US2178624A - Drop pit apparatus - Google Patents

Description

NOV. '5, 1939. CHRIST; 2,178,624

DROP PIT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 7, 1939. H. K. CHRISTIE DROP PIT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m T w R H c K H DROP P IT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 7, 1939.

H. K. CHRISTIE DROP PIT APPARATUS Filed Nov. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 a w 4 a. 5 .WJ/ l3 "7 2 9 000 3 000 n E a w a W. 1 0000 Wu 0000 J 5 m a a Patented Nov. 7, 1939 STAS QFHQE DROP PIT APPARATUS Illinois Application November 21, 1938, Serial No. 241,588

15 Claims.

The invention relates to drop pit apparatus for handling wheels and trucks of railway equipment.

In drop pit apparatus for railway equipment which comprises a compound drop table or one which is composed of sections for dropping either a single pair of wheels of a truck or for dropping a complete truck, it has heretofore been necessary to provide at least three pairs of rail-sections to bridge the pit. In practice it is desirable to reduce the number of rail-sections and joints required for this purpose.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved compound pit-bridging table which eliminates the necessity of more than two pairs of railsections. This object is accomplished primarily by providing a table which comprises a main section provided with beams for completely spanning the pit and an auxiliary table-section which fits into an open-ended space formed in one end of the main-section and is adapted to be supported jointly from one side of the pit and from the table and meeting rail-sections on the tablesections, the rail-sections on the auxiliary section terminating at one side of the pit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compound table of this type, which comprises an auxiliary section which is conterminous with the side-beams of the main-section which extend 30 completely across the pit, so that when a pair of wheels has been lowered and transferred and lifted to an adjoining track, it can be wheeled directly from said section onto a track of the roundhouse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compound table in which the auxiliary section for dropping a single pair of wheels extends between the main table-section and the pit and is supported partly from the pit-wall and partly from the main-section of the table.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for selectively lifting one of the table-sections above track-level when a single pair of wheels is to be disconnected from the truck. This object is obtained by providing engaging elements between the lifting carriage and the table-sections whereby the lifting mechanism, which is controlled by the relative positions of the carriage under the table, will unitarily lift both sections or the table above track level when a truck is to be uncoupled from the locomotive, and shift only one table-section above track-level for uncoupling a single pair of wheels. By utilizing the movement of the lifting carriage in the pit for this purpose, lifting blocks which are movably connected to either the carriage or the table, are dispensed with.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the. conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a drop-pit apparatus embodying the invention, parts being broken away for illustrative purposes. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the drop-table in track-bridging position. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the lifting carriage. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the drop pit apparatus in the pit, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a section illustrating the gearing for operating the lifting-screws to raise and lower the liftingcarriage for the table. Fig. 6 is a section on line 65 of Fig. i. Fig. 7 is an end view of the drop-table illustrating the auxiliary tablesection raised above track-level by the lifting mechanism. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the auxiliary table-section, the flooring being omitted.

The invention is exemplified with a shop installation which usually comprises a series of tracks arranged in any suitable manner on the shop floor with rails 11 terminating at the sides of a pit a, which intersects the floor-tracks, a drop-table structure adapted to be raised or lowered in the pit and composed of sections 0 and d, and a carriage f for conjointly raising or lowering both table-sections or independently raising or lowering the table-section d.

The main table-section 0 comprises a pair of longitudinal I-beams it! at its sides and extending entirely across the pit; a cross I-beam ll rigidly connecting the beams ii! at one end of table-section c; and a cross I-beam l2 fixed to and rigidly connecting beams It at a point spaced some distance inwardly of the other end of table-section c. The beams l6 extend entirely across the pit so that table-section a can be releasably supported directly from the pit-walls. The beam 12 is spaced from one side of the pit to leave an open-ended space between beams 10, beam l2 and one side-wall of the pit, in which table-section dfits. Longitudinal I-beams c are secured to and extend between cross-beams II and i2 of table-section c to support rail-sections which terminate at the outer sides of beams H and i2 and extend completely over the area between the outer sides of said beams. A floor c may be provided to cover the spaces between the beams of the table-section c. Table-section c is releasably supported from the pit-walls by four bolts 13 which are slidably mounted in fixed guides l4 adjacent the outer ends of beams Ill. The outer ends of bolts 13 are shiftable to engage I-beams e which are built into the pitwalls. A hand-lever l5 at one side of table-section is fixed to a transverse shaft 16 which is journaled in beams l0 for simultaneously shifting all of the locking bolts l3. Oppositely extending arms I! on shaft H3 at the outer sides of beams ill, are connected by links I 8 to bolts l3. When the lever i is in position illustrated in Fig. 1, the projecting ends of bolts l3 will rest on the beams e and support the beams l0 and the table-section c in track-bridging position from the pit-walls. When the lever is shifted to withdraw the bolts l3 from engagement with beams e the table-section 0 will be supported on and will be released so it can be raised by the lifting carriage.

