US2923331A

US2923331A - Self-propelled adzer

Info

Publication number: US2923331A
Application number: US708702A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry H Talboys
Original assignee: Nordberg Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Nordberg Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1958-01-13
Filing date: 1958-01-13
Publication date: 1960-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1977-02-02

Description

Feb. 2, 1960 Filed Jan. 13, 1958 H. H. TALBOYS SELF-PROPELLED ADZER 5 Sheets-Sheet -.1

INVENTOR. 646%?! H. M1 50 V5,

BY flyuw/ M Feb. 2, 1960 H. H. TALBOYS 2,923,331

SELF-PROPELLED ADZER Filed Jan. 13, 1958 5 Sheets-SheetZ INV E NTOR. 3 614?! A: aways,

BY MW/Mi Feb. 2, 1960 Filed Jan. 13, 1958 H. H. TALBOYS SELF-PROPELLED ADZER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- Feb. 2, 1960 H. H. TALBOYS SELF-PROPELLED ADZER Filed Jan. 1a, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /guwzku 14770P/V5V5.

My invention relates to an improvement in adzing machines of the type illustrated in United States Patent No. 2,336,652, issued December 14, 1943. This type of adzer is employed for-adzing railroad ties to provide a seat for tie plates.

One purpose of the present inventio'n is to provide improved means for conveying such an adzing machine along the rails of a track. v 7

Another purpose is to provide means for increasing the efliciency and accuracy of such adzing'machines.

Another purpose is to provide means for reducing the manual effort necessary to employ such a machine.

Another purpose isto provide means for mechanically propelling the adzer head along the track in a horizontal cutting plane, thereby saving the energy of the operator and releasing his attention and energies for manually controlling the vertical position of the adzer head.

' Another object is to provide a self-propelled adzer with a self-contained propulsion means for accurate positioning of the cutter head over successive ties.

Another object is to provide an adzer with a driving mechanism capable of producing a force feed into successive ties in order to speed up the work and utilize the full power of the engine which runs the cutter head.

Another object is to provide an accurate positioning means whereby the tiring arm and shoulder movements previously required are eliminated and the operator may utilize his feet and legs merely as abalancing means while leaving the hands and arms free for operation of the cutter head.

Other purposes will appear from time to time course of the specification and claims. 7

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved adzer; v FigureZ is a side elevation of the driving mechanism connected to one of the track wheels;

in the Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the hydraulic and power system of the self-propulsion unit;

Figure 4 is an elevation showing the juxtaposition of the driving mechanisms on the truck frame; and

Figure 5 is an end view with parts omitted and parts broken away for clarity. V

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referr ng to the drawings, (and for convenience to my prior Patent 2,336,652) my adzing machine includes a truck frame A, a main frame B which extends outpositioning devices indicated generally at E in Figure 5 axe utilized to maintain the adzer in position and align- 2,923,3fil

Patented Feb. 2, 19 6( ice example, as shown in Figure 5 and said patent, a removable sub-frame 78 carrying flanged track wheels 79'which are positioned at the outer end of the main frame when the adzer moves along the track is employed as a lifting counterweight when the adzing machine is supported on one rail of the track. When the adzer is to be operated, one cross-connecting angle 80 of the sub-frame is slipped under the projecting ends of the side frame members and a second angle 81 rests on transversely extending angle 4b and in engagement with toe 4c.

' Disposed upon an engine platform 4d on truck frame A is a suitable engine 5 having a drive shaft 8, a driving :pulley 6 and a belt 7. Belt 7 drives the cutterhead illustrated generally at D through pulley 9a fixed to driven shaft 9b which is rotatably received in a suitable bearing member 9c. The details of construction of 'the cutter head and the frame members of my adzing machine do not form part of the invention as such and will not be further described. 7

Similarly, I have not illustrated the details of the cutting head. It will be understood, however, that it rotates about a vertical axis within the flexible wall 9d.

The adzing machine of Patent 2,336,652 was designed for full manual operation. The operator or operators had to hold the adzer head downward against the slight resistance of the counterweight. The adzing machine, with its head forced against the work, was also manually moved along the rail on which it was supported. The

operator therefore had the double task of thrusting the the adzing machine through the tie. In the present struc- Main frame B includes a pair of side ture, the engine 5 operates not merely to rotate the adzer head but to move the adzing machine along the rail on which it is supported and to feed the head laterally into the ties. The upward and downward movement of the head is therefore'the only manual operation performed by the operator.

