CA2751533A1 - Apparatus and method for the handling of railway sleepers - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus (100, 700) is disclosed for handling railway sleepers and placing them with a desired spacing. A mobile chassis is supported at either end by a suitable tractor (102, 104). On the chassis (112) there is carried an elongate support (114) long enough to span several sleepers, with a number of flexible tethers (126) depending from respective points spaced along the support. The tethers are adapted to suspend a batch of sleepers simultaneously. An alignment template extends beneath the elongate support and is formed so as to engage the suspended batch of sleepers simultaneously and fix their positions. A mechanism is provided whereby the alignment template and suspended sleepers are made moveable so as to permit an efficient sequence of lifting, aligning and depositing batches of sleepers, without the need for fine manual adjustment. In one embodiment, the alignment template (122) is formed on the underside of the chassis structure (112), while the elongate support is a beam extending above the chassis. Various methods of deployment are described, and the apparatus may be adapted for laying fourteen or even twenty-eight sleepers in one batch.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE HANDLING OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS

The present invention relates to the field of railway infrastructure. More specifically, the present invention is directed towards an apparatus and method for the handling of railway sleepers or bearers (known as "ties" in USA/Canada) for the installation and replacement of railway infrastructure.
Today there are a large number of specialised machines used in the installation and maintenance of the railway infrastructure. Some of these machines are designed to run on both road and rail, with alternate wheels for each surface. Other machines, including very large and heavy machines, run on rail only. Lifting machines are also known which can span a whole rail track and which run on "caterpillar" type tracks on the ballast either side of the railway line.

The present applicant has developed further apparatus which improve the efficiency of handling railway rails, described for example in the applicant's previous applications, such as WO 2005/095716 A and WO 2009/050439.
The content of those prior applications is incorporated herein by reference.
The transportation and installation of continuous welded rail in lengths over two hundred metres is handled with ease.

In the course of installing or renewing a railway, there is a need to handle large numbers of railway sleepers, as well as lengths of rail. In order to assist in this, machines have evolved with specialised functions for the lifting and laying of railway sleepers. Typical machines used to lift and lay railway sleepers are large, expensive, impose great disruption on the rail network and require a relatively large number of skilled personnel to operate. For example, certain machines operate over two or more rail

2 tracks, with a lifting machine working on one track while riding on an adjacent track. This requires two teams of people working on each track, which is expensive and time consuming. This also disrupts traffic on the adjacent track and also prevents this type of machine operating on single-track routes. Furthermore, the machines also operate within touching distance of overhead power lines. This therefore requires the isolation of the power lines for the duration of the work.

Furthermore, in the installation of a railway, it is essential that the railway sleepers are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance before the rails forming a railway line are attached thereto. While the above-referenced machines are capable of laying individual sleepers in a spaced relationship, the sleepers are then required to be manoeuvred into the correct position. This task is commonly referred to as "fine lining" and required to be done manually. This task is time consuming and labour intensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide alternative methods and apparatus for the laying and alignment of railway sleepers.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for handling railway sleepers and placing them with a desired spacing on a railway bed, the apparatus comprising:
a mobile chassis;
an elongate support carried on the chassis and long enough to span several sleepers at said desired spacing and adapted to be supported above said railway bed;
a number of flexible tethers depending from respective points spaced along said support and adapted to suspend a batch of sleepers from said support;

3 an alignment template extending beneath the elongate support and formed so as to engage the suspended batch of sleepers simultaneously as a group and fix their positions with the desired spacing; and a mechanism whereby the alignment template and suspended sleepers are made movable relative to each other so as to permit a sequence of lifting, aligning and depositing batches of sleepers.

The apparatus may include a mechanism for increasing vertical separation between the elongate support and the alignment template, while the tethers remain of constant length so as to bring the template and sleepers into and out of engagement. Alternative mechanisms can be envisaged which effectively shorten and lengthen the tethers in a ganged fashion or sequentially, but simply moving apart two beams allows a very simple mechanism.
One of the elongate support and the alignment template may be fixed relative to the chassis, while the other of the elongate support and the alignment template is mounted to move relative to the chassis.

