U.S. patent application number 09/873678 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-13 for machine for renewing a railroad track.
This patent application is currently assigned to FRANZ PLASSER BAHNBAUMASCHINEN-INDUSTRIEGESELL SCHAFT M.B.H.. Invention is credited to Brunninger, Manfred, Theurer, Josef.
Application Number | 20010050024 09/873678 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 3490459 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010050024 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Theurer, Josef ; et
al. |
December 13, 2001 |
Machine for renewing a railroad track
Abstract
A machine for renewing a railroad track on a ballast bed
comprises a machine frame extending in a longitudinal direction,
undercarriages for supporting the machine frame on the railroad
track, a first tie transport device for receiving old ties and a
second tie transport device for laying new ties, the tie transport
devices being mounted on the machine frame and being spaced from
each other in the longitudinal direction, and a crawler vehicle and
ballast bed planing apparatus being arranged on the machine frame
between the tie transport devices, the ballast bed planing
apparatus being rotatable by 180.degree. about a vertical axis.
Inventors: |
Theurer, Josef; (Vienna,
AT) ; Brunninger, Manfred; (Altenberg, AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COLLARD & ROE, P.C.
1077 Northern Boulevard
Roslyn
NY
11576
US
|
Assignee: |
FRANZ PLASSER
BAHNBAUMASCHINEN-INDUSTRIEGESELL SCHAFT M.B.H.
|
Family ID: |
3490459 |
Appl. No.: |
09/873678 |
Filed: |
June 4, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
104/7.3 ;
104/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01B 29/06 20130101;
E01B 29/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
104/7.3 ;
104/2 |
International
Class: |
E01B 001/00; E01B
027/17 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 9, 2000 |
AT |
GM 433/2000 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A machine for renewing a railroad track on a ballast bed, which
comprises (a) a machine frame extending in a longitudinal
direction, (b) undercarriages for supporting the machine frame on
the railroad track, (c) a first tie transport device for receiving
old ties and a second tie transport device for laying new ties, the
tie transport devices being mounted on the machine frame and being
spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction, and (d) a
crawler vehicle and ballast bed planing apparatus arranged on the
machine frame between the tie transport devices, (1) the ballast
bed planing apparatus being rotatable by 180.degree. about a
vertical axis.
2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast bed planing
apparatus comprises an endless ballast excavating chain extending
in a plane inclined relative to the ballast bed and a drive for
revolving the excavating chain, the excavating chain having a
ballast discharge point vertically spaced from the ballast bed, and
further comprising a conveyor band extending transversely to the
longitudinal direction and arranged underneath the ballast
discharge point to receive ballast from the ballast discharge
point.
3. The machine of claim 2, further comprising a parallelogram
linkage connecting the conveyor band to the ballast bed planing
apparatus for vertically adjusting the conveyor band about axes
extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction.
4. The machine of claim 2, comprising a second conveyor band
extending transversely to the longitudinal direction, the conveyor
bands being arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal
direction and vertically offset from each other, each conveyor band
having an input end in the middle of the railroad track underneath
the ballast discharge point of the excavating chain.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a machine for renewing a
railroad track on a ballast bed, which comprises a machine frame
extending in a longitudinal direction, undercarriages for
supporting the machine frame on the railroad track, a first tie
transport device for receiving old ties and a second tie transport
device for laying new ties, the tie transport devices being mounted
on the machine frame and being spaced from each other in the
longitudinal direction, and a crawler vehicle and ballast bed
planing apparatus arranged on the machine frame between the tie
transport devices.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Such a machine, which may be operated in opposite driving
directions, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,867. In one driving
direction, an old railroad track is renewed while a new railroad
track is laid on a prepared planed surface in the opposite driving
direction. During a track renewal operation, the machine is driven
while supported by a crawler vehicle on a planed renewal track
section from which the old track ties and rails have been removed,
a ballast planing apparatus preceding the crawler vehicle in the
driving direction for planing the ballast. The new track is laid on
the planed ballast bed behind the crawler vehicle. For this
purpose, the machine is driven in the opposite direction and must
be retrofitted by mounting the crawler vehicle on the machine frame
in front of the device for laying the new ties, in respect of the
opposite driving direction. In addition, the tie elevator for
laying the new ties is turned around while the tie transport device
for receiving the old ties and the ballast planing apparatus are
raised into an inoperative position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is the primary object of this invention to provide a
railroad track renewal machine of the above-described type, which
requires minimal retrofitting when driven in opposite
directions.
