US732080A - Track-laying apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

PATENIED JUNE'SO. 1903 R. E. HUME-Y. TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1902.

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R. 'E. HURLEY.

TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1902.

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PATENTED' JUNE 30, 1903.

R. E. HURLEY. TRACK IQAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG..22, 1902.

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PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903.

R. E. HURLEY. TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION TILED AUG. 22, 1902.

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PATEN'I'ED JUNE 30, 1903.

R. H KEELEY. TRACK LAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1902.

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N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

ROBERT E. HURLEY, OF SORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACK-LAYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,080, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed August 22, 19 02. Serial No. 120,710. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. HURLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lack-awanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Laying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to track-laying apparatus of the type shown in my former patent, No. 36,037, granted September 9, 1890; and it consists, prim arily,in certain improvements upon the apparatus therein disclosed designed to increase the efficiency and augment the general capacity of the machine.

My present improvements in the best mechanical embodiment thereof which I have as yet attained are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figures 1, 1, l and 1 are top plan views of that portion of the track-laying apparatus to which my present improvements relate, these views illustrating said apparatus in four endwise connecting-sections. Figs. 2, 2, 2 and 2 are corresponding side elevational views of the same. Figs. 3 and tare respectivelytop,plan,and side elevational views of an improved form of truck located beneath the forward end of the machine-car. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section across the machine-car, showing the rail-feeding mechan-.

ism in end elevation. Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation of an automatic device for regulating the delivery of the ties to the endless conveyer on the derrick. Fig. 7 is a detail view, in side elevation, of a portion of the rail feed mechanism. Fig. 7 is an end elevational View of the right-hand end of Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a corresponding end elevational view of the left-hand end of Fig. 7. Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the main shaft of the auxiliary motor and the main conveyor-driving shaft, and Fig. 9 is adetail of the flights used on the conveyor-chain.

The apparatus in which my present improvements are embodied is of that class wherein the track materials (rails and ties) are'carried upon fiat-cars, from which they are taken by transferring apparatus and delivered in position upon the road-bed in advance of the construction-train. In my former patent, hereinbefore referred to, I have illustrated and described the general features of the construction train, including the means for advancing the rails temporarily connected in two lines along and above the sides of the train and simultaneously advancing the ties lying upon and carried by the rails, and for a fuller understanding of these features of the apparatus reference may be had to the said patent. In the apparatus as disclosed in the aforesaid patent the train was adapted to be advanced slowly through the agency of an ordinary locomotive propolling the same from the rear. I have found in practice that owing to the slow rate of speed required and the considerable lengthv and weight of the train it is difficult to maintain a slow continuous travel of the train through the agency of the locomotive, principally for the reason that the latter is not geared sufficiently low to afford the high power and slow rate of travel required. In

my present invention, therefore, I have adopted an entirely-different method and means of propelling the train, and this latter consists, generally stated, in locating the power required to impel the train at or near the forward end of thelatter, this power preferably being in the form of a steam-engine having a low-geared connection to the running-gear of the machine car or cars, and also preferably serving to operate the delivery mechanism of both the ties and the rails. This constitutes a leading feature of my present invention.

Another important feature of my invention resides in a novel vertically-jointed construction of derrick, whereby provision is made for delivering the material on curves.

A special broad-base truck construction, adapted to distribute the load of the machinecar over a considerable extent oftrack, constitutes another division of my invention.

Still another feature of the invention resides in an independent power devicefor advancing and lowering the disconnected rails over and from the derrick at the forward end of the train.

Other minor improvements with which my chain 30.

of the ties to the main tie-conveyer on the derrick.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 indicates the forward end of the foremost material-carryingcar, whereon are indicated the rollers 11, over which the temporarily endwise, connected rails 12 are advanced, said rails as they progress themselves carrying the ties 13, supplied thereto from cars in the rear, all as fully shown and described in my former patent, hereinbefore referred to.

14 designates as an entirety what I term the su pply-car, this carbeing ofadouble-decked character, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to permit the travel thereover of the rails and ties without interference by the parts'and supplies carried on the upper deck 15 of the car,

these comprising, inter alia, a firebox and boiler 16 and a water-supply tank 17.

