Apparatus for adjusting the distance between rails

A system for adjusting the separation distance between adjacent spaced apart elongated rails which are adapted for vehicular traffic thereon and including a top surface, an outboard surface and an inboard surface, wherein the inboard surfaces of the rails face one another comprising

• a vehicle adapted to be mounted on and to move along the length of the rails and including an articulated boom member,
• a rail gripper,
• means mounting said rail gripper on said vehicle for movement of said rail gripper between positions of engagement and disengagement with the rails, and including means for pivotal movement of said rail gripper about a pivot axis that extends normal to the length dimension of the rails,
• said rail gripper extending between and bridging the distance between the rails including at least first and second elongated members that are telescopically moveable relative to one another to selectively adjust the effective length of said rail gripper between retracted and extended positions and having first and second opposite ends, each of said first and second ends including a portion thereof adapted to engage the top surface of a respective rail, an outboard end portion which depends from said first end of said platform by a distance sufficient to permit said outboard end portion to engage the outboard surface of a respective rail, an inboard end portion which depends from said first end of said platform by a distance sufficient to permit said inboard end portion to engage the inboard surface of a respective rail, said outboard end portion and said inboard end portion being spatially separated by a distance sufficient for the interposition of a respective rail therebetween when said rail gripper is disposed in its positions of engagement with the rails,
• at least one hydraulic piston/cylinder interconnecting said first and second elongated members for selectively adjusting the length of said rail gripper between its retracted and extended positions with a force which is sufficient to move the rails toward or away from one another when the rails are engaged by said first and second ends of said rail gripper.

A method for adjusting the separation distance between adjacent spaced apart elongated rails which are adapted for vehicular traffic thereon comprising the steps of:

• (a) maneuvering a mobile vehicle onto said rails, said vehicle including a frame adapted to ride along said rails, said frame having front and rear ends traversing the distance between said rails and first and second sets of wheel assemblies mounting said frame between said rails for movement of said vehicle along said rails;
• (b) gauging the distance between said rails at a given location and generating an observable indication of the spatial distance between said rails at said given location;
• (c) moving a telescoping rail gripper into juxtaposition to said rails;
• (d) employing a hydraulically powered assembly, selectively altering the degree of telescoping of said rail gripper to thereby lengthen or shorten said rail gripper to apply a laterally directed moving force to said rails;
• (e) continuing the application of said lateral force to said rails until said rails are in gauge.