CA2122587A1 - Apparatus for removing the ballast of a railway without demounting the track - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for removing the ballast of a railway without demounting the track. The apparatus comprises an excavator (12) or the like, which is provided with a boom (13) and own wheels or the like, and an aggregate remover (15). The aggregate remover (15) comprises a body (1) and, in connection with the body (1), an endless circumferential member (2) having at least one transporting member (3) attached thereto, the body (1) being essentially a planar blade or the like and the body (1) being designed to be inserted under the track for rotating the endless circumferential member (2) by means of a drive unit (7) in a plane below the track for removing mineral aggregate out of the ballast layer by means of said at least one transporting member (3) from beneath the track to the side thereof. The aggregate remover (15) is arranged to be operated by means of said excavator (12) or the like, the aggregate remover (15) being arranged to be moved and pushed by means of said boom (13) into the ballast under the track from said side of the track.

Description

lCI~4 12:13 ~R~NN PRTENT UPPS~L~ 46 1~109322 SID 05 W~ ~3~09Z92 r~ I ~ r ~ vv~...u Apparatus Io~ remo~ing the ~allast of a railway without demounting the ~r~c3c ~he inv~n~ion ~elates o an apparatu~: fGr ~emoving 'che ballast o~ a s~ailway withou~ deJa~un~ing the trac:lc accordi~g ~o ~he in~ress p~xt o~ c;laim 1.

~he structural p~rt:s o~ ~ rallway ar~ the krac~ o~prisin~
r~il~: and sleep~3~s, t~e 3:)al~ast ~aye~ in~e~nediate layer, the insula~ing l~yer and the em3~a~en~ ~ill. The purpr~se of t:~e ~al~ast: laye~ is ~o hol~ the tra~::}c in a sp~c:i~ied, geometric~lly rig~ position and the purpose of k1alla~:~ing i~ o obt:ain a trac:3c whic~h is a~c~ately positioned ~n v~rtica~ ~nd lateral di re~tions.

~he ~llast lay~r is c::o~ nly ~de s:~f rai~way ballas~. ~rhe mi~ra 2sggre~ate used fc~ allast mus~ b~ hard, lS w~the~ resist~nt, we~r and i~p;~ct~ i~an~ way l~alla~:t should nc~ ~on~a~n ar~y humus, pl~nt ~m i~s or any other impurities whic~h might exlha~ce fro:;t li.tin~., .' Althou~h there are ~ ict quality spf~cif ica~ion~ ~r ~he bal last t it i~; o~ious ~;hat in ~he cours~ of y~ars ~h~re 2 0 ~ill ~e de~orm~ ~; d~e tc~ w~at:hering a~d ~ il g whic:h change~ t:he geo~xy o~ ~he railway~ ~reB~ing : contamina~Ltion$ in ~ st: cause ~rosthe~r~s in the railway. For lngt~nae, raiIway le~re} c:~053in~ re par~:icularly Ap~: to ~e dam~ed ~y rc~s~ and it i:s the 2S humu~ and oth~r ~ost-susceptible ~ eria~ ~at sl?oil~ ~he :~:
~alla~. In this c~se, ~he b~llast mt~ ~e ~ ved and the ~al~1as~ing n~us~ be do~e ar~ew t:o get ~he traGk in ttl~ right p~sition~ ~.

To enable re~all~s~ing the o3d balla.st lay~r ~us~ be 3 0 remo~red and c:le~ned ~y sieYing f o~ reutili2ation ~ If the 2~ iF'I?~ l 12:1~1 BRflNN PRTENT UPPS~I Q 46 181~932~ SID E~6 W() 9~/0!~2~ t'~ uuau~

ballast is of po~r qual~ ty it is prei~e~ably utilized ~s fillin~ ~a~erial ~or the s~ankment or i~ is c!arried away.
I~ used ~all~s~ i~ to be ~ls~ad ~s ~illing materi~l. for the e~bankmellt it would l~e ~ene~ hat ~:he rem~Yed ballast 5 could be conve~ed ~o both sides o~ ~:he track to ~acilitate r~u~ilization.

