Abutting rails may separate due to use, shifting loads, or other factors. Various methods have been attempted to rejoin the separated abutting rails, but they bring associated drawbacks, including using large and or heavy apparatus that are difficult to transport, expensive to maintain and operate, and damages the tops of the rails. Yet failing to rejoin the separated rails may cause damage to cranes and machines transported on the rails. For the foregoing reasons, there is a pressing, but seemingly irresolvable need for an improved rail pulling system.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned shortcomings and drawbacks associated with the current technology. The present invention is directed to methods and apparatuses that satisfy the above shortcomings and drawbacks. The method and apparatus comprise a rail pulling system including a plurality of pins, a plurality of bolts, and a plurality of receiving bores and threaded holes.
The present invention also relates to joined rail systems and to a rail pulling system that sets the secured distance between two abutting rails.
The invention further relates to methods and devices related to a rail pulling system including a first and a second pin; a first and a second bolt; a first and a second threaded hole; and a first and a second receiving bore. Optional embodiments include wherein the first receiving bore is mounted onto the first pin, and the second receiving bore is mounted onto the second pin. Optional embodiments include wherein the first and second receiving bores are fixedly mounted onto the respective first and second pins. Optional embodiments include wherein the first and second receiving bores are fixedly mounted onto respective trailing ends of the first and the second pins. Optional embodiments include wherein the receiving bores further comprise substantially smooth inner surfaces defining receiving bore holes. Optional embodiments include a first and a second threaded hole mount that mounts the respective first and second threaded hole onto the respective first and second pin. Optional embodiments include wherein the first and the second threaded hole mount is shaped to removeably engaged with respective leading ends of the first and the second pins. Optional embodiments include wherein the threaded holes further comprise threaded inner surfaces defining threaded hole openings. Optional embodiments include wherein the receiving bores are shaped so as to allow a leading end of the bolts to pass through the receiving bores and to engage with a bolt head. Optional embodiments include wherein the threaded holes are shaped so as to functionally engage with a leading end of the bolts. Optional embodiments include wherein the pins have a cross section measuring 1 inch in diameter. Optional embodiments include wherein the bolts have a cross section measuring 1 inch in diameter. Optional embodiments include wherein the bolts further comprise a head shaped to be rotated by one of a bit and a socket. Optional embodiments include wherein the first and the second threaded holes further comprise respective first and second threaded hole mounts. Optional embodiments include wherein the first and the second threaded holes are of unitary construction with the respective first and second threaded hole mounts. Optional embodiments include wherein the first and the second receiving bores further comprise respective first and second receiving bore mounts. Optional embodiments include the first and the second receiving bores are of unitary construction with the respective first and second receiving bore mounts.
The invention additionally relates to devices and methods of pulling rails comprising inserting a first pin through a first rail hole of a first rail, the first pin having a first receiving bore mount secured thereto; inserting a second pin through a second rail hole of a second rail, the second pin having a second receiving bore mount secured thereto; securing a first threaded hole mount onto the first pin; securing a second threaded hole mount onto the second pin; inserting a first bolt through a first receiving bore on the first receiving bore mount until the first bolt functionally engages with a second threaded hole on the second threaded hole mount; inserting a second bolt through a second receiving bore on the second receiving bore mount until the second bolt functionally engages with a first threaded hole on the first threaded hole mount; rotating the first bolt; and rotating the second bolt. Optional embodiments include wherein the second pin is inserted in the second rail hole in an opposite direction as the first pin is inserted in the first rail hole.
The invention also further relates to methods and devices of rail pulling systems including a first and a second pin; a first and a second bolt; a first and a second threaded hole; a first and a second receiving bore; the first receiving bore is fixedly mounted onto a trailing end of the first pin via a first receiving bore mount, the second receiving bore is fixedly mounted onto a trailing end of the second pin via a second receiving bore mount; the receiving bores further comprise substantially smooth inner surfaces defining receiving bore holes; a first and a second threaded hole mount that mounts the respective first and second threaded hole onto the respective first and second pin; the first and the second threaded hole mount is shaped to removably engaged with respective leading ends of the first and the second pins; the threaded holes further comprise threaded inner surfaces defining threaded hole openings; the receiving bores are shaped so as to allow a leading end of the bolts to pass through the receiving bores and to engage with a bolt head; the threaded holes are shaped so as to functionally engage with a leading end of the bolts; the pins have a cross section measuring 1 inch in diameter; the bolts have a cross section measuring 1 inch in diameter; the bolts further comprise a head shaped to be rotated by one of a bit and a socket; the first and the second threaded holes are of unitary construction with the respective first and second threaded hole mounts; and the first and the second receiving bores are of unitary construction with the respective first and second receiving bore mounts.
It should be noted that the bolts, pins, nuts, and holes are not limited to the stated dimensions, nor a particular thread type or thread direction, including metric, standard, and the like.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. The present invention may address one or more of the problems and deficiencies of the current technology discussed above. However, it is contemplated that the invention may prove useful in addressing other problems and deficiencies in a number of technical areas. Therefore the claimed invention should not necessarily be construed as limited to addressing any of the particular problems or deficiencies discussed herein.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is to be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale since the emphasis is instead placed on illustrating the principles of the invention. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention will be understood by reference to the following detailed description, which should be read in conjunction with the appended drawings. It is to be appreciated that the following detailed description of various embodiments is by way of example only and is not meant to limit, in any way, the scope of the present invention. In the summary above, in the following detailed description, in the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the present invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features, not just those explicitly described. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also one or more other components. Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).
