TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an improved safety barrier for a railway track and, in particular, to various quick release, assembly or adjustment arrangements in the connection of components in a guardrail assembly.
BACKGROUND ART
Australian Patent No. 2002 332 965 to the present inventor, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, discloses a guardrail assembly for preventing rail workers encroaching dangerously close to railway tracks which are in use.
That assembly, whilst providing the required level of safety to rail workers who maintain the guardrail assembly in a safe position between themselves and the tracks which are in use, may present a danger to any person who finds themself on the wrong side of the guardrail assembly, that is, between it and the tracks which are in use, particularly when a train approaches. This may occur with trespassers on railway property, who could find themselves with little time to react in moving clear of a train and have their escape from danger impeded by the horizontal rails of the guardrail assembly.
It has now been found by the present inventor that this problem may be overcome by providing a quick release or adjustment arrangement in the connection of the horizontal rails to the vertical posts in such assemblies.
Another limitation is the speed with which the guardrail assembly can be assembled and adjusted for use beside railway tracks. The quicker the assembling (and disassembling), the lesser is the risk of disruption to rail services, and the quicker the adjustment, the lesser is the risk of injury to rail workers alongside tracks which are in use. These also allow the rail workers to finish their tasks more quickly, saving labour time and costs.
It has now been found by the present inventor that the speed with which the guardrail assembly can be assembled and adjusted for use beside railway tracks may be improved by providing a quick assembly and adjustment arrangement of the spacing means between the clamps and the vertical posts in such assemblies, and by providing a quick assembly and adjustment arrangement in the connection of the vertical posts to the spacing means in such assemblies.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a guardrail assembly for a railway track, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of post forming means, each post forming means including an upright post means, and
- (b) one or more rail means supported by the upright post means, each post forming means further including:
- (i) locking means slidably insertable under a rail of the track,
- (ii) clamping means adapted to engage against a first side portion of the rail and to be moved between a first position where the locking means is slidably removable from under the rail, and a second position, where the locking means locks the clamping means to the rail, and
- (iii) spacing means connected between the clamping means and the upright post means for locating the upright post means sufficiently remote of the rail to prevent a rail worker encroaching dangerously close to the rail,
wherein one or more bracket clip is connected to a side of the upright post means furthest from the railway track and is adapted to support the rail means, the bracket clip comprising flexible jaws for snap-on engagement and snap-off disengagement of the rail means.
Preferably, there are two bracket clips, each adapted to support a pair of rail means.
It is preferred that the bracket clip comprises a body, the body defining a first pair of jaws for supporting a first rail means and a second pair of jaws for supporting a second rail means.
In a preferred form, one jaw of the first pair and one jaw of the second pair are defined on opposite sides of a common central portion of the body.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a guardrail assembly for a railway track, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of post forming means, each post forming means including an upright post means, and
- (b) one or more rail means supported by the upright post means, each post forming means further including:
- (i) locking means slidably insertable under a rail of the track,
- (ii) clamping means adapted to engage against a first side portion of the rail and to be moved between a first position where the locking means is slidably removable from under the rail, and a second position, where the locking means locks the clamping means to the rail, and
- (iii) spacing means connected between the clamping means and the upright post means for locating the upright post means sufficiently remote of the rail to prevent a rail worker encroaching dangerously close to the rail,
wherein the spacing means comprises telescopically engaging spacer portions connected together by a spring clip having a protruding head that is adapted to pass through overlapping apertures formed in the telescopically engaging spacer portions.
Preferably, the spring clip comprises a resilient strip of semi-rigid material having a first end secured to an outside surface of an outer telescopically engaging spacer portion and having the protruding head proximal to an opposite second end.
It is preferred that the spring clip includes an upturn in the resilient strip at the second end to allow pivotal lifting of the spring clip about the first end, whereby the protruding head can exit the overlapping apertures and allow relative movement between the telescopically engaging spacer portions of the spacer means.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a guardrail assembly for a railway track, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of post forming means, each post forming means including an upright post means, and
- (b) one or more rail means supported by the upright post means, each post forming means further including:
- (i) locking means slidably insertable under a rail of the track,
- (ii) clamping means adapted to engage against a first side portion of the rail and to be moved between a first position where the locking means is slidably removable from under the rail, and a second position, where the locking means locks the clamping means to the rail, and
- (iii) spacing means connected between the clamping means and the upright post means for locating the upright post means sufficiently remote of the rail to prevent a rail worker encroaching dangerously close to the rail,
wherein a bracket clamp is connected to an end of the spacing means and is adapted to slidably engage the upright post means, the bracket clamp comprising a pivotal lock that, when in a first position, forces a pair of free ends of the bracket clamp toward each other for locking the position of the upright post means relative to the spacing means, and, when in a second position, releases that force and allows relative movement between the upright post means and the spacing means.
Preferably, the bracket clamp comprises a substantially square socket for receiving therethrough the upright post means.
It is preferred that the pivotal lock is pivotally connected to the pair of free ends of the bracket clamp, and includes a U-shaped portion which, when the pivotal lock is in the first position, sandwiches around the pair of free ends.