Bal~ast replal:ement is convention~lly perfo~aned xo th~t ~rst th~ ~rac3c is d~moun~ed and put aside af~er which the . old ~allast and possibly other struc~ural l~yers o the 10 railway c~n be replac~ed. An apparat~s i5 known w~ich remo~res ~e b~llast without de~ounti~ t;he tra~3c~ ~n tlli~
apparatus there îs a s~raper ~ain which goes unde:~ the trac}c and whieh s~rapes ~he P~ e~aI aggre~ate o~ t~e b~llast and tra~sfers ~it onto a ~ieve. ~ ~eans o~ the 15 sieve, the waste ~erial o~ the ~ineral aggreg~e is sepa~ated ~r~m th~ ball~st. ~he ~allast is ret~rned lmd~r th~ traak and th2 wi~s~e mat:~rial is carried ~y a }:1,elt-con~eyor to orle ~id~ o~ t;he trac}c~ ~he buGkets o~ t:h~
scraper ~:h~in ~ical~Ly aonsist o~ fin~e~-like members 20 which are:~nad~3 o~ h~r~ ~et~l and wh~ch l~sen ~3tones ~ro~
~he ~alla~ rhe 5 t ~e OI' ~he ~pparattls i5 ~ all~ a vibratlng sie~e.

It: is es~;ent:ial of ~e appaxa~us of t~e pr~or art that ~he scraper ~ain and ~;he gllide ~ers belongin~ ~ere~c~ for~n ~5 a ctosed uni~ whict~: ~oes roun~ he ~rac~ Th~ app;~ratus is moun~::ed to a chas~;is w~ h moves on t~e t:rack and: it i~;
~er~erally provided with a ~nechanisJa ~or 6~pporting :the track. 5~id appara~us i~ ori~ lly desiqned as a ~allast ~shi~g-s~ac~i~e.

3 0 There ~re se~eral dra~b~clcs in ~n~ operation o~ t~e ~on~rention~l app;~ra~u~ In order ~o t~0~ th2 scraper <~h~in, a tr~nch~ mUS~ be excavated across; ~he tra~ wheret~ ~
~he firs~ end s:~f the chain is 1?la~e~ tu be ~ttached to the::;

:' 2~ lPR~ 4 12~ 3R~NN PRTEllT UPPSRL~ 46 18109322 SID 07 WO ~3~09292 PCI~tFlg~ u~uv 2122a ~ 7 3 ~:
other end of the chain ~o fox~n ~n endless :nember whi~h g~e~ round the.tr~; Noxmal~y, the trench ~ust ~e dig~d manually. If it is desired to tlS~ the remoYed material as ~illing materia~ for the e~n3cment,. ~:he appara~us o~
prior axt moves a~ material 'co one side o~ the trac3c.
There~ m ,. the material must then be sQparately dist~ib~lted eYenly to 3~oth sides of the ~ra~;:3c Wh~2n th~re is ~ passing ~railn, ~h~ apparatus must ~e mo~ed to ~ sida trac:k whi~h ma3~ require that the app~ratus ~u~:t be moved a lo .lon~ way and which natu~al7y causes ~ àelay in the~ wo~k.
The plLrchase price c~ the apparatus is ve~y high w~
~eans that ~apital ~o~ts h~ve a dorQir~ant role c:ompared to ~he ~ela~ivel~ ~adest work o~ ballast r~mo~irJg. It ~hould be passi}:le t~ chan~e the ballast u~:ing a mu~ less h~avy 15 and a c~o~sideral31~ le~;s ::ostly Qq~lipment~

