US3612184A

US3612184A - Mobile ballast sweeping and redistribution machine

Info

Publication number: US3612184A
Application number: US803570A
Authority: US
Inventors: Franz Plasser; Josef Theurer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1968-03-20
Filing date: 1969-03-03
Publication date: 1971-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-12
Also published as: JPS4838563B1; AT306773B; CH505253A; FR2004315A1; SU508224A3; DE1800144A1; GB1260400A

Abstract

A mobile ballast sweeping and redistributing machine comprises a rotary broom, ballast conveyor means continuously operable independently of the machine movement for conveying the swept ballast away from the broom, and means for the continuous redistribution of the ballast received from the conveyor means.

Description

United States Patent Inventors Franz Plasser;

Josef Theurer, both of Johannesgasse 3,

1010 Vienna, Austria Appl. No. 803,570 Filed Mar. 3, 1969 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Priority Mar. 20, 1968 Austria MOBILE BALLAST SWEEPING AND REDISTRIBUTION MACHINE 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 171/16 E0lb 27/00 Field ofSearch 171/16; 104/7 [56] Renal/Sims Cited UNITED STATES- PATENTS 1,918,348 7/1933 Neddermyer 171/16 2,196,880 4/1940 Van Voorhis et aL. 171/16 2,899,759 8/1959 Campbell 171/16 x 3,426,379 2/1969 Holley et al...- 171/16 x Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Attorney-Kurt Kelrnan ABSTRACT: A mobile ballast sweeping and redistributing machine comprises a rotary broom, ballast conveyormeans continuously operable independently of the machine movement for conveying the swept ballast away from the broom, and means for the continuous redistribution of the ballast received from the conveyor means.

PATENTEU OCT 1 2 l97| SHEET 2 0F 2 INVIN'I'OIS FRANZ PL ASSER JOSEF THEURER HGGNT MOBILE BALLAST SWEEPING AND REDISTRIBUTION MACHINE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in a mobile machine for sweeping ballast off a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties and for redistributing the swept ballast.

Known machines of this type comprise a substantially horizontally extendingrotary broom extending transversely'of the track and having preferably elastic sweeping elements extending radially from the rotary axle of the broom to contact respective ones of the ties in the operating position of the broom. Means is preferably provided to adjust the rotary broom vertically to move it into an inoperative position, and a ballast conveyor means is arranged to receive and remove ballast swept by the broom off the track. I

It is the primary object of this invention to improve machines of this type so that they will be capable of continuously and effectively distributing the ballast over desired areas of the track.

This and other objects of the invention are accomplished by making the ballast conveyor means continuously operable independently of the machine movement, particularly while the machine moves in a working direction, to convey ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom, and means for the continuous redistribution of the ballast is associated with the ballast conveyor means. It is within the scope of this invention for the redistribution means to be part of the conveyor means.

It is an essential feature of the present invention to provide independent drive means for the conveyor means so that the conveyor may be continuously operated independently of the speed of the moving machine, or when the machine stands still. It is equally essential that the broom continuously delivers swept ballast to the conveyor means so that the broom serves not only to sweep the ballast but to supply ballast in a continuous flow to the means for redistributing the same in desired areas of the track.

While the conveyor means may take various forms, a preferred embodiment comprises an endless conveyor extending at an angle to the track rails, preferably transversely thereto, the conveyor being arranged indirectly to receive swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements and having a ballast discharge end, and an elongated endless conveyor having a ballast-receiving end arranged to receive the ballast discharged at the discharge end and a ballast discharge end discharging the conveyed ballast to the redistribution means. I

The conveyor means preferably take the form of endless conveyor bands, endless chain conveyors, endless link conveyors, or endless bucket conveyors, the bands, chains or links being provided with suitable ballast-engaging elements to take the ballast along on the moving conveyors.

As indicated hereinabove, the ballast redistribution means may be part of the conveyor means. However, according to a preferred embodiment, a separate ballast-distributing arrangement is associated with the discharge end of a preferably upwardly inclined elongated ballast conveyor forming part of the conveyor means. The ballast-redistributing means may include a plow, a chute system, a ballast-cleaning device and/or a ballast storage receptacle having discharge parts for selectively discharging stored ballast to the track.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The above and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of two now preferred embodiments thereof, which are provided merely to illustrate the principles of the invention, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. I is a schematic side view of one embodiment of a mobile machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1 taken in the direction of arrow II in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of another embodiment; FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 3 taken in the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 3; and FIG. 4a shows a modification of the apparatus of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals in all figures indicate like parts operating in a like manner, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a mobile machine including a frame 1 on which an operators cabin 2 is mounted, and which is mounted for mobility on a track for moving in the working direction indicated by the arrow W in FIG. 1. Running gears 5 and 6 support the frame on the track which includes two rails 7 mounted on ties 8 which rest on ballast 9. The drive means 3 for operating the machine are mounted at the front end of the machine, as is a vertically adjustable ballast plow 4 designed for coarse levelling and corresponding redistribution of ballast as the machine advances in the working direction, and when the plow is lowered into a ballast-engaging position.

