US2358657A - Apparatus for removing, cleaning, and redistributing ballast - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19,- 1944. J. B. M WlLLlAMS' 2,358,657

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, CLEANING Am) Ri -DISTRIBUTING B'ALLAST Filed June 6. 1942 '7 Shegts-Sheet l P 1944. J. B. MCWILLIAMS 2,358,657

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, CLEANING AND RBI-DISTRIBUTING BALLAST Filed June 6 1942 V 7 sheets-Sheet 2 Pt- 1944. J. B. M WILLIAMS 2,358,657

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, CLEANING AND REE-DISTRIBUTING BALLAST Filed June 6, 1942 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Se t. '19, 1944. J. a. MCWILLIAMS APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, CLEANING AND RE-DISTRIBUTING BALLAST Filed June 6, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 19, 1944. 2,358,657

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, CLEANING ANDRE-DISTRIBUTING BALLAST J. .B'. ,MGWILLIAMS Filed June 6, 1942 v Sheets-Sheet 5 v IQVENTOR yaw Sept. 19, 1944; J. B. MW|LL|AM$ APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, CLEANING AND IKE-DISTRIBUTING BALLAST Filed June 1942 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 T flJ fiHl H "1P HHHHJ 2 A may |i v... -..-s 9 w iiiii u A f A r w. w 1- rl J- Z'IMHHI HHJHF HIHH l-J I THHI lI-HHHH F Ii mi|||1|lli 1- Sept.

1944. J. B. MWILLIAMS 2,353,657

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING, (ILEANING: AND RE-DISTRIBI JTING BALLAST Filed Jun 6, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR and its link "mechanism.

Patented Sept. 19, 1944 V UNITED STATES PATENT] APPARATUS :FoR' .REMovI'NG, CLEANING, AND, REDISTRIBUTING BALLAST James B; McWillianis, Pittsburgh, Pa... assignor to ;RailwayMain ten-ance Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania. Application June 6, 1942; SerialNo. 446.024

13 claims. ('01. 37-104) resting same with the operative mechanism in register with eachintervening space between the ties, known as crib. l I q The machine comprises a travelling support or truck provided with a vertically disposed carriage frame providing a guiding mounting for a;

:rising and lowering carriage member, means loperatively mounted in said carriage member for L-laterally moving the static'ballast inwardly towards the middle-of each single crib to receptive position and condition for a clam shell bucket, :means, as such bucket,'for engaging a section of "such accumulated ballast and contained forleign matter, means for actuating the ballastmovfing means and said bucket, and means for raising and loweringthe carriage. Additional fea- :tures also include an automatically adjustable 'zchute for receiving the contents and distribut- Efing same to'screening and distributing means, :means for bracing and adjusting the ties, power 'itransmitting connections to various operative ele- :ments, and various working parts and details, :as shall be more fully hereinafter described.

' Referringto the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side'elevation of'the machine in operative relation to the crib spaces between the ities.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view with the operating carriage member and its working parts in elevated position with the clam shell bucket in open discharging position. i

Fig. 4 is a similar partial detail view showing the chute in inward receiving position.

Fig. 5 is a transverse. section of the frame structure on the line V-V of Fig. 9.

Fig. 6 is a partial'end view like Fig. 3 showing the working parts lowered with the clam shell bucket closed.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view showing the bucket gaging and releasinglatch.

Fig. 8 is a partial detail view "showing the tie bracing mechanism in lowered'position. Fi 9 is a detail view showing the holding and releasing mechanism for the chute.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view on the line X'X of Fig. 9. v 7

Fig. 11 is an isometric detail of the chute en- Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view on the line XII'XII of Fig. 9. t

Fig. 13 isa further detail viewillustrating 00- operating movement of the bucket in relation to the pushing shoe of the ballast moving arm.

The machine is designed to be pperatively mounted upon and to move intermittently along the railsZ .of a railroad 'track', by motor driven 7 power not necessarily'illustrated. but gearedwith the axles of wheels 6, and having controlling means as levers-valves. etc; 7 The machine is de-' signed to be thus periodically propelled to locate the working elements; properly with relation to the cribsj 3. betweenties l: Itcomprises a main base framing 5 having axle journal bearings and superimposed vertical framing members, as channels, along and in. parallelism with which the vertically moving, slidingframe or carriage is uided I in j assuming its alternating positions. The slide frame Bis made of suitable structural members, front and back, rigidly connected as a unit,'and havingjfro'nt-and back cross plates 8a, functioning. to. cooperate wi fifi ncorporated working parts, as hereinafter "described. The slide frame is provided at'its lowrrear portion with socket eyes or. other devices "'9 for-connection with the terminals of continuous cable 12. These pass upwardlyand ove'rsheaves l3 and M at the upper part of the structure, sheaves l4 being mounted in a carrier connected-with piston rod I 5 of the piston of a horizontally disposed cylinder 16. The middle section of the cable engages a horizontally disposed sheave l1 mounted as shown in an adjusting clevis lllhaving tightening or loosening-means, asa threadedbolt II.

