Mobile Machine For Depositing And Storing Used Rail Fastening Means Parts In Receptacles

Abstract

A succession of receptacles are mounted on the underside of a mobile machine frame in the direction of track elongation for receiving and storing removed used rail fastening means parts. A conveyor band is mounted on the machine frame above the receptacles and extends in the same direction. The conveyor band has a receiving end adjacent a working station where removed used rail fastening means parts may be placed on the conveyor and two lateral edges extending above the open tops of the receptacles. Deflecting means are mounted in the range of the receptacles and are operable to contact the conveyor band surface for selective deflection of the parts on the conveyor band to respective receptacles.

Description

The present invention relates to improvements in mobile machines for storing and removing used rail fastening means parts, wherein a machine frame is mounted on running gears for mobility on the rails of a track and a succession of receptacles are mounted on the underside of the frame facing the track in the direction of track elongation for receiving and storing removed used rail fastening means parts.

Mobile machines of this type are used in conjunction with mobile track renewal apparatus, wherein old rails are first removed, necessitating the storing and removal of used rail fastening means parts, such as fastening bolts, tie plates, spring washers and nuts.

In known machines, the storage receptacles for the ferrous parts are mounted within reach of operator's cabins also mounted on the underside of the machine frame at the working stations so that the operators may manually collect and deposit the parts in the receptacles during the continuous advancement of the machine along the track. However, the space in the immediate reach of the operator's cabin is crowded, permitting only a limited number of receptacles, usually one, to be mounted there and thus requiring the frequent replacement of the receptacles which are rapidly filled during operation. This slows down operations and causes general logistics problems.

It is the primary object of this invention to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a machine of the indicated type wherein a large number of storage receptacles are associated with a single working station and are automatically filled, thus decreasing personnel requirements and simultaneously increasing the operating capacity of the machine.

The above and other objects and advantages are accomplished by the invention with a conveyor band mounted on the machine frame above the succession of receptacles and extending in the direction of track elongation. The conveyor band has a receiving end adjacent a working station where removed used rail fastening means parts may be placed on the conveyor and two lateral edges, at least one of the lateral conveyor band edges extending above the open tops of the receptacles. A deflecting means is mounted in the range of the receptacles and operable to contact the conveyor band surface for selective deflection of rail fastening means parts on the conveyor band to respective ones of the receptacles.

In the preferred embodiment, the deflecting means comprises a deflecting device associated with each receptacle so that the receptacles may be successively filled by successive operation of the deflecting devices, each deflecting device remaining operative until the associated receptacle has been filled.

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 schematic drawing wherein

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a mobile machine according to this invention,

FIG. 2 is a top view of a portion of the machine on an enlarged scale,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view along line III--III of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a similarly enlarged sectional view along line IV--IV of FIG. 1, the transport carriage shown in the range of the section line in FIG. 1 being omitted from FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawing, the mobile machine for storing and removing used rail fastening means parts is shown to comprise a machine frame 4 having an underside facing the track consisting of ties 2 and rails 1 secured to the ties by such fastening means as fastening bolts, tie plates, spring washers and nuts, which parts are to be removed and stored during a track renewal operation. The machine frame is mounted for mobility on the track rails by running gears 3, 3.

A succession of receptacles 5, each having an open top, are mounted on the underside of the frame in the direction of track elongation for receiving and storing removed used rail fastening means parts. A conveyor band 6 is mounted on the machine frame above the succession of receptacles and extends in the direction of track elongation. The conveyor band 6 has a receiving end adjacent a working station where removed used rail fastening means parts may be placed on the conveyor, and two lateral edges. In the illustrated embodiment (see FIG. 2), the receptacles 5 are arranged symmetrically in respect of the conveyor band 6, i.e., the conveyor band is positioned centrally in respect of the receptacles, and the width of the conveyor band is less than the width of the open tops of the receptacles so that the lateral conveyor band edges extend above the open tops of the receptacles to permit parts positioned on the conveyor band to be conveyed by gravity over the lateral edges and into the receptacles. The parts are moved towards the lateral edges by deflecting means 7 mounted in the range of the receptacles 5 and operable to contact the conveyor band surface for selective deflection of rail fastening means parts on the conveyor band to respective receptacles.

The illustrated deflecting means comprises a succession of substantially triangular deflecting devices each associated with a respective receptacle, with the apex of each deflecting device being positioned on the center line of the conveyor band and pointing in the direction of the receiving end of the conveyor band. Thus, as the conveyor band continuously moves from the receiving end towards the deflecting devices (see arrow A) in contact with the conveyor band surface, the parts will be moved automatically towards the lateral edges of the conveyor band and drop over the edges into the open receptacles therebelow. As shown, the deflecting devices are formed of sheet metal guide elements forming isosceles triangles so that the parts may be distributed evenly. However, it would be possible, the machine would also be operable if only one of the lateral edges extended above the open tops of the receptacles, with a deflecting means directing all parts to this one lateral edge.

In the illustrated embodiment, the defecting means are operated by the vertical movement of the guide elements 7 into and out of contact with the conveyor band surface for which purpose there is provided a hydraulic or pneumatic motor 8 connected by linkage 9 to the deflecting device 7 to enable the same to be moved into an operable position, wherein the deflecting device will guide parts on the conveyor band to the lateral edges thereof, and an inoperable position, wherein the deflecting device is out of contact with the conveyor band surface to permit parts thereon to move through to the end of the conveyor band where they may drop into a receptacle placed underneath this end. The deflecting devices may be so operated, for instance, that all of them are first lowered into their operative position. Thus, the deflecting device nearest the receiving end of the conveyor band 6 will move the parts off the conveyor band into the receptacle 5 nearest the conveyor band receiving end. When this receptacle is full, the associated deflecting device 7 is lifted into its inoperative position to permit the parts to move on to the next deflecting device and associated receptacle, and so on until all receptacles are full. No deflecting device is needed, of course, at the opposite end of the conveyor band where the moving band will simply drop the parts into the receptacle there after all the deflecting devices have been lifted into their inoperative positions.

