Impact and vibration attenuating pad with offset dimples

Claim 1

A generally flat, impact and vibration attenuating pad for railways, entirely composed of the same elastomeric material and disposed in a horizontal plane, for attenuating dynamic impact and vibrational loads imposed thereon when placed between a railroad tie and a steel rail, comprising a plurality of spaced apart first dimples formed in a generally regular pattern on a first side of said pad and interconnected by a plurality of first flat portions, and a plurality of spaced apart second dimples formed in a generally regular pattern on an opposite second side of said pad and interconnected by a plurality of second flat portions, each of said first and second dimples having arcuate shapes throughout its various cross-sections and centers of said first dimples being offset longitudinally and laterally relative to centers of said second dimples such that a majority of said second dimples underlies and is substantially tangential relative to four overlying first dimples when said pad is viewed in plan to form means, defining a network of interlocked arch bridge portions when said pad is viewed in cross-section, for redirecting impact loads, resulting from dynamic loading, imposed on said pad in a vertical plane, perpendicular to said horizontal plane, radially into said horizontal plane and as compressive stresses distributed substantially uniformly throughout and within the elastic limits of said pad.