US20010018879A1 - Railroad track ballast tamper - Google Patents
Railroad track ballast tamper Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20010018879A1 US20010018879A1 US09/791,637 US79163701A US2001018879A1 US 20010018879 A1 US20010018879 A1 US 20010018879A1 US 79163701 A US79163701 A US 79163701A US 2001018879 A1 US2001018879 A1 US 2001018879A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- ram
- hydraulic
- metering
- gripper
- tamper
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 18
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 abstract description 4
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008030 elimination Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003379 elimination reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005284 excitation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008571 general function Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003071 parasitic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01B—PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS
- E01B27/00—Placing, renewing, working, cleaning, or taking-up the ballast, with or without concurrent work on the track; Devices therefor; Packing sleepers
- E01B27/12—Packing sleepers, with or without concurrent work on the track; Compacting track-carrying ballast
- E01B27/13—Packing sleepers, with or without concurrent work on the track
- E01B27/16—Sleeper-tamping machines
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a railroad track ballast tamper of the forced vibration type.
- FIG. 1 of the appended schematic drawing shows a current design of tamper.
- This comprises a chassis 1 equipped with vertical suspension elements 2 and 3 and two tool holders 4 and 5 articulated symmetrically to the chassis 1 about two respective parallel and horizontal axles 6 and 7 , in the manner of levers.
- the two tool holders 4 and 5 are equipped respectively with tools 8 and 9 known as “packers”, which fit on each side of a cross tie 10 of the track.
- a device involving an eccentric 11 carried by the central part of the chassis 1 , causes the tools 8 and 9 to vibrate.
- the respective upper ends of the two tool holders 4 and 5 are connected by a roughly horizontal hydraulic gripper ram 12 , the body 13 of the ram 12 being, for example, connected by an articulation 14 to the first tool holder 4 , while the rod 15 of this ram 12 is connected by an articulation 16 to the second tool holder 5 .
- An auxiliary hydraulic ram 17 is currently associated with the hydraulic gripper ram 12 and, in combination with a pivoting rider 18 , acts as a mechanical stroke limiter for the gripper ram 12 , as depicted more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3.
- the auxiliary ram 17 is articulated by its body, about an axle 19 , to the body 13 of the gripper ram 12 , toward one end of this body 13 .
- the rod of the auxiliary ram 17 is articulated, about an axle 20 , on the rider 18 which is itself mounted so that it can pivot about an axle 21 on the body 13 of the gripper ram 12 , toward the other end of this body 13 .
- the auxiliary ram 17 (the rod of which is deployed) brings the rider 18 into direct abutment on the front face of the body 13 of the gripper ram 12 , by pivoting about the axle 21 .
- the rider 18 thus positioned constitutes a blocking wedge which limits the opening stroke of the gripper ram 12 to a value C 1 , by a mechanical stop effect.
- This first position in which the opening gripper stroke of the vibrating gripper is limited, is suitable for the use of the tamper with a single cross tie 10 .
- the auxiliary ram 17 is actuated in the direction of retraction of its rod so as to cause the rider 18 to pivot about the axle 21 in the direction of its retraction—see FIG. 3.
- the rod 15 of the gripper ram 12 can therefore describe its maximum stroke C 2 until this rod 15 is fully retracted into the body 13 of the gripper ram 12 .
- the gripper opening stroke is no longer limited and the packers 8 and 9 can be parted more widely so as to grip a double cross tie.
- This mechanical stop device causes jolts and noise which, added to the vibration needed for actual tamping and amplified by this vibration, gives rise to a high noise level when the tamper is in operation.
- This high level of noise is a nuisance not only to the operators, but also to the neighborhood, particularly when the work is carried out at night.
- the current device for mechanically limiting the stroke of the gripper ram 12 gives rise to mechanical jolts throughout the vibration phase.
- the mechanical jolts which are already in themselves noisy, are amplified by the excitation, at the vibrating frequency of the tamper, of the play in the articulation along the three axles 19 , 20 and 21 of the assembly made up of the ram 17 and of the rider 18 .
- This phenomenon considerably increases the amount of noise generated by the tamper.
- An object of the present invention is to eliminate the jolts, parasitic vibration and noise generated by the device for mechanically limiting the opening stroke of the gripper ram in such a way as to reduce the total level or acoustic emissions of the tamper so as to bring these emissions down to a level that is more acceptable to operators and to the neighborhood.
