2. Fasteners

Some springs, known as fasteners, are designed to solve the same problem with special requirements, and in particular to ensure a certain clamping value with safety. Examples include elastic clamps for scaffolding or rails, such as elastic clamps or nablas for high-speed railways. Rail fasteners hold the rail in place on each sleeper with a constant force, preventing it from expanding. This makes it possible to produce long welded rails, with major advantages in terms of equipment stability and passenger comfort.

Other fasteners, generally less precise, cling to a component by simple pressure or wedging without the aid of screws. Examples include self-tightening bushes, railway brake keys, C-springs and anti-runners (figure 4 ), and some rail fasteners.

On tracks not...