'rhe ob~ ec:tive of t~e in~re~tion i~; ~o eliminat~ a~av~
drawb~cXs arld pr~sent ~n apparatus ~or, r~moving the ballast ~ a railway withou~ demo~,ting ~:he track which ~ppar~u~: has a simp3.e txucture and vers~tile c~peratic~n.
20 These c~bje~ s ~r~ o~tained ~y ~eans Q f ar~ Apparatus which is cha~acterized in what is presented in th~
charaa~erizing Fa~ of claim l. q?he apparatus c:omprises ar~
aggregate remove~ which is; ope~atad ~y: :su¢h an e~cavatc~r: .
which is prQ~ided wi'ch trac:k ~hesls in addit:ion ~to 25 conv~t~ onal wheel o~ caterpillar tracks. T}~is is ad~ranti~gec~us; in ~ t t:he ~pp~tus ~ be mo~red both ~n roads :and on railwa~ t~c:l~s: and, when t~ere is a passing ~rain, the appara~us ne~d na~ be mo~red a long ~tay sinc:~
~ ~ne ~an use e.g~ the n~ares~ lev~ rossing to move :the 30 ~xca~or ~;ide for the time o~ the passing ~rain. The ~ggregate relnov~r, which is ~ounted to the ~ao~ of th~
excavator, is pushed by m~n~; of ~id 3:o~m lr~to the ~allast ~elow ths ~ra;~k fro~ one side o~ ~e tra~:k~ The aggr~gate remo~ter can be pt~shed under the ~r;3c3c ~dithou~ ~
~ny trenches and i~ enabl~s rem~val o~ the b~llast e~ly 2~"~PR-1~9't 12~ RRNN P~TENT UPP5~L~ 46 18109322 SID 0a WO ~3/0~92 PrJFI~2/00300 -` ` 2122~87 to both sides o~ the track. O11Ç~ . aggre~a~e r~nover is provided with blade-like tra~spor~ir~g h~emb~rs w~ich ~re wid~r w~'chin ~hsir ~wer portion and which ~ f~ally mcnre th~ ~alla~ sid~ ~hrou~h sliding so t~t the ~ epers are no~ damageq.

The ~ppara~u~ a~ rding to t~e invention ~ring~i along a coT~sidera~e saving of 'c~e. For instan~e, it ~kes only 2-3 hours to c:h~ng~ ~e ballast under a ane-tra~k leve:1 . crossing. The workiI~g speed on trac~c is approxima~ely 100 tracJc-~n/h ~nd 'che work requires c:nily ~ ~ew perso~
ne~essary, a sie~re di~er ~an ~ prc~ided in G~ ec:t~on with ~ excavator whi~ then enables one ~o per~orm all those stages of ~p~ra'cion which are needed ir~
reb~lla~tin~

Th~ in~ention wil~ now be d~3sc:ril~ed in ~he foll~wi~g re~ring ~o ~h~ enalose~ drawin~r~; in w,hich ~igur2 1 shw~; an ag~ g te ren~ r irss1:alled to an exca~rator ~n obli~u~ly i~x~m ~ove when ~he re~over is ~eing pushed under the track, 2~ figu2e 2 s:ho~ he ~ggregate remo~er insta.lled to an exc~va~tor seen f:~om ~bove, ~iqure 3 show~ a~: a~ te re~over seen ~om a~ove and partly cross-se~ianed, :
~i~r~ 4 sh~*~ a part o~ ag~eg~e remo~eS~ cord~
t:o ~i~re 3 se~n~ rom t~3 side, : :
~igure S sh~s a c:r~ss-~:eationed view of th~ aggr~gate rem~ver ac~ording ~o f igure 3 with t~e endl~ss ~cumfe~ntial ~e~er re~30~ed ~n~l s~en f~om the - :
side and figure 6 an appara~us accordin~r ta ~he inv~nti4n with the aggr~ga~e re~er pushed und~3r the trac:k.

In the exeIPplary ~:ase, the appara~us accarding to ~he flF~P~ 9~1 12:15 ~3R~NN Pf~TE~IT UPPS~L~ 46 18109322 SlD 09 WO g:~O9Zg~ t ~ Uu 2122587 ;

i~vention comp~ises an ex~a~to~, ha~in~ a boo~ 13 and own whe~ls, and a mechanism 15 ~or r~mo~ing min4~al ag~xega~e which hereon will ~e called the aggregate remQver is ~ Thus an exca~to~ or the li~e apparatus, whi~h has ~onvention~l ope~ational ~apabilities and which is pr~ided with normal wheel~ or tr~k chai~s, serves a~ ~he ~rive m~hani5m or ~he agg~e~ate rem~ver 1~. ~o make use of th~ a~rega~
remover 1~ pos~ible i~ ~ reb~llasting wor~ th~t pr~G~e~s along the longi~udinal direc~ion of the track, the .ex~ava~ is ~lso pro~i~ed wi~h trac~ wheel5 14, whiGh are ~ade af ste~l, to mo~7e ~he exc:a~vator 1~ ~pec~i~ically ~rl the s~me tra~k wh~se b~ st is ~eing re~oved~
1~herefor~, ~e e~ccavator lz that is used is a r~or~al e~ca~rator except that i~ is prostided wl~h tr~ck wheels 14 15 ~or travel along the traak.

