Apparatus for replacing old cross tie with new cross tie

Claim 1

Apparatus for replacing old cross ties with new cross ties comprising: a. a supporting frame adapted for longitudinal movement along the rails of a railroad track, b. rail gripper elements carried by said supporting frame disposed to move selectively to a first position in gripping engagement with said rails of the railroad track and a second position released from said rails, c. jack means carried by said supporting frame engagable with the roadbed of said railroad track while said gripper elements are in said first position for moving said frame and said rails selectively to a raised position and a lowered position, d. a transverse frame mounted on said supporting frame and adapted for lateral movement relative thereto, e. a rotatable turret carried by said transverse frame and movable to a position along one side of said supporting frame, f. means supplying new cross ties to said supporting frame at a position opposite said turret with said new cross ties extending transversely of said supporting frame and generally parallel to the old tie to be replaced, g. oppositely disposed cross tie gripper units carried by said turret in position for one gripper unit to engage the old cross tie to be replaced and the other gripper unit in position to engage a new cross tie on said supporting frame, h. power actuated means operatively connected to said cross tie grippers for moving each of said cross tie gripper units selectively to an engaged position and a released position relative to a cross tie, i. meanS moving said transverse frame laterally in a direction to move said turret outwardly of said supporting frame upon engagement of said cross tie gripper units with said new and old ties to remove concomitantly said old tie from beneath said rails and said new tie from said supporting frame, j. means to rotate said turret after removal of said old cross tie from beneath said rails an angular distance for release of said old cross tie at a location removed from the point of removal thereof and then to rotate said turret an angular distance to position said new cross tie for insertion at said point of removal of the old cross tie, and k. means moving said transverse frame laterally in a direction to move said turret inwardly to insert said new cross tie beneath said rails after rotation of said turret to position said new cross tie for insertion at the point of removal of the old cross tie.