A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
a is a side view of a railway rail handling apparatus according to the invention;
FIG. 1
b is a front view of the railway rail handling apparatus of FIG. 1a;
FIG. 2 is a detailed front view of the rail moving means of FIGS. 1a and 1b when open to receive a rail;
FIG. 3
a is a side view of the railway rail handling apparatus of FIG. 1a when engaged with a rail;
FIG. 3
b is a front view of the railway rail handling apparatus of FIG. 1b when engaged with an end of a rail;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1a to 3b in operation; and
FIGS. 5
a and 5b are views of an alternative embodiment of the railway rail handling apparatus.
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1a and 1b respectively provide side and front views of a railway rail handling apparatus 10 according to the invention. The apparatus 10 comprises rail moving means 12, which is located approximately half way between and depends between two spaced apart apparatus support members 14, 16. The rail moving means 12 depends from a chassis 18, which is supported on the two spaced apart apparatus support members 14, 16. On the chassis 18 are supported a pneumatic system 20, a diesel generator 22 and a user control 24, which provide pneumatic actuation, generation and user control of the railway rail handling apparatus in accordance with known techniques. The diesel generator provides motive power for the railway rail handling apparatus. In addition, a block and tackle arrangement 26 is mounted on the front of the chassis 18. The block and tackle arrangement can be moved to one of several positions between the spaced apart support members 14, 16. A continuous chain tread 28 (which constitutes ground engaging wheel means) is provided at the end of each of the two spaced apart apparatus support members 14, 16.
FIG. 2 shows the rail moving means 12 of FIGS. 1a and 1b in more detail. With reference to FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2, the rail moving means comprises an elongate telescopic body 40, having a first part 42 that is telescopically received in a second part 44. Referring now again to FIGS. 1a and 1b, the upper end of the body 40 is mounted on the chassis 18 by means of a coupling 46, which provides for swivelling and/or rotation of the rail moving means in relation to the chassis. A pin (not shown and which constitutes arresting means) is inserted by an operator into an upper part of the rail moving means to arrest swivelling and/or rotation in relation of the chassis.
At the end of the rail moving means 12 opposite the end having the coupling 46, the rail moving means is configured to, define an aperture 48 for receiving a rail. The aperture 48 is defined by two spaced apart side members 50, 52, a plate 54 substantially perpendicular to the spaced apart side members 50, 52 and a roller 56 (which constitutes a gate means) spaced apart from the plate. The aperture is of sufficient dimensions to accommodate discontinuities and projections encountered on a surface of a rail, as the rail moving means is moved along the rail. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the side members 50, 52 can be rotated in the direction of the arrows. As the roller 56 is attached to one of the side members 50, rotation of that side member 50 swivels the roller 56 to one side, thereby permitting a rail to be received between the side members from below. When the roller 56 is in the closed position shown in FIG. 1a, a retractable bolt 58 provided on the roller 56 is received in a corresponding locking aperture 60 provided in one of the side members 52.
As shown in FIG. 2, two rotatable handle supports 62, 64 are provided on the top of the plate 54, with a handle 66 extending from a side of one of the handle supports 62. The handle supports 62, 64 and handle 66 are not shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b for the sake of clarity. The handle supports can be rotated sideways, as shown in FIG. 2. The handle supports 62, 64 may be rotated independently of the side members 50, 52; alternatively, the side members and handle supports may be in mechanical communication such that a handle support will rotate with its corresponding side member. When the two handle supports 62, 64 are rotated towards each other such that they extend forward of the rail moving means 12, the handle 66 that extends from one of the handle supports 62 engages with the other handle support 64 to provide a convenient operator handle, which extends across the front of the rail moving means 12.
Structural parts of the railway rail handling apparatus, such as the chassis 18, the support members 14, 16, the block and tackle arrangement 26, the rail moving means 12, etc, are largely formed of a metal, such steel. The continuous chain tread 28 may be formed of rubber, plastics or similar such material.
A height of the railway rail handling apparatus 10 from the ground to the chassis 18, when the apparatus is standing on the continuous chain tread 28 is about 1 m. A width of the chassis 18 from one support member to the other 14, 16 is about 1 m. A length of the apparatus from the front of the continuous chain tread to its rear is about 1.7 m and the length of the chassis is about 1 m. The rail moving means has a diameter of about 0.2 m. The length of the rail moving means in the fully retracted state is about 0.7 m and in the fully extended state is about 0.9 m . The aperture defined by the rail moving means for receiving a rail is about 0.2 m high and 0.2 m wide.
