WO2002099196A1

WO2002099196A1 - A railway sleeper dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2002099196A1
Application number: PCT/GB2002/002279
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephen Wynne Williams; Adrian Phillips
Original assignee: Philmor Rail Limited
Priority date: 2001-06-02
Filing date: 2002-05-30
Publication date: 2002-12-12
Also published as: GB0113391D0; GB2380511B; FR2825387B1; FR2825387A1; GB2380511A; GB0212525D0

Abstract

A dispenser mounted on a vehicle for discharging railway sleepers at regular intervals. The dispenser includes a magazine (1) for receiving a stack of sleepers to be laid. Attached to the magazine is a pair of pneumatically-operated plates movable (2) between a position inside the magazine and a retracted position clear of the magazine. A set of knuckles (5) upon which the stack initially rests is retracted so that the stack drops down onto the plates. The knuckles are then urged towards each other to engage in the indentations between the sleepers. Next, the plates are retracted to release the bottom sleeper, whilst the remaining sleepers are supported by the knuckles. The plates are then moved back to their original position and the knuckles are withdrawn, allowing the stack to drop down onto the bars and the process is repeated.

Description

A Railway Sleeper Dispenser This invention relates to a dispenser for discharging railway sleepers. Traditionally, sleepers were manhandled into position, and indeed sometimes still are. But mechanical devices for manipulating them have been developed, such as grab attachments for excavators, and are in widespread use. However, they pick up and lay one sleeper at a time, and they rely on the operator' s skill for the sleepers to be laid at a selected constant pitch at right angles to the track length and in correct alignment to receive the rails. Embodiments of this invention aim to provide a machine that will lay sleepers so that they will require minimal or even no adjustment after discharge from the machine.

According to the present invention there is provided a dispenser for discharging railway sleepers at regular intervals onto an actual or notional track bed, the dispenser being connectable to or forming part of a vehicle that can progress along or parallel to the track bed, the dispenser including: a magazine for receiving a stack of sleepers transverse to the track to be laid, the magazine being openable at its base and providing a guide for the sleepers within; a first support movable between a load-bearing position at the base of the magazine to carry the entire stack of sleepers and a retracted position clear of the stack, and a second support movable between a position projecting into the magazine to engage at least partially under the next to lowermost sleeper in the stack and a retracted position clear of the stack, the supports being operable so that the second support supports all but the lowermost sleeper while that is released to fall onto the track bed by the first support being temporarily moved to its retracted position, and so that, once the first support is restored to its original position, the second support is temporarily moved to its retracted position to allow the stack to drop onto the first support, the cycle being repeatable as the dispenser progresses along the track bed.

By a notional track bed is meant any flat piece of ground where the sleepers may be laid out and fitted with rails, the rail and sleeper assembly then being transferred as one body to the actual track bed.

Preferably, the first support comprises two pneumatically operated flaps, arms, plates or bars In one embodiment the first support is located at the narrow ends of the magazine, so that the ends of the lowermost sleeper bear on them. The supports can include flaps that can move to under-reach the base. In another embodiment, the first pair is located at a substantially central location on the magazine. Pairs of opposing supports may be provided, each support being retractable in and out of the magazine.

The second support can co-operate with the sleepers around their mid-length, and conveniently it will comprise two opposed elements that engage in the indentations between sleepers that a stack of sleepers, particularly steel ones, naturally present.

The system can be controlled to give the correct sequence of support operation, and it can be linked to means gauging the distance travelled so that the sleepers are dispensed at regular intervals. The apparatus can also include a sensor to detect the presence of sleepers in the magazine.

It may prove practical, and give quicker action, if pneumatics rather than hydraulics are used, or possibly electrically or mechanically operated actuators. For a better understanding of the present invention one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section of a stack of steel

railway sleepers, Figure 2 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of a dispenser for such sleepers,

Figure 3 is a detail of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a cross-section, to an enlarged scale, on the line IV-IV of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the dispenser.

Steel sleepers are pressed strips of inverted shallow U-section, with further deformation of the ends which curve down and splay outwardly. It is common practice to supply them in stacks of ten banded together: they nest one on top of the other quite snugly, but as shown in Figure 1 they do present corrugated sides to each stack. Advantage is taken of this in the apparatus for dispensing such sleepers one by one onto a track bed.

