Racine Railroad Products, Inc.

David Gustin

Roberto Almaraz

Robert L Turner

Ronald L Rhodes

Leroy D Wilson

A clip applicator machine is capable of automatically separating individual spring-type rail clips from a stack of clips and of applying the individual clips in anchor sockets such that they are fully tensioned against the base of the rail. The clip applicator machine may include two separate workheads 1) each of which is positioned over a respective rail and 2) each of which may support gauge and field side clip applicator assemblies operable to apply clips on the respective sides of the associated rail. Each applicator assembly is movable from a position in which it receives clips one at a time from a magazine, through a position in which it is aligned with the anchor socket of tie plate, and into a clip applying position. A backstop is associated with each clip applicator assembly for aligning the workhead longitudinally with respect to the rail and anchor socket and for holding the tie plate in position during the clip application process, and a clamp assembly is provided which clamps the workhead to the rail while aligning it transversely with respect to the rail and anchor socket. Preferably, the entire workhead is mounted on a float frame for vertical movement with respect to the rail and for movement both longitudinally and transversely with respect to the rail. Finally, a novel magazine assembly is provided for facilitating the feeding of clips to the clip applicator assembly.

Rail clip applicator

A clip setting machine is capable of automatically separating individual spring-type rail clips from a stack of clips and of setting the individual clips in anchor sockets for subsequent application, e.g., by an automatic rail applicator. The clip setting machine may include two separate workheads each of which is positioned over a respective rail and which may support gauge and field side clip setter assemblies operable to set clips on the respective sides of a rail. Each clip setter assembly is movable from a position in which it receives clips one at a time from a magazine, through a position in which it is aligned with the shoulder of the anchor, and into a clip setting position. Each workhead can be lowered onto the rail into longitudinal alignment with the sockets and moved from tie to tie along the rail without being lifted, thereby facilitating the clip setting process. The clip setting process is preferably fully automated so that only two operators are required to operate the clip setting machine, one to load the magazines and one to position the machine and to initiate the clip setting cycle.

Rail clip setter and method for fixing spring clips without fully

A rail adjuster has a frame which mounts a head assembly for powered vertical movement between a raised travel position and a lowered operative position, with the head assembly having adjuster arms which can be positioned immediately adjacent a pair of rail-mounted anchors. The adjuster arms are moved together to shift the rail-mounted anchors along the rail toward the tie to achieve the anchor adjusting. The adjuster arms are constructed in a pivoting linkage having a horizontally acting hydraulic cylinder to provided a substantially horizontal force to the adjuster arms for providing an enhanced mechanical advantage in adjusting the anchors.

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Racine, WI, United States of America

David Gustin