Patent Publication Number: US-8985476-B1

Title: Rail cover and clip system for embedded track systems

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims benefit and priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/472,021 entitled “RAIL COVER AND CLIP SYSTEM FOR EMBEDDED TRACK SYSTEM”, filed Apr. 5, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is related to a cover and clip to cover a rail and rail boot during the construction of embedded railway tracks. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Rail beds cross a roadway or a pedestrian walkway at grade level or are built into a roadway when right-of-way is shared between tram vehicles with steel wheels and automobiles with rubber tires. In these rail beds, the rails are often installed such that the top surface of the rails are at the same level as the roadway or walkway with the exception of a flangeway, an adjacent recess to accommodate the rail car wheels. The non-exposed surfaces of the rails are often covered with an elastomeric rail boot to cushion or to electrically insulate the rail from the concrete. This type of rail track is called “embedded track” since the rail and other ancillary components are embedded in the track except the exposed surface of the rail 
     There are various construction methods for building embedded track. One method for building embedded track, especially in the U.S., is done by laying a rubber boot underneath a rail that has been suspended by gigging. The rail boot is then wrapped around the rail. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a flangeway filler is then inserted onto one side of the rail boot. As the flangeway filler is cantilevered away from the rail, it must be supported by rigid brackets. Rigid brackets are applied underneath the boot and the flangeway filler at intervals. Rail head tape is then applied to cover the rail boot, rail, and flangeway filler. After concrete is poured, the rail head tape is removed. The current installation system requires significant labor, uses significant amounts of materials and generates waste. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a first aspect, the present invention comprises an assembly to hold a rail boot to a rail during embedded track construction comprising: a cover having a bottom surface, a first portion of the bottom surface generally conforming to a length of a top surface of a rail head; the bottom surface having a second portion defining a convex shape adjacent to and generally parallel to the length of the top surface of the rail head; the bottom surface further defining a hook to engage a gauge side of the rail boot; and a clip having first and second ends, wherein the first end engages a gauge side of the cover; and the second end engages a field side of the cover and/or the rail boot. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the assembly of the present invention, the first end of the clip snap-fits or friction fits the gauge side of the cover. 
     In accordance with yet an additional aspect of the assembly of the present invention, the second end of the clip snap-fits or friction fits the field side of the cover and/or rail boot. 
     In accordance with yet a further aspect of the assembly of the present invention, the first end of the clip snap-fits or friction fits the gauge side of the cover and wherein the second end of the clip snap-fits or friction fits the field side of the cover and/or rail boot. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the assembly of the present invention, the cover may comprise an extrusion, polyvinylchloride and/or nylon. 
     In accordance with yet a further aspect of the assembly of the present invention, the clip may comprise an injection molded product, polybutylene terephthalate or a metal. 
     In another aspect, the present invention comprises a method for covering a rail and rail boot during the construction of embedded railway tracks comprising the steps of: wrapping a rail boot around, in-whole or in-part, a flange, field side web and/or gauge side web of a rail; laying a cover over a head of the rail; engaging the cover with a gauge side of the rail boot; engaging a clip to the cover and to the field side of the rail boot; pouring material around the rail boot; removing the clip; and removing the cover. 
     In accordance with yet a further aspect, the method for covering of the present invention further comprises: applying a concrete release agent to the clip and/or cover. 
     In accordance with yet a further aspect of the method for covering of the present invention, the cover has a bottom surface having first and second portions wherein the first portion of the bottom surface generally conforms to a length of a top surface of a rail head. 
     In accordance with yet another aspect of the method for covering of the present invention, the second portion of the bottom surface defines a convex shape adjacent to and generally parallel to the length of the top surface of the rail head. 
     In accordance with yet an additional aspect of the method for covering of the present invention, the bottom surface further defines a hook to engage a gauge side of the rail boot. 
     In accordance with yet a further aspect of the method for covering of the present invention, the clip has first and second ends, wherein the first end engages a gauge side of the cover; and the second end engages a field side of the cover and/or the rail boot. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the present disclosure to be easily understood and readily practiced, the present disclosure will now be described for purposes of illustration and not limitation in connection with the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is drawing showing a prior art method for building embedded track. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a preferred rail cover and clip system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the rail cover and clip system of  FIG. 2  showing an attached clip on the cover. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the rail cover and clip system of  FIG. 2  in use. 
         FIG. 5   a  is perspective drawing of the preferred clip of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5   b  is a cross-sectional view of the preferred clip of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6   a  is perspective drawing of the preferred cover of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6   b  is a cross-sectional view of the preferred cover of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 7  is an end-view of the preferred clip and cover of  FIG. 3  with rail and rail boot. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying examples and figures that form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the inventive subject matter may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice them, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive subject matter. Such embodiments of the inventive subject matter may be referred to, individually and/or collectively, herein by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept if more than one is in fact disclosed. 
     The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limited sense, and the scope of the inventive subject matter is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     In one prior art method for building embedded track,  FIG. 1 , a rubber rail boot  12  is laid underneath a rail  14  that has been suspended by gigging. The rail boot  12  is then wrapped around the rail. A flangeway filler  16  is inserted onto one side of the rail boot  12 . As the flangeway filler  16  is cantilevered away from the rail  14 , it must be supported by rigid brackets  18 . Rigid brackets  18  are applied underneath the rail boot  12  and the flangeway filler  16  at intervals. Rail head tape  20  is then applied to cover the rail boot  12 , rail  14 , and flangeway filler  16 . After concrete is poured to the approximate height of the rail boot  12 , rail head tape  20  is removed. The U-shaped space  17  formed from rail  14 , rail boot  12 , and flangeway filler  16  is a flangeway adjacent to the rail  14  to accommodate railway wheel flanges. 