The auxiliary table-section d is rectangular and fits in the open-ended space between beams Ill and cross-beam H. of table-section c and its outer end extends to the adjacent side-wall of the pit,

to form a table-section upon which one pair of wheels of a truck is adapted to be spotted so that that pair of wheels can be raised or lowered independently of the other wheels on the locomotive or truck. The outer end of the table-section d is substantially conterminous with the adjacent ends of the beams IU of table-section c. Table-section d comprises channeled side-beams IS, a cross-beam 20 at its outer end, and a crossbeam 2| at its inner end, which are secured together to provide a rigid rectangular framestructure. Longitudinal I-beams 22 are fixed to, and extend between, cross-beams 20 and 2| to support rail-sections d which extend from end to end of table-section d. A floor cl is laid over beams I9, 20 and 2| between beams Ill of tablesection d. A pair of bolts 25 are slidably mounted in guides 26 fixed to beams 22 and are adapted to project from the outer end of table-section d to engage the beam 6 in one of the pit-walls to support table-section d from the pit. A pair of bolts 21 are slidably mounted in guides fixed adjacent the inner ends of beams 22 to support the inner end of table-section d from the cross-beam I2 of table-section c. A hand-lever 28 is fixed to a shaft 29 which is journaled in the beams l9 and is provided with oppositely extending arms 30 which are connected by links 3| to bolts 25 and 21, respectively, When the lever 28 is shifted to project the bolts 25, 2?, bolts 25 will engage beam e in one wall of the pit and bolts 21 will engage cross-beam l2 of table-section 0 so that table-section d will be supported partly by the pit-wall and partly by the table-section c.

A characteristic of the table-structure described is that the table-section c comprises beams which are adapted to extend completely across the pit and an end-portion which carries rail-sections c which extend from one end of table-section d to the meeting end of table-sec tion d. Table-section d is of sufiicient area to support one or more pairs of wheels of a truck or a locomotive. The table-section d is adapted to support one pair of wheels and is provided with rail-sections d which extend from the meeting line of the inner ends of the table-sections to the other side of the pit so that the table requires only two pairs of rail-sections with a single joint between them for spanning the pit or the rail-sections 1) of the shop. When the table-section d is unlocked from table-section c and both sections are unlocked from the pit, they can be conjointly raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism to raise and lower all of the wheels on both sections of the table. When table-section c is locked to the pit and table-section d is unlocked from the pit and table-section c, it can be raised or lowered independently of section 0 to raise or lower a single pair of wheels spotted on section (1.

The lifting mechanism comprises the vertically movable carriage 1 which is built up of longitudinal I-beams 34, a pair of channeled cross-beams at one end, and a pair of cross-beams 36 at the other end, of the carriage, and a cross-beam 31, all rigidly secured together. The cross-beams of each of said pairs are fixedly secured together and spaced apart by saddles 38. The mechanism for raising and lowering carriage 1 comprises a series of four vertical screws 40 which are threaded to nuts ll, upon which the saddles 38 of carriage j are supported. These screws are mounted upon a trolley g which is provided with wheels g adapted to travel on rails g on the bottom of the pit. Each screw ill is supported in a gear-case 42 which is supported on the trolley. The upper end. of each screw 40 is journaled in a bearing 40 in the upper end of one of the channeled guide-posts f which are fixedly secured to the gear-cases 42, respectively. The outer ends of the cross-beams 35, 35 extend into the channels of said posts to guide the carriage J vertically. A gear 63 is fixed to the lower end of each screw 40, and a pinion 44 meshes with, and is adapted to drive, each gear 43. The pinio-ns 44 in the gear-case 42 at one side of the trolley are driven by a shaft 45 which is driven from an electric motor 46 through suitable reduction gearing ll. Gears 43 at the other side of the trolley are each driven by a cross-shaft 48 provided with pinions 49 meshing, respectively, With the gears 43 on the opposite sides of the trolley, This provides gearing for simultaneously rotating the screws 40 for rectilinearly raising and lowering the lifting carriage f.

