ARRANGEMENT FOR HOLDING DOWN A RAIL

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for holding down a rail (14) having a rail foot (20), such as a stock rail, comprising a base (18), such as a slide chair plate, tongue roller plate or wheel guide plate, a plate element (16), such as a slide chair or counter bearing, detachably arranged on the base, a spring element (10) holding the plate element on the base, and a first and a second abutment for tensioning the spring element. To enable the rail to be held down with structurally simple measures and at the same time to achieve ease of maintenance and servicing, it is provided that the first abutment is a section (78) of the plate element (16) or extends therefrom, running in the region remote from the rail foot, in that the second abutment is an eccentric element (12) which preferably extends in the longitudinal direction of the rail (14) and is arranged rotatably in a receptacle (46) arranged between the rail foot (20) and the first abutment and starting from the base (18), and in that the spring element is designed to be supported on the rail foot (20).

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement for holding down a rail having a rail foot, such as a stock rail, comprising a base, such as a slide chair plate, a tongue roller plate or a check rail plate, a plate element releasably arranged on the base, such as a slide chair or counter bearing, a spring element holding the plate element on the base, and a first and a second abutment for tensioning the spring element.

In order to fix a stock rail, it is known that a slide chair is supported on its rail foot for holding it down, which is clamped against a base, such as a slide chair plate or a tongue roller plate, by means of a spring element. Alternatively, the holding down can be performed via springs themselves. The spring element is tensioned by means of a slide chair which is integral with a base. The slide chair and slide chair plate or ribbed plate are thus monolithic. A corresponding solution can be found in DE 22 59 683 A1.

WO 96/41920 A1 relates to a device for fastening stock rails in switches, wherein a slide chair extends from a base and has a tunnel-like recess through which a spring element passes, by means of which a stock rail is held down. To tension the spring element, a cross wedge with a wedge-shaped flattening is used, which passes through a transverse bore of the slide chair.

According to DE 103 38 421 A1 (EP 1 508 642 A1), a slide chair is clamped via a spring element with a slide chair plate or ribbed plate in order to hold down a stock rail by means of the slide chair. For this purpose, the spring element is supported in a channel-shaped receptacle of the slide chair on the rail foot side and on an eccentric pin remote from the foot. The slide chair itself is detachably arranged on the slide chair plate or ribbed plate.

In order to hold down a stock rail by means of a slide chair detachably arranged on a slide chair plate, according to EP 0 778 372 A1 a rod-shaped eccentric spring element is provided which is supported, on the one hand, on an abutment formed on the slide chair and, on the other hand, in receptacles extending from the slide chair plate or ribbed plate.

When the stock rails are held down by means of the slide chair, the wheel force is transferred to the stock rail foot via the slide chair, so that stock rail fractures can occur due to the stress concentration under the slide chair.

One object of the present invention is to further design an arrangement of the type mentioned above in such a way that it is possible to hold down the rail with structurally simple measures, while at the same time being easy to service and maintain. It should be possible by simple means to tension the spring without risk.

To achieve one or more of these aspects, it is essentially proposed that the first abutment is or extends from a section of the plate element which extends in the region remote from the rail foot, that the second abutment is an eccentric element, preferably extending in the longitudinal direction of the rail, which is rotatably arranged in a receptacle arranged between the rail foot and the first abutment and extending from the base, and that the spring element is designed to bear on the rail foot, as a third abutment.

First and third abutments could also be referred to as first and second supports, between which the abutment formed by the eccentric element extends.

According to the invention, an arrangement for holding down a rail, in particular a stock rail, is proposed in which the plate element, such as a slide chair or counter-bearing, in particular a slide chair, does not hold down the rail foot, i.e. extends at a distance from it but can extend beyond its edge. Instead, the plate element holds down a spring element, which is tensioned by means of an eccentric element, in order, on the one hand, to hold down the rail foot and, on the other hand, to hold the plate element on the base.

The plate element, which is detachably supported on the base, and the rail are clamped depending on the position of the eccentric element and are thus held down.

It is provided in particular that the spring element comprises the first abutment formed in or extending from the plate element in such a way that displacement of the plate element is no longer possible. For this purpose, it is provided in particular that a contact region of the first abutment has the geometry of a cylinder section and that the spring element rests with a geometrically adapted end region on the first abutment and surrounds it in some regions. This ensures, among other things, that the spring element cannot be displaced in its longitudinal direction, at least in the tensioned state.

