United States Patent [191 [111 ' ' 4,239,156 Skinner Et A1
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United States Patent [191 [111 ' ' 4,239,156 Skinner et a1. [45] Dec. 16, 1980 [54] PAD FOR RAILWAY RAIL FASTENINGS FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS [75] Inventors: David H. Skinner, Donvale; Jeffrey 2253360. 5/1974 Fed. Rep. of Germany l6/DIG. l3 H. Brown, Armadale, both of 186334 11/1963 Sweden .................................. .. 238/349 Australia 896471. 5/1962 United Kingdom . .. 238/283 [73] Assignee: The Broken Hill Proprietary 938736 10/1963 United Kingdom ................... .. 238/283 Company Limited, Victoria, Primary Examiner-Randolph A. Reese , Australia Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby- & Cushman [21] Appl. No.: 968,813 [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed:' Dec. 12, 1978 An insulation pad for rails on sleepers, the pad compris [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ing a base section adapted, in use, to be interposed be~ tween a rail and an underlying sleeper, and two upper Dec. 23, 1977 [AU] Australia ............................ .. PD2885 sections adapted, in use, to extend over the respective [51] Int. Cl.3 .............................................. .. E01B 9/68 upper surfaces of the rail foot, the upper sections being [52] US. Cl. .................................... .. 238/277; 16/150; formed integrally with the base section, wherein the 16/DIG. 13; 238/196; 238/197; 238/283 upper sections are hingedly connected to the respective ' [58] Field of Search ............. .. 238/264, 265, 275, 276, side edges of the base section, which hinges are formed 238/277, 283, 287, 310, 382, 154, 187, 195, 196, by sections of pad material of reduced thickness, and 197, 205, 349; 16/143, 150, DIG. 13; D8/323, wherein the upper sections and the associated side edges 325 of the base section adjacent the respective hinges incor porate interlocking knuckle and groove arrangements [56] References Cited for resisting differential movement between the upper U.S. PAITENT DOCUMENTS sections and the base section longitudinally of the hinges. ' 3,223,328 12/1965 Moses et a1. ................... .. 238/382 X 3,819,114 6/1974, Bush .......... .. .. 238/310 X 3,945,566 3/1976 Bush ............................ .11.. 238/283X 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Dec. 16, 1980 Sheet 1 of2 4,239,156 N\’\ \ \ \ \ \'/\\ \\\\I\\\\w 11 as \5/ IE? 7- ' 9511 U.S. Patent Dec. 16, 1980 Sheet 2 of2 4,239,156 4,239,156 1 2 One furtherv disadvantage associated with known PAD FOR RAILWAY RAIL FASTENINGS insulating pads arises due to the relatively small shoul ders which cover edge and top portions of the ?anges of ‘This invention relates to an improved pad to provide the rail foot the small dimensions of which shoulders insulation of a railway‘ rail from a sleeper. 5 increases the chances of current leakage from the rail to Insulation of a rail from a sleeper is necessary when the associated fastening means and thus to the sleeper. railway signalling is performed by passing electric cur In order to reduce this effect it is advantageous to in rent along the two rails comprising a track and when crease the size of these shoulders. there is likelihood of electrical short-circuiting'between Preferably the upper sections are respective upper the rails-via the sleeper. Under normal circumstances, surfaces of the rail foot a distance suf?cient to provide the presence of a train on such track is signalled by a relatively large insulating path between the rail foot short-circuiting the rails via the wheels and axles of the and an associated fastening means and are shaped to train. If short-circuiting occurs due to‘ factors other than allow drainage of water and other contaminants down a train, e. g. electrical leakage across a sleeper, then false the upper sections and off the pad. and misleading signalling occurs. 15 One preferred form of the invention incorporating all Timber sleepers are very poor conductors of electric aspects of the invention will now be described with ity and hence, independent insulation of one rail from reference to the accompanying drawings in which: the other is not necessary. Steel and concrete sleepers FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pad of this pre are, respectively, good and medium quality conductors ferred form of the invention incorporated between a rail of electricity, and for track signalling with these sleep 20 and a steel sleeper, ers, insulation of the rails is necessary. ' FIG. 2 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1, In the past, insulation on steel sleepers has not been FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 widely used. On the other hand, insulation on concrete of FIG. 2, sleepershas been used widely and successfully in gen FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4—4 