The aggregat;e remo~r 15 is att;ached to a ~as~ coupling iber on the boom 13 ~ the exc2lvato~,. T~ is ~as~
c~uplis~ m~er, e.g~ a si~re dipper aan be aonnec:ted aft:er th2 ballzLs~ remo~al work ~y which dipper~ ~Le balla t 2o remo~ed frc~ beneath the tra~::lc is cleaned and sieved for reuse.

As to the ~raj ec~ries of ~he aggreg~te remover lS, there ~ .
are a~ailable the same ~rajectories o~ motion as t~ere are -~
in ~:no~al oper~i~n of the excaYa~or 12. T~cre~ore, it ~S ~an be m~ed up, d~wn~ forward, ~ac~wArd, 1~f~ and righ~, and it ~an be inc1ined and rotate~ at t~e end o~ the boom.

The aggregate r~mo~er:lS ~ets its power ~rom the h~d~a~lic :~
ystem o$ ~ e~a~ato~. The hoses of th~ hydrauli~ m~tor, which~ser~es a~ the driv~ unit 7, ar~ connected to the ~0 ~respondin~ hydrauli~ c~n~ec~or~ o~ ~h~ ~x~a~tor 12 i . e. ~o t~e hydrau~ic inle~ ~nd out1et co~nectors w~ere~y oporation of the hydraulic motor can ~e con~o11ed by a valve in the cab of the exoa~ator 12 If i~ ~.s desired to :

PF~ 94 12: :lS EIRPNN Pf~TENT UPPSf~Lfl 46 1E3~09322 SID 10 ~3~V~)~9~ Pcr~192/u(~uu - ~ 212258~

change the direction of rot~ion of the hydrau~ic motor, t;he flow dir~c~ion o.f.'che hydxaulic liquid is cha~ed so tha~ ~he irllet hose be~omes th~ out~e~ ho~3e and t~ ~utl~3t hose 3:)ecb~nes the inlet hos~., respec:~;ively.

5 The aggre~a~e removex 15 c:cnnprises pri~ilyla bc~y 1 and, ir~ conn~ction with the bod~ 1, an endless cir~f6~r~nti2~1 er 2 haYing transportin~ ~em3~e~s 3 ~ttach~d t;h~3rs~0.
The b~dy 1 is ~ssentia].ly a planar }:7lade or tlle li~ce, . whiGh is desi~ned to be posi~ioned esse~tially 10 hc~risantally under ~he ~X2lck~ q`he endless circ~umf~rential mem~er 2 is d~ spas~d o~ he c~ut~r circ~ er~ o~ t~he body 1.

The a~e~ate remover 1~ is pushed intc~ th~ ballast layer under the 'cr~ck ~om 'che 5ide o~ the ~r~c:k essen'cially in a hc3rizon~al pl~ne and t~e endle5is cir~ er~tial me~er `~-2 is rotat~d. in a plane ~elow ~he tracA;;~ ~ranspo~i~g mew~e~s 3 a~tached to ~3 endl~ss c:ir~er~ntial mQmber di~ in~o ~ mi~eral ~a~r~gat~! oX ~;he ballas~;~ an~
transport 1~ ~rom ~ ea~ rack to ~hQ side~ r~cof~ :
~0 q?he aggregate re~o~Jer 15 t:ransport5 mine~al ~ggregate of the ~allas~ ~.ay~ fro~ ~:he ~iddle o~ the txack t:o ~he ~
o~ ~e ~rack. Th~ a~greg~te remov~r lS can be turned to oper~t~ s~ilar w~y OD the othe} side of the ~ra.Gk.

