Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This inventjon relates to a support For the rails
of a rai1way track.
Hitherto the rails of railway tracks have been
supported on sleepers of wood or prestressed concrete, the
wooden sleepers sometimes being laid on concrete slabs.
These known systems generally require a complex and expensive
inspection routine. Furthermore, because of a certain insta-
bility of conventional tracks the maximum speed of the railway
vehicles must be limited.
This invention provides a support for the rails of
a railway track, the support comprising a concrete member
having an upper surface, a bottom surface, two opposite sides
and two opposite ends; a laterally extending projection which
projects from the top surface at a position spaced from at
least one of the ends; and means for fixing two rails to the
projection so that the lines extend substantially parallel
to the sides.
The invention also provides a concrete support for
the rails of a railway track, the support comprising a
concrete member having an upper surface, a bottom surface
two opposite sides and two opposite ends; a pair of later-
ally spaced projections which project from the top surface
at positions spaced from at least one of the ends; and means
for fixing two railway lines to the respective projections so
that the lines extend substantially parallel to the sides.
~ach projection is preferably tapered upwardly to
give it the required strength and the whole support is
preferably moulded in a single piece from concrete, being
provided with stressed reinforcements.
The support may be made as a continuous length,
moulded on site or may be made in prefabricated lengths which
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are fitted together on site. Each prefabricated length can
just have one projection (or pair of projections). Alterna-
tively several may be included on each piece.
The rails are preferably clamped in position by
plates which ~it over each side of a flange forming the base
of each rail. These plates are fixed to the projections by
bolts and when these bolts are tightened the plates serve to
clamp the rails firmly in position.
ey carrying out the invention it is believed that
the following advantages will be obtainable.
1. Long working life-time of the track and little
maintenance.
2. Higher speeds of rail vehicles.
3. Good resistance to earthquake and landslide
damage.
4. Good resistance to damage from explosives in
time of war.
5. A conventional track can be replaced by a new
track constructed in accordance with the
invention relatively quickly and without closing
down the track.
6. Good resistance to fire.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of twin railway tracks
constructed in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section taken through
the line II-II of Fig. l;
Figure 3 is a plan view of one of a number of fixing
devices which are set into the concrete of the tracks shown in
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Figures 1 and 2 and which hold the rails in position;
Figure 4 is an end view of the devices of Fig. 3
showing a rail in position;
Figure 5 is a cross-section through line V-V of
Fig. 4;
Figure 6 is similar to Fig. 3 but shows a rail in
position;
Figure 7 is a cross-section through line III-III of
Fig. l;
Figures 8 and lO in combination are similar to Fig.
l but show a second construction, also in accordance with the
invention;
Figures 9 and ll in combination are also similar to
Fig. l, but show a third construction in accordance with the
invention;
Figure 12 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows the second
construction;
Figure 13 is a cross-section through the line XIII-
XIII of Fig. ll; -
Figure 14 shows, at its upper part, a device for
anchoring the track of any of the other drawings to the rail
and, at its lower part, a device for removing the anchoring
device;
Figure 15 shows a plan view for building a new line;
Figures 16 and 17 show a hydraulic jack used for
supporting the rails of an existing railway track as a support
constructed in accordance with the invention is being fitted;
Figures 18A and 18B show rails supported by jacks
like that of Figures 16 and 17 as new supports are being
fitted;
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Figure 19 is a perspective view of one of the two
tracks shown in Figs. 8 and 10;
Fi~ure 20 is similar to Fig. 19 hut shows a fourth
construction;
Figure 21 shows a concrete support having inser-ts of
another material for use in place of the supports of Fig. 20;
Figure 2lA is a side view of a track support as
shown in Fig. 20;
Figure 22 shows a mould for making a track support
like that of Fig. l;
Figure 23 is a perspective view of a section of
track made using the mould of Fig. 22;
Figure 24 illustrates the application of a load to a
support like any of those illustrated in the other Figures;
Figure 25 shows reinforcing members such as are
incorporated in any of the illustrated supports apart from
those of Figs. 20 or 21;
Figura 26 shows reinforcing members such as
incorporated in the supports of Fig. 20; and
Figure 27 shows how the rails of any of the
illustrated embodiments of the invention may be set at an
inclination.
In the drawings similar components of different
embodiments are denoted by identical reference numerals.
Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown
part of a section of twin railway tracks formed by two pairs
of rails 2 mounted on a support 3 of reinforced concrete,
which is cast onto an underlying surface 1. Devices 5 for
fi~ing the rails 2 to the support are set into the concrete
and engage the lower flanges of the rails to clamp the latter
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in position.
Figure l also shows, in broken lines, a reinforced
concrete bolster between the two tracks, the distance apart
of these tracks depending on the geolog;cal structure of the
soil. The concrete support has two parallel sides, parallel
ends (not shown) at the end of each section of track, a top
surface and a bottom surface. As seen best in Fig. 2 a number
of project;ons 4 are spaced between the ends of the support.
These projections project upwardly from the top surface,
extend laterally from side to side of the support, and havP
a cross-section as shown in Fig. 2, in the shape of a
trapezium. This particular suppor-t is cast directly on the
underlying structure. Reference numeral 7 in Fig. 2 indicates
reinforcing rods which join together adjacent pairs of the
devices 5. The distance "h" in Fig. 2 indicates the height
between the underlying surface and the base of the rail. This
distance is chosen according to the expected load and the
nature of the materials employed. The distance indicated by
line XI may vary from 60 to 120 cm depending on the expected
" 20 load and the structure of the ra;l X changes as a function of
XI.