10 is a hydraulic pump driven by the engine 5 through a V-belt 12 running over adrive sheave 11 (located inwardly with respect to the end of engine shaft 8), and a driven sheave 11a. At 13 I have shown a wheel drive unit connected to the track wheel 3 and at 14 a second unit similar to the first, and connected to track Wheel 4.-

A rigid bail for hoisting the adzer is indicated at 4e and an air filter at 5a.

Referring'now to Figure 2 as typical of the two drive units, a drive unit 13 is there shown as including a hydraulic motor 32, a speed reducer 21, and a wheel sprocket 18 connected to track wheel 3. Track wheel 3 is mounted on axle 16 journaled in any suitable bearing 17 and rides on rail 15. Bearings 17 are mounted on the longitudinal frame members.

Wheel-sprocket 18 is secured to the wheel axle 16 by a key 19, or any other suitable securing means such as set screws. A speed reducer mounting bracket 20 is fastened to frame member 1 and speed reducer 21 is bolted to bracket 20. Speed reducer 21 has a drive shaft other, to obtain suitable tightness and to compensate for variations during operation. Normally, adjustments .are seldom needed during the 'life of the machine. While I have shownone convenientform-of adjustment, it will be understood that many. other types are feasible.

Extending at right angles and located below the axle .drive shaft 22'ofspeed reducer 21 is a secondshaft 26 to which is rigidly fastened a motor drive sprocket .27.

{head adjusting set screw and jam .nut. arrangement 33 traveling in a socket 33a welded or'otherwise suitably ,secured to the motor mounting bracket 28. The set screw moves the motor on the mounting bracket to vary the :tension in the drive member connecting the hydraulic motor and the speed reducer.

, Extending outwardly from the hydraulic motor 32, as Eshown in Figure 2, is a-suitable axle shaft 32a-disposed .above the shaft 26 of the speed reducer. Drive sprocket 34, driven-sprocket 27, and a'drive chain '35 form a power connection between the hydraulic motor andgthe speed reducer. -Inlet and outlet conduits to the motor arershown at 36, 37 and 38 with suitable pipe fittings for attachment to hydraulic high pressure and drain lines to be described hereafter. -A tank mounting bracket 39 is fastened to the upper portion of the pump mounting bracket and supports the oil: tank 40 of the hydraulic system.

The operators station C is shown in Figures 1 :and 5. To simplify the operators task in urging the adzer head downward against the work, I provide a footgpla-te44 supported on any suitable frame 41 which :may be removably secured to the outer end of the mainframe .B. Adjacent the top of the frame 41, I illustrate a handle 42 withhandle grips 43. The operator may employ either .or both the handle grips and the foot plate 44, in order to control the level of the cutting plane of the adzer head'. The rest control lever 45 moves the stand rest 'rod 46 into engagement with the road bed 'to hold the adzer head spaced upwardly from the WOlkrWhfiIl the machine is at rest. 7 i

The hydraulic system for operation of the hydraulic motors is shown diagrammatically in Figure 3. -Pump 10 for convenience has been located on the rear side of the engine platform of the adzer with its shaftparalleling main drive shaft 8 of the engine. A high pressure line -5 1 leads from the high pressure outlet side 52 of the pump to the valve 53. Valve 53 is a conventional 4-way valve having a high pressure inlet port. 71,

high pressure outletports

72 and 73, a lowpressure outletport 74, and .aspool 75. The spool is necked down at 76 and 77 to open communication between the inlet and outlet lines as the handle is moved. A pair of

high pressure lines

54 and 55 connected to

ports

72, 73 respectively lead to hydraulic motors 132 and 32 respectively. Theselines .pass through conventional relief valves 56 and 57 shown diagrammatically. Another high pressure line 60 connects the two hydraulic motors.

A low pressure line 61 leads from low pressure port 74 to the relief valve 57, and another line -62 joins the two relief valves. A low pressure hose forming a drain line 64 extends between relief valve 56 and hydraulic motor 132, and another low pressure line 63 extends from relief valve 57 to the upper rear side of the oil tank 40. Another low pressure drain line 65 extends between hydraulic motor 32 and the front of the oil tank 40. Low pressure inlet line 66 extends between the oil tank and the pump, and low pressure drain line 67 extends between line :63 and the pump.

