System and fastening point for screwless fastening of a rail for a rail vehicle

Abstract

A system for a screwless rail fastening includes a spring element and a supporting collar. The spring element has a bearing section, a curved section, a holding-down section, aligned in the opposite direction to the bearing section, a curved section curved in the direction of the bearing section, and a locking section aligned transversally to the bearing section. The supporting collar includes a fastening section for retaining the supporting collar on the foundation, a carrier section supported by the fastening section, a bearing recess formed on the carrier section for mounting of the bearing section, and a locking head supported by the carrier section on which a counter-bearing for the locking section is formed so that the locking section is retained in a position relative to the bearing section of the spring element.

Claims

1. A system for screwless fastening of a rail for a rail vehicle on a foundation comprising: a spring element and a supporting collar, wherein the spring element is bent from a spring wire and starting from one end of the spring element successively comprises: a bearing section, a first curved section, connected to the bearing section, a holding-down section, connected to the first curved section and aligned in the opposite direction to the bearing section, wherein the holding-down section is configured to rest on an upper surface of a foot of the rail to be fastened, a second curved section, connected to the holding-down section and curved in the direction of the bearing section and a locking section, connected to the second curved section and aligned transversally to the bearing section, wherein at least when the spring element is unassembled seen from the side there is a distance between the holding-down section and the locking section, and wherein the supporting collard comprises: a fastening section, via which the supporting collar is secured to the foundation, a carrier section supported by the fastening section, a bearing recess formed on the carrier section, in which the bearing section of the spring element is pivot-mounted, and a locking head supported by the carrier section, on which a counter-bearing for the locking section of the spring element is formed such that when the system is fully assembled the locking section is held in a position relative to the bearing section of the spring element in which the spring element is clamped in a springy elastic manner between the bearing recess and the counter-bearing of the supporting collar and the holding-down section acts in a springy elastic manner on the surface of the rail foot associated with the holding-down section.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the counter-bearing on the locking head of the supporting collar is a latching projection, protruding from the locking head in a direction aligned parallel to a pivot axis.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the locking head comprises a sliding surface extending from an upper free front end of the locking head to a free, laterally protruding end of the counter-bearing and over which the locking section of the spring element is configured to slide.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein a side of the locking head turned away from the bearing recess of the supporting collar comprises an inclined surface extending from an upper free front end of the locking head.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an insulating element comprising an electrically non-conducting material secured to the holding-down section of the spring element so that the insulating element pivots with the spring element about a pivot axis of the bearing seat of the supporting collar, until the insulating element is positioned between an associated top side of the foot of the rail and the holding-down section of the spring element.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a guide plate configured to be arranged between the supporting collar and the foot of the rail to be fastened so that the rail is supported laterally via the guide plate on the supporting collar.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the guide plate comprises a recess in which the carrier section of the supporting collar is configured to sit.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the guide plate comprises a bearing recess configured to be aligned flush with the bearing recess of the supporting collar such that the bearing recess of the guide plate and the bearing recess of the supporting collar form a pivot bearing for the bearing section of the spring element.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least sections of at least one of the bearing section, the holding-down section, and the locking section of the spring element are linear.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein when the spring element is seen from above, the bearing section and holding-down section of the spring element are aligned axially parallel to one another and the locking sections are at right angles to the bearing section and the holding-down section.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein when the spring element is seen from above the locking section projects over the holding-down section of the spring element.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the carrier section of the supporting collar comprises a stop, against which the second curved section is configured to rest.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the supporting collar comprises a cast metal.

14. A fastening point for a screwless fastening of a rail for rail vehicles wherein the fastening point comprises the system according to claim 1.

15. The fastening point according to claim 14, wherein the foundation is formed by a slab or a sleeper cast in a concrete material and in which the fastening section of the supporting collar is cast.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a system (right side) and a fastening point constituted by such a system (left side) for the fastening of a rail for a rail vehicle, wherein the system is shown in an exploded view;

(2) FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a supporting collar;

(3) FIG. 1b is a perspective view of a guide plate;

(4) FIG. 1c is a perspective view of a spring element;

(5) FIG. 2 is a perspective top view corresponding to FIG. 1 of a rail fastening with two fastening points;

(6) FIG. 3 is a top view of a fastening point of the rail fastening according to FIG. 2;

(7) FIG. 4a is a side view of the rail fastening according to FIG. 2 with its two fastening points each in different stages of assembly;

(8) FIG. 4b is the rail fastening according to FIG. 2 in the fully assembled state;

(9) FIG. 5a is a perspective view of a tool for assembling the fastening points;

(10) FIG. 5b is a perspective view of the tool according to FIG. 5a in a working position;

(11) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative configuration of a tool for assembling the fastening points; and

(12) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tool for disassembling the fastening points.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(13) FIG. 1 shows a rail S, that is to be secured to a foundation U formed here by a sleeper cast in a conventional manner from concrete. The rail S is part of a track for rail vehicles not shown in more detail. The sleeper forming the foundation U sits in a similarly known manner on a gravel bed, which for the sake of clarity is likewise not shown.

