A portable railroad spike remover comprises an extractor that is shaped to engage and secure a railroad spike previously installed into a rail tie. A drive shaft is connected to the extractor such that as the drive shaft is rotated, the extractor is vertically raised and lowered within a main column. The extractor may have an opening extending through at least one side to engage the railroad spike.

A portable railroad spike remover comprises an extractor that is shaped to engage and secure a railroad spike previously installed into a rail tie. A drive shaft is connected to the extractor such that as the drive shaft is rotated, the extractor is vertically raised and lowered within a main column. The extractor may have an opening extending through at least one side to engage the railroad spike.

A pry bar assembly includes a plate that is elongated and has a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, an upper surface and a lower surface. The plate includes a claw section, a chisel section and a middle section positioned therebetween. The claw section includes the first end and a rounded heel. The claw section includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is attached to the middle section and curves upwardly and away from the middle section in a semi-cylindrical shape to form the rounded heel. The second portion extends downwardly from the first portion. The chisel section is angled upwardly from the middle section. The upper surface has an elongated crest therein that is spaced from the first and second lateral edges and extends along a length of the middle section and into the chisel section.

A pry bar assembly includes a plate that is elongated and has a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, an upper surface and a lower surface. The plate includes a claw section, a chisel section and a middle section positioned therebetween. The claw section includes the first end and a rounded heel. The claw section includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is attached to the middle section and curves upwardly and away from the middle section in a semi-cylindrical shape to form the rounded heel. The second portion extends downwardly from the first portion. The chisel section is angled upwardly from the middle section. The upper surface has an elongated crest therein that is spaced from the first and second lateral edges and extends along a length of the middle section and into the chisel section.

Method and systems of automated document processing described herein include activating in sequence a plurality of illumination modules of an illumination source to illuminate a document, where the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document. The document can be imaged each time the document is illuminated by an illumination module to provide a plurality of images. A shadow profile of the document can be obtained based on the plurality of images. One or more of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document can be identified using the shadow profile. Any fasteners present may be removed using a robot arm.

A multipurpose hammer tool with a balanced weight. The multipurpose hammer comprises a lighter weight head attached to one end of an ergonomically configured handle. A foot claw is attached to the opposite end of the ergonomically configured handle. The foot claw is weighted to balance the weight of the multipurpose hammer so that the head may be lighter requiring less force to swing the hammer. The foot claw is curved to pull out nails with leverage. The head comprises a hexagonal face for striking nails with a pair of magnetic nail catches on the top and bottom. A foot claw end of the head has straight tines for pulling nails close to a wall or corner where a curved claw would not fit.

A nail puller having a lever arm assembly with an arcuate gripping jaw plate secured to a bottom end, and a base assembly pivotally secured to the bottom portion of the lever arm assembly, the base assembly includes an arcuate rocker base plate pivotally secured to a bottom portion of the lever arm assembly for concentric pivotal movement relative to the arcuate gripping jaw plate of the lever arm assembly. The arcuate gripping jaw plate of the lever arm assembly and the arcuate rocker base plate of the base assembly are provided with transverse open-ended slots for simultaneously receiving the shank of a nail to be extracted. The nail shank received within the slots is gripped and leveraged out by rotating the upper lever arm assembly in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

A nail puller having a lever arm assembly with an arcuate gripping jaw plate secured to a bottom end, and a base assembly pivotally secured to the bottom portion of the lever arm assembly, the base assembly includes an arcuate rocker base plate pivotally secured to a bottom portion of the lever arm assembly for concentric pivotal movement relative to the arcuate gripping jaw plate of the lever arm assembly. The arcuate gripping jaw plate of the lever arm assembly and the arcuate rocker base plate of the base assembly are provided with transverse open-ended slots for simultaneously receiving the shank of a nail to be extracted. The nail shank received within the slots is gripped and leveraged out by rotating the upper lever arm assembly in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

A shaft, a wedge and a fulcrum plate connecting the shaft and wedge and having a transverse cross-section in one plane narrower than the shaft and a cross-section in an orthogonal plane wider than the transverse cross-section.

A pry bar assembly includes a plate that is elongated and has a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, an upper surface and a lower surface. The plate includes a claw section, a chisel section and a middle section positioned therebetween. The claw section includes the first end and a rounded heel. The claw section includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is attached to the middle section and curves upwardly and away from the middle section in a semi-cylindrical shape to form the rounded heel. The second portion extends downwardly from the first portion. The chisel section is angled upwardly from the middle section. The upper surface has an elongated crest therein that is spaced from the first and second lateral edges and extends along a length of the middle section and into the chisel section.