US2545783A - Railroad tie puller - Google Patents

Description

March 20, 1951 E. c. JOHNSON RAILROAD TIE FULLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1949 I n z 'entor Ed 0.- Johnson By WWW 6 March 20, 1951 E. c. JOHNSON RAILROAD TIE FULLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1949 II A I NW I W WM I h h mm 7. Hh m in rel/tor Ea 6. Johnson Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILROAD TIE PULLER Ed 0. Johnson, Nunn, Colo.

Application April 1, 1949, Serial No. 85,003

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for removing railroad ties and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a device including a pair of tie removing tongs and embodying novel and. improved means, operated by a single person, for actuating the tongs to remove a tie in a convenient manner without disturbing the bed supporting the tie to any appreciable extent.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a railroad tie puller including a platform adapted to extend between a pair of rails and means for retaining the platform relative to the rails. I

A further object of the present invention is to provide a railroad tie puller including a tie gripping member having a pair of pivotally connected members that will bite into opposite faces of a tie.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a railroad tie remover that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, small and compact in structure, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 isan end view of the present invention taken substantially on the direction of arrow numbered 1 in Figure 3;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the tongs used in conjunction with the present invention and showing the manner in which the tongs are connected to the operating lever; and,

Figure 5 is a side elevational View of the present invention in use and showing in dotted lines the position of the actuating means when a tie has been removed.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral l represents a substantially rectangular and preferably wooden platform, generally, and including a pair of spaced beams [2 to which there is fixed a plurality of 2 juxtaposed planks or cross slats l4. Extensions or arms I6 and I8 project outwardly from the platform "3, at one end, and are preferably integrally formed with the beams l2.

A pair of crossed members 26 and 22 are terminally secured to the extensions l6 and H3 and form a means for joining and bracing the said extensions.

A pair of bearing straps or slides 24 and 26 extend transversely between the beams l2 and are provided with upstanding ends that are secured to the beams 12. The straps 24 and 26 are spaced parallel to each other and slide upon the upper surfaces of a pair of rails 28 and 30.

A pair of back to back angle iron members 32 and 34 extend transversely between the beams I2 and are secured to the beams I2 adjacent the strap 26 to cooperate with the said strap 26 in defining a channel that receives the rail 30.

A further angle iron member (or a pair of angle iron members) 36 is secured to the beam l2 adjacent the strap '24 and bears against the rail 28.

It is observed that the angle iron members retain the platform l0 relative to the rails 28 and 30 so that the platform can move or slide longitudinally of the rails but prevent lateral movement of the platform relative to the rails.

A suitable pair of hand grips 38 are secured to the platform I!) at one end, and a further pair of suitable hand grips 40 are mounted on the outer ends of the extensions 16 and 18 to permit the instant structure to be conveniently handled or carried by two men.

A pair of eyes 42 and 44 are secured to one ofthe beams l2 and swingably engage the eye ends 46 and 43 of a pair of handles 50 and 52. A suitable spring clip or retainer channel 54 is secured to one of the beams 12, between the eyes 42 and 44, will receive and hold the handles 50 and 52 relative to the platform when the said handles are not in use for moving the platform longitudinally upon the rails 28 and 30.

An elongated channel member 56 is secured to the outer side face of the extension l8 and its outer end is bifurcated to receive an operating lever 58. The lever 58 is pivoted, as at 6!], adjacent its lower end 62 to the channel member 56 and the upper end 64 of the lever 58 is pivoted The members 68 and 18 function as an actuating means for the lever 58, and therefore, the member 18 is pivoted to the pitmans or links 66.

A hand grip or extension 14 is provided at the upper portion of the member 68 so that the members 68 and 10 as well as the lever 58 may be swung simultaneously in a vertical plane by an operator grasping the extension 14.

Means is provided for gripping a tie T6 and this means comprises a pair of tongs designated generally by the numeral 18. The tongs 18 include a pair of arcuate gripping members 88 and 82 having pointed ends 84 and 86- and relatively straight and flat shank portions 88 and 98.

The inner ends of the shank portions 88 and 98 are pivoted together, as at 82, and the outer ends of the shank portions 88 and 98 are pivoted to a pair of links 94 and 96.

A coil spring or resilient member 98 is terminally secured to the outer ends of the shank portions 88 and 98 and retains the pointed ends 84 and 85 spread relative to each other as shown in Figure 4.

Pivoted on a pin I89, that pivotally connects the outer ends of the links 94 and 96, is the eye end of a swivel member or connecting link I82. The link I02 is secured to a pair of plates I04 that project laterally from the lower end 62 of the lever 58.

In practical use of the present invention, the platform is moved upon the rails 28 and 38 until it approaches a tie that is to be removed. The members 88, T8 and 58 are then raised so that the members 80 and 82 will bite into opposite side faces of the tie 16. By then forcing the member 68 downwardly, the members 68 and 10 as well as the lever 58 will be forced downwardly, to the dotted line position shown in Figure 5, and the tongs 18 will move outwardly to pull the tie 16 from the rails 28 and 30. It being noted that the spikes securing the rail to the ties are previously removed.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A railroad tie puller comprising a platform, means carried by the platform for engaging a pair of rails, a tong operating lever mounted on the platform for pivotal movement, a pair of tongs disposed beneath the platform, a swivel connecting the tongs to the operating lever, and means secured to the platform for actuating said operating lever to pull a tie from the rails on which the platform is supported.

2. A railroad tie puller comprising a platform, a pair of arms projecting outwardly from the platform, means connecting and bracing the arms, means carried by the platform for engaging a pair of rails, an operating lever pivoted to one of said arms for vertical swinging movement, a pair of tong disposed beneath the platform and adapted to grip a tie, means connecting the tongs to the lever, and means for actuating said lever, said first-mentioned means including a pair of crossed members terminally secured to said arms, said means for actuating said lever including a pair of members pivoted to one of said arms adjacent said lever, a pitman between said pair of members, and a further pitman between one of said members and said lever,

3. A railroad tie puller comprising a platform, a pair of arms projecting outwardly from the platform, means connecting and bracing the arms, means carried by the platform for engaging a pair of rails, an operating lever pivoted to one of said arms for vertical swinging movement, a pair of arcuate gripping members having shank portions, said shank portions having inner and outer ends, means pivotally joining the inner ends of said shank portions, spring means joining the outer ends of said shank portions and urging said gripping members spaced relative to each other, means connecting the shank portions to the lever, and means for actuating said lever, said means for actuating said lever including a pair of elongated members pivoted to one of said arms, a pitman joining said elongated members, and a further pitman joining one of said elongated members and said lever.

ED C. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ruggeri Apr. 2'7, 1943 Number

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