Patent ID: 8888012
Filing Date: 2014-11-18
Classification: E01B

Abstract:
1. An electrical insulator for use with a railway rail fastening clip, the insulator comprising a contact member providing on one side a rail contact surface for contacting a foot of a railway rail and on the opposing side a clip contact surface for contacting a rail bearing surface of a bearing portion of the clip, the insulator also having retaining means for retaining the insulator on the clip in such a way as to allow rotation of the insulator about a longitudinal axis of the bearing portion of the clip, wherein the insulator has stop portions for limiting such rotation of the insulator about the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion of the clip to a desired extent, and wherein the rail contact surface of the insulator is substantially flat and the clip contact surface of the insulator is convex, in a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion of the clip, such that, when the insulator is attached to a clip having a flat rail bearing surface, a contact region between the flat rail bearing surface of the clip and the clip contact surface of the insulator is linear, and wherein the insulator is rockable about the linear contact region within the extent defined by the stop portions such that, when the rail contact surface of the insulator contacts the surface of a rail foot, the angle of the rail contact surface can conform to the angle of the rail foot surface.