The plastic structural article includes an elongated tubular shell having opposed end sections, a middle section there between and an interior cavity. The interior cavity has a foam core situated therein. The foam core comprises steam expandable polymer beads which when expanded substantially fill the interior cavity. The bead and shell are of a similar plastic composition enabling the articles to be reground and recycled. An apparatus for forming the articles and an associated method of manufacture are also disclosed. A thermal management system includes a panel having a periphery, and a skin having a thermal bond to an in-situ foam core. The panel has a thermal transmittance u-value ranging from 0.1 to 0.17 W/m.sup.2 C.

The plastic structural article includes an elongated tubular shell having opposed end sections, a middle section there between and an interior cavity. The interior cavity has a foam core situated therein. The foam core comprises steam expandable polymer beads which when expanded substantially fill the interior cavity. The bead and shell are of a similar plastic composition enabling the articles to be reground and recycled. An apparatus for forming the articles and an associated method of manufacture are also disclosed. A thermal management system includes a panel having a periphery, and a skin having a thermal bond to an in-situ foam core. The panel has a thermal transmittance u-value ranging from 0.1 to 0.17 W/m.sup.2 C.

The plastic structural article includes an elongated tubular shell having opposed end sections, a middle section there between and an interior cavity. The interior cavity has a foam core situated therein. The foam core comprises steam expandable polymer beads which when expanded substantially fill the interior cavity. The bead and shell are of a similar plastic composition enabling the articles to be reground and recycled. An apparatus for forming the articles and an associated method of manufacture are also disclosed.

The plastic structural article includes an elongated tubular shell having opposed end sections, a middle section there between and an interior cavity. The interior cavity has a foam core situated therein. The foam core comprises steam expandable polymer beads which when expanded substantially fill the interior cavity. The bead and shell are of a similar plastic composition enabling the articles to be reground and recycled. An apparatus for forming the articles and an associated method of manufacture are also disclosed.

The invention relates to a guide plate for laterally guiding a rail in a rail attachment point formed on a railroad tie, wherein the guide plate has a top side having a support surface for supporting a spring element, an underside, by way of which the guide plate is supported on the railroad tie during use, a support segment having a support surface, by way of which the guide plate is supported, during use, on a shoulder provided on the railroad tie, and possesses a guide segment which is formed opposite to the support segment, and on which a guide surface is present, on which a rail is laterally guided during use. In order to counteract twisting of the rail and concomitantly the risk of the occurrence of track warping at high outdoor temperatures when using such a guide plate in a rail attachment point, a latch projection is formed in lateral end segments of the guide surface, in each instance, projecting away from the guide surface in the longitudinal direction of the guide plate, which is provided for the purpose of engaging, during use, under the longitudinal side of the rail that is assigned to the guide surface, in each instance, wherein the distance between the latch projections amounts to at least 60% of the width of the guide surface.

The invention relates to a guide plate for laterally guiding a rail in a rail attachment point formed on a railroad tie, wherein the guide plate has a top side having a support surface for supporting a spring element, an underside, by way of which the guide plate is supported on the railroad tie during use, a support segment having a support surface, by way of which the guide plate is supported, during use, on a shoulder provided on the railroad tie, and possesses a guide segment which is formed opposite to the support segment, and on which a guide surface is present, on which a rail is laterally guided during use. In order to counteract twisting of the rail and concomitantly the risk of the occurrence of track warping at high outdoor temperatures when using such a guide plate in a rail attachment point, a latch projection is formed in lateral end segments of the guide surface, in each instance, projecting away from the guide surface in the longitudinal direction of the guide plate, which is provided for the purpose of engaging, during use, under the longitudinal side of the rail that is assigned to the guide surface, in each instance, wherein the distance between the latch projections amounts to at least 60% of the width of the guide surface.