Angle Guide Plate and Fastening System with Such an Angle Guide Plate

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the United States national phase of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP 2024/062232 filed May 3, 2024, and claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2023 111 614.2 filed May 4, 2023, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an angle guide plate for fastening rails for rail vehicles to a sleeper, comprising: a guide surface for lateral support on the rail foot of the rail, a support surface, which is arranged opposite the guide surface, for lateral support on the sleeper, two oppositely arranged end faces, a central axis, which runs perpendicularly to the guide surface, a hole for a screw, which extends from the upper side to the lower side of the angle guide plate, a groove for supporting the two support sections of a tension clamp, which is to be mounted on the angle guide plate, in a final assembly position, and two recess surfaces for supporting the central loop of a tension clamp, which is to be mounted on the angle guide plate, in a final assembly position, and two mounts for supporting the two spring arms of a tension clamp, which is to be mounted on the angle guide plate, in a pre-assembly position, wherein the central axis and the mount have a distance from one other in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the central axis and the end face have a half-length from one other in the longitudinal direction.

The invention also relates to a fastening system for fastening rails for rail vehicles to a sleeper, comprising: at least one angle guide plate, an elastic intermediate layer for contact on the sleeper under the rail, and at least one tension clamp.

Description of Related Art

The fastening of rails to railway sleepers has to satisfy numerous requirements. The rails in the fastened state must be permanently capable of absorbing all static and dynamic loads which are exerted on the rails by the rail vehicles standing on them or moving on them or by environmental influences (e.g. temperature fluctuations) while always maintaining the desired track width. Nevertheless, it is necessary to fasten rails quickly and economically, since hundreds or thousands of fastening points need to be provided even for relatively short distances. When fastening rails, it is also important to consider the rail profile and the material of the railway sleepers (e.g. concrete, wood) since this can lead to different types of fastening.

It has been found that the various—increasingly stringent—requirements for rail fastening can no longer be met adequately by a single fastening means, for which reason fastening systems comprising multiple components, such as tension clamps, angle guide plates and elastic intermediate layers and/or intermediate plates, have been employed for many years. Many of these fastening systems can be pre-assembled (e.g. already fixed to concrete sleepers) so that the rails merely need to be inserted into the fastening systems and fastened.

An important component of such fastening systems involves so-called angle guide plates (sometimes also known as “guide plates”). They are used to fix the rails in the correct position in the transverse direction via contact with the rail foot and thus keep the rail in the correct track width. Another function of the angle guide plates is to support the tension clamps, both in the pre-assembly state and (in a modified position) in the final assembly state, i.e. in the operational state with the rail fixed. The tension clamps must thus be held in a defined position by the angle guide plate both in a pre-assembly position and in a (different) final assembly position. The angle guide plates are inserted on both sides of each rail, so that four angle guide plates are normally used on each rail sleeper.

Angle guide plates are known, for example, from EP 0 401 424 A1 or DE 102 54 679 A1.Further developments are described, for example, in EP 2 672 007 A1, WO 2010/003817 A1 and WO 2012/010269 A1.

A common feature of these angle guide plates is that they are optimised for use with ω-shaped or W-shaped tension clamps, i.e. for use with tension clamps whose spring arms (the two ends) are directed inwards (i.e. towards one another). These “ω-clamps” have become internationally accepted and are used in their millions.

A new generation of tension clamps has been developed, namely tension clamps whose spring arms are directed outwards (away from one another). Such tension clamps are also referred to as “M-clamps” because of their shape and are described, for example, in WO 2018/091351 A1. The new tension clamps have exhibited highly advantageous properties in tests (increased natural frequency, increased spring travel). Unfortunately, it has been found that the modified direction of the spring arms makes it difficult to pre-assemble the new spring clips, necessitating substantial modifications of the other components of the fastening system, in particular the angle guide plates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Against this background, the object of the invention is to configure and develop the angle guide plate mentioned in the introduction and described in more detail above, as well as the fastening system mentioned in the introduction and described in more detail above, in such a way that they can also be used with tension clamps whose spring arms are directed outwards (i.e. away from one another).

This object is achieved in the case of an angle guide plate as described herein in that the ratio of the distance from the mount to the central axis and the half-length is at least 0.5, in particular at least 0.6, at least 0.7 or at least 0.8.