- a subject of the invention is essentially a ballast tamper of the type involved here, that is to say comprising two tool holders, articulated to a chassis about parallel horizontal axles, which are equipped in their lower parts with tools capable of fitting one on each side of a single or double cross tie of the track concerned, and the upper ends of which are connected by a hydraulic gripper ram, means being provided for vibrating the tools,
- this ballast tamper being characterized in that the supply of hydraulic fluid or the draining of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic gripper ram, for at least one of its two directions of travel, is provided by a hydraulic assembly external to this ram and comprising means for metering an amount of hydraulic fluid capable of being let into said ram or discharged therefrom so as to cause the rod of this ram to describe a gripper opening stroke limited to a value below that of its full stroke, the hydraulic assembly also comprising hydraulic control means associated with said metering means.
- the means for metering the amount of hydraulic fluid let into the gripper ram or discharged therefrom consist of a metering ram, the piston of which can be moved hydraulically over a controlled stroke, it being possible to place said metering ram in communication with the gripper ram so as to allow a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid to be let into or drained from this gripper ram.
- the inventive step consists in replacing the current mechanical stop device that limits the opening stroke of the gripper ram with an assembly which produces a kind of “hydraulic stop” effect, by metering the amount of oil used in the gripper ram.
- this ram can be supplied with or drained of hydraulic fluid either directly, in which case it will effect its full opening stroke, designed for use of the tamper with double cross ties, or indirectly with the intervention of the metering ram, in which case the gripper ram describes a limited opening stroke designed for use with single cross ties.
- the hydraulic assembly including the metering means such as the metering ram and the hydraulic control means associated with said metering means is located some distance away from the hydraulic ram in a fixed, non-vibrating part of the machine.
- the metering ram which is therefore located at a stable point, generates no mechanical noise. All of this plays a part in reducing the acoustic nuisance.
- the hydraulic control means associated with the metering means such as the metering ram
- these can be produced in a simple way using a set of directional-control valves, particularly electrically-operated directional-control valves designed to selectively direct the hydraulic fluid directly to the gripper ram or to the metering means or to selectively drain the gripper ram directly to the source of fluid or to the metering means.
- FIG. 1 is an overall front view of a tamper of the prior art
- FIG. 2 shows the gripper ram and the associated mechanical stop device belonging to the tamper of FIG. 1, in a position in which it limits the gripper opening stroke.
- FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating the full opening stroke position of the tamper of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is an overall front view of a tamper according to the present invention.
- FIG. 5 shows the gripper ram of the tamper according to the invention, in the position for limiting the gripper opening stroke
- FIG. 6 shows the gripper ram of the tamper according to the invention, in the full opening stroke position
- FIG. 7 is a hydraulic diagram of the ballast tamper according to the invention.
- FIGS. 4 and 6 depict a ballast tamper according to the present invention, re-using, in the case of elements which are common, the same numerical references as those or FIGS. 1 to 3 .
- this tamper also comprises a chassis 1 equipped with suspension elements 2 and 3 and two tool holders 4 and 5 articulated symmetrical to the chassis 1 about two respective parallel and horizontal axles 6 and 7 .
- the two tool holders 4 and 5 are equipped with tools or “packers” 8 and 9 , these being vibrated by a device involving an eccentric 11 carried by the central part of the chassis 1 .
- the respective upper ends of the two tool holders 4 and 5 are, here again, connected by a roughly horizontal hydraulic gripper ram 12 .
- the body 13 of the gripper ram 12 is connected by an articulation 14 to the top of the first tool holder 6 , while the rod 15 of this ram 12 is connected by an articulation 16 to the top of the second tool holder 5 .
- the gripper ram 12 is connected, by hydraulic lines 22 and 23 , to an external hydraulic assembly denoted overall by the reference 24 , this hydraulic assembly 24 being mounted on a stable and non-vibrating fixed part, labeled 25 , of the machine.
- the hydraulic assembly 24 itself, aside from performing the general function of supplying the gripper ram 12 with hydraulic fluid, also carries out the special function of limiting the opening stroke of the gripper ram 12 , that is to say it selectively obtains a reduced stroke C 1 (see FIG. 5) for using the tamper with a single cross tie 101 and a full stroke C 2 (see FIG. 6) for using the same tamper with a double cross tie.
- the hydraulic assembly 24 has a particular configuration, shown in the form of a hydraulic diagram in FIG. 7.
- the hydraulic assembly 24 comprises a pump 26 , an oil reservoir 27 , a pressure limiter 28 , and a main directional-control valve 29 , particularly in the form of an electrically-operated directional-control valve.
- Another part of the hydraulic circuit is connected to the second chamber 32 of the gripper ram 12 via a specific directional-control unit 33 which comprises three electrically-operated directional-control valves 34 , 35 and 36 .
