US3698324A - Machine for inserting ties beneath a railroad track - Google Patents

Abstract

Ties dumped on the rails are withdrawn individually into a guide sleeve mounted on a tie inserting mechanism extending laterally from an on-track vehicle. The sleeve is then lowered to a location beneath the track and the withdrawn tie is pushed under the track and against an old tie to force the latter out. The track may be jacked up during this operation.

Description

United States Patent Peppin et al. 1 Oct. 17, 1972 [54] MACHINE FOR INSERTING TIES 2,735,375 2/1956 Hesemann ..l04/9 BENEATH A RAILROAD TRACK 3,144,833 8/1964 Christoff et a] ..l04/9 [72] Inventors: Richard Peppin; Lawrence 3,294,033 12/1966 Bli t, Jr. et al. ..l04/9 Trottochau, both of Minneapolis, Kmffen Minn 3,306,232 2/1967 Holley ..l04/6 [73] Assignee: Manni r Construction, Inc., Minprimmy G 1 M Fofl za neapohs, Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch [22] Filed; 3, 7 Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [2l] App]. No.: 94,749 57 ABSTRACT Ties dumped on the rails are withdrawn individually [52] U.S. Cl. ..104/9 into a guide Sleeve mounted on a tie inserting [51] i mechanism extending laterally from an on-track vehi- [58] new of Search l cle. The sleeve is then lowered to a location beneath 56 R f d the track and the withdrawn tie is pushed under the l I e erences l e track and against an old tie to force the latter out. The

UNITED STATES PATENTS track may be jacked up during this operation. 3,537,400 1 H1970 Taylor ..l04/9 11 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENTEnnm n 1912 SHEET 03 OF PATENTEDum 1 1 1912 SHEET 0h 0F PATENTE U ET 17 I973 3,698,324

SHEET USUF 10 PATENTEflucI 11 1912 SHEET 07 0F PATENTEDucI 17 :912

SHEET [38 0F PATENTEDUBI 17 1972 SHEET 0 9 BF mm 9% O wn ww P'ATENTEDncI 11 I912 SHEET 10 0F beneath a railroad track.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of simultaneously inserting a new tie and forcing an old tie being replaced out from beneath the track.

A further object is to provide a machine capable of inserting a tie beneath the track with a higher degree of accuracy than has hitherto been possible, i.e., with a greater probability that the tie will come to rest lying accurately transversely of the direction of extent of the track.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specific example.

One machine constructed according to the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that this machine is shown by way of example only, and not as limiting the broad scope of the invention, which latter is defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a small scale plan view of the machine;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the machine of FIG. 1 showing the mechanism in a first position, this view being taken on the line II-II in FIG. 7;

a FIG. 2a is a section on Ila-Ila of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3 to 7 are views similar to FIG. 2, but each showing the mechanism in a further position in its sequence of operation;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the machine, as seen from the left of FIG. 2;

. FIG. 8 is an enlarged and partially cut away side view of a guide sleeve forming part of the machine and taken on the line VlIl-VIII in FIG. 9;

FIG. 9 is a view taken on the line IXIX in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary section taken on the line X-X in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing a tie clamp mechanism in the guide sleeve;

FIG. 12 is a section on the line XII-Xll in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary section taken on= the line XIII-XIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13, but showing the parts in a different position;

FIG. 15 is a large scale fragmentary view of a tie foot forming part of the machine and demonstrating its mode of operation;

FIG. 16 is a section on the line XVI-XVI in and FIG. 17 is a view of the parts of FIG. 16 in a different position demonstrating a further function that they perform.

FIG. 15;

THE VEHICLE (FIGS. 1 AND 7).

The machine illustrated comprises an on-track vehicle shown generally at 10, having track wheels 11. The vehicle 10 includes a diesel engine 12 or other source of motive power both for driving traction motors (not shown) connected to a pair of the wheels 11 and for energizing the various hydraulic cylinders described below. The vehicle 10 also includes an operator's seat 14 and a control console 15.

