Machine for renewing a track

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6450101
  • Patent Number
    6,450,101
  • Date Filed
    Monday, July 2, 2001
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 17, 2002
    21 years ago
Abstract
A track renewal machine includes an elongate machine frame supported by undercarriages on the track and having front and rear frame parts connected by a frame joint. In an upper region, the frame parts are interconnected by a drive by which the frame parts can be spread apart and raised in a vertical direction at the frame joint. A rotatable endless ballast clearing device is mounted between tie lifting and tie laying devices which are mounted on the machine frame between the undercarriages. A first conveyor cooperates with the ballast clearing device for transporting away removed ballast, and a second conveyor for transporting ballast has a discharge end arranged between the ballast clearing device and the tie laying device. A ballast discharge device is associated with the discharge end of the second conveyor, and a vertically adjustable ballast planing device is arranged between the ballast clearing and tie laying devices.
Description




CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS




This application claims the priority of Austrian Patent Application Ser. No. GM 512/2000, filed Jul. 13, 2000, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates, in general, to a track renewal machine.




U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,243 describes a machine for renewing a track composed of two rails fastened to ties supported on ballast. The track renewal machine includes a machine frame extending in a longitudinal direction and having opposite ends supported on the track by undercarriages. The machine frame has a front frame part and a rear frame part, arranged one following the other in the longitudinal direction, with a frame joint connecting the front and rear frame parts to one another. Drives interconnect the front and rear frame parts in an upper region thereof to spread the frame parts apart, whereby the frame parts are raised in a vertical direction at the frame joint. The machine further includes a tie lifting device and a tie laying device, mounted on the machine frame between the undercarriages and spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction; an endless ballast clearing device for taking up ballast, mounted on the machine frame between the tie lifting device and the tie laying device and designed to be set in rotation by a drive; and first conveyor, cooperating with the ballast clearing device, for transporting away taken-up ballast. After removal of the old ties, ballast from the cribs between the ties remains lying on the ballast bed, creating an obstacle for laying the new ties. This crib ballast is taken up by the ballast clearing device, having the shape of an endless chain, and is transported upwards to the conveyor. After being moved to the rear end of the machine, the ballast is discharged upon the new track which has been laid in the meantime in the intervening space. This serves to ballast the new ties resting on the newly graded ballast bed and thus to stabilize the track position.




French Pat. No. FR 2 736 367 A describes a track renewal machine which essentially includes a first machine unit for picking up the old ties, a trailing ballast cleaning unit, and a further machine unit for laying the new ties. The ballast cleaning unit includes a clearing chain which cooperates with a ballast screen in which the soiled ballast is cleaned. Located immediately behind the clearing chain in the operating direction is a ballast discharge station for returning cleaned ballast to the track, and a planing and consolidating device.




It would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved track renewal machine which is optimally suited for track renewal work and yet can be simultaneously also employed for cleaning an exposed or excavated ballast bed.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




According to one aspect of the present invention, a machine for renewing a track composed of two rails fastened to ties supported on ballast, includes a machine frame extending in a longitudinal direction and having opposite ends supported on the track by undercarriages, wherein the machine frame includes a front frame part and a rear frame part, arranged one following the other in the longitudinal direction, a frame joint connecting the front and rear frame parts to one another, and a drive interconnecting the front and rear frame parts in an upper region thereof and effective to spread the frame parts apart, wherein the frame parts are raised in a vertical direction at the frame joint; a tie lifting device and a tie laying device, mounted on the machine frame between the undercarriages and spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction; a rotatable endless ballast clearing device, mounted on the machine frame between the tie lifting device and the tie laying device, for taking up ballast; a first conveyor, cooperating with the ballast clearing device, for transporting away taken-up ballast; a second conveyor for transporting ballast, said second conveyor extending in the longitudinal direction and having a discharge end arranged between the ballast clearing device and the tie laying device; a ballast discharge device associated with the discharge end of the second conveyor; and a ballast planing device arranged between the ballast clearing device and the tie laying device and including a drive for vertically adjusting the ballast planing device.




