US3508672A

US3508672A - Tie loaders

Info

Publication number: US3508672A
Application number: US798741A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mark Stanoy; Georges J Barnett
Original assignee: Domtar Inc
Current assignee: Domtar Inc
Priority date: 1968-03-02
Filing date: 1969-02-12
Publication date: 1970-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1987-04-28

Description

April 28, 1970 STANQY ETAL TIE LOADERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1969 a .I..I L

T E m s A mwB TN M Mn Ink II '0 BE MG PATENT AGE April 28, 1970 "M. STANOY ETAL TIE LOADERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1969 uul Jllllal IN VEN TOR S Marl: STANOY Georges .l. BARNETT PATENT AGE A ril 28, 1970 M. STANOY ET 3,

' T IE LOADERS Filed Feb. 12, 1969 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS Mark STANOY Georges J. BARNETT PA TENT AG; NT

United States Patent O Int. Cl. B65 67/12 U.S. Cl. 214--41 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tie loading apparatus comprising a carriage having a casting mechanism an element of which rotates to engage, accelerate and throw a tie from the carriage, along and off the free end of a pair of extendible slides projecting laterally from said carriage.

The present invention relates to loaders, more specifically to an apparatus especially adapted to load ties or the like into box cars.

To applicants knowledge no suitable, simple apparatus is available for loading rigid, non-flowable material into box cars. Some devices have been proposed for this purpose as evidenced by Canadian Patents 414,542, 518,596, 559,944, 513,002 and 691,591, but on review of these patents it is immediately apparent that such devices are complicated and cumbersome to operate and therefore would not be suitable for the handling of ties.

It is thus the main object of the present invention to provide a box car loader that is relatively uncomplicated and is specifically adapted for handling heavy rugged materials that are not easily damaged.

Broadly, the present invention comprises -a carriage movable into and out of a box car, extendible slide means projecting laterally of said carriage, casting means mounted on said carriage and positioned to engage an article fed to said carriage, means to actuate said casting mechanism to accelerate and propel said article along said slide means and off the end of said slide means remote from said carriage.

Further features, objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity of illustration.

FIG. 2 is a section along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial end view of the casting mechanism, illustrating the shape of the beaver tails and the mounting of the slide arms. I

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the layout of the infeed conveyor, casting mechanism and the mounting for the casting mechanism.

. FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a specific profile for a beaver tail for use with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of another form of slide mechanism.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises five main operating sections; the live bottom platform 10, the elevator 20, the tie turner 30, the infeed conveyor 40 and the casting mechanism 50 which cooperate to load a tie into a box car 100 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1

Ties 11 are unloaded onto the platform in any suitable manner, preferably by driving a tram-load of ties past a fixed bumper which contacts the ties and prevents same from travelling with the tram. The platform 10 has a frame 24 which supports a shaft 18 adjacent the elevator 20 and a second shaft (not shown) at the opposite end of 3,508,672 Patented Apr. 28, 1970 the frame 24. On each of said shafts are mounted spaced sprocket wheels 14 and 16 (only one of each shown) and entrained around these sprocket wheels are a pair of conveyor chains 12 which form a conveyor mechanism to deliver ties to the elevator 20.

In the illustrated embodiment, the elevator 20 consists of a frame 26 and a pair of conveyor chains 28 and 29 mounted on pairs of

sprockets

32 and 34 which, in turn, are fixed to shafts 18 and 36. The chains 28 and 29 are provided with a plurality of dogs 38 to engage the opposite ends of a tie 11 and lift same up to the turning mechanism 30 and infeed conveyor 40.

As shown, the turning mechanism 30 includes a chain 42 provided with projections or flights 44 which engage one side of each tie 11. The chain 42 is mounted on a drive sprocket 46 and a sprocket 48 which is keyed to the shaft 36. A projection or abutment pin 52 extends above the infeed conveyor 40 adjacent its infeed end and on the opposite side of the infeed conveyor to chain 42. This pin 52 engages and prevents the advance of one end of a tie, while the opposite end is carried forward by the conveyor chain 42 whereby the tie is turned and slides into alignment with the infeed conveyor 40.

The infeed conveyor mechanism 40 in the illustrated embodiment comprises a belt 58 trained about rollers 60 (only one shown, see FIG. 2) mounted at opposite ends of the conveyor frame 70. Extending upward at an angle from opposite sides of the belt 58 are inclined

slides

62 and 64 which aid in completing the turning of the ties and ensure that the ties are aligned on the belt 58, These

slides

62 and 64 have been shown as extending the full length of the conveyor 58 but may be substantially shortened and need only extend slightly past the turning mechanism 40. An idle roller 66 mounted on suitable frame member 68 projecting above the conveyor 40 adjacent the end of the conveyor 40 nearest the car 100 contacts the upper surface of a tie and prevents same from tipping downwardly off the end of the conveyor until it clears the roller. The roller may in many cases be omitted.