Directlyin advance of the supply-car 14 is what I term the machine-car, designated as an entirety by 18, this car carrying the main motor 19, an independent auxiliary motor 20, the rail-feed mechanism, hereinafter described in detail, and the delivery-derrick, containing a series of conveyer-chains for delivering the ties to the ground in advance of' the train, and the mechanism for advancing and lowering the foremost rail on either side after the latter have been disconnected from the rails of the line. This derrick consists generally of a trussed frame, (designated as an entirety by 21,) the rear end of which is secured and rigidly braced to and upon the forward end of the machine-car, while the principal length of the derrick overhangs the forward end of said car for a distance considerably exceeding the length of a single rail.

Referring first to the mechanism for imparting a slow advance movement to the entire train as the work of construction goes forward, the main engine 19, which may be supplied with steam from the boiler 16 through the pipes 19" and 19 on the supply and machine cars, respectively, and a flexible connect-ion 19 therebetween, drives a main engine-shaft 22. I

23, Fig. l, is a main power-distributing shaft extending transversely of and beneath the floor of the car and driven from the engine-shaft 22 by sprocket-wheels 24 and 25 and a connecting sprocket-chain 26. 27 is another transversely-located shaft disposed, as herein shown, just above the floor of the can and driven from the shaft 23 through sprocket- wheels 28 and 29 and a connecting- On the opposite end of shaft 27 is a small spur-gear31, which meshes with large gears 32 and 33, fast on the ends of shafts 34 and 35, respectively, rotatably mounted above the lioor of the car, said shafts also having fast thereon sprocket-wheels 36 and 37, from which latter extend driving- chains 38 and 39 1o sprocket-wheels 40 and 41, fast on the adjacent axles 42 and 43, respectively, of a broad-base truck, hereinafter more particularly described. The outer or remote axles 44 and 45 of said truck are driven from the inner axles 42 and 43, respectively, the former through sprocket- wheels 46 and 47 and a connecting chain 48 and the latter through sprocket-wheels 49 and 50 and a connectingchain 51. In this manner the power of the engine is applied to all four axles of the main forward truck. In order to obtain a maximum traction effect, I also connect the axles of the rear truck with the engine, and this may be accomplished by the following mechanism: On the main power-distributing shaft 23 and preferably formed in the same casting with the sprocket-wheel 28, which is coupled on the shaft 23 by a clutch 23, is a sprocketwheel 52, which, through a chain 53, drives a sprocket 54, fast on a transverse shaft 55, rotatably journaled below the floor of the car, this latter shaft having fast thereon a spurgear 56, which meshes with a large gear 57, fast on another transverse shaft 58, this 'latter shaft being equipped with a smallsprocket 59, which drives the rear axle of the rear truck through a chain 61 and a sprocket 62, fast on the axle 60. The rotation of the axle 60 is transmitted at the same speed to the companion truck-axle 63 through a chainand- sprocket connection 64, 65, and 66.

By such a system of gearing as that above described it will be observed that the traction effect is distributed over all the rolling supports of the car bearing the entire weight of the machine-car and its load, and, further, that the power of the engine is advantageously converted into a greatly-multiplied power applied at a correspondingly-reduced speed to the axles of the trucks, whereby the operation of the engine at normal speed and pressure produces a very slow but continuous travel of the entire train. Obviously, if it is desired to secure a still greater traction effect the supply-car or any other car or cars of the train may be similarly equipped for traction purposes.

The mechanism for delivering the ties at properly timed and spaced intervals over the derrick-frame consists, primarily, of a main chain conveyer, traveling over substantially the entire length of the derrick, and a pair of auxiliary conveyers, located oneat the rear end of the derrick, where the latter communicates with the advancing rails and ties,