[0006] The above and other objects are accomplished according to
the invention with such a machine wherein the ballast bed planing
apparatus is rotatable by 180.degree. about a vertical axis.
[0007] Such a machine may be operated in opposite driving
directions during a track renewal operation without any substantial
retrofitting. This may be of considerable advantage, for example,
when a double track is to be renewed. In this case, the machine may
work back in the opposite direction on the other rail after one
rail has been renewed, without having to engage in complicated and
time-consuming retrofitting needed to turn the entire machine
around. It is also advantageous to be able to drive from either
side towards the renewal site to start the track renewal operation,
depending on the prevailing conditions and without having to take
into consideration the orientation of the machine. The ballast bed
planing apparatus may always be rapidly and readily turned in the
driving direction to be in the proper operating position for
planing the ballast.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0008] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description of a now preferred embodiment thereof, taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein
[0009] FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic side elevational views of a
railroad track renewal machine operable in opposite driving
directions for a track renewal operation;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a similar side elevational view of a tie storage
and conveying car coupled to the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0011] FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged, fragmentary side elevational
views showing details of the area of the machine where the ballast
planing apparatus is located, in the respective positions of the
ballast planing apparatus when the driving direction is reversed;
and
[0012] FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line VI in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown machine 1 for
renewing railroad track 2 on a ballast bed. In FIG. 1, the machine
is operated in a driving direction indicated by arrow 3. The
machine comprises machine frame 5, extending in a longitudinal
direction, and undercarriages 4, 4 for supporting the machine frame
on the railroad track. A first tie transport device 19 is provided
for receiving old ties 20 and a second tie transport device 21 for
laying new ties 22. The tie transport devices are mounted on
machine frame 5 and are spaced from each other in the longitudinal
direction. A crawler vehicle 17 and ballast bed planing apparatus
23 are arranged on the machine frame between tie transport devices
19, 21. According to the invention and as will be explained more
fully hereinbelow in connection with the description of FIGS. 4 and
5, the ballast bed planing apparatus is rotatable by 180.degree.
about a vertical axis.
[0014] Driver's and operator's cab 6 is mounted at one end of
machine frame 5 while the opposite end of the machine frame is
supported by universal joint 7 on frame 8 of tie conveyance car 9.
The tie conveyance car frame is supported by undercarriage 10
running on track 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the tie conveyance car is
followed by car 11 holding the power source for the train, and this
car is succeeded by a number of tie storage cars 12. A gantry crane
15 runs on rails 14 along cars 9, 11 and 12 up to universal joint 7
to remove old ties from machine 1 and deliver new ties thereto, in
an operation that is well known and described in the above-named
U.S. patent.
[0015] Crawler vehicle 17 is vertically adjustably mounted on
machine frame 5. At the track renewal site, the crawler vehicle is
lowered to support the driven machine frame on a planed track bed
surface from which the old track has been removed.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates the machine of FIG. 1, as it is adapted
for operation in the opposite driving direction indicated by arrow
13. As will be described in connection with FIG. 5, tie transport
device 19, which was used in the operating mode of FIG. 1 to pick
up old ties 20, is now used to lay new ties 22 while tie transport
device 21 picks up old ties 20. Ballast bed planing apparatus 23
has been turned 180.degree. to face in the driving direction
indicated by arrow 13.
[0017] As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the ballast bed planing
apparatus comprises endless ballast excavating chain 26 extending
in plane 27 inclined relative to the ballast bed. Drive 28 revolves
the excavating chain in this plane, and drive 30 is connected to
the excavating chain to enable it to be vertically adjusted.