~he endless cir~feren~tial m~ ~ i6 ir~ the exe~pl~
2S ca~e a trac3c ~hairl or t:he li3c~ and t~e transpor~ m~e7;:
3 i~ a ~lad~ which~projects pe~edi arly ~ro~ th~
c:ircumfe~ential ~ember ~ d exte~ds verti~ally. At~ached:~
to th~ :cirçurn~er~ntial m~er 2 ~ween ~he tra~spo~ting members 3, 1;here are ~so provided fing~r-like me~rs 4 30 made o~ hard m~al whl~h are deslgned to disirrt~r~e os~;ible i~ o~ ve:ry ti~htl~ co~pac~ed minera1 aggr~gate ~n tbo ~allast.

. .

~.' 2~ R~ 4 lZ; 16 ~RRNN PRTENT UPPSRLR 46 18109322 SID ll WO ~3~0~9~ r~l~rl~,vv.~vv .
2122a87 ~he lower part: ~' of the ~r~nsp~:rtirlg ~ne~er 3 is es~;entially w~der than t~he ~pper par~ ~ ' ' . This en~bles the ~nspor~ing mem~ex 3 to dig into the ~nin~ral aggregate so that, during r~tation o~ the ~ndl~3ss 5 cir~lxmfer~tial me~er ~, l;he min~ral aggre~ate of ~he balla~t above t:he lower portion of the 'cransporting mem~er ~ :~
3 t fir~:t ~alls down ar~d then it is transpor~ed, pushed by the transporting me~nber 3, to ~h~ side o~ ~e trac~k Tranqpo:rting members 3 tr~nspor~ mlner~l a~gregate fro~
lo . ~he ~allast lz-yer so tha~ ~he b711act layer slidas down in slices ~l~ng a slids plar~ speci~c to used ~ineral aggre~a~e t~ he then ~ran~ported by the transpor~ing meml:~e:rs 3. Therefore, ~he r~tatin~ trac:k chain c:anno~
dam~ye the trac}c strueture.
~ .
lS ~he ci~cum~ren~ial mem}~er 2 i~ arranged to r~tate w~der c~uidanc:e ~f a pulley 5 wnich is mo~mtB~ in ~e~rin-3s ~o ~e bc~dy 1 sc) that the pulley ~ i~ cc~l~ec~ted ~o the dri~e unit 7 p~eferal~ r by means o~ a pow~r ~nsmissiorl assem~ly AS ~lready me~tioned earlier, a hydraul~c motor ser~e~ as 20 t:he dr~Ye uni~ 7 in the exemplary c~se. The power transmission assembly 8 comprises a pl~netary ge~r whi~h is ~rrang~d ~o c~ontrol the rota~ n~l speed ~ e endless cir~Q~erenti~l ~e~er 2. ~h~ tr~nsmissi~n ra~io s:~ the ;~
pl~ ~ gear iS ~ c:~o~en t~ e speed o~ the 2S ~irc~ r~tia~ mem~er 2 i.e. ~be t~ac:~lc chain can be ch~nged within s~litabl~ limits.
-~he ~rajec~o~ of the c:ircumferentiaï ~ember 2: is el~nga~ed~ Thi~ has been a~hie~red so ~hat the circl~mf~r~n~ial: member 2 ls arran~ed to r~ate un~er 30 guidance o~ a second pulley 6 wh~ch is ~a~ted in ): earings to the body 1. ~he se<:w~d pulley ~ is ~oun'c~d in l:j~arin~s , to a sp~i~g~loaded ~r~ve~lç~ ~Q whi~ t~a~reller 10, in c~se o~ ~erload, is çon~train6~d ~ move als~ng gtlides 11, whic:h ~r~ mo~ ed ~o the body 1 and which ~e parallel 2q-flPR-1~9'1 1~:16 E3RRNN PflTENT UPPS~Lf~ 46 l~ Y~ Z ~
WO ~3/QY2~ PC~ gZJu~uu 2122a87 with ~he l~n~Titudînal direc:tion o~ ~he ~ggre~ate r~over, tc~wards ~he pull ey ~ which is c~onn~cted to the dri~e ~i~
7 . This ~ s bene~ l in ~hat i~ it happen-e t}~at a s;tone ~etc ~etween ~he trac3c chain and the pulley 6 or the pulle~ 5 the a~gre~at~ remover will not bQ dama~ed~.

