Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
RAILROAD TRACK COLLECTOR PAN SYSTEM
Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a pan structure located between and to the
sides of railroad tracks to catch liquid and dry material spills and the like
caused
during loading or unloading of such materials, and particularly to a precast
concrete
pan structure having new and improved means to drain and collect spilled
products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to protect the environment where railroad tank cars are unloaded or
loaded with various chemicals, certain local, state and federal regulations
require
that these operations not contaminate the surrounding track area. One system
which has been used employs fiberglass pans which may be clipped into place.
However, due to their flexibility such pans tend to allow puddles of liquid to
form on
them, and fail to drain properly. Moreover, these members bolt together and
are
rigid where a cross-trench and pan connect, which allows puddles to collect at
this
joint. Other drawbacks are that they are slippery, and are complicated to
assemble.
When assembled they are not tight systems, as is desirable. Another pan system
for example of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,255 includes steel sheets
that
bolt to one another and to the rails. This installation is quite complicated
and
expensive to make, and is very labor-intensive on account of the bolting that
is
required, since the pans are bolted to the webs of the rails which requires
extensive
drilling of new holes through thick metal. Of course the drilling of holes in
the rails
may be objectionable to the railway owner. The metal pans also are very
slippery
when covered with liquid substances. Still another pan system, shown for
example
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,896 has pans made of precast concrete, however, the
drain
system used thereon is complex and complicated, and is considered to be
expensive
to make and install.
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
-2-
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved liquid
collection pan system for a railroad car unloading zone which obviates the
difficulties
and disadvantages noted above.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved
system of the type described which has pans made of precast concrete which
rest
on the ties, but are not otherwise connected thereto in order to provide for
simple
and easy installation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved
system of the type described where the pans have a built-in taper from where
they
abut toward each end which promotes run-off toward a depressed drain member by
which the spilled liquids can be piped to a container.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system of the
type
described where liquids spilled onto the rails of the track themselves is made
to run
off into the pans.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the present invention are attained in accordance
with the present invention through the provision of a pan system including
individual
precast concrete pan members positioned between and to the sides of the rails
and
supported on the cross-ties. Each outside pan member and each center pan
member has an upwardly inclined wall adjacent a respective rail, and upwardly
inclined flashing strips are attached along each inclined wall and extend
underneath
the head of a rail to promote run-off of liquids spilled on the tracks. A
transverse
drain means is located at one end of each set of pan members whose upper
surfaces are sloped to cause run-off of liquids toward such drain means. In
one
embodiment the drain means are an open-topped, elongated box that is seated
between a pair of the cross-ties and adapted to receive the run-off through
grates
that are supported by the pan members. In another embodiment the adjacent end
sections of the pan members have holes cast therein which receive the upper
portions of drain tubes mounted therein with elastomeric seal sleeves. The
lower
section of each drain tube fits through a hole in the upper wall of an
enclosed drain
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
-3-
box or pipe baffle with another elastomeric seal preventing any leakage. The
seals
also are somewhat flexible to allow for movement of the tracks without
disturbing
same. A small grate covers the upper end of each drain tube. The elastomer
seals
and the drain tubes which fit in and between the seals provided flexible yet
sealed
connectors between the pan members and the transverse drain member. The
structure allows dynamic movements of a railroad track structure when a non-
rigid
connection is essential.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention has these as well as other objects, features and
advantages which will become more clearly apparent in connection with the
following
detailed disclosure of a preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the
appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pan system in accordance with this
invention and positioned in a track area where a tank car is lolled or
unloaded;
Figure 2 is another perspective view which illustrates various components of
the invention;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross-section taken on line 3-3 of Figure
2;
Figure 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 is a top view of a transverse drain box which receives run-off from
the pans;
Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-section of abutted pan members having
sloped upper surfaces;
Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment of the present
invention;
Figure 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 7; and
Figure 9 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of a drain assembly used in
this embodiment.
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
-4-
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring initially to Figure 1, a pan collection system in accordance with
the
present invention and indicated generally at 10 is shown installed where a
railroad
tank car (not shown) is to be loaded and unloaded, such car having wheels 4
and
which ride on rail members 6 and 7. Each of the rails 6 and 7 have a head 8
which
is above a web 9 that is an integral part of the base of the rail 11. The base
11 is
supported on the plates 12 which are nailed down to crossties 13. The ties 13
rest
in a bed of ballast gravel 14 on the road bed. In order to prevent liquids and
solids
being unloaded from or loaded into the tank car from running off into the road
bed,
or soaking into it where they might migrate into water supplies, the
protective pan
system 10 in accordance with the present invention is employed. The pan system
also can be used at a fueling facility or at any other location where spilled
liquids
or solids represent a hazard or possible contamination to the environment.
The pan system 10 includes a plurality of rectangular concrete pans 21-23
which are laid between the rails 6 and 7 as well as to either side thereof.
The outer
pan 21 has a side wall 24, a floor 25, and an inner wall 26 that inclines
upward
toward the bottom of the rail head 8. A grate seat 27 can be formed across the
end
28 of the pan 21 for purposes to be described later. The opposite side pan 23
is
identically constructed but has a reverse orientation so that the wall 29 is
on the
outside.
