US 5,988,519 A · Precast concrete curved grade crossing with restraining rail

Abstract

A precast concrete curved grade crossing includes a plurality of base members, each of which has a central recess formed in the upper surface thereof. The central recess receives a plurality of center panels. The plurality of base members and center panels are laid end-to-end to form a curved crossing. Each of the plurality of base members and center panels have a substantially trapezoidal shape which varies in dimension proportional to the radius of curvature of the crossing. A restraining rail is removably attached to a first standard rail, both being received between the base members and center panels to add rigidity and structural stability. The first standard rail together with the restraining rail are encased by a wide rubber boot which extends through the crossing in a single continuous piece to maintain electrical isolation between the concrete base member and center panels and the first and restraining rails. A second standard rail is laid substantially parallel to the first rail to form the pair of railroad tracks. The second standard rail is encased by a rubber boot which also extends through the crossing in a single continuous piece.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A curved grade crossing on a roadway intersected by railroad rails supported on ties, said curved grade crossing comprising:

a precast concrete base member formed with a central recess, said central recess having a first and second parallel walls formed to conform generally to an outer surface of a rail;
a first and a second precast concrete panels laid substantially abutting at first ends of each of first and second panels and substantially received within the central recess of said base member, said first and second panels forming a first recess between the first parallel wall of said base member and a second end of said first panel and forming a second recess between the second parallel wall of said base member and a second end of said second panel;
a first rail substantially received within the first recess;
a restraining rail substantially received within the first recess and laid adjacent to said first rail;
and
a second rail substantially received within the second recess and laid substantially parallel to said first rail.

3 more elements

A method of making a precast curved grade crossing on a roadway intersected by railroad tracks supported on ties, the method comprising:

placing wet concrete into a substantially trapezoidal base member mold having dimensions which vary according to a radius of curvature of a curved crossing thereby forming a substantially trapezoidal base member having a central recess and dimensions which vary according to the radius of curvature of the curved crossing;
placing wet concrete into a substantially trapezoidal center panel mold having dimensions which vary according to the radius of curvature of the curved crossing thereby forming a substantially trapezoidal center panel having dimensions which vary according to the radius of curvature of the curved crossing;
so forming a plurality of base members and center panels;
laying a first and second center panels of the plurality of center panels in a central recess of one of said plurality of base members;
and
laying each of the plurality of said base members and the corresponding first and second center panels end-to-end to form the curved crossing.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Precast concrete curved grade crossing with restraining rail

Life of this patent

Precast concrete curved grade crossing with restraining rail

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21