Rail Anchor Setter And Applicator

Abstract

A combination rail anchor setter and applicator. Disclosed is an apparatus adapted for travel on a railroad right-of-way for applying rail anchors to a rail on one or both sides of a tie and thereafter finally applying the anchor to the rail. The apparatus includes cooperating setting and applicating arms, the former being provided with a quick-change connection to enable easy adaptation for anchors of differing shapes and a vertically adjustable loader to enable easy adaptation to rails of differing vertical dimensions.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the construction and repair of railroad rights-of-way, rail anchors are customarily applied to the rails to preclude the same from "walking" relative to the rights-of-way due to acceleration or deceleration of trains traveling on the rails and to resist expansion and contraction of the rails due to environmental temperature changes. Many types of rail anchors are in existence and each operates on the basic principle of a spring clip connected to the base of a rail adjacent a tie whereby the tie precludes the rail anchor from moving in one direction while the frictional force between the rail anchor and the rail precludes the rail from moving relative to the rail anchor.

Depending upon the railraod involved, rail anchors may be placed either on one side of the tie or on both sides of the tie. In the latter case, the rail anchors are customarily "boxed" firmly adjacent both sides of the tie to thereby resist rail movement in either direction relative to the tie. In the former case, the anchors snugly abut the ties and at periodic intervals, the side of the ties on which the rail anchors are located is changed.

Because of the tremendous forces developed when a train accelerates or decelerates, or when the rails expand or contract, it will be apparent that the rail anchor must exert a great deal of frictional holding force on the rail in order to hold the same and preclude it from walking. Because the rail anchors are, in essence, spring clips, it will be apparent that a great deal of force is required to appropriately place them on a rail.

In the past, work forces were employed to drive the anchor onto a rail with sledge hammers or the like, but the increasing cost of labor has resulted in the development of apparatus for setting or preliminarily applying rail anchors to a rail and apparatus for thereafter finally applying the rail anchor to the rail after it has been preliminarily set. Customarily, two completely separate devices were required, one for setting and one for thereafter applying the anchors.

Typical of setting apparatus is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,335 to McIlrath while applicating apparatus is typified by McIlrath Pat. No. 3,272,148.

As will be apparent from the disclosure of those patents, two separate apparatus, each on an independently movable vehicle heretofore have been required to set and apply anchors to rails.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for both preliminarily setting anchors on rails and thereafter finally applying the anchors to the rails.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such apparatus on a single vehicle frame, which apparatus is extremely flexible in terms of operating the same with a variety of different types of rail anchors and on rails of different sizes.

The exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves the foregoing objects by means of a structure including a pair of setting arms movable between a position underlying a rail and a loading position. The setting arms include feet secured thereto by quick-release connections so that the setting feet can be changed at will to accommodate different types of rail anchors. The feet each include a spring-loaded clamp for holding the anchors as the setting arms move from the loading position to the setting position and an applicator structure generally similar to that disclosed in the above-identified Pat. No. 3,272,148 is provided to cooperate with the setting arms to achieve final application once the preliminary set has been established.

More particularly, the applicating arms are arranged to engage the spring-loaded clamp and apply applicating force to the anchor therethrough.

The exemplary embodiment also includes a unique loading device that is designed to automatically accommodate rail anchors of varying thickness and is provided with a lifting device to compensate for the variations required in operation on rails of different sizes.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic, plan view of a vehicle adapted to travel on a railroad right-of-way embodying the combination setting-applicating apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a loading mechanism and its location with respect to a setting arm when the latter is at a loading position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A typical vehicle on which the invention may be embodied is illustrated in FIG. 1 and is seen to comprise a frame, generally designated 10, journaling flanged wheels 12 that are adapted to travel on rails 14 of a railroad right-of-way. The frame 10 also mounts a seat 16 for an operator of the apparatus which is flanked by a pair of bins 18 for holding rail anchors prior to setting and application on the rails 14.