The angle guide plate according to the invention is used to fasten rails for rail vehicles to a sleeper, for example a concrete sleeper. In the context of this invention, the term “sleeper” is also meant to include a so-called “ballastless track” (“slab track”), i.e. a track infrastructure in which the track bed consists not of ballast but of a solid supporting layer, e.g. a concrete layer. The angle guide plate firstly comprises a guide surface for lateral support on the rail foot of the rail. Via the guide surface, forces can be transmitted in the transverse direction between the angle guide plate and the rail foot in order to keep the rail in the correct track width. On the other side of the angle guide plate, i.e. opposite the guide surface, the angle guide plate has a support surface with which the angle guide plate can be supported laterally—i.e. in the transverse direction—on the sleeper. In this way, the transverse forces introduced into the angle guide plate via the guide surface can be supported by the support surface on the sleeper. The angle guide plate furthermore comprises two oppositely arranged end faces and a central axis, which runs perpendicularly to the guide surface and preferably divides the approximately symmetrical angle guide plate into two equal axisymmetric halves. In order to simplify the fastening to the sleeper, the angle guide plate also has a through hole for a screw, the hole extending from the upper side to the lower side of the angle guide plate. The angle guide plate also comprises a groove for supporting the two support sections of a tension clamp, which is to be mounted on the angle guide plate, in a final assembly position. The groove is used as a counter bearing for the support sections of the tension clamp. The angle guide plate furthermore comprises two recess surfaces for supporting the central loop of a tension clamp, which is to be mounted on the angle guide plate, in a final assembly position. The recess surfaces serve in particular as a stop for the tension clamp, in particular its central loop, when tightening the screw. The angle guide plate also has two mounts for supporting the two spring arms of a tension clamp, which is to be mounted on the angle guide plate, in a pre-assembly position. The central axis and the mount have a distance A_L from one another in the longitudinal direction, and the central axis and the end face have a half-length from one other in the longitudinal direction.

In order also to be able to use tension clamps whose spring arms are directed outwards (i.e. away from one another), the invention proposes that the ratio of the distance A_L from the mount to the central axis and the half-length is at least 0.5, in particular at least 0.6, at least 0.7 or at least 0.8. According to the invention, the two mounts of the spring arms are thus arranged very far away from the central axis of the angle guide plate in the longitudinal direction, so that the two mounts are arranged as far away from one another as possible in two opposite edge regions of the angle guide plate. A ratio of at least 0.5 means that the distance from the mount to the central axis is at least 50% of the half-length of the angle guide plate, so that the mount is arranged in an edge region of the angle guide plate that amounts to at most 50% of the half-length of the angle guide plate. A ratio of at least 0.6 correspondingly means that the distance from the mount to the central axis is at least 60% of the half-length of the angle guide plate, so that the mount is arranged in an edge region of the angle guide plate that amounts to at most 40% of the half-length of the angle guide plate. Finally, a ratio of at least 0.7 or at least 0.8 means that the distance from the mount to the central axis is at least 70% or at least 80% of the half-length of the angle guide plate, so that the mount is arranged in an edge region of the angle guide plate that amounts to at most 30% or at most 20% of the half-length of the angle guide plate. The edge regions in which the mounts are arranged are thus meant only to take up a smallest possible part of the length of the angle guide plate; in other words, the mounts are meant to be arranged as close as possible to the edge of the angle guide plate. This increased distance between the mounts also makes it possible to receive tension clamps with a large distance between the two spring arms, for example tension clamps whose spring arms are directed outwards (i.e. away from each other). Preferably, the mounts are configured so that the ends of the spring arms of the tension clamps can even protrude beyond the end faces of the angle guide plate, so that it is actually possible to use tension clamps that are longer than the angle guide plate. This has the advantage that the length of the angle guide plates can remain unchanged, so that there it is not necessary to adapt the width of the sleepers. A further advantage of the large distance between the two mounts is an increased support width, which already provides good tilting stability of the tension clamp in the pre-assembly position.

According to one embodiment of the angle guide plate, the mount has an approximately horizontally running contact surface and a ramp surface adjacent thereto, which rises starting from the contact surface in the direction of the guide surface. The effect of the rising ramp surface is that the lateral mobility of the tension clamp in the direction of the rail is limited in the pre-assembly position, so that the “rail channel” required for inserting the rail is kept free and there is no risk of collision with the tension clamps when inserting the rail.

