US 7,011,253 B2 · Engineered railroad ties

Abstract

To increase the resistance of plastic and/or plastic composite railroad ties tosliding within the ballast of the railroad bed, for example, sliding lengthwise (in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tie) and sideways (in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis), ties with a textured surface which aids in anchoring the ties within the ballast of the railroad beds. In particular, the ties are provided with a pattern of indentations within a surface that contacts the ballast which increases the ties resistance to sliding. The pattern is molded into the ties so as to mechanically interact with the ballast (rocks) and provide as much resistance to sliding as possible, especially along the longitudinal axis of the tie but also in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A railroad tie comprising:

a railroad tie having at least four longitudinal sides, two end faces and a longitudinal axis, wherein at least one longitudinal side has an arrangement of concave shapes in the surface thereof, said shapes having a depth of at least ⅛ of an inch and having sidewalls which are at an angle of less than 90°, wherein said tie is made from polymeric material, and
said concave shapes are in the form of truncated cones in which the sides of the truncated cone shapes are at an angle of 30–60 degrees with respect to said at least one longitudinal side, or said concave shapes are truncated pyramidal shapes in which the sides of the truncated pyramidal shapes are at an angle of 30–60 degrees with respect to said at least one longitudinal side,
wherein said concave shapes are in the form of truncated cones.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Engineered railroad ties

Life of this patent

Engineered railroad ties

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26