Railroad track alignment method and apparatus

Claim 1

A method for the mechanized alignment of the direction of the line of a railroad track, including the steps of leveling and slewing the track whereby the track is slewed as the track is maintained above the ground by the leveling operation, the partial operations of track leveling and slewing being incorporated in the tamping cycles for the tamping of the ballast of the railroad track, stopping the leveling operation each time at the termination of a tamping cycle, and fixedly retaining the lateral position of the railroad track after completion of the leveling operation during a predetermined time interval after termination of the leveling operation, such predetermined time interval at least corresponding to the period of time necessary for the repositioning of the railroad track after completion of the leveling operation.

Claim 2

A method for the mechanized alignment of the direction of the line of a railroad track, including the steps of leveling and slewing the track whereby the track is slewed as the track is maintained above the ground by the leveling operation, the partial operations of track leveling and slewing being incorporated in the tamping cycles for the tamping of the ballast of the railroad track, stopping the leveling operation each time at the termination of a tamping cycle, and fixedly retaining the lateral position of the railroad track after completion of the leveling operation during a predetermined time interval after termination of the leveling operation, such predetermined time interval at least corresponding to the period of time necessary for the repositioning of the railroad track after completion of the leveling operation.

Claim 4

An apparatus for the mechanized alignment of a railroad track comprising means for carrying out a leveling operation, means for controlling said leveling operation, means for carrying out a slewing operation, means for controlling said slewing operation, and control means operating with a time dElay, wherein the interval of said time delay begins upon termination of said leveling operation when the track is being repositioned and, in the terminal phase of said time-delay interval, said control means brings about the release of the lateral track position by said means for carrying out a slewing operation.

Claim 5

An apparatus for the mechanized alignment of a railroad track comprising means for carrying out a leveling operation, means for controlling said leveling operation, means for carrying out a slewing operation, means for controlling said slewing operation, and control means operating with a time dElay, wherein the interval of said time delay begins upon termination of said leveling operation when the track is being repositioned and, in the terminal phase of said time-delay interval, said control means brings about the release of the lateral track position by said means for carrying out a slewing operation.

Claim 6

An apparatus for the mechanized alignment of a railroad track comprising means for carrying out a leveling operation, means for controlling said leveling operation, means for carrying out a slewing operation, means for controlling said slewing operation, and control means operating with a time delay, wherein the interval of said time delay begins upon termination of said leveling operation and, in the terminal phase of said time-delay interval, said control means brings about the release of the lateral track position by said means for carrying out a slewing operation, further including an electrical control circuit operably coupled with said control means, means for interrupting said electrical control circuit, said control means operating with a time delay comprising electromagnetic relay means possessing a time-delayed deenergization period, said electromagnetic relay means being dependent upon said electrical control circuit, the interruption of which bring about termination of said leveling operation and the time-delayed deenergization of said electromagnetic relay means.

Claim 7

An apparatus for the mechanized alignment of a railroad track comprising means for carrying out a leveling operation, means for controlling said leveling operation, means for carrying out a slewing operation, means for controlling said slewing operation, and control means operating with a time delay, wherein the interval of said time delay begins upon termination of said leveling operation and, in the terminal phase of said time-delay interval, said control means brings about the release of the lateral track position by said means for carrying out a slewing operation, further including an electrical control circuit operably coupled with said control means, means for interrupting said electrical control circuit, said control means operating with a time delay comprising electromagnetic relay means possessing a time-delayed deenergization period, said electromagnetic relay means being dependent upon said electrical control circuit, the interruption of which bring about termination of said leveling operation and the time-delayed deenergization of said electromagnetic relay means.