AU688359B2 - Resilient railway fastening clip resisting loosening or removal - Google Patents

Description

q I Resilient Railway Fastening Clip Resisting Loosening or Removal Technical Field The present invention relates to resilient rail fastening systems to engage the lower flange of a rail to bias the rail inco contact with a sleeper or bearer.

Background of the Present Invention Disclosed in US Patent 4,801,083 are resilient fastening systems to secure rails to their sleepers or bearers. In particular there is disclosed an insert which engages the base plate upon which the rail rests. The insert engages a resilient clip which is resiliently deformed so as to bear down on the lower flange of the rail. This insert and lo clip are also usable with steel sleepers or bearers thereby eliminating the use of the base plate.

In Figure 1 of the above discussed US patent there is a particular resilient clip disclosed. The resilient clip is of a "U-shaped" configuration having "forked" extremities which pass around the shank of the insert. The lower fork engages the rail S 15 while the upper fork engages the head of the insert. These particular clips have the disadvantage that they are easily removed. They are therefore prone to vandalism and theft and can be dislodged by dragging train gear, along with track maintenance machines e.g. ballast regulators and tampers.

Object of the Invention 20 It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

Summniary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a resilient clip to engage an insert or stud of a resilient fastening system for a rail, said clip being formed of metal strip so as to have two extremities each extending to an end, said extremities both being bifurcated so as to each have a longitudinal recess, with one of the recesses of one of the extremities being defined between two longitudinally extending edges, with at least one of the longitudinal edges being provided with an abutment surface facing longitudinally away from the end of said one extremity, which abutment surface is to engage the insert or stud to inhibit removal of the clip, and wherein the clip is of a "U-shaped" configuration so as to provide a pair of arms, the arms providing the extremities, and with one of the arms having locating means to engage the insert or stud to locate the clip in a correct position.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of A example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: [N:\I0IO11:hrw E [NAL1BTTJ0l31 2:hrw ~qe~qc- rePra Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a blank to be formed into a clip for a resilient fastening system; Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of an alternative construction for the blank of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a rail insert and a still further clip.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a blank formed of metal strip, the blank 10 is preferably formed from spring steel. The strip is bent centrally about a transverse axis to a "U-shaped" configuration as disclosed in the above mentioned US patent. The extremities 11 and 12 of the strip 13 are bifurcated so as to provide recesses 14 and 15. The recesses 14 and 15 are defined between longitudinally extending edges 16 and 17, and 18 and 19. The recesses 14 and extend longitudinally inwardly from end edges 20 and 21 of the strip 13.

5 o In the embodiment of Figure 1, the extremity 11 is adapted to be above the S 15 extremity 12, with the extremity 11 also being adapted to engage the head of the insert or stud. The extremity 12 engages the bottom flange (foot) of the rail. Also in this embodiment, the portion 22 of the recess 14 is adapted to have the shank of the insert :i passed through it, with the portion 23 of the recess 14 enabling movement of the shank into and out of the portion 22.

Also in the embodiment of Figure 1, the longitudinal edges 16 and 17 are each provided with a step 24 providing an abutment surface 25 which inhibits movement of the shank from the portion 22 toward the end edge 20. The edges 16 and 17 converge toward the steps 24. More particularly, the abutment surfaces 25 engage the shank to inhibit removal of the clip 10. It should be appreciated that only one abutment surface 25 is needed. However two abutment surfaces 25 are more effective.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the edges 18 and 19 are provided with the steps 24 and abutment surfaces 25. Again only one surface 25 is required but two surfaces 25 are more effective. The edges 18 and 19 converge toward the steps 24.

This is to aid in resiliently deforming the clip to facilitate installation.

In a further embodiment, the clip 10 could be provided at both extremities 11 and 12 with abutment surfaces In Figure 3 there is schematically depicted a clip 30 which is manufactured from a blank as described above. In this particular embodiment, the clip 30 is formed from a piece of metal strip 31 bent so as to be of a generally "U-shaped" configuration.

The strip 31 has longitudinally extending edges 32 and end faces 33 and 34. Extending inwardly with respect to the strip 31 from the ends 33 and 34 are recesses 35 and 36.

The recesses 35 and 36 are defined between longitudinally extending edge faces 37 and IN:\LIBTTIO 1312:hrw 38. The pair of faces 38 defining the recess 36 are each provided with an abutment face 39, while the edge faces 37 are each provided with an abutment surface Extending toward the abutment surfaces 39 and 40 are ramp surfaces 41.

The clip 30 is intended to be used with a rail insert (or stud) 42 which is of a "T-shaped" configuration so as to have a shank 43 terminating at its upper end with a head 44. The head 44 maintains the clip 30 resiliently deformed so that the arms 45 are biased into contact with the foot of the rail. This then maintains the rail in contact with the sleeper or supporting surface.

The abutment surfaces 39 and 40 engage the shank 43 to inhibit removal of the clip 30 by movement of the clip 30 in the direction of the arrow 46.

When the clip 30 is installed, it is moved in the opposite direction to the arrow 46 so that the arms 45 and 47 move past the shank 43 until the abutment surfaces 39 and 40 move past the shank to be located in the position depicted. The ramp surfaces 41 resiliently deflect the arms 45 and arms 47 apart as the clip 30 moves to the position 15 depicted. The arms 45 and 47 are resiliently biased to the position depicted. Therefore to remove the clip 30, the arms 45 as well as the arms 47 must be resiliently deflected i apart so that the surfaces 39 and 40 can pass the shank 43 so that the clip can move in the direction of the arrow 46.

V The arms 47 are provided with concave portions 48 which engage the head 44 to retain the clip 30 in position, as illustrated in Figure 3 and described in the above US patent.

*ns In the above embodiments, the surfaces 25 face longitudinally away from the ends 20 and 21, which the surfaces 39 and 40 face away from the ends 33 and 34.

*en..o IN:\LIBTTIO1 312:hrw

Claims (4)

1. A resilient clip to engage an insert or stud of a resilient fastening system for a rail, said clip being formed of metal strip so as to have two extremities each extending to an end, said extremities both being bifurcated so as to each have a longitudinal recess, with one of the recesses of one of the extremities being defined between two longitudinally extending edges, with at least one of the longitudinal edges being provided with an abutment surface facing longitudinally away from the end of said one extremity, which abutment surface is to engage the insert or stud to inhibit removal of the clip, and wherein the clip is of a "U-shaped" configuration so as to lo provide a pair of arms, the arms providing the extremities, and with one of the arms having locating means to engage the insert or stud to locate the clip in a correct position.

2. The clip of claim 1, wherein the locating means are concave portions.

The clip of claim 1 or 2, wherein both recesses are defined between two longitudinally extending edges, with each of the edges having an abutment surface facing away from the associated extremity end, which abutment surfaces are to engage the insert or stud to inhibit removal of the clip.

4. The clip of claim 1, 2 or 3, further including a ramp surface extending toward said or each abutment surface to aid in installation of the clip. Dated 2 December, 1997 Robert John Rex Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person S 25 SPRUSON FERGUSON (N:\LIBTTIO1312:hrw r a