Canron, Inc.

John Kenneth Stewart

Helmuth Von Beckmann

Charles A Shupe

An improved technique for correcting errors in track, for example errors in alignment and cross-level. A record of the actual geometric condition of a section of track is obtained by running a recording car operating at a predetermined speed and axle loading over the track. A record which may be on magnetic tape is thus obtained for one or more parameters such as alignment. In some cases this record may be used directly to derive electrical error signals which control a track moving device which moves the track in a direction to remove the error. Where the parameter of interest is alignment and the section of track is curved, a desired geometric condition has to be obtained for comparison with the actual geometric condition to derive the electrical error signals. One way of obtaining the desired geometric condition is to process the record to achieve a running average taken over ten or so consecutive sample points.

Dynamic loading correcting device

A system including method and apparatus for conveying and orientating tie plates for use with a railway track renewal or construction machine designed to run along a railway track. The system provides a delivery of tie plates to mechanisms for positioning and laying the plates on new or reconditioned ties adjacent both ends of each tie with the field side of the tie plate facing outwardly. A first longitudinally directed power driven conveyor is located centrally with its inlet end in a gondola car used to store the tie plates. This conveyor is divided along its longitudinal center by a wall to provide a means for conveying two adjacent lines of tie plates. The tie plates are introduced to this first conveyor on both sides of the dividing wall with the plates facing upward and the field end of the plates facing forward. A pair of second longitudinally directed power driven conveyors are located on the track working machine downstream of and outwardly from the first conveyor and at a lower level. Two undriven curved roller conveyors are arranged to receive one each of the lines of plates from the exit end of the first driven conveyor and to deliver the plates transversely outward and downward to separate ones of the two second power driven conveyors for delivery to the laying mechanisms.

Tie plate conveying and orientating system

A device for lifting and/or lining railroad track, which device extends longitudinally of the track and is mounted at one end on a truck carrying track engaging wheels, and the other end is adapted to be connected to a propelling vehicle. Reaction blocks are provided on the beam in the region of the other end, and a track position correcting frame is carried between the reaction blocks and the end mounted on the truck and close to the other beam end. The device provides a lifting and/or aligning attachment for, say a tamping machine, which attachment substantially absorbs all its own lifting and/or lining forces and transmits them to the track rather than to the tamping machine. The device also provides a track position reference means to provide information on the displacement of the lifted and/or aligned track.

Lift and line beam extension

A railway ballast tamping tool is disclosed which has a foot welded to the lower end of a shank. The foot has rectangular front and rear faces and is gradually tapered from one side to the other.

Tamping tool

The invention provides for a stop device positioned on a railroad track shifting machine such as a track lifting and/or tamping machine and a sensor for generating a control signal to terminate or control the shifting action of the machine when the shifting force on the rail exceeds a predetermined value.

Railroad track shifting machine with shift limiting device

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for correcting the surface of a railroad track by exerting pressure on the shoulders of the track from both sides thereof by means of vibrating compactors mounted on a vehicle chassis and provided with pressure applying jacks. The ballast is compacted beneath the track which raises it to a desired first track level which may be above the final desired track level, whereafter the track is tamped down to the desired level by means of a force applicator which imparts pulsating force to depress the raised track.

High speed production tamper compactor

An indicator mechanism for an apparatus for correcting the existing grade and horizontal alignment of railroad track in accordance with a wire reference system. The mechanism includes frame means, the position of which in use is referenced to the existing position of an adjacent section of the railroad track. Pivot means are mounted on the frame means and a needle indicator is mounted on the pivot means so as to pivot about a horizontal axis generally parallel to a reference wire. A second indicator is mounted on the needle indicator for generally vertical, sliding movement thereon. A first index is arranged on the frame means to indicate in combination with the needle indicator the existing horizontal alignment of the adjacent section with reference to the reference wire. A second index in the form of a scale is arranged on the needle indicator and it indicates in combination with the second indicator the existing grade of the adjacent section of a track again with reference to the reference wire. During use of the mechanism, the positions of the needle indicator and the second indicator are adjusted by the reference wire in contact with the needle indicator and the second indicator. Preferably, the reference wire extends through an elongated slot in the bottom portion of the needle indicator, this slot extending vertically when the needle indicator is in a vertical position.

