Sleeper

Abstract

A sleeper for supporting two parallel rails. The sleeper comprises a hollow elongate body having a slot in an upper surface of the body for receiving cables. The slot extends at an angle to the length of the sleeper such that a first end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on a first side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on an opposite second side of the slot, and a second end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on the second side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on the first side of the slot. Each relatively wide portion is provided with a rail fastening member adapted to fasten a respective different rail to the sleeper. The sleeper is formed from metallic sheet material, and the upper surface is reinforced beneath each rail fastening member by an angled bracket running the length of the rail fastening member.

1 . A sleeper for supporting two parallel rails, the sleeper comprising a hollow elongate body having a slot in an upper surface of the body for receiving cables, wherein the slot extends at an angle to the length of the sleeper such that a first end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on a first side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on an opposite second side of the slot, and a second end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on the second side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on the first side of the slot, wherein each relatively wide portion is provided with a rail fastening member adapted to fasten a respective different rail to the sleeper. 
   
   
       2 . The sleeper as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein only one rail fastening member is provided on each side of the slot. 
   
   
       3 . The sleeper as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each relatively narrow portion is provided with a rail supporting member adapted to support a respective different rail. 
   
   
       4 . The sleeper as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a width of the rail supporting members is less than a width of the rail fastening members. 
   
   
       5 . The sleeper as claimed in  claim 1 , formed from metallic sheet material. 
   
   
       6 . The sleeper as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is reinforced beneath each rail fastening member. 
   
   
       7 . The sleeper as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the hollow body is reinforced beneath each rail fastening member by a reinforcement bracket attached to an inside of the hollow body. 
   
   
       8 . The sleeper of  claim 7 , wherein each reinforcement bracket runs at least a length of the respective rail fastening. 
   
   
       9 . The sleeper as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each bracket comprises a length of angled metallic sheet material. 
   
   
       10 . A railway track arrangement comprising two parallel rails, a plurality of sleepers supporting the rails and at least one cable, 
     wherein at least one of the sleepers comprises a hollow elongate body having a slot in an upper surface of the body for receiving cables, wherein the slot extends at an angle to the length of the sleeper such that a first end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on a first side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on an opposite second side of the slot, and a second end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on the second side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on the first side of the slot, wherein each relatively wide portion is provided with a rail fastening member adapted to fasten a respective different rail to the sleeper, and wherein the sleeper has the at least one cable received in Its slot. 
   
   
       11 . A method of forming a sleeper for supporting two parallel rails, the sleeper comprising a hollow elongate body having a slot in an upper surface of the body for receiving cables, wherein the slot extends at an angle to the length of the sleeper such that a first end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on a first side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on an opposite second side of the slot, and a second end of the sleeper has a relatively wide portion on the second side of the slot and a relatively narrow portion on the first side of the slot, wherein each relatively wide portion is provided with a rail fastening member adapted to fasten a respective different rail to the sleeper, the method comprising:
 forming a first fold in a pre-shaped sheet of metallic material;   forming four parallel folds in the sheet to define a base, the sides and the upper surface of the sleeper, wherein the first fold maintains an open structure of the sheet to facilitate the subsequent folding operations; and   removing the first fold from the sheet to provide a closed sleeper structure.