(14) The individual parts of a system according to the invention 1 for fastening the rail S are shown in the right half of FIG. 1, whereas in the left half of FIG. 1 a fastening point B1 constituted by such a system 1 is shown in a preassembled state. Two fastening points B1, B2 each composed of a system 1 form a rail fastening SB, by which the rail S on both sides of its rail foot F is secured to the foundation U.

(15) A system 1 according to the invention for the screwless fastening of a rail S in each case comprises a supporting collar 2, a guide plate 3, a spring element 4 and an insulating element 5.

(16) The supporting collar 2 cast in one piece in a cast iron material and taking into consideration conventional rules for the design of such cast parts has a carrier section 2a, a fastening section in the form of a blade, not visible here, integrated with the underside of the carrier 2a and a locking head 2b supported by the carrier section 2a, and integrated with its top side. The fastening section of the supporting collar 2 is not visible here, because during the manufacture of the sleeper forming the foundation U, the supporting collar 2 has already been cast with its fastening section into the material of the sleeper, so that the supporting collar 2 has a fixed and non-detachable connection with the foundation U formed by the sleeper and the carrier section 2a is supported by its underside on the free top side UO of the foundation U.

(17) In its front section associated with the foot F of the rail S, the carrier section 2a has a widening 2c, on the front end of which associated with the rail S a flat support surface 2d is present. On the rear end section 2e of the carrier section 2a turned away from the support surface 2d however, a bearing recess 2f in the form of a circular through opening is formed, the longitudinal axis LL of which extends parallel to the support surface 2d and thus when the fastening point B1, B2 is fully assembled in each case extends parallel to the longitudinal extension L of the rail S.

(18) On the top side of the carrier section 2a, in the region of the end section 2e, a hook-like stop 2g opening in the direction of the free end of the end section 2e is formed.

(19) The locking head 2b with shaft-like form of the supporting collar 2 on the other hand is positioned on the front widening 2c of the carrier section 2a. At the same time, the locking head 2b has on its free head end a projection 2i towards a longitudinal side 2h of the supporting collar 2, e.g. in the direction of the extension of the longitudinal axis LL of the bearing recess 2f, the underside of which associated with the carrier section 2a merges into a channel in the lateral surface of the shaft section associated with the locking head 2b. On the upper free front end of the locking head 2b a sliding surface 2k is formed, which starting from the tip 2l on the upper free front end of the locking head 2b extends as far as the free, laterally prominent end of the projection 2i and over which the locking section of the spring element slides when it is assembled. In the same way an inclined surface 2m extends from the tip 2l in the direction of the front edge of the locking head 2b associated with the rail S and the support surface 2d.

(20) The guide plate 3 of the system 1 comprises a fibre-reinforced plastic, as normally used in the manufacture of highly loaded plastic components, used in track superstructures. Seen from above, the guide plate 3 has a U-shape with a base section 3a and two mirror-symmetrically formed leg sections 3b, 3c protruding from it at right angles. Together with the leg sections 3b, 3c the base section 3a defines a seat 3d, the shape of which is adapted to the outer contour of the carrier section 2a of the supporting collar 2. Here the base section 3a has a linear design like a narrow web and on its inner side associated with the seat 3d and on its outer side associated with the rail S opposite this a flat contact surface 3e,3f. In each of the free end sections of the leg sections 3b,3c a bearing recess 3g,3h in the form of a circular through opening is formed, the longitudinal axes of which extend parallel to the contact surfaces 3e,3f of the base section 3a and the opening diameter of which is the same as the diameter of the bearing recess 2f of the carrier section 2a of the supporting collar 2.

