AU2013269315B2

AU2013269315B2 - Hollow sleeper

Info

Publication number: AU2013269315B2
Application number: AU2013269315A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Richard MERRILLS
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-05-30
Filing date: 2013-05-29
Publication date: 2017-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2033-05-29
Also published as: WO2013179032A2; GB2502542B; WO2013179032A3; AU2013269315A1; GB201209559D0; GB2502542A

Abstract

A hollow sleeper (114) has a plate (124) releasably secured by bolts (126) to each open end of the sleeper. Cables (110) run through the hollow sleeper and are attached to connectors (128) located in an openings in the plates (124). Further cables (124) can be plugged into each connector (128). Alternatively, curved plates may be fitted and may be retrofitted.

Description

2013269315 06 Apr 2017 1

SLEEPERS AND CABLES

The present invention relates to railway sleepers and in particular to hollow railway sleepers, a management system including such sleepers, a method of using such sleepers 5 and a cable management system.

Railway signalling trackside equipment needs a considerable amount of cabling for connection to the controlling system and correct operation. This cabling needs to be managed correctly and protected on its routing from the control to operation. This is usually done by 10 means of line side concrete troughs but there are occasions where the cabling needs to cross one or more running lines to reach equipment. This also needs some form of routing but a method which seamlessly integrates with the physical track infrastructure. For these reasons the hollow bearer (sleeper) was invented to act in supporting the rail as a conventional bearer does but also offering a protective means to route a (or set of) cable(s) across the formation. 15

Figure 1 shows a known way for transferring a cable 10 across rails 12. A hollow sleeper 14 is provided having open ends 16 and a slot 18 running along the top of the sleeper 14, The rails 12 are attached to the sleeper in a conventional means. 20 A problem with this method of transferring cable is that a ballast 20 can enter the hollow sleeper and can also cover a connector 22, which connector 22 connects to a further cable 24. Consequently when a cable is to be replaced the operative will not know where the connector 22 is. It can take time to locate the connector as the ballast 20 must be cleared until the connector is found. In addition the ballast in the sleeper will have to be dug out by hand before 25 the cable can be replaced.

Furthermore, the operative will not know how long the cable that is to be replaced is. Consequently, on initial installation or upon replacement, a roll of cable is taken to the site and the required length is cut off the roll and connectors are attached on site. Further, the ballast 30 in the sleeper must be cleared. This takes time and requires a skilled operative to effect the connections. In addition, off-cuts of the cable are often wasted. In addition, cable at the site can be stolen. A further problem is that rodents can enter the hollow sleeper and gnaw at the cable 35 causing cable failure.

It would be desirable to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages. 2013269315 06 Apr 2017 2

In a first aspect there is provided herein a hollow sleeper including two ends, the sleeper arranged, in use, to have at least one cable extending between the two ends, the sleeper including two inhibitors with an inhibitor at each end of the sleeper, each inhibitor being arranged, in use, to inhibit the ingress of ballast into the sleeper from the ends, wherein each 5 inhibitor is selected from one of: an end plate extending across the respective end of the sleeper, the end plate including at least one connector; and a barrier extending upwardly and outwardly from the respective end of the sleeper.

Another aspect provides a method of inhibiting the ingress of ballast into a hollow 10 sleeper including at least one cable extending at least partially therethrough comprising providing an inhibitor at each end region, each inhibitor being selected from one of: an end plate extending across an end face of the sleeper, the end plate including at least one connector; and a barrier extending upwardly and outwardly from the end region of the sleeper. A further aspect provides a management system including a sleeper according to the 15 first aspect, the system comprising transporting the sleeper to a site and plugging additional cables to connectors at each end region.

There is also described herein a rail cable management system comprising storing information relating to the lengths of cable from end regions of a plurality of sleepers including a connector to a location spaced from the end regions of the sleepers and cutting the required 20 lenth of cable and attaching connectors to each end of the cable at a location remote from the sleepers and subsequently supplying the pre-cut cable with connectors to the region of the sleeper for connection to the end region of the sleeper and connection to a further connector remote from the end region of the sleeper.

Comprises/comprising and grammatical variations thereof when used in this 25 specification are to be taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components or groups thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

The present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to 30 the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a hollow sleeper in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, and 35 Figure 3 is a cross-section through a sleeper in accordance with another aspect of the present invention. 2013269315 06 Apr 2017 2a

As shown in Figure 2, the hollow sleeper 114 has a plate 121 releasably secured by bolt 126 to each open end of the sleeper. Cables 110 run through the hollow sleeper and the cables 110 are attached to connectors 128 located in openings in the plates. Further cables 124 can be plugged into each connector 128. 5

The end plates 121 prevent the ingress of ballast. Further plates 130 are bolted or welded to the top of the sleeper over the slot 118 to prevent a ballast entering the hollow sleeper. Accordingly, the cable within the sleeper is protected from ballast and rodents and exists in a clean environment. Consequently, the cable within the sleeper will rarely require to 10 be replaced.