In a preferred embodiment, the alignment template is formed on the underside of the chassis structure, while the elongate support is supported above the chassis and moveable in a vertical direction relative to the chassis.

Preferably, the apparatus is arranged to support a batch of at least seven, preferably more than ten or even more than twenty railway sleepers. The number fourteen in particular corresponds to the number of steel sleepers in a conventional `half-chord' length of track in the UK railway system. In a large version of the apparatus, twenty eight sleepers could be held in one

4 batch. Other numbers may suit different national conventions, or specialised tracks within the UK system.

The tethers may comprise chains.
Each tether may terminate with a hook adapted to engage a hole in the upper face of a steel sleeper. Alternatively the tethers and hooks may be adapted to engage the ends of sleepers, or even parts of the rail shoes.

The chassis may include one or more mounting points for mounting the apparatus to a vehicle or vehicles.

In one embodiment, the chassis has a mounting point at each end, whereby it can be supported and transported by a pair of tractor units.
Alternatively, particularly for longer examples, the chassis has mounting points spaced inward of the ends, to minimise sagging of the chassis under load.

The chassis may include means for lowering the template and sleepers as a group to the railway bed. Alternatively such raising and lowering operation may be implemented by actuators on the vehicle(s).

The apparatus in the preferred embodiment is provided in combination with a pair of tractor units, each tractor unit having a coupling to support the chassis, each coupling including an actuator to raise and lower the apparatus, with and without sleepers suspended from it, to different heights above the ground.

Preferably each tractor unit can straddle a width greater than 2.4 metres, thereby to pass clear over a line of laid sleepers without disturbing them.

In one embodiment, the tractor units can also retract to pass through a gap less than 2.6 metres, for example.

Preferably the apparatus can be raised to a height sufficient to clear

5 stacks of four or more steel sleepers.

In a first type of embodiment, the apparatus is adapted to lift one batch of sleepers from the tops of pre-arranged stacks. In another type of embodiment, the apparatus is adapted to lift and carry two or more batches of sleepers in stacked form, so as to deposit each batch from the bottom of a stack. This allows batches to be laid from stock without returning to the stock location between laying each batch. Obviously the frame and vehicles must be strong enough to carry the weight of plural batches.
Preferably, the coupling permits horizontal adjustment of the position of the frame relative to the ground. In this way the final position of the sleeper batch can be adjusted without fine positioning of the vehicle.

The horizontal adjustment may be powered or manually operated.
Preferably, the tractor units have ground engaging rolling means in the form of elongate tracks.

The invention further provides methods of aligning & depositing batches of sleepers on a railway bed, and methods of lifting, transporting, aligning and depositing batches of sleepers from a stockpile along a railway bed.
The invention provides a first method of distributing sleepers on a railway bed, comprising the steps of:

6 - depositing a number of stacks of railway sleepers in a stockpile, including a number of stacks spaced to match the spacing of the template in an apparatus as set forth above;
- manoeuvring the apparatus above the stockpile and hitching respective tethers of the apparatus to an upper sleeper in each stack;
- subsequently operating the mechanism of the apparatus to bring the tethered sleepers and template into contact and positioning the apparatus so that each of the tethered sleepers is above an individual target location;
- subsequently lowering the apparatus to place the tethered sleepers at their target locations; and - releasing said tethers and removing the apparatus to repeat the operation with a further batch of sleepers.

The invention provides a second method of distributing sleepers on a railway bed, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a number of stacks of railway sleepers in a stockpile, including a number of stacks spaced to match the spacing of the template in an apparatus as set forth above;
- manoeuvring the apparatus above the stockpile and hitching respective tethers of the apparatus to a number of sleepers in each stack;
- subsequently operating the mechanism of the apparatus to bring the tethered sleepers and template into contact and positioning the apparatus so that each of the tethered stacks of sleepers is above an individual target location;
- subsequently lowering the apparatus to place the tethered stacks of sleepers at their target locations; and - releasing said tethers from a lowest sleeper in each stack and removing the apparatus and the remaining sleepers in each stack, so as to

7 repeat the operation with a next lowest sleeper until the entire stack has been deposited.

In this method, the need for journeys of the apparatus to re-stock is reduced.

