Method and apparatus for grinding welded rails

Claim 1

IN A GRINDING APPARATUS FOR USE IN GRINDING WELDS PRODUCED BY WELDING RAIL SECTIONS TOGETHER IN END TO END RELATIONSHIP TO FORM A CONTINUOUS RAIL, THE COMBINATION OF GRINDING EQUIPMENT, RAIL MOVING MECHANISM FOR PASSING THE CONTINUOUS RAIL THROUGH THE GRINDING EQUIPMENT, SAID GRINDING EQUIPMENT INCLUDING A PLURALITY EQUIPMENT, SAID EACH INCLUDING A GRINDING BELT AND RESPECTIVELY ACTING UPON THE TOP, THE BOTTOM AND THE SIDE EDGES OF THE CONTINUOUS RAIL IN THE REGION OF THE WELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF REMOVING WELD MATERIAL, EACH HEAD INCLUDING BIASING MEANS FOR MOVING THE BELT INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RAIL, A FIRST OF SAID GRINDING HEADS BEING SPACED FROM A SECOND OF SAID HEADS IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE CONTINUOUS RAIL, AND SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY PASSING THE CONTINUOUS RAIL THROUGH THE GRINDING EQUIPMENT AND FOR AUTOMATICALLY VARYING THE SPEED OF TRAVEL IN SUCH MANNER THAT THE CONTINUOUS RAIL TRAVELS AT RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED UNTIL THE WELD REACHES A POSITION IN THE VICINITY BUT IN ADVANCE OF THE BIASING MEANS OF THE SECOND GRINDING HEAD WHEREUPON THE SPEED DECREASES TO A RELATIVELY LOW VALUE WHILE THE WELD PASSES THE SECOND GRINDING HEAD, THE LAST NAMED MEANS BEING OPERABLE TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF TRAVEL OF THE CONTINUOUS RAIL TO SAID RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED AS THE WELD PASSES FROM THE SECOND GRINDING HEAD TO POSITION NEAR BUT IN ADVANCE OF THE BIASING MEANS OF THE FIRST GRINDING HEAD, TO THEN DECREASE THE SPEED OF TRAVEL TO SAID RELATIVELY LOW VALUE DURING MOVEMENT OF THE WELD PAST THE FIRST GRINDING HEAD, AND THEN TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF TRAVEL TO SAID RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED WHEN THE WELD MOVES BEYOND THE FIRST GRINDING HEAD.