Patent ID: 6499667
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: E01B

Abstract:
A preloaded railway sleeper assembly including a steel railway sleeper adapted to support two rails at respective intended positions thereon, and further including a plurality of shoulders adapted to be mounted in twos on said steel sleeper at opposite sides of each intended rail position, a plurality of insulators located each on an associated one of said shoulders at a side of that shoulder proximate to an associated one of said intended rail positions, and a plurality of rail clips each mounted on a respective one of said shoulders;said railway sleeper assembly being characterized in that: (a) said steel sleeper has, at opposite sides of each intended rail position, two shoulder mounting openings; (b) each of said shoulders has a stem which is inserted into said steel sleeper through the associated one of said shoulder mounting openings and defines a hook and a spur, said hook and spur, when their associated stem is so inserted and appropriately oriented, being located at an underside of said steel sleeper and inhibiting extraction of said associated stem from said associated shoulder mounting opening; (c) each of said insulators includes a member which, when that insulator is mounted on the associated shoulder, extends into the associated shoulder mounting opening so as to lie between respective walls of that shoulder mounting opening and said stem of said associated shoulder for preventing movement of that shoulder towards the associated intended rail position; and (d) each of said rail clips is mounted on a respective one of said shoulders and is retained on that shoulder in a preload position; (e) whereby when said shoulders, said insulators and said rail clips are assembled with said steel sleeper, they are securely retained on said steel sleeper against falling off during transit of the entire railway sleeper assembly as a unit to a track site for installation.