- This part of the hydraulic circuit is also connected to a metering ram 31 mounted directly on the fixed part 25 of the machine.
- the first electrically-operated directional-control valve 34 of the unit 33 is inserted on a branch 38 of the hydraulic circuit, departing from the main directional-control valve 29 and leading to the second chamber 32 of the gripper ram 12 .
- the second electrically-operated directional-control valve 35 is inserted on a branch 39 of the hydraulic circuit returning to the oil reservoir 27 .
- the third electrically-operated directional-control valve 36 is inserted on a branch 40 of the hydraulic circuit inside the unit 33 and connecting an intermediate point 41 or the branch 39 of the circuit, located between the first electrically-operated directional-control valve 34 and the ram 12 , to the starting point 42 of the branch 39 of the circuit returning to the reservoir 27 .
- the metering ram 37 comprises a cylindrical body in which is slidably mounted a piston 43 secured to a rod 44 , the outer end of which collaborates with an end-of-travel contact 45 .
- One branch 46 of the hydraulic circuit having its starting point 47 on the branch 38 between the main directional-control valve 29 and the first electrically-operated directional-control valve 34 , ends at one of the chambers 48 of the metering ram 37 .
- the other chamber 49 of this metering ram 37 is connected, by a last branch 50 of the circuit, to the starting point 42 of the branch 39 of the circuit returning to the reservoir 37 , and therefore also to the branch 40 of the circuit in which the third electrically-operated directional-control valve 36 is inserted.
- the main directional-control valve 29 In order to cause the rod 15 of the gripper ram 12 to deploy, with its full stroke C 2 , the main directional-control valve 29 is placed in its position which allows pressurized oil to pass from the pump 26 to the branch 38 of the circuit in which the first electrically-operated directional control-valve 34 is inserted, the latter being brought into the open position to cause the rod 15 of the gripper ram 12 to deploy.
- the main directional-control valve 29 is switched to its other position, allowing the pressurized oil to pass from the pump 26 to the branch 30 of the circuit leading directly to the chamber 31 of the gripper ram 12 .
- the travel C 3 of the rod 44 is therefore interrupted, the two electrically-operated directional-control valves 36 and 29 being closed again; this travel C 3 is “metered” in such a way that, at the moment of closure of the electrically-operated directional-control valves 36 and 29 , the draining of the second chamber 32 of the gripper ram 12 is partial, and corresponds to the desired reduced stroke C 1 of the gripper ram 12 .
- the directional-control valve 29 is brought into the same position as before, but, in the directional-control unit 33 , only the first electrically-operated directional-control valve 34 is open.
- the metering ram 37 is no longer involved, and the chamber 32 of the gripper ram 12 is drained completely and directly by the branch 38 of the circuit.
- the invention is not restricted to the single embodiment of this ballast tamper which has been described hereinabove by way of example; on the contrary, it encompasses all alternative embodiments and applications thereof that observe the same principle.
- it would not constitute a departure from the scope of the invention if the details of the hydraulic circuit were to be modified, provided that the circuit fulfilled the same functions, or if the structure of the metering ram were to be modified, for example by producing this ram with a “floating” rodless piston and with a different end-of-travel detection system (for example a magnetic one), or even if the metering ram were to be replaced by any equivalent hydraulic means, particularly of the “hydraulic” accumulator kind.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Machines For Laying And Maintaining Railways (AREA)
- Investigation Of Foundation Soil And Reinforcement Of Foundation Soil By Compacting Or Drainage (AREA)
- Discharge Heating (AREA)
- Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)
- Machine Tool Units (AREA)
- Apparatuses For Generation Of Mechanical Vibrations (AREA)
- Fluid-Pressure Circuits (AREA)
- Soil Working Implements (AREA)
Abstract
The ballast tamper comprises two tool holders articulated to a chassis and equipped with tools set in vibration and fitting one on each side of a single or double cross tie of the track. The tops of the tool holders are connected by a hydraulic gripper ram. The supply of hydraulic fluid to the ram, for at least one of its directions of travel, is provided by an external hydraulic assembly which comprises means for metering an amount of fluid let into the ram or discharged therefrom so as to cause the rod of this ram to selectively describe a limited gripper opening stroke, in the case of a single cross tie, or a full stroke, in the case of a double cross tie. A particularly quiet “hydraulic stop” effect is thus achieved.
Description
- The present invention relates to a railroad track ballast tamper of the forced vibration type.