and the other at the forward or final delivery end of the derrick, whence the ties are disdischarged onto the ground. The main conveyer consists simply of a pair of endless sprocket-chains located one on each side of the derrick-frame, these chains being desig-' nated by the numeral 67 and each equipped on its outer surface with a series of uniformlyspaced flights 68, each of which flights consists of a pair-of parallel wings 68*, Fig. 9, extending from the margins of the chain in a direction transversely to the latter, thus enabling thechain, with its flights, to readily pass over the chain supports and guides,which engage the underlyingor return section of the chain. The function of these flights is to engage the ties at their rear sides and positively raise and advance them by direct contact over and along the top of the derrickframe to the pivoted forward delivery-section thereof, hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 2, 69 designates the main power-pulley for the conveyer-chain 67 ,which pulley, preferably in the form of a sprocket, is fast on a transverse shaft 69, mounted in the derrick frame. This pulley is driven from a counter-shaft 70 through a sprocket 71 on the latter shaft, a chain 72, a sprocket 73, loosely mounted on the shaft 69, and a clutch 74, the counter-shaft 70 being driven directly from the main engine-shaft 22 (see Fig. 1) by spur-gears 75 and 76 on said shafts, respectively. The course of the conveyerchain 67 from the main driving-pulley 69 may be traced as follows: From the pulley 69 the chain passes first around a slacktake-np pulley 77, adjustably mounted on the derrick-frame, thence in a rearwardly direction over a guide-pulley 78, thence around a guide-pulley 79,1ocatedat the point of the inner end turn of the chain, thence in an oblique upward direction over and along the upper margin of the side frame of the derrick, thence around a guide-pulley 80 on a-transverse shaft 80, Figs. 1 and 2, located at the point of the outer end turn of the chain, thence back and substantially parallel with the upper section of the chain over guidepulleys 81 and 82, and thence directly to the under side of the main driving-pulley 69. The inner or left-hand turn of the main conveyer cooperates with a short auxiliary or feeder conveyer, the function of which latter is to present the ties one by one at proper in tervals from the forwardly-moving rails by which they are brought from the middle cars to the main conveyer 67. This auxiliary conveyer consists simply of a pair of short endless chains 83, located one on either side of the structure and in virtual aliuement with the chains of the main conveyer. These chains at their lower turn pass over sprockets 84, mounted between side frame members 85, and at their upper ends engage the sprockets 79 of the main conveyer, which latter sprockets have double peripheries to accommodate both chains. In this way the auxiliary or feeder con veyer is directly and positively driven from the same mechanism that drives the main conveyer.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 86 designates the forward overhanging nose of the derrick structure, over and from which the ties are finally discharged to the ground. This consists of a suitably-trussed frame, which in order to enable it to have a limited lateral movement relatively to the main frame of the derrick is hinged to the forward end of'the latter in the longitudinal vertical central plane thereof, as shown at 87. This frame carries on either side an auxiliary discharge conveyer-chain, (designated by 88,) said chain,

erativeness.

like the main conveyer-chain, being provided with flights 89, which latter, however, are- It will be observed that the upper or rear end of the conveyer S8 overlaps the end turn of the main conveyer 67in order that there may be no break between the two. The auxiliary conveyer 88 is driven from the end shaft 80 of the main frame, which carries the end sprockets 80, by means of a sprocket 92, located centrally on said shaft, driving, through a chain 93, a double-faced sprocket 94E, rotatably mounted at the lower inner end of the hinged frame 86, this latter sprocket driving achain 95, guided over intermediate pulleys 96 and 97 and driving, through a central sprocket 98, Fig. 1, a transverse shaft 99,10- cated at the extreme nose end of the swinging frame and carrying the conveyer-sprockets 91. This arrangement of mechanism locafes and positions the driving connection 98 between the main and laterally swinging frames of the derrick at apoint and in a manner such that it is subjected to a minimum torsion not suificientto interfere with its op- As a simple means for efiecting the lateral swing of the frame 86 I attach to the rear end of said frame on either side thereof a cable 86", said cables extending rearwardly along the sides of the derrick and being oppositely wound on a pair of drums 86, fast on the ends of a transverse shaft 86, this latter being further provided with a handwheel 86, whereby the shaft may be rotated in either direction to effect the swing of the frame to either side.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 6, I will next describe a novel device for regulating the delivery of the ties from the carrying-rails to the conveyer-chains. 100 designates a pin adapted to slide transversely and in a substantially vertical direction through suitable hearings on each of the longitudinal side frame-bars 85 of the auxiliary conveyer 83, each of these pins being normally projected upward by means of a spring 101, surrounding the lower portion of the pin and abutting a hangerbracket 102, throughwhich the lower end of the pin is slidingly confined. 0n the face of the side frame-bar 85 is pivoted a lever 103, one end of which is slotted and engages a stud 104, extending laterally from the pin 100, while the other end of the lever carries a transverse shoe 105, which normally lies in the path of the flights 68 on the main conveyer-chain. It will thus be readily seen that as the ties are advanced along the rails they will contact the upper ends of the pins 100 and will be detained thereby until the levers 103 have been tripped by the next succeeding flights 68 of the conveyor-chain, which latter operation depresses the pins 100, so that the ties may ride thereove'r, and as soon as the foremost tie has thus passed the transverse plane of the pins the latter are instantly projected upward in rear of the foremost tie and in front of the next succeeding tie. By reason of the fact that the feederchains 83 travel normally about five times as fast as the tie-carrying rails the foremost tie when once brought upon said conveyer is thus rapidly separated from the next following tie of the series, which facilitates the return of the pins 100 to their blocking position.