The pistoniof' cylinder lfi is operated by any available fluid controlled by a suitable valve of well known construction, not necessarily shown in the drawings. .By such means the slide frame or carriage 8. is thusfadaptedto be actively raised, and lowered. by 'gravity along its'framing 4l3, as will be understood, or by other suitablemeans.

At the bottom of the slide frameare oppositely disposed angles l8 adapted, when lowered, to rest firmly on the tops of adjacent ties, with ample intervening space, i. e. full widthfof each crib."

The frame of the slide 8 provided'at its upper p be desired.

of cylinders 23, each cylinder being pivotally con-= nected with the upper extremity of each arm, as at 24.

The inner ends of the cylinders 'are'pivotally mounted the chute 41.

of plates Ba and the bucket closes, assisted by gravity. When piston 35 is raised, as in Fig. 3, lifting arms 29, the action of levers is reversed, and the bucket is opened for discharge.

At each side, extending upwardly from the main longitudinal truck beams, are a pair of upright columns 43, of channel form, connected by a cross beam 44 having downwardly extending brackets 45 between which, by cross pin 46, is pivotally Such chute is normally held outwardly beyond the rising bucket and its load by means of a latch 48 pivoted at 49 between I hearings on cross beam 44 and having an interconnected with the top of thesliding frame 8 at 25, for compensating moven'ient. Thegpis'ton of each cylinder is operated from any available source of fluid pressure (not shown) provided with suitable control valves of usual type.

Each arm 2| is provided at its lower extremity with an inwardly projecting extension 25, in-

sertible partly through the crib between the ties, with permissible clearance,'underneath the rail, as in Fig. 6. Each such extension is provided with aninclii'idflatface scooping shoe or ram 21, acting as a pusherror the ballast towards the middle of the track.

The inclination of ram-2'lfacilitates action on V the packed ballastin tne inanner of a plow share, tending to disturb and move it inwardly and upwardly.;and facilitating formation of a middle pileaccumulation, indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, for easy grasping by-the inwardly and downwardly moving action of the terminal edges of th bucket.-

,While arms 2 I are shown asmade of structural steel shapes, welded or riveted, it will be under,- stood that they, may be readilyproduced as forgingsjor steel castings, of one integral piece.

. The constructionis-s uchas] to provide, in addition to the ballast disturbance and movement, more effective and-efficient action'by the bucket sides, in enteringthe mass. Thus, by'properly locating the shoes 21 with ap roximately close relation to the arc ;of movement of thebucket edges inclosingtogether, as in Figs. 6 and 13, the approaching edges of the bucket will pass along closely over inside the shoes, acting as 'guides; and

more easily and freely into and underneath the mass. --In this 'res'pect'the machine materially reduces the diiiiculty of entering underneathjthe assemblageof broken stone or the like Mounted on thewvertically movable housing frame-8, between front and bafck plates 28, is a cylinder 3|, (seeFig. -7') having 'a piston '35 anda piston rod 31 pivotally connected at 38 with connecting arms 29 engaging the'link mechanism of .thebucket opening and closing means. These comprise a-pair of levers30, 30,'pivoted on cross pin fulcrum -32 betweenrplates '8a, and pivotally connected by links 33 with'the terminals of arms 29.

As shownin Fig. "7-, additional holes in levers 30 for the cross pin 32 may bepro'vided, for varying the fulcrum bearing and-leverage strokaas'may Such connection upper corners Levers 3B are 'pivotally connected bytheir innershorter ends with links 34 with the hinge pin 36 of the; opposite halves or sections .3'9 ofthe clam'shell bucket 40.

position of Fig.9, by'an abutment 60 on flange is by cross pin 42 extending through the sides of thefibucket halves at their chute are provided with terminal rollers 53 adapted to be engaged by cams I located slightly aboveflanges |8 of the upwardly moving frame 8 with its loaded bucket. Such mechanism operates, first to tilt the chute further outwardly by the cams I for free timed release of the latch, and immediately thereafter to thrust the latch inwardly below the chute crossbar 5i ,at the end'of upward movement of the slide frame.

