Method, apparatus and vehicle for welding rails
AssigneeNetwork Rail Infrastructure Limited
InventorsNICHOLAS RUSSELL MATTHEWS, JOHN HEMPSHALL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Railway rails are welded in situ by induction welding with an insert (3) between the ends of the rails (1) being welded. The insert (3) compensates, at least in part, for the loss of rail length that occurs in the welding process. Preferably the ends of the rails are pushed apart (e.g. by the length of rail consumed in the welding process) before the insert (3) is placed in position, thereby allowing a longer insert to be used. Induction heating may be performed with a split head (5) that can be opened so as to be placed around a rail in situ and then closed to carry out induction heating.
Claims24
A method of welding railway rails comprising:
- placing a metal insert between the ends of first and second rails;
- heating the ends of the first and second rails by electromagnetic induction, to reach a welding temperature;
- forcing the ends of the first and second rails towards each other with a forging pressure, while the insert is between the ends of the first and second rails, and thereby welding each of the first and second rails either to the insert or to the other of the first and second rails.
Apparatus for welding railway rails, comprising:
- first clamping means for gripping a first rail;
- second clamping means for gripping a second rail;
- means for applying force to move the first and second clamping means towards each other and for applying force to move the first and second clamping means away from each other;
- and
- induction heating means, including at least one induction heating coil, placeable around rails gripped by the first and second clamping means at a position between the first and second clamping means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.