US3107803A

US3107803A - Method and apparatus for handling track ties

Info

Publication number: US3107803A
Application number: US50799A
Authority: US
Inventors: Virgil E Glosup; Russell E Paulson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-08-19
Filing date: 1960-08-19
Publication date: 1963-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1980-10-22

Description

Oct. 22., 1963 v. E. GLos-UP ErAl. 3,107,803

METHOD AND APPARATUS FDR HANDLING TRACK TIES Filed Aug. 19. 1960 'I Sheets-Sheet 1 JZZ fraz/en was @d Russ'eZZ EfPa usm.

JWM, 540% 9' v Oct. 22, 1963 v. E. GLosuP ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS Fox HANDLING TRACK TTEs 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1960 l2 y 5%. RMS WM /auww Oct. 22, 1963 v. E. GLosUP E-rAL 3,107,803

METROD AND APPARATUS FoR HANDLING TRACK TIES W @QN OWN u l 'Il Sheets-Sheet 3 wf'- e @d4/x4 Oct. 22, 1963 v. E. GLosuP ErAL I 3,107,803'

METHOD AND APPARATUS FoR HANDLING TRACK TIES Filed Aug. 19. 1960 T Sheets-sheet -4 JZZ Oct. 22, 1963 v. E. GLosuP Erm. 3,107,803

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TRACK TIES Filed Agg. 19, 1960 'I Sheets-Sheet 5 nvevz Zms' //lyz'l E @Zsp Qa? Russell Eil/)aulsaw Oct. 22, 1963 v. E. GLosuP ETAL 3,107,803

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TRACK TIES Filed Aug. 19, 19Go 7 Sheets-sheet 6 Oct. 2z, 1963 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TRACK TIES I 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 SDN Illu" Filed Aug. 19. 1960 JZvem Z073' PZZZ 'Zohs'zzyv l @Russel IZaZJw.

3, l @1?,3 @Si Patented Get. 22, 1963 3,107,803 APPARATUS FR HANDLING TRACK TIES Virgil E. Giosup, 241 Division, Melrose Parli, lill., and Russell E. Paulson, 406 N. Maple Ave., Itasca, Ill.

' Filed Ang. 19, 196 Ser. No. 50,799

I6 Claims. (Cl. 214-520) Our invention relates to the h-andling of railroad track ties, and more particularly, to the handling of new ties prior to their application to a railroad bed.

New track ties are oreosoted after they have Suthciently dried and the creosoting is done by ybinding the ties into bundles of sufficient size to just t into the creosoting tank, and after the bundles are placed in the tank, they are soaked in boiling oreosioting oil for the prescribed period. After the creosotling process has been completed, they are delivered to the puro Iasing railroad Aby loading them into railroad cars sent to the creosoting plant for that purpose.

Experience has shown that the loading and unloading of the ties necessary to transport them to the point of use excessively yaggrandizes the cost of new ties. is caused by the necessary ybulk of the individual ties and the handling problems peculiar to the different types of cars that are employed to transport the ties.

METHGD ANI) veloprnent lof special cars and equipment involving a car of the ties, and a tie handling machine which is percar. One such developiment relates to a gondoladike yca-r provided with removable sides and a tie kick-out type unloading device forming a permanent part of the car.

However, since on the order of 200 cars suitable for handling ties are required 'by any railroad having a moderate amount of tracikage, and the individual special cars and their tie handling devices represent a substantial capital investment, this approach has not `been given much serious consideration by the railroads.

Present practices in this -art call for the use of standard r gondola cars to carry the ties, The railroad ties sends its cars to the oreosoting plant are loaded with ties in accordance with ard loading procedures that have been approved for this Such procedures usually call for the ties being Iapplied to the car in various orisscross patterns, with some 4of the ties standing vertically, the s1des and ends of the car; furthermore, steel strapping purchasing where the cars `one of the standthe car, And at the unloading point, of course, much of the unloading must .be done by hand.

IThese special handling requirements necessarily mean that labor and handling costs rep-resent a sizable portion of the expense of new track ties.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for handling track ties which permits the ties to be .oaded into gondola ycars in the bundled form that they are in when removed from the creosoting tank, )and which provides a single tie unloading machine all the tie carrying cars in line, and which may tbe readily moved from ear to oar at the unloading site, to provide a system of handling track ties involving the 'use of standard gondola cars and a tie ear that is inexpensive yof manufacture, convenient 1n use, and readily adapted for use on standard gondola ears without -any modication of the latter and regardless of the age or condition of the car.

