Sleeper block unit comprising a sleeper block and a sleeper shoe

Abstract

Sleeper block unit having a sleeper block (1) and a sleeper shoe partially surrounding the latter. The sleeper block comprises a first straight side (a) and a second straight side (c), the second straight side (c) being arranged parallel to and opposite the first side (a) and which is shorter than the first side (a). A third side (b) and a fourth side (d) are each aligned symmetrically at an angle (α, β, y, δ) to the first and second side. The distance between the first side (a) and the second side (c) defines the length (L) of the sleeper block 1. The lenght is at least 1.3 times and at most 1.8 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block. The angle (a) between the first side (a) and the fourth side (d) and the angle (β) between the first side (a) and the third side (b) is at least 85 degrees and at most 89 degrees. The transition between the first side (a) and the fourth side (d) and the transition between the first side (a) and the third side (b) are rounded with a first radius (R1) and the transition between the second side (c) and the third side (b) and the transition between the second side (c) and the fourth side (d) are rounded with a second radius (R2).

Description

[0001] Sleeper block unit comprising a sleeper block and a sleeper shoe

[0002] The invention relates to a sleeper block unit comprising a sleeper block and a sleeper shoe according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] Such sleeper block units are components of fixed carriageways which are increasingly preferred to ballast carriageways because the performance of the carriageway with regard to the achievable speeds is thereby increased and the maintenance costs are reduced. During the construction of the fixed carriageway, the sleeper shoe partially surrounding the sleeper block is cast into concrete up to close to its upper edge. Fastening means for a rail are arranged at the top of the sleeper block.

[0004] Most of the known sleeper block units have a rectangular shape with slightly rounded corners. The main component of the forces acting on the sleeper block unit during operation is the vertical force transmitted from the running surfaces of the wheels of the railway vehicles via the rail. In addition, there is a lateral force generated by the wheel flanges of the wheels, which occurs in particular in curves. The horizontal component of this lateral force is transmitted in particular by the substantially vertical surface of the sleeper block facing away from the carriageway axis via the sleeper shoe to the surrounding concrete layer. In addition, a tilting moment is generated in the sleeper block unit by the said lateral force, the vector of which tilting moment runs parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail. As a result, the sleeper block unit is subjected to greater vertical loading in its region facing away from the carriageway axis than in the region facing the carriageway axis. The tilting moment is greater the higher the sleeper block unit is configured. A further disadvantage of conventional sleeper block units is that stress cracks can arise in the surrounding concrete as a result of the notching effect, in particular as a result of the said lateral forces in the region of the corners facing away from the carriageway axis.

[0005] Document CN106522036A shows a sleeper block (FIG. 4) which deviates from the rectangular shape and has a width which decreases outwards from the carriageway axis. In the case of lateral forces, this shape acts like a wedge which generates undesired stresses in the surrounding concrete.

[0006] 28943-WO1 - HEZ / jes Keller Schneider

[0007] 5. August 2025 Patent- und Markenanwalte Patent application EA201800245A1 describes a metal sleeper block with an elliptical shape, which, however, is not intended for casting with concrete.

[0008] Document EP2235261A2 describes a sleeper shoe with elevations projecting upwards from the base thereof, as a result of which an elastic insert can be dispensed with. In order that the damping characteristic is maintained as unchanged as possible even under moist environmental conditions, the intermediate spaces between the elevations are filled with a filler composed of a second, substantially softer elastic material.

[0009] Another approach for not influencing the damping properties by penetrating liquid and / or particles is shown by applicant's patent EP3245335B1 , according to which a seal is arranged between the sleeper shoe and the sleeper block in the upper region of the latter.

[0010] Starting from this prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a sleeper block unit by means of which the abovementioned disadvantages of the prior art are reduced or even eliminated.

[0011] This object is achieved by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

[0012] Compared with sleeper block units known from the prior art, the invention results in a more favorable distribution of the forces and tilting moments transmitted during operation by rail vehicles via the rails to the sleeper block and thus in particular to the base of the sleeper shoe, but also to the concrete surrounding the sleeper shoe.

[0013] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings:

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of the sleeper block according to the invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the sleeper block from FIG. 1 ;

[0016] FIG. 3 shows the sleeper block in a perspective view;

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a sleeper shoe;

[0018] 28943-WO1 - HEZ / jes Keller Schneider

[0019] 5. August 2025 Patent - und Markenanwalte FIGS. 5 and 6 each show a schematic plan view of a section of a fixed carriageway.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a sleeper block 1 with four straight sides a, b, c and d. The continuation of the four sides forms an isosceles trapezoid, the four corners are rounded. The sides a and c are parallel and the distance between them defines the length L of the sleeper block. In the region of the side a, the sleeper block has the greater width B1 , which decreases continuously in the direction towards the side c to reach the smaller width B2. The radius at the transition between the side a and the side b and the radius at the transition between the side a and the side d are each designated by R1. The radius at the transition between the side b and the side c and the radius at the transition between the side c and the side d are each designated by R2. The angle between the side a and the side d is designated by a and is equal to the angle p between the sides a and b. The angle between the side b and the side c is designated by y and is equal to the angle 8 between the sides c and d.

[0021] The dimensions and angle of two exemplary embodiments are as follows.

