Abstract: A photovoltaic panel mounting system utilizes rubber tires to anchor and position photovoltaic panels to face the sun and resist wind forces. The shaded interior cavity of the rubber tires physically and thermally protects electronics and batteries. The tires may be filled with soil, concrete, water, or aggregate to provide further ballasting, enabling a photovoltaic mount system to withstand high velocity winds. Telescoping conduits may house wiring for the system and allow for resizing and reshaping of the mounting system. The mounting system decreases used tire waste and provides low cost components and portability.

Abstract: A support system for a linear induction motor (LIM) rail portion that comprises a plurality of support structures that are attachable at a variety of positions along a length of the LIM rail portion. Each support structure comprises a raised portion that defines a platform for receiving a selection of back-iron component thicknesses or types of the LIM rail portion, and first and second fastening flanges that extend outwardly from respective upper sides of the raised portion. The first and second fastening flanges are attachable to a top cap extrusion of the LIM rail portion. Each support structure further comprises first and second supporting flanges each extending outwardly from respective bottom sides of the raised portion for contacting a surface of the guideway to which the LIM rail portion is to be secured and adjusted for height.

Abstract: A rail support block assembly includes a resilient member and a moulded block having a top, a bottom and peripheral wall. The block is adapted for fastening one or more rails on the top. The prefabricated resilient member has an outer tray and inner tray arranged within the outer tray, and includes a resilient intermediate structure between the trays. The block is moulded. The block is fixed in the inner tray to extend under the bottom of the block and along a lower region of the peripheral wall. The resilient member may form a part of the block mould, so that a mould member combined with the resilient member delimit the mould for the block. The mouldable material is introduced and adheres directly to the inner tray of the prefabricated resilient member.

Abstract: A tube mat made of elastomer material in the form of an extrudate includes first and second front faces which are arranged in a vertical or angled manner in relation to the extrusion direction. A plurality of tubes extend in parallel in the extrusion direction between the two front faces. At least a portion of each tube is closed at adjustable distances whereby a closed air column respectively is formed and whereby the tube seal together with the tube mat forms a one-piece elastomer composite. A method for producing the tube mat is also provided in which after the extrusion, the tubes are closed at certain points by means of pressure and a pad roller, whereby beads and closing webs are produced. The pad roller is provided with pins that are distributed over the circumference of the roller. Vulcanization is carried out subsequently.

Abstract: An insulating rail boot encasing a rail embedded in concrete, asphalt or paver construction, including, shared right-of-way, dedicated right-of-way and at-grade crossing. The rail and the rail boot are secured in place by retaining clips. The rail boot has two exposed top surfaces and a plurality of longitudinal cavities within the body of the boot. The top surfaces of the rail boot are sloped away from the rail and are coextruded with a multi-durometer material that is more rigid and tougher that the elastomer of which the boot is primarily constructed. An outside edge of each top rail boot surface is positioned flush with a surface of the road material. This cooperation between the top surfaces of the rail boot and the road surface facilitates flow of water and debris away from the rail.

Abstract: A machine for fastening rail plates to cross-ties, utilizing spikes or the like, and method therefore, is disclosed in the present invention. The present invention further is configured to facilitate the installation of threaded spikes or screws, as are utilized in high-speed, concrete and other cross-ties. A numerically controlled drilling station is therefore provided for selectively positioning a drill about the length of the cross-tie for drilling bores into the tie, along with a separate screwed pre-plating station which may include a template for positioning the tie, a plate dispenser (or manual plate loading means), and a positionable driving mechanisms for engaging and screwing threaded spikes or screws into the bores formed by the drilling station to securely pre-plate each plate on a tie, which may be wood or concrete, traditional or high-speed.

Abstract: A two-block concrete railroad tie for a fixed rail carriageway with an at least partially continuous reinforcement, which is exposed between the blocks and, after alignment, engages the sealing compound over a supporting layer, becoming anchored in it, the blocks being provided with a mounting surface, which is shortened in the longitudinal direction and from which slanting side surfaces extend upward at least at the front side.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a boot for a railway block or tie. The boot is provided with fins that extend from an internal wall of the boot. The fins serve to space the internal wall from the railway block or tie during pouring and curing of concrete or grout around the boot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rail system (1) comprising a line of rails with fixations, cross ties (wood, concrete, etc.), an infrastructure (2) on which the cross ties are laid, as well as an elastomeric cross tie shoe, whose sidewall (7), which tapers upward, entirely or partially surrounds the cross tie, the inner sidewall being in the form of a flexible lip (9) sealingly laid against said cross tie (2); besides, between the bottom of the cross tie shoe (13) and the cross tie underside (2) is inserted an elastic intermediate layer (5). The rail system according to the invention (1) is characterized in that the sidewall (7) of the cross tie shoe (4) presents on its inner face (8) a pattern of ribs and grooves and that the elastic intermediate layer (5) is provided with extruded-like channels (6, 6′, 6″) located virtually in the same plane as that in which two geometries of alternating channels appear.

Abstract: A support device has a boot 2 made of elastic material, having a bottom 3 and a peripheral sidewall 4 attached to the bottom and extending upwardly therefrom. The boot is configured to envelop a crosstie 1 from the base thereof up to a predetermined height on the side faces of the crosstie. The boot includes a first region 13 and a second region 14 for contact with the crosstie, the first region being formed at the free margin of the sidewall, and the second region being formed by a peripheral bead 11 located around the crosstie and exhibiting a predetermined dynamic stiffness. The inner surface 16 of the sidewall is slanted towards the inside of the boot with respect to the side faces of the crosstie starting from a zone located at the height of the bead so as to form a space 17 between the slanted inner surface and the side faces of the crosstie.

Abstract: A railroad rail support system is provided which utilizes tire carcasses filled with annular concrete cores. Railroad rails are attached to the concrete tire carcasses by means of load distribution plates anchored to the concrete cores and hold-down clips which are attached to the load distribution plates and retain the rail flanges against lateral and excessive vertical displacement with respect to the load distribution plates. Gage bars may extend between opposed pairs of ties and be anchored in the concrete cores to retain proper gage spacing of the rails.

Abstract: Rail support device for unballasted railway track comprising at least one concrete block resting on a flexible base, the assembly being held in an elastomeric shell which is anchored in a bed or mortar covering the lower part of said block, and which has a beading around its top edge. The horizontal cross section of said block is variable and has a maximum area at the level immediately below the beading on the upper edge of the shell so as to limit the relative movement of the block and the shell by means of an elastic force.

Abstract: The construction of steel-concrete railroad ties onto which rails are fixed is disclosed. The ties are composed of a metal saddle for fastening to the rail, comprising a tie-plate extending over a part of the upper surface of the tie and forming the zone for attachment and support of the rail. The tie-plate further extends into the tie through ribs sealed in the concrete of the tie and constitutes at least part of its reinforcement.

Abstract: A rail-mounting assembly in which a rigid member supporting the rail is received with clearance in an opening of an overlying rigid body. The clearance has downwardly and inwardly inclined flanks which bear upon a rubber-metal support damping sound, shock and vibration.

Abstract: A track supporting railway tie collar includes an upper receptacle for slidably and loosely receiving an end portion of a cross tie and a lower enlarged portion supported in the ballast beneath the track structure. The collar serves to transfer the weight of the train directly to the ground, rather than through the tie, thereby greatly prolonging the life of the tie and minimizing track maintenance.