It remains to describe my improved railfeed devices and delivery mechanism, which latter I preferably operate through the agency of an independent motor having no connection with the engine that drives the mechanism thus far described.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 5, 7, 7 and 7", 106 designates a shaft rotatably mounted in a pair of uprights 107 on opposite sides of the car-floor beneath the oblique inner end of the derrick structure and slightly beyond the point at which the advancing ties and rails separate. On this shaft is a sprocket 108, whereby the shaft is driven through a chain 109 from a sprocket 110, having a clutch connection 110 with a transverse shaft 111, ro-

tatably mounted beneath the floor of the car,

said shaft in turn being driven through a sprocket 112, chain 113, and sprocket 114- from a counter-shaft 115, carrying the lastnamed sprocket, and itself driven from the main power distributing shaft 23 through spur- gears 116 and 117. Parallel with the shaft106 and a short distance to one side thereof is similarly mounted a companion shaft 118, which is driven from the shaft 106 through sprockets 119 and 120 on said shafts, respectively, and a connecting-chain 121. The shaft 106 has fast thereon near each end a friction-roll122 and on the outer side of said roll a spur-gear 123. Loosely mounted on shaft 106 at each end thereof and inclosingthe friction-roll and spur-gear last described are a pair of upwardly-extending links 124, having journaled between them at their upper end a friction-roll 125 in vertical alinement with the lower roll 122 and a spur-gear 126, meshing with and driven by the gear 123. Similarly mounted on each end'of the companion shaft 118 are links 127, which have mounted between their upper ends a frictionroll 128, cooperating with a lower frictionroll 129 on the shaft 118, and a spur-gear 130, driven by a spur-gear 131, also fast on the lowershaftllS. The upperand lowerfrict-ionrolls are mounted at such a distance apart that when their carrying links or frames 124 and 127 are vertical a rail will slide freely be-' tween them. The rolls are caused to clamp the rail for the purpose of advancing the same of travel of the rail.

through a mechanism which effects an edge= wise tilt of the upper roll-carrying frames, and the mechanism which I prefer to employ for this purpose is as follows, reference being had more particularly to the detail views Figs. 7, 7 and 7. On the floor of the car, at each side thereof, just in rear of the frictionrolls is a bed-block 132, surmounted by a transversely-extending channel beam 133. From one side wall of this channel projects horizontally a threaded bolt 134, on which is mounted a longitudinally-adjustable block 135, on the opposite sides of which latter are pivoted the lower ends of the arms 136 of a forked angle-lever 137, the horizontal portion of which lever extends in a direction over thefriction-rolls and is connected at its free end through a link 138 with the short arm of a weighted lever 139, pivoted on an overlying member of the side frame of the derrick structure, the longer arm of said lever carrying an adjustable weight 140. Links 141 and 142, pivotally connected at one end to the swinging roll-carrying frames 124 and 127, respectively, are similarly connected at their other ends to a vertical cross-head 143, which latter has a horizontally-extending stem 144,that passes through a block 145, j ournaled between the forked arms 136 of the lever 137 in the manner already described in connection with the bolt 134. The cross-head 143 and the links 141 and 142 connected thereto may be conveniently supported by a vertical arm or link 146, the lower end of which latteris pivotally mounted in a journal-block 147, seated in the channel 133. gravity effect of the weight 140,acting through the lever 137 and the connecting-rods 141 and 142, tends to draw the two upper pair of rolls out of vertical alinement with their companion lower rolls, thereby producing a clamping effect upon the rail lying between the upper and lower rolls, the degree of frictional clamping effect depending upon the adjusted position of the weight along the long arm of the lever 139. The forward rail It will thus be seen that the of the line after having been drawn through the clamping-rolls rides along and over a series of supporting-rolls 14S, journaled on the inner sides of the lower longitudinal members of the derrick-frame, the forward rail being disconnected from the next following rail after having passed through the feedrolls and then pushed along by the next following rail until its forward end has entered between a pair of friction- rolls 149 and 150, journaled at a proper position on each side of the derrick structure in line with the path The feed- rolls 149 and 150 are driven by mechanism hereinafter described at a considerably faster speed than the gripping-rolls of the main feed mechanism, whereby the forward rail after having been seized thereby is rapidly separated from the succeeding line of rails and advanced to a position to be seized and lowered into place upon the ties. The rail after clearing therolls 149 and 150 is seized upon by the gripper or tongs 151, which latter is suspended by a pair of cables 152 and 153, trained over a pair of guidesheaves 154 and 155, respectively, mounted in the upper portion of the derrick-frame, the cables passing thence backwardly and uniting in a single cable 156, trained over a guidesheave 157, and passing thence to and around an ordinary friction-drum 158, mounted on a transverse shaft 159. The feed- rolls 149 and 150 and the friction-drums 158 are both preferably driven, independently of the mechanism which impels the train and actuates the tie-feeding devices, by the independent motor 20, the connections being as follows: The motor 20 operates a main shaft 160, journaled in the derrick'frame directly thereabove, and said shaft has fast thereon two sprockets 161 and 162, the former being connected with a driving-sprocket 149 on the shaft 149 of the friction-roll 149 through a pair of sprocketchains 163 and 164 and an intermediate double-faced sprocket 165, while the sprocket 162 through a chain 166 and sprocket 167 drives a transverse shaft 168, carrying a spurgear 169, which latter meshes with a gear 170, constituting an element of a friction-clutch 171, mount-ed on the drum-shaft 159 and effecting the positive rotation of the drums 158 in a direction to wind up the rail-supporting cables thereon. The lower friction-roll150 may be positively driven from the shaft 149 through intermediate spur-gearing similar to that already described in connection with the main friction-rolls. Should it be desired to dispense with the independent motor, the shaft 160 may be driven direct from the engine-shaft of the principal motor 19 by any suitable driving connection between said shafts.

On commencing operations and whenever a fresh train-load of track materials is introduced to the action of the machine-car it is necessary to provide means for connecting up the newly-formed lines of rails to the short section of rails previously left lying within the grip of the feeding-rolls. A convenient device which I have adopted for this purpose consists of a winch 180, mounted on each overhanging end of the shaft 160, which shaft is driven from the auxiliary engine 20. This winch is equipped with a removable cable 181, having an end hook 182. On commencing operations with a fresh train-load of materials the rails are at the rear of the train. As soon as a connected line is formed on the rail-cars the hooks of the rope are engaged with the forward ends of said lines of rails. The inner ends of the cables are then given a few turns around the winches, and the auxiliary engine 20 is then started up, thereby winding the ropes upon the winches and drawing the lines of rails forward until their ends abut the ends of the short railsections already within the grip of the feeding-rolls, after which the rope-coils are slipped off the winches and laid aside until again required in connection with a fresh train of material.

Owing to the fact that the newly-maderoadbed and track over which the forward end of the construction-train advances is more or less soft and unsettled it is highly desirable to distribute the weight of the machine-car over as great a length of track as possible, and this I accomplish through the employment of a truck having a considerably-elongated wheel-base, which truck in order to permit the necessary angular movements between the same and the car-body is constructed of a pair of single trucks 172 and 173, the truck-bolsters being connected longitudinally and centrally thereof by a steel girder 174, which latter is provided on its upper face at its longitudinal center with the ordinary center plate 175 and king-bolt 176, engaging mating elements on the under side of the forward body-bolster 177 of the car. In order that the two members of the double or compound truck may be permitted angular movement relatively to their connecting-girder, I rest the ends of the latter upon the truckbolsters through the usual center plates and king-bolls 178 and 179, respectively.

The operation of the apparatus has been to a considerable extent already indicated in connection with the detailed description of the several novel features wherein my present improvements reside, but may be briefly summed up as follows: The ties and rails are continuously advanced to the receiving end of the auxiliary conveyer 83 and the feedrolls, respectively, in the manner fully described in my former patent, above referred to, the rail-cars being in the rear, the tie-cars between the rail-cars and the machine-car, and the rails being temporarily connected endwise and drawn forward over the line of rolls 11 with the ties thereon and carried thereby. The ties are advanced one by one at uniform intervals over the feeding-com veyer 83, whence they are received by the main conveyer 67, being carried up and'over the derrick structure by the latter, in which travel the flights 68 serve to maintain the proper spacing between the ties and prevent the latter from slipping back. From the main conveyer the ties are delivered one after another to the discharge-conveyer 88, the flights 89 of which sustain the ties against slipping forward until the conveyer rounds the lower forward nose of the derrick, whereupon the ties drop one after another into substantially their permanent positions upon the road-bed. While this uniform delivery of the ties is taking place the rails are continuously advanced through the feed-rolls at such a speed as serves to present a single rail for delivery at each side of the derrick after the requisite number of ties to support said rail have been delivered just in advance thereof. While this properly-timed relative delivery of ties and rails is taking place the entire train is being slowly advanced at a speed which may be regulated to correspond with the rapidity with which the elements of the track after having been delivered by the machine onto the road-bed are assembled and connected, this movement of the train under ordinary circumstances being comparatively slow, but continuous. The advantage of employing an independent motor to handle the foremost rails after they have been separated from the line grows out of the fact that the speed with which the disconnected rails are handled may be easily regulated thereby relatively to the delivery of the ties and the advance of the train, and if for any cause the train comes to rest while a rail is being delivered the complete delivery of the rail and its addition to the track already formed may be effected without reference to the operation of the other mechanism.

It will be observed that the driving devices of the tie-feeding mechanism, the railfeeding mechanism, the rail-lowering mechanism, and the train propelling mechanism are all so interconnected through clutch devices that they may all be driven simultaneously or any one of them alone, or any two or more of them may be operated simultaneously while the other group or groups of mechanismare idle. Such an arrangement prevents waste of power through the idle operation of certain parts of the apparatus while other parts are active, especially at times when the material carried by the train is exhaustedand the material-cars are withdrawn, reloaded, and again connected with the machine-car. 'The'hinging of the forward section of the derrick to permit the same to swing laterally through a limited extent is of considerable utility in operating upon curves for obvious reasons, while the elongated forward truck centrally pivoted to the body-bolster also permits operations on a curve at the same time that it serves its chief function of distributing the weight over a considerable extent of the track.

It is evident that the several improved features described and shown might be considerably modified in respect to constructional details and the substitution of mechanical equivalents without departing from the spirit of the invention. I do not, therefore, limit the latter to this particular embodiment as herein illustrated and described, except to the extent indicated in the terms of the claims hereunto appended. I claim 1. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car and a line of material-cars in rear thereof, of rail-feeding devices mounted on-said machine-car, a motor mounted on one of the cars of the train, power-increasing and speed-reducing driving connections therefrom to rolling supports of the train, and driving connections from said motor to said rail-feeding devices, substantially as described.

3. In a track'laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car whereon is mounted a forwardly-overhanging derrick, and a train of material-cars in rear thereof, of railfeeding devices mounted on said machine-car, a tie-discharging conveyor mounted on said derrick, a motor mounted on said car, powerinoreasing and speed-reducing drivingconnections therefrom to the rolling supports of said car, and driving connections from said motor to the rail-feeding devices and to the tie-conveyer, substantially as described.

4. .In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car and a train of material-cars in rear thereof, of rail-feeding devices mounted on said machine-car, rail-discharging devices also mounted on said machine-car, a motor for operating said rail-feeding devices, and an independent motor for actuating said rail-discharging devices,substantially as described.

5. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car and a train of material-cars in rear thereof, of rail-feeding devices mounted on said machine-car, rail-discharging devices also mounted on said machine-car, a motor and driving connections therefrom to said rail-feeding devices and to the rolling supports of the car, and an independent motor for actuating said rail-discharging devices, substantially as described.

6. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car whereon is mounted a forwardly-overhanging derrick, and a train of material-cars in rear thereof, of railfeeding devices mounted on said machine-car, a tie-discharging conveyer mounted on said derrick, a motor and driving connections therefrom to said rail-feedin g devices and tiedischarging conveyer and to the rolling supports of the car, and an independent motor for actuating said rail-discharging devices, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, means for drawing forward the temporarily-connected lines of rails, comprising a pair of lower friction-rolls, means for driving the same, and a pair of upper frictionrolls geared to and driven from said lower rolls, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, means for drawing forward the temporarily-connected lines of rails, comprising a pair of lower friction-rolls and means for driving the same, a pair of upper frictionrolls pivotally mounted to oscillate in the same planes as the lower rolls, and gearing intermediate said rolls whereby the former are positively driven from the latter, substantially as described.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, means for gripping and drawing forward the temporarily-connected lines of rails, comprising a pair of lower friction-rolls and means for driving the same, a pair of upper friction-rolls pivotally mounted to oscillate in the same planes as the lower rolls, gearing intermediate said rolls whereby the former are positively driven from the latter, a weighted lever, and connections between the latter and the upper rolls normally tending to force the latter into frictional contact with a rail interposed between said upper and lower rolls, substantially as described. I

10. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a construction-train, of a derrick structure mounted upon and overhanging the forward end of the foremost car, said derrick being formed in two longitudinal hinged sections the foremost of which is capable of swinging laterally, and a tie-conveyer operatively mounted on said derrick, substantially as described.

11. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a construction-train, of aderriek structure mounted upon and overhanging the forward end of the foremost car, said derrick being formed in two longitudinal verticallyhinged sections, a main endless tie-conveyer operatively mounted on the rearmost section of the derrick, an auxiliary tie-discharging conveyer mounted on the foremost section, and means for swinging the latter laterally of the rear section, substantially as described.

12. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a construction-train, of a derrick structure mounted upon and overhanging the forward end of the foremost car, said derrick being formed in two longitudinal verticallyhinged sections, a main endless tieconveyer operatively mounted on the rearmost section of the derrick, an auxiliary tie-feeding conveyer also mounted on the rearmost section introductory to said main tie-conveyer, and an auxiliary tie-discharging conveyer mounted on the foremost section of the derrick and constituting a continuation of the main tieconveyer, substantially as described.

13. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a construction-train and a derrick structure mounted upon the foremost car forward end of the foremost car, a main endless-chain tie-conveyer mounted upon and extending longitudinally of said derrick, the chains thereof being equipped with suitablyspaced flights to engage and advance the ties, an auxiliary tie-feeding conveyer introductory to said main con veyer, a stop device located at the receiving end of the auxiliary conveyer and controlling the delivery of ties to the latter, and actuating mechanism for said step device operated by the flights on the main conveyer,substantially as described.

15. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a construction-train, of a derrick structure mounted upon and overhanging the forward end of the foremost car, a main endlesschain tie-conveyer mounted upon and extending longitudinally of said derrick, the chains thereof being equipped with suitablyspaced flights to engage and advance the ties, an auxiliary tie-feeding conveyer introductory to said main conveyer, a pair of springactuated stop-pins located at the receiving end of the auxiliary conveyer and controlling the delivery of the ties to the latter, and levers actuated by the flights on the main conveyer to withdraw said stop-pins, substantially as described.

16. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car carrying grippingrolls adapted to frictionally engage and advance a line of temporarily-connected rails, of a pair of feed-rolls located beyond and operating at a higher speed than said grippingrolls and adapted to engage and advance each foremost rail when disconnected from the line, and rail-discharging devices adapted to lower the rails to the ground after delivery from said feed-rolls, substantially as described.

17. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car carrying grippingrolls adapted to frictionally engage and advance a line of temporarily-connected rails, of a pair of feed-rolls located beyond and operating at a higher speed than said grippingrolls and adapted to engage and advance each foremost rail when disconnected from the line, rail-dischargin g devices adapted to lower the rails to the ground after delivery from said feed-rolls, and means for operating said feed-rolls and rail-discharging devices independently of the movement of said grippingrolls, substantially as described.

18. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car and a train of material-cars in rear thereof, of a derrick structure mounted upon and overhanging the forward end of said machine-car, a tie-conveyer mounted on said derrick, rail-gripping rolls mounted on the machine-car, a motor on the machine-car, low-speed gearing between said motor and the rolling supports of the car, driving connections between said motor and the gripping-rolls, other driving connections between said motor and the tie-conveyer, and means whereby said rolling supports, gripping-rolls and tie-conveyor may be unitedly or independently actuated from the motor, substantially as described.

19. In a track-laying apparatus, the combination with a machine-car and a train of material-cars in rear thereof, of a derrick structure mounted upon and overhanging the forward end of said machine-car, a tie-conveyer mounted on said derrick, rail-gripping rolls mounted on the machine-car, rail feeding rolls and discharging devices mounted upon the derrick beyond said gripping-rolls, a principal motor on the machine-car, driving connections between said motor and the rolling supports of the car, the gripping-rolls, and the tie-conveyer, respectively, means whereby said rolling supports, gripping-rolls and tie-conveyer maybe unitedly or independently actuated from the said motor, an auxiliary motor also carried by the machine-car,

rsaoso and driving connections from said auxiliary ROBERT E. HURLEY.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERICK C. GOODWIN.

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