To one side of the frame 10 and facing the seat 16 and further located between the bins 18 is a setting and applicating mechanism forming the invention, generally designated 20, only parts of which are shown. More particularly, only the setting mechanism is illustrated, and then only schematically. In particular, the same includes a pair of outer, setting arms 22 journaled for rotation and slidable movement on respective shafts 24. The ends of the arms 22 inboard of the vehicle frame mount hydraulic cylinders 26 having a common guide rod 28. The cylinders 26 are double acting and each include an element (not shown) therein fixedly secured to the interior surface of the cylinder and sealingly engaging the guide rod 28. In addition, each cylinder includes a piston element (not shown) fixedly secured to the guide rod 28 and sealingly engaging the interior of the cylinder. The porting is arranged so that fluid under pressure may be applied to the piston movable with the guide rod at its interface with the fixed element or at its opposite side adjacent the outer setting arm 22. The arrangement is such that upon application of fluid under pressure to the opposite ends of the pistons therein, the arms 22 will move away from each other along the shafts 24 while opposite application of hydraulic pressure will bring the arms 22 closer to each other.

The hydraulic cylinders 26 in turn mount for movement therewith inner setting arms 30. Disposed between the inner setting arms 30 is a loading mechanism, generally designated 32.

The above-described operation of the cylinders 26 will move the inner setting arms 30 in the same manner as the outer setting arms 22 so that the same, when adjacent the loading station 32, they may pick up rail anchors thereat and when the assembly 20 is pivoted on the shafts 24 as will be seen, the inner setting arms 30 move to a position underlying a rail and thereafter moved towards each other to box the anchors on the rail about a tie.

In addition to the foregoing, the frame 10 mounts a number of other components of a conventional nature as, for example, an internal combustion engine for driving a hydraulic pump which in turn may supply hydraulic fluid under pressure to the setting and applicating apparatus and to a hydraulic motor for driving the wheels 12 to cause the vehicle to travel on the rails 14. Other hydraulic apparatus to be described hereinafter, may also utilize hydraulic fluid from the pump. Such additional equipment is more or less of a conventional nature and forms no part of the instant invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the setting and applicating structure will be described in detail. It will be recognized that two setting arms and two applicator structures are provided so that anchors may be boxed on both sides of a tie. In the interest of brevity, however, only one setting and applicating structure will be described as one is the mirror image of the other.

The outer setting arm 22 is formed of two elements 34 and 36 connected together as by cap screws 38. One end of the arm element 36 mounts a bearing 40 of the self-aligning type. That is, the pivot axis defined by the bearing 40 is not fixed with regard to the arm element 36.

One end of a hydraulic piston and cylinder device 42 is pivotally secured within the bearing 40 while the opposite end is pivotally received by a similar bearing 44 which in turn is mounted in an outwardly projecting arm 46 secured to the upper end of a standard 48 secured to the frame 10. As a result of the foregoing structure, appropriate application of hydraulic fluid under pressure to the hydraulic cylinder 42 will result in the pivoting of the arm 22 between the solid and dotted line positions shown in FIG. 2. In addition, the use of the self-aligning bearings 40 and 44 permits sliding movement of the arm 22 along the axis of the shaft 24 as mentioned previously.

The inner setting arm 30 is defined by an arm element 50 to which a setting foot 52 is secured. As will be seen hereinafter, the connection between the arm element 50 and the setting foot 52 is easily releasable so that different forms of setting feet may be secured to the arm element 50 when different types of anchors are to be set thereby.

The setting foot 52 includes a base 54 from which an anchor pocket defining end 56 extends. The pocket 56 includes a generally horizontally oriented bottom 58 flanked on one side by a side wall 60 and on another by an end wall 61 so that a pocket for receiving an anchor (which opens to the rear of the view in FIG. 2) is defined. On the pocket side of the foot 54, an anchor latch 62 is provided. The same is pivotally secured to the foot 54 by a pivot 64 and includes a projection in the form of a pin 66 which is received in an elongated slot 68 in the foot 54. A spring 70 is received in the upper end of the slot 68 to bear against the pin so as to bias the latch 62 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 64. Finally, on the side of the latch 62 opposite the foot 54, an outwardly projecting cam surface 72 is provided. As will be seen, the cam surface may be engaged by a rail anchor at the loading station to permit camming of the latch 62 against the bias of the spring 70 to permit the anchor to enter the pocket whereupon the latch 62 will be effective to hold the same therein against the end wall 61 thereof during delivery of the anchor from the loading position to the setting position.