THE TIE INSERTING MECHANISM FIGS. 1, 2 and Brackets 20 projecting forwardly from the vehicle 10 support the top and bottom of a vertical sleeve 21 to which a pair of parallel main plates 22 of a tie inserting mechanism 23 are welded, so as to be pivotally mounted on the vehicle. By this method of mounting, the mechanism 23 can be manually rotated from the full line of the broken line position of FIG. 1, i.e., to operate from laterally beyond whichever side of the track is desired. Additionally the mechanism 23 can be turned to extend directly forwardly along the track, a position used when the machine is not in operation but is required to be able to travel along the track without striking adjacent objects.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the pivot plates 22 support a pair of horizontal pins 24 and 25 about which arms 26 and 27 are respectively pivotally mounted. At their remote ends the arms 26 and 27 support horizontal pins 28 and 29 to each of which a guide sleeve 19 is pivotally connected. The piston of a hydraulic cylinder 30 is connected to a small bracket 31 secured to the arm 26, the other end of the cylinder 30 being connected by a pin 32 to the plates 22. Expansion and contraction of the cylinder 30 moves the arms 26, 27, which, together with the plates 22 and the guide sleeve 19, form a parallelogram mechanism. Compare the position of FIG. 2 with that of FIG. 5, for example. Adjustable stops 33 and 34 mounted on a segment 35 fixed to a plate 22 define the limits of this movement.

Also pivoted around the pin 24 is one end of a floating arm 36, the other end of which supports a further pin 37 that pivotally mounts an insertion arm 38. At an upper end of the insertion arm 38 there is connected the piston of a further hydraulic cylinder 39, mounted at its other end on a bracket 40 secured to the floating arm 36. The lower end of the insertion arm 38 is bent inwardly to provide a lower portion 38a on which a tie clamp mechanism 41 is mounted.

Brackets 42 are secured to each side of the floating arm 36 to project outwardly therefrom. They each support a sleeve 43 in which a rod 44 slides. The lower ends of the rods 44 are connected to respective brackets 45 that are supported by the main plates 22 through the pin 25. Springs 46 surround the rods 44 between the brackets 41 and 45 to urge these brackets apart, thus acting to support some or all of the weight of the floating arm 36 and the parts supported thereby, principally the insertion arm 38 and the cylinder 39. The springs nevertheless permit downward movement of the arm 36 relative to the main plates 22, as demonstrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6.

THE GUIDE SLEEVE FIGS. 8 TO 12 The structure of the guide sleeve 19 is best appreciated from FIGS. 8 to 12. It consists of side walls 50 and 51, a bottom wall 52 and an upper wall 60 interrupted by a central slot 60a. Mounted on the bottom wall 52 are a pair of slides 53 each arranged adjacent a respective side walls 50, 51. The slides 53 are mounted on the bottom wall 52 for vertical sliding movement by means of pins 54 and are held up by springs 55, the limit of upward movement normally being determined by a pair of side plates 56, 57 which are resiliently mounted in respective side walls 50, 51, being urged inwardly by springs 58 (see FIG. Fixed, downwardly facing slide plates 59 are arranged above the upper edges of the plates 56, 57, the plates 59 being secured to the fixed framework of the guide sleeve.

The slot 60a formed in the upper wall 60, combined with the lateral spacing of the slides 53 and plates 59 provides the guide sleeve 19 with a central, elongated passageway along which the tie clamp mechanism 41 can travel and in which a tie 71 can be slidingly received and guided. FIGS. 11 and 12 show the tie clamp mechanism 41 mounted on the end of the insertion arm portion 38a and located in this passageway.

THE TIE CLAMP MECHANISM (FIGS. 1 1 AND 12).

The framework 61 of the tie clamp mechanism 41 carries rollers 62 which travel along guideways 63 formed between members 64 and 65 secured to the side walls 50 and 51 of the guide sleeve 19. Co-operation between the rollers 62 and the guideways 63 ensures proper horizontal and vertical positioning as well as proper orientation of the tie clamp mechanism 41 within the guide sleeve 19. Inward travel of the mechanism 41, i.e., further to the right in FIG. 11, is limited by an adjustable stop 66 on the framework 61, which stop abuts a fixed stop 67. The position of the stop 67 may be adjustable, or more than one stop can be used, to accommodate different lengths of ties, in order that they always be positioned correctly under the rails.

A tie clamp device composed of a number of hooked feet 68 is pivotally mounted by a pin 69 within the mechanism 41 and is operated by hydraulic cylinder 70. Expansion of this cylinder rotates the feet 68 anticlockwise to grip the under surface of the end of a tie 71, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper and end surfaces of the tie then respectively abutting downwardly and outwardly facing surfaces 72 and 73 of the framework 61 of tie clamp mechanism 41.