eral railway applications, but the existing systems have 25 of FIG. 3, been shown recently to be not entirely adequate when FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 used for heavy railways. The existing system involves of FIG. 2, . an insulator comprising three components namely, a ?at FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6—6 base pad and two identical small shoulders for covering of FIG. 2, part of the edge and top of the rail foot. The disadvan FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7—7 tages of this system are: of FIG. 2, and (l) more cost is involved in storing, transporting and FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the pad of the installing the‘ three components than for a one-piece assembly of FIG. 1. pad, as is the case of the present invention, The pad of the present invention was developed spe (2) there is a possibility that the parts may be installed ci?cally for steel sleepers, but is applicable to concrete incorrectly relative to one another, ~ sleepers. The pad encloses the foot of the rail R in the (3) when assembled, the components usually ?t to region where it passes over sleepers, and provides suf? gether loosely, permitting electrical leakage via several ciently long electrical leakage paths to prevent short paths, and, t circuiting between the rail and sleeper under adverse (4) due to the poor ?t, the components are frequently conditions and comprises means of restraining move not aligned properly during assembly and furthermore ment of the pad parallel to the rail. The pad 10 is manu they may move during the cyclic loading of 'a passing factured in one piece and comprises, two hinge mecha train. nisms 11 which permit the upper sections 12 of the pad It is an object of one aspect of the present invention to to fold back, relative to the base section 13, during provide an insulation pad which overcomes some, if not 45 ?tting of it to the rail foot. The hinge mechanisms 11 are all, of the disadvantages of the known pads. manufactured so that they tend to close the upper sec According ‘to a ?rst aspect of the invention there is tions 12 when released and to maintain them in that envisaged an insulation pad for rails on sleepers, said position. ’ pad comprising a base section adapted, in use, to be Preferably the material from, which the pad of the interposed between a rail and an underlying sleeper, and 50 present invention is made, is high density polyethylene two upper sections adapted, in use, to extend over the or similar materials, such as polyurethane, polypropyl respective upper surfaces of the rail foot, said upper ene etc., with appropriate additives for stabilizing it sections being formed integrally with said base section against U-V radiation. The pad is preferably manufac and adapted to bend-or hinge relative to said base sec tured by the injection molding process but could be tion. 1 , 55 made by any other suitable technique. Preferably said upper sections normally overly said ,The pad 10 has two preferred forms, one suitable for base section and are folded back during ?tting to the rail a fastener of the type supplied by OMARK AUSTRA foot. LIA PTY. LTD. and another incorporating an addi Alternatively the upper sections normally extend tional steel insert, suitable for a fastener of the type upwardly away from the respective side edges of the known as a Pandrol fastener. However, both preferred base section and during ?tting are folded over the re forms can be made using the same set of molding dies. spective ?anges of the rail foot and held in such position The pad can of course be modi?ed to suit other types of by locking means within the pad in the area of bending fasteners, although the pad illustrated in the drawings or hinging, orby associated rail‘fastening means. incorporates provision for cooperation with a Pandrol Preferably the upper sections are hingedly connected 65 type rail fastening system. to the respective side edges of the base section, said In both preferred forms of the invention the pad 10 _ hinges being formed by sections of pad material of re comprises the substantially ?at rectangular base section duced thickness. 13, two opposite vertical side sections 14 and two tri 4,239,156 '3 4 angular shaped upper sections 12. The base is about 6 depression 23. The spring clip is made of steel about 5 mm thick but may be between 2 mm and 20 mm thick, mm thick and may be in (electrical) contact with the and its bottom surface 15 is contoured to match the sleeper. In the pad of the present preferred type a steel shape of the top of a sleeper S. The base section 13 insert (not shown) of similar shape to the depression 23 incorporates four protrusions 16 at the corners thereof 5 is molded or fitted into the pad 10 in the place where the which, when the pad is installed, extend part-way down depression would otherwise be.