In a preferred embodiment, the sleepers are engaged with the template prior to transporting the apparatus and sleepers to the target location. The template can then restrain the sleepers against swinging movements.
In either method, the apparatus may be supported and manoeuvred by a pair of tractor units, pivotably mounted to support the apparatus at respective locations along its length, and provided with ground engaging rolling means, such as caterpillar tracks, spaced widely enough to straddle the laid sleepers without rolling on them.

The method may further comprise a step of transposing a pair of rails onto the deposited sleepers and fixing the rails to the sleepers to complete a section of railway.
Further method features will be understood from a consideration of the features of the apparatus as set forth above, as well as the embodiments described below with reference to the drawings.

The invention further provides a railway installation installed by a method as set forth in the preceding paragraph.

There is further disclosed a spacing and/or lifting arrangement specially adapted for "twin-block" sleepers. This may be claimed independently of the apparatus and methods of the invention as set forth above.

8 PCT/GB2010/050327 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sleeper handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, in operation (tractor units not to scale);
Figures 2a, 2b and 2c are schematic side elevations showing the apparatus in different stages of operation;

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus carrying a set of sleepers;

Figures 4 and 5 are detailed views of two different types of sleeper-engaging hooks and chains;

Figures 6a and 6b show the apparatus in plan view depositing sleepers on a track bed and moving across the railway track, respectively;
Figure 7 shows an alternative form of apparatus suitable for handling larger batches;

Figures 8a-8d show part of a modified form of the apparatus, and corresponding process steps in handling a representative stack of sleepers in a modified process;

Figure 9 shows apparatus in use with modified tractor units, for transporting and/or deploying sleepers and "panels" in confined spaces;

9 Figures 10a-10c show an alternative form of sleeper, of a "twin-block"
type; and Figure 11 illustrates a modified form of spacer for correct spacing of twin-block sleepers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a novel sleeper handling apparatus in the middle of handling a set of seven pressed steel railway sleepers ('ties' in 5 US/Canada). The apparatus comprises a lifting and alignment frame 100 supported between a pair of self-propelled vehicles or tractors 102, 104.
The length of the frame 100 is such that seven sleepers 106 can be accommodated with a standard spacing.

10 Each tractor 102, 104 comprises a self-propelled vehicle with a pair of caterpillar tracks and a chassis elevated so as to leave a working space between the tracks and open to front and rear. Tractors 102 and 104 are shown not to scale in the drawing, so as to maximise detail of the lifting and alignment frame 100. In reality, the space between the tracks and beneath the vehicle chassis is such as to make the vehicle to straddle a width greater than the length of the sleepers, with the tracks running on the ballast either side of the railway. The width of the tractor on the ground may be 9-10 feet (2.7 - 3.9m), for example, so as to straddle a gap of 8 feet (2.4m) or more, depending on the maximum length of sleepers to be straddled. (The scale is more realistic in Figures 3 and 6a/6b).

Each tractor 102, 104 is provided with an engine and hydraulic power generator not shown), which can then be controlled manually or electronically to propel and steer the vehicle via its motorised tracks. The tractors are arranged both to support the frame 100 and to adjust its elevation at each end relative to the ground, via actuators 134, 136 mentioned further below.

Turning to the lifting and alignment frame 100 itself, this comprises firstly an elongate lower frame 112 comprising an open structure of two parallel

11 box-section steel side beams and a few cross members for rigidity. The lower frame 112 forms effectively a mobile chassis for the apparatus, supported at each end by connection to the tractors 102, 104. A lifting beam 114 lies generally along the top of frame 112, and is separable from it by a few tens of centimetres elevation. A pair of hydraulic rams 116 are mounted to thrust down from the beam 114 onto cross members 118 so as to force the elevation of the beam 114. Guides 120 are provided to maintain the alignment of the beam and frame, and to limit the elevation of the beam. On the underside of the frame 112 along each side beam there are provided sets of projections 122, which are spaced in pairs according to the width of each sleeper, and according to the desired spacing between sleepers. The underside of the frame 112 thus serves acts as a jig or template for repeatable, accurate positioning of batches of sleepers at a time.
By operation of respective actuators 134 and 136 on the tractors 102, 104, load frame 122 and beam 114 can be raised as a unit to different heights above the ground. Independently, the vertical spacing between beam 114 and lower frame 112 can be increased or decreased by operation of the rams 116. Hydraulic power linkages (not shown) are made between the engines of the tractors 102, 104 and the rams 116.