For this embodiment, it is further proposed that the contact surface of the mount should have a contact height, which denotes the vertical distance between the lower side and the contact surface; that the angle guide plate should have a height in a region adjacent to the mount, which denotes the distance between the upper side and the lower side; and that the ratio of the height of the contact surface of the mount and the height of the upper side should be at least 1.5, in particular at least 1.55 or at least 1.6. The contact surface of the mount is thus meant to have a raised position in comparison to the normal height of the angle guide plate, specifically by at least 50% (ratio 1.5), in particular at least 55% (ratio 1.55) or at least 60% (ratio 1.6). The raised position facilitates the movement of the tension clamps, in particular of the spring arms of the tension clamps, from the mounts (pre-assembly position) onto the rail foot (final assembly position). Moving the tension clamps between these two positions is a challenge, particularly in the case of the aforementioned “M-clamps,” since the outwardly (away from one another) directed spring arms of these tension clamps are often also directed slightly downwards to create a larger contact surface on the inclined rail foot. Now, this alignment of the spring arms makes them difficult to push onto the rail foot because the ends of the spring arms may abut laterally against the rail foot during the movement. If, however, the contact surface of the mount has a sufficient height, the tension clamps can be pushed onto the upper side of the rail foot with their spring arms without collision. By adapting only the height of the mounts rather than the height of the entire angle guide plate, the angle guide plates can be made lighter and more economically.

According to a further embodiment of the angle guide plate, the guide surface and the mount have a spacing from one another in the transverse direction of at least 6 mm, in particular at least 7 mm. This distance is meant to ensure that the tension clamp does not protrude with any of its sections into the rail channel when resting on the mount (i.e. in the pre-assembly position). The rail channel is thus meant to be kept free to a sufficient width in the pre-assembly position, so that the rail can be inserted from above between the pre-assembled angle guide plates and tension clamps without collision.

According to a further embodiment of the angle guide plate, the ramp surface of the mount at its upper end has an edge with an edge height, which denotes the vertical distance between the lower side and the edge and is at least 21 mm, in particular at least 22 mm. The upper edge of the ramp surface of the mount represents the highest point over which the spring arms of the tension clamp must pass when moving from the pre-assembly position to the final assembly position. Arranging this edge too high has hitherto been avoided, since a very high edge makes it difficult to move the tension clamps. It has however been recognised that, in particular for tension clamps whose spring ends are directed not only outwards (away from one another) but also slightly downwards, raising the edge is advantageous since it is only in a sufficiently high position that the ends of the tension clamps can be pushed onto the rail foot without collision. It is necessary to raise the placement of the edge in particular when the contact surface of the mount already has an increased height, since otherwise (i.e. with an insufficient height of the ramp surface and its upper edge) there is a risk of the spring arms accidentally slipping into the rail channel.

According to a further embodiment of the angle guide plate, the angle guide plate is made of plastic, in particular of fibre-reinforced plastic. The use of plastic allows economical production with low weight. A further advantage of plastic is that electrical insulation and a high corrosion resistance can be achieved. In order to withstand the high static and dynamic loads, it is possible to use fibre-reinforced plastic, for example glass fibre-reinforced plastics.

The object stated in the introduction is achieved in the case of a fastening system in that the angle guide plate is configured as described herein. The angle guide plate is thus intended to be configured as described herein, the advantages already explained above being achieved, which in particular make it possible to use tension clamps with spring arms directed outwards (away from one another). The fastening system is used to fasten rails to a sleeper. The fastening system firstly comprises at least one angle guide plate, the configuration and function of which have already been described. The fastening system also comprises an elastic intermediate layer for contact on the sleeper under the rail. The intermediate layer is used, for example, to dampen vibrations (e.g. due to wheel unevenness) and to ensure electrical insulation. The intermediate layer also leads to an even distribution of loads. The intermediate layer may, for example, be made of an elastomer such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber). Lastly, the fastening system comprises at least one tension clamp. Tension clamps are used to secure the rails with their rail foot elastically on the sleeper. Tension clamps are made of steel, preferably spring steel.

According to one embodiment of the fastening system, the tension clamp has two outwardly directed spring arms, i.e. it is configured approximately in an M-shape. Such “M-clamps” exhibit improved properties compared to conventional “W-clamps” or “ω-clamps” (higher natural frequency, improved durability) but are more difficult to handle because of the spring arms being oriented outwards (away from one another) and slightly downwards. The adapted shape of the angle guide plates has also made it possible to integrate “M-clamps” into a fastening system in the usual manner.

