GB346393A - An improved drop table for railway and tramway vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

346,393. Hoists with guided platforms; railway turntables. HURST, R., 26, Alkincoats Road, Colne, Lancashire. Jan. 7, 1930, No. 563. [Classes 78 (iii) and 104 (ii).] A drop-table for facilitating the removal and replacement of the wheels, axles and springs of railway and tramway vehicles has means actuated by the vehicle for automatically lowering the table to permit removal of the wheels &c. and for raising it for replacement of the parts. The drop-table may be arranged to form a turntable or several radially arranged drop-tables may be mounted on a turntable. The rails B are formed with recesses b adapted to accommodate the projecting ends of bars A which are inserted in recesses a in discs a<1> rotatably mounted in a frame below the rails. The discs are connected by linkage c<1> to wedge blocks D sliding on wedges E adjustable by gearing e2 and resting on a base F, the wedge blocks D being connected by linkage d<1> to similar wedge blocks D<1> and the pairs of wedge blocks supporting the sloping faces C<1> of the droptable C which has a central pillar C<2> slidably guided in a cylinder C<3>. The linkage c<1> engages a slotted arm g<3> mounted on a pivot g<4> and engaging at its upper end a pair of slotted and pivoted wheel stops G. In operation, the locomotive &c. is run into position with the wheels which are to be removed over the drop-table. The wheels are disconnected and the arms A placed in the inner recesses a. Further movement of the locomotive rotates the discs a<1> and through the linkage actuates the wedge blocks and lowers the drop-table, the wheel stops G being rotated into operative position. The arms A are now placed in the outer recesses and the locomotive reversed so raising the droptable and enabling the wheels to be run off and replaced by a new pair. In a modification, three pairs of wedges are employed, two pairs being operated by the linkage and the bottom pair having a screw-and-nut adjustment. In another modification, the drop-table is mounted on cams and levers supported on adjustable knife-edge pivots. In another modification, the drop-table C, Fig. 8, is supported on cams M and wedge blocks D operated by linkage n<6> connected to sliding blocks n<2> working between stops n<3>, n<2>, the blocks n2 having hooks n to which a chain N can be attached, the chain being connected to some part of the locomotive for operation. The appliance. may be adapted to a turntable, the drop-table, not shown, being fitted to a turntable Q, Fig. 13. The wedge blocks D are radially arranged and connected by linkage P. The turntable Q, Fig. 14, may be fitted with several radially arranged drop-tables C and with a central drop-table.