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US-20260125856-A1 - MACHINE TO RETRIEVE AND INSTALL A RAIL ANCHOR

US20260125856A1US 20260125856 A1US20260125856 A1US 20260125856A1US-20260125856-A1

Abstract

A machine for applying rail anchors is disclosed. The machine includes a frame, a workhead pivotably mounted to the frame, a pivot arm pivotably mounted to the workhead, an anchor delivery chute mounted to the frame and dimensioned to hold an anchor, an actuator actuatable to release the anchor from the anchor delivery chute, a jaw pivotable by the pivot arm toward the anchor delivery chute, and a clamp to releasably clamp the anchor to the jaw to retrieve the anchor from the anchor delivery chute.

Inventors

  • Ryan Matthew HOLSCHBACH

Assignees

  • TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241104

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A machine for applying rail anchors, the machine comprising: a frame; a workhead pivotably mounted to the frame; a pivot arm pivotably mounted to the workhead; an anchor delivery chute mounted to the frame and dimensioned to hold an anchor; an actuator actuatable to release the anchor from the anchor delivery chute; a jaw pivotable by the pivot arm toward the anchor delivery chute; and a clamp to releasably clamp the anchor to the jaw to retrieve the anchor from the anchor delivery chute.
  2. 2 . The machine of claim 1 , wherein the anchor delivery chute further comprises a door at an end of the anchor delivery chute, and the actuator is positioned to pivot the door to release the anchor positioned at the end of the anchor delivery chute.
  3. 3 . A machine, comprising: an anchor delivery chute, comprising: a first sidewall; a second sidewall; a track positioned between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, which is configured to facilitate an anchor to slide into a loaded position in the anchor delivery chute under gravitational forces; and a release door pivotably coupled to the first sidewall; and an actuator to pivot the release door relative to the first sidewall to release the anchor from the loaded position.
  4. 4 . The machine of claim 3 , wherein the release door further comprises a cam rod, and the actuator comprises a cam surface facing the cam rod, wherein the cam surface slopes in a direction transverse to the cam rod, and an actuation of the actuator cammingly engages the cam rod along the cam surface to pivot the release door relative to the first sidewall.
  5. 5 . The machine of claim 4 , further comprising a spring positioned to bias the release door toward a closed position, in which the release door is structured to hold the anchor in the loaded position.
  6. 6 . The machine of claim 5 , wherein the release door is one of a plurality of doors, and the anchor delivery chute further comprises a second door pivotably coupled to the second sidewall.
  7. 7 . The machine of claim 6 , wherein the release door comprises a first spring mount, and the second door comprises a second spring mount, and the spring is a tension spring extending between the first spring mount and the second spring mount.
  8. 8 . The machine of claim 3 , wherein the anchor delivery chute comprises a manual feed end opposite the release door, and the anchor delivery chute is configured to slide an anchor along the track in a head-first orientation from the manual feed end toward the release door.
  9. 9 . The machine of claim 3 , further comprising the anchor, and the anchor has a head, a neck adjacent to the head, a tail, and a belly extending between the neck and the tail, and the release door further comprises an anchor head hook extending away from the door around at least a portion of the head toward the second sidewall.
  10. 10 . The machine of claim 9 , wherein the release door further comprises an anchor key positioned to extend under the neck of the anchor while it is in a loaded position.
  11. 11 . The machine of claim 3 , wherein the release door is one of a plurality of doors, and the anchor delivery chute further comprises a second door mounted to the second sidewall, and the second door comprises: an upper edge and a lower edge; a three-dimensional contour face intermediate the upper edge and the lower edge and opposing the release door; and a ramped extension protruding downwardly from a bottom edge, and the three-dimensional contour face and the ramped extension cooperate to guide an anchor into a loaded position.
  12. 12 . A machine for applying an anchor, the anchor comprising a head, a tail, and a belly extending between the head and the tail, the machine comprising: a frame movable along a longitudinal rail axis; a workhead pivotably mounted to the frame, the workhead pivotable in a plane transverse to the longitudinal rail axis; a pivot arm pivotably mounted to the workhead; an anchor delivery chute dimensioned to hold at least one anchor; a jaw pivotable by the pivot arm toward the anchor delivery chute; and a clamp to releasably clamp the head of the anchor to the jaw to retrieve the anchor from the anchor delivery chute.
  13. 13 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the pivot arm is pivotable along a first arc in a first direction to retrieve the anchor, and the pivot arm is pivotable along a second arc in the first direction to apply the anchor, and the first arc and the second arc are coplanar.
  14. 14 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the jaw has: a leading face pivotable toward the anchor delivery chute to retrieve the anchor; and an anchor support surface extending from the leading face into the jaw, with an opening being defined by the jaw along the anchor support surface, and the opening is dimensioned to slidably receive at least a portion of the anchor in a head-first orientation from the anchor delivery chute, and the clamp is selectively movable to a clamped position relative to the jaw to clamp the head of the anchor to the jaw, and, in the clamped position, the anchor support surface supports at least a portion of the belly and the tail extends beyond the leading face beyond the jaw.
  15. 15 . The machine of claim 14 , further comprising the anchor, the anchor defining: a neck between the head and the belly, and the neck comprises a smaller cross-section than the head and the belly, an ear protruding from the head and extending toward the tail, and the ear terminates at a crest, and the ear comprises a smaller cross-section than the head; and a notch along the tail facing the ear.
  16. 16 . The machine of claim 15 , wherein the anchor support surface further defines: a contour structured to match a contoured portion of belly; and a cutout adjacent to the contour such that the neck is spaced apart from the anchor support surface.
  17. 17 . The machine of claim 16 , wherein the anchor delivery chute is fixed to the frame and the workhead is movable relative to the frame between a raised position and a lower position.
  18. 18 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the jaw further comprises a replaceable crown dimensioned to support the head of the anchor.
  19. 19 . The machine of claim 18 , wherein an opening extends into the jaw to a rear boundary surface of the replaceable crown, wherein the rear boundary surface comprises a circular recess dimensioned to receive a portion of the head of the anchor.
  20. 20 . The machine of claim 19 , wherein the clamp comprises a replaceable grip comprising an anchor-facing clamping surface, and the opening is further defined between the anchor-facing clamping surface, a sidewall of the jaw, and the rear boundary surface of the replaceable crown.