Ballast excavating chain 26 has a ballast discharge point 32
vertically spaced from the ballast bed. A conveyor band 31 extends
transversely to the longitudinal direction and is arranged
underneath ballast discharge point 32 to receive ballast from the
ballast discharge point (see FIG. 6).
[0018] A second conveyor band 33 extends transversely to the
longitudinal direction, and conveyor bands 31, 33 are arranged one
behind the other in the longitudinal direction and are vertically
offset from each other. As shown in FIG. 6, each conveyor band has
input end 34, 35 in the middle of the railroad track underneath
ballast discharge point 31 of excavating chain 26. The transversely
extending conveyor bands 31, 33 are mounted on common carrier frame
36 which is connected to the ballast bed planing apparatus by
parallelogram linkage 37 for vertically adjusting the conveyor
bands about axes 38 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal
direction.
[0019] In the operating stage illustrated in FIG. 4, machine 1 has
been positioned with the aid of vertically adjustable auxiliary
carriage 39 in operating site 16 from which the ties and rails have
been removed, and crawler vehicle 17 has been lowered to support
the machine in this track renewal site for movement in the
direction indicated by arrow 3. As the machine advances in this
direction, old rails 40 of old track 2 are lifted off old ties 20
by rail guide devices 41 (FIG. 1) which lead the lifted rails away
from the machine. Under the control of an operator in cab 42, the
old ties are then removed from ballast bed 43 with tie transport
device 19, and the removed old ties are conveyed forwardly to tie
transport car 9, shown in FIG. 3, where they are stored in stacks.
The stacks of old ties 20 are then taken by gantry crane 15 to tie
storage cars 12.
[0020] After old track 2 has thus been removed from ballast bed 43,
excavating chain 26 of ballast bed planing apparatus 23 is revolved
to remove the ballast to expose subgrade 18. As shown in FIG. 6, a
respective one of transversely extending conveyor bands 31, 33
conveys the excavated ballast to a respective shoulder of the track
and deposits it on the shoulder. Which input end 34 or 35 of
conveyor band 31 or 33 is positioned underneath discharge point 32
of excavating chain 26 can be determined by swinging the conveyor
bands about axes 38 with parallelogram linkage 37, and this
determines on which shoulder the ballast is deposited.
[0021] Vertically adjustable crawler vehicle 17, which trails
ballast bed planing apparatus 23 in the operating direction, runs
on the subgrade and compacts the same. As shown in FIG. 6, vertical
shields 44 are hinged to the sides of crawler vehicle 17 and may be
pivoted about vertical axes 45. This prevents the ballast to flow
back from the shoulders to subgrade 18 before new ties 22 are laid
by tie transport device 21 which trails the crawler vehicle. The
new rails are then laid by machines following machine 1 (which are
not illustrated).
[0022] To assume the operating mode illustrated in FIG. 5, in which
machine 1 is driven in the opposite direction indicated by arrow
13, ballast bed planing apparatus 23, with conveyor bands 31, 33
connected thereto, is turned 180.degree. about vertical axis 29.
Tie transport device 21 now precedes the ballast bed planing
apparatus and the crawler vehicle in the operating direction to
remove the old ties, for which purpose tie pick-up device 46 is
mounted on the tie transport device. The trailing crawler vehicle
now moves on ballast bed 43, from which old track 2 has been
removed, and ballast bed planing apparatus 23 trailing crawler
vehicle 17 planes the bed. The resultant subgrade 18 is compacted
by compacting device 47 vertically adjustably mounted on tie
transport device 19 before new ties 22 are laid by the tie
transport device. In FIG. 4, compacting device 47 is illustrated in
its raised, inoperative position while it is shown in its lowered,
operative position in FIG. 5. The transport and conveyance of the
old and new ties from and to machine 1 is the same as described
hereinabove.
[0023] If preferred, the ballast bed planing apparatus may be a
V-shaped ballast plow, instead of an excavating chain.
* * * * *