GB2102863A - Rail clip inserting vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle 10 for inserting rail clips has flanged wheels 11 adapted to run on rails, and carries at least one rail clip driving device 12 comprising at least one clip-driving mechanism 28-24-22 and at least one flanged roller 30 for running on the head of a rail, the or each clip driving device 12 being connected to the vehicle 10 by an arrangement 13-14-19 which permits the device to be retracted, the pivots such as 16, 18 being constructed so as to allow the device 12 to move laterally relative to the vehicle axis. In a modified device the bell crank clip-driving mechanism 28-24-22 is replaced by horizontally-sliding jaws. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rail clip inserting vehicle This invention relates to a vehicle for inserting rail clips, particularly clips of the type comprising spring steel having one part for insertion in an anchoring member and another part with a bearing surface to bear against the foot of a rail and hold it against a sleeper.

It is known to hold rails in position by means of spring clips inserted into anchoring members, such clips being described in U.K. specification No: 1,509,900. This specification also describes an apparatus for driving such rail clips into an anchoring member attached to a sleeper which comprises a striking element mounted on a pivoted lever and operated by a pneumatic or hydraulic ram.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle for inserting rail clips of the type described above.

According to the present invention, a vehicle for inserting rail clips has flanged wheels adapted to run on rails, and carries at least one rail clip inserting device comprising at least one clipdriving mechanism and at least one flanged roller for running on the head of a rail, the or each clip inserting device being connected to the vehicle by an arrangement which permits the device to move laterally relative to the vehicle axis.

Advantageously, the flanged roller is a doubleflanged roller and preferably two such rollers are employed. The flanged rollers ensure accurate alignment of the striking elements with respect to the rail and thereby with respect to the clips to be inserted.

Preferably the connecting arrangement comprises at least one arm, the or each arm is connected at one end to the device and at the other end to the apparatus by a pivot arrangement which permits movement in both a vertical and a transverse plane relative to the horizontal plane including the axes of rotation of the vehicle wheels. In a preferred arrangement the or each arm is pivoted about pivot axes which are generally parallel to the axes of the vehicle wheels and which provide relative movement in the transverse direction sufficient to accommodate alignment of the flanged roller on the rail when the vehicle is on a canted curve or when a variation in gauge is present.

The clip inserting device is preferably movable about said pivot axes between an operative position and an inoperative position in which it is held clear of the rails and conveniently is arranged to be moved between the two positions by means of a hydraulic ram.

In one embodiment of the invention the or each clip inserting device includes a driving mechanism comprising a driving element carried on the end of a bell-crank lever the other end of which is connected to a hydraulic operating ram.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the or each clip driving mechanism comprises a surface for engaging a clip and a surface for engaging a clip anchoring member wherein each surface is connected to a hydraulic operated ram for moving said surfaces towards one another and away from one another along a lined path.

In a preferred construction two such driving mechanisms are provided and arranged so that the driving elements drive in opposite directions whereby clips on each side of the rail can be inserted simultaneously and the torque applied to the device during driving the clips is effectively cancelled out.

In this embodiment the driving mechanism may comprise a reaction block for engaging a clip anchoring member and a rod eye attachment for engaging a clip.

In a preferred vehicle two driving mechanisms are provided for driving clips on each rail of the track.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a vehicle according to the invention with the clip inserting device shown in the inoperative position; Figure 2 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 with the clip inserting device in the operative position; Figure 3 is an end view of part of a clip inserting device as shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a clip inserting device according to the invention; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a device for orienting the clip inserting device shown in Figure 4; and Figure 6 is a section along line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to Figure 1 a vehicle 10 is arranged to run on four flanged wheels 11. Mounted at the rear of the vehicle 10 is a pair of clip inserting devices 12 each being arranged to move between an inoperative position as shown in Figure 1 and an operative position as shown in Figure 2. Only one of these devices is shown in the drawings, the other device being on the opposite side of the vehicle for use on the other rail.

The device 12 is attached to the vehicle by means of a linkage comprising a pair of parallel arms 13 and 14, the arm 13 being pivoted to the device at 15 and the apparatus at 1 6 and the arm 14 being pivoted to the device at 1 7 and the apparatus at 1 8. The pivot bearings for the arms are arranged to accommodate transverse movement so that each clip inserting device can float relative to the vehicle to permit alignment by the flanged rollers described below. This can be achieved by the use of self-aligning spherical bearings, by providing extra clearance in the bearings or by other suitable means.