Such operation is effected atthev termination of the upward travel of frame 8, locating the-chute underneath the loaded bucket, which is then opened by upward movement of piston 35 of cylinder 3|, the arms 2| having been-withdrawn by action ofcylinders 23 and elevated with the main frame, as in Fig. 3. r

The release of latch 48 is simultaneously effected by upward movement of lever 54, pivotally mounted at 55 on beam 44, by lifting action of controlling arm 56.- Said arm is pivoted to lever 54 at 51 and the lever engages a cross pin 58 of the latch by clearance slot 59., v

Arm 56 is adapted to be elevated by rising action of slide frameB, beginning just before its'ultimate lift, with final release of latch 48,

I8 and the slopingifaee 6| of cam 62supported from beam 44 by connection -44'. )7 a As shown, arm. 56 is provided: with a shoulder '63 above a terminal sloping face 64 of an extended prong, and engageable by rising abutment-150. *As the arm 56 rises to lift lever54,

cam -6| causes it to be moved outwardly beyond the abutment just before termination of upward movement of the frame 8. Upon -reverse movement downwardly of the frame, the contents of the bucket having been discharged into the :chute and therefrom to the I screen, the --arm 56 havingbeenftemporarily held outwardly by the abutment--60 as indicated at 65, will fall by gravity, lowering'lever 54 and latch 48 to normal position. The arm 56 is provided with -a lever extension '66 and adjustable counterweight-Bl, to ensure resumption of normal positioniupon lowering of main slide frame 8, ready for the next operation. v

.The cams 1 as shown, are provided with upper inclined faces 68 and lower oppositely inclined faces 6 9'. Withthe chute held outwardly for clearance of the rising bucket, as Fig. l, the'upwardly moving cams engage rollers-53 to slightly further elevat'e-the :chute for free'release of 'latch'4B, permitting the chute to "fall to receptive position, as in Fig. 4. Upon reverse "downward movement'of the frame, cam faces -69 i engage the rollers from above, tipping the was chute again outwardly beyond the =zone-of the lowering open bucket, and "effecting its engagement by the latch. Thelatch' as-shown is ;pro-

vide'd with an inclinedcam face '10 engageable by the outer edge of cross bar in rising, temporarily elevatingle'ver 54 and arm 56, and with prompt resumption of the latch to chute-retaining position.-

Withthe chute in lowered receiving position underneath the bucket, its released contentspass to a downwardly inclined screen-1|, through which foreign material as dirt, cinders, etc. pass to a conveyor-belt 12 leading outwardly laterally to any; suitable discharge or convenient receptacle. The screen is preferably agitated by a suitablecam or other mechanism, not shown, but actuated through a driving chain v1.3 or the like, driven from a gear box 14 and a power shaft 15, from which a chain or other drive 16 actuates the conveyor belt 12. The screen is provided ,with a suitable lower discharge chute 11 leading to the conveyor belt 12.

Screened ballast passes over the screen to a terminal portion 18 from which a pair of lateral trough conduits 19, registering with "each successive crib 3, as the machine is successively advanced and stationed, extend for distribution of cleaned ballast thereto, beyond the rails. -A portion of such ballast may be finally shoveled back to fill the cribs, or if desired, the end of terminal portion 18 may be also open for middle delivery between the rails, as indicated by the arrow, or adjustable endmost deflecting gates may be utilized for varyin flow distribution of the ballast, as will readily be understood by the designing engineer.

. For preventing displacing movement of a rear tie,. as by action of the bucket in entering the crib, or of the side arms and their rams, I provide the means shown in Fig. 8, comprising the opposite side series ofelements generally indicated by the letter A, Fig. 3. These consist of arms 89 pivoted at Bl to a depending bracket 82 of the carriage 5 having a shoe 83 for location in the open crib, closely behind the tie adjacent the crib to be emptied. An opposite arm 84 is similarly pivoted at 85 to a similar bracket and is pivotally connected .to'arm 89 by an'intervening link 86, such elements comprising a bracing toggle combination. These assemblages of bracing elements, in opposite side duplication, are connected by bars 81.which in turn are connected by suitable means and 'eye bolt 88 with depressin heads 89 slidably mounted on opposite beams 43. i

The slide frame 8 is connected at each side,

' as by transverse platesBb, with opposite vertical guide members as angles 92 each provided with a plate abutment 90. Abutments 99 are adapted, towards the last portion of the downward stroke, to engage and depress the heads 89. The abutment carrying guides 92 are slidably mounted in vertical slots between the main columns 43 and spaced angle bars 93, as in Fig. 5. The plates 8b are connected with and actuate the abutments 90 by means of connecting bracket 94 and slide bar 92.

