Claims
- 1. An end plating machine for a wood tie having opposite ends, comprising:
- a frame means including horizontally spaced-apart first and second end frames;
- said frame means having tie in-feed and out-feed portions;
- means for positioning a tie between said end frames;
- a first tie clamping means adjacent said first end frame for clamping one end of a tie positioned between said end frames;
- a second tie clamping means adjacent said second end frame for clamping the other end of the tie positioned between said end frames;
- a first horizontally disposed, power ram means associated with said first end frame for driving an end plate into said one end of the tie while said first tie clamping means is clamping the one end of the tie positioned therein, said first power ram means including a magnetic ram;
- a second horizontally disposed, power ram means associated with said second end frame for driving an end plate into the other end of the tie while said second tie clamping means is clamping the other end of the tie positioned therein, said second power ram means including a magnetic ram;
- a first end plate station on said first end frame for supporting a plurality of end plates;
- a first end plate transporter on said first end frame for successively transporting individual end plates from said first end plate station to a position adjacent said one end of the tie positioned in said first tie clamping means so that said first power ram means may drive the end plate into the said one end of the tie;
- a second end plate transporter on said second end frame for successively transporting individual end plates from said second end plate station to a position adjacent said other end of the tie positioned in said second tie clamping means so that said second power ram means may drive the end plate into the said other end of the tie;
- each of said first and second transporters comprising:
- (a) a plate elevator, having a flat magnetic head, which is movable from a first position wherein said flat magnetic head is horizontally disposed to receive an end plate thereon from the associated end plate station, to a second position wherein said flat magnetic head is vertically disposed;
- (b) a transporter arm, having an end plate receiving portion, pivotally mounted on the associated end frame and being pivotally movable from a first position, wherein said end plate receiving portion receives the end plate positioned on said flat magnetic head while said plate elevator is in its said second position, to a second position wherein the end plate thereon is positioned adjacent the magnetic ram of the associated power ram means so that the end plate will be magnetically attached to said magnetic ram.
- 2. The end plating machine of claim 1 wherein said machine includes means for sensing ties of different dimensions and further includes means for shifting the end plate on said flat magnetic head depending upon the dimension of the tie being sensed.
- 3. The end plating machine of claim 1 wherein said end plate receiving portion of said transporter arm has a plurality of openings formed therein for receiving the teeth of the end plate being supported thereon.
- 4. The end plating machine of claim 1 including a tie feeding conveyor at said in-feed portion for successively conveying ties to said first and second tie clamping means.
- 5. The end plating machine of claim 1 wherein the end plates are stacked one upon the other in each of said first and second end plate stations.
- 6. The end plating machine of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second end plate stations comprises first and second end plate hoppers, respectively, wherein said end plates are stacked one upon another therein.
- 7. The end plating machine of claim 6 wherein each of said end frames includes means for separating the lowermost end plate in the associated hopper from the end plates thereabove.
- 8. The end plating machine of claim 1 wherein a third end plate station is positioned on said first end frame for supporting end plates having a different dimension than that supported by said first end plate station and wherein a fourth end plate station is positioned on said second end frame for supporting end plates having a different dimension than that supported in said second end plate station.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a divisional application of Petitioner's earlier application Ser. No. 08/955,046 filed Oct. 21, 1997, entitled A WOOD TIE END PLATING MACHINE.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Tee-Lok Corporation "Color-Coded Banded Pack", Brochure, 1995. |
Tee-Lok Corporation "20 Pack Plates", Brochure, 1994. |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
955046 |
Oct 1997 |
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