System, method, and apparatus to restrict movement of railway guard bar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988768-B2
Application number	US-201615222605-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2016
Priority date	Jul 28, 2016
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

The disclosure provides a guard bar restraint for restricting movement of a guard bar. The guard bar restraint includes a hook block coupled to the front face of the guard bar, a back plate configured to contact the back face of the guard bar, and at least one fastener configured to hold the hook block against the front face of the guard bar and to hold the back plate against the back face of the guard bar. The guard bar restraint is coupleable to the guard bar and configured to allow no more than a maximum predetermined amount of lateral movement by the guard bar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A railway guard rail assembly comprising:
an adjustable guard rail having an inward-facing side, an outward-facing side opposite the inward-facing side, and a length defined by a first tapered end, a second tapered end opposite the first tapered end, and a non-tapered middle portion between the first tapered end and the second tapered end, a wear surface of the adjustable guard rail being provided on the outward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail and configured to contact wheels of a train;
a plurality of guide rail support assemblies coupled to the inward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail and the outward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail;
a first guard rail lateral restraint removably coupled to the inward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail and the outward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail at a first position of the non-tapered middle portion of the adjustable guard rail, between a first set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies of the plurality of guide rail support assemblies, a length of the first guard rail lateral restraint being greater than a width and a height of the first guard rail lateral restraint and defined by a first projection extending in a first direction, a second projection extending in a second direction opposite the first direction, and a first body extending between the first projection and the second projection, the length of the first guard rail lateral restraint being less than a distance between guide rail support assemblies of the first set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies; and
a second guard rail lateral restraint removably coupled to the inward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail and the outward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail at a second position of the non-tapered middle portion of the guard rail, different from the first position of the non-tapered middle portion of the adjustable guard rail, between a second set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies of the plurality of guide rail support assemblies, a length of the second guard rail lateral restraint being greater than a width and a height of the second guard rail lateral restraint and defined by a third projection extending in the first direction, a fourth projection extending in the second direction opposite the first direction, and a second body extending between the third projection and the fourth projection, the length of the second guard rail lateral restraint being less than a distance between guide rail support assemblies of the second set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies,
wherein a first portion of the first guard rail lateral restraint extends under the adjustable guard rail, and
wherein a second portion of the second guard rail lateral restraint extends under the adjustable guard rail.

2. The railway guard rail assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the first guard rail lateral restraint and the second guard rail lateral restraint includes:
a hook block directly contacting the outward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail such that the wear surface of the adjustable guard rail is exposed,
a back plate directly contacting the inward-facing side of the adjustable guard rail, and
at least one fastener coupling the hook block to the back plate.

3. The railway guard rail assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the first guard rail lateral restraint is configured to slide laterally, with the adjustable guard rail, no more than a first predetermined amount defined by a first difference between the distance between the guide rail support assemblies of the first set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies and the length of the first guard rail lateral restraint, and
wherein the second guard rail lateral restraint is configured to slide laterally, with the adjustable guard rail, no more than a second predetermined amount defined by a second difference between the distance between the guide rail support assemblies of the second set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies and the length of the second guard rail lateral restraint.

4. The railway guard rail assembly of claim 3 , wherein each of the first difference and the second difference is one of 4.0 inches or less, 3.5 inches or less, 3.0 inches or less, 2.5 inches or less, 2.0 inches or less, 1.5 inches or less, 1.0 inches or less, 0.5 inches or less, 0.25 inches or less, or 0.0 inches.

5. The railway guard rail assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein the height of the first guard rail lateral restraint is less than respective heights of the guide rail support assemblies of the first set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies, and
wherein the height of the second guard rail lateral restraint is less than respective heights of the guide rail support assemblies of the second set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies.

6. The railway guard rail assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first set of adjacent ties coupled to respective ones of the guide rail support assemblies of the first set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies; and
a second set of adjacent ties coupled to corresponding ones of the guide rail support assemblies of the second set of adjacent guide rail support assemblies,
wherein, in a plan view, the first guard rail lateral restraint overlaps at least one of the ties of the first set of adjacent ties and/or the second guard rail lateral restraint overlaps at least one of the ties of the second set of adjacent ties.

7. A method regarding a guard rail lateral restraint for restricting movement of a railway guard rail, the method comprising:
providing a retaining block to directly contact a first side of the railway guard rail such that a wear surface of the railway guard rail on the first side is exposed;
providing a plate to directly contact a second side of the railway guard rail opposite the first side; and
providing at least one fastener to couple the retaining block to the plate such that the retaining block and the plate are removably coupled to the railway guard rail with the retaining block directly contacting the first side of the railway guard rail and the plate directly contacting the second side of the railway guard rail, without physically modifying the railway guard rail, to provide the guard rail lateral restraint for restricting movement of the railway guard rail,
wherein the guard rail lateral restraint is configured to move a predetermined maximum amount of lateral movement when the retaining block and the plate are removably coupled to the railway guard rail, and
wherein the guard rail lateral restraint is configured to allow the predetermined maximum amount of lateral movement for the railway guard rail when the retaining block and the plate are removably coupled to the railway guard rail.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising removably coupling the retaining block and the plate to the railway guard rail with the retaining block directly contacting the first side of the railway guard rail and the plate directly contacting the second side of the railway guard rail, without physically modifying the railway guard rail, to provide the guard rail lateral restraint for restricting movement of the railway guard rail by the predetermined maximum amount of lateral movement.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the providing the at least one fastener includes providing a plurality of the fasteners to couple the retaining block to the plate such that the retaining block and the plate are removably coupled to the railway guard rail with the retaining block directly contacting the first side of the railway guard rail and the plate directly contacting the second side of the railway guard rail, without physically modifying the railway guard rail, to provide the guard rai

Assignees

• Progress Rail Services Corp

Inventors

• Weaver Brian F
• Merrifield Phillip R

Classifications

• E01B9/60

  Rail fastenings making use of clamps or braces supporting the side of the rail · CPC title

• E01B5/18 Primary

  Guard rails; Connecting, fastening or adjusting means therefor · CPC title