GB2554718A - Railway sleeper - Google Patents
Railway sleeper Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2554718A GB2554718A GB1616979.9A GB201616979A GB2554718A GB 2554718 A GB2554718 A GB 2554718A GB 201616979 A GB201616979 A GB 201616979A GB 2554718 A GB2554718 A GB 2554718A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- sleeper
- sleepers
- rails
- extending
- track
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01B—PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS
- E01B3/00—Transverse or longitudinal sleepers; Other means resting directly on the ballastway for supporting rails
- E01B3/46—Transverse or longitudinal sleepers; Other means resting directly on the ballastway for supporting rails made from different materials
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01B—PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS
- E01B3/00—Transverse or longitudinal sleepers; Other means resting directly on the ballastway for supporting rails
- E01B3/16—Transverse or longitudinal sleepers; Other means resting directly on the ballastway for supporting rails made from steel
- E01B3/18—Composite sleepers
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Installation Of Indoor Wiring (AREA)
Abstract
The railway sleeper 1,27 has an outer structure of plastics material and an inner support structure 32,33,34, of a different material, having a longitudinally extending member having an upper and lower plate connected by one or more upwardly extending webs. Preferably, the outer structure is moulded around the inner structure using recycled polyvinyl chloride which may include fibres, filaments or wires. The inner structure may be formed from metal, such as steel, or from a synthetic material, such as fibre reinforced plastics; it may take the form of an I-beam where the flanges form the upper and lower plates. Two adjacent I-beams may be used with their webs connected by a lateral web. The inner structure may also be box sections (fig.11-13) connected together by webs. Preferably, a number of sleepers extend transversely underneath a pair of rails (fig.1,2) with clips securing the rails to the sleepers 1 to form a track; one or both lateral sidewalls of the sleeper have an outwardly facing channel 3 with a protective cover 4 for cables which need to cross the track underneath the rails. A method of installing the sleepers on a support is also provided.
Description
(54) Title ofthe Invention: Railway sleeper
Abstract Title: A railway sleeper with plastic outer structure (57) The railway sleeper 1,27 has an outer structure of plastics material and an inner support structure 32,33,34, of a different material, having a longitudinally extending member having an upper and lower plate connected by one or more upwardly extending webs. Preferably, the outer structure is moulded around the inner structure using recycled polyvinyl chloride which may include fibres, filaments or wires. The inner structure may be formed from metal, such as steel, or from a synthetic material, such as fibre reinforced plastics; it may take the form of an I-beam where the flanges form the upper and lower plates. Two adjacent I-beams may be used with their webs connected by a lateral web. The inner structure may also be box sections (fig. 11-13) connected together by webs. Preferably, a number of sleepers extend transversely underneath a pair of rails (fig.1,2) with clips securing the rails to the sleepers 1 to form a track; one or both lateral sidewalls of the sleeper have an outwardly facing channel 3 with a protective cover 4 for cables which need to cross the track underneath the rails. A method of installing the sleepers on a support is also provided.
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Figure 13
Railway Sleeper
This invention relates to a railway sleeper, sometimes referred to as a crosstie or tie for short.
A railway sleeper extends transversely underneath a pair of rails, which are held to the sleeper by appropriate rail clips. The sleeper rests on a bed of ballast. Traditionally, railway sleepers have been of timber but more recently sleepers have been constructed from reinforced concrete, steel and plastic materials. United States Patent 6604689 discloses a steel sleeper. GB 2473729 discloses a railway sleeper in the form of an elongate member of plastics material. The plastics material in the sleepers disclosed may be reinforced, for example with glass fibre or carbon fibre, and may include a filler. GB 2495763 discloses a railway sleeper of a composite plastics material, which may be formed from recycled materials.
An object of the present invention is to provide a railway sleeper of improved construction.
