Patent ID: 7735745

Claim:
A joint assembly for joining together abutting ends of two coaxially aligned rails ( 1 ) between two railway ties ( 25 ), the rails having a head portion ( 52 ), a web portion ( 46 ) and a toe portion ( 48 ), the assembly comprising: first and second elongated metal joint bars ( 7 ) for holding the abutting ends of the rails together, the joint bars spanning the ends of the rails, the joint bars being mounted to each rail on opposite sides of the web portions of each rail, the joint bars configured to mount to the web portions of the rail between the head and toe portion of each rail, first ( 60 ) and second ( 62 ) stiffener plates mounted to the first and second joint bars, respectively, such that the joint bars and the web portion of the rails are sandwiched between the stiffener plates, the stiffener plates each having a top edge ( 56 ), a bottom portion ( 58 ) and opposite lower ends ( 54 ), the stiffener plates spanning the abutting ends of the rail, the bottom portion of the stiffener plates extending below the toe portion of the rails, the opposite lower ends of the stiffener plates being notched to accommodate the ties where the stiffener plates comprise a single U shaped bracket having a pair of elongated parallel portions and a connecting portion, the parallel portions being mounted to the joint bars, the connection portion extending below the toe of the rails and where insulated thimble bushings are used to protect the bolts from touching the rail in an insulated joint where said thimble bushings consist of a non-conductive polymer tube that is inserted through the joint bars and rail.