The eccentric element is preferably a rod-shaped element which, in the contact region with the spring element, has an eccentric geometry in cross-section such that, in a first position of the eccentric element, the spring element can be positioned without being tensioned and, in a second position of the eccentric element, the spring element is tensioned such that both the rail foot and the plate element as well as the spring element are held down.

In the contact region with the spring element, the eccentric element should have the geometry of a circular segment or of a circular segmental shape in section, whereby the distance between the contact region and the base is changed depending on the rotational position of the eccentric element, thus enabling the spring element to be tensioned or released.

The receptacle is preferably provided with two bearing elements through which the eccentric element passes and which extend in sections into recesses in the plate element.

The bearing elements have through-openings through which the eccentric element passes, which in turn also passes through sections of the plate element in order to secure the plate element against tilting.

Preferably, the spring element extends in the central region of the plate element and in the longitudinal direction thereof.

The plate element should have a longitudinal recess extending from the first abutment to the end region facing the rail and bounded by side walls. In order to create a form fit between the plate element and the base (anti-tilt), the side walls and the bearing elements are penetrated by the eccentric element. At the same time, the eccentric element is easily accessible for actuation on the outside of the plate element.

The bearing elements themselves should be surrounded by the side legs in certain regions and connected via a leg, in particular a plate-shaped leg, extending above the eccentric element.

In other words, it is preferred that the bearing elements are side legs of the U-shaped receptacle in section, the transverse leg of which extends above the eccentric element.

At least at one of its ends, the eccentric element should have an actuating head, such as a polygonal head, in particular a square head, in order to allow easy rotation of the eccentric element and thus tensioning and relaxing of the spring element. A special tool is not required. Rather, an open-end wrench, for example, can be used.

The spring element is in particular a leaf spring, the largest cross-section of which runs in the contact region with the eccentric element, such as eccentric bolt. In the relaxed state, the upper side, i.e. the surface facing the eccentric element, should have a concave profile and the lower side a convex profile, with the radius of curvature of the convex profile being smaller than that of the concave profile in the contact region.

The sections of the eccentric element that are rotatably arranged in the bearing elements have a circular geometry in section.

Further details, advantages and features of the invention result not only from the claims, the features to be taken from these—individually and/or in combination—but also from the following description of exemplary embodiments to be taken from the drawing.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an arrangement for holding down a rail in exploded view,

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a corresponding arrangement,

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an arrangement for holding down a rail with a relaxed spring element, and

FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of FIG. 3 with a tensioned spring element.

With reference to the figures, the teaching according to the invention for securing a rail to a base is explained by means of a stock rail which is secured first by means of a spring element and then by means of a slide chair, which in turn can start from a slide chair or tongue roller plate. However, this does not limit the fundamental nature of the teaching according to the invention. On the contrary, this can be used in particular wherever a rail is to be fastened, especially in the region of a crossing vee, wherein an abutment can also be used instead of a slide chair.

In the figures which explain the invention by way of example only, basically identical elements are provided with identical reference numerals.

The characteristic feature of the invention is the tensioning of a spring element 10 by means of an eccentric element 12, whereby both a stock rail 14 and a slide chair 16 are held down on a support 18 (ribbed plate/slide chair plate) as well as the spring itself.

The stock rail 14 is supported on the base 18 by an elastic intermediate layer 19, which is also referred to below as the slide chair plate or ribbed plate. The foot 20 of the stock rail 14 is secured by ribs 22, 24, 26 extending from the base 18 to prevent uncontrolled displacement perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof, wherein a holder of a rail fastening, such as a tension clamp 28 or clamping plate, is fixed in a known manner between the ribs 24, 26. In the drawing, the tension clamp 28 is tensioned as a fastener by means of a tension screw 30 to form the external fastener for the stock rail 14. For this purpose, a section of the tension clamp 28 in the exemplary embodiment is supported on the left section of the rail foot 20 in the drawing.

The stock rail 14 is internally fastened by supporting the spring element 10, which is to be designated as a leaf spring and which is supported on the right section of the rail foot 20 by its left-hand edge region 32 in the drawing.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the base 18 can be fastened directly to a concrete sleeper, wooden sleeper, artificial wooden sleeper or to a slab track by means of bolts 34, 36, wherein disk springs 38, 40 can be provided between the respective bolt head and the surface of the base.