A transverse plate 74 extends across the underside of the framework 61 to ensure its structural rigidity.

The slides 53, plates 56, 57, 59 and member 64, 65 are all formed with out-turned ends 53a, 56a, 57a, 59a, 64a and 65a, respectively, to facilitate initial entry of the mechanism 41 and the tie 71 into the sleeve 19.

THE TIE LOADING MECHANISM (FIGS. 2, 2a AND Also pivotally mounted on the main vertical support by an inner sleeve 21a that can rotate within the sleeve 21, is a tie loading mechanism 80 which consists of an hydraulic cylinder 81 and a butt plate 82 mounted on the end of the cylinder piston 83. Contraction of the cylinder 81 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 3 will cause the butt plate 82 to force the tie 71 resting on the rails 84 to the left and into the tie clamp mechanism 41 for the purpose more fully described below.

THE TIE FOOT MECHANISM (FIG. 2 TO 6 AND TO 17).

A tie foot mechanism 85 is mounted on vertically extending rods 86 slidable in sleeves 87 secured to the vehicle just rearwardly of the main support sleeve 21.

An hydraulic cylinder 88 (FIGS. 15 to 17) is connected through a bracket 89 to a foot assembly 90 which consists of a horizontal hold-down plate 91 reinforced by ridges 92 and provided with upturned ends 93, and, secured to such plate 91, a vertical pusher plate 94.

The tie foot mechanism 85 serves two purposes. In its elevated position, shown in FIG. 2 and 17, the pusher plate 94 acts to push ties 71 along the top of the rails 84 in order to orient the first of these ties correctly with the tie loading mechanism and the guide sleeve 19. In its lowered position the tie foot mechanism brings its horizontal hold-down plate 91 to bear against a tie 71a that is in the process of being inserted beneath the rails 84 (FIGS. 6, l5 and 16).

THE RAIL JACKING SYSTEM (FIGS. 7, 13 AND 14) An optional portion of the machine is a rail jacking system mounted on the vehicle 10 slightly rearwardly of the tie inserting mechanism 23 as shown in FIG. 7.

This jacking system 100 consists of a pair of hydraulic jacks 101 located outwardly'of the ends of the track ties 102 and having feet 103 adapted to engage the road bed when the cylinders 101 are extended (FIG. 14). The system 100 also includes a pair of rail clamps 104 for engaging the heads of the rails 84, the clamps 104 being operated by hydraulic cylinders 105. These clamps 104 are suspended by pins 106 from the undercarriage 107 of the vehicle 10, so that expansion of the cylinders 101 serves to raise the entire vehicle as well as the rails 84, as shown in FIG. 14. This figure also demonstrates that the tie 102a, which is spiked to the rails 84 by means of tie plates 108 that engage grooves 109 in the tie, is also raised. It will be appreciated that this tie 102a is, as shown in FIG. 7, rearward of the tie inserting mechanism 23.

In contrast to the tie 102a (and all other ties that remain spiked to the rails and are hence elevated by the jacking system), the tie 102 located at the tie inserting mechanism 23 is not elevated at this time (compare FIGS. 4 and 5). The spikes of the tie 102 will have already been removed manually, since it had been judged to require replacement. The apparatus is thus capable of selective replacement of ties. Support members 1 11 depending from the vehicle carry tie plate holder magnets 110 that lift the tie plates 108 clear of the tie 102. The magnets 110 are optional, since, after raising the removed manually.

OPERATION OF THE MACHINE Prior to use of the machine, a series of new ties will have been dumped from a rail car at locations spaced along the rails 84. These ties are shown at 71 of FIGS. 2 and 7. They tend to form a bunch of two or three ties immediately in front of the machine. Each time the machine is moved forward by means of its traction motors, in order to align its tie inserting mechanism 23 with one of the old ties beneath the track, that is to be replaced, the vertical pusher plate 94 of the tie foot mechanism 85 will push the bunch of ties forward and align the rearmost one with the passageway in the guide sleeve 19 which is initially in its elevated position shown in FIG. 2.

The next stages in the operation are shown in FIG. 3 and consist of movement of the tie 71 to the left by the tie loading mechanism 80 and movement of the tie clamp mechanism 41 into its innermost position in the passageway in the guide sleeve 19 by expansion of the cylinder 39. The cylinder 70 is then actuated to cause the feet 68 to grasp the end of the tie 71 firmly.