Through the provision of a track renewal machine according to the present invention with two-part machine frame of articulated design which is supported at opposite ends on the track by undercarriages, it is now possible in a particularly advantageous manner to exploit the renewal gap, which is easily accessible as a consequence of a temporary removal of the track, for taking up ballast in a simplified and problem-free way. Since there is no track present in the renewal gap to create an obstacle, it now is very easy to clean even especially problematic areas, such as platforms, for example, where, in the course of normal cleaning operations with lifting of the track, there would normally not be sufficient space for operating a clearing chain.




An added advantage can be found in the possibility to precisely control or guide the vertical position of the clearing chain or the ballast planing device by tracing the vertical position of the immediately preceding old ties before the removal thereof, in order to accurately re-establish the track position. Thus, the pre-existing vertical position of the old track can be precisely reproduced by the new track. When the ballast clearing chain is moved to its idle position on the machine frame, the track renewal machine can be employed without any restrictions for regular track renewal operations, without involving cleaning of the ballast bed. As the track renewal machine is supported on undercarriages only at the opposite ends of the machine frame, it is possible to easily produce an exactly planed and consolidated ballast formation for the new track position.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING




Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of a preferred exemplified embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:





FIG. 1

is a schematic side elevational view of a front portion of a track renewal machine according to the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a schematic side elevational view of a rear portion of the track renewal machine;





FIG. 3

is a side elevational cutaway view, on an enlarged scale, of a middle portion of the track renewal machine; and





FIG. 4

is a side elevational cutaway view, on an enlarged scale, of the rear portion of the track renewal machine.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




This is one of three applications filed on the same day. All three applications deal with related inventions. They are commonly owned and have the same inventive entity. All three applications are unique, but incorporate the other by reference. Accordingly, the other U.S. patent applications 09/898,738 and 09/898,719, both of which are filed on Jul. 2, 2001, entitled “Machine for Renewing a Track” and “Machine for Removing an Old Track and Laying a New Track” are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.




Throughout all the Figures, same or corresponding elements are generally indicated by same reference numerals.




Turning now to the drawing, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, there is shown a track renewal machine, generally designated by reference numeral


1


for renewing a track


4


. The track


4


is composed of two rails


2


fastened to ties


3


which rest on ballast


14


. The track renewal machine


1


includes an elongated machine frame


6


which extends longitudinally in a direction along the track


4


and has opposite ends supported on the track


4


by two undercarriages


5


for mobility in an operating direction indicated by arrow


20


. The machine frame


6


has front and rear frame parts


7


arranged behind one another in the longitudinal direction and articulatedly connected to one another by a frame joint


8


. A drive


9


interconnects the frame parts


7


in the region above the frame joint


8


and serves to spread the frame parts


7


apart in a horizontal direction and to thereby cause the frame parts to be raised in a vertical direction at their ends connected by the frame joint


8


. An additional undercarriage


10


located underneath the frame joint


8


is thereby also raised off the track


4


. The drive


9


is further effective to steer the articulated machine frame


6


, when traveling in track curves with the undercarriage


10


in the raised position.




In the region of the frame joint


8


, a ballast clearing device


11


is mounted on the machine frame


6


for vertical adjustment by a drive


12


. The ballast clearing device


11


is equipped with an endless chain, which is rotated by a drive


13


and picks up ballast


14


of the track


4


for transport to a discharge end


15


. A first conveyor


17


extends in the longitudinal direction along the machine frame


6


and has a discharge end


18


and a receiving end


16


which is associated with the discharge end


15


of the ballast clearing device


11


. Provided underneath the first conveyor


17


and also extending in the longitudinal direction is a second conveyor


19


, having a discharge end


22


which is arranged immediately ahead—with regard to the operating direction shown by arrow


20


—of a tie laying device


21


mounted on the machine frame


6


. A ballast discharge device


23


is located underneath the discharge end


22


of the second conveyor


19


and includes a chute


24


with outlet openings


25


, as shown in particular in FIG.


