Patent GB-985512-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the supporting of railway and like rails
Inventor: RIGBY HUGH JOHN MACBETH
IPC: E01B9/30
Filed: 1960-05-26
Abstract: 985,512. Rail supports. JAMES MILLS Ltd. EXECUTORS OF. May 26, 1961 [May 26, 1960], No. 18600/60. Heading E1G. A rail support comprises a resilient clip 20 having upper and lower arms 22, 23 respectively fitted to a sleeper 10, e.g. of concrete, hardwood, timber, or steel, which is provided with an opening (or two openings) e.g. a hole 27 in which a lower arm 23 engages, the hole extending from a side face of the sleeper transversely to its length i.e. parallel to the rail 13, the upper arm 22 engaging a rail flange 22, the arrangement being such that the arms 22, 23 are moved relatively apart as the clip is fitted, and the angle, between the upper face 19 of the rail flange 12 and the plane 33 containing the arm 23 and the point of contact of the upper arm 22 with the rail flange, being such that movement of the upper arm away from the web 18 of the rail 13 causes further movement of the arms 22, 23 away from each other, i.e. this angle must be at least 90 degrees. The sleeper is formed with a recessed rail seat 11 and the rail 13 may be supported on a resilient electrically insulating, e.g. rubber, pad 16, which may be flat or shaped to fit the sides of the rail flanges 12. The clip 20 is formed from preferably round bar steel and is made as shown with the shorter upper arm 22 bent out of the plane containing the lower arm 23 and the straight connecting portion 24, and also bent to give a rail contacting convex face 26. The holes 27 are disposed to slope downwardly from the end in which the clip arm is inserted and the hole is fitted with an electrically insulating liner 29 of plastics material, e.g. Registered Trade Mark "Akulon," this liner having a flange 30 limit its movement into the hole 27, and to assist in the insertion of the arm 23, the end of which is slightly rounded. The liner 29 also has an end 32 which limits the extent of insertion of the arm 23 therein. When in position the clip face 26 is disposed at the intersection, 21, of the upper face 19 of the rail flange 12 with a steeper face 17. The connecting portion 24 of the clip 20 may alternatively be of C-configuration and the end of the arm 23 may be bent upwardly to fit in a shaped recess in the sides of the hole 27 to prevent unwanted disengagement of the arm 23 from the hole (Fig. 6, not shown). Alternatively or additionally the arm 23 and liner 29 may be coated with resin bonded flint grit to increase the friction between the arm, the liner and the sleeper, or the arm 23 may pass completely through the hole 27 and be bent slightly at its free end. As a further alternative the hole 27 may be horizontal but disposed at an acute angle to the vertical plane containing the web 18 of the rail so that as the clip 20 is driven in, its upper arm 22 rides up on the face 19 until it reaches the intersection 21 (Figs. 8, 9, not shown). The clip may also be fitted into an inverted U-shaped recess in the bottom of the sleeper, especially where a composite sleeper is used, and the rail may be supported on a base-plate. In the case of light railways only one clip per rail may be provided on each sleeper to engage with one rail flange, the other flange engaging beneath a shoulder provided on the sleeper. The clip may be made from square bar steel, in which case the lower arm 23, or the liner, or both would be slightly twisted so that the clip is turned about the arm 23 to engage the rail flange as it is driven into position. The Provisional Specification states that the liner for the sleeper hole may be of metal. Specification 839,236 is referred to.