In practice, it is desirable to provide for selectively lifting above track-level both table-sec tions, for uncoupling a truck or plurality of wheels, or the table-section 0. independently, for uncoupling a single pair of wheels.

For the purpose of lifting both sections, crossbeams 35 at one end of lifting-carriage f, are i adapted to engage the under-face of side-beams l0 and longitudinal beams c of table-section c and the cross-beams 35 at the other end of carriage J are adapted to engage the under-face of side-beams Ill and the longitudinal beams 22 of table-section d. One of the longitudinal beams 34 of the lifting carriage also engages one of the longitudinal beams c of table-section c and one of the beams 22 of table-section d. Cross-beam 3'! also engages the under-face of the inner end of beams 22 of table-section d.

For the purpose of raising table-section at above track-level independently of table-section c, a pair of outer blocks and a pair of inner blocks 5! are fixedly secured to the top of the lifting carriage I. When both sections of the table are to be lifted together the trolley and lifting carriage will be shifted along the pit so blocks 56, 5! on the lifting carriage will be out of vertical alignment with the longitudinal beams 22 of tablesection at and beams c of table-section c, as shown in Fig. 6, so that they will permit the lifting carriage to be raised to engage both of the table-sections for simultaneous lifting. When the table-section d is to be raised independently of table-section c the trolley is shifted in the pit so the blocks 5%, M at one side of the lifting carriage will engage only one of the longitudinal beams 22 and the blocks 5! 5i at the other side of the lifting carriage will abut against the other longitudinal beam 22 when the lifting-carriage is raised. As a result, when the lifting-carriage is raised while the blocks 52 are operatively positioned to engage beams 22 of table-section d, that section will be raised above track-level, as illustrated in Fig. 7. This exemplifies acompound drop pit table with a lifting-structure, which, by being brought into different positions in the pit, may be selectively positioned to lift one or both of the table-sections above track-level. By utilizing the movement of the trolley and lifting carriage, with the lifting carriage thereon for this purpose, the necessity of providing devices which are movably connected to the table-section or lifting-carriage for that purpose, is avoided.

In order to prevent the main table section 0 from being released from the beams e at both sides of the pit, Without first releasing the bolts "25 which engage one of the pit-beams e, a device is provided. for preventing lever i5 and its shifting connections for bolts l3, which support table-section 0, from being shifted to release bolts it from the pit-Walls. This device comprises an abutment ii} supported on rods 5! which are slidably mounted in cross-beam l2 and adapted to engage the inner end of one of the bolts 21 on table-section d. Rods bl are connected by a link 62 to an arm 63 which is fixed to the cross-shaft Hi to which lever i5 is fixed. When bolts 25 and 2? on table-section d are in their locking position, abutment 50 will be positioned to engage the inner face of one of the bolts 21', to prevent the shift of lever l5 and shaft it to release the locking bolts 53 for the table-section c. When bolts 25, Zlare in looking position, links 3%, through which said bolts are shifted, are in substantially dead-center relation to shaft 29 so that said bolt 2? will prevent movement of the abutment 6B. This exemplifies means for preventing the main table-section 0, which spans the pit, from being released for lowering movement thereof without first releasing the locking bolts for the auxiliary tablesection (2. This prevents any lowering movement of the auxiliary table-section cZ until the locking bolts 2? are shifted to unlocldng position so that the table-section d can be lowered synchronously and rectilinearly with section 0.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a drop table, the combination of a vertically movable table-section comprising a rigid structure adapted to extend. completely across the drop pit and provided with a space which is open at one end of the table and with rail sections extending from the inner end of said space to the wall at one side of the pit, an auxiliary section fitting in, and provided with rail-sections for extending across the open-ended space from its inner end to the wall at the opposite side of the pit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independently of the rigid structure and means for releasably supporting the sections in the pit.

