US 6,637,340 B1 · Rail pulling system

Abstract

A rail pulling system for efficiently drawing the ends of two rails together. The rail pulling system includes an elongate frame, a control unit, a first sliding unit and a second sliding unit, a pair of first actuators attached to the first sliding unit, a pair of second actuators attached to the second sliding unit, a plurality of third actuators attached to the frame, a pair of first engaging cams rotatably attached to the first sliding unit, and a pair of second engaging cams rotatably attached to the second sliding unit. The cams are rotated to engage a first rail and a second rail respectively by actuating the first actuators and the second actuators thereby causing an engaging portion of the cams to engage pillow blocks on the third actuators. The third actuators then draw the first sliding unit and the second sliding unit together thereby drawing the rails together.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A rail pulling system for drawing a first rail and a second rail together, comprising:

a frame having a first end and a second end;
a first unit slidably attached to said frame;
a pair of first engaging cams rotatably attached to said first unit in opposition to one another for engaging a first rail;
a first actuator attached to said first end of said frame;
a second actuator attached between said first unit and said first actuator;
a second unit attached to said frame;
and
a pair of second engaging cams rotatably attached to said second unit in opposition to one another for selectively engaging a second rail.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rail pulling system

Life of this patent

Rail pulling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20