     A preferred cover and clip of the present invention takes the place of the rail head tape, flangeway fillers, and rigid brackets in the installation of embedded railroad track. This allows reuse of materials, less labor and less generated waste. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2-7 , a preferred embodiment of a rail cover and clip system of the present invention comprises a cover  26  having a bottom surface  60 , a first portion  62  of the bottom surface  60  conforming to a breadth and a significant portion of the long dimension of a top surface  66  of a rail head  42 . The bottom surface  60  has a second portion  64  having a generally convex or bullnose shape adjacent to and parallel to the long dimension of the top surface  66  of the rail head  42 . The convex or bullnose shape further comprising means to engage the gauge side of a rail boot  22 . The clip  28  having first end  33  and second end  34 , wherein the first end  33  comprises a first clip means to engage a gauge side  51  of the cover  26 . The second end  34  comprises a second clip means to engage the cover  26  and/or the field side  36  of rail boot  22 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a rail boot  22  is positioned and wrapped around a rail  24  as shown in  FIG. 2 . As also shown in  FIG. 2 , cover  26  is placed over the rail  24  and rail boot  22 . Clips  28  secure the cover  26  to the rail  24  and rail boot  22  assembly as shown in  FIG. 3 . Concrete  30  is poured to a predetermined level as shown in  FIG. 4 . After the concrete  30  has been poured, the covers  26  and clips  28  can be removed and reused on another rail assembly segment. 
     In a preferred system of the present invention, a flangeway  32  is formed during the concrete pour. As the preferred system has no cantilevered flangeway filler  16  gravitationally pulling on rail boot  22 , rail boot  22  of the preferred system has a reduced tendency to pull away from rail  24  during assembly, as compared to the assembly of  FIG. 1 . Covers  26  and clips  28  protect the exposed rail  24  and rail boot  22  from the concrete  30 , and in preferred embodiments holds the rail boot  22  and secures it to the rail  24  during the concrete pour. 
     An additional advantage is the flangeway  32  formed of long-lasting concrete instead of exposed rubber as in flangeway filler  16 . Cover  26  is designed to fit over the contours of the rail head  42  and hook onto the side of the rail boot  22  at  50  as shown in  FIGS. 3-4  and  6 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the clip  28  has a first end  33  and a second end  34 . The clip first end  33  may be hooked over the cover  26  at  52  and the clip second end  34  may be hooked over the cover  26  and rail boot  22  at  48  as shown in  FIG. 3-4 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, covers  26  and clips  28  are reusable. In some preferred embodiments, the clips  28  are injection molded products made from a plastic such as nylon or polybutylene teraphthalate (PBT). In other preferred embodiments, the clip  28  is made of metal. In a preferred embodiment, the clips  28  engage the cover  26  on the field side  36  of the rail boot  22  at  48  and most preferably the clips  28  make a snap-fit to the cover  26  at  52  and on the field side  36  of the rail boot  22  at  48 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, covers  26  are reusable and are an extruded product made from a polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The profile of the cover  26  preferably forms a U-shape  38  on the gauge side  40  of the rail  24 . In preferred embodiments, the U-shape  38  acts as a mould during the concrete pour that creates the flangeway  32  to accommodate railway wheel flanges. In most preferred embodiments, the hook  49  of cover  26  engages the gauge side  40  of the rail boot  22  at  50  as shown in  FIG. 3-4 . 
     The cover and clip system is used as follows. The rail boot  22  is positioned and wrapped around a flange  46  of the rail  24 , the rail boot  22  extending also to the field side  36  and gauge side  40  of the rail  24 . A cover  26  is placed over the rail  24  and rail boot  22 . The cover  26  engages the gauge side  40  of the rail boot  22  at  49 ,  50 . Clips  28  are then applied to secure the cover  26  to the rail  24  and rail boot  22  assembly as shown in  FIG. 3 . Concrete  30  or other road material is poured as shown in  FIG. 4 . A flangeway  32  is formed during the concrete pour. Covers  26  and clips  28  can be then removed and reused on another rail assembly segment. In a preferred embodiment, a concrete release agent, such as an oil, is applied to concrete contacting surfaces of the clips  28  and/or covers  26 . 
     As the preferred system has no cantilevered flangeway filler  16  gravitationally pulling on rail boot  22 , which, therefore, has a reduced tendency to pull away from rail  24  during assembly, as compared to the assembly of  FIG. 1 . Covers  26  and clips  28  protect the exposed rail  24  and rail boot  22  from the concrete  30 , and in preferred embodiments holds the rail boot  22  and secures it to the rail  24  during the concrete pour. 
     The rail  24  and rail boots  22  shown in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only as many types of rails  24  and rail boots  22  may be used with the cover  26  and clip  28  assembly of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The road material may be concrete, asphalt or paver construction material. The standard rail  24  has a head or upper portion  42 , a web  44  or connecting central portion, and a flange or lower portion  46 . The outside of the rail will be referred to as the field side  36 , being the left half of  FIG. 2 . The inside of the rail will be referred to as the gauge side  40 , being the right half of  FIG. 2 . 
     In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment to streamline the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the invention require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.