The conveyor 40, turning mechanism 30, and one end of the elevator 20 are mounted on a suitable frame 70 which in turn is mounted on extendible posts 72 (four shown). ,Slung beneath the frame 70 by suitable support means are a drive motor 74 and speed reducer 76 that power the conveyor 12, the elevator 20, the turning mechanism 30 and the infeed conveyor 40, in a manner to be described hereinbelow.

The speed reducer 76 drives a sprocket 78 which drives shaft 80 via chain 82 and a sprocket (not shown) keyed to this shaft. Also keyed to the shaft 80 is thesprocket 46 forming part of the turning mechanism 30 and operating to drive the chain 42. Chain 42 in turn, through sprocket 48, drives shaft 36 and

therebysprockets

34 and 32. The chains 28 and 29 deliver power to the

other sprockets

32 and 34 connected to the shaft 18 and this shaft in turn, through sprockets 14 and 16 drives the conveyor chain 12. Conveyor belt 58 is driven via sprocket and chain 92 which chain 92 is trained about a second sprocket (not shown) keyed to the shaft 80. Other suitable drive means such as individual hydraulic or electric motors may be used if desired.

On the opposite side of the car 100, from the above described mechanisms, is a platform 101 supported on suitable extendible pillers 102 (only two shown). The platform 101 has a pair of

side rails

104 and 106 that slideably engage

channel members

108 and 110 which suspend the casting mechanism 50 (as shown in FIG. 3). The

side rails

104 and 106 each have a substantially horizontal bottom flange 112, the free end of which is bent back upon itself to form a track as shown at 114 to slideably receive the bottom flange 116 of each of the

channel members

108 and 110. The

channel members

108 and 110 may be extended and retracted along the tracks 114 by any suitable mechanisms, such as a hydraulic cylinder (not shown).

The casting mechanism 50 comprises a rectangular frame 120 mounted on the two channel members 108- and 110 described above. A plurality of transversely extending rollers 122 (three shown) are mounted on the upper surface of the frame 120 in suitable bearings 124. A shaft 126 carrying a pair of spaced

beaver tail elements

128 and 130 extends axially of the frame 120' and is mounted at one end in a bearing 132 and at the other end by means of a driving mechanism 134. The driving mechanism 134 is adapted to rotate the shaft 126 in either direction to cast the ties in opposite lateral directions from the frame 120. This drive mechanism 134 may comprise any suitable drive means such as a hydraulic motor or the like.

The

casting elements

128 and 130 are formed with specially contoured surfaces 136 and 138 (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) to contact the ties with one of said faces leading when the shaft 126 is rotated in one direction, and the other said face leading and contacting the ties when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction. The curvature of these faces is preferably such that the tie is contacted by the

beaver tails

128 and 130 and is substantially uniformly accelerated and the required amount of energy applied to the tie to force same off the end of the skids. Thus the

beaver tails

128 and 130 are preferably designed to maintain contact between the

surfaces

136 or 138 and the tie from the time the surface engages the tie until the surface has been rotated to a position below the bottom of the tie. In other words, the

beaver tails

128 and 130 are designed to impart the required energy to the tie over a period of time rather than by substantially instantaneous impact. The dimensions given in FIG. 5 are for a preferred form of beaver tail designed to handle ties of average dimensions 7 x 8 and wherein the ties to be handled do not deviate from these dimensions by more than 3" and generally less than 2". With the arrangement illustrated it is important that the ties be positioned with their axes extending in a vertical plane containing the axis of shaft 126. A slight mispositioning of the ties laterally of this plane will not materially affect operation, but the apparatus will not operate properly if the ties are shifted as much as 3".

At the end of the frame 120 remote from the infeed conveyor 40 is an abutment plate 140, and mounted behind the plate 140 is a micro-switch (not shown) which activates the

beaver tails

128 and 130 through the driving mechanism 134.

A pair of

slides

142 and 144 each composed of

tubular telescoping sections

146 and 148 project one from each side of the frame 120. The

slides

142 and 144 are pivotably and slideably mounted on the frame 120 in any suitable manner which permits these slides in collapsed position to be withdrawn through the door of the box car, i.e. the sections 148 are telescoped within the sections 146 and the slides are pivoted into a position wherein the frame 120 and

slides

142 and 144 may be withdrawn through the door of the box car. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting is accomplished by a substantially U-shaped plate 150 having one leg of the U welded to the telescoping section 146 and a pin 152 on the other leg of the U which pin is slideably and pivotably received within a slot 154 in a plate 156 welded to the frame 120 (see FIG. 3). Any suitable means such as hydraulic cylinders may be used to move the slide sections 146 to and from the collapsed position in which the frame 120- may be removed from the car 100 and to hold the slides in operative position.