A tongue rail 42 is adjusted to the stock rail 14, which is adjusted on the surface of the slide chair 16.

The slide chair 16 is a component manufactured independently of the base 18 and may be manufactured, for example, by forging or casting or milling. Where the slide chair 16 is a cast component, nodular cast iron or cast steel should be used.

The same manufacturing processes and materials should also be used for the slide chair plate 18

As a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 on the one hand and FIGS. 3 and 4 on the other hand reveals, the slide chair 16 has a recess 44 extending in its longitudinal direction and in particular in the central region, in which recess the spring element 10 extends. In the front section 46 of the slide chair, the recess 44 is covered to form a closed sliding surface for the tongue rail 42.

The recess 44 is bounded by side walls 48, 50 between which the leaf spring 10 extends. At about the midpoint between the rear and front of the slide chair 16, the side walls 48, 50 have recesses 52, 54 extending through the slide chair 16 over its entire height to provide a space for a receptacle or bearing 56 extending from the base 18. The bearing 56 is effectively a bearing block, which, in the exemplary embodiment, has a U-shape in section with side legs 58, 60 and cross legs 62.

The recesses 52, 54 preferably have a rectangular shape in plan view.

The side legs 58, 60 have openings or bores 64, 66, which are aligned flush with one another and through which the eccentric element 12, to be referred to as a shaft or rod, passes to allow it to rotate. For this purpose, the eccentric element 12 has an actuating head 68, such as a square head, in an end region in order to rotate the eccentric shaft 12, which is geometrically designed in the contact region 70 with the spring element in such a way that the desired eccentric effect is given, i.e., depending on the position of the shaft 12, the spring element 10 is either tensioned (FIG. 4) or relaxed (FIG. 3).

For this purpose, the eccentric region 70 has, in particular, the geometry in section of a circular segment. Other geometries that allow deflection of the spring 10 to tension it are equally usable.

When the slide chair 16 is placed on the base 18, the through-openings 64, 66 of the bearing block 56 are aligned with apertures 72, 74 in the side walls 48, 50 of the slide chair 16 so that the eccentric element 12 passes through all the bores and can be rotated from the outside of the leg 48 using a tool such as an open-end wrench.

Since the eccentric element 12 passes through the side walls 48, 50, the eccentric element 12 simultaneously forms an anti-tilt device for the stock rail 14 and the slide chair 16. Another advantage of mounting the eccentric element 12 in the center region is that if the spring element 12 breaks, the plate element 16 is still held in position secured against tilting, lifting and sliding. This also ensures that the rail 14 to be fastened is held in the desired position. Special precautions, such as projections or notched nails extending from a base plate and interlocking with the plate element, can thus be eliminated, allowing a simpler design.

Furthermore, recesses 49, 51 extending from the rear sides of the side walls 48, 50 can be seen in the figures, in which projections 53, 55 extending from the base 18 engage (see FIG. 2) to form a displacement protection.

In all other respects, the figures are self-explanatory regarding components and construction.

After arranging the slide chair 16 on the base 18, the eccentric element 12, i.e. the eccentric shaft, is first pushed through the openings 72, 64, 66, 74 and secured by a split pin 75. Next, the spring is pushed into the recess 44 from the rear of the slide chair 16, with the spring 10 extending between the base 18 and the eccentric element 12.

The eccentric element 12 is arranged or rotated in such a way that it can be pushed through unhindered or without tension to such an extent that, on the one hand, the front end 32 of the spring 10 comes to rest on the rail foot 20 and, on the other hand, the rear end 76 can be supported on a first abutment of the plate element 16, in particular on an elevation 78 of the plate element 16 extending between the side walls 48, 50.

Generally speaking, at its ends, the spring element 10 is supported on a first support formed by the rail foot 20 on the one hand, and, on the other hand, on a second support formed by a section of the plate element 16 or the ribbed plate or sliding chair plate, specifically on the elevation 78 in the exemplary embodiment. The adjustable or rotatable eccentric element 12 acts as an abutment between the supports.

