Apparatus for replacing rail fastening elements and, optionally, rails

• US 4,393,784 A
• Filed: 12/18/1981
• Issued: 07/19/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1977
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft MbH
• Original Assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft MbH
• Inventors: Theurer, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): REESE, RANDOLPH A
• Application Number:
  US06/332,303
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 104/1 R, 104/2, 104/4, 104/5, 104/6, 104/7 R, 104/7 B, 104/12, 104/16, 104/17 R, 104/17 A, 29/428, 29/429
• US Class Current: 104/2
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 27/04 Removing the ballast; Machines therefor, whether or not additionally adapted for taking-up ballast E01B27/06, E01B27/12 takes precedence; redistributing ballasting material E01B27/02
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 29/17 Lengths of rails assembled into strings, e.g. welded together
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 29/24 Fixing or removing detachable fastening means or accessories thereof; Pre-assembling track components by detachable fastening means E01B29/02, E01B31/26 take precedence

Abstract

Track rails fixed to ties with old rail fasteners are replaced by track rails fixed to the ties with new rail fasteners at gauge with an assembly line of a series of individual operating mechanisms arranged spacedly and sequentially on a train of a plurality of track-bound cars and including a carrier frame. Each operating mechanism includes vertically movable tools centered over their work and the assembly line comprises, in sequence, a first operating mechanism mounted on the carrier frame for lifting the rails at gauge and for spreading the lifted rails beyond the track gauge after the old rail fasteners have been detached from the ties, the detached rail fasteners leaving holes in the ties, an operating mechanism for plugging the holes in the ties and an operating mechanism for adzing the ties mounted on the carrier frame, an additional operating mechanism mounted on the carrier frame for placing the track rails on the plugged and adzed ties at the gauge, and a further operating mechanism for applying the new rail fasteners to fix the track rails to the plugged and adzed ties.

Claims

1. An apparatus for replacing track rails fixed to ties with old rail fastening elements at a predetermined track gauge by track rails fixed to the ties with new rail fastening elements at said gauge, which comprises

(a) a train of a plurality of track-bound cars mounted for mobility along the track rails at said gauge in an operating direction and one of the cars being a carrier frame comprising

(1) two pivotal frame parts and

(2) a pivoting axle extending substantially perpendicularly to a plane defined by the track rails and interconnecting the pivotal frame parts for pivotal movement with respect to each other,

(b) an assembly line of a series of individual operating mechanisms arranged spacedly and sequentially on the track-bound cars, each of the operating mechanisms including vertically movable tools mounted on the cars and centered over their work, the assembly line comprising, in sequence,

(1) a first one of the individual operating mechanisms including tools for detaching the old rail fastening elements from the ties, the removed rail fastening elements leaving holes in the ties,

(2) another one of the individual operating mechanisms for lifting the rails at gauge and for spreading the lifted rails beyond the track gauge, the first and other operating mechanisms being arranged on a forward one of the frame parts, as seen in the operating direction,

(3) means for working on the ties mounted on the carrier frame, the tie working means including an operating mechanism for plugging the holes in the ties and an operating mechanism for adzing the ties,

(4) an additional one of the individual operating mechanisms for placing the track rails on the plugged and adzed ties at said gauge,

(5) a further one of the individual operating mechanisms including tools for applying the new rail fastening elements to fix the track rails to the plugged and adzed ties, the additional and further operating mechanisms being arranged on a rear one of the frame parts, as seen in the operating direction, and

(6) respective tie holding devices associated with the tie working means and the first operating mechanism.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier frame is preceded and followed by a respective one of the track-bound cars, in the operating direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first one of the individual operating mechanisms is mounted on the track-bound car preceding the carrier frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rail fastening elements include tie plates, further comprising means mounted on the carrier frame for removing the old tie plates, the tie plate removing means preceding the hole plugging mechanism, and means mounted on the carrier frame for placing the new tie plates on the ties, the tie plate placing means following the tie adzing mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the track-bound cars precedes the forward frame part in said direction and includes a first carrier frame, the individual operating mechanisms for detecting the old rail fastening elements and the operating mechanism for lifting the rails at gauge being arranged on the first carrier frame.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one operator'"'"'s cab mounted on at least one of the carrier frames for movement in relation thereto in said direction, each of the operator'"'"'s cabs being movable adjacent to a respective one of the operating mechanisms, first conveyor means for removing the detached old rail fastening elements, a second conveyor means for transporting the new rail fastening elements to the further operating mechanism, and storage bins associated with the conveyor means for storing the old rail fastening elements received from the first conveyor means and the new rail fastening elements transported by the second conveyor means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier frame further comprises a drive and locking means for imparting the pivotal movement and for locking the two pivotal frame parts at a selected pivotal position.