Composite railway tie and method of manufacture thereof

Abstract

A composite railway tie, and process for manufacture thereof, is disclosed. The composite railway tie comprises a main body portion being made of a first composite material comprising a binding constituent in a proportion of about 10% to about 20% by volume, and an aggregate material in a proportion of about 80% to about 90% by volume. The binding constituent comprises a plastic material chosen from the group of polyethylene and a polyethylene blend having at least 10% polyethylene. The aggregate material is in the form of irregular multi-faceted pieces chosen from the group consisting of crushed furnace slag, crushed gravel, crushed limestone, crushed granite, crushed basalt, and crushed trap rock, and mixtures thereof. The pieces of the aggregate material are distributed and otherwise arranged within the main body portion of the second material so that opposed surfaces of the pieces of the aggregate material have at least partial contact, one with another, in a contiguous manner. In essence, the binding constituent (preferably polyethylene) holds the aggregate material together in this interlocked fashion, so as to provide for a strong railway tie. An inner strengthening core, made from a material having high tensile strength, may also be included within the railway tie.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.