The end section 76, which is arc-shaped in section, surrounds the section 78, which preferably has a circle-like geometry in section, to such an extent that uncontrolled displacement is impossible, while at the same time providing sufficient bearing surface for material-friendly force transmission. The adaptation of the end section 76 of the spring element 10 and the retaining section 78 extending between the side walls 48, 50 can also be clearly seen from FIGS. 3 and 4.

It can also be seen from these figures that the stock rail 10 is held down exclusively by supporting the spring element 10 on the rail foot 20 and not—as designs of the prior art provide for—via the sliding plate 16.

When the spring element 10 is properly positioned, i.e., the front edge region 32 rests on the rail foot 20 and the rear edge region 76 positively surrounds the section 78, the eccentric element 12 is rotated to tension the spring element 10, thereby simultaneously holding down both the stock rail 14 and the slide chair 16 by virtue of the tension. The head of the eccentric element is secured, e.g. in a groove, to prevent uncontrolled rotation when the spring is to be tensioned.

These two positions of the eccentric element 12 can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, the spring element 10 is located in a contact region 70 of the eccentric element 12, in which tensioning of the spring element 10 is avoided. Contact between eccentric element 12 and spring element 10 should be avoided. If the eccentric element 12 is rotated in the exemplary embodiment by 180°, a pressure is exerted via the eccentric element 12 to tension the spring element 10.

The spring element 10 should essentially consist of two outer legs 11, 13 connected by an arc 15. This allows tension-free insertion and positioning of the spring element 10 on the supports provided for this purpose.

The spring element 10 exhibits the greatest section modulus in the region of the arc 15, preferably in the contact region 70 with the eccentric element 12, i.e. under the second abutment according to the claims. Due to a corresponding change in the cross-section of the legs 11, 13, the section modulus decreases starting from the arc 15 along the legs 11, 13.

In order to keep the overall height low and to allow a high section modulus in the region of the arc 15 of the spring element 10, a recessed region X in the base 18 below the second abutment is provided. In this way, the arc 15 of the spring element 10 is not obstructed by the base 18 during insertion or for downward tensioning, which in turn has an advantageous effect on low overall height. The recessed region X preferably results directly from forging the bearing block 56 comprising the side legs 58, 60 and the transverse leg 62 from the base 18 (slide chair plate).

The contact region 70 should extend closer to the lower support plane of the base 18 than the highest ends A1, A2 of the legs 11, 13 of the spring element 10 facing away from the base, in order to achieve a low overall height.

FIG. 2 shows the principle of an elastic bearing arrangement.

The static stiffness of the elastic bearing should be greater than 30 kN/mm and up to 100 kN/mm. For a highly elastic bearing, the static stiffness should range between 4 kN/mm and 27.5 kN/mm. In FIG. 2, a slide chair plate (base 118) is elastically supported on a support, such as a sleeper, via a plate 120. For fastening the base 118, such as a slide chair plate or tongue roller plate, and for fastening the plate 120 extending under it and forming the elastic layer, these are penetrated by preferably hexagonal bolts 134, 136, a disk spring 138, 140 and a thrust washer 142, 144 extending on the base side being located between the respective bolt head and the base 118.

The screw 134, 136 passes through an insert 146, 148 inserted into a corresponding recess 150, 152 in the base 118, which in turn is aligned with a corresponding recess 154, 156 in the plate 120.

The spring element 10 may be made of alloyed tempering steel, preferably with a strength between 1150 and 1450 N/mm², in particular between 1200 and 1350 N/mm². The hardness HRC should be between 35 and 40, especially between 38 and 42.

Preferably, the spring element 10 is galvanized.

The width of the spring element 10 can be between 45 mm and 50 mm and/or the length can be between 225 mm and 275 mm and/or the thickness in the contact region with the eccentric element 12 can be between 16 mm and 22 mm, to give purely exemplary numerical values.

The progression of the resistance moment over the length of the tension spring is such that the distance of the vertical tension applied by the eccentric element 12 in the second position on the tension spring in the contact region 70 is between 1 mm and 5 mm, whereby a required hold-down force of the tension spring on the rail foot, for example 12 kN, is effected.

The described clamping can also be applied to slide chairs of monolithic design, where the base and the plate element are formed in one piece. Therefore, another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for holding down a rail having a rail foot, such as a stock rail, comprising a base, such as a slide chair plate, tongue roller plate or wheel guide plate, a plate element extending from the base, such as a slide chair or counter bearing, a spring element and a first and a second abutment for tensioning the spring element, wherein the first abutment is a section of the plate element or extends therefrom, which extends in the region remote from the rail foot, and the second abutment is an eccentric element, which preferably extends in the longitudinal direction of the rail and is rotatably disposed in a receptacle situated between the rail foot and the first abutment, wherein the spring element is constructed for support on the rail foot.