The frame 120 is supported in the car 100 by supporting links 160 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) releasably connecting the frame 120 within the frame 70 of the infeed conveyor. Any suitable coupling between the link 160 and the

frames

120 and 70 may be used, but care must be taken to ensure that the links 160* can be easily released and can be retracted to permit the cars to be positioned between the infeed conveyor and the platform 10-1.

The tie loading mechanism of the instant invention is operated as follows: First, a box car 100 is moved into position between the infeed conveyor 40 and the platform 101. The frame of the casting mechanism 50 is then slid into the open door of the car 100 and the links 160' are connected between the

frames

120 and 70 to help support the casting mechanism. In some cases it may be desirable to adjust the height of the platform 10 1 and the frame 70 before the caster is slid into the car 100. When the frame 120 is mounted within the car 100 the

slides

142 and 144 may be pivoted into operative position and extended as desired.

With the casting mechanism 50 in position as above described and ties loaded onto the platform 10, the motor 74 is started thereby to drive the conveyor chains 12, 28, 29 and 42 and the belt 58. Ties 11 are drawn along the platform 10 to the elevator 20 by the conveyor chains 12 and these ties are then lifted one at a time by the dogs 38 on the chains 28 and 29 forming the elevator 20. The ties pass from the top of the elevator 20 to the turning mechanism 30 where one end of the tie engages the stop pin 52 while the other end is conveyed forward by the chain 42 thereby turning the tie through 90. As the end of the tie leaves the conveyor chain 42 it slides down the incline formed by the plate 62 while the opposite end of the tie slides down the incline plate 64 thereby completing the 90 turning of the tie and aligning the tie properly on the conveyor belt 58.

The conveyor belt 58 axially advances the ties into the car 100. As the tie leaves the conveyor belt 58 the upper surface of the tie is engaged by the upper roller 66 which prevents the leading end of the tie from falling down and directs same onto the rollers 122 forming part of the casting mechanism 50. The tie, free of conveyor 58 and roll 66, advances by its momentum on rollers 122 and engages the abutment plate which actuates a microswitch which in turn operates the motor or power means 134 which rotates the shaft 126 and

beaver tails

128 and 130. The

beaver tails

128 and 130 engage the tie at spaced locations and accelerate it in a direction transverse to its axis in the manner described hereinabove thereby casting the tie along

slide

142 or 144 depending on which way the shaft is rotated to place the ties into the car. As the car 100 is filled the

slide

142 and 144 is telescoped as required and eventually are pivoted to inoperative position. After the car 100 has been filled to the point Where the casting mechanism becomes unnecessary, the links are uncoupled and the frame 120 and casting mechanism 50 are retracted from the car 100 onto the platform 101. The filling of the car may then be completed using only the infeed conveyor 40.

The present invention may also be used to load gondola cars by positioning the casting mechanism 50 and the slides, etc. above the top of the car.

An alternative form of retractable slide means has been illustrated in FIG. 6-. In this arrangement the length of each of the

retractable arms

200, 202 and 204 (similar to, and replacing, the

arms

146 and 148 shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) may be extended by pivotably mounting the larger section 200 on pivot means 201, which in turn is hung beneath the frame 120 on a rotatable turntable 206 whereby the

sections

200, 202 and 204 may be turned from a position parallel to the frame 120 to a position perpendicular to this frame. The turntable 206 is supported from a ring member 208 by means of suitable roller means 210 (only two shown), and the member 208 is in turn hung from the frame 120 by suitable posts 212 and the cross members 214 (only one shown). A suitable dog or catch mechanism 216 which, in the illustrated arrangement, cooperates with a projecting rim 218 on the ring 208, functions to hold the

arms

200, 202 and 204 in one of a plurality of different set positions into which the arms may be moved by pivoting on pivot means 201. Three positions have been illustrated, one by solid lines, another by dot lines and a third by dot dash lines. In the FIG. 6 arrangement the ties are not supported directly by the

sections

200, 202 and 204, but by a pair of spaced apart cables 216 (only one shown) connected to the free ends of the sections 204 trained over a pair of spaced pulleys 218, mounted on the frame 120, and wound on winding drums 220 mounted on shaft 222. The winding drums 220 are supported below the turntable 206 by suitable bracket means 224. Only one set of

sections

200, 202 and 204 have been shown, but obviously a second set mounted adjacent to the first but projecting in the opposite direciton may also be provided.