Other objects, uses and advantages will [be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the application drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of one end of a gondola oar showing one embodiment of our tie unloader machine ing track ties therefrom;

FIGURE 2 is asmall scale side elevational View of a train of three gondola cars, showing 'our tie unloading machine as mounted on one of the cars for tie unloading purposes;

FIGURE 3 illustrating the is a plan View of a typical gondola car manne-r -in 'which the ties are loaded in e ycar lin accordance with our invention;

FIGURE 3a is a lbundleas it `cornes from the cre'osoting tanks;

of the tie unloading mafbeing broken away to facilitate and with the car being shown in broken chine .of FIGURE l, parts illustration, lines;

FIGURE 6 4is a fnagmental sectional View substantially along line l6`6 of FIGURE 5, illustrating the tie ejector blade of our machine and the actuating device therefor;

FIGURE 7 is similar to FIGURE 6, but along line 7 7 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic crosssectional view line 8-8 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 s a cross-sectional view substantially along line 9-9 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 10 is a tlragmental elevational View substantially along line lil-I0 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE ll is an elevational View of one of the fork lift tine carrier frames forming a ing machine, as it would be viewed substantially along line Il ll of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE l2 is a cross-sectional along line I2-I2 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a plan View substantially along line 1313 of FIGURE ll;

FIGURE 14 is a cross-sectional View substantially along line 14-I4 of FIGURE l1;

FIGURE l5 is a cross-sectional View substantially along line 15-15 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 16 is a cross-sectional View substantially along line 16-16 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 17 is a cross-sectional View along line I7*l7 of FIGURE 4; and

along view substantially substantially applied thereto in the process of unload-v l diagram illustrating a typical tie q l trated) while FIGURE GENERAL DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, our invention contemplates the use of conventional gondola cars in which the individual track ties 12 are loaded in accordance with our method at the creosoting plant for transport to an unloading site where they are to be installed in the track bed, and a tie unloading apparatus or machine 14 that is employed for purposes of unloading the ties from the cars 1G.

In accordance with our invention, the cars 10 are individually loaded with the ties 12 by initially forming two rows 16 (see FIGURE 3) of such ties laid end to end on the door 1S of the car, which rows end in abutting relation with spaced spacer members 12a at the ends of the car that are formed from extra ties that are vertically disposed adjacent the respective ends 20 and have a spacing sim'lar to that of the tie rows 16; the ties forming members 12a are shortened so as not to project above the top of gondola car sides.

The ties 12 are then loaded into the car 10 in any convenient manner and all such ties are oriented to extend transversely of the car. The ties 12 may be separated from the bundles in which they are creosoted and then loaded into car 3 by a suitable fork lift truck or overhead crane, or the tie bundles in the form they come from the creosoting tanks may be loaded directly into the car between the spaced vertically disposed members 12a by the aforementioned fork litt truck or overhead crane or other suitable grasping and elevating mechanism. The simplified showing of FIGURE 3 is intended to represent a typical car load of bundled ties (it is obvious how unbundled ties would appear in plan in a car 10 so this loading arrangement is not specifically illus- 3a is a representation of a typical tie bundle 13 per se, in which thirty-four ties 12 are bound together by steel strapping 15 in any conventional manner.

Of course, the ties are loaded into the car to a height commensurate with safe loading practices considering the height of the gondola side walls Z2.

The cars 1li are then transported to the tie unloading site, and this is customarily done by connecting a number of cars 10 in a train, which train would also include a gondola car 10a (see FIGURE 2) on which the tie unloading apparatus or machine 14 is secured as by employing suitable tie down devices. Car 10a should be the last car in any train of gondola cars 10, and only about one half of the car (the lett hand half in the showing of FIGURE 2) is loaded with ties, with the machine 14 being secured over the empty portion of the car (tie rows 16 and spacer members 12a being employed in the loaded end of car 10a in the manner already described).

The unloading site to which cars 1li are transferred ordinarily is an area of the track which is being improved as by replacing existing track ties, and the ties to be replaced customarily will have been previously marked. After the train of cars 10 and 10a have been brought to the beginning of the trackage Where the existing ties are to be removed, the tie down devices anchoring tie unloading machine 14 in place are removed and the machine readied for use.

The tie unloading machine 14 generally comprises a wheeled trarne 50 (see FIGURES 1 and 5) provided with double ilanged

wheels

32 and 32a that are thus formed to laterally conine frame 3i) in its movements on top ofthe car side walls 22.

The wheeled frame Sil carries a fork lift frame 34, which is at its forward end swingably movable between the full and broken line positions of FIGURE l and which deiines spaced 'guideways 36 for tine carrying frames 3S that each pivotally mount a tine or prong member 40 mounted for swinging movement between the two positions indicated by FIGURES 18 and 19. The forli litt frame also has associated therewith a tie ejector. device 42 which is mounted on machine 14 at a level that will be above the tops of the car side walls 22 (see FIGURE 1), when the machine is in operative position on the cars, and includes a reciprocably mounted paddle member or ejector blade 44, which is mounted for reciprocating movement over a distance corresponding to but somewhat greater than the distance between the sides of a car 10 (see FIGURE 5).

In the illustrated embodiment, the fork lift frame 34 may be pivoted or swung with respect -to the wheeled frame 39 by appropriately operating a hydraulic multi telescoping cylinder or ram 5t) interposed between the frame 34 and the wheeled frame somewhat as indicated in the drawings. The tine carrier frames 38 are reciprocated vertically in their guideways 36 by appropriate hydraulic cylinders 52 mounted within the respective guideways 36 and connected to the respective tine carrier trames. The tine carrier frames each carry an appropriate hydraulic cylinder 54 for moving the tines between the positions already mentioned.

The illustrated unloading device 14 also includes a rake device 56, including an extensible rake member 57, for drawing individual ties toward the tie ejector device after they have been elevated by the unloader machine, a pair of hydraulically operated clamping devices SS (see FIGURE 9) for clamping the machine to the car during operation of the fork litt structure, a ysuitable braking arrangement such as that generally indicated at 60 in FIGURE l, and a tie ejection movement control device 62 (see FIGURES 8 and l0) carried by each side of the fork lift frame 34 (see FIGURES). It is also contemplated that the machine 14 will be provided with a suitable operators seat64 (see FIGURE 5), indicated at 66 a power unit such as a gasoline engine but only diagrammatically illustrated, a suitable pump 63 (see FIGURE 5) operated by motor 66 for drawing hydraulic liquid froman appropriate reservoir 76 and supplying it to hydraulic motor 72 for purposes of moving the car along the tops of the side walls of cars 10 (as well as the hydraulic cylinder herein described), and suitable conduiting and valving for selectively supplying hydraulicY liquid to the individual rams indicated, all of which may be done in a more or less conventional;

manner.

After the machine 14 has been released from its t-ieV and it is moved as required (by employing hydraulic motor 72) to first unload any ties carried by car 10a. After roughly properly positioning the machine -with respect to the ties of car 10a to be unloaded, ram 50 is actuated to swing the tork lift frame 34 from its horizontal inoperative position to its vertical operative position of FIG- URE 1; also, rams S2 are operated to fully extend tine carrier frame 38 to the llower broken Iline position of FIGURE 1 and tine carrier rams S4 are operated to move the tine members 4() from the broken vline position of `FIGURE 17 to `the `i'ull line position of the same figura This disposes tine 4members 4d between tie rows 16 of car 10a and below the level of ,the ties 12 carried thereby. The machine 14- is then moved :forwardly (to the left of FIGURE 2) to dispose tine members 40t-under neath the nearest ties 112, after which clamping devices S8 are set against the car side walls and the tie carrier trames are retracted to draw :the ties 12 to the level of ejector device 42.

It the ties 12 have not yet been separated from their bundles, this may be done at this point in the handling of the ties. An employee may thus take a suitable tool and sever the steel bands 15 that are ordinarily employed for binding the fties together in the aforesaid bundl 13.