With the arrangement shown in Figure 2, the sleeper is able to have the cables, connectors, end plates and top plates fitted off-site in a factory. Consequently, quality control is enhanced. Furthermore, the time required to lay the sleeper and cables is considerably 15 reduced. In addition there is no need to employ a skilled operative to attach the connectors to the cables entering through the sleeper on site.

In use, the required location of the hollow sleeper may be known. In addition, the distance from the connectors on the hollow sleeper to the distant connector that a cable is to 20 extend to is known. Consequently, a pre-cut cable with connectors at each end can be made up off site and delivered to the site and an operative simply has to plug the pre-cut cable into the connector on the sleeper and the remove connector. Thus, no cable off-cuts exist at the site, there is a reduced risk of theft, down time of the track is reduced and the exact location of the connectors of the sleeper are known. 25

The cable will be ordered and managed, in volume. It will then be cut to specific lengths (as per customer requirements) and either end “dressed” as per the application requirement. This will either entail the process of stripping, labelling, beading and crimping the cable or fitting a plug coupler if needed. The cable will then be tested and certified as per standards 30 and be ready for installation and instant commissioning on site. Each stretch of cable will be PCT/GB2013/051426 WO 2013/179032 3 stored safely and securely (not coiled) in a manner by which its integrity will be protected. The ordering process will be one that has not previously been employed. A dedicated web portal with an intuitive stepped ordering and specifying process will be used to enable the customer to fulfil their total cabling needs for any given project, for delivery on any given day. This 5 process will minimise the costs associated not only for installation but for the management process the client has put in place for cable requirements. It will also minimise and deter cable theft associated with drums of cable sat in situ and vulnerable when a project is underway.

The management system will also include delivery to site for the client, as part of project 10 delivery, but also as a result of cable theft, damage or maintenance renewals, such that cable

provided for the final application can be provided from source to use anywhere in the UK without creating wasteful stocks.

Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the present invention. The sleeper has barriers 15 at each end which may comprise curved plates 132 extending across the complete lower face 134 at the sleeper. The plates may be secured such as by being possibly detachably secured which may be by bolts 136. The plates may be retrofitted. The plates 132 may be plastic. The plates 132 may be retro-fitted to existing sleepers. The plates 132 may also be shaped to extend up at least part of the way of each side wall of the sleeper. The plates may extend to 20 the height of the top of the sleeper and may extend vertically to cover the end face. At least one cable may extend through the sleeper as shown without being connected to the plates. Alternatively at least one cable must be connected to at least one or possibly both plates. A plurality of cables may extend through the sleeper. 25 Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. 30 All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. 35 Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. WO 2013/179032 PCT/GB2013/051426 4

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, 5 or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A hollow sleeper including two ends, the sleeper arranged, in use, to have at least one cable extending between the two ends, the sleeper including two inhibitors with an inhibitor at each end of the sleeper, each inhibitor being arranged, in use, to inhibit the ingress of ballast into the sleeper from the ends, wherein each inhibitor is selected from one of: an end plate extending across the respective end of the sleeper, the end plate including at least one connector; and a barrier extending upwardly and outwardly from the respective end of the sleeper.
2. A sleeper as claimed in claim 1, further including at least one cable which extends within and at least partially across the sleeper.
3. A sleeper as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one cable is attached to a connector associated with at least one inhibitor.
4. A sleeper as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one cable is attached to a connector associated with the inhibitors at each end.
5. A sleeper as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end plate extends completely across an end face region of the sleeper to form a barrier to the ingress of ballast.
6. A sleeper as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end plate is releasabiy secured to the end of the sleeper.
7. A sleeper as claimed in in claim 1, wherein the barrier is connected to an end region of the sleeper.
8. A sleeper as claimed in claim 7, wherein the barrier is connected to a bottom surface of the sleeper.
9. A sleeper as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including a plurality of cables.
10. A method of inhibiting the ingress of ballast into a hollow sleeper including at least one cable extending at least partially therethrough, the method comprising providing an inhibitor at each end region, each inhibitor being selected from one of: an end piate extending across an end face of the sleeper, the end plate including at least one connector; and a barrier extending upwardly and outwardly from the end region of the sleeper.
11. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising providing a sleeper as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.
12. A method as claimed in claim 10 or 11, comprising fitting an inhibitor to at least one end to a hollow sleeper already forming part of an existing track.
13. A method as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, further comprising providing at least one cable with a connector with the connector being associated with an inhibitor at at least one end.
14. A management system including a sleeper as claimed in claim 4 or any of claims 5, 6 or 9 when dependent upon claim 4, comprising transporting the sleeper to a site and plugging additional cables to the connectors at each end region.
15. A system as claimed in claim 14, comprising providing at least one pre-cut length of cable to the site, the pre-cut cable including a connector at at least one end for connection to a connector associated with the inhibitor at at least one end of the sleeper.