally between the rail plate and the base plate, and the overmolded coating at least partially filling the gap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the base plate includes a first set of indexing elements adjacent to the first bore, and a second set of indexing elements adjacent to the second bore. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein each of the first set of indexing elements and the second set of indexing elements includes indexing teeth, and further comprising a first clamping collar including a first set of complementary teeth engaged with the indexing teeth of the first set and a second clamping collar including a second set of complementary teeth engaged with the indexing teeth of the second set. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the overmolded coating further includes a plurality of pads positioned vertically beneath the rail plate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the rail plate includes a first outboard body section, a second outboard body section, and a core extending between the first outboard body section and the second outboard body section, and wherein the plurality of pads are positioned vertically beneath the first outboard body section and the second outboard body section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the gap has a non-uniform contour and extends peripherally around the base plate such that the base plate is isolated from contact with the rail plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein a first section of the rail support surface extends between the opening and the front edge, and a second section of the rail support surface extends between the opening and the back edge. ### Claim 17 A method of fastening a track rail to a substrate comprising: attaching a base plate formed of a metallic material to a substrate by way of fasteners extending through bores in opposite lateral ends of the base plate; positioning a rail plate formed of a metallic material and surrounding the base plate in a service orientation relative to the substrate by way of the attaching of the base plate; and clamping a track rail against a rail support surface of the rail plate to establish a load transmission path between the track rail and the substrate by way of a resilient non-metallic material in an overmolded coating encasing the base plate and the rail plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the attaching of the base plate includes attaching the base plate at one of a plurality of lateral attachment positions within an available range of lateral attachment positions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein clamping the track rail further includes clamping the track rail so as to establish the load transmission path by way of resilient non-metallic material of the overmolded coating and located within a gap extending peripherally around the base plate.