Railroad Guide Rail Support Assembly with Aperture-Free Brace
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing railroad guide rail systems face challenges such as non-adjustability, difficult installation, and high maintenance due to loose threaded fasteners, as well as time-consuming and imprecise installation methods, particularly when dealing with worn guide rail faces and the need for drilling into running rails.
Innovation Solution
A guide rail support assembly featuring a brace with no apertures, a hook device with hooks extending around the brace to secure the guide rail, and adjustable shims with a spring clip for securement, allowing for easy adjustment and reduced maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If threaded fasteners are used to secure guide rail assemblies to tie plates, then the guide rail can be mounted, but maintenance becomes difficult due to fasteners loosening over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes threaded fasteners from the system entirely, replacing them with a friction-based retention mechanism using spring clips and notched bars that engage with the tie plate slots, eliminating the loosening problem inherent to threaded connections
Solution Approach 2:
The spring clips automatically maintain constant frictional pressure against the notched bar, creating a self-adjusting retention system that compensates for wear and thermal expansion without requiring manual tightening or adjustment
2Device complexity
If guide rails are made non-adjustable, then installation is simpler, but the guide rail face must be replaced when worn
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail assembly is divided into replaceable components including the guide rail itself, spring clips, and notched bars, allowing the worn guide rail face to be replaced independently while maintaining the same simple installation mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly incorporates adjustable positioning slots and shims that allow the guide rail to be repositioned along its length to compensate for wear, transforming a static non-adjustable system into a dynamic adjustable one while preserving installation simplicity
3Strength
If guide rails are fastened to traffic rails by drilling, then secure attachment is achieved, but installation becomes time-consuming and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The notched bars are pre-formed with engagement notches during manufacturing, eliminating the need for field drilling and allowing rapid installation by simply positioning and securing the pre-prepared components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the drilling and bolting mechanical system with a friction-based retention system using spring clips that apply constant pressure to hold the notched bars in place, achieving secure attachment without material removal
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved stability and ease of installation, increased frictional resistance, and extended guide rail life by allowing for adjustments to compensate for wear without the need for frequent replacements, while reducing maintenance and installation complexities.
Implementation Method 1
The spring clip is mounted adjacent the base and the adjustment shims for securing the hook device to the brace
Data Source
AI summary
A guide rail support assembly includes a brace and a guide rail positioned on the brace. A hook device having a base and two hooks extending from the base and around the brace and secures the guide rail to the brace. The brace has no apertures such that the hooks extend completely around the brace without penetrating any portion of the brace. Adjustment shims are positioned adjacent the brace and a spring clip is mounted adjacent the base and the adjustment shims for securing the hook device to the brace.