Finally, the apparatus comprises a set of flexible tethers 124, by which individual sleepers can be suspended from the beam 114. Each tether comprises matching pairs of chains 126 or wires, joined by a central link 128 lying across the beam 114 to form a double pad eye. In the illustrated embodiment, the links are welded at positions along the beam, directly above the respective sleeper positions defined by the projections 122. At the extremity of each chain 126 is a hook 138 adapted to engage a pre-

12 existing hole in the sleeper, and to lift the sleeper securely. A suitable form of hook will be described below, with reference to Figure 4.

Figures 2a - 2c illustrate the operation of the apparatus in lifting and aligning groups of railway sleepers, so that they may be transported and deposited in pre-aligned batches. In the starting condition shown in Figure 2a, seven stacks of five or six sleepers each have been deposited at a work site. These stacks are spaced with the spacing approximately equal to the desired sleeper spacing, which corresponds, by design, to the spacing of the tethers 124 and the projections 122 on the lifting and alignment frame 100. The apparatus comprising frame 100 and tractors 102, 104 approaches the stock of sleepers from either the left or right hand end as shown, the tractor 104 or 102, as the case may be, straddling the stacks of sleepers until the frame 100 is positioned over the stacks as shown. The actuators 134, 136 which can now be seen beneath the tractors 102, 104 are operated to lower the frame 100, so that the tethers 124 can be attached by their hooks 138 to the topmost set of sleepers.

As shown in Figure 2b, the frame 100 is then lifted by operation of actuators 134, 136, so that the sleepers 106 are suspended in a free-hanging manner from the apparatus.

In Figure 2c, the rams 116 have been actuated to lift the beam 114 away from the lower frame 112 of the lifting and alignment frame 100. By this action, the sleepers are brought tightly against the underside of the frame 112, engaging with the projections 122 so as to nestle securely and accurately against frame 112 with the desired spacing. As the tethers 124 are of equal length on each side of the apparatus and the lifting holes in the sleepers are symmetrically spaced, the sleepers are also aligned accurately in the transverse direction.

13 At this point, the apparatus is in the state shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 shows in plan view the same apparatus with sleepers held against the alignment frame. Also in Figure 3 the scale of the tractors 102 and 104 can be seen, by which the ground-engaging tracks 108 are spaced widely enough that the full length of a sleeper can fit easily between them.
Actuators 134 and 136 can also be operated to move the ends of the frame transversely for fine adjustment, as illustrated by double-headed arrows.
Figure 4 shows in more detail a suitable form for the hook 138 to engage a hole in the steel sleeper material. Length of chain 126 terminates in a metal plate 140, which is generally flat so as to lie against the metal of the sleepers 106. A short stub 142 of metal on the underside of plate 140 has a length suitable to pass through hole 144 in the sleeper material. The end of stub 142 is provided with a head 146 which is small enough to permit the head 146 and stub 142 to enter the hole 144, but projects so as to engage under the metal of the sleeper 106 when the chain 126 is pulled in the direction shown by the arrow. Once the length of chain is in tension, the hook formed by parts 140, 142 and 146 will not accidentally disengage from the sleeper. On the other hand, as soon as the tension is released, it is easy to engage and disengage. The use of chain 128 for the tether, rather than a wire having stiffness, contributes to the predictable behaviour of the hook engaging and releasing.
Figure 5 shows an alternative for us of hook 500. This is specifically adapted for engaging a standard rail fixing 502 mounted on each sleeper (see Figure 1). The example shown is for a Pandrol FastclipTM fixing. The hook comprises a bent `O' shape of metal plate. A first half 504 of the plate is coupled to the chain 126, so as to align with the pulling force of the

14 chain as the sleeper is lifted. The other half 506 of the plate lies in a plane substantially at right angles to the pull, and includes cheek portions 508 defining a narrower opening 510 than the first half. The hook 500 is thus adapted to slide onto the FastclipTM fixing and the cheeks 508 engage shoulders on the fixing 502 to lift the sleeper.

