Rail heating apparatus
AssigneeBylin Heating Systems, Inc.
InventorsGarry L. Montierth, Stephen A. Logan, Raymond J. Scott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rail heating system is provided for heating railroad components such as railroad switch areas and electrified third rails. The heating system includes a side heater having a heating pad that has a flexible contact surface. A clip arrangement such as a spring steel clip is provided for securing the heating pads to the stock rail and pressing the contact surface into engagement with the rail. The contact surface of the heating pad is forced to conform to the shape of the contacted portion of the rail. Ground pan heaters may be used to keep areas of the switch that are not suitable for attachment by the side heaters, such as the switch rod, free from ice and snow.
Claims20
A rail heating system for heating a railroad rail having a contoured web, the rail being supported by support means that holds the rail in place, the rail heating system comprising:
- a heating pad having a flexible contact surface with sufficient flexibility to deform to match the contour of said rail web;
- clip means for pressing the heating pad contact surface into contact with a portion of the rail web and deforming the contact surface to match the contour of the contacted portion of the rail web.
A rail switch heating system for heating a railroad switch having a point area and a heel area, the switch including a switch rail point, a stock rail having a web, support means for holding the stock rail in place, the support means effectively dividing the stock rail into a plurality of rail segments, and a switch rod for moving the switch rail point between a first position and a second position, the rail heating system comprising:
- a plurality of side heaters, each said side heater having a flexible contact surface with sufficient flexibility to deform to match the contour of said rail web and being adapted for attachment to a single rail segment;
- clip means for securing the side heaters to the stock rails and pressing the flexible contact surface into contact with the rail web along its entire length;
- and
- power receiving means for connecting said side heaters to an external power supply.
A method of heating a railroad switch to prevent ice and snow from jamming the switch, the switch having a switch point area and a switch heel area and including a switch rail having a switch rail point, a stock rail, and a switch rod for moving the switch rail point between a first position and a second position, the method comprising the steps of:
- heating the stock rail with a plurality of resistive heaters coupled to the stock rial that are arranged to directly conduct more heat to the portion of the stock rail in the switch point area than the portion of the stock rial in the switch heel area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.