2. In a drop table, the combination of a vertically movable table-section comprising a rigid structure adapted to extend completely across a drop pit and provided with beams forming three sides of a space which is open at one end of the table and with rail sections extending from the inner end of said space to the wall at one side of the pit, a substantially rectangular auxiliary section fitting in, and provided with rail-sections for extending across the open-ended space from its inner end to the wall at the opposite side of the pit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independently of the rigid structure and means for releasably supporting the sections in the pit.

3. In a drop table, the combination of a vertically movable table-section comprising a rigid structure adapted to extend completely across a drop pit and provided with a space which is open at one end of the table and with rail-sections extending from the inner end of said space to the wall at one side of the pit, an auxiliary section fitting in, and provided with rail-sections for extending across the open-ended space from its inner end to the wall at the opposite side of the pit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independently of the rigid structure, means for releasably supporting the main section from the pit-walls, and means for releasably suporting the auxiliary section from the main table-section and one of the pit-walls.

l. In a drop pit-table, the combination of a vertically movable main table-section and a vertically movable auxiliary table-section, the main table-section comprising a rigid structure provided with rail-sections thereon of sufiicient length to support one or more pairs of wheels adjacent one end of the table and one side of the pit, and with rigid side-members projecting be yond said rail-sections and extending to the other end of the table and the other side of the pit, the main Section, with said projecting members, forming an open-ended space at said other end of the table and said other side of the pit, the auxiliary section, fitting in said space, being provided with rail-sections and substantially conterminous with one end of the projecting members and the open end of said space, and meeting the adjacent pit-wall so that so that a pair of Wheels on the auxiliary section may run directly from the auxiliary section onto the adjacent side of the pit, the auxiliary section being separable from. and lowerable independently of the main table section, means for releasably supporting the mainscction from the pit-walls and in pit-bridging position, and means for releasably supporting the auxiliary table-section in said open-ended space.

5. In a drop pit-table, the combination of a vertically movable main table-section and a vertically movable auxiliary table-section, the main table section comprising a rigid structure provided with rails thereon of sufdcient length to support one or more pairs of wheels adjacent one end of the table and one side of the pit, and provided with rigid side-beams extending across the pit and projecting beyond said rail-sections to the other side of the pit, the main section, with the projecting portions of the beams, forming an open-ended space at said other end of the table and said other side of the pit, the auxiliary section, fiting in said space, being provided with rai1- sections and substantially conterminous with the projecting ends of said beams and the open end of said space, and meeting the adjacent pit-wall so that a pair of wheels on the auxiliary section may run directly from the auxiliary section onto the adjacent side of the pit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independently of the main table section; means for releasably supporting the main section from the pit-walls and in pit-bridging position, and means for releasably supporting the auxiliary tablesection in said open-ended space.

6. In a drop pit-table, the combination or a vertically movable main table-section and a vertically movable auxiliary table-section, the main table section comprising a rigid structure provided with longitudinal beams having rail-sections thereon of suflicient length to support one or more pairs of wheels adjacent one end of the table and one side of the pit and with rigid sidebeams projecting from beyond the rail-sections and extending to the other end of the table and the other side of the pit, the main section, with said projecting members, forming an open-ended space at said other end of the table and said other side of the pit, the auxiliary section, fitting in said space, being provided with rail-sections, and substantially conterminous with the projecting ends of said side-beams and. the open end of said space, and meeeting the adjacent pit-wall so that a pair of wheels on the auxiliary section may run directly from the auxiliary section onto the adjacent side of the pit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independently of the main table section, means for releasably supporting the main section from the pit-Walls and in pit-bridging position, and means for releasably supporting the auxiliary tablesection from the pit-wall and from the main section in said open-ended space.

'7. In a drop table, the combination of a main table-section comprising rigidly connected sidebeams for extending entirely across a pit, a crossbeam at one end of said side-beams, and a crossbeam disposed inwardly of the other end or" said side-beams, the space between said inwardly disposed cross-beam and said other end of the sidebeams providing a space with an open end at the other end of the main table-section, raihsections extending over the area between the end and inwardly disposed cross-beams of the main table-section, an auxiliary table-section fitting in said open-ended space and meeting the inwardly disposed cross-beam and the side-beams, railsections on the auxiliary table-section for con1- pletely extending across the space between the rail-sections on the main table-section and one side of the pit, the auxiliary table section being separable from and lowerable independently of the main table section and means for releasably supporting both of the table-sections.