Different forms of hook may of course be required to engage different forms of fixing. Other types of hook may be adapted to engage under the sleeper body itself, either at its extreme end or on either side. Lifting by electromagnets or permanent magnets is also possible with steel sleepers.
The lifting may be entirely by magnetism, or magnets may assist in the placement of mechanical hooks. The term "hook" is used in its broadest sense, to cover any device for detachably engaging and lifting the sleepers.
Figure 6a shows in plan view the apparatus setting down the spaced set of seven sleepers on a track bed made of ballast, as part of a railway replacement operation. Figure 6b illustrates the manoeuvrability of the tracked tractor vehicles 102, 104, which can manoeuvre from trackside across the rails and to straddle the rails by virtue of their rubber caterpillar tracks. Wedges can be carried to assist mounting the rails.

The numbers seven and fourteen are chosen particularly because, at least in UK practice, a set of fourteen sleepers is conventionally referred to as a "half length", twenty-eight sleepers a "full length", corresponding to a traditional 60-foot rail. A commercial example of the apparatus might carry fourteen sleepers or even twenty-eight at a time rather than seven, over a length of roughly 1 Om or so (thirty feet). These lengths of sleepers can be laid in a straight line, as shown in Figure 6a, or they may be laid in successive chords of an arc, to create a curved section of track. A peg and string system is used to mark out the desired line in advance, in a conventional manner. The side-to-side adjustment of the actuators 134, 136 is sufficient to place the entire group of seven sleepers in accurate alignment at the desired location. The fact that the apparatus holds the 5 batch of sleepers in alignment and places them on the ground before releasing tension in the tethers 124 means that the "fine lining" process which is conventionally conducted manually has been eliminated.

Figure 7 shows a modified layout suitable for larger batches and/or 10 heavier types of sleepers. Rather than mounting the apparatus 700 to the tractor units at its extreme ends, the mounting points may be roughly at 1/4 and 3/4 of the overall length, for example. Accordingly, the frame carrying the sleepers extends through each tractor unit 102, 104 and out the other side. This improves the balance of the beam, and reduces its tendency to

15 sag between the mounting points, compared with a beam of similar rigidity supported at its extremities. Where a segment of the curve is shorter than the length of the apparatus, a smaller number of sleepers can be laid first, and then the angle of the beam adjusted to lay the next segment.

The stacks of sleepers laid out ready for carrying and aligning using the apparatus can be at the track side, or can be placed directly at the location desired for the first seven/fourteen/twenty-eight sleepers. In other words, the stacks may be placed such that, when the apparatus has lifted, transported and deposited four sets of seven sleepers in the desired alignment, the bottom set of sleepers are already at the desired place. If necessary, the apparatus can be applied to lift, align and replace these final sleepers without transporting them. An alternative embodiment in which stacks are lifted is described below with reference to Figures 8a-8d.

16 It should be understood that the spacing of the sleepers in the schematic drawings of Figures 2a etc and 3 is much closer than in a normal operation, simply for compactness of the drawing. The perspective view of Figure 1 shows a more realistic spacing. If the spacing of the sleepers and their individual width is such that another sleeper can fit between adjacent sleepers, then the stack of sleepers from which stock is transferred to the rail bed can be double density (i.e. fourteen stacks of five or so sleepers). The frame can then be positioned to pick up seven sleepers from the odd-numbered stacks, and then seven sleepers from the even-numbered stacks alternately.

Figures 8a-8d illustrate part of an alternative apparatus 800 for use in a modified process in which a whole stack is carried by the machine at each position in the template, and batches of sleepers 106 are deposited singly from the bottom of their stacks. Only one sleeper position is shown, it being understood that the features shown are repeated at all positions for a batch (seven, fourteen, twenty-eight etc.). Elements 812, 822 etc. of apparatus 800 correspond to the like-numbered elements 112, 122 of apparatus 100 described above. The key modification is that the chains 826 and hooks 838 are adapted to reach around the whole stack, so as to lift as many sleepers as will fit: for example five in each stack are shown.