Viewed from one aspect the present invention provides a railway sleeper which extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end, wherein the sleeper comprises an outer structure of a plastics material, and an inner support structure of a different material, the support structure comprising a longitudinally extending member which provides a longitudinally extending upper plate, a longitudinally extending lower plate, and one or more upwardly extending webs interconnecting the upper and lower plates.
The outer structure of plastics material may be of recycled material, such as recycled polyvinyl chloride. It may be a composite plastic material, which may include fibres, filaments, wires or the like. The composite plastic material may be made from mixtures of materials, such as plastic, rubber from used tyres, waste fibreglass and the like. Alternatively, the outer structure of plastics material may be made of a material such as high density polyethylene (HDPE). Alternatively, the outer structure of plastics material may comprise an inner part of a first plastics material and an outer part of a second, different plastics material. The inner part may be of recycled material, such as recycled polyvinyl chloride. The inner part may be a composite plastic material, which may include fibres, filaments, wires or the like. The composite plastic material may be made from mixtures of materials, such as plastic, rubber from used tyres, waste fibreglass and the like. The outer part may be of HDPE or another suitably hard wearing plastics material, which covers the inner part.
The outer structure may be formed around the inner support structure by any suitable method, for example by being formed around the inner structure by one or more moulding steps.
The inner structure may be formed of metal, such as steel, by any suitable technique such as hot rolling, cold rolling or extrusion; or of a synthetic material such as fibre reinforced plastics and formed by, for example, a pultrusion technique.
The inner structure may be formed as an I beam extending longitudinally of the sleeper, with upper and lower flanges forming the plates. A single I beam may be provided, with the web extending centrally of the sleeper. Alternatively, two I beams may be provided, one displaced to the left hand side of the sleeper, and one displaced to the right hand side of the sleeper. Optionally, in such a case, the upwardly extending web of one I beam may be connected to the upwardly extending web of the other I beam by means of a third, laterally extending, web. In general, the inner structure could comprise a plurality of I beams, which may optionally be interconnected by lateral webs.
Alternatively, the inner structure could consist of a box section, or of a plurality of box sections which may optionally be connected together directly or by means of one or more connecting webs.
The inner structure may extend longitudinally of the sleeper, from adjacent a first end of the sleeper to adjacent a second end of the sleeper.
As disclosed in GB 2495763 one or both lateral sidewalls of the sleeper may be provided with an outwardly facing channel which can be used to accommodate cables, such as communications, signalling or power cables, which need to extend across the track, underneath the rails. This allows the cables to be safely encased in the sleeper and avoid damage from ballast tamping machines. Optionally, the channel may be provided with a removable cover plate to provide further protection to the cable or cables located within the channel. The cover plate may be held in place by a snap fit mechanism, and optionally with fixing screws also. Alternatively, there may be provided longitudinally extending upper and lower grooves, into which a cover plate can be slid from one end of the sleeper. The cover plate may be of a plastics material such as HDPE.
A snap fit may be provided by engagement of one or more portions of the cover plate with corresponding portion(s) formed in the outer structure of the sleeper, which is of plastics material. Alternatively, a longitudinally extending plastics insert of e.g. HDPE may be located in the channel and the snap fit may be provided by engagement of one or more portions of the cover plate with corresponding portion(s) formed on the liner.
Additionally or alternatively, a duct may extend through the body of the outer structure of the sleeper, which is open only at both ends.
Additionally or alternatively, an outwardly facing channel may be provided in the upper surface of the sleeper, and I or the lower surface of the sleeper in the outer structure, to serve to contain wires and such like. Optionally such a channel in the upper or lower surface of the sleeper is provided with a removable cover. This may be provided in a similar manner to the cover for a channel in the side wall of the sleeper.
A track installation may include a plurality of sleepers which do not have the channel in a side face, in which case a sleeper with a channel is used when desired to deal with cables. Alternatively, all of the sleepers are provided with a channel in a side face; and a cover plate - or a liner and a cover plate - are used on those sleepers which are to be used with one or more cables. If cover plates are fitted directly on to the body of a sleeper, they may be provided separately for use when desired. If an insert is provided in a channel, the insert may be inserted before supply of a sleeper to be used the accept cables, or may be inserted on site when needed. A cover plate would also be supplied.
