US3701320A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for laying railroad ties on a prepared road surface
Assignee: Morrison Knudsen Co Inc
•
Filing: 1971-02-12
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Granted: 1972-10-31
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Expires: 1991-02-12
Abstract
Abstract A method and means are disclosed for dispensing railroad ties at regularly spaced intervals along a prepared roadbed surface from a moving vehicle. Bundles of ties are placed in the input end of the tie laying vehicle and conveyed to a breaking station where the rows of ties making up the bundle are separated into individual ties and conveyed in sequence along a first flow path to a tie plate receiving and spike setting station. The ties have predrilled holes therein in the positions where the spikes are normally set in place. Tie plates having a requisite number of spikes associated therewith are conveyed along a second flow path to the tie plate receiving and spike setting station. At the tie plate receiving and spike setting station. At the tie plate receiving and setting station the ties are aligned in position relative to the spikes extending through the tie plates, and the spikes set into place. The ties with their associated spikes are then conveyed to a pressing station where the outer spikes are completely inserted in the railroad ties. The ties are then discharged at spaced intervals along the prepared roadbed in position for laying rails thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph G Fearon
- 👤 George Monte
- 👤 Gilbert Battermann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:01
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01B; E01B29/00; E01B29/24; E01B29/06; E01B29/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
The method of dispensing railroad ties at regularly spaced intervals along a prepared roadbed surface from a moving vehicle, the dispensed ties having tie plates thereon set in place with rail spikes, comprising: 1. advancing a tie having predrilled holes therein in the positions where spikes are to be located along a first flow path to a tie plate receiving and spike setting station, 2. advancing tie plates having spikes associaTed therewith along a second flow path to positions above the tie at the tie plate receiving and spike setting station, 3. mating the predrilled holes in the tie with the spikes held by the plates, 4. setting the spikes partway into the tie to hold the tie plates in position, 5. advancing the tie to a discharge station, and 6. discharging the tie with its associated tie plates and spikes from the vehicle along the prepared roadbed in position for laying rails thereon.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
The method of dispensing railroad ties at regularly spaced intervals along a prepared roadbed surface from a moving vehicle, the dispensed ties having tie plates thereon set in place with rail spikes, comprising: 1. advancing a tie having predrilled holes therein in the positions where spikes are to be located along a first flow path to a tie plate receiving and spike setting station, 2. advancing tie plates having spikes associaTed therewith along a second flow path to positions above the tie at the tie plate receiving and spike setting station, 3. mating the predrilled holes in the tie with the spikes held by the plates, 4. setting the spikes partway into the tie to hold the tie plates in position, 5. advancing the tie to a discharge station, and 6. discharging the tie with its associated tie plates and spikes from the vehicle along the prepared roadbed in position for laying rails thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
advancing tie plates having spikes associaTed therewith along a second flow path to positions above the tie at the tie plate receiving and spike setting station,
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
advancing tie plates having spikes associaTed therewith along a second flow path to positions above the tie at the tie plate receiving and spike setting station,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein, prior to step (1), including the steps of advancing a bundle of ties along the first flow path and breaking the bundle of ties apart row by row as necessary for advancing of individual ties along the first flow path in spaced apart relation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
holding means above the upper surface of the tie for receiving and holding tie plates having one or more rail spikes inserted therein,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
holding means above the upper surface of the tie for receiving and holding tie plates having one or more rail spikes inserted therein,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
sensing means sensing the position of the predrilled holes in the tie relative to the spikes held in position above the tie by the tie plates,
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
sensing means sensing the position of the predrilled holes in the tie relative to the spikes held in position above the tie by the tie plates,
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 including inserting a predetermined number of spikes through holes in the tie plates prior to advancing thereof along the second flow path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
mating the predrilled holes in the tie with the spikes held by the plates,
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
mating the predrilled holes in the tie with the spikes held by the plates,
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
setting the spikes partway into the tie to hold the tie plates in position,
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
setting the spikes partway into the tie to hold the tie plates in position,
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
106 words
The method of claim 3 wherein step (3) is carried out by a. determining the transverse position of the tie relative to the position of the spikes held by the tie plates by sensing the positions of the predrilled spike holes in the tie, b. aligning the tie transversely to mate the predrilled holes with the position of the spikes, c. setting the tie plates in position on the tie by pressing the spikes partway into the tie, d. advancing the tie to a pressing station, and e. pressing the partially driven spikes on the outer side of each tie plate substantially completely into the tie.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
positioning means operatively connected to the receiving means and responsive to the sensing means for aligning the predrilled holes in the tie with the spikes, and
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
positioning means operatively connected to the receiving means and responsive to the sensing means for aligning the predrilled holes in the tie with the spikes, and
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
pressing means for pressing the spikes into the predrilled holes of the aligned tie while the tie is in the receiving means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