In the starting condition of Figure 8a, stacks are being carried to their target position. In Figure 8b the lifting beam 814 is lowered to rest the stacks on the ground. At Figure 8c the hooks are disengaged from the bottom sleepers 106 and re-engaged on the second sleepers. At Figure 8d the beam 814 has been raised again to lift the remaining four sleepers and carry them away.

17 The travel of the beam 814 is increased compared with the example of Figures 1 to 3. Alternatively or in addition, the chains 826 can be made adjustable in length and/or provided with multiple hooks. This allows them to lift 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 sleepers in each stack. The apparatus as a whole must of course be strengthened to carry the greater load.

The projections 822 of the template are shown unchanged in Figures 8a to 8d, but additional or modified guides may be provided to stabilise the whole stack satisfactorily. As an example, Figures 8b and 8c show in broken lines vertical guide bars 850 that may project downward from the frame, either side of the stack. In this example the bars 850 are mounted so as to move with the lifting beam 814, so as to allow the lower frame 812 to approach the ground unimpeded. In alternative embodiments, the bars 850 or other guides may be mounted so as to project a fixed distance below the frame 812, forming a kind of `magazine'. They may be retractable independently of either the frame or the lifting beam, either by an active mechanism or by `floating' and rising upward, relative to the frame of the apparatus, upon contact with the ground, While the lifting and alignment frame 100 has been shown comprised of a double-beamed lower frame 112 and an upper single beam 114, this construction is by no means essential. Either or both of the moveable elements can be considered as a frame or beam, and constructed accordingly. Similarly, while the lower frame 112 is the part supported on the tractors and the upper beam 114 moves relative thereto, the roles of the upper and lower beams could be reversed. In such an embodiment, the operation may become more complicated, as the height of the lower beam above the ground would depend on the operation both of the actuators 134, 136 and the rams 116 or equivalent. This complexity may be overcome while retaining the overall benefits of the invention.

18 Figure 9 shows a modified application of the apparatus 100, using modified tractor units 902, 904. While tractor units 102, 104 of the previous embodiments have a fixed spacing between the tracks, sufficient to span completely the length of the sleepers, units 902, 904 have telescopic arms, so that the ground-engaging tracks 108 can be drawn into a narrower width, substantially the same as the sleeper length. The upright legs of the tractor unit may also be telescopic so that the chassis of each can be raised up and down, but that is not illustrated here.

As illustrated in Figure 9, this telescoping ability allows the tractor units to pass along a working area which is within or just a little wider than the sleeper length. Confined widths can exist when laying or renewing track on bridges or in tunnels, especially for single track but also for double track railways. In such cases, even if there is space enough for the tracks to run either side of the sleepers, it may not be rated for carrying a heavy load. The tractors may be to retract from providing a width between the legs greater than 2.4 metres, say, down to a situation in which the tracks can pass through a gap of less than 2.6 metres.

In the situation shown in Figure 9, tractor 902 has retracted already to its narrower width. For this purpose, a load is suspended between the tractors without extending between the tracks of each tractor. As tractor 902 passes between obstructions 908, 910, tractor 904 in due course will retract its tracks, following the envelope indicated at 912, 914, so that the entire combination of tractors and load can pass through a gap little wider than the sleeper length.

The load in this case need not comprise only sleepers, but could comprise a complete "panel" comprising of rails and sleepers, allowing very rapid removal of track sections from bridges, tunnels etc.. Hitherto, such

19 operations in a confined width would require cranes and removal of very short sections of the track. Where apparatus 100 is shown being used with tractors 902, 904 in Figure 9, the longer apparatus 700 could be used, provided that the parts between the tractor trucks are not loaded so as to obstruct the telescoping movement. Apart from this change, there is no need to deviate from the working methods described above. The tractors in their retracted form can run on top of existing rails and/or sleepers, as well as running on the empty rail bed.

While the embodiment shown has been designed for lifting steel sleepers, the principle can be extended to other types of sleepers, for example wood or concrete. Concrete sleepers are generally much heavier than steel ones, so that a stronger frame and/or smaller batches of sleepers should be contemplated. Again, none of this departs from the principle of the invention.

