Hollow sleeper

Abstract

A precast concrete hollow sleeper for use in railway tracks has a body with at least one upper bearing surface for rails and one cavity extending over the entire length of the hollow sleeper and surrounded by the body on at least three sides for accommodating and possibly removing cable crossings and/or switch drive mechanisms and/or equipment for track or train control and/or measuring devices and/or supply lines. The body is made of concrete, preferably concrete with additional reinforcement.

Claims

1. A hollow sleeper (1) for use in railway tracks, comprising: a body (2) having at least one upper bearing surface (10) for rails; and a cavity (3) surrounded by the body (2) on at least three sides for accommodating and possibly removing cables and/or switch drive mechanisms and/or equipment for track or train control and/or measuring devices and/or supply lines, wherein the body (2) is made of concrete.

2. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, wherein the concrete comprises a reinforcement.

3. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement comprises glass fiber fabric and/or carbon fiber fabric and/or ceramic fiber fabric.

4. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement comprises rods selected from the group consisting of carbon fiber rods (12), glass fiber rods, ceramic fiber rods, and steel rods.

5. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 4, wherein the rods (12) are embedded prestressed in the concrete of the body (2).

6. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcement comprises a combination of carbon fiber textiles and preferably prestressed carbon fiber rods (12).

7. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hollow sleeper (1) consists of a single cast body.

8. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, wherein a geometry of the hollow sleeper (1) is substantially the same over its entire length.

9. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the body (2) is U-shaped, having a base (4c) and legs (4a, 4b) extending upwards from both sides of the base (4c).

10. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 9, wherein the legs (4a, 4b) have the same height.

11. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 9, wherein the legs (4a, 4b) extend upwards from the base (4c) at a right angle.

12. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 9, further comprising a sleeper pad made of elastic material arranged below the base (4c).

13. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, wherein the concrete is a high-strength concrete, a glass fiber reinforced concrete, a carbon fiber reinforced concrete, a ceramic fiber reinforced concrete, or a mixture of at least two of thereof.

14. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor for track monitoring and/or for monitoring a material condition of the hollow sleeper (1) embedded in the body (2).

15. The hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, wherein the hollow sleeper (1) has no additional electrical insulation in an area of the at least one upper bearing surface (10) for rails.

16. A track structure, comprising: the hollow sleeper (1) according to claim 1, and two parallel rails detachably connected to the at least one upper bearing surface (10).

17. A hollow sleeper (1) for use in railway tracks, comprising: a precast concrete body (2) having a U-shaped cross section including a base, and two legs extending upwardly from the base; a cavity (3) formed within the precast concrete body (2) between the base and the two legs, the cavity (3) being suitable for accommodating one or more of cables, switch drive mechanisms, equipment for track or train control, measuring devices, and supply lines; and a bearing surface (10) for rails formed on top of the legs, wherein the precast concrete body is made of glass fiber reinforced concrete, carbon fiber reinforced concrete, ceramic fiber reinforced concrete, or a mixture thereof.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to three figures.

[0025] FIG. 1a shows two hollow sleepers with high-voltage cables running in their cavities.

[0026] FIG. 1B shows a precast concrete hollow sleeper made of concrete reinforced with carbon textile fabric and carbon fiber rods.

[0027] FIG. 2a shows a cross section through a hollow sleeper.

[0028] FIG. 2b shows a perspective view of a hollow sleeper.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a plurality of cross-sectional variants and variants for rail bearing surfaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1a shows two hollow sleepers 1 which are used for crossing two power cables 9 in a double track. The rails 6 of the tracks are each fastened to the cable guide sleepers or hollow sleepers 1 by rail fasteners 5.

[0031] FIG. 1B shows the hollow sleeper 1 with a substantially U-shaped body 2 and a cavity 3 surrounded on three sides by the body 2. Rail fastening systems 5 are arranged on the tops of the legs 4a, 4b of the body 2, with which rails 6 can be connected to the hollow sleepers 1. Cables can be arranged in the cavity 3 in such a way that they do not protrude beyond the legs 4a, 4b of the body 2. The cables can thus be exchanged without removing the rails from the hollow sleepers 1. After inserting the cables, the covers 8 and 7 made of steel or plastic material can be screwed to the body 2 on top of the legs 4a, 4b.

[0032] FIG. 2a shows a cross section through a hollow sleeper 1. The cross section is substantially U-shaped with a base 4c and two legs 4a, 4b extending upwards from the base 4c. Bearing surfaces 10 for rail fastening systems and rails can be seen on the top of the legs 4a, 4b. Sleeves 11 are provided during the production of the hollow sleeper 1 for receiving fastening systems. The figure also shows the position of four carbon rods 12 which are embedded under prestress in the concrete body 2 in order to thereby provide a reinforced concrete body 2.

[0033] FIG. 2b shows a perspective view of a hollow sleeper 1, which in the embodiment shown has a length of 2.6 m and has 8 holes 13 each on the tops of the legs 4a 4b, into which the fastening screws and/or dowels of the fastening systems for rails can be introduced. The holes 13 may be precast into the body or bores.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a variety of substantially U-shaped cross-sectional variants for a precast concrete hollow sleeper 1. All of the illustrated examples have a base 4c and two legs 4a, 4b, which extend upwards from this base and have bearing surfaces 10 for rails and rail fastening systems at their tops. The legs 4a, 4b and the base 4c define a cavity 3 in which supply lines or the like can be inserted.

[0035] FIG. 3 also shows variants in the area of the rail anchor, in particular a first variant in which a widening is provided in the upper area of the leg 4a, which is integrally connected to the leg 4a. Both bearing surfaces 10 also have two blind holes 14 into which threaded bushings or dowels can be inserted for fastening rail fastening systems or rails. A second variant shows bearing surfaces 10, which are located outwards from the leg 4a in the area of the bearing surface 10 for rails, in order to provide a broadened bearing surface 10 for rail fastening systems or rails, just like in the first variant. Finally, a third variant shows a section of a substantially U-shaped hollow sleeper 1 with concrete anchors with threads or dowels inserted in the illustrated legs 4a, 4b.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0036] 1 hollow sleeper [0037] 2 body [0038] 3 cavity [0039] 4a, 4b legs [0040] 4c base [0041] 5 rail fastening systems [0042] 6 rails [0043] 7, 8 covers [0044] 9 cables [0045] 10 bearing surfaces [0046] 11 sleeves [0047] 12 carbon rods [0048] 13 bores [0049] 14 blind holes