The b~d~r 1 o~ the a~regat;e re~;r lS is also--prcsvided wi~h suspensic)n ~eans ~ which are zldvant~geollsly placed c:loser to ~he pulley ~, which is ~o~necte~ ~0 ~he dr~v~
unit 7, apart from aid drive unit 7.

10 The a~gre~a~ re~nove~ functions in ~he fa~ ~ owing way~ ~he hydraulic moto~ dri~res the planet~ry sear whi~h 'cransmits power to the dri~ren pu~ley ~nd fur~her ~a the tra~k ~:hain which p~rforms remo~ral o~ ~llast ~rom ben~ath the tra¢}c ~y means of tran~por$in~ members. 'rhe ~ra~k chain turn~
1~ ~ro~d ~he sheave }?ulley and b~c3c t~ t}le dri~en pulley.
T~e shea~e pull~y i~ spring-loadsd and,it ~:an m~ve in ~e tra~eller 10 to~rc~s the dri:ven pulley ~. ~h~ pulley ~., as~ ly o~ ag~re~ate re~c,ver i5 pro~cted b~ :
protec~tive ~lat~s which ~xe par1: o~ the bod~ and which ~re ~0 placed on both sides of ~he track chain. ~hen tSle operatic~n is ~ansf~rred ~0 the <;~her side o~ ~he ~rack, the ro~ational ~irec~ n o~ t:he chain is changed so th~t mine~al ag~r~ga~e ~res ou~w~rds ~rom beneath ~he tXa~lc4 Tha'c p~rtion o~the 'cr~}c whose ballas~ layer is em4~fed ~5 i~: supported e.~.~ on j~cks o~ ~e like. ~;upporting ~h~
tr~ck on a right hei~h~ level ~an also ~e perfo~ned only when ~1-3an~ ball~ is :b~in~ layed under the ~ac~
..
The ~ention i5 no~ limited to ~e embod3~en~ described l~ove ~ut can be ~ra~i4d wit;hin the li~nits o~ the encl~s~d 3 ~ clai~ns ~ ~he aggr~a~e remove~ is no~ ~e~ess~rily el~n~ated :~
~n~ p:rovided with a tr~ck ch~in ro~a~ing around ~w;: ~ :
pulleys ~ut i1: Fan be des~ ed to h~ve another form, .
:
:,~

Claims (8)

Claims

1. Apparatus for removing the ballast of a railway without demounting the track, the apparatus comprising an excavator (12) or the like provided with a boom (13) and own wheels and an aggregate remover (15), which is arranged to be operated by means of said excavator (12) or the like and which comprises a body (1), which is essentially a planar blade or the like, and, in connection with the body (1), an endless circumferential member (2) having at least one transporting member (3) attached thereto and being arranged to rotate along an elongated circumferential path under guidance of at least two pulleys (5,6), which are mounted in bearings to the body (1), wherein the first pulley (5) is connected preferably by means of a power transmission assembly (8) to a drive unit (7), which rotates the endless circumferential member (2), characterized in that the second pulley (6) is spring-loaded and it is mounted to the body (1) by means of a spring.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said second pulley (6) is mounted in bearings to a traveller (10), which is movably attached to guides (11) mounted to the body (1), and which second pulley (6), in case of overload, is constrained to move towards the first pulley (5).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring is a coil spring.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the excavator (12) or the like is additionally provided with track wheels (14) in order to move the excavator (12) or the like particularly along that track whose ballast is to be removed.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive unit (7) is a hydraulic motor which is in hydraulic connection with said excavator (12).

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the power transmission assembly (8) is a planetary gear.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the endless circumferential member (2) of the aggregate remover (15) is a track chain which is disposed on the outer perimeter of the body (1) and in which said at least one transporting member (3) is essentially a vertical blade projecting from the endless circumferential member (2), characterized in that the lower part (3') of the transporting member (3) is essentially wider than the upper part (3'').

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, attached to the endless circumferential member (2) of the aggregate remover (15), there are additionally provided finger-like members (4) which are preferably made of hard metal for breaking ice or the like in the ballast.