The center pan 22 is similar in construction to a side pan 21 or 23 except
that
it has inclined walls 31, 32 on both sides. Otherwise the pan 22 has a bottom
section 33 and a grate seat 34. Each of the pans 21-23 is precast out of
appropriately reinforced concrete and has a length that is suitable for easy
handling,
such as about 10 to 12 ft. Each center pan 22 has a width which will fit
properly
between standard gauge track.
In order to cause any liquid that is spilled on or near a rail to drain onto
the
floor of a pan, a flashing strip 36, made of metal or hard plastic, is
attached to the
inclined flanges of each pan member on the opposite sides of each rail 6 and
7. As
shown in Figure 3, each strip 36 has an outer portion 37 which inclines
downwardly
along the outwardly facing wall of the flange and is fastened thereto by any
suitable
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
-S-
means, and an inner portion 38 which tucks under the outer edge of the rail
head 8
and inclines upward at a less severe angle. As the inner flange of a wheel 4
or 5 on
the car rolls along the track, the inner portion 38 can flex downward and then
resile
back upward as the wheel passes. On the other hand the portions 38 can be
inclined such that they are not contacted by a wheel flange. In any event it
can be
seen that any liquid spilled on the heads 8 of the rails will run down onto
the flashing
strips 36 and drain into the pans 21-23.
As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the adjacent ends of the pans 21-23 are
covered by metal flashing strips 40 which cover the end seam between them as
well
as abutting surfaces of the walls 30. Thus no liquid can get through the pan
system
which falls thereon.
As shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 a trench drain 42 which extends transverse
to the rails 6 and 7 is positioned between the spaced-apart ends of
alternating sets
of pans 21-23. As shown by the phantom lines in Figure 1, the side wall 43 of
the
trench drain 42 is positioned back underneath the outer ends of the pans 21-23
so
that they overhang the trench drain somewhat. Such overlapping also exists
with
respect to the opposite side wall 44 and the next set of pans. The trench
drain 42,
which preferably is made of stainless steel sheet metal, has end walls 45 and
a
bottom wall 46, but is open-topped, as shown. A drain fitting 47 adjacent one
end
is connected to additional pipes (not shown) by which liquids can be collected
in a
secondary containment structure (not shown). As shown in Figure 1, the trench
drain 42 is nestled in the ballast gravel, and is not supported in any way by
the ties
13. The trench drain 42 is arranged in the ballast 14 such that its bottom
slopes
toward the desired fitting 47. Grating 50 (Figure 2) rests on the cast-in-
place grate
seats 27, 34 of the pans 21-23, to provide a protection against any one
walking
along the track from stepping into or on the trench drains 42. For purposes of
illustration, the right side of Figure 2 shows a system which ends with trench
drain
42, and so successive pan members are used. Of course the trench drain 42 will
have a grating 50 (not shown) resting on the top thereof, as will the lower
end portion
of the trench drain shown on the left side of this drawing figure.
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
-6-
As shown in Figure 6 each of the pans 21-23 has a slope fabricated into its
upper surface such that when resting on the cross-ties 13 any spilled liquid
tends to
run toward a trench drain 42. That is to say the elevation of the joint 52
between the
ends of the pairs of pans 21-23 at the flashing strips 40 is higher than the
elevation
of the upper edges of the pans where the grates 50 are located. Thus there is
no
tendency for any liquid to stand or puddle, so that workers might have to walk
through it. This unique characteristic also allows for the washdown of solids
into the
trench drains. End walls 53 on each pan can be provided, in which case the
flashing
40 is generally U-shaped in section with flanges extending outward on each
side.
If desired grooves 54 can be formed on the lower sides of the seats 27 to
provide
drip ledges.
Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 7-9. As in
the previous embodiment, generally rectangular side drain pans 60, 61 and a
center
drain pan 62 made of precast reinforced concrete are positioned adjacent the
rails
6 and 7 and are supported by the cross ties 13 (Figure 8). The distal ends of
the
pans 602 are thicker so that the upper surfaces 63-65 of each respective pan
60-
62 is sloped downward toward a transverse drain box or pipe baffle 66 at
about'/z
inch per foot of length so that any liquid falling on such upper surfaces will
naturally
run toward such box. The drain pans 60-62 are arranged in alternating sets
along
the rails 6 and 7 with adjacent ends abutting one another. The drain box 66 is
located in a trench preferably between two switch ties 11' that are somewhat
longer
than the standard ties 13. An end portion 70 of each drain pan 60-62 overlies
about
one-half the width of the drain box 66, there being a clearance space 71
between the
lower surfaces of such portions and the upper wall 72 of the box.
The drain box 66 has a substantially closed construction including the upper
wall 72, a lower wall 73, end walls 74, 75 and side walls 76, 77. As shown in
Figure
8 each of side walls 76, 77 has a height that is tapered from a minimum at the
end
wall 74 to a maximum at the end wall 75 to provide a sloping lower wall 73
that
drains any liquid inside the box or baffle 66 toward a drain pipe 77 that
extends
through, and outward from, the end wall 75. A flange 78 is threaded to the
outer end
of the drain pipe 77 to connect the same to a collection manifold (not shown).
