Center Supported Bond Joint

Abstract

A center support sleeve for a bonded rail joint bar that includes a body having a head portion, a web portion, and a base portion. The head portion depends from the web portion, which depends from the base portion. The head portion and the base portion are bent in the same direction thereby defining a recess area therebetween. The web portion of the body also defines a plurality of holes.

1 . A center support sleeve for a bonded rail joint bar, comprising:
 a body having a head portion, a web portion, and a base portion, the head portion depends from the web portion which depends from the base portion, wherein the head portion and the base portion are bent in the same direction thereby defining a recess area therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The center support sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the web portion of the body defines a plurality of holes adapted to receive fasteners. 
     
     
         3 . The center support sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the recess area defines a U-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         4 . The center support sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein an end of the head portion is bent toward the base portion thereby defining a arcuate-shaped lip that is adapted to fit the contour of a rail joint bar. 
     
     
         5 . The center support sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is made of an electrically-insulating material. 
     
     
         6 . The center support sleeve of  claim 4 , wherein the sleeve is made of an electrically-insulating material. 
     
     
         7 . The center support sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is made of fiberglass. 
     
     
         8 . The center support sleeve of  claim 7 , wherein the sleeve is capable of supporting a load of at least 100,000 psi tensile strength and a compression strength of at least 70,000 psi. 
     
     
         9 . The center support sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is made of polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The center support sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein the sleeve is capable of supporting a load of at least 6500 psi tensile strength and at least 270 percent elasticity. 
     
     
         11 . A rail joint assembly, comprising:
 two abutting railroad rails;   a rail joint bar attached to the abutting railroad rails, the rail joint bar including a body having a front surface and a back surface and defining a head section, a web section depending from the head section and a base section depending from the web section; the web section having a plurality of holes defined in the body, wherein the holes are adapted to receive fasteners for securing a rail joint bar to two abutting railroad rails;   an adhesive sandwiched between the back surface of the body of the rail joint bar and the two abutting railroad rails; and   a center support sleeve sandwiched between a center portion of the back surface of the body of the rail joint bar and the two abutting railroad rails, wherein the support sleeve is adapted to spread the impact loads of rail cars away from the center portion of the rail joint bar.   
     
     
         12 . The rail joint assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the center support sleeve comprising a body having a head portion, a web portion, and a base portion, the head portion depends from the web portion which depends from the base portion, wherein the head portion and the base portion are bent in the same direction thereby defining a recess area therebetween, and wherein the web portion of the body defines a plurality of holes adapted to receive fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . The rail joint assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive is dispersed across lateral portions of the back surface of the body of the rail joint bar and the sleeve is positioned on a center portion of the back surface between the lateral portions of the body of the rail joint bar. 
     
     
         14 . The rail joint assembly of  claim 12 , comprising a plurality of fasteners passing through the holes in the rail joint bar and the holes in the sleeve for securing the rail joint bar to the two abutting railroad rails. 
     
     
         15 . The rail joint assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve is capable of supporting a load of at least 100,000 psi tensile strength and have a compression strength of at least 70,000 psi. 
     
     
         16 . The rail joint assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the adhesive comprises an epoxy that is capable of creating a bond of at least 3000 psi shear strength and at least 0.001 inch per inch elasticity. 
     
     
         17 . The rail joint assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the center support sleeve comprising a body having a head portion and a web portion depending from said head portion. 
     
     
         18 . A method for securing two abutting railroad rails, comprising the steps of
 joining two railroad rails end to end;   positioning an electrically-insulating spacer between the ends of the two railroad rails positioned end to end;   placing an adhesive on a surface of a rail joint bar;   positioning a center support sleeve on a center portion of the surface of the rail joint bar; and   attaching the rail joint bar having the adhesive and the support sleeve to the railroad rails via a fastener, wherein the sleeve is sandwiched between the railroad rails and the rail joint bar.   
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the adhesive is dispersed across lateral portions of the surface of the rail joint bar and the support sleeve is positioned on the surface of the rail joint bar between the lateral portions thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , further comprising the step of placing an adhesive on a surface of the sleeve before attaching the rail joint bar to the railroad rails, wherein the adhesive is sandwiched between the railroad rails and the sleeve.