Spikeless tie plate fasteners, pre-plated railroad ties and related assemblies and methods

Abstract

Spikeless plated and pre-plated railroad ties, assemblies, railroad tracks and related methodology are disclosed wherein two-part fasteners are used in respect to sets of aligned tie and tie plate apertures such that the two fastener parts are joined together against inadvertent separation within each tie aperture at a connection or union site, which includes but is not limited to force fit unions and threaded unions.

1 . A pre-plated railroad tie assembly comprising: 
 a railroad tie comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the tie having a plurality of apertures extending between the top and bottom surfaces of the tie;    at least one tie plate contiguous with the top surface of the tie, the tie plate defining apertures aligned and size compatible with the tie apertures;    a two part fastener disposed in each set of aligned tie and tie plate apertures, one fastener comprising threadedly connected first and second members;    each first fastener member comprising a head disposed above and tightly contiguous with the tie plate and a depending shaft extending through one tie plate aperture and into the aligned tie aperture, the shaft comprising threads at at least the lower end thereof;    each second fastener member comprising a threaded boss disposed in the associated tie aperture and an anti-rotate base disposed below the boss.    
   
   
       2 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one tie plate comprises two spaced tie plates.  
   
   
       3 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the threaded connection between the first and second fastener members comprises an anti-rotate connection which alleviates inadvertent loosening of the fastener members.  
   
   
       4 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 3  wherein the anti-rotate connection comprises a change in diametral size in the threads of at least one of the fastener members which binds the threads of the fastener members against inadvertent loosening.  
   
   
       5 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein at least some of the first fastener member comprise a lower end disposed within the associated tie aperture.  
   
   
       6 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein at least some of the second fastener members are entirely disposed within the associated tie aperture.  
   
   
       7 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a protective covering disposed below at least some of the bases to alleviate deterioration.  
   
   
       8 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the boss and anti-rotate base of at least some of the second fasteners are of one piece construction.  
   
   
       9 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein at least some of the bosses are crimped to create an anti-rotate site to prevent inadvertent loosening at the threaded connection.  
   
   
       10 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the tie is selected from the group consisting of wood, synthetic resinous material and composite material.  
   
   
       11 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein at least some of the anti-rotate bases are eccentric in respect to the associated boss.  
   
   
       12 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 11  wherein at least some of the anti-rotate bases are disposed in a recess of the tie aperture eccentric to the shaft.  
   
   
       13 . A method of pre-plating a railroad tie comprising the acts of: 
 providing a railroad tie comprising a top surface and a bottom surface;    creating a plurality of apertures arranged in a pattern in the tie between the top and bottom surfaces;    placing two tie plates, each having a pattern of active apertures, on the top surface of the tie so that each active tie plate aperture is aligned with a tie aperture;    lowering a shaft fastener, comprising a proximal head and distal threads, through each active tie plate aperture and into the associated aligned tie aperture;    placing an anti-rotate fastener comprising threads in a lower portion of each tie aperture;    threading the two sets of threads together until the head is tight against the associated tie plate.    
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the threading act comprises relatively of rotating the threads of one fastener through a binding site in the threads of the other fastener.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 13  comprising the further act of confining the location of each fastener to a location entirely within the associated tie aperture.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 13  comprising the further act of creating an anti-rotate relation between each anti-rotate fastener and the associated tie aperture.  
   
   
       17 . A fastener assembly by which an apertured tie plate is secured contiguous with a top surface of an apertured railroad tie comprising: 
 a shaft fastener member, for placement in aligned tie plate and tie apertures comprising an enlarged proximal head to be tightened against the tie plate, a central shaft and distal threads;    an anti-rotate fastener member, for placement in the tie aperture, comprising a threaded boss whereby the threads of one fastener member are relatively rotated into threaded relation with the threads of the other fastener member.    
   
   
       18 . A railroad comprising two spaced railroad rails: 
 a plurality of spaced apertured railroad ties supporting the rails; each tie comprising a top surface, a bottom surface and an array of stepped apertures spanning between the top and bottom surfaces of the tie;    two spaced apertured tie plates contiguous with the top surface upon which the respective railroad rails are supported, at least some of the apertures of the tie plates comprising a pattern corresponding to and aligned with the array of tie apertures;    a two-part fastener disposed in at least some of the aligned tie and tie plate apertures;    one fastener part comprising a fastener element comprising a proximal tie plate engaging head and distal threads;    the other fastener part comprising a fastener element comprising threads threadedly connected to the distal threads and an anti-rotate element.    
   
   
       19 . A pre-plated railroad tie assembly comprising: 
 a railroad tie comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the tie having a plurality of apertures arranged in a pattern, each tie aperture arranged in a pattern, each tie aperture extending between the top and bottom surfaces of the tie;    at least one tie plate contiguous with the top surface of the tie, the tie plate defining apertures in a pattern aligned and size compatible with the tie apertures;    a two-part fastener disposed in each tie plate aperture;    each first part fastener comprising a proximal head disposed above and contiguous with the tie plate and a depending shaft passing through an associated tie plate aperture and a first connector element at a distal end portion of the shaft;    each second part fastener comprising a second connector element and an anti-rotate base disposed below the second connector element within the tie aperture.    
   
   
       20 . A pre-plated railroad tie assembly according to  claim 19  wherein the first and second connector elements comprise interlocking structure selected from the groups consisting of threaded unions and force fit unions.