↵Rail Screw Spike Fastening System
The Railway Screw Spike is a threaded mechanical fastener designed to secure rails or base plates to timber, concrete, or steel sleepers. Distinguished by its coarse-threaded shank and square or hexagonal head, it functions by creating a powerful, adjustable tension lock when screwed into a pre-tapped hole or embedded insert. Unlike driven spikes that rely on friction, screw spikes achieve clamping through controlled torque application, providing measurable and maintainable preload.
Technical Specifications:
| Characteristic | Specification / Detail | Primary Importance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fastening Mechanism | Threaded Mechanical Engagement with Torque Control | Provides Measurable, Adjustable Clamping Force | ||
| Key Application | Base Plate Fixation to Various Sleeper Types | Versatile Across Timber, Concrete & Steel | ||
| Installation Tool | Impact Wrench with Torque Limiter or Manual Torque Wrench | Ensures Consistent Preload Application | ||
| Maintenance Core Activity | Periodic Torque Verification & Re-tightening | Counters Vibration-Induced Loosening | ||
| Failure Progression | Gradual Loosening → Thread Wear → Complete Pull-out | Allows for Predictive Intervention |
Functional & Engineering Perspective
Combination with Elastic Elements: Modern designs often integrate spring washers or Belleville washers that maintain tension under vibration and provide some resilience, bridging rigid and elastic fastening principles.
Base Plate Security: Primarily used to secure steel or iron base plates to sleepers, which then support the rail, distributing loads and protecting the sleeper from abrasion and crushing.
Reusability and Adjustability: Unlike driven spikes, screw spikes can be removed and reinstalled multiple times without significant loss of holding power, facilitating track maintenance and adjustments.
Maintenance & Operational Perspective
- Roll-Threading Process: Threads are formed through a cold-rolling process that compresses the material rather than cutting it, resulting in stronger threads with improved fatigue resistance and smoother surfaces.
- Heat Treatment for Hardness Gradient: The spikes undergo quenching and tempering to achieve a specific hardness profile-softer core for toughness and harder surface for wear resistance, particularly in the thread and head areas.
- Multi-Layer Corrosion Protection: A combination of metallurgical coatings is often used: a zinc undercoat for cathodic protection, followed by a phosphate layer for paint adhesion, and finished with a polymer topcoat.
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