[0022] Example 1 Example 2

[0023] L [mm] 586 450

[0024] B1 [mm] 333 331

[0025] B2 [mm] 303 305

[0026] R1 [mm] 91 96

[0027] R2 [mm] 56 57 a and p [°] 88 87 y and 8 [°] 92 93

[0028] The height H (see FIG. 2) is equal to 200 mm in both examples. Tests have shown that both the distribution of the compressive forces acting on the sleeper block 1 by rail vehicles via the rails and thus in particular on the base 6 of the sleeper shoe 4 can be kept optimal and the tilting moment caused by lateral and braking forces acting on the sleeper block can be kept low by the specified proportions. Since the height H is lower in relation to the width B than in the case of many known sleeper blocks, a large amount of concrete can be saved when casting the sleeper block unit.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the sleeper block from FIG. 1 with the length

[0030] L. In addition, fastening means 3 for rails (not shown in the drawing) are shown in this

[0031] 28943-WO1 - HEZ / jes Keller Schneider

[0032] 5. August 2025 Patent- und Markenanwalte figure. These are not the subject of the present invention. The entire height of the sleeper block 1 is designated by H. A seal 2 for a sleeper shoe 4 (FIG. 4) designed according to EP3245335B1 runs around the circumference of the sleeper block 1 and is partially cast into the latter. This seal 2 prevents the entry of liquid or particles between the sleeper shoe 4 and the sleeper block 1. As a result, a filler, as described in document EP2235261 A2 mentioned at the outset, can be dispensed with.

[0033] The sleeper block 1 is shown in perspective in FIG. 3.

[0034] The sleeper shoe 4 mentioned in conjunction with FIG. 2 is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 4. It contains four side walls 5 provided on the inside with ribs 7 running horizontally in the installed position and a base 6. A circumferential edge bead 9 for engagement with the seal 2 mentioned in conjunction with FIG. 2 is provided on the upper edge of the side walls 5. Elevations 8 are arranged in a distributed manner on the base 6. In contrast to the form of a truncated cone as shown, the elevations 8 can also be in the form of truncated pyramids, for example.

[0035] FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically show sections of fixed carriageways 10 and 13 with sleeper blocks 1 and rails 12. In this case, the arrangement of the sleeper block units is such that the greater width in each case points towards the outside of the carriageway, as a result of which the surrounding concrete is not additionally loaded by resultant wedge forces in the case of occurring lateral forces. The fixed carriageway of FIG. 5 comprises a single concrete layer 10, while the carriageway 13 according to FIG. 6 comprises two concrete strips 14.

[0036] 28943-WO1 - HEZ / jes Keller Schneider

[0037] 5. August 2025 Patent - und Markenanwalte List of reference signs

[0038] 1 Sleeper block

[0039] L length

[0040] B1 greater width

[0041] B2 smaller width

[0042] H height

[0043] R1 greater radius

[0044] R2 smaller radius a angle p angle y angle

[0045] S angle a side b side c side d side

[0046] 2 seal

[0047] 3 fastening means

[0048] 4 sleeper shoe

[0049] 5 side walls

[0050] 6 base

[0051] 7 ribs

[0052] 8 elevations

[0053] 9 edge bead

[0054] 10 fixed carriageway

[0055] 11 concrete layer

[0056] 12 rails

[0057] 13 carriageway with strips

[0058] 14 concrete strips

[0059] 28943-WO1 - HEZ / jes Keller Schneider

[0060] 5. August 2025 Patent- und Markenanwalte

Claims

- 6 -Claims1. Sleeper block unit comprising a sleeper block (1) and a sleeper shoe (4) partially surrounding the sleeper block (1), wherein the sleeper block (1), as seen in plan view, has a first straight side (a), a second straight side (c) which is parallel to and opposite the first side (a) and which is shorter than the first side (a), and a third side (b) and a fourth side (d) which are each aligned symmetrically at an angle (a, p, y, 5) to the first and second sides, characterized in that the length (L) of the sleeper block defined by the distance between the first and second sides is at least 1.3 times and at most 1.8 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block, in that the angle (a) between the first side (a) and fourth side (d) and the angle ( ) between the first side (a) and third side (b) is at least 85 degrees and at most 89 degrees, in that the transition between the first side (a) and fourth side (d) and the transition between the first side (a) and third side (b) are rounded with a first radius (R1) which is at least 0.25 times and at most 0.3 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block, and in that the transition between the second side (c) and third side (b) and the transition between the second side (c) and fourth side (d) are rounded with a second radius (R2) which is at least 0.15 times and at most 0.2 times the maximum width (B) of the sleeper block.

2. Sleeper block unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the length (L) of the sleeper block is at least 1.7 times and at most 1.75 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block and the first radius (R1) is at least 0.26 times and at most 0.30 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block.

3. Sleeper block unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the length (L) of the sleeper block is at least 1.3 times and at most 1.35 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block and the first radius (R1) is at least 0.30 times and at most 0.32 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block.

4. Sleeper block unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height (H) of the sleeper block is at least 0.55 times and at most 0.65 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block.28943-WO1 - HEZ / jes Keller Schneider5. August 2025 Patent- und Markenanwalte- 7 -5. Sleeper block unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second radius (R2) is at least 0.12 times and at most 0.17 times the maximum width (B1) of the sleeper block.

6. Sleeper block unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a circumferential seal (2) is integrated in the sleeper block (1), the circumferential seal engaging over an upper edge bead (8) of the sleeper shoe (4).

7. Sleeper block unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that upwardly projecting elevations (7) are arranged on the base (6) of the sleeper shoe (4).28943-WO1 - HEZ / jes Keller Schneider5. August 2025 Patent- und Markenanwalte

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