In a preferred form, the U-shaped portion has opposed inner surfaces which define therebetween a tapering space into which the pair of free ends is forced.
According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided a guardrail assembly for a railway track, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of post forming means, each post forming means including an upright post means, and
- (b) one or more rail means supported by the upright post means, each post forming means further including:
- (i) locking means slidably insertable under a rail of the track,
- (ii) clamping means adapted to engage against a first side portion of the rail and to be moved between a first position where the locking means is slidably removable from under the rail, and a second position, where the locking means locks the clamping means to the rail, and
- (iii) spacing means connected between the clamping means and the upright post means for locating the upright post means sufficiently remote of the rail to prevent a rail worker encroaching dangerously close to the rail,
wherein one or more bracket clip is connected to a side of the upright post means furthest from the railway track and is adapted to support the rail means, the bracket clip comprising flexible jaws for snap-on engagement and snap-off disengagement of the rail means, and wherein the spacing means comprises telescopically engaging spacer portions connected together by a spring clip having a protruding head that is adapted to pass through overlapping apertures formed in the telescopically engaging spacer portions, and wherein a bracket clamp is connected to an end of the spacing means and is adapted to slidably engage the upright post means, the bracket clamp comprising a pivotal lock that, when in a first position, forces a pair of free ends of the bracket clamp toward each other for locking the position of the upright post means relative to the spacing means, and, when in a second position, releases that force and allows relative movement between the upright post means and the spacing means.
It is further preferred that the spacing means includes a bent portion adjacent the clamping means for elevating the spacing means above the clamping means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a guardrail assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, when engaged to a rail of a railway track,
FIG. 2 is a top view of the guardrail assembly and rail shown in FIG. 1, the guardrail assembly having left sided locking means and clamping means,
FIG. 3 is a front view of the guardrail assembly and rail shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a top view of a guardrail assembly that is similar to the guardrail assembly shown in FIG. 1, but has right sided locking means and clamping means, and is located, in use, next in line to the guardrail assembly shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 5 is a front view of the guardrail assembly and rail shown in FIG. 4,
FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of the portion of the guardrail assembly of FIG. 4 which is engaged to a rail of the track, showing the locking means, clamping means and adjacent portion of the spacing means on which the spring clip is located,
FIG. 7 is a top view of the guardrail assembly portion and rail shown in FIG. 6, the guardrail assembly having right sided locking means and clamping means,
FIG. 8 is an enlarged top view of the portion of the guardrail assembly of FIG. 1 which is engaged to a rail of a track, showing left sided locking means and clamping means and an adjacent portion of the spacing means at which the spring clip is located,
FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the upright post means of the guardrail assembly shown in FIG. 1, showing the bracket clip to which a rail means is engaged.
FIG. 10 is a front view of the upright post means portion and rail means shown in FIG. 9,
FIG. 11 is a top view of an end portion of the spacing means of the guardrail assembly shown in FIG. 4 (when rotated 180°), showing the spring clip located thereon in a position where it connects together telescopically engaging spacer portions,
FIG. 12 is a side view of the spacing means portion shown in FIG. 11,
FIG. 13 is a top view of the spacing means portion shown in FIG. 11 showing the spring clip in a position where it no longer connects together the telescopically engaging spacer portions,
FIG. 14 is a side view of the spacing means portion shown in FIG. 13,
FIG. 15 is a top view of an end portion of the spacing means of the guardrail assembly shown in FIG. 4 (when rotated 180°) , showing the bracket clamp connected thereto and in a configuration where it can lock the position of an upright post means when engaged through the bracket clamp,
FIG. 16 is a side view of the spacing means portion and bracket clamp shown in FIG. 15,
FIG. 17 is an end view of the spacing means portion and bracket clamp shown in FIG. 15,
FIG. 18 is a top view similar to that of FIG. 15, but showing the bracket clamp in a configuration where it can allow relative movement between the upright post means and the spacing means,
FIG. 19 is a side view of the spacing means portion and bracket clamp shown in FIG. 18, and
FIG. 20 is an end view of the spacing means portion and bracket clamp shown in FIG. 18.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The guardrail assemblies 100, 101 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 are similar, in some respects, to the guardrail assembly disclosed in the inventor's Australian Patent No. 2002 332 965, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Like features between the guardrail assemblies 100, 101 and the guardrail assembly of Australian Patent No. 2002 332 965 are identified by like numerals and, to that extent, reference should be made to that patent for a detailed description of the structure and function of the like features of the guardrail assemblies 100, 101, especially the locking means 12 and clamping means 14.
Dissimilar features, and where improvements reside, include the bracket clips 102 (shown in greater detail in FIGS. 9 and 10) which are connected to the upright post 48 and support the horizontal guard rails 112 having a substantially square sectional shape, the spring clip 120 (shown in greater detail in FIGS. 6 to 8 and 11 to 14) which connects together the telescopically engaging spacer portions of the spacing means, and the bracket clamp 130 (shown in greater detail in FIGS. 15 to 20) which connects together an end of the spacing means 15 and the upright post 48.