(21) To assemble the respective fastening point B1, B2 the guide plate 3 is slid over the carrier section 2a and aligned so that it sits on the top side UO of the foundation U and in so doing with its base section 3a and its leg sections 3b,3c rests in a form-fitting and sealed manner on the respectively associated lateral surfaces of the carrier section 2a. The inner contact surface 3e of the base section 3a is then supported on the supporting surface 2d of the supporting collar 2. Simultaneously the bearing recesses 3g,3h coincide with the bearing recess 2f of the supporting collar 2.

(22) The spring element 4 bent from a conventional spring wire steel has, starting from its one end 4, in succession, a bearing section 4a, a first curved section 4b, a holding-down section 4c, a second curved section 4d and a locking section 4e.

(23) The bearing section 4a has a linear pin-like design with a circular cross-section. Its external diameter corresponds with a slight undersize to the diameter of the bearing recesses 2f,3g,3h, so that the bearing section 4a is slid with low play into the bearing recesses 2f,3g,3h and in the bearing recesses 2f,3g,3h is able to pivot about the pivot axis formed by its longitudinal axis LL.

(24) In the spring element 4 resting on the foundation, connected to the bearing section 4a is a section 4b of the first curved section 4b, bent upwards in a curve of approximately 90 when seen from the side, which merges into an upwardly domed second section 4b, which seen from above is aligned at right-angles to the bearing section 4a and describes a curve of approximately 180, which in turn leads into a third section 4b of the first curved section 4b. This third section 4b is bent so that the linearly-shaped holding-down section 4c connected to this section 4b, is aligned axially parallel to the bearing section 4a.

(25) The holding-down section 4c is shorter than the bearing section 4a and merges into a first section 4d of the second curved section 4d of the spring element 4. This first section 4d is bent so that the section 4d of the second curved section 4d, bent upwards according to section 4c of the first curved section 4b and connected to the first section 4d, seen from above is aligned at right-angles to the holding-down section 4c in the direction of the bearing section 4a. The length of the section 4d is dimensioned here so that above the bearing section 4a it merges into a further section 4d of the second curved section 4d, which likewise is arranged further above and at a certain distance to the bearing section 4a.

(26) This section 4d is formed by two 90 curves with a short linear section in between, so that the likewise linearly designed locking section 4e of the spring element 4 connected to the section 4e, when seen from above is aligned at right-angles to the bearing section 4a and the holding-down section 4c. Here the free end 4e of the locking section 4e points in the direction of the holding-down section 4c and in the unclamped state is arranged at a distance from this. At the same time, the length of the locking section 4e is dimensioned so that the free end 4e of the locking section 4e when seen from above projects beyond the holding-down section 4c.

(27) Here the locking section 4e is aligned so that between it and the holding-down section 4c at least with the unassembled, unclamped spring element 4 seen from the side (FIG. 2, left half) a distance a exists between the locking section 4e and the holding-down section 4c.

(28) The insulating element 5 is manufactured from an electrically non-conducting plastic and has the basic form of a half shell. Here it is designed so that in a known manner it can be secured by means of a clip connection to the holding-down section 4c of the spring element 4.

(29) Following the manufacture of the sleeper forming the foundation U the fastening points B1, B2possibly while still in the factory of the sleeper manufacturercan be preassembled from two systems 1. To this end, in each case an insulating element 5 is secured to the spring element 4 and in each case a guide plate 3 is positioned in the manner described above on the top side UO of the foundation U, so that the carrier section 2a of the respective supporting collar 2 sits in the seat 3d of the respective guide plate 3. Then in each case a spring element 4 with its bearing section 4a is pushed through the now flush aligned bearing recesses 2f,3g,3h, wherein the spring element 4 to this end, as shown in FIG. 1, 2, 4, in each case in the left half, is brought into a position pivoted away from the rail S to be fastened, in which the spring element 4 on sections 4b and 4d of its curved sections 4b,4d is supported on the top side UO. Here the length of the bearing section 4a of the spring element 4 is dimensioned so that in each case an end section of the bearing section 4a extends laterally beyond the width included by the leg sections 3b,3c of the guide plate 3 and the end section 2e of the carrier section 2a in the region of its bearing recesses 2f,3g,3h.

(30) The height above the top side UO adopted by the spring elements 4 in this pivot position is greater than the height of the locking head 2b, so that in the event of a plurality of sleepers having to be stacked one on top of the other for transport, in each case the sleeper arranged below is supported on the spring elements 4 and not on the locking heads 2b. The comparatively vulnerable locking heads 2b are thus protected from damage.