The rear end of the machine frame 1 carries a rotary broom 10 of generally conventional form, consisting of a rotary axle 10 a extending at least substantially horizontally and transversely of the track, and a multiplicity of sweeping elements 10b which are radially extending, elastic members arranged to contact at least the upper surfaces of respective ties when the broom has been lowered into its operating position.

Upwardly extending sheet metal guide 11 is associated with the broom to receive swept ballast from the sweeping elements of the broom and guide it upwardly to a pair of

endless conveyors

12, 12 arranged to receive swept ballast indirectly, i.e. via the guide 11. The conveyors extend at an angle, i.e. perpendicularly, to the track rails, and each conveyor includes an endless conveyor band moving in opposite directions toward their respective discharge ends 12'. The ballast receiving end 13 of an elongated endless conveyor 13 is arranged centrally between the two conveyor bands to receive the ballast from the discharge ends 12' of the endless conveyor bands. The elongated endless conveyor 13 is upwardly inclined to move the ballast towards the discharge end l3" of the conveyor, a series of ballast-engaging elements 136 being provided on the conveyor to hold the ballast thereon during the upward movement.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the conveyor pair l2, 12 is mounted above the receiving end 13' of conveyor 13 so that the ballast will drop from the discharge ends 12' of the conveyors l2, 12 to the receiving end 13 of the conveyor 13.

Broom l0, conveyor bands l2, l2 and the lower or receiving end 13' of conveyor 13 are mounted in a common housing 14 to form a unit which is carried by swivel arms l4", 14''. Hydraulic motors 14a are provided for operating the swivel arms and thus to make it possible to lift the entire unit from the operating to an inoperative position, or even slightly to adjust the height of the broom 10 in relation to the ballast bed and/or the ties.

The unit 14 also includes a ballast-levelling device 14' to level the ballast bed outside the rails. This unit constitutes a continuously operating ballast-conveying means and, according to the invention, a continuously operating ballast-redistributing means is associated with the conveying mea'ns, two preferred redistributing means being illustrated but many other embodiments thereof being within the skill of the art.

In the embodiment of FIGS. I and 2, the ballast redistributing means includes a ballast storage receptacle 15 mounted adjacent the discharge end 13" of conveyor 13 and therebelow to receive the ballast from the conveyor by gravity. The receptacle has one wall formed as a chute delivering ballast to a discharge port in the bottom 15" of the receptacle. The discharge port may be selectively opened and closed by means of a pivotal closure operated by hydraulic motoi' 15" to redistribute the ballast.

another embodiment off the ballast-redistributing means is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, only those portions of the machine being described hereinafter which differ from the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 to avoid repetition. A ballast delivery control device 16, which takes the form of a chute, is arranged adjacent the discharge end 13" of conveyor 13 and is designed selectively to direct the conveyed ballast to a pair of

endless conveyor bands

17, 17 mounted adjacent to the chute and extending transversely of the track. The inclination of chute 16 is adjustable to control the amount of the ballast directed to the one and/or the other conveyor band 17, depending on the roadbed conditions and the amount of the ballast required for redistribution in a given track area. The discharge ends of the conveyor bands 17 deliver the selected and controlled amount of ballast to the ballast receiving ends of a pair of elongated

endless conveyor bands

18, 18 which extend adjacent and substantially parallel to the track rails in the general direction of the track.

The elongated conveyor bands 18 serve solely to distribute the ballast over desired areas of the roadbed and are mounted for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane (see arrows R in FIG. 4) on pivots 18', 18'. The discharge ends of these conveyor bands are in the range of rotary broom for redistributing the ballast in this area of the track. The conveyors shown in full lines in FIG. 4 extend with their discharge ends rearwardly beyond the broom while the modified version shown in FIG. 40 uses shorter conveyors 118 whose discharge ends extend to a point in front of the broom.

Since the speed of movement of the

conveyor bands

17, 17, as well as of

conveyors

18, 18, may be varied, the direction of the movement of these conveyors may be reversed, as shown by

arrows

17a, 17b and 18a, 18b, respectively, and the length and lateral position of

conveyors

18, 18 may be changed, too, as shown by the modifications illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 4a; the amount and exact location of ballast discharge to the track may be controlled very closely.

