US3394663A

US3394663A - Railway ballast distributing car

Info

Publication number: US3394663A
Application number: US507496A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr John F Bryan
Original assignee: TRAKWORK EQUIPMENT CO
Current assignee: TRAKWORK EQUIPMENT CO
Priority date: 1965-11-12
Filing date: 1965-11-12
Publication date: 1968-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1985-07-30

Description

J. F. BRYAN, JR

RAILWAY BALLAST DISTRIBUTING CAR July 30, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1965 mvsmoa JOHN F. BRYAN, an @M 6 ATTORNEY July 30, 1968 BRYAN, JR 3,394,663

RAILWAY BALLAST DISTRIBUTING CAR Filed Nov. 12, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 11W I0 I 80 1 n M1; MUM H mvsm'on JOHN F. BRYAN, JR.

@MUML, t lk-J ATTORNEY July 30, 1968 J. F. BRYAN, JR 3,394,663

RAILWAY BALLAST DISTRIBUTING CAR Filed Nov. 12. 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 'l 2 I OIL M 25 f L STORAGE 4 I a. 82 i I g MOTOR 23 20 34 AND 40 I a I, PUMP 820 I I 86 2! 22 INVENTOR JOHN F. BRYAN, JR.

L MW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,394,663 RAILWAY BALLAST DISTRIBUTING CAR John Bryan, Jr., Irving, Tex., assignor to Trakwork Equipment Company, Irving, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Nov. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 507,496 6 Claims. (Cl. 105239) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to handling of railway ballast, and more particularly, to a gondola which permits exercise of different options in the disposal of railway ballast removed from beneath the railroad track.

In treating railway ballast, several systems have been provided for removal of ballast from under railroad ties and for handling the same. Systems are known wherein ballast is loaded onto a conveyor belt for transport to a mobile cleaning or treating system. The present invention is directed to an improved unit, auxiliary to a railroad undercutter, to permit variation in the mode of operation, particularly with respect to the ultimate disposition of the removed ballast.

In accordance with the present invention, a gondola is provided for handling ballast removed from beneath a railroad track. The gondola has a hopper adjacent to the top front wall thereof. A pair of gravity chutes extend from the hopper, laterally across the front wall of the gondola to and beyond the sides thereof. A powered conveyor delivers a stream of ballast across the top of the hopper to the gondola. A batter board is selectively movable as to intercept the stream of ballast and to divert the stream into the hopper. A diverter blade, pivoted on a longitudinal axis in the region of the hopper, provides selective control of the distribution of the ballast as between the two chutes.

Preferably, the conveyor applies a towing force to the gondola adjacent to the top front wall. The gondola is provided with a gate in the bottom thereof and gates extending along the lower portions of the side walls. Adjustable wing blades may extend outwardly from the rear of the gondola to work any ballast released from the gondola via the gates or deposited along the sides of the gondola through the chutes. Further, a powered conveyor is mounted for pivotal movement on a vertical axis in the region of the stream of ballast and at the top of the gondola, and is movable into and out of the ballast stream for selectively intercepting the ballast stream and to convey the same away from the gondola.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

'FIGURE 1 is an isometric view showing the gondola of the present invention; I

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the unit of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the unit of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a ballast gondola 10 has been illustrated in which a body 11 is mounted on a frame 12, which frame extends rearwardly of the body 11. As best shown in FIGURE 2, the gondola 10 is provided with a running gear 13 for travel over a railway 14. The gondola 10 is towed behind an undercutter (not shown) which removes ballast from beneath and between the ties of a railway 14 and deposits the same onto a conveyor 15. The undercutter has not been shown, but may be of the type manufactured by Trakwork Equipment Company of Dallas, Tex., wherein the conveyor 15 serves as a coupling link between the undercutter and the gondola 10, thereby applying a towing force to the gondola 10 in the region of the upper edge of the front wall 16.

The body 11 has

side walls

17 and 18, a rear wall 19, and a bottom panel, not shown in FIGURE 1. Side wall 17 has a slidable gate 20 which extends the length of the body 11 along the lower margin of the side 17. The gate 20 slides in a way formed by a pair of

angle iron bars

21 and 22 welded onto the outside of wall 17.

Lugs

23 and 24, fastened to the upper edge of the gate 20, are coupled by way of

rigid arms

25 and 26 to

crank arms

27 and 28, respectively.

Crank arms

27 and 28 are rigidly mounted on a shaft 29 which extends the length of the body 11 and is journaled adjacent to the upper edge of the

end panels

16 and 19. The crank arm 28 has an extension 30 which is coupled to the piston 31 of a hydraulic cylinder 32. By actuation of the cylinder 32, the gate 20 may be raised and lowered.

A pair of distributing

panels

35 and 36 are pivotally mounted as to extend outward of the lower margin of the body 11 to convey ballast flowing past the gate 20 beyond the ends of the ties of the railway. The panel 36 is pivoted on an elongated shaft 37. The panel 35 is hinged on a hinge pin 38 to the outer edge of the panel 36. A pair of

rotatable stops

40 and 41 are pivotally supported in the

lugs

23 and 24, respectively, so that the

panels

35 and 36 can be locked in a closed position until the cylinder 32 is actuated to raise the gate 20.

A similar gate is provided along the lower margin of the side 18. The latter gate is actuated by means of the crank unit 42 which is powered from a cylinder 43 and which actuates an elongated shaft 44.

A spreader blade 50 is pivotally secured to the extensions of the frame 12 behind the body 11 with

arms

51 and 52 being of different lengths so that the frame can be canted outward to work ballast deposited along the side of the railway through the gate 20'. A strut 53 provides rigidity for the blade 50. Chain 54 provides for adjustment to control the angle of the blade 50.

