Rail gaging and renewing device

Claim 2

In a spike driver for use in rail renewing, a vehicle movable along the rails of a track having a frame and cross structure supporting a spike driving assembly, the improvement comprising a gaging structure having at least one pair of movable arms adapted to be pivoted about a respective pivot point and including an actuating lever and means for urging the movable arms to engage and move a free rail to the proper gage from a fixed rail, a clamping structure having at least one hook member adapted to engage the head of a rail to prevent said device from lifting off the rails during spiking operations, a piston rod urging the hook member into position for adequate clearance and travel, and a spring urging the hook member into engagement with the head of a rail to prevent the device from lifting off of the rails during spiking operations.

Claim 3

In a spike driving machine for renewing rail on railroad track where one rail is old and still spiked in place and the other is new and free on the tie, a frame adapted to be moved along the rails, a spike driving mechanism on the frame over at least the new rail, a gaging mechanism on the frame longitudinally adjacent the spike driving mechanism, a spreading mechanism between the rails adapted to apply a lateral outward thrust to the base of the rails to bring the new rail to the desired gage while using the old rail as a reference, and a power mechanism outboard of each rail for applying a laterally inward clamping force to the outside of the base of each rail in opposition to the spreading mechanism so that after the free rail is spiked in position, the slack between the rail base and the shoulders on the tie plates will be on the inside.

Claim 4

In a spike driving machine for renewing rail on railroad track where one rail is old and still spiked in place and the other is new and free on the tie, a frame adapted to be moved along the rails, a spike driving mechanism on the frame over at least the new rail, a gaging mechanism on the frame longitudinally adjacent the spike driving mechanism, a spreading mechanism between the rails adapted to apply a lateral outward thrust to the base of the rails to bring the new rail to the desired gage while using the old rail as a reference, and a power mechanism outboard of each rail for applying a laterally inward clamping force to the outside of the base of each rail in opposition to the spreading mechanism so that after the free rail is spiked in position, the slack between the rail base and the shoulders on the tie plates will be on the inside.