Railroad tie

Abstract

An improved railroad tie comprises a monolithic elongate tie body divided into a pair of end sections and a narrow mid section interconnecting the pair of end sections. Further, the top surface of each end section divided into a proximal and distal surface sections interconnected by a rail seat section whereon a rail is fixedly mounted. The proximal and distal surface sections slope downwards, in opposing directions, as they extend longitudinally from the rail seat section and connect the top surface of the mid section and the extreme lateral edge of the top surface of the end section respectively. The mid section is of uniform trapezoidal cross-section. The railroad tie further comprises a plurality of steel rebars cast within the tie body.

1 . A railroad tie comprising:
 (a) an monolithic elongate tie body defined by an elongate top surface, a substantially flat elongate bottom surface, a pair of opposing elongate side surfaces connecting the longitudinal edges of the top and bottom surfaces, and a pair of opposing end surfaces connecting the lateral edges of the top, bottom and side surfaces, the tie body longitudinally divided into:
 (i) a pair of end sections, the top surface of each end section longitudinally divided into:
 (aa) a rail seat section whereon a rail is fixedly mounted; 
 (bb) a proximal surface section sloping downwards as it extends longitudinally from a lateral edge of the rail seat section; and 
 (cc) a distal surface section interconnecting the other lateral edge of the rail seat section and the top edge of the corresponding end surface, the distal surface section sloping downwards from the rail seat section to the end surface; and 
 
 (ii) a mid section interconnecting the pair of end sections, the mid section being narrower than the pair of end sections; and 
   (b) a plurality of elongate rebars cast within the tie body longitudinally wherein the rebars are horizontally and vertically aligned.   
     
     
         2 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the tie body is made of pre-stressed concrete. 
     
     
         3 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the rebars are made of steel. 
     
     
         4 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, a lateral groove extends from each lateral edge of each rail seat section, the groove is of uniform cross-section, the lateral edge of the groove terminating in a lateral ridge of uniform cross-section, the proximal and distal surface sections extending from the lateral edges of the respective ridges. 
     
     
         5 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the rail seat section is rectangular. 
     
     
         6 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the mid section is of uniform trapezoidal cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, at any point along the length of the tie body, the width of the top surface is lesser than that of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         8 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the width of the top surface of the mid section is lesser than that of the rail seat section. 
     
     
         9 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the width of the proximal surface section extending from the lateral edge of the rail seat section is greater than that of the proximal surface section connecting the top surface of the mid section. 
     
     
         10 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the width of the distal surface section extending from the lateral edge of the rail seat section is greater than that of the distal surface section connecting the end surface. 
     
     
         11 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the slope of the proximal and distal surface sections is steeper as they extend downwardly from the respective lateral edges of the rail seat section; the slope being steeper till a portion along the length thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The railroad tie of  claim 1  wherein, the rebars are divided into a plurality of sets wherein, each set comprises a plurality of horizontally aligned rebars, and each set is disposed one below another. 
     
     
         13 . The railroad tie of  claim 12  wherein, the plurality of sets comprises two sets. 
     
     
         14 . The railroad tie of  claim 12  wherein, each set comprises three rebars. 
     
     
         15 . A railroad tie comprising:
 (a) an monolithic elongate tie body made of pre-stressed concrete, the tie body defined by an elongate top surface, a substantially flat elongate bottom surface, a pair of opposing elongate side surfaces connecting the longitudinal edges of the top and bottom surfaces, and a pair of opposing end surfaces connecting the lateral edges of the top, bottom and side surfaces, the tie body longitudinally divided into:
 (i) a pair of end sections, the top surface of each end section longitudinally divided into:
 (aa) a rectangular rail seat section whereon a rail is fixedly mounted; 
 (bb) a proximal surface section sloping downwards as it extends longitudinally from a lateral edge of the rail seat section; and 
 (cc) a distal surface section interconnecting the other lateral edge of the rail seat section and the top edge of a corresponding end surface, the distal surface section sloping downwards from the rail seat section to the end surface; and 
 
 (ii) a mid section interconnecting the pair of end sections, the mid section being of uniform cross-section, the mid section being narrower than the pair of end sections, the mid section being of uniform trapezoidal cross-section; and 
   (b) a plurality of elongate steel rebars cast within the tie body longitudinally wherein the rebars are divided into a plurality of sets wherein, each set comprises a plurality of horizontally aligned rebars, each set is disposed one below another such that the rebars are vertically aligned too.