While the deflecting devices may be vertically moved manually, an automatic control responsive to a sensor in each receptacle will be preferred so that, when the parts in the receptacle reach a level to actuate the sensor, the associated deflecting device will be lifted.

To enable the parts to be distributed in the receptacles evenly and also to make it possible readily to replace the receptacles after they are filled, means are provided for laterally moving the conveyor band 6 in unison with the deflecting means 7 in respect of the receptacles 5. For this purpose, the conveyor band and the deflecting means are mounted on a carrier frame 10 which runs on rollers 11 on transverse guide rails 12 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In this manner, the entire conveyor installation may be laterally moved on the frame 4 so as to expose the receptacles and make it possible to replace them, a mobile carriage 14 running on rails 13 along the machine frame and holding a supply of empty receptacles to be placed into position on the machine frame. As shown, a crane is mounted on carriage 14 to lift the full receptacles from the machine frame and then to lower an empty receptacle into place.

FIG. 4 shows an automatic device for moving the used rail fastening means part away from the working station after they have been loosened and placed loosely on the ties or adjacent ballast. This automatic device comprises a pair of transversely extending endless conveyor bands 15, 15. Each endless conveyor band 15 is arranged immediately above a respective rail 1, and the endless conveyor bands are arranged for movement towards the center of the track, as indicated by the arrows. A magnet 16 is mounted inside each conveyor band adjacent the portion 15a of the band immediately above each rail and bridging the rail but extending short of the inner end of the band.

As the machine advances along the track and the magnets 16 come to be positioned in the range of each tie where the used rail fastening means parts have been laid after removal, the magnets will attract these parts and move them onto the lower portion of the endless conveyor bands 15 in the direction of arrows B. While thus held on the conveyor bands, the parts will be moved towards the center of the track in the direction of the horizontal arrows shown underneath the endless conveyor bands. Since the magnets do not extend to the ends of the bands at the center, they will be released there from the conveyor bands and drop onto the lower and receiving end of an additional conveyor band 17 which extends obliquely downwardly from the receiving end of the conveyor band 6 to the endless conveyor bands 15, 15 which remove the used rail fastening means parts from the track and entrain them.

The additional conveyor band 17 is movable in the direction of track elongation by means of rollers 18, a hydraulic motor 19 being provided to effect the longitudinal movement so that the receiving end of the conveyor band 17 may be moved from an operable position underneath the endless conveyor bands 15, 15 and immediately adjacent the ballast to an inoperable position wherein the spacing between this receiving end and the ballast is increased to provide sufficient clearance during movement of the machine over track obstacles.

When used in conjunction with track renewal apparatus, rails 20 are mounted on the machine frame 4 to permit transport means for old and new ties to be moved along the frame.

Claims

I claim:

1. A mobile machine for storing and removing used rail fastening means parts, comprising

1. a machine frame having an underside,

2. running gears mounting the frame for mobility on the rails of a track,

a. the underside of the frame facing the track,

3. a succession of receptacles mounted on the underside of the frame in the direction of track elongation for receiving and storing removed used rail fastening means parts,

a. each of the receptacles having an open top,

4. a conveyor band mounted on the machine frame above the succession of receptacles and extending in the direction of track elongation,

a. the conveyor band having a receiving end adjacent a working station where removed used rail fastening means parts may be placed on the conveyor and

b. two lateral edges, at least one of the lateral conveyor band edges extending above the open tops of the receptacles, and

5. deflecting means mounted in the range of the receptacles and operable to contact the conveyor band surface for selective deflection of rail fastening means parts on the conveyor band to respective ones of the receptacles.

2. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the deflecting means comprises a deflecting device associated with each of the receptacles.

3. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the receptacles are replaceably mounted on the frame.

4. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the receptacles are arranged symmetrically in respect of the conveyor band, the width of the conveyor band being less than the width of the open tops of the receptacles.

5. The mobile machine of claim 4, wherein the deflecting means comprises a succession of substantially triangular deflecting devices each associated with a respective one of the receptacles, the apex of each triangular deflecting device being positioned on the center line of the conveyor band and pointing in the direction of the receiving end of the conveyor band.

6. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the deflecting means comprises guide elements extending obliquely from the direction of the receiving end towards one of the lateral edges, and means for vertically moving the guide elements into and out of contact with the conveyor band surface.

7. The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising means for laterally moving the conveyor band in unison with the deflecting means in respect of the receptacles.

8. The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising an additional conveyor band extending obliquely downwardly from the receiving end of the first-named conveyor band to a point of the track whence used rail fastening means parts are to be removed.

9. The mobile machine of claim 8, further comprising means for moving the additional conveyor band in the direction of track elongation.

10. The mobile machine of claim 8, further comprising a pair of transversely extending endless conveyor bands, a respective one of the endless conveyor bands being arranged immediately above a respective one of the rails, and said endless conveyor bands being arranged for movement towards the center of the track, a magnet mounted adjacent the portion of each endless conveyor band immediately above the respective rail and bridging said rail but extending short of the inner end of the endless conveyor band, and the inner ends of the endless conveyor bands being arranged above the lower and receiving end of the additional conveyor band.