Railway switches and signals – Switches
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-04
2004-09-07
Jules, Frantz F. (Department: 3617)
Railway switches and signals
Switches
C246S468000, C238S264000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06786459
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a railroad turnout and specifically to an improved railroad turnout utilizing concrete railroad ties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, a turnout
10
(
FIG. 1
) is a device used in railroading to direct a train moving on an entry track
12
to one of multiple discharge tracks
14
. The entry track
12
includes two spaced apart rails
16
, which are continuous with outer rails of the discharge tracks. The inner rails
18
of the discharge tracks
14
intersect and are joined by a device known as a frog
20
. As in a typical railroad track, railroad ties
22
used in a turnout are spaced at predetermined intervals below the rails
16
. Historically, hardwood railroad ties have been used, but concrete railroad ties have been used in modern railroads for many years. Concrete railroad ties are very heavy, weighing as much as three times that of a hardwood railroad tie.
The turnout comprises a switch section, a closure section, a frog guardrail section and a heel section. In each of the sections, the rails are mounted on varying lengths of railroad ties. The length of the railroad tie varies with respect to its position in each section. Typically, it is desirable to maintain a constant length overhang of railroad tie between the outer rails and the end of the railroad tie. In the utilization of concrete railroad ties, it is sometimes necessary to have a separate railroad tie pattern for each railroad tie needed. This is both time consuming and costly. A conventional concrete railroad tie turnout assembly
24
is shown in
FIG. 2
a
. At each rail seat area
26
where a rail
28
is to be fastened to a concrete railroad tie
30
, either cast in shoulder inserts
31
,
32
are provided opposing each other on field and gauge sides of the rail seat area
26
, respectively or bolted steel plates
34
with attached fastenings. The cast in shoulder inserts
31
,
32
(
FIGS. 2
b
,
3
a
and
4
) are permanently mounted within the concrete railroad tie
30
at a position directly adjacent to the rail
28
. An insulator spacer
36
is placed adjacent to and abutting the base or toe
38
of the rail
28
between the rail
28
and the shoulder insert
31
,
32
with an elastomeric pad
40
beneath the rail
28
. A retaining clip
42
is attached to a shoulder insert
31
,
32
by way of inserting through a longitudinal receiving hole
44
in a shoulder insert
31
,
32
, pressing upon the outer surface of the corresponding insulator spacer
36
to rigidly secure rail
28
to the concrete railroad tie
30
. This arrangement is the most cost effective from a raw material standpoint, but requires a separate unique pattern for each concrete railroad tie. An advantage therefore exists for a turnout assembly requiring a reduced number of concrete railroad tie patterns and the fewest bolted plate rail seats.
A concrete railroad tie turnout assembly
46
(
FIGS. 5-8
) developed in 1989 by KOPPERS INDUSTRIES INC. (a partner in KSA, the assignee of the present invention) addressed some of the problems associated with concrete railroad tie turnouts by reducing the number of concrete railroad tie patterns needed. In this assembly, concrete railroad ties
48
were laid in groups
50
having the same lengths (
FIGS. 5 and 6
.) Each group includes railroad ties
48
having the same length while the next downstream group includes railroad ties
48
which are six inches longer than the preceding group. Typically, each group in the example consists of one to four railroad ties
48
. The concrete railroad ties
48
utilized in these turnouts
46
have cast steel inserts in the form of bolt receptacles
50
. Oversize eight-inch steel plates
52
are bolted to the bolt receptacles so that the steel plates
52
rest on top of rubber pads
54
that lie between the plates
52
and the upper surface of the concrete railroad ties
48
. A railroad tie shoulder
56
,
57
is welded to each steel plate
52
at a predetermined location on the steel plate
52
(FIGS.
7
and
8
). By utilizing this assembly (bolted-on plate turnout), the amount of concrete tie patterns needed in a standard #7 turnout is reduced from forty to sixteen. A further advantage therefore exists for a turnout assembly requiring a reduced number of concrete railroad tie patterns while also making the ties of each length interchangeable with railroad ties of the same length in any number turnout of either left or right hand. All unique fittings or fastenings are entirely on the bolted plates. This arrangement also has advantages in reducing the required number of maintenance spare railroad ties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a turnout assembly is assembled having concrete railroad ties to which rails are attached using fasteners. The type of fasteners used depends on the position of the fastener within the turnout assembly. The fastener used is selected from a group including conventional cast shoulders, bolted steel plates and steel plates cast directly into the concrete railroad tie so that the top surface of each cast steel plate is substantially flush with the top surface of the concrete railroad tie. Fasteners for the rails are welded to predetermined positions on the steel plates. Additionally, each cast in steel plate can be cast into one or more positions on the concrete railroad tie thus, creating more flexibility as to the positions of the rail fasteners on the railroad tie and reducing the length of the cast in steel plate needed. The cast in steel plate rail seats with weld on shoulders are more costly than rail seats with cast in shoulders, but significantly less costly than bolted steel plates.
Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
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KSA Limited Partnership
Reed Smith LLP
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