Wire-to-track-base retainer clip and keeper

Claim 1

A bond wire retention system for securing a bond wire to a railway rail comprising in combination a first snap-on-clip for clamping a first portion of a bond wire in a bight configuration about a lateral edge of a rail flange with said wire first portion closely following the upper and lower surfaces of said flange, and a second snap-on clip for clamping another portion of said bond wire to the upper surface of said rail flange adjacent a junction with a rail web, said clips being formed of heat treated spring steel and each having a base section for underlying the base of said rail and each having a return-bend upstanding section and a snap-on upstanding section at opposite ends of said base section which upstanding sections respectively engage and span forcefully over the opposing lateral edges of the rail base flange with an interference fit requiring a tool for both attaching and detaching said clips from said rail base, said return bend upstanding section having a body section that embracingly follows the upper surface of said rail flange and from which extends a substantially semi-cylindrical section for snugly embracing said bond wire to secure said bond wire against said rail, wherein said base sections and said body sections of said clips have side edges from which short slits extend into the body of the clip at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the clip to provide triangular regions which are bent from a general plane of the clip body to produce barbs which bite into the metal of said rail when the clips are assembled thereto.