Patent Abstract:
A concrete railroad grade crossing comprised of a precast concrete gauge panel extending between the rails and precast concrete approach panels which extend between each rail and the roadway. Elastomeric gauge seals are provided on the opposite sides of the gauge panels for sealing the space between the sides of the gauge panels and the rails. Elastomeric approach seals are provided on the inner ends of the approach panels for engagement with the outer sides of the rails. The inner ends of the seals have lobes formed therein which are embedded in the respective panels.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation-in-part application of Petitioners&#39; earlier application Ser. No. 10/103,308 filed Mar. 20, 2002, entitled “CONCRETE RAILROAD GRADE CROSSING PANELS”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an improved concrete railroad grade crossing and more particularly to an improved railroad grade crossing comprising concrete gauge panels which extend between the rails and further comprising concrete approach or field panels which extend between each rail and the roadway. Even more particularly, the invention relates to improved elastomeric gauge seals which are partially embedded in the sides of the gauge panels and relates to improved elastomeric approach or field seals which are partially embedded in the inner ends of the approach or field panels. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Frequently, a railroad track crosses a roadway which necessitates that the space between the rails be filled with a material which brings that space up to grade. It is also necessary to bring the approaches on either side of the rails up to grade. In the past, precast concrete panels, or gauge panels, have been positioned between the rails and precast concrete panels, or approach panels, have been positioned on the approach sides of the track. The prior art railroad grade crossings have also used elastomeric seals on the sides of the concrete gauge panels to fill the space between the gauge panels and the rails to prevent foreign materials from entering and filling the space between the gauge panels and the rail. The prior art railroad grade crossings have also used elastomeric seals on the inner ends of the concrete approach panels to prevent foreign materials from entering and filling the space between the approach panel and the associated rail. In some cases, the upper inner ends of the approach panels and the upper outer ends of the gauge panels were chamfered or beveled to prevent portions of the concrete approach panels and gauge panels from chipping off and filling the spaces between the panels and the rails. In other cases, angle irons have been used as edge protectors to prevent the chipping problem. 
     In later years, the gauge seals and approach seals have been partially embedded in the concrete panels to aid in attaching the seals to the panels. However, even where the seals are partially embedded in the prior art concrete panels, it is believed that the prior art devices experience some attachment problems of the seals. Applicants&#39; co-pending application is believed to solve at least some of the attachment problems. The instant invention is believed to represent a further advance in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A railroad grade crossing for extending a roadway across a pair of parallel spaced-apart rails is disclosed. The railroad grade crossing includes one or more concrete gauge panels which extend substantially between the rails. Each of the gauge panels has a top surface which is substantially coplanar with the roadway with the bottom surface of the gauge panel being supported upon the ties. Each of the gauge panels has an elastomeric gauge seal on each side thereof which are positioned adjacent the rails. The upper ends of the gauge seals are positioned downwardly from the top surface of the gauge panel with the upper ends of the gauge seals having arcuate recessed portions formed therein adjacent the outer ends thereof. The lower inner ends of the gauge seals are at least partially embedded in the outer ends of the gauge panels. Concrete approach panels or field panels are positioned between each rail and the roadway associated therewith. Each of the concrete approach panels has a top surface which is substantially coplanar with the roadway and a bottom surface which is supported upon the ties. The approach panels have elastomeric approach seals at their inner ends thereof with the upper ends of the approach seals being positioned downwardly from the top surface of the approach panels. The lower inner ends of the approach seals are at least partially embedded in the inner ends of the approach panels. Elongated, metal angle members (edge protectors) are cast in the upper outer edges of the gauge panels and the upper inner edges of the approach panels. Two embodiments of the gauge panel seals and two embodiments of the approach panel seals are disclosed. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved concrete railroad grade crossing. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an improved concrete railroad grade crossing comprising concrete gauge panels and concrete approach panels wherein elastomeric seals are partially embedded in the panels and extend therefrom so as to be positioned adjacent the rails. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved concrete railroad grade crossing including elastomeric gauge seals and approach seals which have voids formed therein so as to reduce the amount of elastomeric material required to construct the same. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved concrete railroad grade crossing including concrete gauge and approach panels which have elastomeric seals partially embedded therein. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of attaching elastomeric gauge and approach seals to gauge panels and approach panels, respectively. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved railroad crossing which has greater durability than the railroad grade crossings of the prior art. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of the concrete railroad grade crossing of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view of one of the embodiments of the concrete railroad grade crossing of this invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of one of the approach panel seals of the embodiment of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the gauge panel seal of the embodiment of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view of a second embodiment of the concrete railroad grade crossing of this invention; and 
     FIG. 6 is a partial vertical sectional view of a third embodiment of the concrete railroad grade crossing of this invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the drawings, the numeral  10  refers to a railroad track including rails  12  and  14  which are supported upon a plurality of spaced-apart ties  16  by means of tie plates  18  which are secured to the ties  16  in conventional fashion such as by spikes, clips or bolts. In many cases, the railroad track  10  must cross a roadway which is generally referred to by the reference numeral  20 . 
