Rail grinding machine
AssigneeLoram Maintenance of Way, Inc.
InventorsRobert G. Vieau, Truman A. Anderson, Kevin C. Johansen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The angle through which the grinding modules of a railroad track rail grinding machine can be tilted is increased by pivotally mounting the grinding modules on a carriage which is in turn pivotally mounted relative to the rail grinding machine's supporting, main framework. The carriage hereof provides for lateral shifting of the grinding module grinding stones relative to the track rail, as well as tilting of the grinding modules through a ninety degree arc about the rail to be ground. The flexibility of the carriage greatly enhances the rail shaping capability of each grinding module.
Claims8
A rail grinding machine for restoring the surface of railroad track rails, said grinding machine including a main frame supported on said track by rail engaging wheels and adapted for travel along said rails comprising:
- a grinding module including a grinding head adapted for contacting one of said rails in grinding relationship;
- and
- a carriage assembly operably coupling said grinding module to said main frame, said carriage assembly including:
- carriage support structure depending from said main frame and positionable in fixed relationship with said rail surface;
- a carriage tilt frame pivotally coupled to said carriage support structure at a tilt frame pivot axis oriented directly above said rail surface when said carriage support structure is in said fixed relationship with said rail surface;
- and
- grinding module attachment means for operably, pivotally coupling said module to said tilt frame at a grinding module attachment means pivot axis,
- whereby said grinding module can be tilted through a first angle relative to said tilt frame, and said tilt frame can be tilted through a second angle relative to said carriage support structure, such that said grinding head is shiftable about said rail surface through a third angle equaling the sum of said first and second angles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.