According to a further embodiment of the fastening system, the tension clamp has a first natural frequency of at least 800 Hz, in particular at least 900 Hz, and more specifically at least 1000 Hz. The service life of tension clamps depends crucially on their vibration behaviour. Tension clamps generally have multiple natural frequencies, the lowest natural frequency also being referred to as the “first” natural frequency. During use, vibrations are excited in the tension clamps when a train travels over the rail that the tension clamps are holding down. The natural frequency of the tension clamps should be as far away as possible from excitation frequencies that result from periodic vibrations (e.g. due to wheel unevenness or undulating unevenness of the rail) in order to avoid possible resonances and associated increases of the oscillation amplitude in the region of the spring arms of the tension clamp. This risk may be reduced significantly by tension clamps with a particularly high natural frequency, which can significantly extend their service life. It has been found that a first natural frequency of at least 800 Hz, in particular at least 900 Hz, and especially at least 1000 Hz, lies above the range in which excitation typically occurs in practice, so that first natural frequencies in this range lead to the advantages described.

According to a further embodiment of the fastening system, the tension clamp has a greater length than the angle guide plate in the longitudinal direction of the rail, so that the two spring arms of the tension clamp extend beyond the ends of the angle guide plate in the final assembly position. Tension clamps with spring arms directed outwards (“M-clamps”) sometimes have a rather great length (distance between the ends of the two spring arms). This length cannot be reduced arbitrarily without sacrificing desirable properties (high natural frequency, good durability). For a given width of the sleepers, on the other hand, the length of the angle guide plates cannot be increased arbitrarily. It has therefore been recognised that it is possible to let the ends of the spring arms of the tension clamp protrude beyond the two end faces of the angle guide plate. In this way, it is possible to employ “long” tension clamps without having to adapt the size of the angle guide plates or even the width of the sleepers. This is in particular advantageous for the use of tension clamps with spring arms directed outwards, since the distance between the two ends of the spring arms often determines the total length of the tension clamp.

According to a further embodiment, the fastening system may lastly be supplemented with at least one screw, and preferably at least one dowel. Fastening the tension clamps with screws and dowels represents a particularly efficient, secure and permanently reliable connection. The screws can be tightened very quickly with impact screwdrivers, in which case a desired torque may be set. By matching the geometry of the screw and the geometry of the dowel to one another, it is possible to achieve a particularly secure connection which is permanently reliable. The use of dowels has in particular the advantage that no screw thread needs to be provided in the sleeper, which represents a simplification in particular for concrete sleepers since, for example, it is possible to employ a screw dowel that is concreted into the sleeper (conversely, direct screwing without dowels is possible for wooden or plastic sleepers; in these cases a dowel may thus be obviated). The dowels used are preferably made of plastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of a drawing, which represents only one preferred exemplary embodiment. In the drawing:

FIG. 1: shows an angle guide plate according to the invention in a perspective view,

FIG. 2: shows the angle guide plate of FIG. 1 in a plan view,

FIG. 3: shows the angle guide plate of FIG. 1 in a front view,

FIG. 4: shows a fastening system according to the invention with a rail in a front view, and

FIG. 5: shows the fastening system of FIG. 4 in a perspective view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1A shows an angle guide plate 1 according to the invention in a perspective view. The angle guide plate 1 has a hole 2 in a central region, which is used for the passage of a screw 15 (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5) with which the angle guide plate 1 can be screwed to a sleeper 18 (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The angle guide plate 1 has a heel 3 (see FIG. 3) on its lower side 11, which can be introduced into a correspondingly shaped groove 19 on the upper side of the sleeper 18 (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The outer side surface (facing away from the rail) of the angle guide plate 1 is formed as a support surface 4, by which the angle guide plate 1 can be supported laterally (i.e. transversely to the direction of the rails 17) on the sleeper 18, for example on shoulders at the upper side of the sleeper 18 (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The inner side surface (facing towards the rail) of the angle guide plate 1 is formed as a guide surface 5, which is used to support the rail foot 17A laterally (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The angle guide plate 1 also has two oppositely arranged end faces 6.