' power simultaneously from both motors.

The use and operation of my invention areas follows:

A single operator stands .at the outer end of the main frame B and controls the elevation of the adzing head by manual use of the handle 42 and also by foot pressure on the plate 44. The adzing machine is preferably so balanced by the counterweight sub-frame that a minimum of muscular effort is involved in lowering or raising the outer end of the main frame B. For example, the subframe '78 including'the flange wheels 79 may be'so designed in relation to the outwardly projecting main frame members 4a that themoment tending to rotate the adzer clockwise about the rail 15 would be slightly greater than the moment urging it counterclockwise.

It will be understood that the operator, by manipulating the lever 70, or any suitable substitute therefor,

can employ the 4way valve 53 to supply power to both fluid motors to operate them simultaneously in .each of two rotational directions. Or the operator can cut off Thus he can traverse the adzer head back and forth across a given tie or againstthe edge of a following tie.

No more muscular exertion is involved for this traversing movement than that necessary to operate the lever 70, or whatever control lever is substituted for it.

To move the adzer to the left for example as viewed in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the operator rotates lever 70 coun'terclockwise which in turn moves the spool to the position shown in Figure 3. Movement of the spool to the rightopens communication between high pressure inlet line 51 and'high pressure outlet line 55. Hydraulic liquid 'thenflows from the pump to the 4-way valve '53 y and out line '55 through relief valve 57 to motor 32 where a portion of it is' diverted within the motor and flows to motor 132 via high pressure line 60. High pressure outlet line 54 has remained blocked by the spool. That portion of the hydraulic liquid passing only through 'motor32 returns to the tank through low pressure drain line '65. Theremainder of the liquid passes through motor 132 and returns to tank 40 via low pressure 1ines'64, 62 and 63. The motors may be so positioned that passage of hydraulic liquid through them will rotate their drive shafts in the same direction. This is not essential of course since gears may be used to change the direction of rotation of one of the shafts. Hydraulic liq'uid'fiows from the tank 40 to the 'pump through low pressure inlet line 66 to.complete the circuit.

To move the adzer in the opposite direction, the lever is moved clockwise. In this position of the valve, line 55 is blocked and liquid flows through high pressure line 54 to motor 132. Part of the liquid passes through motor 132 to motor 32, and the motors are drained to the tank as described. above. The only portion of the system through which reverse liquid flow occurs. is in .high pressure line 60 between the two motors.

To maintain the adzer stationary, the spool is positioned to block fluid flow past high pressure inlet .port 71. The liquid then merely circulates from the tank 40 to the inlet line 66, through the'pump and back through low pressure discharge line 67. A suitable relief valve may be built into. the pump housing to relieve the pressure in the system when the engine runs while the "adzer is stationary.

Alternately, the fluid may circulate from the pump to the 4-way valve through line 51 and then back'to the pump through lines 61', 63, tank 40 .and line 66. In this case, the spool would have a central longitudinal .passage with radial apertures extending outwardly to the surface of the thickened spool portions. In operation, lever .70 would position the middle thickened portion slightly to the left of its Figure 3 location soas .to block inlet port 71. Fluid would then flow into the centrallongitudinal passage, out theradial apertures to the branch outlets leading-to outlet port 74, and through lines 61, 63', tank 40 and line 66 to the pump.

Relief valves 56 and 57 are positioned to protect the pump and hydraulic motors. They pass liquid through so long as the pressure within the valve does'not exceed a predetermined regulable value. If the pressure builds up past this value the liquid is discharged through the connecting portions 560 or 57a to the low pressure return lines 62 and 63 respectively.

Low pressure return line 61 acts as a drain line when the system is vented down.

It will be understood that the control for valve 53 may be built into the handle 42 so that the operator may regulate traversing movement without taking his hands from the handle. Thus the adzer machine may be moved from tie to tie by the fluid drive and may be oscillated back and forth across the surface of the tie or fed against the edges of a new tie by a finger tip control of a suitable lever.

By means of my invention the adzer is made a completely one-man machine. The only time a second operator may be required is during the setting of the cutter head at the beginning of the days operation. During use only one man will be required to operate the machine. By relieving this single operator of the tiresome burden of moving the machine from place to place, which becomes especially fatiguing in places where grades are heavy or there are frequent crossings, his energy is conserved so that he may more accurately and speedily position the cutter head with respect to the ties to be adzed.