The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number),” this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm. The embodiments set forth the below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and illustrate the best mode of practicing the invention. In addition, the invention does not require that all the advantageous features and all the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the invention.
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The first and second pin 4, 6 are elongate, and preferably cylindrical in shape, defining a pin shaft 28 with a pin leading end 30 on one end of the pin shaft 28 and a pin trailing end 32 on an opposing end of the pin shaft 28. The pin leading end 30 preferably has a constant radius with the pin shaft 28 and a smooth exterior surface, though the exterior surface may be threaded in some embodiments. The pin trailing end 32 preferably has an enlarged pin head 34 with a radius larger than the pin shaft 28, as shown, though the pin trailing end 32 may have a constant radius with a smooth or threaded exterior surface in some embodiments. The pin head 34, when present, is preferably unitary of construction with the pin shaft 28. In the embodiment shown, the pin shaft 28 has a circular cross section, though in further embodiments, the pin shaft 28 may have a square, hexagonal, pentagon, triangular, or other non-circular cross section. Such a non-circular cross sectioned pin shaft 28 would offer benefits, especially when paired with a matingly non-circular threaded hole mount 16, 18.
The pins 4, 6 are preferably sized between 0.25 and 2 inches in diameter and between 5 and 10 in length, and are most preferably sized ⅞ inches in diameter and 7 inches in length. The pins 4 ,6 are preferably formed of 4140 steel, but may also be formed of grade 8 or other steels, or other metals, including pure metals and alloys.
The first and second bolts 8, 10 are elongate and cylindrical, defining a bolt shaft 36 with a bolt leading end 38 on one end of the bolt shaft 36 and bolt trailing end 40 on an opposing end of the bolt shaft 36. A threaded portion 42 of the bolt shaft 36 preferably extends from the bolt leading end 38 approximately half the length of the bolt shaft 36 toward the bolt trailing end 40. The threaded portion 42 of the bolt shaft 36 may extend less than half of the length of the bolt shaft 36, or may extend greater than half the length of the bolt shaft 36, and may extend substantially the entire length of the bolt shaft 36. At the bolt shaft trailing end 40 is preferably an enlarged bolt head 44 with a diameter larger than the bolt shaft 36. The bolt head 44, when present, is preferably unitary of construction with the bolt shaft 36, and preferably shaped to functionally engage with and be rotated by a bit or socket.
In a further embodiment, the bolt head 44 may be formed by one or more nuts threaded onto a threaded portion 42 of the bolt trailing end 40.
Additionally, in a further embodiment, the threaded hole 12, 14 may be formed by a nut exterior axially aligned with but on an opposite side of a smooth threaded hole opening 48 from the advancing direction of the leading ends 38 of the first and second bolts 8, 10, such that the leading ends 38 of the bolts 8, 10 must first pass through the smooth threaded hole openings 48 before functionally engaging with the nuts.
The bolts 8, 10 are preferably sized between 0.25 inches and 2 inches in diameter and between 5 inches and 10 inches in length, and are most preferably sized ⅞ inches in diameter and 7 inches in length. The bolts 8, 10 are preferably formed of 4140 steel, but may also be formed of grade 8, other steels, or other metals, including pure metals and alloys
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Though in the embodiment shown, each pin 4, 6 supports one treaded hole mount 16, 18 and one receiving bore mount 24, 26, in further embodiments, one pin 4, 6 may support two threaded hole mounts 16, 18 and the other pin 4, 6 may support two receiving bore mounts 20, 22. Such an embodiment would potentially increase production costs, but would offer a benefit of actuating both bolts 8, 10 from the same direction, which saves time and energy and cost in the rail pulling process.
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As the pin trailing end 32 of the first pin 4 is urged toward the pin leading end 30 of the second pin 6, and the pin leading end 30 of the first pin 4 is urged toward to pin trailing end 32 of the second pin 6, the first pin 4, in the first rail hole 58 of the first rail 62, pulls 76 the first rail 62 towards the second pin 6 (to the right of
The bolts 8, 10 are preferably rotated 74 sequentially, first one 8, 10 then the other 8, 10, for a length of time that partial advances the bolt leading end 38 through the threaded hole 12, 14, then repeated for multiple rounds. This allows the rails 62, 64 to remain aligned, or regain alignment, as the rails 62, 64 are moved toward one another 76 and the rail gap 66 is decreased. Alternatively, the bolts 8, 10 may be rotated 74 simultaneously at the same, or near same speed, so that the rails 62, 64 may be moved toward one another while remaining aligned or regaining alignment.
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In one optional aspect of the embodiment shown in
The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may explicitly be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that various modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to and be readily apparent those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the appended claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various other related ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items while only the terms “consisting of” and “consisting only of” are to be construed in the limitative sense.
The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/618,075 filed Jan. 17, 2018, which is incorporated by reference into the present disclosure as if fully restated herein. Any conflict between the incorporated material and the specific teachings of this disclosure shall be resolved in favor of the latter. Likewise, any conflict between an art-understood definition of a word or phrase and a definition of the word or phrase as specifically taught in this disclosure shall be resolved in favor of the latter.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62618075 | Jan 2018 | US |