Assuming that the ties are 'free from binding engagement with each other for ejection over the side of the car, and that the ejector blade 44 was initially positioned approximately above one or the other of fthe sides 22 of the car being unloaded (see FIGURE 5), lfor instance, the left hand side of the car in the showing of -FIGURE 5, one `of the ties will now be within operating ran-geef Ithe reciprocat-in-g ejector `blade 44 and if this is not so, the for-k lift frame 3'4 may be tilted .in -the manner in- Idicated by the inclined broken line show-ing of FIGURE Assuming that the ties are to be dropped over the right hand car side 22 in the showing of FIGURE 5,

The tie unloading operation is commenced by the train including cars l and 10a being moved at approximately a walking speed from the beginning of 'the trackage being covered with a designated individual lwalking alongside the train and pointing out the location of ties previously end lof the tie being ejected into the device 62, which is in the form of a generally quadrilateral tube 90` having an open upper end 92, a lower open end 94 and a concave guiding surface 96 extending between the two open ends. As the tie 12 is moved 'to the right of FIGURE 5, it enters the open end 92 yof device `62, engages guiding surface 96 =(see FIGURE 8), and angles downwardly to =be dropped on in FIGURE 5. the tie movement control device 62 restrains the movement Iof the tie as it drops to the `ground and insures that the tie will not bounce and roll -away from the track, but rather drop to the ground in a controlled manner :and lie longitudinally of the I`track `due to the restraining action of the device 62 yon the trailing end of the tie. As the train moves during the tie unloading process, the tie will fall -to the track bed somewhat yas indicated in FIGURE 10.

Further ties are handled in like manner until all `of the ties supported by the tine members 40' have been ejected `over the side lof the car.

After all of the ties `carried by tie members 40 have been ejected over the side of the car, xthe cylinders 52 lar to that described above.

As forward movement `of the wheeled frame 30 is required to bring the lfork flift frame 34 inserted in the space 80 (see FIGURE 3) at the end of the car between the two vertical spacer members 12a with tine members 40 retracted to the broken line position yof FIGURE 17 (and thus in the plane of the fork lift frame 34). The hydraulic rams 52 are to Ilower the tine carrier frames are below the level of lthe ties after which rams 514 are operated to move the tine members `4t) to ythe full line positions of FIGURES 17 and 18, which d-isposes them underneath the adjacent ties 12, after which rams 52 may be operated to idraw the ties adjacent spacer members 12a )to the elevation of the ejector device 42 for ejection in the manner already described. Further unloading of ties proceeds until the I'rst car 10 is empty, ater which the wheeled iframe 30 is driven yover similar bridge members 28 applied between adjacent cars 10 as unloading of the respective cars proceeds to the point where such a crossing is necessary. This procedure continues until all the new ties required have been ejected from the train.

When the tie unloading operation is completed, machine 14 is ydriven back to its initial position on car lItla and again made tast thereto for transit to another unloading site or to a creosoting plant for another load of ties. Since fork lift yframe 34 may be moved to the horizontal position shown in phantom in FIGURE 1 and tine members 4@ retracted to the bnoken position of -FIG- URE 17, machine 14 is disposed well within permissible heights permitted railroad cars.

Our tie unloader device is preferably arranged to drop the ties alongside the track approximately 8 feet from the then operated 38- until tine members 40 12 resting on tie rows I6,

ing position already mentioned; renewals are most frequently required at the rail joints, ties will be unloaded at least about every 19 feet along the right of way, but frequently more extensive replacements will be made and our machine satisfies this requirement with facility. We contemplate that the rated unloading rate the .two wheels marked 32a are slidably connected t0 the wheeled frame (see FIGURES 5 and 9) to permit the wheels to follow the bowing out SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION The cars It? and 10a employed in practicing our method Similar remarks apply to er car structure illustrated.

bridging members 23 may be n the form of elongate bars 106 having a channel-shaped cross section, with the bars .M6 Xed between adjacent respective side walls suitable clamps or bolts.

The wheeled frame 30 of machine 14 may be of any secured to the wheeled 112, with the inner frame members 110 being braced by transversely extending member 114. The

forward wheels

32 and 32a are keyed to a common shaft 116 that is rotatably mounted in suitable plain bearings (not shown) frame in any convenient manner that will prevent twisting of the shaft 116. vThe

rearward wheels

32 and 32a are keyed to individual shafts 117 rotatably secured to the frame in like manner. AThe shaft 116 and the shaft 117 mounting a wheel 32a are splined or grooved where indicated at 118, with the wheels 32a being complementarily formed to provide the aforementioned sliding keying relation between these wheels and the respective shafts. The shaft 116 and the splined shaft 117 may be provided with suitable pins 120 to retain the wheels 32a in place. The wheels of frame 30 thus have a variable gauge to follow the contour of the car side walls 22, which in some cases may vary considerably, depending on the condition of the car.