(31) To fully fasten the rail S between the fastening points B1, B2 on the foundation UO a plate 6 is positioned, made from an elastic material and guaranteeing in a known manner a defined flexibility, directed towards gravity in the contact area of the rail S. Then the rail S is positioned and the respective spring element 4 pivoted in the direction of the rail S. Here the inclined surface 2m allows a collision-free movement of the spring element 4 even if the insulating element 5 is pre-assembled on its holding-down section 4c.

(32) Now the spring elements 4 are clamped by means of the clamping tool 7. To this end the clamping tool 7 has a claw 7a with prongs 7b,7c, bent outwards so that when the clamping tool 7 is applied to the spring element 4, from the side associated with the holding-down section 4c they engage below the end sections of the bearing section 4a of the spring element 4 projecting beyond the external lateral surfaces of the leg sections 3b,3c.

(33) On its side turned away from the claw 7a, the clamping tool 7 has a nose 7d, which is formed and arranged so that when the prongs 7b,7c are applied to the bearing section 4a it sits on the free end section of the locking section 4e. By pivoting by means of a handle 7e provided on the clamping tool 7 about the axis formed through the bearing section 4a the locking section 4e is now pivoted through corresponding deformation in particular of the second curved section 4d, so that it is moved along the sliding surface 2k and slides past the projection 2i, until it hooks onto the underside of the projection 2i of the locking head 2b and is securely held there in a latched position.

(34) At the same time the locking head 2b which when the spring element 4 is fully assembled sits in the interstice delimited by the locking section 4e, the second curved section 4d and section of the holding-down section 4c provides a guide, via which the spring element 4 is secured in the longitudinal and transversal direction of the rail S. Here the locking section 4e which when the spring element 4 is fully assembled projects over the holding-down section 4c forms a stop, which in the manner of tilting protection ensures that the rail S, even under unfavourable conditions, does not lift too far from the foundation U under the load of a rail vehicle passing over the rail fastening SB. If necessary the clamping tool 7 can of course be designed as a handle mechanism or similar, in order to be able to apply greater deforming forces when pivoting the locking section 4e into its position of use.

(35) The position of the second curved section 4d of the spring element 4 when the system 1 is fully assembled is secured by the stop 2g, against which the second curved section 4d is retained so that even under the high loads of the spring element 4 occurring in use this sits securely on the supporting collar 2.

(36) For disassembly a further tool 8 is used, which similarly has a claw 8a with prongs 8b,8c. The claw 8a is secured on a supporting body 8b of the tool 8 so that it can pivot and is designed so that it can engage with its prongs the end sections of the locking section 4e projecting over the projection 2i of the locking head 2b. Here the supporting body 8b has a nose 8c, via which the tool 8, when the claw 8a is coupled with the locking section 4e, is laterally supported on the associated leg section 3b of the guide plate 3 and on the foundation U. By pivoting the tool B about the pivot axis formed through the support point of the nose 8c by means of a handle 8d secured to the supporting body 8b the locking section 4e is extracted laterally from its latched position below the projection 2i, until it can freely pivot upwards and the spring element 4 is unclamped.

(37) The assembly and disassembly process has been described above for the use of hand tools. The corresponding procedure can of course also be performed by automation.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(38) 1 System for screwless fastening of a rail S 2 Supporting collar 2a Carrier section 2b Locking head 2c Widening 2d Support surface 2e Rear end section 2f Bearing recess 2g Stop 2h Longitudinal side of supporting collar 2a 2i Projection (counter-bearing) 2k Sliding surface 2l Tip of locking head 2b 2m Inclined surface 3 Guide plate 3a Base section 3b, 3c Leg sections 3d Seat 3e, 3f Contact surface 3g, 3h Bearing recess 4 Spring element 4 One end of the spring element 4 4a Bearing section 4b First curved section 4c Holding-down section 4d Second curved section 4e Locking section 4b, 4b, 4b Sections of the first curve section 4b 4d, 4d, 4d Sections of the second curve section 4d 4e Free end of the locking section 4e (other end of the spring element 4) 5 Insulating element 6 Elastic plate 7 Clamping tool 7a Claw 7b, 7c Prongs 7d Nose 7e Handle 8 Disassembly tool 8a Claw 8b Supporting body 8c Nose 8d Handle a Distance B1, B2 Fastening points F Rail foot LL Longitudinal axis (pivot axis) of the bearing recess 2f S Rail SB Rail fastening U Foundation (concrete sleeper) UO Top side of foundation U