Anti-wiggle clip shoulder for rail fastener
A direct fixation track rail fastener includes a first clip shoulder and a second clip shoulder each having a clip tunnel formed therein. Each clip tunnel is formed in part by a plurality of clip contact faces defining a first prong contact line and a second prong contact line for a prong of a rail clip. The configuration of multiple line contacts prevents undesired displacement of a rail clip during service.
1 . A direct fixation track rail fastener comprising:
a fastener body including a first clip shoulder, a second clip shoulder, and a rail plate having an upward facing rail contact surface positioned laterally between the first clip shoulder and the second clip shoulder and extending in a fore-aft direction between a fastener body forward edge and a fastener body back edge; and
the first clip shoulder and the second clip shoulder including a first clip tunnel and a second clip tunnel, respectively, each formed in part by a plurality of clip contact faces, finite in number, oriented to react an upward clamp load from a rail clip prong, defining a first prong contact line and a second prong contact line each extending in the fore-aft direction, and the plurality of clip contact faces are planar, or convex to the respective clip tunnel.
2 . The fastener of claim 1 wherein each of the first clip shoulder and the second clip shoulder forms an arch, and each plurality of clip contact faces is within the respective arch.
3 . The fastener of claim 2 wherein the first prong contact line and the second prong contact line define a cylinder extending in a fore-aft direction through the clip tunnel, and are located approximately 90° or less apart on the cylinder.
4 . The fastener of claim 3 wherein the plurality of clip contact faces are planar to the respective clip tunnel.
5 . The fastener of claim 1 wherein each plurality of clip contact faces includes an inboard clip contact face and an outboard clip contact face symmetric about a vertical plane through the clip shoulder.
6 . The fastener of claim 1 wherein the first clip shoulder and the second clip shoulder are formed integrally with the rail plate.
7 . The fastener of claim 6 wherein the rail plate further includes a first heel support surface located laterally outward of the first clip shoulder, and a second heel support surface located laterally outward of the second clip shoulder.
8 . The fastener of claim 7 further comprising a first rail clip and a second rail clip each having a prong supported in one of the first clip shoulder or the second clip shoulder, a heel in contact with one of the first heel support surface or the second heel support surface, and a toe positioned to clamp a track rail upon the upward facing rail support surface.
9 . The fastener of claim 1 wherein each plurality of clip contact faces includes a total of two clip contact faces.
10 . The fastener of claim 1 , wherein in each of the first clip tunnel and the second clip tunnel, the first prong contact line and the second prong contact line together define an upwardly opening angle having a vertex at an axis of the cylinder, and the upwardly opening angle is symmetric about a vertical plane defined through the clip shoulder.
11 . A track rail fastener comprising:
a fastener body including a lower, substrate-facing side, and an upper side, and including a heel support surface upon the upper side extending in a fore-aft direction between a fastener body forward edge and a fastener body back edge, and in a lateral direction between a clip shoulder and a fastener body lateral edge;
the clip shoulder including a clip tunnel extending in the fore-aft direction, and formed in part by a plurality of clip contact faces;
the plurality of clip contact faces defining a first prong contact line and a second prong contact line on a cylinder extending in the fore-aft direction through the clip tunnel; and
the first prong contact line and the second prong contact line together defining an upwardly opening angle having a vertex at an axis of the cylinder, and the upwardly opening angle is symmetric about a vertical plane defined through the clip shoulder.
12 . The fastener of claim 11 wherein the plurality of clip contact faces includes a total of two clip contact faces.
13 . The fastener of claim 11 wherein the plurality of clip contact faces are planar, or convex to the clip tunnel.
14 . The fastener of claim 11 wherein the upwardly opening angle is approximately 90° or less.
15 . The fastener of claim 11 wherein the shoulder includes an arch, and the plurality of clip contact faces are within the arch.
16 . The fastener of claim 11 wherein the fastener body further includes substrate anchors extending downwardly from the lower, substrate facing side.
17 . A direct fixation track rail fastener comprising:
a rail plate including a lower, substrate facing side, an upper side, a clip shoulder having a clip tunnel formed therein to receive a prong of a rail clip, and a heel support surface adjacent to the clip shoulder;
the clip tunnel includes a floor, a plurality of clip contact faces, finite in number, located vertically above the floor and defining a first prong contact line and a second prong contact line extending through the clip tunnel, and a first side surface and a second side surface both extending from the floor to a respective one of the plurality of clip contact faces;
wherein the first prong contact line and the second prong contact line define a cylinder extending in a fore-aft direction through the clip tunnel and are located less than 180° apart on the cylinder; and
the plurality of clip contact faces are planar or convex to the clip tunnel.
18 . The fastener of claim 17 wherein the plurality of clip contact faces include a first clip contact face and a second clip contact face symmetric about a vertical plane extending in the fore-aft direction through the clip tunnel.
19 . The fastener of claim 17 wherein the clip shoulder includes an arch, and the plurality of clip contact faces are within the arch.
20 . The fastener of claim 17 , wherein the first prong contact line and the second prong contact line together define an upwardly opening angle having a vertex at an axis of the cylinder, and the upwardly opening angle is symmetric about a vertical plane defined through the clip shoulder.