Railroad crosstie formed from recycled rubber tires

Abstract

A railroad crosstie comprising a laminated plurality of strips of a flexible polymeric material, preferably plies cut from rubber tire casings. The plies are glued together, preferably under pressure, to form a tie-shaped entity having any desired dimensions, for example, 9 inches wide by 7 inches high by 8.5 feet long. A T-shaped metal reinforcing spine is contained longitudinally within the laminated strips, the spine having both horizontally- and vertically-oriented load-bearing elements. Preferably, the laminated plies and the metal spine are bound together by a plurality of bailing straps. The crosstie further comprises a weather-resistant covering that preferably includes a heat-dispersing element such as ground glass or ceramic.

1 . A crosstie for use as a railroad rail support, the crosstie having a longitudinal top surface, an opposed longitudinal bottom surface, and opposed longitudinal sidewalls between the top and bottom surfaces, the crosstie comprising: 
 a) a vertical load-bearing element parallel to said sidewalls;    b) a horizontal load-bearing element parallel to said top and bottom surfaces; and    c) a plurality of plies, each of said plies having flat sides and edges,    wherein said plies are stacked on said flat sides, and    wherein said flat sides are parallel to said horizontal element.    
   
   
       2 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said vertical element is attached to said longitudinal element, defining a longitudinal metal spine.  
   
   
       3 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said metal spine has a T-shaped cross-sectional appearance.  
   
   
       4 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said stacked plies are divided into first and second stacks, a one of said first and second stacks being disposed on each side of said vertical element.  
   
   
       5 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 4  further comprising a top ply adjacent said plurality of plies and extending across said first and second stacks and said vertical element.  
   
   
       6 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 5  further comprising a bottom ply adjacent said horizontal element.  
   
   
       7 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 4  further comprising a bottom ply adjacent said plurality of plies and extending across said first and second stacks and said vertical element.  
   
   
       8 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 7  further comprising a top ply adjacent said horizontal element.  
   
   
       9 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said top surface is for receiving rail mounting means and said bottom surface is for supporting said crosstie on a railbed.  
   
   
       10 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  wherein at least one of said plurality of plies is formed from a vehicle tire casing.  
   
   
       11 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  wherein a plurality of said plies is arranged in abutting fashion along the length of said crosstie.  
   
   
       12 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said plies are adhered to each other along their mutual flat surfaces by an adhesive material to form a laminate.  
   
   
       13 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 12  wherein said adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of virgin rubber, cold adhesion chemical cement, epoxides, urethanes, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       14 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising means for mechanical compression of said plies.  
   
   
       15 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 14  wherein said means for mechanical compression is binder straps.  
   
   
       16 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a coated outer covering.  
   
   
       17 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 16  wherein said covering includes a heat dispersing material.  
   
   
       18 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said heat dispersing material is selected from the group consisting of recycled glass and ceramic.  
   
   
       19 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising at least one anchor shield disposed in penetrating relationship through at least one of said plies.  
   
   
       20 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 19  wherein said anchor shield is formed of a dielectric material.  
   
   
       21 . A crosstie in accordance with  claim 20  wherein said dielectric material is an organic polymer.  
   
   
       22 . A crosstie for use as a railroad rail support, the crosstie having a longitudinal top surface, an opposed longitudinal bottom surface, and opposed longitudinal sidewalls between the top and bottom surfaces, the crosstie comprising: 
 a) a vertical load-bearing element parallel to said sidewalls;    b) a horizontal load-bearing element parallel to said top and bottom surfaces; and    c) a plurality of plies, each of said plies having flat sides and edges,    wherein said plies are stacked on said flat sides, and wherein said flat sides are parallel to said vertical element.