pressing means for pressing the spikes into the predrilled holes of the aligned tie while the tie is in the receiving means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
212 words
An integral system for dispensing railroad ties from a moving vehicle at predetermined spaced apart intervals along a prepared roadbed surface, the dispensed railroad ties having tie plates set in place on the ties with at least one rail spike through each plate into the tie holding the tie plates in position, comprising: a first conveyor for conveying a tie along a first flow path to a tie plate receiving and spike setting station, a second conveyor for conveying tie plates and spikes to the tie plate receiving and spike setting station, tie positioning and spike setting means for (1) aligning the tie transversely to the correct position for receipt of the tie plates and spikes thereon and (2) setting of the spikes extending through the tie plates into the tie to hold the tie plates in position, a third conveyor for conveying the tie with the tie plates and spikes thereon from the tie plate receiving and spike setting station to a pressing station, pressing means for pressing the outer spikes on each of the tie plates completely into the tie, means advancing the tie to a discharge station, and discharge means at the discharge station for discharging the tie at predetermined spaced intervals from other ties along the prepared roadbed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
212 words
An integral system for dispensing railroad ties from a moving vehicle at predetermined spaced apart intervals along a prepared roadbed surface, the dispensed railroad ties having tie plates set in place on the ties with at least one rail spike through each plate into the tie holding the tie plates in position, comprising: a first conveyor for conveying a tie along a first flow path to a tie plate receiving and spike setting station, a second conveyor for conveying tie plates and spikes to the tie plate receiving and spike setting station, tie positioning and spike setting means for (1) aligning the tie transversely to the correct position for receipt of the tie plates and spikes thereon and (2) setting of the spikes extending through the tie plates into the tie to hold the tie plates in position, a third conveyor for conveying the tie with the tie plates and spikes thereon from the tie plate receiving and spike setting station to a pressing station, pressing means for pressing the outer spikes on each of the tie plates completely into the tie, means advancing the tie to a discharge station, and discharge means at the discharge station for discharging the tie at predetermined spaced intervals from other ties along the prepared roadbed.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
8 words
advancing the tie to a discharge station, and
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
8 words
advancing the tie to a discharge station, and
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
discharging the tie with its associated tie plates and spikes from the vehicle along the prepared roadbed in position for laying rails thereon.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
discharging the tie with its associated tie plates and spikes from the vehicle along the prepared roadbed in position for laying rails thereon.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
107 words
The system of claim 5 including, a tie bundle rotator prior to the first conveyor having a conveyor associated therewith for conveying a bundle of ties into the bundle rotator at predetermined intervals, the bundle rotator having means for rotating the bundle of ties upwardly about a pivot point near the lower forward edge of the tie bundle to an angular position less than 90* and greater than 45* with respect to a horizontal plane, bundle breaking means adjacent the bundle rotating means for dislodging at predetermined intervals the forwardmost row of ties, allowing the ties in the row to fall by gravity onto the first conveyor.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
The system of claim 5 including one or more tie sorters positioned along the first conveyor for controlling the input of ties to the tie plate receiving and spike setting station and for turning the ties so that the surface of the tie receiving the tie plates and spikes is facing upward.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
148 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the tie positioning and spike setting means comprises a receiver for the ties capable of shifting the ties transversely to their direction of travel, holding means abovE the upper surface of the tie in the receiver for receiving and holding tie plates having spikes inserted therein, sensing means sensing the position of predrilled holes in the upper surface of the tie in relation to the spikes inserted in the tie plates, positioning means associated with the receiver means and responsive to the sensing means for aligning the predrilled holes in the tie with the spikes, means for pressing the spikes partially into the predrilled holes of the aligned tie while the tie is in the receiver, release means releasing the tie from the receiver, and pressing means for pressing the outer spikes associated with each tie plate substantially completely into the tie.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the pressing means includes pressure plates adapted to contact the top surfaces of the outer spikes of each tie plate and power means operatively connected to the pressure plates to press the spikes into the ties.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
106 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the discharge means comprises a conveyor for the ties ending adjacent the prepared road surface and at about the same level thereof, articulatable tie stop means at the lower end of the conveyor for dispensing one tie at a time on the prepared road surface at intervals determined by the forward travel of the vehicle, sensing means sensing the forward travel on the vehicle, and control means operatively connected to the tie stop means and responsive to the sensing means to release a tie by retraction of the tie stop means on receipt of a signal from the sensing means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
A mechanism for automatically positioning tie plates on a railroad tie having predrilled holes for spikes therein and inserting spikes thereinto, comprising:
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A mechanism for automatically positioning tie plates on a railroad tie having predrilled holes for spikes therein and inserting spikes thereinto, comprising:
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) | 1975-10-31 | 1976-05-01 | 1976-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-31 | 1980-05-01 | 1980-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-31 | 1984-05-01 | 1984-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |