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

Abstract

Railroad tie plates secured collectively by spikeless fasteners to a tie with railroad spikes securing the rails to the ties 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, and spikes are driven into the ties through other tie plate apertures.

1 . A pre-plated railroad tie assembly comprising: 
 a railroad tie comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the tie having at least two apertures extending between the top and bottom surfaces of the tie;    two spaced tie plates contiguous with the top surface of the tie, each tie plate comprising several apertures at least one of which is aligned and size compatible with each tie aperture;    a two part fastener disposed in each pair of aligned tie and tie plates apertures, one fastener comprising 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 the one tie plate aperture and into the aligned tie aperture;    each second fastener member comprising a boss disposed in the associated tie aperture and an anti-rotate base disposed below the boss;    at least one spike driven into the tie through another of the apertures in each tie plate.    
   
   
       2 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the connection between the first and second fastener members comprises an anti-rotate threaded connection which alleviates inadvertent loosening of the fastener members.  
   
   
       3 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein number of two part fastener in each tie plate is selected from the group consisting of one and two and the number of spikes driven through tie plate apertures is selected from the group consisting of four and five.  
   
   
       4 . A pre-plated tie assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the railroad tie comprises a plurality of layers.  
   
   
       5 . 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 at least two apertures arranged in the tie between the top and bottom surfaces;    placing two tie plates, each having a pattern of apertures, on the top surface of the tie so that at least one tie plate aperture of each tie plate is aligned with at least one aperture in the tie;    lowering a shaft fastener, comprising a proximal head and a distal end, through each of the at least one tie plate aperture in each tie plate and into the associated aligned tie aperture;    placing an anti-rotate fastener in a lower portion of each tie aperture;    connecting the two fasteners in each tie aperture together until the head is tight against the associated tie plate;    driving at least one spike into the tie through at least one aperture in each tie plate.    
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein the providing act comprises providing a railroad tie comprised of at least two layers.  
   
   
       7 . An assembly comprising an apertured tie plate secured contiguous with a top surface of an apertured railroad tie the assembly further comprising: 
 at least one shaft fastener member placed in aligned tie plate and tie apertures and comprising an enlarged proximal head tightened against the tie plate, a central shaft and a distal end;    an anti-rotate fastener member placed in the tie aperture and comprising a boss whereby the shaft fastener member is connected in tight relation with the anti-rotate fastener member;    at least one spike driven into the tie through another tie plate aperture.    
   
   
       8 . An assembly according to  claim 7  wherein the railroad tie comprises at least two layers.  
   
   
       9 . 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 at least two 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 one tie plate aperture being aligned with the as tie aperture;    a two-part fastener disposed in at least two pairs of 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;    at least one spike driven into the tie through at least one aperture in each tie plate.    
   
   
       10 . A railroad according to  claim 9  wherein at least one of the railroad ties comprises a multi-layer tie.  
   
   
       11 . A pre-plated railroad tie assembly comprising: 
 a railroad tie comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the tie having at least two apertures, each tie aperture extending between the top and bottom surfaces of the tie;    two spaced tie plates contiguous with the top surface of the tie, each tie plate defining apertures at least one of which is aligned and size compatible with the one tie aperture;    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;    at least one spike driven into the tie through at least one aperture in each tie plate.    
   
   
       12 . A pre-plated railroad tie according to  claim 11  wherein the railroad tie comprises at least two vertically stacked layers.