- In the field of railroads, it is necessary to consolidate the tracks by packing the cross ties using a method known as tamping. This consists in packing the ballast under the cross ties using devices known as tampers which are, in fact, vibrating grippers. These are forced into the ballast, on each side of a cross tie, causing the latter to vibrate at a given frequency close to the natural frequency of the ballast, and imparting to the gripper a closure movement which forces the ballast in under the cross tie.
- FIG. 1 of the appended schematic drawing shows a current design of tamper. This comprises a chassis1 equipped with
vertical suspension elements - The respective upper ends of the two tool holders4 and 5 are connected by a roughly horizontal
hydraulic gripper ram 12, thebody 13 of theram 12 being, for example, connected by anarticulation 14 to the first tool holder 4, while therod 15 of thisram 12 is connected by anarticulation 16 to the second tool holder 5. - An auxiliary
hydraulic ram 17 is currently associated with thehydraulic gripper ram 12 and, in combination with apivoting rider 18, acts as a mechanical stroke limiter for thegripper ram 12, as depicted more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3. Theauxiliary ram 17 is articulated by its body, about anaxle 19, to thebody 13 of thegripper ram 12, toward one end of thisbody 13. The rod of theauxiliary ram 17 is articulated, about anaxle 20, on therider 18 which is itself mounted so that it can pivot about anaxle 21 on thebody 13 of thegripper ram 12, toward the other end of thisbody 13. - In a first position illustrated in FIG. 2, the auxiliary ram17 (the rod of which is deployed) brings the
rider 18 into direct abutment on the front face of thebody 13 of thegripper ram 12, by pivoting about theaxle 21. Therider 18 thus positioned constitutes a blocking wedge which limits the opening stroke of thegripper ram 12 to a value C1, by a mechanical stop effect. This first position, in which the opening gripper stroke of the vibrating gripper is limited, is suitable for the use of the tamper with a single cross tie 10. - To deal with a double cross tie, formed of two cross ties back to back, as encountered in particular where rails join, the
auxiliary ram 17 is actuated in the direction of retraction of its rod so as to cause therider 18 to pivot about theaxle 21 in the direction of its retraction—see FIG. 3. Therod 15 of thegripper ram 12 can therefore describe its maximum stroke C2 until thisrod 15 is fully retracted into thebody 13 of thegripper ram 12. Thus the gripper opening stroke is no longer limited and the packers 8 and 9 can be parted more widely so as to grip a double cross tie. - This mechanical stop device causes jolts and noise which, added to the vibration needed for actual tamping and amplified by this vibration, gives rise to a high noise level when the tamper is in operation. This high level of noise is a nuisance not only to the operators, but also to the neighborhood, particularly when the work is carried out at night.
- More particularly, the current device for mechanically limiting the stroke of the
gripper ram 12 gives rise to mechanical jolts throughout the vibration phase. The mechanical jolts, which are already in themselves noisy, are amplified by the excitation, at the vibrating frequency of the tamper, of the play in the articulation along the threeaxles ram 17 and of therider 18. This phenomenon considerably increases the amount of noise generated by the tamper. - An object of the present invention is to eliminate the jolts, parasitic vibration and noise generated by the device for mechanically limiting the opening stroke of the gripper ram in such a way as to reduce the total level or acoustic emissions of the tamper so as to bring these emissions down to a level that is more acceptable to operators and to the neighborhood.
- To this end, a subject of the invention is essentially a ballast tamper of the type involved here, that is to say comprising two tool holders, articulated to a chassis about parallel horizontal axles, which are equipped in their lower parts with tools capable of fitting one on each side of a single or double cross tie of the track concerned, and the upper ends of which are connected by a hydraulic gripper ram, means being provided for vibrating the tools, this ballast tamper being characterized in that the supply of hydraulic fluid or the draining of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic gripper ram, for at least one of its two directions of travel, is provided by a hydraulic assembly external to this ram and comprising means for metering an amount of hydraulic fluid capable of being let into said ram or discharged therefrom so as to cause the rod of this ram to describe a gripper opening stroke limited to a value below that of its full stroke, the hydraulic assembly also comprising hydraulic control means associated with said metering means.
- In one embodiment of the invention, the means for metering the amount of hydraulic fluid let into the gripper ram or discharged therefrom consist of a metering ram, the piston of which can be moved hydraulically over a controlled stroke, it being possible to place said metering ram in communication with the gripper ram so as to allow a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid to be let into or drained from this gripper ram.