Description

BACKGROUND Technical Field This disclosure relates to railroad right-of-way maintenance machinery. Discussion Of Art During the course of railroad maintenance work, anchors are often removed during the replacement of rail ties, tie plates, and/or rails and for other maintenance operations. Once the desired maintenance is complete, anchors are reinstalled. In some instances, new anchors need to be installed. A pivoting anchor applicator clipping mechanism may pivot from a gauge side between the rails to a position beneath the rails towards a field side or outside of the track to install anchors to the track. Rail anchors have different configurations, including spring-type or drive-on anchors, for example. An anchor may have a geometry designed to increase the contact bearing surface area between the anchor and the portion of the track that the anchor is contacting. It may be desirable to have an anchor system and method that differs from those that are currently available. BRIEF DESCRIPTION In one aspect, a machine is provided for applying anchors. The machine includes a frame, a workhead pivotably mounted to the frame, a pivot arm pivotably mounted to the workhead, an anchor delivery chute mounted to the frame and dimensioned to hold an anchor, an actuator actuatable to release the anchor from the anchor delivery chute, a jaw pivotable by the pivot arm toward the anchor delivery chute, and a clamp to releasably clamp the anchor to the jaw to retrieve the anchor from the anchor delivery chute. In one aspect, the anchor delivery chute further comprises a door at an end thereof and the actuator is positioned to pivot the door to release the anchor from the loaded position in the anchor delivery chute. In one aspect, a machine includes an anchor delivery chute. The chute may include a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a track positioned between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. An anchor is positionable along the track to slide into a loaded position in the anchor delivery chute under gravitational forces. A release door may be pivotably coupled to the first sidewall. The machine further includes an actuator to pivot the release door relative to the first sidewall to release the anchor from the loaded position. In one aspect, a machine for applying an anchor to a rail may include a frame movable along a longitudinal rail axis, a workhead pivotably mounted to the frame, the workhead pivotable in a plane transverse to the longitudinal rail axis; the machine further comprises a pivot arm pivotably mounted to the workhead, an anchor delivery chute dimensioned to hold at least one anchor, a jaw pivotable by the pivot arm toward the anchor delivery chute, and a clamp to releasably clamp the head of the anchor to the jaw to retrieve the anchor from the anchor delivery chute. In one aspect, the jaw of the pivot arm can be structured to accommodate anchors of various geometries. In one aspect, the transfer of the anchor from the anchor delivery chute to the pivotable jaw can ensure anchors of various geometries are compatible with the machine without requiring overly complicated machinery or mechanism therefor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an anchor application machine, according to various aspects. FIG. 1A is a detail view of the anchor application machine of FIG. 1 with various features removed for illustrative purposes, according to various aspects. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a jaw and an anchor delivery chute of the anchor application machine of FIG. 1, according to various aspects. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the anchor delivery chute of FIG. 2, according to various aspects. FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a portion of the anchor delivery chute of FIG. 3, according to various aspects. FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a portion of the anchor delivery chute of FIG. 3, according to various aspects. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a guide door of the anchor delivery chute of FIG. 3, according to various aspects. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a catch door of the anchor delivery chute of FIG. 3, according to various aspects. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the jaw of FIG. 2, according to various aspects. FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the jaw of FIG. 8, according to various aspects. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the jaw of FIG. 8 in which internal components are exposed, according to various aspects. FIGS. 11-15 depict an operational series for applying an anchor with the anchor application machine of FIG. 1, according to various aspects. DETAILED DESCRIPTION This disclosure relates to railroad right-of-way maintenance machinery. Right-of-way machinery may be used for applying anchors to rails for maintaining track alignment. An anchor, or rail anchor, may be clamped onto a rail and positioned to abut the tie and, in some cases, the tie plate, to resist movement of the rail relative to the tie in a direction transverse to the rail.