The receptacle can extend from the base or be formed in the plate element.

Designs of the arrangement according to the invention for holding down a rail having a rail foot result, both for the detachably arranged plate element and the monolithic design, from the above explanations and the claims.

Claims

1. An arrangement for holding down a rail (14) having a rail foot (20), such as a stock rail, comprising a base (18, 118) such as a slide chair plate, tongue roller plate or wheel guide plate, a plate element (16) detachably arranged on the base such as a slide chair or counter bearing, a spring element (10) holding the plate element on the base, and a first and a second abutment for tensioning the spring element, wherein the first abutment is a section (78) of the plate element (16) or extends therefrom, extending in the region remote from the rail foot, in that the second abutment is an eccentric element (12), which extends preferably in the longitudinal direction of the rail (14) and is rotatably arranged in a receptacle (56) arranged between the rail foot (20) and the first abutment and extending from the base (18, 118), and in that the spring element is designed to be supported on the rail foot (20).

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the eccentric element (12) is a rod-shaped element, such as a shaft, which has an eccentric geometry in cross-section in the contact region (70) with the spring element (10) in such a way that the spring element (10) is untensioned in a first position of the eccentric element and tensioned in a second position in such a way that both the rail foot (20) and the plate element (16) are held down.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the eccentric element (12) in the contact region (70) has a geometry of a circular segment or of a circular segmental shape in section.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the receptacle (56) has two bearing elements (58, 60) which extend in sections into recesses (52, 54) in the plate element (16).

5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the spring element (10) extends in the central region of the plate element (16) and in the longitudinal direction thereof.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first abutment (78) has the geometry of a cylinder section and in that the spring element (10) rests with a geometrically adapted end region (76) on the first abutment in such a way that a longitudinal displacement of the spring element in the tensioned state is prevented.

7. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the cross-sectional region or moment of resistance of the spring element (10) in the contact region (70) to the eccentric element (12) is larger than in the contact region both with the rail foot (20) and with the first abutment (78).

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the plate element (16) for receiving the spring element (10) has a longitudinal recess (44) which preferably starts from the first abutment (78) and extends in the longitudinal direction of the plate element and is bounded by side walls (48, 50), and in that the side walls have the eccentric element (12) passing through them.

9. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the bearing elements (58, 60) of the eccentric element (12) are surrounded in regions by the side walls (48, 50).

10. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the bearing elements (58, 60) are lateral legs of the receptacle (56), which has a U-shape in section and the transverse leg (72) of which extends above the eccentric element (12).

11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the eccentric element (12) is designed, at least in one of its ends, as an actuating head (68), such as a polygonal head, in particular a square head, which is located within an outer side of one of the legs (48, 50).

12. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the plate element (16) extends, with its end region running on the rail side, above the rail foot (20) and at a distance therefrom.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the contact region (70) between the eccentric element (12) and the spring element (10) extends closer to the lower support plane of the base (18) than the ends (A1, A2) of the legs (11, 13) of the spring element facing away from the base with their respective smallest distance from the lower support plane of the base.

14. An arrangement for holding down a rail (14) having a rail foot (20), such as a stock rail, a base (18, 118), such as a slide chair plate, tongue roller plate or wheel guide plate, a plate element (16), such as a slide chair or counter bearing, extending from the base, a spring element (10) and a first and a second abutment for tensioning the spring element, the first abutment being a section (78) of the plate element (16) or extending therefrom, which extends in the region remote from the rail foot, and the second abutment is an eccentric element (12) which preferably extends in the longitudinal direction of the rail (14) and is rotatably arranged in a receptacle (46) located between the rail foot (20) and the first abutment, the spring element being designed to be supported on the rail foot (20).

15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein the eccentric element (12) is a rod-shaped element, such as a shaft, which has an eccentric geometry in cross-section in the contact region (70) with the spring element (10) in such a way that the spring element (10) is untensioned in a first position of the eccentric element and tensioned in a second position in such a way that both the rail foot (20) and the plate element (16) are held down.