Patent Publication Number: US-2021170913-A1

Title: Bracket to support covering of electrified contact rail in railway systems

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/946,242, filed Dec. 10, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as part of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention related generally to a railway system that includes an electrified collector rail for traction (propulsion) power and more specifically to a protective support bracket that includes a resilient fastener extending therefrom and/or fixed thereto which is configured to aid in securing the bracket to a conductor rail and on which a cover board can be mounted. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In some electrified railway systems, a third or conductor rail is used to provide electricity to railway vehicles. A collector shoe is mounted to the rail vehicle, which contacts the surface of the conductor rail to provide the railway vehicle with electricity. Many electrified railway systems include an insulative cover that extends above the conductor rail. Such practice requires the cover to be supported above the contact rail without interference of electrical contact surface. 
     Many known systems to arrange a cover above the conductor rail require fasteners (e.g., screw and/or bolt) to be used to installation and secure a cover bracket above a conduct rail. U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,462, for example, is directed to a bracket configured to support a conductor rail cover that requires a bolt to connect the bracket to the connector rail. other patents directed to brackets that support cover boards only include U.S. Pat. No. 10,596,921 and U.S. Design Pat. No. D816,548 
     However, the use of fasteners, such as bolts, to secure a cover above a conductor rail adds time to the installation of the cover and can be subject to over or under torqueing during installation, potentially causing a bracket that is used to space the cover from the rail to become loose or break. Fasteners can also corrode and seize overtime and, if they become corroded cannot be retightened, if necessary, and/or may be difficult to untighten, if needed, to remove the cover from the cover from the bracket and as a result must be removed by mechanical and/or chemical means (e.g., cut off). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is generally directed to an insulated cover board support bracket that includes a self-contained resilient fastener that engages and secures the bracket and, in turn, cover board to an electrical collector rail of a railway system. More specifically, the resilient fastener engages the flanges of the conductor rail. Tension on the resilient fastener transfers force between the bottom of the flanges of a conductor rail and the insulated support bracket. The resilient fastener can be integral to the bracket and/or secured to the bracket, for example, by a press-fit, rivets, bolts, screws, casting, an adhesive, a combination thereof or the like. 
     The cover board support bracket of the present disclosure improves the covering support structure by reducing the number of parts required to install the bracket (e.g., loose brackets and hardware) ensuring a constant force is applied by the resilient fastener(s), improves the efficiency of installation and/or removal of a cover board support bracket, removes possible human error during installation such as over or under torqueing a fastener associated with a bracket and the bracket improves safety during installation by reducing the need for tools that may be metallic. 
     In an embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a cover board bracket that comprises a body that includes a resilient fastener that extends therefrom to secure the body to a rail of a railway system. The body can have a first leg that extends in a first direction, a second leg that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the first leg and a third leg that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the second leg such that the body is substantially c-shaped. The resilient fastener can be formed integral with and fixed to an exterior surface of the third leg. In an embodiment, the resilient fastener extends at an angle from the second leg towards the third leg. 
     The third leg can include an inner surface that defines a base that extends in a first direction to an outer periphery of the third leg in a second direction to a recess formed by a projection that extends from the second leg to an interior of the bracket, a portion of the second leg and the base. 
     Alternatively, the third leg can include a first inner surface that defines a base that is delimited at a first end thereof by a stop and at a second end by a flange that includes a first portion that extends from a second end of the third leg, beyond the base and toward the first leg and a second portion that is spaced from the base toward the first leg and extends from a second end of the first portion of the flange toward the second leg to form a recess between the base and the second portion. 
     The third leg can include recess that is defined by a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a base that extends between the sidewalls. 
     The resilient fastener can include a first fastener that is rotatably fixed to the first sidewall and a second fastener that is rotatably fixed to the second sidewall. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of fixing a cover board support bracket to a conductor rail where the method comprises the steps of providing a body that includes a resilient fastener that extends therefrom; arranging the bracket around the base of a rail; securing a first flange of the rail to the bracket; and rotating the bracket such that the resilient fastener secures a second flange of the rail. Thus, the bracket engages the rail only by an upward force. As a result, the installation and removal of the bracket is safer and easier. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a cover board support bracket according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the bracket of  FIG. 1  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 3-6  are various views of another cover board support bracket according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of yet another cover board support bracket according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     With reference now to the drawings and in particular  FIGS. 1-7 , embodiments of cover board support brackets of the present disclosure, which are generally designated by reference numerals  10 ,  100 ,  200 , will be described. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  depict an embodiment of an insulated cover board support bracket  10  that is resiliently fastened to a rail  12  (conductor rail) of a railway system in which electricity is collected from the top of the conductor rail  12 . A cover board  14  is fixed on a top surface of the bracket  10  in order to protect the top surface of the conductor rail  12 . The cover board  14  must be arranged in such a way so that the railway vehicle collector shoe (not shown) can collect electricity from the conductor rail  12  surface. 
     The bracket  10  includes a body  16  that has a first leg  18  that extends in a first direction, a second leg  20  that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the first leg  18  and a third leg  22  that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the second leg  20 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the legs  18 ,  20 ,  22  of the body  16  together substantially form a C-shape. 