While the invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood that many modifications and variations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

ll. A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, and further including a transversely extending endless conveying means, the rotary broom being arranged to move the swept ballast towards the transversely extending conveying means, and the transversely extending conveying means having a ballast discharge end arranged to discharge the ballast received from the broom on the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation, and means arranged to receive the conveyed ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said ballast-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at selected points of the ballast bed, and said transversely extending conveying means comprising a pair of endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-discharging end, and further comprising a ballast guide being mounted between the rotary broom and the endless conveyor bands, the ballast guide being arranged to guide the swept ballast from the broom to the endless conveyor bands, the ballast-conveying means extendreceiving end arran ed to receive the ballast from the discharging ends of t e conveyor bands, the conveyor bands moving in opposite directions each towards the respective discharge end.

2. The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising means for vertically adjusting the rotary broom.

3. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the rotary broom sweeping elements are radially extending, elastic members.

4. The mobile machine of claim 1, further comprising a frame mounted for mobility on the track and having a front end and a rear end, as determined by the working direction of the machine, the rear end of the machine frame carrying a unit including the broom and the ballast conveyor means, and pressure-fluid-operated means for lifting the unit from the operating position of the broom to an inoperative position.

5. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation is mounted between the elongated conveyor bands and has a ballast discharge end, and further comprising a pair of transversely extending endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-receiving end and a ballast discharge end, the latter conveyor bands, moving in opposite directions each towards the respective discharge end, and the receiving ends of the latter conveyor bands, the ballast-conveying means being mounted between the latter conveyor bands with the discharge end of the ballast-conveying means being adjacent the receiving ends of the latter conveyor bands, and the discharge ends of the latter conveyor bands being adjacent the elongated conveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation.

6. The mobile machine of claim 5, wherein each of said elongated conveyor bands has a ballast discharge end adjacent the rotary broom.

7. The mobile machine of claim 1, wherein the ballast-redistributing means includes a ballast storage receptacle and chute means associated with the receptacle for selectively discharging stored ballast to the track.

8. A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping ele ments of the broom in said direction, and means arranged to receive the conveyed ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said balance-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at points of the ballast bed, the ballastredistributing means including a pair of elongated conveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation, a respective one of the conveyor bands being arranged adjacent a respective one of the track rails, and said conveyor bands being pivotal about a vertical axis intermediate the ends thereof whereby the ends of the conveyor bands are in alignment with selected points of the ballast bed, and said ballastconveying means comprising an elongated endless conveyor having a ballast-receiving end arranged indirectly to receive the swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements and a ballast discharge end discharging the conveyed ballast to the ballast-redistributing means.

Claims

1. A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, and further including a transversely extending endless conveying means, the rotary broom being arranged to move the swept ballast towards the transversely extending conveying means, and the transversely extending conveying means having a ballast discharge end arranged to discharge the ballast received from the broom on the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation, and means arranged to receive the conveyed ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said ballast-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at selected points of the ballast bed, and said transversely extending conveying means comprising a pair of endless conveyor bands each having a ballast-discharging end, and further comprising a ballast guide being mounted between the rotary broom and the endless conveyor bands, the ballast guide being arranged to guide the swept ballast from the broom to the endless conveyor bands, the ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation being mounted between the endless conveyor bands and having a ballast receiving end arranged to receive the ballast from the discharging ends of the conveyor bands, the conveyor bands moving in opposite directions each towards the respective discharge end.

8. A mobile machine mounted for mobility on a railroad track including two rails mounted on ties, for sweeping ballast off the ballast bed and ties and for redistributing the swept ballast on the ballast bed, comprising a substantially horizontally extending rotary broom extending transversely of the track and having ballast-sweeping elements arranged to contact respective ones of the ties and the ballast bed in an operating position of the broom, a ballast conveyor means arranged to receive and remove the ballast swept by the broom, the ballast conveyor means including a ballast-conveying means extending in the direction of track elongation and being continuously operable to convey the ballast received from the sweeping elements of the broom in said direction, and means arranged to receive the conveyed Ballast from the ballast-conveying means and to redistribute the received ballast to the ballast bed, which includes the improvement of said balance-redistributing means including ballast discharge means selectively discharging the received ballast at points of the ballast bed, the ballast-redistributing means including a pair of elongated conveyor bands extending in the direction of track elongation, a respective one of the conveyor bands being arranged adjacent a respective one of the track rails, and said conveyor bands being pivotal about a vertical axis intermediate the ends thereof whereby the ends of the conveyor bands are in alignment with selected points of the ballast bed, and said ballast-conveying means comprising an elongated endless conveyor having a ballast-receiving end arranged indirectly to receive the swept ballast from the rotary broom sweeping elements and a ballast discharge end discharging the conveyed ballast to the ballast-redistributing means.