The angle guide plate 1 shown in FIG. 1 also has several regions on its upper side 10 that are used to hold a tension clamp 14 in a defined position (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5): the angle guide plate 1 has a groove 7 on its upper side 10 in its outer region (facing away from the rail), which is used to support the two outer support sections 21 of the tension clamp 14 in the final assembly position (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5), while the ends of the spring arms 20 are in contact with the rail foot 17A in the final assembly position (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The angle guide plate 1 also has two mounts 8 on its upper side 10 in its inner region (facing towards the rail) which are used to support the spring arms 20 in the pre-assembly position (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). Each of the two mounts 8 has an approximately horizontally running contact surface 8A and a curved ramp surface 8B adjacent thereto, which rises from the contact surface 8A in the direction of the guide surface 5. The upper side 10 of the angle guide plate 1 also has two recess surfaces 9, which are used as a stop surface for the central loop 22 of the tension clamp 14.

FIG. 2 shows the angle guide plate 1 of FIG. 1 in a plan view. Those regions of the angle guide plate 1 which have already been described in connection with FIG. 1 are provided with corresponding reference numerals in FIG. 2. The plan view shows a central axis M, which runs perpendicularly to the guide surface 5 and centrally through the angle guide plate 1. Starting from this central axis M, the angle guide plate 1 has a half-length of L/2 up to its end face 6 in the longitudinal direction (i.e. in the direction of the rail 17) which may lie in the range of between 50 mm and 60 mm. The plan view also shows a distance A_L in the longitudinal direction, which denotes the distance between the central axis M and the mount 8. The distance A_L may, for example, lie in the range of between 40 mm and 50 mm. The mount 8 is thus arranged either at the very start or at the very end of the angle guide plate 1 as seen in the longitudinal direction. A distance A_Q in the transverse direction, which denotes the distance between the guide surface 5 and the mount 8, is likewise shown in the plan view. The distance A_Q may, for example, be at least 6 mm, in particular at least 7 mm, in order to ensure that the tension clamp 14 maintains a sufficient distance from the rail channel in the pre-assembly position, so that the rail 17 can be inserted without problems.

FIG. 3 shows the angle guide plate of FIG. 1 in a front view. Those regions of the angle guide plate 1 which have already been described in connection with FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 are provided with corresponding reference numerals in FIG. 3. The front view shows particularly clearly that the angle guide plate 1 has an upper side 10 and a lower side 11, which run approximately parallel to one another and between which the angle guide plate 1 has a height H₀ (H₀ may, for example, be between 10 mm and 14 mm). It can also be seen that the contact surface 8A of the mount 8 has a contact height H₁, which denotes the vertical distance between the lower side 11 and the contact surface 8A. The contact height H₁ may, for example, be at least 18 mm, in particular at least 19 mm; the contact surface 8A is thus raised compared to the usual height H₀ of the upper side 10. It can furthermore be seen that the upper edge 12 of the ramp surface 8B of the mount 8 has an edge height H₂, which denotes the vertical distance between the lower side 11 and the edge 12, and may for example be at least 21 mm, in particular at least 22 mm. The upper edge 12 represents the highest point over which the spring arms 20 of the tension clamps 14 must cross when they are pushed from the pre-assembly position into the final assembly position on the rail foot 17A (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The edge 12 must have a minimum height so that the spring arms 20 of the tension clamps 14 do not abut laterally against the rail foot 17A during the movement, but can be pushed onto the upper side of the rail foot 17A. The guide surface 5 has a recess 5A in its lower region adjacent to the lower side 11, which is used to receive the edge region of an elastic intermediate layer 16 (not shown in FIG. 3) that is placed underneath the rail foot 17A (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5).

FIG. 4 shows a fastening system 13 according to the invention with a rail 17 in a front view. Those regions of the angle guide plate 1 which have already been described in connection with FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 are provided with corresponding reference numerals in FIG. 4. The fastening system 13 is shown in the left half of FIG. 4 in a pre-assembly position, while in the right half of FIG. 4 it is shown in a final assembly position. Besides two of the previously described angle guide plates 1, the fastening system 13 also comprises two tension clamps 14, two screws 15 with associated dowels (not represented in FIG. 4) and an elastic intermediate layer 16. The fastening system 13 is used to fasten a rail 17 to a sleeper 18. The rail 17 comprises a rail foot 17A, a rail web 17B and a rail head 17C.