In operation the frame 120 is moved into position Within the car, as above described, with the

sections

200, 202 and 204 in telescope position and aligned with the direction of movement of the frame 120 into the car. Next, the

sections

200, 202 and 204 are rotated with turntable 206 to a position perpendicular to the frame 120, and the

sections

200, 202 and 204 are extended and pivoted about pivot means 201 to their lowermost position. The cables 216 may then be positioned over pulleys 218 and be connected to the free end of sections 204, and the drums 220 turned by suitable means connected to the shaft 222 to tighten the cables 216. A plurality of ties are then slid down the cables 216 and onto the floor of the car until it becomes necessary to lift the tion (solid line position illustrated), which simply resections 200, 202 and 204 to their next higher posiquires releasing the dog 215 and tightening the cables 216 to lift the free ends of sections 204. A second plurality of ties are slid along the cables 216 until the

sections

200, 202 and 204 require raising again and thereafter the

sections

200, 202 and 204 are raised to their highest position wherein the cables 216 are substantially level and filling of an area of the car with ties may be completed. (Whether the sections are raised to their highest position is determined by the height to which the car is to be loaded.) After that area has been filled, the

sections

200, 202 and 204 are telescoped by increasing the tension on cables 216 while leaving the sections locked in position by dog 215. With the

sections

200, 202 and 204 in telescope position more ties are slid along the cables 216 to fill another area of the car. The procedure is carried on until one side of the car has been filled and then the

sectiions

200, 202 and 204 are turned on turntable 206 through 180, extended, and the other end of the car loaded. To complete the filling, the casting mechanism 50 may then be removed from the car and the last few ties loaded directly from the conveyor 40. By following the above procedure the ties automatically pile into the car in such a manner that they tend to lean against the end of the car.

Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the illustrated arrangernent includes the roll 66 to prevent tipping of the ties and this means may, in many cases, be deleted. Also, the various conveyors have been described as being driven from a single power source, but obviously it is possible, and in some cases preferred, to use individual motors, such as hydraulic motors, to drive one or more of these conveyors.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for loading ties into a vehicle comprising a carriage, extendible slide means projecting laterally from said carriage and terminating in a free end, casting means, said casting means including an element mounted for rotation on a rotational axis on said carriage, means to rotate said element, said element having a tie engaging surface, said surface being specifically contoured to contact, substantially uniformly accelerate and cast a tie along said slide means and off said free end when said element is rotated on said rotational axis.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage includes means to support a tie and wherein said rotational axis is in a vertical plane substantially in alignment with the axis of a tie on said support,

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotational axis is below said support.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said casting means comprises a pair of said elements spaced on said carriage and interconnected to act in synchronism to engage, accelerate and cast said tie along said slide.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said extendible slide means is mounted on a turntable slung beneath said carriage and wherein said slide means is rotatable with said turntable from a position substantially aligned with the axis of said carriage to a lateral position substantially perpendicular to said axis of said carriage.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said extendible slide means is pivotably mounted on said turntable on a pivot means, the pivotable axis of which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said turntable.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said slide means comprises telescopic arms and spaced cables extending between said carriage and said free end, said cables being above said arms and providing the surface of said slide means along which said ties are slid and means for retractably mounting said cables on said carriage.

8. An apparatus for loading ties onto a vehicle comprising a carriage, means to support said carriage for axial movement to a loading position relative to said vehicle and a retracted position clear of said vehicle, a turntable slung beneath said carriage, a pair of spaced telescoping arms pivotably mounted on said turntable on an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said turntable, cables extending from the free ends of said arms to said carriage, means for adjusting the length of said cables as required when said arms are in different extended positions, casting means including a pair of spaced elements rotatably mounted on said carriage on a rotational axis substantially aligned with said axis of said carriage and means to rotate said elements, each of said elements having a tie engaging surface specifically contoured to contact, substantially uniformly accelerate and cast a tie presented to said carriage along said cables and oif the free ends of said arms when said elements are rotated on said rotational axis.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said rotational axis and the axis of a tie presented to said carriage before actuation of said elements are in substantially the same vertical plane.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 further comprising means to present a tie to said carriage, said means to present comprising means to laterally convey said tie, means to turn said tie through means to axially ad vance said tie onto said carriage and abutment means on said carriage to sense said tie and to actuate said elements and wherein said carriage is mounted for movement between a loading and a retracted position relative to said vehicle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1926 Shipley 214-41 7/1967 Bilocq 198-24 US. Cl. X.R.