The next motion is demonstrated by FIG. 4, being a contraction of the cylinder 39 to withdraw the mechanism 41 towards its outer position and thus to draw the tie 71 into the guide sleeve 19. The rail jacking system 100 is also actuated about this time to raise the rails 84, the tie plates 108 associated with the tie 102 being raised by the magnets 110, thus freeing the tie 102 beneath the track.

The next stage in the operation is to contract the cylinder 30 to the position shown in FIG. 5, which moves the guide sleeve 19 to its lowered position to align it, and hence the tie carried by it (now designated 710), with the old tie 102 already beneath the track. The cylinder 39 is then expanded to cause the end of the tie 71a to abut the end of the tie 102 and push the latter out from under the track, as shown in FIG. 5. Depending on track conditions, as a preliminary to this action it may be desirable for some or all of the ballast located at the left hand end of the tie 102, i.e., the ballast shown at 115 in FIG. 4, to be removed manually.

This action continue until, as shown in FIG. 6, the mechanism 41 has been fully inserted into the guide sleeve 19 and the new tie 71a placed beneath the track, the old tie 102 having been forced out to the side of the track for subsequent manual removal.

During movement of the ties under the track, and particularly that of the incoming tie 71a, the hold-down plate 91 of the tie foot mechanism 85 serves to guide the ties and especially to inhibite any tendency that the leading end of the incoming tie 71a might have to tilt upwardly and strike the far rail, as a result of resistance to its movement exerted by the ballast bed through which it travels.

When the tie replacement movements have been completed, the jacking system 100 is operated to lower the track and the rail clamps 104 are loosened to release the rails. The feet 68 of the tie clamp mechanism 41 are also released, this being the condition of the machine as shown in FIG. 6.

The guide sleeve 19 is raised; and the vehicle is moved forward by the operator to align it with the next tie beneath the track that is to be replaced, whereupon the foregoing operation is repeated.

It has been mentioned above that the jacking system 100 is optional. The reason the jacking system is pro vided is to enable the tie plates 108 to be lifted out of the grooves 109 of the tie to be replaced. These grooves may be deliberately formed in a new tie; but more often they arise as a result of use of the track, the grooves being cut by the tie plates which are forced down into the ties through the continual pounding of trains. In some tracks little or no such plate cutting of the ties is observed. The degree of plate cutting will normally be dependent on the weight and frequency of traffic, the age of the ties and the quality of the ties. It will thus be apparent that the present machine can dispense with the jacking system and still operate satisfactorily in locations where no appreciable plate cutting is observed. Even when some plate cutting is present it may still be possible to slide the tie plates out from between the ties and the rails manually in advance of the machine without resorting to jacking of the whole track with the machine on it.

ADVANTAGE OVER PRIOR MACHINES Prior machines for the present purposes have been unsuccessful in forcing old ties out from under the track by the application of force from the incoming new tie. The prior machines have likewise experienced difficulty in maintaining an accurate alignment of the incoming ties (i.e., exactly perpendicular to the track direction), which has been one of the reasons why forcing out of the old ties have proved unsatisfactory. Prior machines have resulted in the new ties not being correctly positioned. Often the tie pocket left by the old tie will be crooked. One of the main advantages of the present machine is that the newly inserted ties do not follow such misaligned tie pockets, but instead they force the ballast bed to accommodate them in more correctly aligned ballast pockets. This result is achieved mainly from the manner of insertion, which involves accurate guidance of the new tie by the guide sleeve 19. During the critical insertion stage, it is important that the new tie be so held as to extend and to travel in a straight line that extends accurately transversely of the track. Such straight line accuracy is ensured in the present machine by the vertically movable guide sleeve 19, which is elongated in the direction of tie travel and is independent of the pusher element, namely the insertion arm 38, except that it serves to guide the tie clamping mechanism 41 mounted on the end of the arm 38 when such mechanism moves inwardly to push a new tie under the track. Thus, during an insertion operation, the guide sleeve is stationary, the tie and tie clamping mechanism moving relatively to it, so that both these parts are guided by it, an important factor in attainment of the desired accuracy of insertion.

