Patent Application
20170350078
The field of invention for this disclosure relates to a portable railroad spike remover.
Removing railroad spikes from a rail tie has not changed much over time. Railroad spikes are often removed from a rail tie manually using a crowbar. A railroad spike may need as much as 5,000 pounds of vertical force to remove a spike embedded in a rail tie. A portable device to easily remove the railroad spikes would be a great improvement.
The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention and various features of it. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but it simply provides a general overview and context for the more detailed description that follows.
The present disclosure provides an apparatus for removing railroad spikes from a rail tie that is portable and easy to use.
According to one aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for removing a railroad spike from a rail tie comprises: a main column, a drive shaft connected to the main column, and an extractor connected to the drive shaft. The extractor may have an opening to secure a railroad spike. Further wherein, when the drive shaft is rotated, the extractor moves inside the main column in a vertical direction to extract the railroad spike from a rail tie. The drive shaft may have a first end, and a second end, wherein the first end includes a drive element and the second end includes threaded portion. The main column may have a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a bearing housing connected to the main column, wherein the bearing housing contains a bearing, and the drive shaft extends through the bearing and the bearing housing. Further, a first extractor may comprise a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and the opening of the extractor extends through the top surface, the bottom surface and at least one side surface and wherein the opening has an upper portion and a lower portion. Additionally, a second extractor may comprise a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and the opening of the extractor extends through the bottom surface and at least two side surfaces. Further, the opening may have a first guide rail, a second guide rail, a first side wall adjacent the first guide rail, a second side wall adjacent the second guide rail, and an upper surface connecting the first guide rail to the second guide rail.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for removing a railroad spike from a rail tie comprises: a main column having a first end and a second end; a bearing housing connected to the first end of the main column containing a bearing; a drive shaft extending through the bearing and the bearing housing and connected to a mounting flange, wherein the mounting flange is connected to an extractor positioned near the second end of the main column via a plurality of standoffs. The drive shaft may extend through the bearing and the bearing housing and may be connected to the mounting flange and wherein the mounting flange is connected to the extractor via the plurality of standoffs. The extractor may comprise a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and an opening of the extractor extends through the bottom surface and at least two side surfaces. Further, when the drive shaft is rotated, the mounting flange and the extractor may move inside the main column in a vertical direction.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of removing a railroad spike from a rail tie may comprise: positioning a railroad spike remover near a railroad spike; sliding a top of the railroad spike into an opening of an extractor of the railroad spike remover; positioning the railroad spike remover over the railroad spike; engaging a drive element of a drive shaft of the railroad spike remover with a rotating tool; and rotating the drive shaft with the rotating tool to raise the extractor and the railroad spike from a rail tie.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
Further, it is to be understood that the drawings may represent the scale of different components of one single embodiment; however, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to that particular scale.
In the following description of various example structures according to the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example devices, systems, and environments in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, example devices, systems, and environments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “side,” “rear,” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures or the orientation during typical use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention. Also, the reader is advised that the attached drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The following terms are used in this specification, and unless otherwise noted or clear from the context, these terms have the meanings provided below.
“Plurality,” as used herein, indicates any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number.
“Connected,” as used herein, indicates that components may be connected directly being physically contacting each other or connected indirectly where the components are connected indirectly where the components do not physically contact, but have one or more intermediate components positioned between them.
“Integral joining technique” or means a technique for joining two pieces so that the two pieces effectively become a single, integral piece, including, but not limited to, irreversible joining techniques, such as adhesively joining, cementing, welding, brazing, soldering, or the like, where separation of the joined pieces cannot be accomplished without structural damage thereto. Pieces joined with such a technique are described as “integrally joined.”
In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.
In general, as described above, aspects of this invention relate to an apparatus to remove railroad spikes from a rail tie comprising a main column, a drive shaft and an extractor. More detailed descriptions of aspects of this invention follow.
One aspect of this invention relates to a portable railroad spike remover 100, as shown in
As illustrated in
The plurality of standoffs 170 may connect to the mounting flange 134 at one end and to the extractor 140 at the opposite end. Alternatively, the drive shaft 120 may connect directly to the extractor 140 without the need for the mounting flange 134 and the plurality of standoffs 170. The extractor 140 may engage and grip the railroad spike 10 to secure it. Once the extractor 140 secures the railroad spike 10, a user may engage the first end 122 of the drive shaft 120 with a tool to provide torque to the drive shaft 120. As the drive shaft 120 is rotated, the mounting flange 134 and the extractor 140 may move inside the column in a vertical direction to extract the railroad spike 10 from a rail tie. As the extractor 140 moves up within the main column 102, the railroad spike 10 is removed from the rail tie.
The main column 102 may have a plurality of substantially vertical side walls that are open at both ends 104, 106. The main column may have a height of approximately 32 inches or within a range of 24 to 40 inches or any height. As shown in the exemplary embodiment shown in
As shown in
The bearing housing 110 may be integrally joined to the first end 104 of the main column 102. Alternatively, the bearing housing 110 and main column 102 may be formed as a single piece. As previously discussed, the bearing housing 110 may have an opening 112. The opening 112 may be located in the geometric center of the bearing housing 110 and may have a cylindrical shape to allow the drive shaft 120 to extend through the bearing housing 110. The opening 112 may be through both ends of the bearing housing 110. In addition, the bearing housing 110 may have a cavity 113 that is concentric with the opening 112. The cavity 113 may be sized to contain the bearing 114 and have a cylindrical shape that is open at one end with a surface at the opposite end to engage one end of the bearing 114. The bearing housing 110 may also have a plurality of holes around the perimeter of the housing. The plurality of holes may be threaded to releasably connect the cap plate 116. The bearing 114 may be a roller bearing or bushing that enables the drive shaft 120 to rotate freely when the bearing 114 is installed onto the drive shaft 120 and into the bearing housing 110.
The drive shaft 120 may have a first end 122 and a second end 124 and may be partially threaded. As shown in
The first end 122 may have a drive element 127 to allow a user to engage the drive shaft 120 with a rotating tool, such as a torque wrench 20 or similar device to rotate the drive shaft 120. As shown in
As discussed the drive shaft 120 may connect to the mounting flange 134. The mounting flange 134 may have a centrally located aperture 136 to connect the drive shaft 120. The mounting flange 134 may be connected to the drive shaft in a plurality of ways. For example, the aperture 136 may be threaded to directly engage the drive shaft 120, or alternatively as shown in
The plurality of standoffs 170 may be hollow tubes that connect at a first end to a mounting flange 134 and a second end of connected to an extractor 140. Each standoff 170 may have internal threads such that they may be releasably connected using a threaded fastener. Alternatively, the plurality of standoffs 170 may be integrally joined to the either the mounting flange 134 or extractor 140 or both.
Each standoff 170 may be approximately 7 inches long or within a range of 5 inches to 9 inches or within a range of 3 inches to 12 inches. Each of the standoffs 170 may be the same length, but depending on the shape of the either the mounting flange 134 or extractor 140, each of the standoffs 170 may have different lengths.
As discussed above, the plurality of standoffs 170 connect to an extractor 140. As shown in
The extractor 240 may have the similar exterior shape as extractor 140 to fit within the main column 102 with a top surface 241, a bottom surface 242, and a plurality of side surfaces 243, 244, 245, 246. An opening 247 may extend through at least two side surfaces and the bottom surface 242. The opening 247 may include a first guide rail 248, a second guide rail 249, a first side wall 250 adjacent the first guide rail, a second side wall 251 adjacent the second guide rail, and an upper surface 252 connecting the first guide rail 248 to the second guide rail 249. The upper surface 252 of the opening may be rounded and exposed to the exterior. The opening 247 may have a first end 253 and a second end 254, wherein a first height 255 at the first end 253 may be defined as a distance perpendicular from the bottom surface 242 of the extractor 240 to the furthest extent of the upper surface 252 and the second end 254 may have a second height 256 defined from the bottom surface 242 to the furthest extent of the second end 254 of the upper surface 252. The bottom surface 242 may further include an angled region 257, such that the angled region 257 angles upward toward the first end 253 of the opening 247.
Additionally, the top surfaces of the first guide rail 248 and the second guide rail 249 may be coplanar surfaces. The first guide rail 248 may have a height at the first end 253 of the opening 247 defined as a perpendicular distance from the bottom surface 242 of the extractor 240 to the furthest extent of the first end 253 of the first guide rail 248. Similarly, the second end 254 may have a second height defined as a perpendicular distance from the bottom surface 242 to the furthest extent of the second end 254 of the first guide rail 248, wherein the first height is smaller than the second height. The guide rails 248, 249 may be linear surfaces and angle in a direction away from the bottom surface 242. Thus, the opening 247 may be larger at the first end 253 than at the second end 254.
The first side wall 250 adjacent the first guide rail 248 and the second side wall 251 adjacent the second guide rail 249 are parallel. Alternatively, the first side wall 250 adjacent the first guide rail 248 and the second side wall 251 adjacent the second guide rail 249 are angled toward one another. Also, similar to the extractor 140, the extractor 240 may have a plurality of holes 258 to connect the extractor 240 to the plurality of standoffs 170.
The various components for the railroad spike remover 100, such as the main column 102, the bearing housing 110, the drive shaft 120, the mounting flange 134, the plurality of standoffs 170, and the extractor 140, 240 may be made of a metallic material, preferably a steel alloy. Alternatively, the components may be made of other metallic materials such as iron, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, titanium, or a titanium alloy.
The railroad spike remover 100 may be portable for a single user to move and operate. Thus, the railroad spike remover 100 may have a weight of less than 50 pounds.
To operate the railroad spike remover 100, a user may position the railroad spike remover 100 near a railroad spike 10 and then slide the opening 147 of the extractor 140 onto the top of the railroad spike 10 such that the railroad spike 10 is secured in extractor 140. The user may then position the railroad spike remover 100 over the railroad spike 10. The user then engages the drive element 127 with the torque wrench 20 and rotates the drive shaft 120 to raise the mounting flange 134 and the extractor 140. As the drive shaft 120 is turned, the extractor 140, along with the railroad spike 10, raises into the main column 102 until the railroad spike 10 is released from the rail tie. Then, the user may reverse the drive shaft 120 to lower the mounting flange 134 and the extractor 140 to allow the railroad spike remover 100 to be ready to remove another railroad spike 10. As was discussed above, a battery operated drill-type apparatus or an air hammer attached to a pneumatic supply could be utilized in lieu of the torque wrench, thereby engaging the drive shaft 120 and rotating the drive shaft to move the drive shaft 120 up and down.
While the invention has been described in detail in terms of specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and methods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.