As earlier mentioned, any suitable means may be provided for supporting the outer end of the main frame B on the second rail, when the adzing machine is being moved along the track having both rails. In operation however, it is mounted or balanced on a single rail as shown in Figure 5.

To further increase the ease and convenience of operation, it will be understood that instead of positioning the lever 70 as shown, a suitable actuating connection or lever for the 4-way valve 53 may be arranged in close proximity to the hand of the operator as he holds one of the handles 43, so that he can operate it without completely releasing the handle.

The foregoing description is illustrative only and not definitive. Accordingly the invention should not be limited except by the scope of the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an adzing machine adapted to run on an already positioned first rail on a railroad right-of-way for adzing the surfaces of successive ties for the reception of tie plates, a frame structure including a pair of wheels carried by the frame for movement along the first rail, a power drive for at least one of the wheels, an extension of the frame structure disposed approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the first rail, a cutter head with at least one adzer bit mounted on a shaft, said shaft being rotatably carried on the extension of the frame structure, an engine on the frame, power transmitting means between the engine and the cutter shaft, and a propulsion system for moving the cutter head from tie to tie parallel to the longitudinal axis of the already laid first rail to thereby force feed the cutter head into successive ties.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the propulsion means includes a high pressure pump run by the engine, a hydraulic motor located adjacent one of the main wheels, a first high pressure line between the high pressure pump and the hydraulic motor, power transmitting means between the hydraulic motor and the power connection on the wheel, a return line from the hydraulic motor to the pump, and valve means in the first high pressure line for regulating the pressure in the propulsion system.

3. The structure of claim 2 further characterized by and including a speed reducer located between the hydraulic motor and the wheel power drive.

4. The structure of claim 2 further characterized by and including an operators platform located adjacent the cutting head and rigidly connected to the extension of the frame structure whereby the position of the cutter head may be controlled by vertical movement of the operators platform.

5. The structure of claim 2 further characterized by and including a second hydraulic motor in operative connection with the other wheel upon the frame structure, a second high pressure line from the valve means to an inlet in the second hydraulic motor, a third high pressure line between the two motors, a first low pressure line leading from an outlet of the first hydraulic motor back to the hydraulic pump, a second low pressure return line from the second motor to the pump, and a safety valve in each of the high pressure lines between the valve means and motors.

6. In a hydraulic propulsion system for an adzer, said adzer including a wheeled frame adapted for movement along a rail, an engine, a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor carried by the frame, a power connection between the engine and pump, a high pressure line between the pump and motor, a power connection between the motor and at least one adzer wheel, a low pressure line between the motor and pump, and valve means in the high pressure line between the pump and motor for selectively admitting hydraulic fluid to the motor to propel the adzer along the rail.

7. The propulsion system of claim 6 further including a second hydraulic motor carried by the frame, a power connection between the second motor and another adzer wheel, a second high pressure line between the valve means and the second motor, a third high pressure line between the inlets to the motors, and a second low pressure line between the second motor and the pump, said valve means being operable in one position to admit high pressure fluid to the first high pressure line to simultaneously drive the motors in one direction, in a second position to admit high pressure fluid to the second high pressure line to simultaneously drive the motors in the opposite direction, and in a third position to block admission of the high pressure fluid to the first and second high pressure lines.

8. The propulsion system of claim 7 further including a third low pressure return line between the valve means and pump, said valve means being operable in a third position to block communication between the pump and the first and second high pressure lines and to open communication between the pump and third low pressure return line.

9. A track adzing machine adapted to roll along a rail and series of ties including a wheeled frame, a frame extension extending outwardly on the unadzed tie side of the frame, a rotatable adzer carried by the frame exten sion for adzing the exposed unadzed ends of the ties, an engine on the machine, a power connection between the engine and the adzer, balancing means extending outwardly from the opposite side of the frame for counteracting the weight of the frame extension and adzer, and a propulsion system for driving the adzing machine along the rail, said system including a hydraulic pump operated by the engine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,798,783 Buettner et a1 Mar. 31, 1931 1,820,636 Talboys -Aug. 25, 1931 1,830,977 'Banfer Nov. 10, 1931 1,978,513 Talboys Oct. 30, 1934 2,336,652 Talboys Dec. 14, 1943 2,815,191 Belts Dec. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 529,240 Canada Aug. 21, 1956