One of the fixing devices 5 is shown in greater
detail in Figs. 3 to 6. It has two plates 9 which form jaws
which clamp onto opposite sides of a bottom flange of the
rail 2 when bolts 13 are tightened. The plates 9 fit on top
of a st~rrup 14 on which the said ~lange sits. A cap 8 shown
in broken lines may be fitted over the bolts 13 and sheets 11
of steel may be inserted between the plates ~ and the stirrup.
- An antivibratory packing 12 o~ plastic metal or some other
suitable material is interposed between the st~rrup 14 and
the rlange lO and a metal bar 15 is welded to threaded axle-
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boxes 18 into which the bolts 13 fit. The depending ends of
the stirrup 14 are joined by a metal bar 17 to which it is
attached b~ bolts 16.
Fig. 7 shows how the fixing devices are set into
the concrete. The components 15, 16, 17 and 18 and part of
component 14 are completely embedded in the concrete. Figure
7 also indicates a number of reinforcing members in the
projection 4.
Figs. 8~ 10 and 12 show a section of railway track
formed from a number of prefabricated concrete supports
embedded end to end. Each support has a single projection
and the rails are connected to the projections in the manner
previously described. Bolsters 22, also prefabricated, are
included to link the twin tracks. The lengths of these
bolsters are chosen depending on the geological structure of
the soil and the maximum speed of the vehicles which are to
use the tracks. Each support has one or more rivets which
secure the supports to the underlying surface. It will be
understood of course that the number of anchoring means is
chosen according to the geological structure of the soil and
the speed of the vehicles. Rings 19 and 21 are set into
recesses and serve to facilitate handling of the prefabricated
supports during transport and assembly.
In the track shown in Fig. 9 each prefabricated
support has two projections and in the track of Fig. 11 each
support has three projections.
Fig. 13 shows a section throu~h the l~ne XIII-XIII
of Fig. 11 and also shows a reinforced concrete pipe 25 for
fixing the prefabricated support to the soil. This pipe is
also shown at 29 in Fig. 14. 26 is a small ring wlth a steel
bar of 14 mm. It is used to remove the pipe rivet 27 when one
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is obliged to disassembl e the structure.
Fig. 15 shows a concrete substructure 29 required
when the underlying soil iS relatively unstable, Reference
numeral 28 indicates holes ~here the ~jxin~ pipes are later
introduced.
Re~errin~ now to Fi~s, 16 and 17, there is shown a
new hydraulic jack to ~e used ~or supp~rtlng temporary beams
durlng the rePlacement oF conventjonal sleepers by supports
constructed in accordance with the invention~ The jack
includes: columns 29j a supporting table 303 a cylinder 32
fastened by bolts, one of which is shown at 31, to a base 34;
hydraulic ~lUid lnlet and outlet 35j a valve 36, a safety
valve 39 and an operating rod 39. Gauged thicknesses of
material are inserted in the space 40, suitable thicknesses
of 1 to 50 mm being supplied. In this way the beams 38 can
be set to the desired height to support the rails whilst the
conventional sleepers 42 and ballast 43 are removed and
replaced by supports constructed in accordance with the
invention, this operation being illustrated in Figs. 18A and
18B, where the jack is indicated at 40. The procedure is as
follows. First the ballast 43 is removed from between two
sleepers as shown in Fig. 18A and the temporary beams 38 are
inserted in position, these beams being longer than the
sleepers. A jack 44 is then placed under opposite ends o~
the beams 38 and these jacks are operated so that they support
the beams at the desired height. The gauged thickness o~
material are then inserted and the hydraulic pressure in the
jack is released. The sleepers and the remalnder of the
ballast are then removed and the preFabricated concrete
supports are ~itted in place. The Finished track is as shown
in Fig. 19.
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Fig. 20 shows a track similar to that of F;g. 19
but with a central portion of each projection removed to save
waste of materials and to reduce the weight of each support.
Th;s in effect shows that there are two laterally spaced
proiections on each support, each projection being adapted to
be connected to a respective rail. Fig. 21 shows another
alternative support in which various apertures are Formed in
the concrete to lighten the structure. Fig. 21A is a cross-
section through the support of Fig. 21.
Fig. 22 shows a mould For casting a support on site,
and Fig. 23 shows one end of this support, the ends of
reinforcing members 51 being visible in this figure. Fig. 24
illustrates the application of a load to a rail supported in
one of the projections of any of the embodiments illustrated
in the other figures.
The projections are preferably reinforced and Figs.
25 and 26 illustrate suitable reinforcing members 52 to 63.
Fig. 26 relates to a projection like that of Fig. 20. In both
these figures, reference numeral 7 indicates a rod which links
the ra;l-fastening devices.
Sometimes it may be desirable to set the rails at an
inclination ~ as shown in Fig. 27. This is achieved by holding
the rail 2 on to the Dar 38 by clamps 64 tightened by bolts
65 and by positioning a wedge-shaped member 66 of the required
thickness between the rail 2 and the bàr 38.
More marked slopes may be obtained either by moulding
the concrete supports in such a manner that one side is lower
than the other or by giving an inclination to the underlying
ground or substructure.
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