     The third leg  22  includes a first inner surface  24  that defines a base  26  that extends in a first direction to an outer periphery of the third leg  22  in a second direction to a recess  28  formed by a projection  30  that extends from the second leg  20  to an interior of the bracket  10 , a portion of the second leg  20  and the base  26 . 
     A resilient fastener  32  is integral with or fixed to an exterior surface  34  of the third leg  22 , for example, by press-fit, fasteners (e.g., screws, rivets, bolts) and/or an adhesive. The fastener  32  includes a first portion  36  that is substantially linear, a second portion  38 , which is curved and extends contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the first portion  36 , a third portion  40  that extends substantially linearly and contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the second portion  38 , a fourth portion  42  that extends substantially linearly at an angle a from a second end of the third portion  40  and a fifth portion  44  that extends substantially linearly at an angle a from a second end of the forth portion  42 . 
     The bracket  10  is configured to be fixed to the rail  12  with a portion of a base  46  of the rail  12  seated on the base  26  of the bracket  10 , a first flange  48  of the rail  12  arranged and secured within the recess  28  of the bracket  10  and the resilient flange  32  exerting an upward force with respect to the rail  12  to extend around and secure a second flange  50  of the rail  10  in a fixed position. Once the bracket  10  is fixed to the rail  12 , it is slid along the rail  10  to align the holes in the bracket (not shown) with holes in a cover board and lock it in place. To release the bracket  10 , a tool such as a screw driver or special insulated tool, can be used. The resilient fastener  32  both eliminates the need for use of bolts, spikes, screws, adhesives, etc. to secure the bracket  10  to the rail  12  and exerts a continuous force between the insulated bracket  10  and the electrified conductor rail  12 . 
       FIGS. 3-6  illustrates various views of another embodiment of a cover board bracket  100  that includes a body  102  that has a first leg  104  that extends in a first direction, a second leg  106  that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the first leg  104  and a third leg  108  that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the second leg  106 . The legs  104 ,  106 ,  108  define a rib that extends continuously in substantially a C-shape. A cover board (not shown) can be fastened to an external portion of the first leg  104  of the bracket  100 . 
     The third leg  108  includes a first inner surface  110  that defines a base  112  that is delimited at a first end thereof by a stop  114  and at a second end by a flange  118  that includes a first portion  120  that extends from a second end of the third leg  108 , beyond the base  112  and toward the first leg  104  and a second portion  122  that is spaced from the base  112  toward the first leg  104  and extends from a second end of the first portion  120  of the flange  118  toward the second leg  106  to form a recess  124  between the base  112  and the second portion  120 . A resilient projection  126  extends at an angle from the second leg  106  towards the third leg  108 . 
     In use, the bracket  100  is placed beneath a lower portion of a rail  128  (see  FIG. 6 ) and rotated in a first direction upwardly such that a first flange  130  of the rail  128  is arranged and secured within the recess  124  formed between the second portion  122  of the flange  120  and the base  112 . The bracket  100  is then rotated in a second direction, depressing the resilient elastically deformable projection  126  to allow a second flange  132  of the rail  128  is seated on the base  112  and in contact with the stop  114 . Once the second flange  132  of the rail clears the projection  126  and is seated on the base  112 , the projection  126  returns to an initial state to contact the second flange  132  and aid, along with the flange  118  in ensuring the bracket  100  remains secured to the rail  128 . Once the bracket  100  is fixed to the rail  128 , it is slid along the rail  128  to align the holes in the bracket (not shown) with holes in a cover board and lock it in place. To release the bracket  100  to slide and align the bracket  100  with the cover board, a tool such as a screw driver or special insulated tool, can be used. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates yet another embodiment of a cover board bracket  200  that includes a body  202  that has a first leg  204  that extends in a first direction, a second leg  206  that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the first leg  204  and a third leg  208  that is contiguous at a first end thereof from a second end of the second leg  206 . The legs  204 ,  206 ,  208  define a rib that extends continuously in substantially a C-shape. A cover board (not shown) can be fastened to an external portion of the first leg  204  of the bracket  200 . 
     The third leg  208  includes recess  210  that includes a first sidewall  212 , a second sidewall  214  and a base  216  that extends between the sidewalls  212 ,  214 . A first rotatable fastener  216  is fixed to and/or within the first sidewall  212  and a second rotatable fastener  218  is fixed to and/or within the second sidewall  214 . 
     In use, the bracket  200  is placed beneath a lower portion of a rail  220  and rotated such that a first flange  222  of the rail  220  is arranged and secured between the first fastener  216  and the base  210  and then the second flange  224  of the rail  220  contacts the base  210  and the second fastener  218  is then rotated to contact an upper region of the second flange  224  of the rail  220  and secure the second flange  224  to the bracket  200 . That is, in combination the first fastener  216  and the second fastener  218  secure the bracket  200  to the rail  220  without the need for fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, spikes) that are independent of the bracket  200  and/or the use of an adhesive; the bracket  200  is a self-contained device that does not require additional components. Once the bracket  200  is fixed to the rail  220 , it is slid along the rail  220  to align the holes in the bracket  201  with holes in a cover board and lock it in place. To release the bracket  200 , a tool such as a screw driver or special insulated tool, can be used. 
     Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. In addition, while several variations of the embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of this invention, including, but not limited to, the substitutions of equivalent features, materials, or parts, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.