- Thus, the inventive step consists in replacing the current mechanical stop device that limits the opening stroke of the gripper ram with an assembly which produces a kind of “hydraulic stop” effect, by metering the amount of oil used in the gripper ram. By virtue of appropriate control means, this ram can be supplied with or drained of hydraulic fluid either directly, in which case it will effect its full opening stroke, designed for use of the tamper with double cross ties, or indirectly with the intervention of the metering ram, in which case the gripper ram describes a limited opening stroke designed for use with single cross ties.
- Thus, the mechanical elements located on the tamper and which generate jolts and noise, namely the pivoting rider and its actuating ram, are dispensed with entirely, thus definitively eliminating the noises emitted by these elements and by their articulations In addition, the elimination of these mechanical components simplifies the structure and the kinetics of the tamper.
- As a preference, the hydraulic assembly including the metering means such as the metering ram and the hydraulic control means associated with said metering means is located some distance away from the hydraulic ram in a fixed, non-vibrating part of the machine. The metering ram, which is therefore located at a stable point, generates no mechanical noise. All of this plays a part in reducing the acoustic nuisance.
- As for the hydraulic control means associated with the metering means such as the metering ram, these can be produced in a simple way using a set of directional-control valves, particularly electrically-operated directional-control valves designed to selectively direct the hydraulic fluid directly to the gripper ram or to the metering means or to selectively drain the gripper ram directly to the source of fluid or to the metering means.
- In any event, the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing which, by way of example, depicts one embodiment of this ballast tamper:
- FIG. 1 (already mentioned) is an overall front view of a tamper of the prior art;
- FIG. 2 (already mentioned) shows the gripper ram and the associated mechanical stop device belonging to the tamper of FIG. 1, in a position in which it limits the gripper opening stroke.
- FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating the full opening stroke position of the tamper of FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is an overall front view of a tamper according to the present invention;
- FIG. 5 shows the gripper ram of the tamper according to the invention, in the position for limiting the gripper opening stroke;
- FIG. 6 shows the gripper ram of the tamper according to the invention, in the full opening stroke position;
- FIG. 7 is a hydraulic diagram of the ballast tamper according to the invention.
- FIGS. 4 and 6 depict a ballast tamper according to the present invention, re-using, in the case of elements which are common, the same numerical references as those or FIGS.1 to 3.
- Thus, this tamper also comprises a chassis1 equipped with
suspension elements - The respective upper ends of the two tool holders4 and 5 are, here again, connected by a roughly horizontal
hydraulic gripper ram 12. Thebody 13 of thegripper ram 12 is connected by anarticulation 14 to the top of the first tool holder 6, while therod 15 of thisram 12 is connected by anarticulation 16 to the top of the second tool holder 5. - There is no auxiliary ram and no pivoting rider associated here with the
hydraulic gripper ram 12. Thegripper ram 12 is connected, byhydraulic lines 22 and 23, to an external hydraulic assembly denoted overall by thereference 24, thishydraulic assembly 24 being mounted on a stable and non-vibrating fixed part, labeled 25, of the machine. - The
hydraulic assembly 24 itself, aside from performing the general function of supplying thegripper ram 12 with hydraulic fluid, also carries out the special function of limiting the opening stroke of thegripper ram 12, that is to say it selectively obtains a reduced stroke C1 (see FIG. 5) for using the tamper with a single cross tie 101 and a full stroke C2 (see FIG. 6) for using the same tamper with a double cross tie. - To do this, the
hydraulic assembly 24 has a particular configuration, shown in the form of a hydraulic diagram in FIG. 7. - In a way which is generally known, the
hydraulic assembly 24 comprises a pump 26, anoil reservoir 27, a pressure limiter 28, and a main directional-control valve 29, particularly in the form of an electrically-operated directional-control valve. - One
branch 30 of the hydraulic circuit, departing from the main directional-control valve 29, is connected directly to one of the two chambers 31 of thegripper ram 12. - Another part of the hydraulic circuit is connected to the
second chamber 32 of thegripper ram 12 via a specific directional-control unit 33 which comprises three electrically-operated directional-control valves fixed part 25 of the machine. - More specifically, the first electrically-operated directional-
