US3612184A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mobile ballast sweeping and redistribution machine
Assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
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Filing: 1969-03-03
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Granted: 1971-10-12
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Expires: 1989-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A mobile ballast sweeping and redistributing machine comprises a rotary broom, ballast conveyor means continuously operable independently of the machine movement for conveying the swept ballast away from the broom, and means for the continuous redistribution of the ballast received from the conveyor means.
Inventors
- 👤 Franz Plasser
- 👤 Josef Theurer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:41
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01B; E01B27/00; E01B27/02; E01B27/023; E01B27/026
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
323 words
A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, and further including a transversely extending endless conveying means, the rotary broom being arranged to move the swept ballast towards the transversely extending conveying means, and the transversely extending conveying means having a ballast discharge end arranged to discharge the ballast received from the broom on the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation, and means arranged to receive the conveyed ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said ballast-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at selected points of the ballast bed, and said transversely extending conveying means comprising a pair of endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-discharging end, and further comprising a ballast guide being mounted between the rotary broom and the endless conveyor bands, the ballast guide being arranged to guide the swept ballast from the broom to the endless conveyor bands, the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation being mounted between the endless conveyor bands and having a ballast receiving end arranged to receive the ballast from the discharging ends of the conveyor bands, the conveyor bands moving in opposite directions each towards the respective discharge end.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
323 words
A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, and further including a transversely extending endless conveying means, the rotary broom being arranged to move the swept ballast towards the transversely extending conveying means, and the transversely extending conveying means having a ballast discharge end arranged to discharge the ballast received from the broom on the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation, and means arranged to receive the conveyed ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said ballast-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at selected points of the ballast bed, and said transversely extending conveying means comprising a pair of endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-discharging end, and further comprising a ballast guide being mounted between the rotary broom and the endless conveyor bands, the ballast guide being arranged to guide the swept ballast from the broom to the endless conveyor bands, the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation being mounted between the endless conveyor bands and having a ballast receiving end arranged to receive the ballast from the discharging ends of the conveyor bands, the conveyor bands moving in opposite directions each towards the respective discharge end.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising means for vertically adjusting the rotary broom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the rotary broom sweeping elements are radially extending, elastic members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising a frame mounted for mobility on the track and having a front end and a rear end, as determined by the working direction of the machine, the rear end of the machine frame carrying a unit including the broom and the ballast conveyor means, and pressure-fluid-operated means for lifting the unit from the operating position of the broom to an inoperative position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation is mounted between the elongated conveyor bands and has a ballast discharge end, and further comprising a pair of transversely extending endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-receiving end and a ballast discharge end, the latter conveyor bands, moving in opposite directions each towards the respective discharge end, and the receiving ends of the latter conveyor bands, the ballast-conveying means being mounted between the latter conveyor bands with the discharge end of the ballast-conveying means being adjacent the receiving ends of the latter conveyor bands, and the discharge ends of the latter conveyor bands being adjacent the elongated conveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mobile machine of claim 5, wherein each of said elongated conveyor bands has a ballast discharge end adjacent the rotary broom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-redistributing means includes a ballast storage receptacle and chute means associated with the receptacle for selectively discharging stored ballast to the track.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
268 words
A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, and means arranged to receive the conveyed Ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said balance-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at points of the ballast bed, the ballast-redistributing means including a pair of elongated conveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation, a respective one of the conveyor bands being arranged adjacent a respective one of the track rails, and said conveyor bands being pivotal about a vertical axis intermediate the ends thereof whereby the ends of the conveyor bands are in alignment with selected points of the ballast bed, and said ballast-conveying means comprising an elongated endless conveyor having a ballast-receiving end arranged indirectly to receive the swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements and a ballast discharge end discharging the conveyed ballast to the ballast-redistributing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
268 words
A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, and means arranged to receive the conveyed Ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said balance-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at points of the ballast bed, the ballast-redistributing means including a pair of elongated conveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation, a respective one of the conveyor bands being arranged adjacent a respective one of the track rails, and said conveyor bands being pivotal about a vertical axis intermediate the ends thereof whereby the ends of the conveyor bands are in alignment with selected points of the ballast bed, and said ballast-conveying means comprising an elongated endless conveyor having a ballast-receiving end arranged indirectly to receive the swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements and a ballast discharge end discharging the conveyed ballast to the ballast-redistributing means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-11 | 1975-04-12 | 1975-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-11 | 1979-04-12 | 1979-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-11 | 1983-04-12 | 1983-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |