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US 6,886,470 B2Granted
Rail welderhead shear apparatus
AssigneeHolland Company
InventorsRobert V. Norby, René A. Hunziker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flash butt rail welding welderhead combines in a single unit, the ability for the three functions of rail pulling, flash butt forging and maintaining the “after forged” displacement without any change in platen position such that shearing may be accomplished in three stages, a single stage, multiple stages or a progressive stage, all while maintaining clamping and stretching force on the rails.
Claims7
A rail welderhead comprising:
- two opposing pairs of quadrants constructed and arranged to close on adjacent rail sections and provide rail clamping by engagement of pads provided on the rail sections, the opposing pairs of quadrants defining a firebox therebetween;
- and
- a shear die fully enclosed within the firebox such that, when the welderhead's opposing quadrants are in a fully closed position, the shear die, a fully sheared weld, and a weld collar are contained within the firebox;
- wherein the opposing pairs of quadrants are operative to pull and stretch the adjacent rail sections;
- said quadrants pull and stretch adjacent rail sections with a force of between about 150 to 200 tons.
2 more elements
A rail welderhead comprising:
- two opposing pairs of quadrants constructed and arranged to close on adjacent rail sections and provide rail clamping by engagement of pads provided on the rail sections, the opposing pairs of quadrants defining a firebox therebetween;
- and
- a shear die fully enclosed within the firebox such that, when the welderhead's opposing quadrants are in a fully closed position, the shear die, a fully sheared weld, and a weld collar are contained within the firebox;
- wherein the opposing pairs of quadrants are operative to pull and stretch the adjacent rail sections;
- said quadrants imparting an upsetting force of between 35 to 73 tons.
2 more elements
A flash butt welderhead with clamping quadrants defining a firebox therebetween comprising:
- said welderhead has a rail pulling capacity sufficient for moving and stretching substantial lengths of rail to overcome tensile and frictional resistance of steel rail lengths of up to about one quarter to one third of a statute mile in length, as well as forging the rail ends together and maintaining that position after forging.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.