The operators seat, the internal combustion engine 66, the pump 68, the reservoir 7i), the hydraulic motor 72 and other supplementary equipment may be arranged upon and around the frame 30 as may be necessary or desirable.

The guideways 36 of the fork lift frame 34 are defined by channel members 122-arranged in back to back pairs (see FIGURE Cylinder 52 of each guideway is secured between the respective pairs of channel members 122 by a suitable pin 124 at the tops of the respective guideways 36.

In the area of the ejector device 42, the channel-shaped members are joined together by median channel members 126 (see FIGURES 5 and 6) and projecting laterally of each guideway, are the like horizontally disposed end channel members 12S, with the

channel members

126 and 128 being joined together by elongate plates 136 (see FIGURES 4-7). The channel members 122 are preferably joined adjacent the top of the respective guideways 36 by brace plate 132. Ram 50 in the arrangement illustrated is pivoted to one of the guideways 36, as by employing the bracket structure diagrammatically illustrated at 134, the ram being pivotally mounted on a suit able support 135 that is secured to frame 30 in any suitable manner, as by welding. Of course, the ram 50 may be positioned transversely of the car as seems necessary or desirable to accommodate the equipment that is to be carried by the wheeled frame as well as the drivers seat and still permit the swinging action of the fork lift frame that is desired.

The fork lift frame 34 is pivoted to the wheeled frame 3i) by pivot plates 133 aixed to the outer of the channel members 122 of each guideway 36 and journalled on shaft 116 by suitable plain bearings 140. Plates 138 should be of sucient length that frame 34 may be horizontally disposed when machine is not in use or when it is to be moved from one car to another.

The structural features of the tine carrier frames 38 are best illustrated in FIGURES 11-16 and it will be noted that they each comprise in the illustrated embodiment spaced channel members 144 joined together by spacer plates 146 all welded together to form a rigid unit. Wear plates 148 are preferably afxed to the corners of the channel members 144 somewhat as indicated in FIGURE and are suitably proportioned to insure the desired movement of the tine carrier frames within the respective guideways 36.

Each of the tine carrier frames at their lower ends has afixed thereto a fabricated tine pivot structure 150 (see FIGURES 14 and 16) defined by

plates

152, 153, 154 and 155, which are welded to the lower ends of the channel members 144 at the upper ends of the former, and are welded together by the spaced web plates 156 and 157 indicated in FIGURE 12. The plates 156 and 157 are formed with appropriate holes 158 to receive the piston rod 166 of the respective hydraulic cylinders 52,

which rods may priate nuts 162.

The plates 152-155 are slotted as indicated as 164, 166, 168 and 170 in FIGURE 14 to accommodate the movement of the tine member 4i) indicated in FIGURES 18 and 19, and it will thus be seen that

slots

164 and 166 merge together to form a single opening, as do

slots

168 and 17 0.

The individual tine members are shaped as required to best support the ties to be lifted and are formed with appropriate holes 172 to receive the respective piston rods 169 of rams 52. Members 4G thus comprise a forwardly extending tine or prong portion 174 and a rearwardly extending crank arm 176 which in accordance with the present invention has aixed thereto a lug 178 that is disposed at right angles to the respective tine members 40 and is pivotally connected at its projecting end 179 to the piston rod 180 of the respective rams 54, Rams 54 are carried by the tine support frames by being pivoted' between spaced carrier plates 182, which are affixed to a channel member 184 that is in turn welded to the tine pivot structures 150 of the respective tine carrier frames.

Channel members 134 186.