Turning now to FIGS. 3a, 3b and 4, it will be seen that these FIGS. illustrate a use of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2. Accordingly, the reader is directed to the description given with reference to FIGS. 1a, 1b and 2 in the preceding paragraphs for a description of those components that are common to FIGS. 3a to 4.
Referring to FIGS. 3a, 3b and 4, use of the railway rail handling apparatus will now be described. The railway rail handling apparatus 10 is manoeuvred over the ground by means of the continuous chain tread 28 so that the rail moving means 12, when substantially vertical to the ground, is over a location (e.g. part of a railway) to which it is desired to move a rail. The side members 50, 52 and the rotatable handle supports are rotated to take up the position shown in FIG. 2. The pin, which is used to arrest swivelling of the rail moving means is removed. In addition, the block and tackle arrangement 26 is moved to a position between the two spaced apart members 14, 16, which is above or at least as close as possible to a rail 80 lying on the ground. Then, the rail moving means 12 is swivelled sideways towards the rail 80 and, at much the same time, the block and tackle arrangement 26 used to raise an end 82 of the rail above the ground and towards the open end of the rail moving means 12. If need be, an operator may use the inherent flexibility of the rail to bend the end of the rail laterally towards the rail moving means, e.g. by means of a crowbar or other such tool. The rail moving means 12 and the end 82 of the rail are manoeuvred so that the end 82 is received in the aperture 48 defined by the side members 50, 52 of the rail moving means 12. The telescopic body 40 of the rail moving means 12 may be extended or retracted to aid location of the end 82 of the rail in the aperture 48.
When the end 82 of the rail is properly received in the aperture 48, the side members 50, 52 (along with the handle supports 62, 64) are rotated to close the rail moving means 12 so that that they take up the position shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b. The block and tackle arrangement 26 can now be disengaged from the end of the rail. In this position, the retractable bolt 58 is received in the corresponding locking aperture to hold the side members 50, 52 and roller 56 securely in place. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3b, the rail moving means completely encircles the end 82 of the rail. The end 82 of the rail on the roller 56 and thus part of the rail (see FIG. 3a) is supported above the ground. The set-up procedure concludes with the rail moving means 12 being swivelled back to be substantially vertical to the ground and the pin re-inserted to arrest further swivelling of the rail moving means 12 in relation to the chassis 18. This concludes the set-up procedure.
Upon conclusion of the set-up procedure, the railway rail handling apparatus 10 is driven on the continuous chain tread 28 so that the rail moving means 12 moves longitudinally along the rail 80. The presence of the roller 56 provides for ease of movement of the rail moving means along the rail. Rotation of the rail moving means 12 in relation to the chassis 18 about an axis extending substantially vertically from the ground can ease travel of the rail moving means along the rail.
FIG. 4 provides a plan view of the railway rail handling apparatus 10 in operation, with the arrow indicating the direction of movement of the apparatus along the rail 80. As the apparatus 10 moves progressively along the rail, the rail moving means 12 engages with successive parts of the rail to bend them laterally of the as yet unbent part of the rail in a continuous manner. The bending of the rail is made possible by its inherent flexibility. Thus, the rail is progressively moved from its initial location to a location generally below the rail moving means 12. This operation continues until the end of the rail is reached. Steering of the apparatus can be achieved by independent control of the two continuous chain treads 28. Steering allows an operator to control to where the rail is moved. Typically, the rail moving means 12 is disengaged from the rail by driving the apparatus 10 until the furthest end of the rail is re ached and the furthest end drops from the rail moving means. As may be best appreciated by viewing FIG. 4, the rail moving means 12 is operative within a footprint defined by the railway rail handling apparatus 10 over the ground.
FIGS. 5
a and 5b are partial side and plan views of an alternative embodiment of the railway rail handling apparatus, in which the chassis 18 defines an aperture 19 through which the rail moving means 40 depends. As can be seen from FIG. 5a the rail moving means 12 extends above the chassis, thereby allowing for the support members 14, 16 to be shortened and the height of the apparatus to be reduced. The rail moving means 12 is movable to and fro laterally of a rail engaged by the rail moving means in the aperture 19 (as indicated by the arrows of FIG. 5b). The rail moving means 12 moves to and fro on a train (not shown) under power provided by the diesel generator. This embodiment provides several advantages. More specifically, the rail moving means 12 can be moved laterally during engagement of a rail with the rail moving means. In addition, the rail moving means can be moved laterally during bending of a rail, e.g. to avoid an obstacle, without disturbing ballast by having to steer the railway rail handling apparatus 10 on the continuous chain tread 28. Furthermore, the rail moving means can be moved laterally to control a position to where a rail is being moved by the railway rail handling apparatus.
Patent Application
20080072783
