United States Patent
US Patent 7571681: Apparatus and method of railroad tie replacement
US 7571681 · granted 2009-08-11
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for the simultaneous removal of an old railroad tie that is part of an existing railroad tie with a new railroad tie. The apparatus includes a first railroad car that places a new tie adjacent to the existing railroad track, a second railroad car which picks up and removes an old railroad tie after it has been replaced with the new railroad tie, and a third railroad car located between the first car and second car which has a hydraulic actuator that uses the new tie to simultaneously push out the old tie from under the railroad track and place into position the new tie. The first car has a conveyor that removes a new tie from the first car and places it in a location that is end-to-end adjacent to the old tie. The third car, using the hydraulic actuator takes the new tie and uses it to push the old tie out from under the railroad track and simultaneously place the new tie in proper position. The third car also includes a railroad track lifting frame which can lift the railroad track underneath the third car a slight amount.
| Patent Number | 7571681 |
|---|---|
| Title | Apparatus and method of railroad tie replacement |
| Filed | 2007-04-20 |
| Granted | 2009-08-11 |
| Inventor(s) | Haughey; Ruston A. |
| CPC Classification | E01B 29/06, E01B 29/05 |
| Number of Claims | 62 |
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for the simultaneous removal of an old railroad tie that is part of an existing railroad tie with a new railroad tie. The apparatus includes a first railroad car that places a new tie adjacent to the existing railroad track, a second railroad car which picks up and removes an old railroad tie after it has been replaced with the new railroad tie, and a third railroad car located between the first car and second car which has a hydraulic actuator that uses the new tie to simultaneously push out the old tie from under the railroad track and place into position the new tie. The first car has a conveyor that removes a new tie from the first car and places it in a location that is end-to-end adjacent to the old tie. The third car, using the hydraulic actuator takes the new tie and uses it to push the old tie out from under the railroad track and simultaneously place the new tie in proper position. The third car also includes a railroad track lifting frame which can lift the railroad track underneath the third car a slight amount.
Claim 1
An apparatus for simultaneous removal of an old railroad tie that is part of an existing railroad track with a new railroad tie comprising: a first railroad car movable along saidexisting railroad track and operable to place a new tie onto a region adjacent the existing railroad track and end-to-end adjacent to an existing railroad track tie as the first railroad car moves along said existing track; a second railroad car and athird railroad car, said third railroad car and said second railroad car being joined together and said third railroad car being joined with said first railroad car whereby said railroad cars are movable together along said existing rack; said third carbeing movable with said first railroad car and being operable to lift the railroad track thereunder and remove the old tie from the existing railroad track and replace it with a new tie placed by the first railroad car as said first railroad car and saidthird railroad car are moving along said existing track; said second railroad car movable along said existing track with said first railroad car and said third railroad car and operable while moving to pick up an old tie that has been replaced by a newtie by said
Claims
62 totalAn apparatus for simultaneous removal of an old railroad tie that is part of an existing railroad track with a new railroad tie comprising: a first railroad car movable along saidexisting railroad track and operable to place a new tie onto a region adjacent the existing railroad track and end-to-end adjacent to an existing railroad track tie as the first railroad car moves along said existing track; a second railroad car and athird railroad car, said third railroad car and said second railroad car being joined together and said third railroad car being joined with said first railroad car whereby said railroad cars are movable together along said existing rack; said third carbeing movable with said first railroad car and being operable to lift the railroad track thereunder and remove the old tie from the existing railroad track and replace it with a new tie placed by the first railroad car as said first railroad car and saidthird railroad car are moving along said existing track; said second railroad car movable along said existing track with said first railroad car and said third railroad car and operable while moving to pick up an old tie that has been replaced by a newtie by said