The fastening system 13 can be pre-assembled, for which purpose the intermediate layer 16 and the two angle guide plates 1 are placed on the sleeper 18. In this case, the angle guide plates 1 are inserted with their heels 3, which are provided on the lower side 11, into correspondingly shaped grooves 19 on the upper side of the sleeper 18. In this way, the angle guide plates 1 can be supported particularly well laterally (i.e. transversely to the direction of the rails 17) with their support surfaces 4 on the sleeper 18 in order to keep the rail 17 precisely on track. The tension clamps 14 are also pre-assembled by arranging them on the angle guide plates 1 in the pre-assembly position. The tension clamp 14 is held in its pre-assembly position by the slightly tightened screw 15, for which purpose the screw 15 is guided through the central loop 22 of the tension clamp 14 as well as through the hole 2 of the angle guide plate 1 and screwed to the sleeper 18—preferably by using a dowel matched to the screw 15 in the case of concrete sleepers. In this pre-assembly position, as shown on the left in FIG. 4, the two spring arms 20 of the tension clamp 4 are held in the previously described mounts 8 of the angle guide plate 1, while the tension clamp 14 protrudes with its two support sections 21 laterally beyond the angle guide plate 1 and is supported on the sleeper 18. This pre-assembly position of the tension clamp 14 leads to the “rail channel” formed between two oppositely arranged tension clamps 14 remaining free, so that a rail 17 can be inserted from above without colliding with the pre-assembled tension clamps 14.

In contrast thereto, the fastening system 13 is shown in the right half of FIG. 4 in the final assembly position. The essential difference between the pre-assembly position (FIG. 4, left) and the final assembly position (FIG. 4, right) is that the tension clamp 14 has been moved from the outside inwards (i.e. in the direction of the rail 17) with the two support sections 21 of the tension clamp 14 being drawn from the sleeper 18 into the groove 7 of the angle guide plate 1. Further, when moving the tension clamp 14, its two spring arms 20 have been pushed out of the mounts 8 onto the rail foot 17A. During this movement, the spring arms 20 of the tension clamp 14 have to be pushed over the edge 12. Finally, the previously only pre-tensioned screw 15 is tightened to the specified torque, the central loop 22 (which is partially concealed in FIG. 4) of the tension spring 14 being pressed onto the recess surfaces 9 of the angle guide plate 1 (see FIG. 5) while the spring arms 20 of the tension clamp 14 press the rail foot 17A downwards.

FIG. 5 lastly shows the fastening system 13 of FIG. 4 in a perspective view. Those regions of the fastening system 13 and of its angle guide plate 1 which have already been described in connection with FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 are provided with corresponding reference numerals in FIG. 5. In the perspective view, the rail 17 is represented transparently in order to be able to see some of the components of the fastening system 13 more clearly. The position of the tension clamp 14 in the pre-assembly position (left) and in the final assembly position (right) can be seen particularly clearly: in the pre-assembly position, the tension clamp 14 rests with its two support sections 21 on the sleeper 18, while its two spring arms 20 are received in the mounts 8 of the angle guide plate 1, in which case the ends of the spring arms 20 may extend beyond the edge of the angle guide plate 1 on both sides in the longitudinal direction—i.e. in the direction of the rail 17. The central loop 22 of the tension clamp 14 in the pre-assembly position (left) has no contact with the recess surfaces 9 of the angle guide plate; the central loop 22 thus “floats” over the recess surfaces 9. In the final assembly position, conversely, the two support sections 21 of the tension clamp 14 are arranged in the groove 7 of the angle guide plate 1, while the two spring arms 20 have left the mounts 8 and are now arranged on the rail foot 17A. The central loop 22 of the tension clamp 14 in the final assembly position (right) is pressed down by the screw 15 in such a way that the tension clamp 14 makes contact with the two recess surfaces 9 of the angle guide plate 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• • 1: angle guide plate
  • 2: through hole
  • 3: heel
  • 4: support surface
  • 5: guide surface
  • 5A: recess (of guide surface 5)
  • 6: end face
  • 7: groove (of angle guide plate 1)
  • 8: mount
  • 8A: contact surface
  • 8B: ramp surface
  • 9: recess surface
  • 10: upper side
  • 11: lower side
  • 12: edge
  • 13: fastening system
  • 14 tension clamp
  • 15: screw
  • 16: intermediate layer
  • 17: rail
  • 17A: rail foot
  • 17B: rail web
  • 17C: rail head
  • 18 sleeper
  • 19: groove (of sleeper 18)
  • 20: spring arm
  • 21: support section
  • 22: central loop
  • A_L: distance (in longitudinal direction)
  • A_Q: distance (in transverse direction)
  • H₀: height (of angle guide plate 1)
  • H₁: contact height
  • H₂: edge height
  • L/2: half length
  • M: central axis