1 Upon lowering of slide frame 8 together with connections, 8b, bracket 94, and slide bars 92, abutments 99 engage and depress heads'89, ex tending springs, 9! against their normal lifting action. Such movement, by bars 81, thrusts shoes 83 into resisting relation to the tie and each end portion thereof, firmly opposing its disturbance. Thus, during downward movement of the slide and prior to inward movement of the rams between the ties, and the following 7 grasping action .of the bucket, the shoes are lowered to rear positioning, closely behind the tie for bracing resistance. Upon upward move ment of the slide, until resisted by stopabutrl ments 99, the leversc are being withdrawn by the springs 9| to dotted line position foriclear-i ance, preparatory to the nextforward movement of the machine, both'operations. being. entirely automatic. vThe carmay then bemoved forwardly to the next -adjacent crib,- and the opera-.

tionrepeated, The action of the rams is .also effective to straighten ties which are not-at right angles to the .rails, or otherwiseiabnormally. located, so that ties shall .not be forced-beyond the standard spacing. .1 V For the purpose of removing undistributed ballast from the tops of ties as the machine proceeds, a scraper may be located transversely below the truck, preferably retractible, as by suitable hinge and shoulder abutment bracing mechanism 96, 91, for erection and-collapse, as inFig. l. The advancing end of the :machineis provided with an o-perators-pulpit 98 in which are mounted operating levers 99., I00, for control of the various valves etc. of the movement'actuating elements, cylinders, etc. for timed. operation thereof, in the proper order. These elements and their particular construction, timed functions, or the like, arenot disclosed, but will be understood as existing and operating as according to recognized and approved practices 1 I i The construction and operation'of the machine will be readily understocdand appreciated from the foregoing description. v

It is designed for comparatively rapidy'practicable-and efficient operation according to th following cycle of operation. l i

The machine having been brought to an initial position alo'ngthe track, it is located and arrested with the slide and its bucket and arms inraised position, inregister with the first crib to be acted upon, a few of those'beyond it rearwardly having already been excavated. The slide frame is then lowered to operative position withithe'fianges l8 resting on the ties at each side of the crib to be'emptied. Duringsuch lowering faces 69 of cams 1 engage rollers 53 and thrust the chute'41 outwardly for automatic engagement by latch 48, providing clearance for downward movement of the slide frame. Intermediate ofsuch descent the heads 89- are' depressed, lowering the toggle assemblage A, andlocating theresisting shoes closelyadjac'ent to the tie in;-rear. of the crib to be emptied. By such; interfering resistance the tie is prevented from any material movement due to lateral pressure tending to disturb it by active entrance and pressure of the digging arms 2| and bucket 40,

,Thereupon, by action of the piston'rods 22, both arms are entered laterally between the ties and underneath the rail or rails as. in Fig. 6. In so entering, they provide an anchoring hold with the rails against upward movement of the slide frame for any reason,.as by action'of the bucket in closing, and ensuring positive static conditions during such operations. The scoops 21, by reason of their inclination, engage the'ball'ast in such a manner as to push it inwardly and upwardly towards the middle in an accumulating pile. ,At the same time, during theirprogress toward extreme inward positions as in Figs. 6 and 13, the entering edges and rounded faces of the scoop ing shoes closely approximate by their contour, the adjacent faces of shoes 21, andgreatly facilitate closing'and loading of the bucket.

'Upon termination of the inward travel of arms 21-, the piston 35 of cylinder 3|; and arms 29 are lowered; with upward movement of links 34', closing the'grab bucket upon the contained ballast, as in Fig. 6p Thereupon the arms 2| are retracted, as is also piston of cylinder t6, effecting lifting tension by cable 12, the ends of which, connected with opposite lower portions: of the slide frame as at 9, elevate the slide frame and bucket for discharge into chute 41, as in Fig. 3; Just before termination of such upward movement cams I cause? the outwardly heldlchutef to tip slightly further outwardly for easyrelease of latch 4'8, followed immediately by such release,

causing the chute to fall by; gravity; then to be tipped slightly inwardly by passage of cams 1; beyond the. rollers 53; finally being located in receiving position, and soheld by flanges 1-8.; at termination of their upward travel, .underfthe loaded bucket. i i l 'The piston 35 of cylinder; 31. is thenraised, opening the bucket which discharges into the chute, effecting flow movement over the screen and elimination of screenings, and'deposit'oft'he cleaned, ballast into the emptied rear crib or cribs, asdescribed; V