The device 12 can be moved between its two positions by means of a hydraulic ram 1 9 which is connected between the arm 1 3 and a support pillar 20 rigid with the vehicle.

Each clip inserting device 12 comprises a frame 21 having a pair of driving elements 22 and 23 carried at the ends of respective bell-crank levers 24 and 25 pivoted respectively to the frame at 26 and 27. The lever 24 is connected to a first operating hydraulic ram 28 and the lever 25 is connected to a second operating ram 29. It can be seen that extension and retraction of the rams 28 and 29 will cause the levers 24 and 25 to pivot about their respective pivots and thereby cause driving elements 22 and 23 to drive the rail clips (not shown).

In order to align the driving elements accurately with the rail clips a pair of double flanged rollers 30 are provided to run on the head of the rail as shown in Figure 3. Each double flanged roller comprises a pair of single rollers 31 arranged back-to-back on a common spindle 32 for rotation in a bearing 33 carried by a support 34 fixed to the frame 21. Each flange is tapered at its outside edge 35 to accommodate misalignment due to the track being canted.

The use of such double flanged rollers in conjunction with the floating linkage enables each device 12 to align itself relative to the rail independently of the vehicle and thereby provide for accurate location on canted curves or when the rail gauge is not consistent.

The length of the clip driving arms is such that the driving elements 22 and 23 are moving substantially horizontally when they drive the clip and this enables the device to tolerate a large longitudinal deviation in the distance of the clip from the clip housing. The shape of the driving elements 22 and 23 is such that when the clip has been driven into the anchoring member to a sufficient extent, the element strikes a shoulder on the member and thereby prevents over-driving of the clip.

Referring to Figure 4 an alternative clip inserting device generally designated 100 is shown positioned over a rail 101. Under the rail there is a sleeper 102, and on the sleeper there is a clip anchoring member 103 which receives a clip 104.

The clip inserting device 100 has a yoke 105 mounted on shafts 106. At one end of the shafts 106 is a cylinder end attachment 107, and at the other end there is a rod eye attachment 108.

Between the yoke 105 and attachments 107 and 108 there are compression springs 1 09.

A hydraulic cylinder 110 is connected to the cylinder end attachment 107. A piston rod 111 which is retractable into the hydraulic cylinder 110, is connected to the rod eye attachment 108.

A guide plate 1 12 is provided on the rod eye attachment 108 to prevent misaligned clips from springing out of position during the clip aligning process. A reaction block 1 13 is provided on the cylinder attachment 107. The reaction block 1 13 is removable and may be detached by extracting locating pin 114. The reaction block 113 may be supplied in a number of different sizes so that variations in the dimensions of sleeper 102 or clip anchoring member 104 may be accommodated.

Guide rollers 1 15 are attached to both the cylinder end attachment 107 and the rod eye attachment 108. The guide rollers run on the rail flange and help to provide guidance in both the vertical and lateral directions.

Referring to Figure 5 a device for orienting the clip inserting device of Figure 4 is generally designated 120. The yoke 105 is attached to a hydraulic ram 121 and guide rods 122. The hydraulic rams 121 and guide rods 122 are attached to a bogie 123. The yoke is connected to the remainder of the clip inserting device as shown in Figure 4. The clip inserting device is omitted from Figure 5 in order to give greater clarity. The bogie runs on double flanged rollers 124 which engage the rail 101.

A vehicle (not shown) for transporting the clip inserting device is connected to the bogie 123 through a hydraulic ram 121 and an arm 125.

Figure 6 shows in section the arrangement of the wheels 124 on the rail 101.

At the beginning of a clip inserting operation the bogie is lowered from a stowed position on the vehicle by retracting hydraulic ram 121. As the bogie 123 is lowered the rollers 124 engage the rail 101 and guide the bogie 123, and hence the clip inserting device 100, into position. The vehicle may then be driven forward, if necessary, so that the clip inserting device 100 is over the first set of clips to be inserted.

Once in position the retraction of hydraulic ram 121 will cause the clip inserting device 100 to be lowered. The lowering is stopped when guide rollers 115 engage the foot of rail 101.

Hydraulic fluid is now applied to the hydraulic cylinder 110 thus retracting piston rod 111 and causing the cylinder end attachment 107 and the rod eye attachment 108 to be drawn together.

