Rail Unloading Clamp with Inclined Mortise Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fish plate clamps used for unloading railway rails suffer from loosening due to wear of knurled surfaces and complications caused by rail heads during the unloading process, leading to instability and reduced load capacity.
Innovation Solution
A fish plate clamp design featuring a support element with internal mortises and movable grasping elements that increase grip pressure as the rail is pulled, utilizing an inclined surface for deeper engagement and magnetic fastening to maintain contact with the rail web, while accommodating rail head recesses for secure alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If knurled surfaces are used to grip the rail web, then initial grip is provided, but wear causes play and loosening during unloading operation
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp element is made movable relative to the support element along the inclined surface of the internal mortise. As the rail is pulled and experiences wear, the clamp element automatically shifts position dynamically, maintaining continuous contact and grip pressure on the rail web without loosening, thereby resolving the contradiction between initial grip reliability and long-term service life.
2Device complexity
If fixed clamp elements are used, then simple structure is achieved, but wear cannot be absorbed and grip is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp element is designed to move along the inclined surface within the internal mortise, transforming from a fixed to a dynamic component. This simple dynamic mechanism allows the clamp to automatically compensate for wear by shifting position, maintaining reliable grip without complex adjustment systems or multiple components.
3Force
If the clamp grips the rail web, then unloading force is applied, but rail heads complicate the unloading operation
Solution Approach 1:
The clamp design segments the gripping function from the support structure. The clamp elements concentrate the gripping force specifically on the rail web through the internal mortises, while the support elements provide structural backing. This segmentation allows effective unloading force application on the web without interference from the rail heads, simplifying the unloading operation.
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 a stronger grip and increased load capacity, minimizing rail escape during unloading and allowing for wear absorption through longitudinal movement, enhancing the stability and efficiency of the unloading process.
Implementation Method 1
the internal mortise comprises an inclined surface in the longitudinal direction of the rail so that the depth of the internal mortise decreases towards the free end of the clamp... when the clamp element shifts in respect to the inclined surface of the mortise in the drag direction of the rail, the clamp element moves together with the rail, and in respect to the inclined surface, latching itself more to the rail
Implementation Method 2
The grasping element has a knurled surface destined to be in contact with the rail web
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention refers to a fish plate clamp (10) for unloading rails (1), that comprises a support element (11, 12) that comprises a first piece (11) and a second piece (12) each one located on a face of the rail (1), characterized in that: - each piece of the support element (11, 12) comprises an internal mortise (13) in the area of the web (3) of the rail (1), - a gripping element (14) of the rail (1) located in an internal mortise (13) of the support element (11, 12), where the internal mortises (13) comprise an inclined surface (15) in a manner that when the gripping element (14) moves along the length of the inclined surface (15) of the internal mortise (13) in the direction of the pull of the rail (1) the gripping element (14) latches onto the web (3) of the rail (1).