Patent Application
20220064870
This disclosure relates to the field of machines for maintaining railroads, and in particular, to machines that install railroad rails along a railway.
Railroad rails are difficult to install along a railway to form a track. In the past, rail lifting machines or cranes were configured to hoist a large section of rail into the air by lifting the rail with chains at a lift point along the rail. To lift the rail, an articulating claw suspended from the end of a chain hanging from the end of the boom of the crane would be positioned to engage the rail under the inside and outside surfaces of the head of the rail at the desired lift point. Once the claw was positioned along the rail, the crane operator would lift the section of track and position the section as close to the desired location as possible across the railroad ties. However, the process of placing a rail into place by the crane was inconsistent, imprecise, time consuming, and did not allow for easy insertion of the rail under a lug of the tie plate. In addition, previously known rail lifting machines or cranes were configured with a single operator station, which inhibits the operator's ability to see and control placement of both an inside rail and an outside rail across a set of railroad ties.
Consequently, there exists a need for an apparatus that solves these and other problems.
An embodiment of a rail threader workhead for attachment to an end of a rail machine boom and configured for placing a railroad rail upon a section of railroad ties is disclosed, comprising: (i) a first apparatus for mounting to the end of the rail machine boom and operable to pivot in a vertical pitch direction; (ii) a second apparatus extending from the first apparatus and operable to pivot in a horizontal yaw direction; and a third apparatus extending from the second apparatus, the third apparatus comprising a pair of roller assemblies configured to engage the railroad rail, the third apparatus configured to pivot in a cant or roll direction.
The first, second, and third apparatus may be configured to operate independently of one another. The first, second, and third apparatus may be configured to operate simultaneously with one another. The first, second, and third apparatus may be configured to operate in series with one another.
The first apparatus may include a pair of horizontally oriented first hydraulic cylinders for pivoting the second apparatus in the yaw direction. Each of the first hydraulic cylinders may be configured to pivot about a vertical axis that intersects a longitudinal axis of each of the first hydraulic cylinders. The second apparatus may include a pair of vertically oriented second hydraulic cylinders for pivoting the third apparatus in the cant or roll direction. Each of the second hydraulic cylinders may be configured to pivot about a horizontal axis that intersects a longitudinal axis of each of the second hydraulic cylinders. The third apparatus may include a pair of third hydraulic cylinders to actuate the pair of roller assemblies to engage the railroad rail. The rail threader workhead may include a pair of roller arms that are pivotably attached to a cant or roll apparatus of the third apparatus. An upper end of each of the third hydraulic cylinders may be connected to the cant or roll apparatus, and a lower end of each of the third hydraulic cylinders may be connected to a respective roller arm. Each of the roller arms may be connected to a respective roller assembly. Each of the roller assemblies may include a pair of roller bearings configured to rotate on an internal, stationary shaft that is mounted to each of the roller arms.
The first apparatus may pivot about a first horizontal pin that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rail machine boom, the second apparatus may pivot about a vertical pin, and the third apparatus may pivot about a second horizontal pin that is perpendicular to the first horizontal pin.
Another embodiment of a rail threader workhead for attachment to an end of a rail machine boom and configured for placing a railroad rail upon a section of railroad ties is disclosed, comprising: (i) a first apparatus for mounting to the end of the rail machine boom, the first apparatus configured to pivot in a vertical pitch direction about a first horizontal pin that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rail machine boom; (ii) a second apparatus extending from the first apparatus, the second apparatus configured to pivot about a vertical pin in a horizontal yaw direction; and (iii) a third apparatus extending from the second apparatus, the third apparatus configured to pivot in a cant or roll direction about a second horizontal pin that is perpendicular to the first horizontal pin.
The first horizontal pin may be attached to and extend from a first receiver connected to a first side panel of the first apparatus to a second receiver connected to a second side panel of the first apparatus. The vertical pin may be attached to and extend from a top receiver connected to a top panel of the first apparatus to a bottom receiver connected to a bottom panel of the first apparatus. The second horizontal pin is attached to and extends from a front receiver connected to a front panel of the second apparatus to a rear receiver connected to a rear panel of the second apparatus.
The rail threader workhead may include a pair of roller assemblies attached to the third apparatus for engaging the railroad rail. The pair of roller assemblies may be configured to permit movement of the railroad rail in the cant or roll direction when the third apparatus pivots in the cant or roll direction.
The first apparatus may include a pair of horizontally oriented first hydraulic cylinders for pivoting the second apparatus in the yaw direction. The second apparatus may include a pair of vertically oriented second hydraulic cylinders for pivoting the third apparatus in the cant or roll direction. The third apparatus may include a pair of third hydraulic cylinders to actuate a pair of roller assemblies to engage the railroad rail. The pair of roller assemblies may be configured to permit movement of the railroad rail in the cant or roll direction when the third apparatus pivots in the cant or roll direction. The rail threader workhead may include a pair of roller arms that are pivotably attached to a cant or roll apparatus of the third apparatus. An upper end of each of the third hydraulic cylinders may be connected to the cant or roll apparatus, and a lower end of each of the third hydraulic cylinders may be connected to a respective roller arm.
