초록 ▼

An apparatus for use as a pad and for placement intermediate a rail and a railroad tie includes a plurality of cylindrical recesses that extend into the pad. An elastomeric material is used to form the pad. The cylindrical recesses may include a tiered structure, a portion of which is aligned with a

An apparatus for use as a pad and for placement intermediate a rail and a railroad tie includes a plurality of cylindrical recesses that extend into the pad. An elastomeric material is used to form the pad. The cylindrical recesses may include a tiered structure, a portion of which is aligned with at least one corresponding cylindrical recess that is disposed on an opposite side of the pad. The cylindrical recesses convert vertical loading into shear forces that are distributed within the pad. Deformation of the pad due to shear and Poisson's ratio occurs substantially within the pad itself thereby lessening the horizontal movement, or scrubbing action, of the pad upon the railroad tie and increasing the life expectancy of the pad and also providing a method for strain attenuation by the use of shear.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of limiting the lateral displacement of an exposed surface of an elastomeric rail pad during loading of said rail pad, said rail pad including an active area having a first substantially planar surface and a second substantially planar surface that is disposed distally and in parallel pl

1. A method of limiting the lateral displacement of an exposed surface of an elastomeric rail pad during loading of said rail pad, said rail pad including an active area having a first substantially planar surface and a second substantially planar surface that is disposed distally and in parallel planar alignment with respect to said first substantially planar surface, comprising the steps of:(a) providing said rail pad having a cylindrical recess disposed in said active area on said first substantially planar surface, said cylindrical recess including a first end disposed at said first substantially planar surface and extending into said pad a predetermined amount and including at least one other cylindrical recess that is disposed in said active area on said second substantially planar surface and wherein a portion of an inside diameter of said cylindrical recess aligns longitudinally with a portion of an inside diameter of said at least one other cylindrical recess and wherein said cylindrical recess and said at least one other cylindrical recess each includes a center longitudinal axis and wherein said center longitudinal axis of said cylindrical recess is offset with respect to said center longitudinal axis of said at least one other cylindrical recess; (b) placing said active area intermediate a rail and a tie; and (c) applying a compressive load to said rail pad, whereby a portion of a lateral deformation resulting from said compressive load is distributed in the space provided by said cylindrical opening in said rail pad.