3


.




As can be seen more clearly in

FIG. 3

, a ballast planing device


27


is positioned between the tie laying device


21


and the immediately preceding ballast discharge device


23


, and is connected to a vibratable ballast consolidating unit


28


and designed for vertical adjustment by drives


26


. Additionally, the ballast planing device


27


includes two plow shields


30


which are positioned at either side of the tie laying device


21


, respectively, and spaced from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction. Each plow shield


30


is pivotable about a vertical axis


29


.




As shown in

FIG. 2 and

, more particularly, in

FIG. 4

, the rear frame part


7


, following in the operating direction, is provided with an extension in the shape of a frame


31


supported in a trailer-like manner on an undercarriage


32


. Thus, a working space for screwing operations on the track


4


is created under the frame


31


. A ballast chute


34


, having outlet openings


35


distanced from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction, is arranged at a machine end


33


which is located immediately behind the undercarriage


32


(FIG.


4


). A receiving end


36


of the second conveyor


19


is positioned above the ballast chute


34


.




As illustrated in

FIG. 4

, the first conveyor


17


has a rear conveyor belt


37


, and the second conveyor


19


has a further rear conveyor belt


38


. Both rear conveyor belts


37


and


38


are supported on the frame


31


and are mounted for displacement in the longitudinal direction by means of a respective drive


39


. A screening car


40


is coupled to the rear machine end


33


and includes a vibratable screening installation


41


for cleaning ballast and a motor unit


42


for supplying energy.




A tie lifting device


43


is arranged on the machine frame


6


immediately ahead of the ballast clearing device


11


in the operating direction of the machine


1


. A tracing device


44


for tracing the vertical position of the old ties


3


is arranged on the front frame part


7


of the machine frame


6


immediately ahead of the tie lifting device


43


. A gantry crane


45


is mounted for mobility on the front frame part


7


and serves to remove the old ties


3


and to deliver new ties


3


to a conveyor unit


46


attached to the front frame part


7


. The new ties


3


are then delivered to the tie laying device


21


by means of a tie conveyor


47


which extends in the longitudinal direction along the machine frame


6


.




The track renewal machine


1


operates as follows: At the start of working operations, the two frame parts


7


are spread against one another in the horizontal direction by actuation of the drive


9


, causing the undercarriage


10


located underneath the frame joint


8


to be raised off the track


4


. As the track renewal machine


1


advances continuously in the direction of arrow


20


, the old ties


3


are picked up from the ballast


14


with the aid of the tie lifting device


43


and removed by the gantry crane


45


. At the same time, all of the ballast


14


is taken up by the ballast clearing device


11


lowered into the operating position, thus exposing an earth formation


48


. The ballast


14


is delivered via the first conveyor


17


to the screening installation


41


and cleaned therein. Subsequently, the cleaned ballast


14


is transported by the second conveyor


19


to the ballast discharge device


23


and dropped immediately in front of the tie laying device


21


. At this location, the ballast


14


is then planed by means of the ballast planing device


27


and directly thereafter compacted by the ballast consolidating unit


28


. The new ties


3


are now laid upon the resulting planed and compacted new ballast formation


50


by the tie laying device


21


.




According to a variation of working operations, it is also possible to employ the track renewal machine


1


without a screening car


40


. In this case, the ballast clearing device


11


is used to remove only ballast which remains from the cribs between the old ties


3


, thus creating a ballast formation


50


. While the two rear conveyor belts


37


,


38


of the conveyors


17


and


19


are correspondingly displaced in the longitudinal direction, the removed tie crib ballast is discharged into the ballast chute


34


(see dash-dotted arrow


49


in

FIG. 4

) and used to ballast the new ties


3


laid upon the ballast formation


50


, thus stabilizing the track position.