     Normally, a plurality of precast concrete approach panels  22  will be positioned between the roadway  20  and the rails  12  and  14  with the approach panels  22  being supported upon the outer ends of the ties  16 . Normally, the approach panels  22  will be positioned between the roadway  20  and one of the rails in an end-to-end fashion, the number of which will depend upon the width of the roadway and the length of the approach panels. The numeral  24  refers to precast concrete gauge panels which are positioned between the rails  12  and  14  and which are supported upon the ties  16 . The gauge panels  24  are supported upon the ties  16  in an end-to-end fashion, the number of which will depend upon the width of the roadway and the length of the gauge panels. 
     Each of the approach or field panels  22  is comprised of a precast concrete material and includes top surface  26 , bottom surface  28 , and opposite sides  30  and  32 . Approach panel  22  is provided with a recessed portion  34  formed therein at each of the opposite sides thereof to provide a clearance space for the spikes, bolts, clips, etc., which secure the tie plates  18  to the ties  16  and which secure the rail to the tie plate  18  in conventional fashion. 
     An elongated, metal angle member  38  (edge protector) is cast in the approach panel  22  at the upper inner side thereof, as illustrated in the drawings, and which is held in place in the concrete by horizontally disposed and horizontally spaced rods or bars  40  secured thereto. The angle member  38  is also held in place by a plurality of vertically disposed and horizontally spaced retainers  41  secured thereto having enlarged head portions  41   a  at their lower ends. As will be explained in more detail hereinafter, an approach seal  42  is secured to the inner end of each of the approach panels  22 . 
     Each of the gauge panels  24  is comprised of a precast concrete material and includes top surface  44 , bottom surface  46 , and opposite sides  48  and  50 . Gauge panel  24  is provided with a recessed portion  52  at side  48  and is provided with a recessed portion  54  at its side  50 , as seen in FIG. 2, to provide a clearance space for the spikes, bolts, clips, etc., which secure the tie plates  18  to the ties  16  and which secure the rails to the tie plates  18  in conventional fashion. 
     Elongated, metal angle members (edge protectors)  56  and  58  are cast in the gauge panel  24  at the upper outer sides thereof, as illustrated in the drawings, and which are held in place by horizontally disposed and horizontally spaced rods or bars  60  secured thereto. The angle members  56  and  58  are also held in place by a plurality of vertically disposed and horizontally spaced retainers  61  secured thereto having enlarged head portions  61   a  at their lower ends. As will be explained in more detail hereinafter, gauge seals  62  and  64  are secured to the outer sides of each of the gauge panels  24 . Inasmuch as gauge seals  62  and  64  are identical, only gauge seal  62  will be described in detail. 