The liftingw frame-and its parts'may remaintin such upper position pendingsuch final disposition'of the material beingcactedi upon; the machine is then moved one tie spacing for'registration. withthe'next occupied crib; and the operation is repeated successively along the :trackway; The machine as a whole is strong; compact, self-contained, comparatively simple, and highly efiicient in operation, and greatly reduces the time and expense of. removing; cleaning. and replacing ballast in its intended use.- It may be changed or varied in design, detail construction, or: otherwise, by: the skilled mechanic or builder, within. the scope of the following claims. I I claim: 1;. The combinationof a swpportingrtruck and laterally spaced apart columns thereon, of-"a vertically movable slide frame; vertical guide-means between. the slide frame a and the columns, means for lowering. the. slide frame -as controlled by saidguiding means, uponadjacent' ties and for elevating yit thereabove, a tie bracing shoe depending from the truck, and lowering" and raising means therefor operable by the slide frame:

2; The combination 'o'fa supporting truckand laterally spacedapart columns thereomof averti-cally movable slide frame; vertical guidingmeans between the slide frame andflthe columns,

means-for lowering the slide frame as" controlled byisaid guidingmea'ns, upon adjacent ties and for elevating it thereabove' atiebracing" shoe and pivotally connected toggle joint mechanism therefor depending from the truck, and lowering and raising means therefor operably connected with the slide frame. v

-3. In combination with the vertically: moving slide frame of a cribbing" machi'neas described. having a grab bucket, a pair of"opp'o sitely arranged pivotally mounted pusher arms, actuating means for thrusting the terminalsof said arms inwardly-between the ties for middle accumula bucket foropening and closing; terminaLl'i-nclined' plow plates on the arms adapted to be thrust inwardly to close guiding relation tothe, erect movement of the bucket lips in closing.

5. In combination with the vertically moving slide frame provided with the pivotallyconnected double side bucket, the opposite pair of laterally swinging side arms, and means for actuating the bucket for opening. and closing; terminal inwardly disposed ballast-moving portions adapted to, be thrustinwardly between adjacent ti es and below the rails thereon adapted to engage the rails and provide anchoring resistance to undesired. upward movement of the-slide frame duringclosing of the bucket.

6. In a cribbing machine as described, the combination with thesulpporting truck and its frame- I a bracing shoe, a link pivotally connecting said arms providing for toggle joint erection or collapse, a thrusting and lifting arm, *a vertically moving head, a normally operative retracting spring ,connected therewith, and an element operable by downward movement of the slide frame adapted to engage said head to effect lowering of the bracing shoe behind a tie.

,8; In a cribbing machine as described, the combination with the supporting truck and its framework and the vertically movable slide frame, means for preventing movement of a tie or for correcting displacement thereof consisting of a pair of arms oppositely pivoted tobearings suspended from the truck, one of said arms having a bracing; shoe, a linkrpivotally connecting said arms providing for toggle joint erection or col-- lapse, a' thrusting and lifting arm, a vertically moving head, a normally operative retracting spring connected therewith, and an element and a depressing mefnben: and a; lowering abute ment operatively connected: with th'eslide frame adapted to engage said member.

10; In a railway cribbing machine as described provided with a track supported truck" having a vertically movable slide frame, spring retracted means depending from each side of the truck each provided with a tie engaging bralcing' shoe and a; depressing member, and a pair of lower-v ingabutments operativelyconnec'ted with the slideframe adapted to engage said members to lower the bracing; shoes between adjacent ties. 11. In a railway cribbing machine as described provided with a'track supported truck having a vertically movable slide frame, toggle joint means depending from each side of the'tmck provided with tie engaging bracing shoes, retracting means therefor for elevating said means to inoperative position, slidably mounted depressing members connected with said toggle joint means, and lowering abutments operatively connected with the slide frame adapted to engage said depressing members to lower the toggle joint means and locate the bracing shoes between adjacent ties.

12. In a railway cribbing machine as described provided with a track supported truck having oppositely located columns, a vertically movable slide frame having ballast engaging elements, spring retracted means depending from each side of the truck provided with tie bracing shoes, depressing members for said means slidably mounted on said columns, and lowering abutments operatively connected with the slide frame adapted to engage said depressing members for lowering thereof during upward tension on said spring retracted means.

13. In a railway cribbing machine as described provided with a track supported truck having oppositely located columns provided with slotted vating springs.

JAMES B. MCWILLIAMS.

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