Needle indicator for rail liner

A screening device suitable for cleaning railroad ballast which has become fouled with use, and of the type in which ballast to be cleaned is fed into a screen member to separate the coarse or ballast stone from the fines, the stone being reused to ballast the track. A screen member of generally frusto-conical shape, open at each end, is rotatably mounted on a track running frame, with the axis of the screen extending substantially parallel to the track and either horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal. The screen member is rotated so that centrifugal action results in the fouled ballast, loaded into the narrower open end of the screen member, moving up the walls thereof to its larger open end. The fines pass through the screen member and the stone is collected at a stone receiving member located adjacent the wide end of the screen member. A generaly frusto-conical fines receiving member of larger diameter than the screen member partially surrounds the screen member and receives the fines which fall therethrough. Conveying members are provided to convey the fines from the fines receiving member to a point of disposal, while the stones received by the stone receiving member are delivered back for re-distribution on the track.

Ballast cleaner

Holes in railway ties are drilled and impregnated with creosote or other preservative using a hollow drill with consecutive drilling and creosote injection cycles, either at the time of rail mounting or in a prior processing stage so as to produce a tie with improved resistance to deterioration, for example due to ingress of water in the tie hole. The invention enables the preservation of pretreated ties, which are subsequently drilled to receive spikes for rail tie plates, by continuing the skin of creosote or other preservative from the outer surface of the tie to the walls of the drilled hole. A sealing collar assembly is mounted on the drill to prevent egress of preservative from the hole during the injection process.

Method of drilling and injecting perservative fluid into railway ties

An indicator mechanism for an apparatus for correcting the existing grade and horizontal alignment of railroad track in accordance with a wire reference system. The mechanism includes frame means, the position of which in use is referenced to the existing position of an adjacent section of the railroad track. Pivot means are mounted for vertical, sliding movement on the frame means and a needle indicator is mounted on the pivot means to pivot about a horizontal axis generally parallel to the rails of the railroad track. Scale means are arranged on the frame means near one end of the indicator to indicate in combination with the indicator the existing grade and horizontal alignment of the adjacent section with reference to the wire reference system. During use of the mechanism, the position of the indicator is adjusted by a reference wire of the system which contacts the indicator. Preferably, this reference wire extends through a relatively small hole in the bottom portion of the indicator. The scale means comprises two separate scales, one scale to indicate the existing grade and the other scale to indicate the horizontal alignment of the adjacent section.

An undercutting apparatus for removing ballast and other material from beneath railroad ties, particularly ties in areas that are difficult to undercut with conventional equipment. The apparatus includes a carrier capable of moving over ordinary ground. An undercutter in the form of a toothed chain moving around the periphery of a plate member is rigidly mounted to a first frame member. A drive motor is provided for driving the chain by means of a sprocket. The first frame member is mounted on a second frame to pivot about a vertical axis with respect to the second frame. A motor and interconnecting gears are provided to pivot the first frame member as desired. The second frame is mounted on a travelling frame mounted on a vertically oriented track frame. Hydraulic cylinders pivot the second frame means as desired. The track frame is mounted to the carrier to transport the undercutter and provide it with the necessary power.

Crossing undercutter and switch undercutter mounted on tractor-type

A method and apparatus for aligning track and compacting ballast therebetween. A pair of shoes contoured to fit the shoulder of the ballast is placed in contact with the shoulder whereby each shoe is located on the outside of a respective one of the rails and extends in a longitudinal direction along the shoulder. A vibration device is used to fluidize portions of the ballast beneath each of the shoes and between each shoe and the ends of the adjacent ties. A lifting jack is articulately connected to each shoe and the two jacks apply a lifting force to the rails substantially equal to the weight of the track by means of laterally and vertically adjustable clamps adapted to grasp each of the rails. A lateral force is then applied to the rails by means of the clamps to displace the track in a substantially horizontal position through said fluidized ballast. The shoes have an appropriate surface area whereby the applied forces per unit area on the shoes are of a magnitude to substantially prevent vertical and lateral movement of the shoes in the ballast during the vibration and aligning operation.

Shoulder tamping lifting jack

A method and a system for correcting the misalignment of a railroad track is provided which corrects the track by the steps of applying a force laterally of the track to move it in the direction of its correct position, sensing the track position relative to a datum, automatically reducing the force in response to the sensing step, permitting the track to react to the reduction of the force and automatically rapidly repeating the force application, sensing, and reduction steps to set up a vibratory cycle of force application until the desired track condition has been achieved. The system provides a valve which has a rail position feeler in the hydraulic connection between pump and jack, which feeler upon sensing the rail operates to close the valve to terminate a jacking action. Pressure sensitive switch is provided in the hydraulic connections between the valve and the pump that operates to exhaust the jack when a pre-determined pressure has been built up in the connections between the pump and the valve. This permits the track to react to the jacking action and move away from the feeler to re-open the valve and re-institute a jacking action. A counting circuit is provided to monitor the number of operations of the valve so as to control the number of jacking actions which are performed in an aligning operation.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, SC, United States of America

John Kenneth Stewart