The rod eye attachment 108 engages the clip 104 and drives it into the clip anchoring member 103 in a straight line movement. At the same time the reaction block 11 3 engages the clip anchoring member 103.

When the clip 104 has been driven into the clip anchoring member 103, the piston 111 is extended so that reaction block 113 and the rod eye attachment 108 are disengaged from the clip and the clip anchoring member. The compression springs 109 ensure that the cylinder end attachment 107 and the rod eye attachment 108 are in the correct longitudinal position for driving the next clip after the piston rod 111 has been extended. In addition the compression springs 109 help to eliminate the transferal of shock loadings back to the vehicle. Such shock loadings may occur if a sleeper is misaligned or if the clip inserting device 100 is badly positioned about the clip 104 and clip anchoring member 103.

It is clear from Figure 4 that the clip inserting device 100 operates on clips on both sides of a rail simultaneously. Furthermore another clip inserting device 100 is attached to another device 120 on the other rail. The two clips driving devices 100 operate simultaneously so that four clips may be driven during each clip inserting operation.

On the completion of the driving of a clip, and the extension of piston rod 111, the hydraulic ram 121 raises the clip inserting device 100 and moves onto the next clip. When all the clips have been inserted the bogie 123 may be lifted off the rail 101 by extending hydraulic ram 124. The clip inserting device may then be stored on the vehicle.

The clip inserting device 100 may be modified so that the reaction block 1 13 is dispensed with.

The cylinder end attachment 107 at each side of the rail may be connected to one another.

Similarly the rod eye attachment 108 at each side of the rail may be connected to one another. The twisting action which occurs during clip inserting would be restrained by the flanges of guide rollers 1 5 reacting against the foot of the rail.

Whilst the devices described above are selfaligning with respect to the rail is within the scope of the invention to provide operatorcontroiled means to move the devices relative to the vehicle. Suitable operator-controlled means for this purpose may comprise one or more hydraulic rams connected between the device and a part of the vehicle.

The vehicle may also be provided with trackhandling equipment other than the clip inserting devices. For example, it may be provided with one or more track lifting devices such as those described in our Patent No: 1,591,311.

Clip removal may be effected by using devices such as those described in our Patent No: 1,494,514.

Claims (11)

1. A vehicle for inserting rail clips has flanged wheels adapted to run on rails, and carries at least one rail clip inserting device comprising at least one clip driving mechanism and at least one flanged roller for running on the head of a rail, the or each clip inserting device being connected to the vehicle by an arrangement which permits the device to move laterally relative to the vehicle axis.

2. A vehicle according to Claim 1 in which the flanged roller is a double flanged roller.

3. A vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2 having two flanged rollers.

4. A vehicle according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 which comprises at least one arm, the or each arm is connected at one end to the device and at the other end is connected to the vehicle by a pivot arrangement which permits movement in both a vertical and a transverse plane relative to the horizontal plane including the axes of rotation of the vehicle wheels.

5. A vehicle according to Claim 4 in which the or each arm is pivoted about pivot axes which are generally parallel to the axes of the vehicle wheels and which provide relative movement in the transverse direction sufficient to accommodate alignment of the flanged roller on the rail when the vehicle is on a canted curve or when a variation in gauge is present.

6. A vehicle according to Claim 5 in which the clip inserting device is movable about the pivot axes between an operative and an inoperative position.

7. A vehicle according to Claim 6 in which the clip inserting device can be moved between operative and in inoperative position by means of a hydraulic ram.

8. A vehicle according to any of the preceding claims in which the clip driving device includes a striking mechanism comprises a driving element carried on the end of a bell crank lever the other end of which is connected to a hydraulic operating ram.

9. A vehicle according to Claim 8 in which there are two driving mechanisms arranged so that the driving elements strike in opposite directions whereby clips on each side of the rail can be inserted simultaneously and the torque applied to the device during driving the clips is effectively cancelled out.

10. A vehicle according to Claim 7 in which the clip driving mechanism comprises a surface for engaging a clip and a surface for engaging a clip anchoring member wherein each surface is connected to a hydraulic operating ram for moving said surfaces towards one another and away from one another along a linear path.

11. A vehicle according to Claim 10 in which the surface for engaging the clip is provided on a rod eye attachment and the surface for engaging the clip anchoring member is provided on a reaction block.

1 2. A vehicle according to any of the preceding Claims including two clip inserting devices for inserting clips on each rail of the track.

1 3. A vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.