While the machine has been illustrated as performing the dual function of inserting a new tie and simultaneous forcing out an old tie, it will be understood that the machine can be used solely to insert a new tie, in a situation where the old ties have already been removed manually or by another machine.

We claim:

1. A machine for inserting ties beneath a railroad track comprising a. an on-track vehicle for movement along the track,

b. a guide sleeve movably mounted on said vehicle laterally beyond a side of the track, said sleeve including means defining an elongated passageway for slidingly receiving and guiding a tie,

c. means for moving said sleeve between an elevated position in which said passageway is horizontal and is aligned with a tie resting on the rails of the track and a lowered position in which said passageway is horizontal and is aligned with a tie beneath the track,

d. a tie clamp mechanism for grasping an end of a tie,

and

e. means mounting said tie clamp mechanism on the vehicle laterally beyond said side of the track, including means for moving said tie clamp mechanism relatively to said guide sleeve between an inner position in which it is located within said passageway for receiving and grasping the end of a tie resting on the track rails when said guide sleeve is in its elevated position, and an outer position in which said mechanism is positioned beyond the guide sleeve in the direction away from the track for drawing the grasped tie off the rails and into the guide sleeve for support thereby in readiness for insertion of the tie beneath the track in a direction controlled by the guide sleeve upon movement of the same to its lowered position and movement of the tie clamp mechanism towards its inner position.

2. A machine according to claim 1, including f. a tie loading mechanism mounted on the vehicle to project to the side of the track opposite to that occupied by the guide sleeve,

g. said tie loading mechanism including means for pushing a tie resting on the rails laterally of the track towards said guide sleeve.

3. A machine according to claim 1, including f. a foot assembly mounted on the vehicle between the rails and including hold-down means extending horizontally across the track, and

g. means for moving said assembly between an elevated position and a lowered position in which said hold-down plate engages the upper surface of a tie beneath the rails for the guidance thereof.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said foot assembly includes a pusher plate extending horizontally across the track for engaging, in the elevated position of the assembly, a side surface of a tie resting on the rails for alignment of the same with the guide sleeve.

5. A machine according to claim 1, including power operated jacking means mounted on said vehicle for engaging the road bed for jacking up the rails and vehicle thereon.

6. A machine for inserting ties beneath a railroad track comprising,

a. an on-track vehicle for movement along the track,

b. means at an end of said vehicle defining a vertical pivotal axis,

0. main plate means mounted on said axis defining means to be pivotable through 180 between positions extending transversely of the track towards respective sides thereof,

d. a pair of parallel support arms pivotally connected to said main plate means,

e. a guide sleeve pivotally mounted on said arms to project laterally beyond a side of the vehicle,

f. said sleeve including means defining an elongated passageway for slidingly receiving and guiding a tie,

g. means for pivoting said guide sleeve between an elevated position in which said passageway is aligned with a tie resting on the track rails and a lowered position in which said passageway is aligned with a tie beneath the track,

h. a tie clamp mechanism including means for grasping an end of a tie, and means for cooperating with said guide sleeve for guiding said mechanism for travel along said passageway,

i. a floating arm pivotally mounted at one end on said main plate means,

j. an insertion arm pivotally mounted on a remote end of said floating arm, k. means mounting said tie clamp mechanism on a lower portion of said insertion arm,

1. means for pivoting said insertion arm about said floating arm to move the tie clamp mechanism into and out of said guide sleeve passageway,

m. and spring means extending between said main plate means and said floating arm to support the weight of said floating and insertion arms.

. A machine according to claim 6, including 11. a tie loading mechanism mounted on the vehicle to project to the side of the track opposite to that occupied by the guide sleeve,

said tie loading mechanism including means for pushing a tie resting on the rails laterally of the track towards said guide sleeve.

8. A machine according to claim 6, including a foot assembly mounted on the vehicle between the rails and including hold-down means extending horizontally across the track, and

means for moving said assembly between an elevated position and a lowered position in which said hold-down plate engages the upper surface of a tie beneath the rails for the guidance thereof.

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein said foot assembly includes a pusher plate extending horizontally across the track for engaging, in the elevated position of the assembly, a side surface of a tie resting on the rails for alignment of the same with the guide sleeve.

10. A machine according to claim 6, including power operated jacking'means mounted on said vehicle for engaging the road bed for elevation of the rails and vehicle thereon.

