US2971472A

US2971472A - Mobile track tamping machine

Info

Publication number: US2971472A
Application number: US685863A
Authority: US
Inventors: Plasser Franz; Theurer Josef
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-09-27
Filing date: 1957-09-24
Publication date: 1961-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1978-02-14
Also published as: FR1182942A; DE1036892B; CH361021A

Description

Feb. 14, 1961 F. PLASSER ETAL MOBILE TRACK TAMPING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1957 BY J MM.

Unite States Patent f'ice MOBILE TRACK TAMPING MACHINE Franz Plasser and Josef Theurer, both of Johannesgasse 3, Vienna, Austria Filed Sept. 24, 1957, Ser. No. 685,863 Claims priority, application Austria Sept. 27, 1956 3 Claims. (Cl. 104-12) The present invention relates to railroad ballast tamping machines, and more particularly to a novel tamping tool arrangement for such machines.

Track tamping machines with pairs of laterally moving vibratory tamping tools are known. The ends of each pair of tools are lowered into the ballast at each side of a tie and they are then moved together while they are vibrated to tamp the ballast underneath the tie. While the ballast under the railroad ties may thus be satisfactorily tamped, the ballast between the tamped ties remains loose and there remains the possibility, therefore, for the tamped ballast to escape sideways into the loose ballast, thus eventually loosening the entire ballast bed.

In accordance with this invention, at least one additional tamping tool is provided behind the tamping tools used for tamping ballast beneath the ties to tamp the ballast between the adjacent ties. This makes it possible to tamp the loose ballast between the ballast which has been tamped underneath the ties. Thus, the tamped ballast cone under the ties receives a lateral support of tamped ballast.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the additional tamping tool is a ballast vibrator with a working surface almost as wide as the distance between the ties.

While the pairs of vibratory tamping tools and the additional tamper may be mounted on the machine'carriage independently, it is more economical and preferred to mount them all on a common vertically adjustable carrier. It is possible to make the additional tamper adjustable in height independently from the vertical adjustment of the pairs of tamping tools and also to mount them laterally adjustably so that the spacing between the pairs of the tamping tools and the additional tamper may be varied at will and in accordance with the tie spacing so that the tamper may work always midway between two adjacent ties.

The invention is not limited to any specific type of vibratory tamping tools and the ballast surface tamper may be a vibrator which may be driven mechanically, pneumatically, electrically or hydraulically.

If desired, the drive and control for the pairs of tamping tools and the additional tamper may be the same since they are operated simultaneously. Such an arrangement makes the cost of the additional tamper very small and the improved results obtained by such a tamper far exceed the small increase in cost.

The invention will be described in conjunction with a now preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated in a schematic side view in the single figure of the accompanying drawing.

The illustrated track tamping machine is largely conventional and since its general structure is well known, the description will not be encumbered with details of the known structure. Merely by way of example and in no way limiting the invention to this specific machine, one type of track tamper to which the present invention may be applied is the machinedescribed and claimed r 2,971,472 Patented Feb. 14 1961 lin our copending application Serial No. 462,086, filed October 13, 1954, now Patent No. 2,876,709 dated March 10, 1959.

As shown, such known track tampers comprise a carriage 1 on which a vertically movable tamping tool carrier 2 is mounted. The carrier is adapted to glide upward and downward on the columns 2a. A laterally extending eccentric shaft 3 is mounted on carrier 2. A pair of tamping tools 4 is linked to the ends of arms 6 and when the eccentric shaft is rotated, the tamping tools will be vibrated. The lower jaws 5 of the tamping tools reach into the ballast and the tools are pivoted to the carrier at 4a where a mechanism (not shown) is connected to move the tools towards and away from each other. Thus, when the tamping tools 4 are vibrated and moved together, they tamp the ballast underneath the tie 8 where a dense ballast cone is formed.

Behind (in the direction of travel) the tamping tool pair, a bracket 11 is provided on the carrier 2 to carry the additional tamper 10 which carries a surface vibrator 9. Vibrators of this type are also Well known per se and the vibrator drive has, therefore, not been illustrated to avoid encumbering the drawing with structural details Well within the skill of the mechanic. If desired, there may be a common drive for the tamping tool pairs and the additional tamper.

While the tamping tool ends 5 tamp the ballast by their horizontal movement (and vibration), the additional tamper 9 works vertically downward.

The machine operates as follows:

The machine is driven along the tracks 7 until it has reached a position where the ececntric shaft 3 is located above the first tie to be tamped. The carrier 2 is then lowered so that the tamping tool ends 5 reach into the ballast at both sides of the tie. In this position (as shown), the additional tamper 9 contacts the ballast between two ties which have both been tamped in the preceding working step. The common drive for the tamping tools is now actuated and while the pairs of tamping tools tamp the ballast under tie S, the tamper 9 tamps the ballast between the two next following ties. At the end of the operation, the entire ballast underneath as well as between the ties will be of homogeneous density.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the illustrated tamper and it is also immaterial where the additional tamper is located as long as it is mounted behind the pair of tamping tools and so that it can tamp down ballast between adjacent ties. Numerous variations and modifications of the illustrated embodiment may occur to the skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In combination with a track tamping machine having a vertically adjustable tamping tool carrier mounting a pair of laterally movable tamping tools laterally adjacent each track rail for tamping ballast under a tie: at least one vertically downwardly working tamper associated with each tamping tool pair and mounted on the machine behind the tamping tool pair and at such a distance therefrom that it is adapted to tamp the ballast between two successive ties previously tamped by the tamping tool pair.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the vertically downwardly working tamper comprises a surface vibrator having a working face of smaller Width than the distance between adjacent ties.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the pairs of tamping tools and the additional tamper are both mounted onthe vertically adjustable carrier.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent Zurmuhle J uly 5, 1 955 5 FOREIGN PATENTS France Mar. 31, 1954 France Apr. 20, 1955 Germany June 1, 1926