The invention also extends to a track installation comprising a pair of rails; a plurality of sleepers extending transversely underneath, and supporting, the rails; clips securing the rails to the sleepers; and at least some of the sleepers being in accordance with the invention.
The invention also extends to a method of installing a railway sleeper comprising the steps of placing a placing a plurality of sleepers on a support, and attaching the sleepers to the track, wherein and at least some are in accordance with the invention.
In its broadest sense, the invention is applicable to other contexts where a support surface is required, and is not limited to railway sleepers. Thus, viewed from another aspect the invention provides a member providing a support surface, the member comprising an outer structure of a plastics material, and an inner support structure of a different material, the support structure comprising an upper plate, a lower plate, and one or more upwardly extending webs interconnecting the upper and lower plates.
Some embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of railway track;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a sleeper in accordance with the invention;
Figure 3 is a section through one side of the sleeper;
Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the area A on figure 3;
Figure 5 is a section through one side of an alternative embodiment of sleeper;
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the area B on figure 5;
Figure 7 is a section through one side of a further alternative embodiment of sleeper:
Figure 8 is a cross section through an embodiment of a sleeper, showing the inner support structure;
Figure 9 is a cross section through another embodiment of a sleeper, showing the inner support structure;
Figure 10 is a cross section through another embodiment of a sleeper, showing the inner support structure;
Figure 11 is a cross section through another embodiment of a sleeper, showing the inner support structure;
Figure 12 is a cross section through another embodiment of a sleeper, showing the inner support structure; and
Figure 13 is a cross section through another embodiment of a sleeper, showing the inner support structure.
Referring now to Figure 1 there is a portion of railway track comprising a number of sleepers 1 to which are attached rails 2 by clips (not shown). The sleepers are made of an outer structure of moulded composite plastics material, for example made from recycled materials, and an inner support structure, as shown for example in Figures 8 to 13. As shown in Figure 2 one of the sleepers 1 has a recess 3 along one edge, in the outer structure, to receive cables, which is open at both ends. The recess is open laterally but is covered by a removable cover plate 4 of moulded plastics.
With reference to Figures 3 and 4, in this embodiment the recess 3 is provided with an extruded plastics insert 5, into which the cover plate 4 forms a snap fit. The upper part of the insert is formed with a grooves 6 into which a portion 7 forms a snap fit. Portion 7 is at the end of and arm 8 projecting inwardly from the front of the cover plate. A corresponding structure is provided at the lower part of the extrusion, with groove 6' receiving snap fit portion 7' at the end of arm 8'. There is also the option of using screws to improve the security of the snap fit, there being a recessed area of the sleeper and the insert and portions 9 and 9' provided with V grooves to locate the screw position. By way of example only, in this embodiment the recess 3 can receive two 37 mm diameter cables.
Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of a sleeper 20. This is provided with a longitudinally extending recess 11 along one side face, which is open at both ends. The recess is open laterally but is provided with a cover plate 12 of moulded plastics. However, in this embodiment there is no insert in the recess and the cover plate forms a snap fit directly with the basic material of the sleeper. At the upper end of the recess 11, there is provided a groove 13 which receives a snap fit portion 14 at the end of an arm 15 projecting inwardly from the front of the cover plate. Above this, the sleeper is provided with a further groove 16 which receives a safe return of the cover plate. At the lower end the construction corresponds, with groove 23' receiving snap fit portion 14', which is at the end of arm 15'. There is an additional groove 17' receiving safe return 17'. Whilst this embodiment is intended to rely on the snap fit only, it would be possible to adapt it use screws also.
Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment of a sleeper 18. This is provided with a longitudinally extending recess 19 along one side face, which is open at both ends. This recess 19 is open laterally but is provided with a moulded plastics cover plate 12. Along its upper edge, the cover plate 20 is provided with an inwardly recessed flange 21, which is received in a groove 22 in the body of the sleeper 18. Along its lower edge, the cover plate 20 is provided with an inwardly recessed flange 23, which is received in a groove 24 in the body of the sleeper 18. The cover plate can thus be slid into place, and removed from, from either end of the sleeper 18. One end of each groove 22 and 24 may be blanked off so that the cover plate 20 can only be inserted and removed from one end. Inside the recess 19 are shown two cables 25 and 26. Instead of the cover plate shown, which has inwardly recessed flanges 21 and 23, there could be a cover plate which is simply a flat plate of plastic, slid into grooves 22 and 24. In that the cover plate will be recessed somewhat from the side face of the sleeper.
Figures 8 to 13 show a sleeper 27 with an outer structure of plastics material, and different options for the inner support structure. In Figure 8 the inner support structure is a simple, longitudinally extending I beam 28, arranged centrally. In Figure 9, the inner support structure comprises a left longitudinally extending I beam 29 and a right longitudinally extending I beam 30, which are separated from each other. There is also shown a central duct 31 which extends through the body of the outer support structure and is open at both ends. In Figure 10, the inner support structure comprises a left longitudinally extending I beam 32 and a right longitudinally extending I beam 33, which are joined by a longitudinally extending transverse web 34.
In Figure 11, the inner support structure is a longitudinally extending box section 35. In Figure 12, the inner support structure comprises a left longitudinally extending box section 36, spaced form a right longitudinally extending box section 37. In Figure 13, the inner support structure comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending box structures 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42, which are connected together.
In Figures 8 to 13, ducts which can be provided in the top, and I or bottom, and I or left side wall, and / or right side wall, have been omitted for the purposes of clarity.
Claims (14)
1. A railway sleeper which extends longitudinally from a first end to a second end, wherein the sleeper comprises an outer structure of a plastics material, and an inner support structure of a different material, the support structure comprising a longitudinally extending member which provides a longitudinally extending upper plate, a longitudinally extending lower plate, and one or more upwardly extending webs interconnecting the upper and lower plates.
2. A sleeper according to Claim 1, wherein the outer structure of plastics material is of recycled material, such as recycled polyvinyl chloride.
3. A sleeper according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the plastics material comprises a composite plastic material, which may include fibres, filaments, wires or the like.
4. A sleeper according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the outer structure is formed around the inner support structure by one or more moulding steps.
5. A sleeper according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner structure is formed of metal, such as steel, by any suitable technique such as hot rolling, cold rolling or extrusion; or of a synthetic material such as fibre reinforced plastics and formed by, for example, a pultrusion technique.
6. A sleeper according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner structure is formed as an I beam extending longitudinally of the sleeper, with upper and lower flanges thereof forming the plates.
7. A sleeper according to Claim 6, wherein two I beams are provided, one displaced to the left hand side of the sleeper, and one displaced to the right hand side of the sleeper.
8. A sleeper according to Claim 7, wherein the upwardly extending web of one I beam is connected to the upwardly extending web of the other I beam by means of a third, laterally extending, web.
9. A sleeper according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the inner structure consists of a box section, or of a plurality of box sections which may optionally be connected together directly or by means of one or more connecting webs.
10. A sleeper according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner structure extends longitudinally of the sleeper, from adjacent the first end of the sleeper to adjacent the second end of the sleeper.
10
11. A sleeper according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one or both lateral sidewalls of the sleeper are provided with an outwardly facing channel which can be used to accommodate cables, such as communications, signalling or power cables, which need to extend across the track, underneath the rails.
15
12. A sleeper according to Claim 11, wherein the channel is provided with a removable cover plate to provide further protection to the cable or cables located within the channel.
13. A track installation comprising a plurality of sleepers according to any of the
20 preceding claims and a pair of rails; the plurality of sleepers extending transversely underneath, and supporting, the rails; clips securing the rails to the sleepers.
