Insulated rail joint assembly
AssigneeVAE Nortrak North America, Inc.
InventorsGary Click, Brent Duffner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An insulated rail joint assembly comprises a rail with a thick web section, held in place by joint bars and secured with electrically isolated fasteners. The joint bars have non-uniform cross-sections, being shaped with a thicker midsection area and thinner ends. Electrically non-conductive shear pins through the rail and the joint bars provide shear resistance and prevent glue bond failure. High strength cloth between the rail ends and between the rail and the joint bars strengthens the joint, as does an insulating rail clip resiliently fastened to an insulating tie plate, which itself may be supported on a cross tie of increased width.
Claims28
A rail joint assembly comprising:
- first and second rail segments, each having a web portion, said web portions having a thickness of between 1½″ and 2″;
- and
- a first joint bar fastened to and extending between the respective web portions of said first and second rail segments across a joint between said first and second rail segments;
- wherein said first joint bar has a length and a non-uniform cross-section along said length, and further comprises a midsection between two end sections, said midsection having a greater cross-sectional area than at least one of said end sections.
A joint bar for an insulated rail joint assembly, said joint bar having a length between two ends of said joint bar and comprising:
- a midsection portion having a length and having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along said length of said midsection portion;
- opposed end sections, each having a length extending between one of said ends of said joint bar and said midsection portion and having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along said lengths of said end sections;
- said cross-sectional area of said midsection portion being greater than the said cross-sectional area of said end sections.
A joint bar for an insulated rail joint assembly, said joint bar having a length between two ends of said joint bar and comprising:
- a midsection portion having a length and having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along said length of said midsection portion;
- opposed portions of said joint bar extending between said midsection portion and each of said ends of said joint bar;
- and
- all of the cross-sectional areas of said opposed portions being smaller than said cross-sectional area of said midsection portion.
A joint bar for an insulated rail joint assembly, said joint bar having a length and comprising:
- first and second ends;
- a midsection having a constant cross-sectional area, said midsection commencing approximately at ⅓ of the length of said joint bar from said first end and ending at approximately ⅔ of the length of said joint bar from said first end;
- said midsection having a greater cross-sectional area than each of said first and second ends.
An insulated rail joint assembly comprising:
- first and second rail segments, each having a web portion having a thickness between 1½″ and 2″;
- a first joint bar fastened to and extending between the respective web portions of said first and second rail segments across a joint between said first and second rail segments;
- a second joint bar fastened to and extending between the respective web portions of said first and second rail segments, in opposed relation to said first joint bar across said web portions and said joint;
- each of said first and second joint bars comprising a midsection between two end sections, said midsection having a greater cross-sectional area than the maximum cross-sectional area of each of said end sections;
- and
- each of said first and second joint bars further comprising a tapered portion between said midsection and each of said end sections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.