The setting structure is essentially completed by a height adjustment illustrated in FIG. 2. Specifically, a horizontal plate 80 includes an aperture which may receive a threaded stud 82. Threaded on the stud on opposite sides of the plate 80 are a pair of nuts 84 so that by appropriate manipulation of the nuts 84, the vertical position of the stud 82 with respect to the plate 80 may be varied. One end of the stud 82 is received in a block 86 suitably slidably mounted on the frame in any desired manner which block in turn mounts bearings (not shown) for the shaft 24 which defines the pivot axis of the setting arms 22 and 30. Thus, by adjusting the position of the stud 82 with respect to the vertical, the vertical position of the bearings for the shaft 24, and thus the shaft 24, may be adjusted so that the ultimate position of the setting arms 22 and 30 in both the loading positions and the setting positions may be varied to accommodate different type rails, etc.

FIG. 2 also illustrates applicating mechanism. In particular, there is provided a nipper structure, generally designated 90, comprised of a backup lever 92 and a pressing arm 94 configured in generally the same manner as described in the previously mentioned McIlrath Pat. No. 3,272,148. A hydraulic cylinder 96 is secured to the frame in any suitable manner and includes a piston rod 98 from which a pair of links 100 and 102 extend respectively to the backup lever 92 and the pressing arm 94. Outward extension of the piston rod 98 from the cylinder 96 causes the arms 92 and 94 to come together to finally set an anchor 74 on the rail 14.

The operation is generally similar to that described in the McIlrath patent except that according to the instant invention, the pressing arm 94 does not directly contact the rail anchor 74. Rather, the same is adapted to engage the back side of the latch 62 to complete the application operation. By means of this construction, the total setting and application operation may be completed in a much shorter period of time as there is no need to move the setting arms out of the path of the pressing arm 94 intermediate the setting and applicating steps. Furthermore, the retention of the setting arm in the setting position after setting and just prior to application insures that the anchor 74 will remain in the position in which it can be finally applied.

The manner of loading anchors 74 on the setting arms will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. More particularly, the loading mechanism 32 comprises a housing 100 on top of which a fluid motor 102 is mounted. The same includes an output shaft (not shown) within the housing 100 which is in engagement with opposed gear racks 104 (only one of which is shown). The arrangement is such that when the fluid motor 102 is energized to rotate the associated gear in one direction, both of the racks 104 will move outwardly from the housing 100 in opposite directions while for rotation of the gear in the opposite direction, both of the gear racks 104 will be withdrawn to the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

Each of the gear racks 104 mounts at its end, a vertically oriented anchor receiving plate 106. Each plate 106, in turn, has near its upper end a bore 108 receiving a spring housing 110 from which an anchor suspending pin 112 projects. Within the housing 110 is a spring 114 which biases the pin 112 outwardly as illustrated.

At the lower point of each plate 106, an anchor orienting element, generally designated 116, is provided. As best seen in FIG. 2, the same includes an elongated body 118 having a slot 120 therein. Cap screws 122 or the like serve to mount the element 116 adjustably upon the plate 106, its position being variable by reason of the presence of the slot 120. The orienting element 116 is completed by an outturned ear 124 which is adapted to engage an inner surface of a rail anchor 74 as illustrated in FIG. 2 to properly orient the same for receipt in the pocket of the setter arms.

Each of the racks 104 mounts a stop bolt 126 which extends through an elongated opening 128 in the corresponding side of the housing 100. Adjacent one end of the slot 128 is a lug 130 which receives a threaded screw 132 which is located to be engaged by the stop bolt 126 when the rack 104 is fully withdrawn. Thus, the final withdrawn position of the rack can be controlled by turning the adjustment screw 132 into or out of the lug 130 as may be required.

In operation, when the motor 102 is energized, the resulting outward movement of the racks 104 will cause the plates 106 to move outwardly from the housing 100. A rail anchor suspended on the pin 112 will shortly engage the cam surface 72 on the latch 62 to pivot the same about the pin 64 to the point where the rail anchor may enter the pocket whereupon the bias applied to the latch 62 will cause the same to firmly grasp the rail anchor. Subsequent energization of the motor 102 in the opposite direction will then result in the withdrawal of the rack 104 to retract the plates 106 to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 at which time the setter arms may be moved downwardly through actuation of the cylinder 42 preliminary to setting and applicating. At this time, an operator of the vehicle may remove one or two anchors from the bins 18 to suspend the same on one or more of the pins 112 depending upon whether the anchors are to be boxed on both sides of a tie or applied only to one side thereof. The cycle may then be repeated.