The tie ejector paddle or blade 44 in the illustrated embodiment is composed of two angle members 190 (see FIGURE 5) having their anges 192 fixed together in any suitable manner to define the outwardly projecting blade portion 193 and having their flanges 194 (see FIGURE 4) received in a guideway 196 deinedkby the adjacent plate 136 and upper and lower guide bars 197 and 198, which are respectively provided with lips 199 may be braced by appropriate webs to properly restrain the ejector blade from movement out of the guideway 196.

rlhe ejector blade 44 in the illustrated embodiment is affixed to the flexible endless member 201) which in the j form illustrated is a chain 202 trained over end sprockets 203 and 204 aixed to the

respective stub shafts

206 and 208 that are journalled by the respective spaced'pairs of channel members 128. As indicated in FIGURES 5 and 6, the chain 292 is also trained over a sprocket 210 which is keyed to a shaft 212 that is journalled between space plates 214 and 216 aflixed to the respective channel members 126, which shaft 212 also has keyed thereto a pinion 218 that meshes with a rack member 220 connected to the piston rod 222 of a hydraulic ram 224 carried by the fork lift frame 34 as by being pivoted between a plate 226k aixed to the upper channel member 128 at the left hand j t side of the machine as shown in FIGURE 5 and an angle member 228 are Xed immediately below the plate 226.

Of course, when the ram member 220 engages pinion 218 to turn the sprocket 210, which effects actuation of endless member 200 and the consequent member movement of ejector blade 44. The gearing and chain training arrangement should be such that the ejector blade 44 can be moved between the sides 22 of the car as the ram 224 is operated between its extreme extended and contracted positions.

The tie ejection movement control devices 62 are swingably secured to either side of the fork lift frame for movement between the upper retracted position of FIG- URE 8 and the lower operative position indicated by thesame figure. The quadrilateral tubular member preferably has aiixed thereto as by welding a round bar 230 which is received in a sleeve 232 welded to the spaced upright channel members 234 that are aflixed to the respective pairs of plates at either end of the frame 34. The tube 9@ comprises forward and rearward planar walls 236, the planar side Wall 238 and the arcuate wall 239 which defines the concave guiding surface 96, all rigidly connected together in any convenient manner, as by weldt be affixed in place by employing approi 224 is reciprocated, rack 9 in the lower operative position of devices 62 (see FIG- URES and 8.)

It will thus be seen that the devices 62 not only guide the tie as it drops to the ground,

brake shoes 266 by appropriate links 26S and 270.

Rake device 56 comprises ram 280 having its piston rod aihxec to rake head 282 to define rake member 57. Ram 56 is pivotally connected to one of the guideprime mover.

Distinguishing Characteristics 0f the Invention It will therefore be seen that our invention provides a number of important advantages in the art of handling For instance, the cars used to transport the Since the gauge of the frame wheels of machine 14 is adapted to adjust itself to the conguration of the gondola car side Walls, any deformation of such side walls within reasonable limits will required being in the positioning of the ties 12a and those forming the support rows 16. The ties thus may be taken as they come from the creosoting tanks and loaded by appropriate mechanized devices directly into the gondola cars that are to carry the use.

lt).` For convenience, ties "12a and those forming rows 16 may be any event, they form supponts are so referred to in some of the appended claims. Of course, ties 12a and those forming rows lo are spaced apart to receive the fork lift frame 34 and its tine members 40.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explain and illustrate our invention and the means for reciprocating said tine structures, said tine members each being tween substantially parallel positions and positions wherein they are in alignment with each other, and a tie ejector mechanism carried by said fork lift structure and including means for sliding ties 'carried by said tine members, when in their first mentioned positions, from said tine members over the side of the car.

2. Apparatus for unloading track ties from gondola cars having a loading arrangement in which the ties eX- tend crosswise of the car and rest on spaced supports that extend longitudinally of the car and at one end of the car the ties bear against spaced vertically disposed supports that are interposed between the ties and the end of the car, said apparatus comprising a Iwheeled frame to commence 'the car side Walls, and

frames elevated lifting the ties above fthe level of means carried by said fork lift frame for sliding the ties.

over the side of the car.

