Railway frog repair method and apparatus

Claim 2

In a method of repairing a tread of an elongated railway trackage component, the combination of steps comprising: establishing in the component a bend to a convex configuration between the ends thereof; submerging a lower portion of said component in a non-flammable liquid, while maintaining the surface to be repaired above the surface of the liquid, and while maintaining the bend in said component; and applying heat and filler material to the surface to be repaired and securing said filler material thereto and thereby building upon said surface while maintaining the bend in said component.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the step of: proceeding lengthwise on said component with said application of heat and filler material thereto and thereby establishing a continuous welded metal overlay on said component.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein said step of proceeding lengthwise is repeated along parallel lines, depositing weld metal in a series of longitudinal strips with some lateral overlapping to provide a homogeneous overlay.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3 and further comprising the steps of: mechanically working said strips; and superimposing additional layers of strips on the mechanically worked strips by depositing weld metal, and mechanically working strips in each layer before depositing strips in the next layer.

Claim 6

The method of claim 2 and further comprising the steps of: supplying said liquid in a quantity sufficient to establish the surface thereof within one half inch below the surface to be repaired and avoid boiling of said liquid, an thereby effecTing a continuous quench by the liquid to produce a surface hardening of the metal overlay.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of: clamping said component in a jig to establish said bend therein; and removing externally applied bending stress by unclamping said component after building upon said surface; and finishing the top of the material built upon the surface.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6 wherein said finishing step is the grinding of the tread to a straight line longitudinally of the component after unclamping of said component.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7 wherein: the step of applying heat and filler material further comprises disposing an automatic electric welder above the top of said component and moving said welder parallel to the top of said component while applying heat and filler material from said welder to said component.

Claim 10

Apparatus for building up and repairing railway components comprising: a horizontal tank open at the top, a baseplate horizontally disposed in said tank above the bottom thereof, for mounting the railway component thereto during repair of the component, said baseplate having means thereon for establishing in the component a bend to a convex configuration between the ends thereof and for maintaining the components in the bend condition during welding, baseplate support beam means secured to said tank and supporting said baseplate therein, said support beam means including a pair of beams in said tank and affixed to said baseplate, a welding machine which is movable and adapted for applying and securing filler material to the surface to be repaired and built up, and a non-flammable liquid contained by said tank and covering said base plate and said pair of beams and controlling temperature of said base plate to control dimensions thereof.

Claim 11

Apparatus for building up and repairing railway components comprising: a horizontal tank open at the top, a baseplate horizontally disposed in said tank above the bottom thereof, for mounting the railway component thereto during repair of the component, said baseplate having means thereon for establishing in the component a bend to a convex configuration between the ends thereof and for maintaining the components in the bend condition during welding, baseplate support beam means secured to said tank and supporting said baseplate therein, said support beam means including a pair of beams in said tank and affixed to said baseplate, a welding machine which is movable and adapted for applying and securing filler material to the surface to be repaired and built up, and a non-flammable liquid contained by said tank and covering said base plate and said pair of beams and controlling temperature of said base plate to control dimensions thereof.

Claim 12

Apparatus of claim 9 wherein: said tank and baseplate are substantially longer than they are wide; said baseplate is disposed longitudinally in said tank, with its sides spaced from the sides of said tank; said support beam means include a pair of horizontally spaced I section beams supported at the bottom of said tank and having the upper flanges thereof affixed to said baseplate, said baseplate having means thereon for securing railways frogs thereto, and the liquid in said tank is water, and filling and depleating means are associated with said tank for lowering the water surface therein to below said baseplate to facilitate mounting and dismounting the frog thereon, and to again raise the water level above said baseplate.

Claim 13

Apparatus of claim 9 and further comprising: a rail extending horizontally over the top of said tank, said welding machine being mounted on said rail and movable along said rail for welding a railway component when disposed on said baseplate along a path parallel to said rail.

Claim 14

Apparatus of claim 11 and further comprising: rail support means mounted to said tank and supporting said rail over said tank, said support means including connector means engaging said rail and movable horizontally to enable limited translational and rotational movement of said rail in a horizontal plane and thereby change the direction of mobility of said welding machine with respect to a railway component, when disposed on said baseplate.

Claim 15

Apparatus of claim 12 wherein: said welding machine is a self-propelled automatic continuous welder.

Claim 16

Apparatus of claim 12 wherein: said tank is elongated, and said rail support means include a bridge across said tank at opposite ends thereof.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said component is a railway frog and said means for establishing and maintaining said frog in the bend condition includes shim means selectively positioned between said frog and said baseplate.