For a better understanding of the features described in this disclosure, reference may be made to embodiments shown in the drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and related elements may be omitted so as to emphasize and clearly illustrate the novel features described herein. In addition, system components can be variously arranged, as known in the art. In the figures, like referenced numerals may refer to like parts throughout the different figures unless otherwise specified.
While the features, methods, devices, and systems described herein may be embodied in various forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will hereinafter be described, some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments. Not all of the depicted components described in this disclosure may be required, however, and some implementations may include additional, different, or fewer components from those expressly described in this disclosure. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims as set forth herein. Thus, it should be appreciated that any of the features of an embodiment discussed with reference to the figures herein may be combined with or substituted for features discussed in connection with other embodiments in this disclosure.
The instant disclosure describes and illustrates various embodiments of a rail threader workhead apparatus for grabbing, hoisting, and inserting railroad rails onto railroad ties and vice versa. In at least some embodiments, the workhead apparatus includes a first apparatus for mounting to a rail machine boom and operable to articulate the workhead apparatus in a vertical, pitch direction; a second apparatus connected to the first apparatus and operable to move the second apparatus in a yaw direction; and a third apparatus connected to the second apparatus and operable to grab a rail section and to articulate the third apparatus in a rotational direction when viewed in elevation from the front of the workhead. The first, second, and third apparatus may be configured to articulate individually, all three simultaneously, or in simultaneous pairs. In some embodiments, manual or automated movement of the first, second, and third apparatus may be performed in a sequence or simultaneously. For example, movement of the third apparatus in a roll direction may be performed in a sequence with or simultaneously with move of the first apparatus in a pitch direction. As will be described in more detail below, articulating the first, second, and third apparatus in the pitch, yaw, and roll directions allows easy movement of the rail section while taking advantage of natural longitudinal rail bending to aid the process—all while maximizing an operator's sight down the rail when sitting in the operator station of the rail machine.
The rail machine may be configured with one or more operator stations, such as a pair of operator stations. The one or more operator stations may be configured to be operated by a single operator. For example, if the rail machine is configured with a pair of operator stations, an operator positioned longitudinally along a desired inside rail or a desired outside rail location may easily see along the path for the desired rail location. The rail machine may be configured to traverse on the railroad track to the point in the track where a new rail is desired to be placed ahead of the rail machine. The rail machine may include a crane boom and the rail threader workhead as shown and described herein for grabbing and hoisting sections of rail from a location adjacent to the track and for positioning the rail section in a desired location across the railroad ties, or to remove sections of rail from an installed location to a position adjacent to the track.
The rail machine and the rail threader workhead may be operated hydraulically, pneumatically, electromechanically, or a combination of all three. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the boom, the first apparatus, the second apparatus, and the third apparatus described above and described in detail herein are configured for hydraulic operation, all of which being operable from a human operator positioned on the rail machine. In other embodiments, a human operator via a remote interface and/or display may remotely connect to a wireless transceiver on the rail machine to drive and/or operate one or more of the boom, the first apparatus, the second apparatus, and the third apparatus, all of which being connected electronically to one another on a local network, such as a CAN-Bus network, and driven by electromechanical actuators and/or hydraulic mechanisms. In such embodiments, the transceiver may include a processor and memory and one or more input/output buses for communicating electronic commands from the processor to rail machine components, including one or more components associated with the rail threader workhead, as well as feedback signals from one or more position sensors associated with such components. Likewise, the remote interface and/or display, such as a touchscreen display on which is displayed a user interface, may include a processor, memory, and an wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the transceiver on the rail machine. In various embodiments, the remote transceiver is a mobile phone, a mobile computer, a remote internet connected computer, and the like. Wireless signals may be communicated to and from the respective transceivers via WiFi, cellular, satellite, near-field communications, Bluetooth, or any other suitable wireless means. In this way, a human operator may be stationed alongside a portion of the track and command the rail machine from his/her remote vantage point to grab, hoist, and position a section of rail on a desired installation location, or conversely, to remove a section of installed rail and to place it alongside the track. The rail machine may include one or more cameras positioned strategically on the rail machine, boom, and/or rail threader workhead and/or on one or more camera stands or tripods positioned alongside the track for aiding a remote operator to operate the rail machine and/or the rail threader workhead. The one or more cameras may wirelessly stream images or video to either the operator's display or user interface onboard the rail machine or to the remote operator for display or both to one or more user interfaces and/or displays to aid the operator in moving sections of rail.