As another example of a sleeper type, Figures 10a-10c illustrate a "twin-block" sleeper 106', which is less common than steel or concrete sleepers in the UK, but used in appropriate situations in the UK. The twin-block sleeper 106' is a hybrid of a steel and concrete sleeper, and comprises concrete end blocks 1002, 1004 tied together by a tie-bar 1006 of steel angle bar. Figures 10b and 10c show cross-sections looking in opposite directions along the tie-bar 1006. As can be seen in these cross-sections, the angle bar that forms tie-bar 1006 is oriented in an asymmetrical fashion and its relation to the sleeper centre line 1008 is different, looking in each orientation. The orientation of sleepers at the work site may be somewhat randomised, even if they are made and stacked initially all with the same orientation.

Figure 11 illustrates a modified frame 112' which is adapted to steady and space these twin-block sleepers in a reliable fashion, irrespective of the asymmetrical form of the tie-bar 1006, and irrespective of the orientation of the tie-bar when presented to the frame 112'. Compared with the frame 5 112 of the Figure 1 embodiment, we see projections 122', which are provided to engage and guide the sides of the tie-bars, in a similar manner to projections 122 in the earlier embodiment. Because of the smaller dimension of the tie-bar, however, projections 122' are much closer together around each sleeper position. Depending on the degree of swing 10 expected before engagement, projections 122' may be larger than illustrated. Centre lines 1010 indicate the desired centre line positions of the sleepers when spaced. As further shown in Figure 11, the frame 112' is provided with a rectangular recess 1012 between the projections 122' of each pair. The width of recesses 1012 is selected and placed in relation 15 to the angled surfaces of projections 122' so that the tie-bars 1006 are admitted slightly into the recess, abutting one or other inner face of the recess, depending on the orientation of the tie-bar. By suitable dimensioning of the recess, the centre lines 1008 of the sleepers can be aligned with the desired positions 1010, irrespective of the orientation of

20 the tie-bar. The angled surfaces of projections 122' are provided primarily to guide the tie-bar into the recess, they may also be at an appropriate angle, as shown, to support the "heel" of the angled bar.

While the spacing frame 112' adapted for twin-block sleepers has the recesses on the underside, use of a recess for accurate centring of twin-block sleepers is believed to be novel and patentable in more general applications. For example, instead of drawing the sleeper tie-bars up to a frame 112' having recesses 1012, they could alternatively be lifted and spaced by a lifting bar placed under the tie-bars 1006, with recesses 1012 formed in its upper surface. The applicant reserves the right to claim

21 apparatus and methods for handling such sleepers in all such methods, not only within the apparatus and methods of the invention as presently claimed.

While the separation of beam 114 from frame 112 is provided as a simple means for tensioning the tethers 124 simultaneously, various mechanisms can be envisaged for pulling on the tethers at the desired time. The beam 114 and/or frame 112 may be divided into sections, for example two longitudinal half frames, which can move apart and/or pivot to cause the engagement of the template with the sleepers.

The tethers may include some elasticity to account for slight variations in their length; some fine adjustment of their length may also be provided in the coupling to the beam 114 or hook 140. While simple triangular welded steel projections 122 have been shown for enforcing the desired spacing on the sleepers, all manner of formations can be envisaged, including recesses in the frame 112, while fulfilling the same function. The projections 122 and the location of the pad eyes 128 may be made adjustable to achieve different sleeper spacings and/or to accommodate different sleeper profiles.

The diesel and hydraulic power units and actuators (including rams 116) of the illustrated embodiments can of course be replaced by electric or other power source, or even manual jacks and winches.
The apparatus as described provides a useful companion to the railway rail handling apparatus described in the applicant's previous applications, such as WO 2005/095716 A and WO 2009/050439A. The content of those prior applications is incorporated herein by reference.

22 Numerous variations and modifications of the embodiments shown are possible, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Some of these have been described above. The skilled reader, from a consideration of the present description, drawings and claims will no doubt be able to conceive of other variations.