Finally, in a third operational variation, the track renewal machine


1


may be employed in a conventional way for renewing a track


4


, without using the ballast clearing device


11


which is now in its idle position. In this instance, the desired ballast formation is created with the aid of the ballast planing device


27


. Excess ballast stemming from the tie cribs is thereby displaced in a lateral direction onto the two shoulders of the ballast bed.




While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a machine for renewing a track, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.




What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:



Claims
  • 1. A machine for renewing a track composed of two rails fastened to ties supported on ballast, comprising:(a) a machine frame extending in a longitudinal direction and having opposite ends supported on the track by undercarriages, wherein the machine frame includes a front frame part and a rear frame part, arranged one following the other in the longitudinal direction, a frame joint connecting the front and rear frame parts to one another, and drive means interconnecting the front and rear frame parts in an upper region thereof and effective to spread the frame parts apart, wherein the frame parts are raised in a vertical direction at the frame joint; (b) a tie lifting device and a tie laying device, mounted on the machine frame between the undercarriages and spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction; (c) a rotatable endless ballast clearing device, mounted on the machine frame between the tie lifting device and the tie laying device, for taking up ballast; (d) a first conveyor, cooperating with the ballast clearing device, for transporting away taken-up ballast; (e) a second conveyor for transporting ballast, said second conveyor extending in the longitudinal direction and having a discharge end arranged between the ballast clearing device and the tie laying device; (f) a ballast discharge device associated with the discharge end of the second conveyor; and (g) a ballast planing device arranged between the ballast clearing device and the tie laying device and including a drive for vertically adjusting the ballast planing device.
  • 2. The machine of claim 1, and further comprising a ballast consolidating unit arranged between the ballast planing device and the tie laying device, and drives for vertically adjusting and vibrating the ballast consolidating unit.
  • 3. The machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast planing device includes two plow shields pivotable about respective vertical axes, wherein the plow shields are spaced from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction and positioned at either side of the tie laying device.
  • 4. A track-bound machine, comprising:an elongate machine frame supported on a track by undercarriages for travel in an operating direction, wherein the machine frame has an elevatable frame area to clear a renewal section; a tie lifting device for lifting old ties from the renewal section; a tie laying device trailing the tie lifting device on the machine frame for placing new ties on the renewal section; a ballast clearing device, positioned on the machine frame between the tie lifting device and the tie laying device, for withdrawing ballast from the renewal section; a cleaning device receiving withdrawn ballast from the ballast clearing device for subsequent cleaning; a ballast discharge device, arranged between the ballast clearing device and the tie laying device, for receiving cleaned ballast and depositing cleaned ballast on the renewal section; and a ballast planing device arranged between the ballast clearing device and the tie laying device for leveling cleaned ballast.
  • 5. The machine of claim 4, and further comprising a ballast consolidating unit arranged between the ballast planing device and the tie laying device, wherein the ballast consolidating unit is configured for vertical adjustment and vibration.
  • 6. The machine of claim 4, wherein the ballast planing device includes two pivotable plow shields in spaced-apart relationship across the machine frame, wherein one plow shield is disposed on one side of the tie laying device, and the other plow shield is disposed on the other side of the tie laying device.
  • 7. The machine of claim 4, and further comprising a tracing device, disposed on the machine frame in operating direction ahead of the tie lifting device, for tracing a vertical position of the old ties before the old ties are removed to thereby allow accurate laying of the new ties across the renewal section.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
512/00 U Jul 2000 AT
US Referenced Citations (5)
Number Name Date Kind
4094249 Theurer et al. Jun 1978 A
4160418 Theurer Jul 1979 A
4774890 Theurer Oct 1988 A
4854243 Theurer Aug 1989 A
5479725 Theurer et al. Jan 1996 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
2 736 367 Apr 1996 FR