While not shown, a slidable panel in the bottom of the body 11 is provided to dump ballast directly onto the center of the railway. By this means, the ballast may be dumped directly from the gondola 10 to the track area between the rails. The sliding trap door is selectively actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 60.

A traveling frame 61 is mounted on four pairs of rollers 62-65 for travel over a track formed by the

elongated shafts

29 and 44. A belt conveyor 66 is mounted on a turntable 67 for rotation on the frame 61. A motor-driven pinion 68 is provided for positioning the conveyor 66. The conveyor 66 is provided with an input hopper 69. The conveyor is selectively positioned along the length of the

shafts

29 and 44 by a hydraulic cylinder 70. The cylinder 70 is anchored at the rear end to the end wall 19 and is coupled to a lug 71 on the frame 61. By actuation of the cylinder 70, the hopper 69 can be moved as to intercept the flow of ballast delivered into the gondola by the conveyor 15. The conveyor belt 66 is powered by a conventional hydraulic motor (not shown) so that the ballast may be projected olf to the side of the railway. The turntable 67 may be actuated to select the side On which the ballast is to be deposited. When carriage 61 is retracted by actuation of the cylinder 70, the ballast from conveyor will be stored in the body 11.

A suitable power unit, such as an internal combustion engine, may be mounted on the rear extension of the frame 12 and the hyydraulic pump actuated thereby will be coupled by suitable hydraulic lines to the

cylinders

32, 43, and 70. Control valves therefor may be conveniently mounted on the rear wall 19.

The engine and pump, along with an oil storage tank, have been indicated by legends in FIGURE 1.

As shown in the figures, a hopper is mounted adjacent to the top of the front wall 16. The hopper 80 has a rectangular upper mouth and has two depending laterally extending

chutes

81 and 82. The chutes extend laterally across the front wall of the body 11. A vertical sliding batter board 84 is mounted in a slideway (not shown) on the front wall 16. The batter board is selectively positioned in elevation by a hydraulic cylinder 86. When extended, the batter board is projected upward into the path of the ballast from the conveyor 15, best shown in FIGURE 3, so that the ballast is delivered into the hopper 80.

A diverter blade 90, having a handle 91, is mounted for pivotal movement on a longitudinal axis within the hopper 80 for selective control of the distribution of the ballast as between the

chutes

81 and 82. In position a, the blade 90 diverts all of the ballast through the chute 82. In position 90b, the blade 90 diverts all of the ballast through the chute 81. In position 90c, the blade 90 would divide the ballast equally between the

chutes

81 and 82.

The ballast which is delivered to the side of the railway by either of the chutes may be worked by the blade, such as blade 50. Thus, an operator has options to store ballast temporarily in the gondola, intercept the ballast and divert it and spread it equally on both sides of the railway through the

chutes

81 and 82, place the ballast all on one side through one of the two chutes, or project the ballast clear of the railway by the use of the conveyor 66.

It will be noted that the linkages and the distributor boards for the side gates, shown in some detail in FIG- URE 1, have not been shown in FIGURE 2. Further, the body 11 has been shown to be rectangular polyhedron form in FIGURE 1. In FIGURE 2, the sides are canted inwardly. It will be understood that a second blade like blade 50 will be provided on the right side of the body 11.

The chute 81 is shown with a foldable extension 81a so that the ballast from chute 81 may be delivered closer ly adjacent to the end of the ties or may be deposited beyond the ends of the ties and off the edge of the shoulder of the railway. The extension 81a is pivoted at point 81b so that, when traveling to clear the railway, the extension 81a may be folded inward within the clearance profile of the system. The chute 82 will likewise have an extension.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is:

1. In railway maintenance where ballast removed from under a railroad is to be handled, the combination which comprises:

(a) a gondola having a chassis with end and side walls,

(b) a hopper mounted adjacent to the top of the end wall of said gondola,

(c) a pair of gravity chutes extending from said hopper laterally across said end wall to opposite sides of said gondola,

(d) powered conveyor means for delivering a stream of said ballast across the top of said hopper and into said gondola,

(e) a movable batter board mounted on said gondola in the region of the top of said end wall and movable between two positions for intercepting said stream and diverting said stream into said hopper in one of said positions, and

(f) a diverter blade pivoted on a longitudinal axis in said hopper and movable to distribute said ballast to said chutes.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said gondola has slidable gates, one along the bottom portion of each side wall thereof.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which wing blades extend outwardly from one end of said chassis to work any ballast released from said gondola via said gates or deposited from said chutes.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said conveyor means is connected to apply a towing force to said gondola adjacent to said top front wall.

5. In railway maintenance where ballast removed from under a railroad is handled, the combination comprising:

(a) a gondola having end and side walls,

(b) powered conveyor means coupled to said gondola for delivering a stream of ballast to one end of said gondola,

(c) a carriage mounted at the top region of said gondola for movement between said end walls of said gondola,

(d) a belt conveyor mounted on said carriage for pivotal movement on a vertical axis, and

(e) means to move said carriage and said conveyor into and out of said stream of ballast to selectively intercept said ballast.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 and further comprising means coupled to slidable gates extending along the bottom portion of each side wall of said gondola for dumping ballast from said gondola.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,734 4/1914 Shaffer --256 1,418,402 6/1922 Scott 104'-1 1,743,579 1/1930 Straw 37104 X 2,989,930 6/1961 Flowers 105248 3,075,812 1/1963 Niece 2988 3,167,193 1/1965 Klosk 214-8326 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner.