Railroad track stress transfer apparatus
OwnerAlbert A. Phillipsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A double tongue and groove rail expansion assembly is provided with ancillary equipment to limit dimensional flexing of a railroad track caused by instabilities in the underlying earthen surface, or variable work loads, or temperature changes effecting the longitudinal dimensions of the rails, or any and all combinations of such stresses. The ancillary equipment includes pushover assemblies for control of lateral and vertical forces, tieplate assemblies for control of longitudinal and vertical forces and an electrical bonding system to maintain electrical balance across the area of rail joinment.
Claims11
A railraod track stress transfer apparatus, wherein longitudinally extensive parallel rails are placed on laterally extending crossties which are bedded in ballast placed on an earthen surface to form a track, comprising:
- a frame member having a first and second pair of longitudinally extensive walls oppositely abutting a solid central portion vertically extending from a horizontal base flange forming first and second aligned grooves, each pair of walls comprising an outer wall and an inner wall;
- a longitudinally extensive first tongue member having a free end and an attachment end configured to be slidably encompassed between the first pair of frame member walls with the first tongue member free end positioned longitudinally adjacent to, but spaced apart from, the frame member solid central portion;
- a longitudinally extensive first rail end solidly connected to the attachment end of the first tongue member;
- a longitudinally extensive second tongue member having a free end and an attachment end configured to be slidably encompassed between the second pair of frame member walls with the second tongue member free end positioned longitudinally adjacent to, but spaced apart from, the frame member solid central portion;
- a longitudinally extensive second rail end solidly connected to the attachment end of the second tongue member;
- said crossties being generally lateral to the longitudinal extensions of the frame member, the first and second tongue members and the first and second rail ends, and supportive thereof;
- a plurality of tieplate assemblies equipped with tieplate lag screws defining means for rigidly fastening the frame member to appropriate crossties and securing said first and second rail ends to other crossties in a manner permitting longitudinal movement of the rail ends while restricting horizontal and vertical movement;
- at least two pushover assemblies longitudinally displaced from said frame member, each having a thrust arm with a rail contact end configured to provide vertical and horizontal support to longitudinally slidable rail ends and a lower end joining a longitudinal extensive base bridgement plate equipped with lag screw means for rigidly fastening the base bridgement plates to the plurality of appropriate crossties, said pushover assemblies each defining means for laterally aligning one side of each said rail end with a respective side of said frame member, said aligning means comprising tapered means for moving each rail end laterally as said rail end moves longitudinally relative to said frame member;
- and
- safety bolt means horizontally insertable through the frame member walls with appropriate tongue member clearances for reducing lateral relative motion between the frame member walls while preserving longitudinal movement and limiting vertical movement of the tongue members.
Apparatus for interconnecting longitudinally extensive and expandable railroad rails positioned end-to-end and adapted to be secured to laterally extending cross-ties, comprising:
- each of said rails having at one end thereof a tapered tongue, said tongue having its maximum lateral dimension adjacent said respective rail end;
- means for securing said rail ends in end-to-end alignment, said securing means including opposing tapered slot means correspondingly configured with said tapered tongues for receiving said tongues therein;
- and
- means, longitudinally displaced from said securing means and bearing against each rail in direction substantially normal to its longitudinal extent, for laterally aligning one side of each said rail with a respective side of said securing means, said aligning means comprising tapered means for moving each said rail laterally as said rail moves longitudinally relative to said securing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.