control valve 34 of theunit 33 is inserted on abranch 38 of the hydraulic circuit, departing from the main directional-control valve 29 and leading to thesecond chamber 32 of thegripper ram 12. The second electrically-operated directional-control valve 35 is inserted on a branch 39 of the hydraulic circuit returning to theoil reservoir 27. The third electrically-operated directional-control valve 36 is inserted on a branch 40 of the hydraulic circuit inside theunit 33 and connecting an intermediate point 41 or the branch 39 of the circuit, located between the first electrically-operated directional-control valve 34 and theram 12, to the starting point 42 of the branch 39 of the circuit returning to thereservoir 27. - The
metering ram 37 comprises a cylindrical body in which is slidably mounted apiston 43 secured to arod 44, the outer end of which collaborates with an end-of-travel contact 45. - One
branch 46 of the hydraulic circuit, having its starting point 47 on thebranch 38 between the main directional-control valve 29 and the first electrically-operated directional-control valve 34, ends at one of thechambers 48 of themetering ram 37. The other chamber 49 of thismetering ram 37 is connected, by a last branch 50 of the circuit, to the starting point 42 of the branch 39 of the circuit returning to thereservoir 37, and therefore also to the branch 40 of the circuit in which the third electrically-operated directional-control valve 36 is inserted. - The way in which the
hydraulic assembly 24 works is as follows: - In order to cause the
rod 15 of thegripper ram 12 to deploy, with its full stroke C2, the main directional-control valve 29 is placed in its position which allows pressurized oil to pass from the pump 26 to thebranch 38 of the circuit in which the first electrically-operated directional control-valve 34 is inserted, the latter being brought into the open position to cause therod 15 of thegripper ram 12 to deploy. - At the same time, pressurized oil is let, via the
branch 46 of the circuit, into thechamber 48 of themetering ram 37, the other chamber 49 of which is therefore drained via the branches 50 and 39 of the circuit, the second electrically-operated directional-control valve 35 being open. - To cause the
rod 15 of thegripper ram 12 to retract, with the reduced stroke C1, the main directional-control valve 29 is switched to its other position, allowing the pressurized oil to pass from the pump 26 to thebranch 30 of the circuit leading directly to the chamber 31 of thegripper ram 12. - At the same time, in the directional-
control unit 33, only the third electrically-operated directional-control valve 36 is open. The oil drained from theother chamber 32 of thegripper ram 12 is thus transferred, by the branches 40 and 50 of the circuit, into the chamber 49 of themetering ram 37, thepiston 43 of which is shifted (upward with reference to FIG. 7) until therod 44 actuates the end-of-travel contact 45. The travel C3 of therod 44 is therefore interrupted, the two electrically-operated directional-control valves 36 and 29 being closed again; this travel C3 is “metered” in such a way that, at the moment of closure of the electrically-operated directional-control valves 36 and 29, the draining of thesecond chamber 32 of thegripper ram 12 is partial, and corresponds to the desired reduced stroke C1 of thegripper ram 12. - To cause the
rod 15 of thatsame gripper ram 18 to retract, with the stroke C2, the directional-control valve 29 is brought into the same position as before, but, in the directional-control unit 33, only the first electrically-operated directional-control valve 34 is open. Thus, themetering ram 37 is no longer involved, and thechamber 32 of thegripper ram 12 is drained completely and directly by thebranch 38 of the circuit. - As goes without saying, the invention is not restricted to the single embodiment of this ballast tamper which has been described hereinabove by way of example; on the contrary, it encompasses all alternative embodiments and applications thereof that observe the same principle. In particular, it would not constitute a departure from the scope of the invention if the details of the hydraulic circuit were to be modified, provided that the circuit fulfilled the same functions, or if the structure of the metering ram were to be modified, for example by producing this ram with a “floating” rodless piston and with a different end-of-travel detection system (for example a magnetic one), or even if the metering ram were to be replaced by any equivalent hydraulic means, particularly of the “hydraulic” accumulator kind.
Claims (5)
1. A railroad ballast tamper comprising two tool holders, articulated to a chassis about parallel horizontal axles, which are equipped in their lower parts with tools capable of fitting one on each side of a single or double cross tie of the track concerned, and the upper ends of which are connected by a hydraulic gripper ram, means being provided for vibrating the tools, characterized in that the supply of hydraulic fluid or the draining of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic gripper ram, for at least one of its two directions of travel, is provided by a hydraulic assembly external to this ram and comprising means for metering an amount of hydraulic fluid capable of being let into said ram or discharged therefrom so as to cause the rod of this ram selectively to describe a gripper opening stroke limited to a value below that of its full stroke, the hydraulic assembly also comprising hydraulic control means associated with said metering means.