Claims (24)

1. An apparatus for handling railway sleepers and placing them with a desired spacing on a railway bed, the apparatus comprising:
a mobile chassis;
an elongate support carried on the chassis and long enough to span several sleepers at said desired spacing and adapted to be supported above said railway bed;
a number of flexible tethers depending from respective points spaced along said support and adapted to suspend a batch of sleepers from said support;
an alignment template extending beneath the elongate support and formed so as to engage the suspended batch of sleepers simultaneously as a group and fix their positions with the desired spacing; and a mechanism whereby the alignment template and suspended sleepers are made movable relative to each other so as to permit a sequence of lifting, aligning and depositing batches of sleepers.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which includes a mechanism for increasing vertical separation between the elongate support and the alignment template, while the tethers remain of constant length so as to bring the template and sleepers into and out of engagement.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the alignment template is formed on the underside of the chassis structure, while the elongate support is supported above the chassis and moveable in a vertical direction relative to the chassis.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 arranged to support a batch of more than ten railway sleepers.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the tethers comprise chains.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the chassis includes one or more mounting points for mounting the apparatus to a vehicle or vehicles.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the chassis has two mounting points spaced inward of the ends, to minimise sagging of the chassis under load.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the chassis includes means for lowering the template and sleepers as a group to the railway bed.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the apparatus is adapted to lift one batch of sleepers from the tops of pre-arranged stacks.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the apparatus is adapted to lift and carry two or more batches of sleepers in stacked form, so as to deposit each batch from the bottom of a stack.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10 wherein the apparatus in combination with a pair of tractor units, each tractor unit having a coupling to support the chassis, each coupling including an actuator to raise and lower the apparatus, with and without sleepers suspended from it, to different heights above the ground.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein each tractor unit can straddle a width greater than 2.4 metres.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the apparatus can be raised by said tractor units to a height sufficient to clear stacks of four or more steel sleepers.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein the coupling permits horizontal adjustment of the position of the frame relative to the ground.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, 12, 13 or 14, wherein the tractor units have ground engaging rolling means in the form of elongate tracks.

16. A method of distributing sleepers on a railway bed, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a number of stacks of railway sleepers in a stockpile, including a number of stacks spaced to match the spacing of the template in an apparatus as set forth above;
- manoeuvring the apparatus above the stockpile and hitching respective tethers of the apparatus to an upper sleeper in each stack;
- subsequently operating the mechanism of the apparatus to bring the tethered sleepers and template into contact and positioning the apparatus so that each of the tethered sleepers is above an individual target location;
- subsequently lowering the apparatus to place the tethered sleepers at their target locations; and - releasing said tethers and removing the apparatus to repeat the operation with a further batch of sleepers.

17. A method of distributing sleepers on a railway bed, comprising the steps of:
- depositing a number of stacks of railway sleepers in a stockpile, including a number of stacks spaced to match the spacing of the template in an apparatus as set forth above;
- manoeuvring the apparatus above the stockpile and hitching respective tethers of the apparatus to a number of sleepers in each stack;
- subsequently operating the mechanism of the apparatus to bring the tethered sleepers and template into contact and positioning the apparatus so that each of the tethered stacks of sleepers is above an individual target location;
- subsequently lowering the apparatus to place the tethered stacks of sleepers at their target locations; and - releasing said tethers from a lowest sleeper in each stack and removing the apparatus and the remaining sleepers in each stack, so as to repeat the operation with a next lowest sleeper until the entire stack has been deposited.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the sleepers are engaged with the template prior to transporting the apparatus and sleepers to the target location.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein the apparatus is supported and manoeuvred by a pair of tractor units, pivotably mounted to support the apparatus at respective locations along its length, and provided with ground engaging rolling means, such as caterpillar tracks, spaced widely enough to straddle the laid sleepers without rolling on them.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, 17, 18 or 19 further comprising a step of transposing a pair of rails onto the deposited sleepers and fixing the rails to the sleepers to complete a section of railway.

21. A railway installation installed by a method as claimed in claim 20.

22. An apparatus for handling railway sleepers substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. A method of handling railway sleepers substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 2a to 2c of the accompanying drawings.

24. A method of handling railway sleepers substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 8a to 8d of the accompanying drawings.