Railway Tie Fastening System

Abstract

The disclosed solution generally relates to a rail fastening assembly used to fasten a rail to a railway tie (or sleeper). The disclosed solution comprises a rail fastening assembly, a kit, and a method. The rail fastening assembly comprises a shoulder assembly, a guide plate, and a tension clamp. The guide plate is configured with a plurality of guide plate support segments. The tension clamp is configured with a shoulder engagement segment that is configured to engage with the shoulder assembly. The shoulder assembly is configured with a shoulder post that is configured to engage with the railway tie. The tension clamp may be positioned at the plurality of guide plate support segments in order to engage with the shoulder assembly in various positions before, during, and after installation.

1 . A rail fastening assembly for a railway tie disposed at a rail, the rail fastening assembly comprising:
 a shoulder assembly;   a guide plate, the guide plate having a plurality of guide plate support segments; and   a tension clamp, the tension clamp comprising a shoulder engagement segment configured to operatively engage with the shoulder assembly, the tension clamp further being configured to being supported by the plurality of guide plate support segments, the tension clamp further being configured to being supported by the rail.   
     
     
         2 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shoulder assembly comprises:
 a shoulder; and   a shoulder insulator.   
     
     
         3 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the shoulder comprises:
 a shoulder tension clamp receiver, the shoulder tension clamp receiver being configured to receive the tension clamp at the shoulder engagement segment; and   a shoulder post, the shoulder post comprising a shoulder post concavity.   
     
     
         4 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the shoulder assembly is configured to being disposed, via the shoulder post, at a hole within the railway tie. 
     
     
         5 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the shoulder further comprises:
 a curved segment, the curved segment being configured to support the tension clamp at the shoulder engagement segment.   
     
     
         6 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a base assembly:
 a railseat pad, the railseat pad having a plurality of tabs; and   an abrasion shim, the abrasion shim having a plurality of openings configured to allow the shoulder assembly to be positioned within an opening, the opening belonging to the plurality of openings.   
     
     
         7 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tension clamp further comprises:
 a rail contact segment, the rail contact segment being configured to operatively interface with the rail; and   a guide plate contact segment, the guide plate contact segment being configured to operatively interface with the plurality of guide plate support segments.   
     
     
         8 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of guide plate support segments comprises:
 a first guide plate support segment;   a second guide plate support segment; and   a third guide plate support segment.   
     
     
         9 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the rail fastening assembly is configured to being positioned in any one of a first position, a second position, and a third position. 
     
     
         10 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the first position comprises the rail contact segment being in contact with the second guide plate support segment. 
     
     
         11 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the second position comprises the rail contact segment being in contact with the third guide plate support segment. 
     
     
         12 . The rail fastening assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the third position comprises the tension clamp being engaged, with the shoulder assembly, via the engagement segment. 
     
     
         13 . A kit configured to fasten a rail to a railway tie, the kit comprising:
 a plurality of rail fastening assemblies, comprising a first rail fastening assembly and a second rail fastening assembly; and   a base assembly,   wherein the first rail fastening assembly comprises:
 a shoulder assembly; 
 a guide plate, the guide plate having a plurality of guide plate support segments; and 
 a tension clamp, the tension clamp comprising a shoulder engagement segment configured to operatively engage with the shoulder assembly, the tension clamp further being configured to being supported by the plurality of guide plate support segments, the tension clamp further being configured to being supported by the rail. 
   
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the shoulder assembly comprises:
 a shoulder; and   a shoulder insulator.   
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 14 , wherein the shoulder comprises:
 a shoulder tension clamp receiver, the shoulder tension clamp receiver being configured to receive the tension clamp at the shoulder engagement segment; and   a shoulder post, the shoulder post comprising a shoulder post concavity.   
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the tension clamp comprises:
 a rail contact segment, the rail contact segment being configured to operatively interface with the rail; and   a guide plate contact segment, the guide plate contact segment being configured to operatively interface with the plurality of guide plate support segments.   
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein the base assembly comprises:
 a railseat pad, the railseat pad having a plurality of tabs; and   an abrasion shim, the abrasion shim having a plurality of openings configured to allow the shoulder assembly to be positioned within an opening, the opening belonging to the plurality of openings.   
     
     
         18 . A method for fastening a rail to a railway tie using a rail fastening assembly and a base assembly, the method comprising:
 placing the base assembly under the rail and above the railway tie; and   placing the rail fastening assembly at the railway tie, wherein the rail fastening assembly comprises:
 a shoulder assembly; 
 a guide plate, the guide plate having a plurality of guide plate support segments, comprising a first guide plate support segment, a second guide plate support segment and a third guide plate support segment; and 
 a tension clamp, the tension clamp comprising a shoulder engagement segment configured to operatively engage with the shoulder assembly, the tension clamp further being configured to being supported by the plurality of guide plate support segments, the tension clamp further being configured to being supported by the rail, the tension clamp further comprising a rail contact segment; and 
   placing the tension clamp in a first position, the first position comprising the rail contact segment being in contact with the second guide plate support segment.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , the method further comprising:
 moving the tension clamp to a second position, the second position comprising the rail contact segment being in contact with the third guide plate support segment.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , the method further comprising:
 moving the tension clamp to a third position, the third position comprising the tension clamp being engaged, with the shoulder assembly, via the shoulder engagement segment.