11. A machine according to claim 10, including means for holding the tie plates against the rails to be elevated therewith to free the tie beneath the track for movement laterally of the track.

Claims (11)

1. A machine for inserting ties beneath a railroad track comprising a. an on-track vehicle for movement along the track, b. a guide sleeve movably mounted on said vehicle laterally beyond a side of the track, said sleeve including means defining an elongated passageway for slidingly receiving and guiding a tie, c. means for moving said sleeve between an elevated position in which said passageway is horizontal and is aligned with a tie resting on the rails of the track and a lowered position in which said passageway is horizontal and is aligned with a tie beneath the track, d. a tie clamp mechanism for grasping an end of a tie, and e. means mounting said tie clamp mechanism on the vehicle laterally beYond said side of the track, including means for moving said tie clamp mechanism relatively to said guide sleeve between an inner position in which it is located within said passageway for receiving and grasping the end of a tie resting on the track rails when said guide sleeve is in its elevated position, and an outer position in which said mechanism is positioned beyond the guide sleeve in the direction away from the track for drawing the grasped tie off the rails and into the guide sleeve for support thereby in readiness for insertion of the tie beneath the track in a direction controlled by the guide sleeve upon movement of the same to its lowered position and movement of the tie clamp mechanism towards its inner position.

2. A machine according to claim 1, including f. a tie loading mechanism mounted on the vehicle to project to the side of the track opposite to that occupied by the guide sleeve, g. said tie loading mechanism including means for pushing a tie resting on the rails laterally of the track towards said guide sleeve.

3. A machine according to claim 1, including f. a foot assembly mounted on the vehicle between the rails and including hold-down means extending horizontally across the track, and g. means for moving said assembly between an elevated position and a lowered position in which said hold-down plate engages the upper surface of a tie beneath the rails for the guidance thereof.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said foot assembly includes a pusher plate extending horizontally across the track for engaging, in the elevated position of the assembly, a side surface of a tie resting on the rails for alignment of the same with the guide sleeve.

5. A machine according to claim 1, including power operated jacking means mounted on said vehicle for engaging the road bed for jacking up the rails and vehicle thereon.

6. A machine for inserting ties beneath a railroad track comprising, a. an on-track vehicle for movement along the track, b. means at an end of said vehicle defining a vertical pivotal axis, c. main plate means mounted on said axis defining means to be pivotable through 180* between positions extending transversely of the track towards respective sides thereof, d. a pair of parallel support arms pivotally connected to said main plate means, e. a guide sleeve pivotally mounted on said arms to project laterally beyond a side of the vehicle, f. said sleeve including means defining an elongated passageway for slidingly receiving and guiding a tie, g. means for pivoting said guide sleeve between an elevated position in which said passageway is aligned with a tie resting on the track rails and a lowered position in which said passageway is aligned with a tie beneath the track, h. a tie clamp mechanism including means for grasping an end of a tie, and means for cooperating with said guide sleeve for guiding said mechanism for travel along said passageway, i. a floating arm pivotally mounted at one end on said main plate means, j. an insertion arm pivotally mounted on a remote end of said floating arm, k. means mounting said tie clamp mechanism on a lower portion of said insertion arm, l. means for pivoting said insertion arm about said floating arm to move the tie clamp mechanism into and out of said guide sleeve passageway, m. and spring means extending between said main plate means and said floating arm to support the weight of said floating and insertion arms.

7. A machine according to claim 6, including n. a tie loading mechanism mounted on the vehicle to project to the side of the track opposite to that occupied by the guide sleeve, o. said tie loading mechanism including means for pushing a tie resting on the rails laterally of the track towards said guide sleeve.

8. A machine according to claim 6, including n. a foot assembly mounted on the vehicle between the rails and including hold-down means extending horiZontally across the track, and o. means for moving said assembly between an elevated position and a lowered position in which said hold-down plate engages the upper surface of a tie beneath the rails for the guidance thereof.

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein said foot assembly includes a pusher plate extending horizontally across the track for engaging, in the elevated position of the assembly, a side surface of a tie resting on the rails for alignment of the same with the guide sleeve.

10. A machine according to claim 6, including power operated jacking means mounted on said vehicle for engaging the road bed for elevation of the rails and vehicle thereon.

11. A machine according to claim 10, including means for holding the tie plates against the rails to be elevated therewith to free the tie beneath the track for movement laterally of the track.

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