3. Apparatus or unloading track ties from gondola cars having a loading arrangement in which the ties extend and at one end of the car the ties bear against spaced vertically disposed supports that are interposed between the ties and the end of the car, said apparatus comprising a wheeled frame adapted to ride on the tops of the `sides of the car, said frame can-ying a fork lift `structure including spaced coplanar parallel lguideways, a tine carrierv 'frame reciprocably mounted in each of said guideways, said guideways being xed together and secured to said wheeled frame to detine a fork lift frame that is disposed transversely of the car when the wheeled frame rests on the car side walls, said fork lift frame being secured to said wheeled frame for swinging movement about ia substantially horizontal axis, power means for swinging ysaid fork lift frame about said horizontal axis and for maintaining said fork lift frame against such swinging movement, power means carried by said fork lift frame for reciprocating said tine carrier frames, each of said tine carrier frames carrying a tine member mounted for pivotal movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the respective guideways, power means carried by said fork lift frame for swinging said tine me bers about said axes thereof between positions in alignment with the plane of saidfork lift frame to positions disposed normally of said plane and extending in the same direction from said plane and away from said wheeled frame, said fork lift frame being proportioned for insertion between the ties and the vertically disposed supports at the end of the car whereby when said tine members are disposed in alignment with said plane of said fork lift Aframe, said -fork lift lframe may be inserted between said ties and the vertically disposed supports at .the end of the car, to permit said tine carrier frames to be lowered to dispose said tine members below said ties, whereupon said tine members may be moved to their last mentioned positions and Isaid tine carrier frames elevated to commence lifting the .ties above the level of the car side walls, and power means carried by said fork lift frame for sliding the ties over the side of the car after the ties have been lifted above the side of lthe car.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein the wheels of said wheeled frame are double flanged, and including means for journalling said wheels on said frame for permitting said wheels to follow the lateral contour of the respective tops of the car side walls when the apparatus is in operative position on the car.

5. The `apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said fork lift frame has secured thereto above the last mentioned power means a rake device including a retractable and extensible rake element that projects over the ties when said apparatus is in operative position on the car, said device being mounted for swinging movement about a substantially horizontal axis, and including power means for raising and lowering said rake device about said horizontal axis.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein the last mentioned power means comprises a tie ejector guideway affixed to said fork lift frame normally of the first mentioned guideways, said t-ie ejector guideway having a length that exceeds the length of the ties adapted to be employed in said loading arrangement, said tie ejector guideway being centered on said fork lift frame, a tie ejector blade slidably mounted in said -tie ejector guideway for movement over substantially the length of the latter, said tie ejector blade projecting normally of said plane of said fork lift frame and away from said wheeled frame, and power means for moving said blade longitudinally of said tie ejector guideway.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein said fork lift frame carries at one side thereof a tie chu-te structure, said chute structure comprising a tubular rnember having one of its open ends secured to said fork lift frame for alignment with the path of movement of said tie ejector blade and the other of its ends adapted to depend from said fork lift frame, said tubular member including an inner concave camming surface opposing said one end thereof and leading to said other end thereof, whereby a tie moved over the side of the car by said ejector lblade has a controlled drop to the track bed through said tubular member. a

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 including a clamping arm pivotally secured to either -side of said wheeled frame and having one end thereof proportioned to engage against the respective sides of the car, and power means for pressing said one end of said arms into engagement with the respective sides, whereby said wheeled frame may be clamped to the car during operation of said apparatus. Y

9. The apparatus set lforth in claim 3 wherein said tine carrier frame guideways each comprise spaced elongate members secured together in parallel relation, and wherein said tine carrier frames each comprise spaced elongate members secured together in parallel relation and slidably mounted within the respective ways, with the power means for reciprocating said tine carrier frames each comprising a ram secured within the upper ends of the respective tine carrier frame guideways and including a piston rod afxed to the respective carrier frames.

lO. The appartaus set forth in claim 3 wherein said tine carrier frames each include a laterally directed arm affixed to the -lower end thereof and in alignment with the plane of said fork lift frame, and a ram connected between said 4arm and the tine of the respective carrier frames, said rams forming said power means for swinging said tine members.

ll. Apparatus for unloading railroad track ties from gondola cars comprising a vehicle including wheel means for mounting the Vehicle gondola car for movement longitudinally of the car, fork lift means carried by said vehicle for lifting ties'above the top of the car side walls and including a plurality of spaced tine members mounted for reciprocable movement between positions adjacent the vehicle and positions adjacent the iloor of the car when the vehicle is on the car and said fork lift means is in operative position with respect thereto, means for selectively reciprocating said tine members between said positions, said tine members each being mounted for swinging movement between substantially parallel positions and positions wherein they are in substantial alignment, and a tie ejector mechanism carried by said vehicle and including tie ejecting means for moving, longitudinally thereof and over the top of one side wall of the car, ties carried by said tine members when such ties have been raised above the top of said car side walls.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim l wherein said tine members are mounted in a guideway structure that is pivotally connected to the said vehicle adjacent one end thereof for movement between a substantially vertical operative position and a substantially horizontal inoperative position overlying the vehicle.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim l wherein said vehicle carries at one side thereof a tie chute structure, said chute structure comprising a tubular member having one of its open ends secured to said vehicle for alignment with the path of movement of ties when ejected by said tie ejector means and the other of its ends adapted to depend from said vehicle, said tubular member including an inner concave camming surface opposing said o ne end thereof and leading to said other end thereof, whereby a tie moved over the side of the car by said ejector mechanism has a controlled drop to the track bed through said tubular member f 14. The method of loading and unloading railroadk ties from a gondola car of the type comprising ixed side and end walls, which method includes forming at least two spaced rows of ties in end to end relation along the door of the car substantially between the ends thereof, placing at least two ties against one end of the car in an upstanding spaced relation, filling the car with ties by placing same in the car crosswise of said rows of ties,

transporting the car to the destination of the ties, and un- Y loading the ties by inserting a tie lifting tool from 'the tine carrier frame guideon top of the side walls of a 13 top of the car down into the space between the said two ties at said one end of the car and under adjacent crosswise extending ties, lifting such ties above the top of the side walls of the car, consecutively ejecting such ties one that they engage the ground in a substantially vertical position 16. The method set forth in claim 15 wherein the car is moved at walking speed at the ties are being ejected '1.4k References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 992,594 Reinehr May 16, 1911 1,802,220 Romine Apr. 21, 1931 2,061,110 Stauter Nov. 17, 1936 2,381,958 Inman Aug. 14, 1945 2,467,113 Deiters Apr. 12, 1949 2,622,540 Stewart et al. Dec. 23, 1952 2,721,668 Elsner Oct. 25, 1955 2,761,571 Adams Sept. 4, 1956 2,768,760 Pilch Oct. 20, 1956 2,801,014 Colson July 30, 1957 3,044,614 Code July 17, 1962 3,048,289 Franklin et al. Aug. 7, 1962 OTHER REFERENCES Rules Governing the Loading of Commodities on Open Top Cars, published by the Association of American Chicago (1945), page 217.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 31 107 ,803 October 22, 1963 Vir-gil E. Glosup et al.

s '1n the above numbered patrtfed that error appear tters Patent Should read as lt s hereby ce tion and that the said Le enfJ requiring correa corrected below.

Column l2, lines 4T and 53, for the claim reference numeral l", each occurrence, read ll column l3, line 18, for "at", second occurrence, read as and sealed this 21st day of April 1964.

Signed (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attestng Ufficer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

11. APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING RAILROAD TRACK TIES FROM GONDOLA CARS COMPRISING A VEHICLE INCLUDING WHEEL MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE VEHICLE ON TOP OF THE SIDE WALLS OF A GONDOLA CAR FOR MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CAR, FORK LIFT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID VEHICLE FOR LIFTING TIES ABOVE THE TOP OF THE CAR SIDE WALLS AND INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED TINE MEMBERS MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCABLE MOVEMENT BETWEEN POSITIONS ADJACENT THE VEHICLE AND POSITIONS ADJACENT THE FLOOR OF THE CAR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ON THE CAR AND SAID FORK LIFT MEANS IS IN OPERATIVE POSITION WITH RESPECT THERETO, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY RECIPROCATING SAID TINE MEMBERS BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS, SAID TINE MEMBERS EACH BEING MOUNTED FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT BETWEEN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL POSITIONS AND POSITIONS WHEREIN THEY ARE IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT, AND A TIE EJECTOR MECHANISM CARRIED BY SAID VEHICLE AND INCLUDING TIE EJECTING MEANS FOR MOVING, LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF AND OVER THE TOP OF ONE SIDE WALL OF THE CAR, TIES CARRIED BY SAID TINE MEMBERS WHEN SUCH TIES HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOVE THE TOP OF SAID CAR SIDE WALLS.