Mobile automated tie replacement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9850624-B2
Application number	US-201514692243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	Apr 21, 2015
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A device and method for the replacement of railroad ties is disclosed. The tie extends laterally under two rails and is attached to the rails via tie plates. An example rail changing machine includes a tie changing boom moveable to one side of the two rails. The tie changing boom including a gripping assembly for clamping the railroad tie. The tie changing boom is moveable between a proximate position and a distal position from the one side of the two rails to grip the tie and remove the tie from under the rails. A kicker is located on the opposite side of the rails from the tie changing boom and contacts one end of the tie to move the tie toward the tie changing boom. A pair of tie plate clamps to hold the tie plates in place when the kicker moves the tie.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A railroad tie changing machine, comprising:
a plurality of wheels operable to travel over rails;
a tie changing boom including a gripping assembly operable to clamp a railroad tie extending laterally under the rails, the tie changing boom being operable to move between a proximate position and a distal position relative to a side of the rails to grip a tie and remove it from under the rails;
a kicker operable to contact an end of the tie to move the tie toward the tie changing boom;
a rotatable platform coupled to the tie changing boom and the kicker and operable to rotate between a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the tie changing boom is disposed at a first side of the wheels and the kicker is disposed at a second side of the wheels, and in the second position, the tie changing boom is disposed at the second side of the wheels and the kicker is disposed at the first side of the wheels;
at least one jack operable to lift the rails at a location proximate to the tie; and
a set of tie plate clamps operable to hold tie plates in place when the kicker moves the tie.

2. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 1 , further comprising a self-propelled railroad chassis that includes the wheels.

3. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 2 , wherein the rotatable platform is operable to rotate between a storage position in which the tie changing boom is perpendicular to an axle of the wheels and an active position in which the tie changing boom is parallel to an axle of the wheels.

4. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 1 , wherein the tie changing boom and the kicker are hydraulically actuated.

5. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 1 , wherein the tie changing boom includes a gripping arm, a first actuator coupled to a first pivot point, and a second actuator coupled to a second pivot point, the first and second pivot points being coupled to a same linkage.

6. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 1 , wherein the gripping assembly includes a pair of clamp arms operable to grip the tie.

7. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 6 , wherein the gripping assembly includes a rotatable actuator operable to rotate the pair of clamp arms.

8. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the tie plate clamps are coupled to a respective sliding frame operable to move the tie plate to loosen tie anchors attached to the tie.

9. The railroad tie changing machine of claim 8 , further comprising an actuator operable to move the sliding frame in a reciprocating motion to thereby loosen the tie anchors.

10. A method of replacing a railroad tie, comprising:
clamping tie plates disposed under rails with a tie plate clamping assembly;
lifting the rails;
pushing a first end of a first tie disposed under the rails using a kicker coupled to a rotatable platform;
gripping a second end of the first tie using a tie gripper;
removing the first tie from under the rails using a boom arm coupled to the tie gripper and the rotatable platform;
gripping a first end of a second tie using the tie gripper;
positioning the second tie under the rails using the boom arm; and
rotating the rotatable platform from a first position to a second position, wherein in the first position, the boom arm is disposed at a first side of the rails and the kicker is disposed at a second side of the rails, and in the second position, the boom arm is disposed at the second side of the rails and the kicker is disposed at the first side of the rails.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising travelling over the rails to a location in proximity to the first tie.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising rotating the rotatable platform between a storage position in which the boom arm is parallel to the rails and an active position in which the boom arm is perpendicular to the rails.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the boom arm and the kicker assembly are hydraulically actuated.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the boom arm includes a first actuator coupled to a first pivot point, and a second actuator coupled to a second pivot point, the first and second pivot points being coupled to a same linkage.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the tie gripper includes a pair of clamp arms operable to grip a tie.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising rotating the clamp arms using a rotatable actuator.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving the tie plate clamping assembly from side to side to loosen tie anchors on the old railroad of the first tie.

Assignees

• Harsco Technologies LLC

Inventors

• Schrunk Iii Robert R

Classifications

• E01B29/10 Primary

  for inserting or removing sleepers · CPC title