2. The ballast tamper as claimed in , characterized in that the means for metering the amount of hydraulic fluid let into the gripper ram or discharged therefrom consist of a metering ram, the piston of which can be moved hydraulically over a controlled stroke, it being possible to place said metering ram in communication with the gripper ram so as to allow a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid to be let into or drained from this gripper ram.
claim 1
3. The ballast tamper as claimed in , characterized in that the piston of the metering ram is secured to a rod which collaborates with an end-of-travel contact, the controlled movement of the rod corresponding to the reduced stroke of the gripper ram.
claim 2
4. The ballast tamper as claimed in any of to , characterized in that the hydraulic control means associated with the metering means such as the metering ram consist of a set of directional-control valves, particularly electrically-operated directional-control valves designed to selectively direct the hydraulic fluid directly to the gripper ram or to the metering means or to selectively drain the gripper ram directly to the fluid source or to the metering means.
claims 1
3
5. The ballast tamper as claimed in any of to , characterized in that the hydraulic assembly including the metering means such as the metering ram and the hydraulic control means associated with said metering means is located some distance away from the hydraulic ram in a fixed, non-vibrating part of the machine.
claims 1
4
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR00-02571 | 2000-02-29 | ||
FR0002571A FR2805550B1 (en) | 2000-02-29 | 2000-02-29 | RAILWAY BALLAST DRAWING UNIT |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20010018879A1 true US20010018879A1 (en) | 2001-09-06 |
US6401623B2 US6401623B2 (en) | 2002-06-11 |
Family
ID=8847554
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/791,637 Expired - Fee Related US6401623B2 (en) | 2000-02-29 | 2001-02-26 | Railroad track ballast tamper |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US6401623B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1130164B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2001288701A (en) |
AT (1) | ATE250167T1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2338871A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE60100766T2 (en) |
FR (1) | FR2805550B1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
ES2644352A1 (en) * | 2017-01-25 | 2017-11-28 | Jose Antonio Ibañez Latorre | Batting group for railway maintenance machines with ability to hit the ballast under the sleepers of the track, both the simple and the double (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) |
Families Citing this family (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN101368357B (en) * | 2008-09-19 | 2011-07-27 | 张忠海 | Light-type internal combustion hydraulic two-arm ramming machine |
CN101775765B (en) * | 2010-01-29 | 2012-01-25 | 浙江大学 | Tamping device with independent hydraulic shock excitation and clamping movement |
CN102061646B (en) * | 2010-10-26 | 2012-04-18 | 浙江大学 | Hydraulic excitation system of tamping device |
CN103669130B (en) * | 2012-09-09 | 2016-01-06 | 蓬莱奥斯勃机械有限公司 | Portable internal combustion impact tamping pickaxe |
ES2583373B1 (en) | 2015-03-18 | 2017-06-15 | Jose Antonio Ibañez Latorre | RAILWAY MAINTENANCE MACHINE FOR LEVELING AND ALIGNMENT OF ROAD, WITH CAPACITY TO OPERATE WITHOUT INTERRUPTIONS IN YOUR RUNWAY ADVANCED AND OPERATE IN ROAD CHANGES BATTING THE DEVIVED ROAD. |
AT518693B1 (en) * | 2016-05-24 | 2020-02-15 | Plasser & Theurer Exp Von Bahnbaumaschinen G M B H | Test device and method for testing a tamping unit |
US20180010302A1 (en) * | 2016-07-05 | 2018-01-11 | Harsco Technologies LLC | Apparatus and method for tamping ballast |
AT520796B1 (en) | 2017-12-21 | 2020-07-15 | Plasser & Theurer Export Von Bahnbaumaschinen Gmbh | Darning unit for tamping sleepers on a track |
Family Cites Families (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CH333107A (en) * | 1957-01-29 | 1958-10-15 | Matisa Materiel Ind Sa | Pressurized fluid actuation device for the tool holders of a tamping machine for railway tracks |
AT294895B (en) * | 1965-06-24 | 1971-12-10 | Plasser Bahnbaumasch Franz | Machine for tamping a track |
AT304606B (en) * | 1968-04-29 | 1973-01-10 | Plasser Bahnbaumasch Franz | Track tamping tool assembly |
US4130063A (en) * | 1975-09-16 | 1978-12-19 | Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft M.B.H. | Tamping head |
