Rail assembly and composite polymer crossties therefor

Abstract

Disclosed are different embodiments of a railway tie assembly for securing a rail along a railway track. In one embodiment, the assembly comprises a plurality of composite polymer crossties fabricated from a composition comprising an asphaltic component, a polymeric composition component and a strengthening agent; and a pair of rail clips for securing the rail across each of said composite polymer crossties, wherein each of the rail clips comprises a rail-engagement portion configured to engage a corresponding railseat, and an anchoring portion to be anchored to a given crosstie and cooperate with the rail-engagement portion to secure the corresponding railseat against a load-bearing surface of the given crosstie.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railway tie assembly for securing a rail along a railway track, the assembly comprising:
 a plurality of composite polymer crossties fabricated from a composition comprising an asphaltic component, a polymeric composition component and a strengthening agent; and   a pair of rail clips for securing the rail across each of said composite polymer crossties, wherein each of said rail clips comprises a rail-engagement portion configured to engage a corresponding railseat, and an anchoring portion to be anchored to a given crosstie and cooperate with said rail-engagement portion, once installed, to secure said corresponding railseat against a load-bearing surface of said given crosstie.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein an anchoring of the rail to said crossties is maintained or strengthened under use by virtue of said composition. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said load-bearing surface is defined by a correspondingly dimensioned channel formed within said given crosstie so as to at least partially receive said corresponding railseat therein. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said anchoring portion comprises a fastener-receiving aperture formed therein to receive cooperative engagement of a fastener therethrough such that, upon fastening said fastener to said given crosstie through said aperture, an anchoring pressure is applied through said rail-engagement portion to said corresponding rail seat. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said fastener is a screw-type threaded fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said load-bearing surface is defined by a corresponding pair of correspondingly dimensioned channels formed within said given crosstie so as to at least partially receive said corresponding railseat therein. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said channels are outwardly inclined channels formed within said given crosstie so as to at least partially receive inclined said corresponding railseat therein. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as defined in  claim 7 , wherein an outward inclination is from about 1:40 cant to about 1:10 cant. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly as defined in  claim 7 , wherein an outward incline of said at least one channel is about 1:20 cant. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein each of said rail clips further comprises a respective inner shim and outer shim to be disposed so as to downwardly bias said rail-engagement portion against said corresponding railseat as said fastener is secured to said given crosstie. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said outer shim has a greater thickness than said inner shim. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising respective lateral abrasion guards to be located along an outermost sidewall region of each of said respective channels. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising respective lateral abrasion guards to be located along an outermost sidewall region of each of said respective channels, wherein said abrasion guards further comprise a flange portion extending from said respective channels and to which is coupled said outer shim. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising respective base abrasion guards to be located within said respective channels along a base thereof to have said corresponding railseat rest thereon. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising respective inner abrasion guards to be located along an innermost sidewall region of each of said respective channels. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said load-bearing surface is defined by a corresponding pair of outwardly inclined wedges formed within said given crosstie so as to at least partially receive inclined said corresponding railseat therein. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each said anchoring portion is mounted in pairs to said given composite crosstie such that facing structural features thereof define said load-bearing surface therebetween while at least partially directly or indirectly limiting a lateral travel of said rail once received thereon. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising a respective collar to be fitted about said facing structural features to further limit said lateral travel. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly as defined in  claim 17 , wherein said rail-engagement portion is slidingly engaged in a pre-assembled configuration with said anchoring portion to slide laterally against said corresponding railseat into a rail-engagement configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises from about 15% to about 95% by weight of said asphaltic component, from about 5% to about 85% by weight of said polymeric composition component wherein said polymeric composition component includes said strengthen agent. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a first portion comprising from about 15% to about 75% by weight of a first asphaltic component and from about 25% to about 85% by weight of a first polymeric composition component and a second portion comprising from about 20% to about 85% by weight of a second asphaltic component and from about 15% to about 85% by weight of a second polymeric composition component; wherein each of said first portion and said second portion includes said strengthening agent and wherein during manufacturing of said composite polymer crosstie said first portion and said second portion are suitably heated and co-extruded wherein one of said first portion or said second portion forms a core portion of said composite polymer crosstie and the other forms an outer portion of said composite polymer crosstie. 
     
     
         22 . The assembly as defined in of  claim 20 , wherein said strengthening agent includes fibres or reinforcing agents. 
     
     
         23 . The assembly as defined in  claim 21 , wherein said strengthening agent includes fibres or reinforcing agents 
     
     
         24 . The assembly as defined in  claim 22 , wherein said fibres are glass fibres. 
     
     
         25 . The assembly as defined in  claim 23 , wherein said fibres are glass fibres. 
     
     
         26 . The assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said asphalt component comprises asphalt particles such that at least 75% of the asphalt particles can pass through a 0.75″ mesh screen. 
     
     
         27 . The assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said asphalt component comprises asphalt particles such that at least 50% of the asphalt particles can pass through a 0.5″ mesh screen. 
     
     
         28 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said composition is adapted to allow said railseat to rest directly on said load-bearing surface without adversely increasing wear of said crossties under use. 
     
     
         29 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said composition is adapted to allow said railseat to rest directly or indirectly on said load-bearing surface absent a surface area-increasing force-distributing plate without adversely increasing wear of said crossties under use. 
     
     
         30 . A railway track comprising:
 a plurality of composite polymer crossties fabricated from a composition comprising an asphaltic component, a polymeric composition component and a strengthening agent, wherein said crossties are disposed at regular intervals along the railway track;   one or more rails each composed of rail segments juxtaposed end-to-end along the railway track, a respective railseat thereof disposed crosswise upon a respective load-bearing surface of each of said crossties; and   respective pairs of rail clips securing respective ones of said rail segments to each of said composite polymer crossties, wherein each of said rail clips comprises a rail-engagement portion engaging a corresponding railseat, and an anchoring portion anchored to a given composite crosstie and cooperating with said rail-engagement portion to secure said corresponding railseat against said respective load-bearing surface of said given crosstie.   
     
     
         31 . The railway track according to  claim 30 , wherein an anchoring of said rail segments to said crossties strengthens under use by virtue of said composition. 
     
     
         32 . The railway track according to  claim 30 , wherein said rail segments are disposed directly upon said load-bearing surface in absence of a corresponding tie plate, wherein said composition allows said absence without adversely increasing wear of said crossties under use. 
     
     
         33 . The railway track according to  claim 30 , wherein said rail segments are disposed upon said load-bearing surface via respective abrasion guards, only, in absence of a corresponding tie plate, wherein said composition allows for said absence without adversely increasing wear of said crossties under use.