Holland LP

Holland Company LP

Titanova, Inc.

Richard F Kral

Richard L Thelen

Shane A Mayhill

John M Haake

David Page Workman

Paul Lindemulder

Mark Edward Rovnyak

Matthew Q Johnson

Daniel J Coomer

John Haake

An improved process for repair of worn and damaged surfaces of railway structures such as frog and diamond transition surfaces, rail head surfaces and wheels. A worn or damaged surface is prepared using a robotically-controlled laser to melt or gouge away metal using controlled laser energy and air pressure to remove existing worn or damaged surfaces. The process further utilizes laser cladding, laser weld overlaying, or laser additive manufacturing, of formulated powder, wire or stick welding material to worn surfaces that have been prepared for material build-up to original dimensions and similar metallurgical properties.

Robotically-controlled laser cladding process for repair of worn and/or damaged railway structures

A rail repair insert enables repair of rails and rail-like structures. A rail defect is initially identified and removed as contained within a volumetric material portion so as to form a contoured void while maintaining continuity of the rail opposite the void. A pre-formed insert is then placed into the void thereby effecting a rail-to-insert interface. Current is driven through the interface as force directs the insert against the rail. Resistance heat and pressure weld the insert to the rail. The flash welding aspects remove oxides and other impurities from the interface, and the forge welding aspects create a robust solid state weld. Excess material, whether flash, rail, or insert-based, is removed during the finishing processes to provide a virtually seamless rail repair. The solid state weld repair insert may be used to repair any number of targeted metallic rail-like structures.

Repair insert for repairing metallic structure

A system or method of repairing railroad rails which includes a head, upright and base sections. The method includes at least the following steps: identifying and locating a defect in the rail, removing the defect by removing material from the rail surrounding the defect in at least the head section so as to form a void and a rail void interface while maintaining continuity of the rail, filling the void with molten metal having a high carbon content and causing the molten metal and the rail void interface to bond. The molten metal may be produced by gas shielded arc welding. The carbon content of the molten metal is near that of the rail to decrease carbon migration from the rails. High carbon welding electrode is used in the welding of high strength steel using gas shielded arc welding techniques whereby a plurality of beads of molten weld material join together rail ends or fill a slot in a rail for repair purposes, the high carbon electrode avoiding adjacent soft and brittle areas across a weld fusion line which result from migration of carbon from the carbon rich high strength steel to the lower carbon weld deposit.

Method of repairing a rail

A rail restraining, robotic welding and weld delivery device uses a frame for supporting a welding head with a clamp for restraining a first rail end and a second rail end and a base twist assembly for aligning said first end and second end. An interconnected weld containment apparatus pivotally connects to the clamp by use of a cam actuated linear pin. This arrangement is operable in an environment in clearance between rails and sufficiently compact that it may be operated from and carried in a truck based on a standard over the road truck or from a container.

Rail welding apparatus incorporating rail restraining device, weld containment device, and weld delivery unit

A rail restraining ( ) and weld delivery device ( ) uses a frame for supporting a welding head with a clamp ( ) for restraining a first rail end and a second rail end and a base twist assembly ( ) for aligning said first end and second end. An interconnected weld containment apparatus ( ) pivotally connects to the clamp by use of a cam actuated linear pin ( ). This arrangement is operable in an environment in which clearance between rails is about 7 to 11 inches and sufficiently compact that it may be operated from and carried in a truck based on a standard over the road truck.

Growing community of inventors

N. Riverside, IL, United States of America

Richard F Kral