AT343166B (en) * | 1975-09-16 | 1978-05-10 | Plasser Bahnbaumasch Franz | TRACK TOOL AGGREGATE WITH A DEVICE FOR LIMITING THE OPENING WIDTH OF THE COUPLING TOOL PAIRS |
CH640902A5 (en) * | 1981-03-02 | 1984-01-31 | Sig Schweiz Industrieges | RAILWAY CONVEYOR. |
AT374217B (en) * | 1982-07-07 | 1984-03-26 | Plasser Bahnbaumasch Franz | SLEEVE CUP UNIT WITH LIMITATION STOP |
IN166365B (en) * | 1985-03-25 | 1990-04-21 | Plasser Bahnbaumasch Franz | |
CH658482A5 (en) * | 1986-02-18 | 1986-11-14 | Kershaw Mfg | RAILWAY CONVEYOR. |
IT1220124B (en) * | 1987-11-03 | 1990-06-06 | Danieli Off Mecc | CONTINUOUS TAPPING MACHINE FOR INDEPENDENT RAILING HEADS |
UA12805A (en) * | 1988-03-09 | 1997-02-28 | Со.Ре.Ма. Оператрічі Ферровіарі С.Н.К. Ді Чєзарє Россаніго І К., | Tie-tamping machine |
US4843967A (en) * | 1988-10-24 | 1989-07-04 | Kershaw Manufacturing Company, Ind. | Compaction tamper |
AT391903B (en) * | 1989-01-26 | 1990-12-27 | Plasser Bahnbaumasch Franz | DRIVABLE TRACK MACHINE WITH A DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE WORKING POSITION OF YOUR WORKING AGGREGATE OR. -TOOLS |
FR2666357B1 (en) * | 1990-08-30 | 1992-11-13 | Geismar Anc Ets L | BALLAST STUFFING UNIT OF A RAILWAY, OF THE FORCED VIBRATION TYPE. |
-
2000
- 2000-02-29 FR FR0002571A patent/FR2805550B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2001
- 2001-02-22 AT AT01420051T patent/ATE250167T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2001-02-22 EP EP01420051A patent/EP1130164B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-02-22 DE DE60100766T patent/DE60100766T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2001-02-26 US US09/791,637 patent/US6401623B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2001-02-27 CA CA002338871A patent/CA2338871A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-02-27 JP JP2001052524A patent/JP2001288701A/en active Pending
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
ES2644352A1 (en) * | 2017-01-25 | 2017-11-28 | Jose Antonio Ibañez Latorre | Batting group for railway maintenance machines with ability to hit the ballast under the sleepers of the track, both the simple and the double (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CA2338871A1 (en) | 2001-08-29 |
EP1130164B1 (en) | 2003-09-17 |
FR2805550B1 (en) | 2003-09-26 |
DE60100766D1 (en) | 2003-10-23 |
EP1130164A1 (en) | 2001-09-05 |
ATE250167T1 (en) | 2003-10-15 |
DE60100766T2 (en) | 2004-07-15 |
US6401623B2 (en) | 2002-06-11 |
FR2805550A1 (en) | 2001-08-31 |
JP2001288701A (en) | 2001-10-19 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US6401623B2 (en) | Railroad track ballast tamper | |
US10844550B2 (en) | Workhead assembly for rail applications | |
US10036128B2 (en) | Tamping machine for railway ballasts, railway car and use of tamping machine for making and regenerating railway ballasts | |
US10633801B2 (en) | Tamping unit and method for tamping a track | |
US5490740A (en) | Ground stabilized transportable drop hammer | |
JP3852701B2 (en) | Hydraulic circuit using hydraulic cylinder | |
US11713547B2 (en) | Tamping assembly for a track tamping machine | |
AU2003227289B2 (en) | A tamping machine | |
JPH09177009A (en) | Compacting unit for railroad track compacting machine | |
CZ8402016A3 (en) | Continuously travelling machine for packing, levelling and straightening of the track | |
SE0101944D0 (en) | Hydraulic device | |
ITUB20154253A1 (en) | LIFTING VEHICLE WITH A TELESCOPIC LIFTING ARM WITH A SHOCK ABSORBER SYSTEM | |
US9790644B2 (en) | Vertical ride quality system for a rail vehicle | |
JP2725037B2 (en) | Vibration suppression device for work vehicles | |
JP2565184Y2 (en) | Hydraulic jack for turnout | |
RU2194110C1 (en) | Tie tamping output | |
RU2043450C1 (en) | Tamper unit for track machine | |
JPH039104A (en) | Fluid pressure cylinder | |
JPH03500070A (en) | Compacting mechanism of titanpa device | |
JPS6133923B2 (en) | ||
JPS6466321A (en) | Vibration insulator for vehicular construction machine |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SOCIETE DES ANCIENS ESTABLISSEMENTS LUCIEN GEISMER Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SARTORI, SANDRI;REEL/FRAME:011718/0310 Effective date: 20010308 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
REMI | Maintenance fee reminder mailed | ||
LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees | ||
STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
|
FP | Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee |
Effective date: 20100611 |