Recycled rubber crosstie

Abstract

A railroad crosstie made from recycled rubber and its method for making is disclosed. The rubber crosstie has an expected life of between 30 to 60 years and can be made primarily of rubber crumbs obtained from stockpiles of discarded rubber tires.

1 . A crosstie made substantially from recycled rubber comprising: 
 10-35% by weight recycled rubber from natural rubber tires;      65- 90% recycled vulcanized rubber; and,    a strength enhancing polymer of no more than 5% by weight.    
     
     
         2 . The recycled rubber crosstie of  claim 1  wherein said crosstie has at least one longitudinal side which has a plurality of indentations.  
     
     
         3 . A method for producing a crosstie made substantially from recycled rubber comprising the steps of: 
 providing vulcanized recycled crumb rubber and natural recycled crumb rubber;    mixing by weight 10-35% said natural recycled crumb rubber and 65-90% said vulcanized crumb rubber to form a blend; and adding a strength enhancing polymer to said blend, the amount of polymer to add between 0-5% of the total weight of said blend;    milling said blend at between 240 degrees F. and 370 degrees F. (116-188 deg C.) to form an intermediate product;    extruding said intermediate product at between 240 degrees F. and 370 degrees F. (116-188 deg C.) to form an extrusion having a specific width and depth; and,    thereafter cutting said extrusion at intervals to yield a crosstie having the desired length.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising after said thereafter cutting said extrusion at intervals to yield a crosstie of the desired length step: 
 creating a plurality of pre-holes on one longitudinal side of said crosstie, the position of said pre-holes corresponding to the position that spikes will be driven into said crosstie.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of producing a crosstie according to  claim 3  wherein said strength enhancing polymer is selected from the group comprising neoprene, polyethylene, urethane and ABS.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising after said thereafter cutting said extrusion at intervals to yield a crosstie of the desired length step: 
 creating a plurality of concave-type pre-holes on one longitudinal side of said crosstie, the position of said pre-holes corresponding to the position that spikes will be driven into said crosstie.  
 
     
     
         7 . The method of producing a crosstie according to  claim 3  further including a means to form a plurality of indentations in at least one side of said extrusion.  
     
     
         8 . A crosstie comprising: 
 an extruded product made from a blend of recycled natural crumb rubber and recycled vulcanized crumb rubber where 10-35% of the crosstie weight is recycled natural rubber, 65-90% of the crosstie weight is recycled vulcanized rubber and a strength enhancing polymer accounts for no more than 5% of the crosstie weight.    
     
     
         9 . The recycled rubber crosstie of  claim 6  wherein said crosstie has at least one longitudinal side has a plurality of indentations.