This apparatus has framework forming a magazine 1 open at top and bottom and into which can be lowered stacks of metal sleepers. The magazine embraces them quite closely, to keep the stacks coherent, but allows them to slide down. It is envisaged that three stacks may be a practical limit for some carrying vehicles, and of course the banding will be removed so that each sleeper can be individually discharged through the base of the magazine. However, greater capacity is not ruled out and it may be possible to develop vehicle or wagon carrying reserve stacks and means for replenishing the magazine with those stacks while sleeper laying is in progress.

The sleepers can be supported in the magazine 1 by sets of pneumatically operated elements with a sequence of operation that can allow the discharge of the lowermost sleeper while all those above are supported, and then permits those retained sleepers to shift down ready for the release of the new lowermost sleeper, and so on. It will be appreciated that the use of pneumatic components is only one example of how the elements may be moved and that pneumatic or electrical means could be used.

The first set of elements are flaps 2 hinged on brackets 3 and operated by actuators 4. These flaps are at the narrow ends of the magazine 1 and under-reach its base to provide platforms on which the ends of the lowermost sleeper bear. The flaps 2 can be swung down to release that lowermost sleeper.

The second set of elements are central of the long sides of the magazine and consist of opposed knuckles 5 hinged about horizontal axes to the framework and movable by pairs of actuators 6 through short arcs into and out of the magazine. They are arranged so that, when a stack of sleepers is resting on the flaps 2, the angle of each knuckle 5 is opposite an indentation 6 in the stack between the lowermost and next-to-bottom sleeper.

The sleepers are stacked in the magazine 1 initially to rest on the knuckles 5 in the closed position. The flaps 2 are retracted, but do not carry any load at this point. With the magazine substantially transverse to the track to be laid and moving slowly forwards, the sequence of operations is:

1. The knuckles 5 are retracted to allow the stack to drop down onto the steps of the flaps 2.

2. The knuckles 5 are urged into the interior of the magazine to engage in the indentations 6 between the lowermost and next lowermost sleeper.

3. The flaps 2 are swung down and the lowermost sleeper is released. The remaining sleepers are centrally supported by the knuckles 5 engaging under the longitudinal edges of the next lowermost sleeper.

4. The flaps 2 are restored to their horizontal position. 5. The knuckles 5 are retracted, allowing the stack to drop down onto the steps of the flaps 2, as in step 1. 6. Step 2 repeats and so on.

A second embodiment 50 of the dispenser will now be described with reference to Figure 5. The dispenser 50 is attachable to a lifting arm of a bulldozer or the like by means of a lower pair of cylindrical horizontal bars 52 arranged near the base 55 of a magazine 54. A further cylindrical horizontal bar 56 is also attached to the magazine to facilitate connection to the vehicle. The bar

56 is located substantially at a central position of the framework forming the magazine. The bulldozer to which the dispenser is attached will normally reverse during the dispensing operation. The second embodiment of the dispenser also uses sets of movable elements to support and release sleepers in an automated manner. However, instead of the side mounted under-reaching flaps 2 of the first embodiment, the dispenser 50 includes a first set of elements that comprise a pair of opposing plates 57 located near the centre of each main face of the base of the magazine 54. Each of the plates includes an angled protrusion (not shown) forming a step that faces the interior of the magazine. The plates

57 are hinged about horizontal axes to the framework and retractable through a short arc into a position clear of the magazine by actuators 58. When the plates 57 are not retracted, the steps form a surface at the bottom of the magazine on which the longer sides of the lowermost sleeper in the magazine can bear. The plates 57 can be retracted to release that lowermost sleeper. Having the substantially central plates 57 instead of the side-mounted flaps 2 means that the dispenser 50 can be more easily mounted on certain types of vehicles. The second set of elements of the dispenser 50 consist of two pairs of plates 60 having knuckles 62. Each of the pair of plates 60 is arranged either side of the opposing plates 57. The knuckled plates 60 are also hinged about a horizontal axes to the framework and are movable by pairs of actuators 64 into and out of the magazine 54. A gas cylinder 66 and compressor 68 are attached to the magazine for operation of all the pneumatic actuators.

The knuckled plates 60 are arranged so that, when a stack of sleepers is resting on the step of the plates 57, each knuckle 62 is opposite an indentation in the stack between the lowermost and the next-to-bottom sleeper.

The sleepers are stacked in the magazine 54 initially to rest on the knuckle plates 60 in their unretracted position. The plates 57 are also in their unretracted positions, but do not carry any load at this point. With the magazine substantially transverse to the track to be laid and moving slowly forwards, the sequence of operations

is : 1. The knuckle plates 60 are retracted to allow the stack to drop down onto the steps of the plates 57.