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
_7_
As shown in Figure 9, a drain hole 80 is formed in the center of each
overlapped end portion 70 of the respective drain pans 60-62. Each hole 80 has
a
cylindrical opening 81, a counterbore 82 at the upper end of the opening 81,
and a
square recess 83 at the upper end of the counterbore. The recess 83 is sized
and
arranged to receive a square grate member 84 as shown in Figure 7. The upper
wall
72 of the transverse drain box 66 is provided with circular openings 85
vertically
aligned with the drain holes 80. A drain assembly indicated generally at 86 is
received in each set of openings 80, 85 and includes a tube 87, made of PVC or
stainless steel, and a pair of upper and lower elastomer seal sleeves 90, 91,
preferably of identical construction. The upper seal sleeve 90 fits tightly on
the tube
87 and has an upper annular shoulder 92 that seats in the counterbore 82. The
sleeve 90 also has several external, upwardly facing and outwardly projecting
ribs
93 that provide a liquid-tight seal against the inner wall of the opening 80.
The
shoulder 94 on the lower seal sleeve 91 rests against the top of the drain box
66,
and the smooth portion 95 of the sleeve fits tightly through the opening 85.
The tube
87 provides internal support for each of the seal sleeves 90, 91, however, a
degree
of flexibility is provided by the resilience of the elastomer seal sleeves 90,
91.
Each of the drain assemblies 86 can be easily installed at the site by pushing
the lower seal sleeve 91 into an opening 85, mounting the upper sleeve 90 on
the
tube 87 as shown, and then pushing the assembled tube and upper seal sleeve
down through the drainhole 80 until the lower end portion of the tube is
within the
bore of the lower seal sleeve 91 and the annular shoulder 92 seats in the
counterbore 82. Then the grate member 84 is dripped into the recess 83 to
complete
the assembly. The external ribs 93 provide sealing engagement with the walls
of the
drainhole 80 to prevent any liquids on top of the pans 60-62 from leaking
therepast
and into the ballast.
As shown in Figure 7, thin metal flashing strips 100 having downwardly bent
side edges 101 are secured to overlay the joint between the abutting end walls
of the
pans 60-62 to prevent leakage at this joint. As in the previous embodiment,
elongated metal flashing strips having their outer sides secured to the
inclined pan
walls and their outer edges extending underneath the sides of the heads 8 of
the
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
_$_
rails 6 and 7 slope inwardly and upwardly to promote run-off into the pans 60-
62 of
any liquids spilled thereon. If desired, inserts can be embedded in the pan
walls to
receive screws by which the flashing strips are attached.
OPERATION
In operation and use of the first-described embodiment of the present
invention, the pans 21-23 are made out of precast concrete so that dimensions
and
other design parameters can be closely controlled. To install the system, the
trench
drains 42 are installed at suitable spacings underneath the tracks, and the
drain
pipes can also be hooked up at this time, if desirable. All ballast gravel, if
any, is
removed from on top of the cross-ties. Then the lifting eyes (not shown) which
are
connected to the pans 21-23 as cast are used with lifting equipment to
position the
pans as shown in Figures 1 and 2 where the pans are supported on the cross-
ties
13. The metal flashing strips 40 and 36 are installed and finally the grate
members
50 are laid down to complete the assembly.
Any spilled liquids are contained by the pans 21-23 and run off in opposite
directions from the flashings 40 toward the pan ends when they flow through
the
grates 50 into the trench drains 42. The outer walls 24 and 29 prevent liquids
from
spilling into the ballast to the sides of the pans, and the inclined walls 26
and 31
provide dams against flow toward the rails 6 and 7. The longitudinal flashing
strips
36 direct the flow of any liquids spilled on the rails 6 and 7 into the pans
21-23. The
drain fittings 47 of the trench drains 42 are hooked up to~suitable lines
which lead
to a collection facility.
The operation and use of the embodiment shown in Figures 7-9 is similar
except that any spilled liquids enter the trench box 66 via the drain
assemblies 86
in the thinner end portion of each pan. The drain tube 87 of each assembly 86
extends down into the trench box 66 through a hole in its top wall, and the
lower wall
of the box 66 is sloped so as to provide run-off toward the drain end 75 so
that any
liquids quickly flow into the drain pipe 77 and enter the collection manifold.
The
adjacent ends of each longitudinal pair of drain pans abut one another as
shown in
Figure 7, and the transverse flashing strips 100 cover the abutment joints.
CA 02256772 1998-12-18
-9-
It now will be recognized that a new and improved chemical spill collection
system for a railroad unloading or loading terminal has been disclosed. The
system
includes pans having a built-in taper which promotes run-off and inhibits
puddling,
as well as flashing strips, retaining walls and drains which ensure that
spilled liquids
cannot reach the ties or ballast underneath and to the sides of the rails.
Since
certain changes or modifications may be made in the disclosed embodiments
without
departing from the inventive concepts involved, it is the aim of the appended
claims
to cover all such changes and modifications falling within the true spirit and
scope
of the present invention.