As mentioned previously, in order to accommodate varying conditions such as varying rail heights, and to accommodate different types of rail anchors, a vertical adjustment for the setting arms is provided. Of course, commensurate adjustment for the loading device 32 should be provided and as seen in FIG. 3, a lift cylinder 140 has a piston rod secured to a plate 142 extending generally horizontally from the underside of the housing 100. The plate 142 is mounted across a pair of arms 144 which, as seen best in FIG. 2, extend inwardly towards the center of the vehicle. At approximately the midpoint of the vehicle, the arms 144 terminate and a horizontal shaft 146 is connected therebetween. The shaft 146 is journaled in a pair of uprights 148 secured to the frame 12. Thus, appropriate energization of the cylinder 140 will result in the pivoting of the loading device 32 about the axis defined by shaft 146. The length of the arms 144 is sufficient so that the resulting movement will be effectively vertical rather than arcuate.

FIG. 3 also illustrates the quick-disconnect attachment mentioned previously between the setter arm element 50 and the foot 52. In particular, the end of the foot 52 includes a stepped portion 150 having a groove 152 therein. Similarly, the end of the arm element 50 includes a stepped portion 154 also formed with a groove 156 therein. The arrangement is such that the steps permit the two elements to be interfitted as illustrated with the grooves 152 and 156 in longitudinal alignment. A key 158 is located within the grooves 152 and 156 to insure proper orientation and three conventional bolts 160 pass through bores (not shown) in the arm element 50 to be received in tapped bores (not shown) in the feet 52. Thus, in order to change from one type of foot 52 to another, it is merely necessary to remove the three bolts 160 to enable rapid change.

Claims

I claim:

1. Rail anchor setting apparatus comprising: a vehicle frame including wheels adapted to travel on a railroad right-of-way; at least one setting arm movably mounted on said frame for movement between a rail anchor receiving position at a loading station and a rail anchor setting position; means for adjusting the vertical location of said setting arm relative to said frame; loading means at said loading station adapted to receive a rail anchor and load the same on said setting arm when said setting arm is in said rail anchor receiving position including an extendable arm, means for extending said extendable arm horizontally toward said setting arm, means on said extendable arm for supporting and holding a rail anchor in a predetermined attitude including a spring loaded pin; means mounting said loading means for vertical movement to shift said rail anchor holding and support means relative to said setting arm; and a piston and cylinder motor device connected between said mounting means and said frame.

2. A combination rail anchor setter and applicator comprising: a vehicle frame including means whereby the same may travel down a railroad right-of-way; at least one setting arm pivotally and slidably mounted on said frame, said arm being pivotally mounted for movement between a rail anchor setting position whereat an end of said arm is adjacent a rail and a rail anchor loading station whereat said end may receive a rail anchor, said end further including clamp means for holding a rail anchor, said setting arm being slidably mounted on said frame for movement between a position substantially abutting a tie across which a rail may pass and a position away from the tie; means for moving said setting arm between said positions; and rail anchor applying means mounted on said frame and comprising a nipper structure including a backup lever and a presser arm, said presser arm being adapted to engage said clamp means when said setter arm is in said setting position and adjacent a tie to apply force therethrough to a rail anchor held by said clamp means to apply the same to the rail.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further including two setting arms and two said nipper structures whereby rail anchors may be boxed on both sides of a tie during setting and application.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 further including rail anchor loading means at said loading station, said loading means including means for receiving a rail anchor and means for moving the anchor so received toward said setting arm to be received thereby and held thereon by said clamp means.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said clamp means comprises a latch, and spring means normally biasing said latch into a rail anchor holding position; and further including cam means on said latch adapted to be engaged by a rail anchor on said loading means as said loading means moves the rail anchor towards said setting arm for moving said latch to a position whereat the setting arm may receive the rail anchor from the loading means.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 further including means for vertically adjusting the height of said setting arm on said frame; and power operated means for vertically adjusting the height of said loading means on said frame whereby the apparatus may be easily used with rails of different sizes.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said setting arm is defined by a setting arm element and a foot portion including said clamp means; means for keying said foot means to said setting arm element; and easily releasable securing means interconnecting said foot and said setting arm element whereby different types of feet for accommodating different types of rail anchors may be easily secured to said setting arm element.