Abstract: Disclosed is a rail supporting assembly for supporting a contact rail of a railway system that includes a base, a rail support head positioned relative to the base, and a support member comprising a dielectric phenolic material coupled to and positioned between the rail support head and the base to thereby support and insulate the contact rail. The support member includes a fracture area to facilitate fracturing of a sidewall of the support member when a fracturing force, such as a electrical arc event, is applied to the support member. The support member preferably is coated with a varnish to prevent absorption of water by the support member.

Abstract: A strand (20) for a cable bolt (14) comprises a plurality of metallic elongated members (22, 24) twisted together. At least one of the elongated members has a corrosion resistant coating (54) and surface deformation, so as to improve the bodig efficiency and the anchorage of the strand.

Abstract: A sleeve for terminating synthetic rope and coated wire rope has a body and a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel formed within the body. Each of the first, second, and third channels form a trilobular opening within the sleeve for receiving and crimping wire rope. The wire rope can have an eye splice formed at one end. A method of crimping the trilobular sleeve includes feeding the rope through the first channel of the trilobular sleeve, looping the rope through the second channel of the sleeve and then through the third channel of the trilobular sleeve, inserting the sleeve between upper and lower crimp dies, and pressing the sleeve between the dies, thereby crimping the sleeve to the rope.

Abstract: Metal sleeves are used as carriers for the abrasive layer of sawing beads. Such sawing beads are threaded on a steel cord and are separated by a polymer thus forming a sawing cord for sawing of hard and brittle materials such as stone or concrete. These metal sleeves have a large influence on the overall performance as well as on the cost of the sawing cord. The inventors propose the method of metal injection molding to make the metal sleeves in large quantities with an optimized geometry which is not possible with the current methods for making the metal sleeves. Over and above the inventive sleeves are particularly well suited for application of the abrasive layer by means of laser cladding. Beads made by laser cladding on the inventive metal sleeves as well as sawing cords comprising such beads are therefore part of the invention.

Abstract: A swaged-on fitting, for anchoring exterior wires to a cable, includes an outer ring and a split inner ring. The inner ring has an inside grooved pattern, which is substantially an angled cross-hatching of shallow grooves. The two grooved halves of the inner ring are placed under the bare ends of the wires and pressed on either side of the cable jacket such that the pattern contacts the jacket. The outer ring is slid over the wires, so it overlaps the inner halves. The fitting is swaged-on, locking in the wires between the rings and embossing the jacket with the cross-hatching pattern of the inner ring, without puncturing the jacket. The grooves on the inner ring thus grip the cable jacket, preventing rotational and translational movement of the wires on the jacket while maintaining the structural integrity of the jacket.

Abstract: A connector for connecting two conductor rail sections, the connector having an electrical conductor that is fastened at each end to the conductor rails. A central region of the conductor is fastened to a connection element. The connection element is slidingly connected to both of the two conductor rails. The electrical conductor has two flexible, undulating portions. These are located between the central region of the electrical conductor and each of its two, attached ends, and serve to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the two conductor rails with changes in temperature.

Abstract: A conductor rail fishplate for the electrical and mechanical connection of successive conductor rails has two symmetrical plates, which encompass the exterior of the conductor rail. The two plates are tensioned against one another using screws. Contact strips are arranged in the contact zone between the conductor rail and the respective plates, the strips coming into contact with the respective surfaces by means of a large number of spring-loaded contacts.