A central processing unit comprising a processor and memory may be positioned onboard the rail threader workhead to (i) receive and process sensor data and operator input commands (including input commands received by the onboard transceiver from the remote transceiver), (ii) output command signals to one or more components of the rail threader workhead to cause motion, for example, of a commanded component commensurate with input signals, and/or (iii) output data signals to the operator's display or user interface onboard the rail machine. In some embodiments, such data signals may also be simultaneously transmitted to a remote operator's display or user interface via the respective transceivers discussed above. In other embodiments, such data signals may be transmitted to the remote operator's display or user interface instead of to an onboard operator's display or user interface.
The central processing unit may also be connected to the local network described above. For example, one or more sensors, such as one or more position or angle sensors, may be strategically positioned on various components of the rail threader workhead to post component position or angle data on the local network. The processor of the central processing unit may receive such data as well as any input data from the operator, determine appropriate output signals to operate one or more components of the rail threader workhead in response to the position or angle feedback data and operator input data, and post the output command(s) on the local network to enable the component to effect the desired command.
Turning now to the figures, there is shown various aspects of rail threader workhead 100 for mounting to boom 150 of rail machine 200. As shown in
In the embodiments shown in the figures, hydraulic cylinders of varying diameters and lengths are strategically positioned on boom 150 and/or rail threader workhead 100 to enable the rotational motion of manipulator head 1, manipulator box 16, manipulator head 33, and rail manipulator roller arms 37.
For example, as shown in
Similarly, as shown in
As shown in
Meanwhile, as best shown in
In the embodiment shown in the figures, manipulator head 1 includes opposed, parallel side walls 62,63, front wall 64, rear wall 65, and bottom wall 66 positioned opposite and parallel to top wall 67—all arranged to form a box-like structure. Top wall 67 and bottom wall 66 are parallel to one another. Rear wall 65 is angled to follow the slanted profile of side walls 62,63. Manipulator head 1 also includes a plurality of receivers 68 for receiving pins 6, 50, and 52. Respective receivers 68 may be welded to side walls 62,63, top wall 67 and bottom wall 66.
Respective yaw cylinders 10a,10b are mounted to respective side walls 62,63 via trunnion mounts 2 positioned above and below yaw cylinders 10a,10b. Trunnion mounts 2 each include receivers 3 to receive a respective cylinder mount post 9 to enable each yaw cylinder 10a,10b to pivot thereon.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, manipulator box 16 includes opposed, parallel side walls 72,73, front wall 74 positioned opposite and parallel to rear wall 75, and bottom wall 76 positioned opposite and parallel to top wall 77—all arranged to form a box-like structure. Front wall 74 and rear wall 75 extend below bottom wall 76. Manipulator box 16 also includes rearwardly extending parallel top wall 82 and bottom wall 83 for engaging manipulator head 1. Manipulator box 16 also includes a plurality of receivers 78 for receiving pin 18, sleeve 79 for receiving pin 6, and a plurality of receivers 80 for receiving pins 19. Respective receivers 78 may be welded to front wall 74 and rear wall 75, and respective receivers 80 on top wall 82 may be welded to top wall 82.
Respective cant or roll cylinders 46a,46b are mounted to respective side walls 72,73 via trunnion mounts 2 positioned forwardly and rearwardly of cant or roll cylinders 46a,46b. As discussed above, trunnion mounts 2 each include receiver 3 to receive a respective cylinder mount post 9 to enable each cant or roll cylinder 46a,46b to pivot thereon. Camera 25 may be secured to a pedestal positioned on front wall 74. Camera cover 31 may be secured to the pedestal to cover and protect camera 25.
In the embodiment shown in the figures, manipulator head 33 includes front wall 92 positioned opposite and parallel to rear wall 93, top wall 94 positioned opposite and parallel to bottom wall 95 (not shown), and opposed, parallel side walls 98 (not shown)—all arranged to form a box-like structure. Manipulator head 33 also includes sleeve 96 for receiving pin 18.
Manipulator head 33 also includes rail squeeze cylinders 44a,44b connected to respective rail manipulator arms 37a,37b, which are connected to and pivot on respective pins 34e,34f. Rail manipulator arms 37a,37b are configured to receive respective roller assemblies 39a,39b and are configured as a clevis to receive rail squeeze cylinders 44a,44b. An upper end 86a,86b of rail squeeze cylinders 44a,44b is connected to respective pins 34a,34d while a lower end 87a,87b of rail squeeze cylinders 44a,44b is connected to respective pins 43a,43b. Pins 34a,34d are configured to pass through receivers 55a,55d, and pins 43a,43b are configured to pass through and be received by receivers 56a,56b.
Turning now to
To operate rail threader workhead, an operator would (i) position boom 150 over a desired rail 60 to be moved (see
The embodiments described herein are possible examples of implementations and are merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the features described herein. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) without substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the techniques, processes, devices, and systems described herein. All such modifications are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.