8. In a drop table, the combination of a main table-section comprising rigidly connected sidebeams for extending entirely across a pit, a cross-bearn at one end of said sidebeams, and a cross-beam disposed inwardly of the other end of said side-beams, the space between said inwardly disposed cross-beam and said other end of the side-beams providing a space with an open end at the other end or" the main table-section, rail-sections extending over the area between the end and inwardly disposed cross-beams of the main table-section, an auxiliary table-section fit-- ting in said open-ended space and meeting the inwardly disposed cross-beam and the sidebeams, rail-sections on the auxiliary table-section for completely extending across the space between the rail-sections on the main table-section and one side of the pit, the auxiliary section being separable from and lowerable independ-' ently of the main table-section, means for releasably supporting the main table section from the pit-walls, and means for releasably supporting the auxiliary table-section from one of the pit-walls and the main table-section.

9. In a drop table, the combination of a main table-section comprising rigidly connected sidebeams for extending entirely across a pit, a cross-beam at one end of said side-beams, and a cross-beam disposed inwardly of the other end of said side-beams, the space between said inwardly disposed cross-beam and said other end of the side-beams providing a space with an open end at the other end of the main table-section, rail-sections extending over the area between the end and inwardly disposed cross-beams of the main table-section, an auxiliary table-section fitting in said open-ended space and meeting the inwardly disposed cross-beam and the sidebeains, rail-sections on the auxiliary table-section for completely extending across the space between the rails or the main table-section and one side of the pit, the auxiliary table-section comprising side and cross-beams, the auxiliary table-section being separable from and lower-able independently of the main table-section, means for releasably supporting the main table-section from the pit-walls, and means carried by the ends of the side-beams of the auxiliary table, for releasably engaging the inwardly disposed crossbeam of the main table-section and the adjacent pit-walls, to support the auxiliary table-section.

10. In a drop pit apparatus, the combination of a drop table comprising a pair of table-sections, means for releasably supporting one of the sections from the pit, means for rel-easably supporting the other table-section in pit-bridging position, a lifting carriage movable vertically and laterally in the pit and means on, and positioned by the lateral movement of, the carriage relatively to the table, for selectively engaging and lifting both table-sections or engaging and lifting one of the sections independently of the other.

11. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a drop table comprising a pair of table-sections, means for releasably supporting one of the sections from the pit, means for releasably supporting the other table-section in pit-bridging position, a lifting carriage movable vertically and laterally in the pit and blocks, rigid on, and mov able laterally with, the carriage relatively to the table, for selectively engaging and lifting both table-sections or engaging and lifting one of the sections independently of the other.

12. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a main ta le-section adapted to extend entirely across the pit, means for releasably supporting the main section from the pit, said main-section being provided with an opening therein, an aux iliary table-section fitting said opening, means for releasably supporting the auxiliary table-section from the pit and main-table section, and means for preventing the release of the supporting means for the main section unless the supporting means for the auxiliary section is released.

13. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a main table-section adapted to extend entirely across the pit, means for releasably supporting the main section from the pit, said main-section being provided with opening therein, an aux iliary table-section fitting in said opening, means for releasably supporting the auxiliary table-section from one side of the pit and from the main-table section, and means for locking the supporting means for the main section against release, controlled by the supporting means for the auxiliary section.

14. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a main table-section adapted to extend entirely across the pit, bolts for releasably supporting both ends of the'main section from the pit, said main-section being provided with an opening therein, an auxiliary table-section fitting in said opening, bolts for releasably supporting the auxiliary table-section from one side of the pit and the main-table section, and means for lool ing the bolts for supporting the main section against release, controlled by one of the bolts for supporting the auxiliary section.

15. In drop pit apparatus, the combination of a drop table comprising a pair of vertically movable table-sections, means for releasably supporting one of the sections from the pit, means for supporting the other section in pit-bridging position, and a lifting carriage movable vertically and laterally in the pit, said carriage and. tableseetions being provided. with fixed thereon respectively, which, by the lateral movement of the carriage relatively to the table, can be corelatively positioned for selectively lifting and engaging both talele-sections or for engaging and lifting one or" the sections independently of the other.

HUGH K. CHRISTIE.

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