Tie suitable for use on a track

Abstract

A railroad track tie comprises a body formed at least partially of polymeric material, and a reinforcement totally encapsulated within the body, wherein there is at least one opening through the reinforcement with polymeric material therein.

1 . A track for a vehicle comprising: 
 (a) at least one rail;    (b) a plurality of elongated ties supporting the rail; and    (c) a plurality of spikes holding the rail to the ties, 
 wherein at least a portion of the ties comprise (i) a body formed at least partially of polymeric material, and (ii) a reinforcement totally encapsulated within the body, and wherein the reinforcement comprises a top flange and a bottom flange.  
   
   
   
       2 . The track of  claim 1  on a bridge.  
   
   
       3 . The track of  claim 1  comprising a pair of parallel rails.  
   
   
       4 . The track of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a height, and the reinforcement has a height and the reinforcement is centrally encapsulated within the body such that the height of the reinforcement is substantially oriented parallel with the height of the body.  
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . The track of  claim 1 , wherein the top flange is comprised of at least one elongated top bar, and the bottom flange is comprised of at least one elongated bottom bar.  
   
   
       7 . The track of  claim 1 , wherein the top flange is connected with the bottom flange by at least one shear plate.  
   
   
       8 . The track of  claim 6 , wherein the top flange is comprised of at least two elongated top bars, and the bottom flange is comprised of at least two elongated bottom bars.  
   
   
       9 . The track of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the elongated top bars is connected with at least one of the elongated bottom bars by at least one shear plate, the shear plate having a top end and a bottom end, with the top end sandwiched between two elongated top bars, and the bottom end sandwiched between two elongated bottom bars.  
   
   
       10 . A track for a vehicle comprising: ‘(a) at least one rail; 
 (b) a plurality of elongated ties supporting the rail; and    (c) a plurality of spikes holding the rail to the ties, 
 wherein at least a portion of the ties comprise (i) a body formed at least partially of polymeric material, and (ii) a reinforcement totally encapsulated within the body, and wherein the reinforcement comprises:  
 a first top bar;  
 a second top bar;  
 a first bottom bar; and  
 a second bottom bar;  
 wherein the first bottom bar is connected to the first top bar by a first set of shear plates;  
 the first bottom bar is connected to the second bottom bar by a second set of shear plates;  
 the second bottom bar is connected to the second top bar by a third set of shear plates; and  
 the second top bar is connected to the first top bar by a fourth set of shear plates.  
   
   
   
       11 . The track of  claim 10 , wherein at least some of the shear plates differ in length.  
   
   
       12 . A track for a vehicle comprising: 
 (a) at least one rail;    (b) a plurality of elongated ties supporting the rail; and    (c) a plurality of spikes holding the rail to the ties, 
 wherein at least a portion of the ties comprise (i) a body formed at least partially of polymeric material, and (ii) a reinforcement totally encapsulated within the body, and wherein the reinforcement comprises:  
 a first top flange having a first top bar and a second top bar;  
 a second top flange having a third top bar and a fourth top bar;  
 a first bottom flange having a first bottom bar and a second bottom bar;  
 a second bottom flange having a third bottom bar and a fourth bottom bar;  
 the first top bar and the second top bar are connected with the first bottom bar and the second bottom bar by a first set of shear plates having a first top end and a first bottom end, with the first top end sandwiched between the first top bar and the second top bar, and the first bottom end sandwiched between the first bottom bar and the second bottom bar;  
 the third top bar and the fourth top bar are connected with the third bottom bar and the fourth bottom bar by a second set of shear plates having a second top end and a second bottom end, with the second top end sandwiched between the third top bar and the fourth top bar, and the second bottom end sandwiched between the third bottom bar and the fourth bottom bar;  
 one of the first top bar and the second top bar is connected to one of the third top bar and the fourth top bar by a third set of shear plates; and  
 one of the first bottom bar and the second bottom bar is connected to one of the third bottom bar and the fourth bottom bar by a fourth set of shear plates.  
   
   
   
       13 . The track of  claim 12 , wherein the first set of shear plates is oriented substantially parallel to the second set of shear plates, and oriented substantially normal to the third set of shear plates and the fourth set of shear plates; and 
 the third set of shear plates are oriented substantially parallel to the fourth set of shear plates, and oriented substantially normal to the first set of shear plates and the second set of shear plates.    
   
   
       14 . The track of  claim 1  comprising at least two openings, and wherein the reinforcement is rectangular in cross section and comprises at least two shear plates each shear plate having opposed side walls parallel to the longitudinal axis, and.  
   
   
       15 . The track of  claim 1  wherein the tie is substantially rectangular prismatic body having a length of about 6 feet to about 14 feet, a width of from about 6 to about 16 inches, and a depth of from about 6 to about 16 inches.  
   
   
       16 . A tie suitable for use on a railroad track comprising: 
 (a) a substantially rectangular prismatic body having a length of about 6 feet to about 14 feet, a width of from about 6 to about 16 inches, and a depth of from about 6 to about 16 inches, the body comprising a polymeric material; and    (b) an elongated reinforcement structure substantially completely embedded in the prismatic body, the reinforcement structure having a length and a height, and wherein the reinforcement comprises a top flange and a bottom flange connected by a shear plate.    
   
   
       17 . The track of  claim 16 , wherein the body has a height, and the reinforcement has a height and the reinforcement is centrally encapsulated within the body such that the height of the reinforcement is substantially oriented parallel with the height of the body.  
   
   
       18 . (canceled)  
   
   
       19 . A track for a vehicle comprising: 
 (a) a pair of parallel rails;    (b) a plurality of elongated ties supporting the rails; and    (c) a plurality of spikes holding the rail to the ties, 
 wherein at least a portion of the ties comprise (i) a body formed at least partially of polymeric material, and (ii) a reinforcement totally encapsulated within the body, the reinforcement comprising a top flange, a bottom flange, and at least one shear plate and wherein the body has a height, and the reinforcement has a height and the reinforcement is centrally encapsulated within the body such that the height of the reinforcement is substantially oriented parallel with the height of the body.  
   
   
   
       20 . The track of  claim 19  on a bridge.  
   
   
       21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . The track of  claim 19 , wherein the top flange is comprised of at least two elongated top bars, and the bottom flange is comprised of at least two elongated bottom bars, wherein at least one of the elongated top bars is connected with at least one of the elongated bottom bars by the shear plate, the shear plate having a top end and a bottom end, with the top end sandwiched between two elongated top bars, and the bottom end sandwiched between two elongated bottom bars.