Referring now in greater detail to the bracket clips, each bracket clip 102 is made of fibreglass and comprises a body with a base 103 by which it is connected, say, with rivets 105, to a side of the upright post 48 furthest from the railway track. The body also defines flexible jaws 104, 106, 108, 110 for snap-on engagement and snap-off disengagement of the rails. There are two rails 112, each having a substantially square sectional shape, that are supported by a respective pair of bracket clips 102. This is achieved by the rail 112 being engaged by the pair of jaws 104, 106. Another rail may be engaged by the pair of jaws 108, 110. The jaws 106 and 108, although belonging to different pairs of jaws, are defined on opposite sides of a common central portion 116 of the body. When the rails 112 are so engaged in their respective jaws, they are held in an orientation where their outer surfaces are neither along a horizontal plane or a vertical plane, but rather are at angles of about 45° to the horizontal.
The aforementioned arrangement facilitates quick and easy snap-on engagement and snap-off disengagement of the rails. In particular, quick and easy snap-off disengagement of the rails from the upright posts will reduce the danger to any person who finds themself on the wrong side of the guardrail assembly, that is, between it and the railway tracks which are in use. Such a person may now, with the present invention, be able to simply push the rails off the posts and move clear of a train whereas, with horizontal guard rails of the prior art, that person's escape may have been impeded by the absence of a quick release arrangement in those guard rails.
An advantage of the use of square section shaped rails is that they are stackable along with the square section shaped posts, and so take up less space during transportation and storage.
The spring clip 120 comprises a resilient strip 121 of semi-rigid material, such as fibreglass or a rust proof metal, which has a first end that is secured by a clamping collar 122 to an outside surface of an outer telescopically engaging spacer portion 123 of the spacing means. There is also an inner telescopically engaging spacer portion 124 of the spacing means. The spacer portions 123, 124 are connected or fixed together by a protruding head 126 of the spring clip 120 which is proximal to a second end of the resilient strip opposite to the first end, and passes through overlapping apertures formed in the telescopically engaging spacer portions 123, 124. The spring clip 120 includes an upturn 128 in the resilient strip at the second end to allow a user to pivotally lift the spring clip about the first end (as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14). When so lifted, the protruding head 126 can exit the overlapping apertures and allow relative movement between the telescopically engaging spacer portions 123, 124.
The aforementioned arrangement facilitates quick and easy assembly, disassembly and slidable adjustment of the spacing means, which will lessen the risk of disruption to rail services and injury to rail workers alongside tracks which are in use, and save labour time and costs.
The bracket clamp 130 is made of stainless steel and comprises a substantially square socket 132 and a lock 134 pivotally connected by a nut and bolt assembly to a pair of free end panels 136, 138 of the bracket clamp 130. The free end panels 136, 138 are parallel facing and close to each other. The bracket clamp 130 has an extension arm 139 which is internally connected to an end of the spacing means 15 opposite the end at which the spring clip 120 is located. The socket 132 of the bracket clamp 130 is adapted to receive therethrough and slidably engage the upright post 48.
The pivotal lock 134 has a substantially U-shaped portion 140 which, when the pivotal lock 134 is in a first position (as shown in FIGS. 15 to 17), sandwiches around the pair of free end panels 136, 138. The U-shaped portion 140 has opposed inner surfaces which define therebetween a tapering space into which the pair of free end panels 136, 138 is forced, causing the free end panels to be urged toward each other for “softly” locking the position of the upright post 48 relative to the spacing means.
When the pivotal lock 134 is in a second position (as shown in FIGS. 18 to 20), it releases that force and allows the free end panels 136, 138 to move slightly apart, whereby relative movement between the upright post and the spacing means is allowed.
The aforementioned arrangement facilitates quick and easy assembly, disassembly, and slidable adjustment in the connection of the vertical posts to the spacing means. In particular, clamping and positional adjustment of this kind will allow the upright post to be vertically located to a position where it is supported on the ballast or soil, without the bottom of the post needing to be dug into the ballast or soil.
The spacing means has a bent portion 144 or “dog-leg” adjacent the clamping means 14 which is connected to an extension arm 146 which, in turn, is connected to the inner spacer portion 124, and enables the spacing means to be elevated above the clamping means. Elevation of the spacing means by the bent portion 144 is useful to avoid interference of the spacing means by excess ballast adjacent to the outer side of the rail.
Greater stability of the guardrail assembly of the present invention is achieved by locating, in use, an assembly 100 with a left sided locking means and clamping means (such as is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) next in line to an assembly 101 with a right sided locking means and clamping means (such as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5). Any side force exerted against assembly 100 will be resisted by the tendency of the right sided locking means and clamping means of the assembly 101 to favour movement in an opposite direction to that of the applied side force. Thus, there are consecutive left and right sided assemblies along the entire stretch of interconnected guardrail assemblies beside the railway track.
It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in details of design and construction of the guardrail assembly described above without departing from the scope or ambit of the present invention.
Patent Application
20130075680
