Method and apparatus for automatically setting rail tie plates
AssigneeOak Industries Inc.
InventorDennis J. Cotic
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically setting tie plates on tops of the ties for a railroad track includes a frame adapted to be moved along the track, an inclined slide surface adapted to accommodate a plurality of tie plates thereon, a plate control mechanism adapted to release the plates one at a time to slide down the slide surface and into a plate pocket where the plate is received by a reciprocating pusher which deposits the plate upon the top of a respective tie with a minimum of movement thereon so that the plate will be accurately positioned on the tie.
Claims26
A mechanism for setting tie plates on upper surfaces of the ties for a railroad track, comprising:
- a frame adapted to be moved along the track in a specified direction and having a front end and a rear end;
- an inclined slide surface mounted on said frame, said slide surface having an upper end, a lower end disposed proximate to said frame rear end and adapted to accommodate a plurality of plates arranged seriatim for sliding motion thereon from said upper end toward said lower end;
- releasable stop means located on said frame and adapted to regulate said movement of the plates on said slide surface to said lower end thereof said stop means releasing the plates seriatim down said slide surface;
- a planar surface secured to said frame and having a portion disposed beneath said lower end of said slide surface;
- and
- plate pusher means located on said planar surface near the lower end of said slide surface and adapted to receive each of the plates seriatim as the plates drop from said slide surface, to retract to allow each dropped plate to fall upon said planar surface, and to push each of the plates from said planar surface upon the upper surface of a respective tie in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said frame.
A mechanism for setting tie plates on upper surfaces of the ties for a railroad track, comprising:
- a frame adapted to be moved along the track and having a front end and a rear end;
- an inclined slide surface mounted on said frame, said slide surface having an upper end, a lower end and adapted to accommodate a plurality of plates arranged seriatim for sliding motion thereon toward said lower end, said lower end defining a plate pocket;
- plate control means mounted on said frame and adapted to releasably control the movement of the individual plates on said slide surface toward said plate pocket;
- an electromagnet assembly constructed and arranged to receive from said slide surface the plates individually released by said control means and to releasably retain each of the plates prior to deposition thereof into said pocket;
- and
- a plate pusher assembly located on said frame near the lower end of said slide surface and including a pusher member adapted for reciprocal linear movement on said frame, said pusher member adapted to receive the plates seriatim from said lower end of said slide surface and to push each of the plates from said rear end of said frame for placement upon the upper surface of a respective tie with a minimum of movement thereon so that the plates will be accurately positioned on the ties.
A method for setting tie plates upon the upper surface of ties for a railroad track, the method comprising:
- stacking a plurality of the tie plates in linear fashion on an upper end of an inclined surface;
- moving said surface along the track in a specified direction;
- controlling the descent of individual plates as they slide down said surface and into a pocket, said pocket defined by a lower end of said surface and a sled member having a planar surface;
- sensing the position of a tie by sensing means;
- dropping each of the plates into the pocket upon a reciprocating pusher member;
- and
- pushing an individual plate from said sled member onto the upper surface of the sensed tie in a direction opposite the direction of movement of said surface and at a generally zero forward velocity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.