2. The knuckles 62 are urged into the interior of the magazine to engage in the indentations between the lowermost and next lowermost sleeper.

3. The plates 57 are retracted and the lowermost sleeper is released. The remaining sleepers are centrally supported by the knuckles 62 engaging under the longitudinal edges of the next lowermost sleeper. 4. The plates 57 are restored to their unretracted positions .

5. The knuckled plates 60 are retracted, allowing the stack to drop down onto the steps of the plates 57, as in step 1. 6. Step 2 repeats and so on.

This may be manually controlled, for example by an operator on a platform attached to the magazine. However, a controller 70, which may be fitted in the cabin of the vehicle, can automate the steps and the release of each sleeper. The controller 70 can include a display 72 indicating settings such as the spacing between adjacent sleepers and can have control buttons for overriding the automated sequence. The sleeper release can be triggered by sensing when the magazine has advanced a certain distance from the previously laid sleeper by means of a sensor 74 located on the rear of the magazine base. A mechanical sensing arm is possible, which rides over laid sleepers and signals when it drops over one. But it will probably be preferred to use more sophisticated means such as lasers or optical sensors that are well known to those skilled in the art and can be utilised for this purpose. Provision can be made through these sensing means for altering the pitch (i.e. the position of the centres of two adjacent sleepers) of the sleepers.

A further sensor 76 to check whether there is a minimum number of sleepers present in the magazine can also be provided. The output of the sensor 76 may be displayed on the display 72 of the controller 70, or the sensor may be linked to a set of lights of different colours arranged to give an indication of the number of sleepers remaining, e.g. green = plentiful supply; amber = 3 or less; red = magazine empty. Work lights 78 can also be provided on the dispenser 50. The magazine can be mounted on or connected to various means of conveyance. It can be built-in to be part of a dedicated vehicle, or it can be carried, dragged or pushed by a tractor or digger which can perform other duties. Wheels, caterpillar tracks or skids may be provided on the dispenser. The height between the bottom of the magazine and the track below may also be adjustable. Preferably if being laid on the actual track bed it will be on a tracked vehicle that will not furrow the ballast. Alternatively, for parallel rail tracks, and with one already laid, it can be mounted on a railway wagon, overhanging one side. The dispenser or the vehicle may include components intended to allow unmanned operation, e.g. a communications link with a satellite navigation system or a local base station that can track its position and receive control signals.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A dispenser for discharging railway sleepers at regular intervals onto an actual or notional track bed, the dispenser being connectable to or forming part of a vehicle that can progress along or parallel to the track bed, the dispenser including: a magazine (1, 54) for receiving a stack of sleepers transverse to the track to be laid, the magazine being openable at its base (7, 55) and providing a guide for the sleepers within; a first support (2, 57) movable between a load-bearing position at the base of the magazine to carry the entire stack of sleepers and a retracted position clear of the stack, and a second support (5, 60, 62) movable between a position projecting into the magazine to engage at least partially under the next to lowermost sleeper in the stack and a retracted position clear of the stack, the supports being operable so that the second support supports all but the lowermost sleeper while that is released to fall onto the track bed by the first support being temporarily moved to its retracted position, and so that, once the first support is restored to its original position, the second support is temporarily moved to its retracted position to allow the stack to drop onto the first support, the cycle being repeatable as the dispenser progresses along the track bed.

2. A dispenser according to Claim 1, wherein the first support comprises two movable flaps (2) or plates (57) .

3. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the second support comprises two opposed movable elements (5, 62) that can engage between sleepers in a stack.

4. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding

Claims, wherein opposing pairs of the supports (57, 60, 62) are arranged at each main face of the magazine (54) .

5. A dispenser according to Claim 4, wherein the elements (2, 5, 57, 60) are moved by hydraulic, mechanical, pneumatic or electrical components.

6. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding Claims, further including a controller (70) for giving the correct sequence of support operation.

7. A dispenser according to Claim 6, wherein the controller (70) includes or is linked to a device (74) for gauging the distance travelled so that the sleepers are dispensed at regular intervals.

8. A dispenser according to Claim 7, wherein the distance gauging device (74) includes an optical sensor.

9. A dispenser according to Claim 7, wherein the distance gauging device includes a wheel, track or mechanism that contacts the track bed.

10. A dispenser according to any one of the preceding Claims, further including a sensor (76) for detecting the presence of sleepers in the magazine (1, 54) .

11. A dispenser according to Claim 10, wherein the sensor (76) includes a switch or an optical sensor.

12. A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

13. A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5.