     As seen in FIG. 3, approach seal  42  is comprised of an elastomeric material generally having an outer end  66  and an inner end  68 . The upper end  70  of approach seal  42  is ribbed, as illustrated in FIG. 3, with upper end  70  being positioned below the top surface of the panel  22  and below the upper end of the associated rail. Elongated voids  71 ,  72 ,  73 ,  74  and  75  are formed in the approach seal  42  to reduce the amount of material required to fabricate the approach seal. The inner end  66  of approach seal  42  has a lobe or nose  76  extending therefrom which is embedded in the concrete of the panel  22 . Lobe  76  defines a recessed area  78  having concrete therein to further aid in securing the approach seal  42  to the panel  22 . Recessed area  78  is defined by the vertical face  76   a  of approach seal  42  and the inclined face  76   b . Lobe  76  also defines a lower surface  76   c  having concrete positioned therebelow to further aid in attaching the approach seal  42  to the panel  22 . The concrete which is positioned in the recessed area  78  outwardly of lobe  76  assists in preventing separation of approach seal  42  from panel  22 . As seen in FIG. 2, the lower end of angle member  38  is partially received (not embedded) in recessed area  78 . As seen in FIG. 3, the lower end of approach seal  42  is tapered upwardly and outwardly at  82  and terminates at a downwardly extending rib  84 . The outer end of the approach seal  42  is arcuate in shape, as best seen in FIG. 3, to provide an arcuate surface  86  which is in contact with the arcuate shape of the rail below the head of the associated rail. The engagement of the outer end of the upper end  70  of the approach seal  42  with the side of the head of the rail  12  and the engagement of the arcuate portion  86  with the side of the rail creates a seal to prevent foreign material such as concrete, rocks, etc., from falling down into the space below the approach seal  42 . 
     As seen in FIG. 4, each of the gauge seals  62  generally has an outer end  88 , inner end  90 , upper end  92 , and lower end  94 . Gauge seal  62  is formed of a suitable elastomeric material and has lobe  96  in its inner end to aid in partially embedding the gauge seal  62  into the concrete of the gauge panel  24 . Gauge seal  62  is provided with a recessed area  102  to further aid in securing the gauge seal  62  to the gauge panel  24 . Gauge seal  62  is provided with a plurality of elongated voids  103 ,  104 ,  105 ,  106  and  107  formed therein to reduce the amount of material required to fabricate the gauge seal. Recessed area  102  is defined by the vertical face  96   a  of gauge seal  62  and the inclined face  96   b  of lobe  96 . Lobe  96  also defines a lower surface  96   c  having concrete positioned therebelow to further aid in attaching the gauge seal  62  to the panel  24 . The concrete which is positioned in the recessed area  102  outwardly of lobe  96  assists in preventing separation of gauge seal  62  from panel  24 . As seen in FIG. 2, the lower end of angle  56  is partially received (not embedded) in recessed area  102 . Void  103  also creates additional flexibility in the outer end of the gauge seal  62  so that it may flex somewhat so as to be in engagement with the arcuate portion of the inner end of the side of the associated rail. Gauge seal  62  is provided with an arcuate recessed portion  108  formed therein for sealing the flange of the railroad wheels moving along the rails. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the approach and gauge panel seals which are referred to by the reference numerals  42 ′ and  62 ′. Essentially, the only difference between the approach seals  42  and  42 ′ is that the lobe  76 ′ of approach seal  42 ′ is shaped somewhat differently than lobe  76  of approach seal  42 . Lobe  76 ′ has an upper inner head portion  120  having a shoulder  122  at its lower end which is in engagement with the portion  41   a  of the retainers  41  which aids in supporting the approach seal  42 ′ within the approach panel  22 . Shoulder  124  is also provided at the inner lower end of lobe  76 ′ to also aid in attaching the approach seal  42 ′ to the panel. Lobe  76 ′ defines a recessed area  78 ′ which is generally similar to recessed area  78  in approach seal  42 . 
     Likewise, the only difference between the gauge seals  62  and  62 ′ is that the lobe  96 ′ of gauge seal  62 ′ is shaped somewhat differently than lobe  96  of gauge seal  62 . Lobe  96 ′ has an upper inner head portion  126  having a shoulder  128  at its lower end which is in engagement with the portion  61  a of the retainers  61  which aids in supporting the gauge seal  62 ′ within the gauge panel  24 . Shoulder  130  is also provided at the inner lower end of lobe  96 ′ to also aid in attaching the gauge seal  62 ′ to the panel. Lobe  96 ′ defines a recessed area  102 ′ which is generally similar to recessed area  102 . 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention. The only difference between the embodiment of FIG.  5  and the embodiment of FIG. 6 is that the upper end of the approach seal  42 ′ is substantially co-planar with the upper end of the edge protector  38  and the approach panel  26 . 
     Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4