Rail clip insulator

Abstract

A two-part rail clip insulator () for a tie and rail seat assembly that enables the seat to be pre-assembled at the rail tie fabrication plant into a preloaded position where a rail () may be laid on the tie () on site, the clips () being movable to the loaded position after the rail is placed in position. The rail seat includes a concrete rail tie (), a pair of rail clip support shoulders () cast in place in the tie (), each shoulder () having a rail face between its external sides, a pair of shoulder insulators () each shaped to lie against the rail face of the rail shoulder, a pair of rail clips () each having a base section () adapted to seat within the support shoulder () and a toe section adapted to seat on the rail base; the arrangement being such that when the rail clip is in the preloaded position, the toe insulator () and the toe () of the clips do not project beyond the face of the shoulder insulator (), so that a rail () can be laid between the rail shoulders and their associated insulators (). The toe insulator () is shaped to facilitate loading of the rail clip () and resist movement of the clip or the rail during use.