14. A method of installing a railway sleeper comprising the steps of placing a plurality of sleepers on a support, and attaching the sleepers to the track, wherein and
25 at least some are in accordance with any of Claims 1 to 12.
Intellectual
Property
Office
Application No: GB 1616979.9
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1616979.9A GB2554718A (en) | 2016-10-06 | 2016-10-06 | Railway sleeper |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1616979.9A GB2554718A (en) | 2016-10-06 | 2016-10-06 | Railway sleeper |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB201616979D0 GB201616979D0 (en) | 2016-11-23 |
| GB2554718A true GB2554718A (en) | 2018-04-11 |
Family
ID=57610712
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1616979.9A Withdrawn GB2554718A (en) | 2016-10-06 | 2016-10-06 | Railway sleeper |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2554718A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RU2700249C1 (en) * | 2018-12-24 | 2019-09-13 | Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Уральский государственный университет путей сообщения" | Reinforced concrete sleeper for insulating joints of signal current of rail circuits with pulse supply (versions) |
Citations (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB468182A (en) * | 1935-12-02 | 1937-06-30 | Louis Amour Marie Pierre De Bo | Method and means for securing railway rails in position |
| US6179215B1 (en) * | 1996-07-29 | 2001-01-30 | Primix International, Llc | Composite railroad crosstie |
| KR100670949B1 (en) * | 2006-05-04 | 2007-01-17 | 골드레일로드(주) | Manufacturing method of sleeper for railway track |
| US20080179418A1 (en) * | 2007-01-31 | 2008-07-31 | Chris Brough | Composite load bearing structure |
| CN201258444Y (en) * | 2008-09-03 | 2009-06-17 | 刘中华 | Mining sleeper |
| GB2473729A (en) * | 2009-09-21 | 2011-03-23 | Duncan Laurence Chadwick | Railway sleeper |
| GB2495763A (en) * | 2011-10-21 | 2013-04-24 | Oxford Plastic Sys Ltd | Railway sleeper having a channel |
| US20150308051A1 (en) * | 2013-01-14 | 2015-10-29 | Greenrail S.R.L. | Composite railway sleeper |
| WO2017014718A1 (en) * | 2014-02-27 | 2017-01-26 | Encell Composites, Llc | A thermoset composite material and structural component and the method of making from engineered recycled rubber powder |
-
2016
- 2016-10-06 GB GB1616979.9A patent/GB2554718A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB468182A (en) * | 1935-12-02 | 1937-06-30 | Louis Amour Marie Pierre De Bo | Method and means for securing railway rails in position |
| US6179215B1 (en) * | 1996-07-29 | 2001-01-30 | Primix International, Llc | Composite railroad crosstie |
| KR100670949B1 (en) * | 2006-05-04 | 2007-01-17 | 골드레일로드(주) | Manufacturing method of sleeper for railway track |
| US20080179418A1 (en) * | 2007-01-31 | 2008-07-31 | Chris Brough | Composite load bearing structure |
| CN201258444Y (en) * | 2008-09-03 | 2009-06-17 | 刘中华 | Mining sleeper |
| GB2473729A (en) * | 2009-09-21 | 2011-03-23 | Duncan Laurence Chadwick | Railway sleeper |
| GB2495763A (en) * | 2011-10-21 | 2013-04-24 | Oxford Plastic Sys Ltd | Railway sleeper having a channel |
| US20150308051A1 (en) * | 2013-01-14 | 2015-10-29 | Greenrail S.R.L. | Composite railway sleeper |
| WO2017014718A1 (en) * | 2014-02-27 | 2017-01-26 | Encell Composites, Llc | A thermoset composite material and structural component and the method of making from engineered recycled rubber powder |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RU2700249C1 (en) * | 2018-12-24 | 2019-09-13 | Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Уральский государственный университет путей сообщения" | Reinforced concrete sleeper for insulating joints of signal current of rail circuits with pulse supply (versions) |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB201616979D0 (en) | 2016-11-23 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |