Railcar positioning system for curved track

Abstract

A chain and hydraulic motor-driven low dog railcar indexer is disclosed which is operable along a curved track section. The system includes left and right track side indexing railcar-moving arrangements, each of which includes an indexer track and a chain-return trough. The indexer tracks and chain return troughs are segmented to accommodate the curved railroad track section and wear pads are provided to enable chain operation in the curved section.

Claims

1. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track comprising: (a) a pair of spaced trackside railcar-moving arrangements operable along a curved railroad track section one positioned outside and parallel to each rail of a railroad track including a curved railroad track section, each said railcar-moving arrangement further comprising: (1) a segmented trackside guideway indexer track located next to one of the railroad rails wherein said guideway indexer track comprises a plurality of sequentially angled connected indexer track sections extending along said curved railroad track section; (2) a dog carriage mounted for operation along said guideway, said dog carriage carrying at least one pusher dog mounted on said carriage; (3) a continuous chain connected to operate said dog carriage along said guideway indexer track, said chain having an associated segmented return trough that comprises a plurality of sequentially angled connected trough sections extending along said curved rail section; (b) a hydraulic power unit including a hydraulic motor connected to reversibly drive said chain; and (c) a control system associated with said power unit for controlling the operation of said positioning system such that said positioning system may be operated as an indexer.

2. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 1 further comprising wear pads for absorbing chain side forces and enabling the chain to slide past easily, a plurality of said pads being associated with said guideway indexer track and said chain return trough.

3. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 2 wherein said wear pads are located at connection areas between said plurality of indexer track sections and connection areas between said plurality of trough sections.

4. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of connected indexer track sections are connected at an angle commensurate with an associated fraction of the track curvature angle.

5. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 1 wherein said plurality of connected return trough sections are connected at an angle commensurate with the track curvature angle.

6. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 4 wherein said plurality of connected return trough sections are connected at an angle commensurate with an associated fraction of the track curvature angle.

7. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 3 wherein the wear pads located in the indexer track and chain return trough associated with the outside of an associated railroad track curve are placed on the inner portion of the corresponding indexer track and chain return trough.

8. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 3 wherein the wear pads are located on the outer portion of the indexer track and chain return trough corresponding to the inner portion of a railroad track curve are placed on the outer portion of the corresponding indexer track and chain return trough.

9. A railcar positioning system for a curved railroad track as in claim 1 wherein each dog carriage carries two opposed, coordinated dogs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings wherein like numerals depict like parts throughout the same:

(2) FIG. 1 is a broken schematic plan view of an indexer arrangement in accordance with the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the area circled in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the area circled in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rail and indexer carriage track similar to that shown in FIG. 3; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a dog carriage engaging a bogey frame of a railcar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) The following detailed description of the present invention describes the invention in terms of one illustrated embodiment. It will be understood that the system described is intended by way of presenting an example of the inventive concept and is not intended to limit the scope in any manner. A variation within the scope of the inventive concept may occur to those skilled in the art.

(8) In FIG. 1 there is shown a broken schematic plan view or layout view of a segment of railroad track including an indexer arrangement in accordance with the invention. The layout, generally at 10, depicts a section of railroad track having a curved portion and a straight portion and includes spaced parallel rails 12 and 14 flanked by indexer tracks 16 and 18, respectively. Chain return troughs are shown at 20 and 22. The indexer arrangement or system includes dog carriages 24 and 26 with respective hydraulic motor drive units 28 and 30 and corresponding idler units 32 and 34.

(9) In the curved section, the indexer tracks are divided into a plurality of short segments 36 and 38, which are shown at the outer and inner portion of the curve, respectively. The short segments may have a length of five feet. Longer, straight sections are shown at 40 and 42. These may have a length of twenty feet.

(10) The area circled in FIG. 1 is accommodated in the enlarged view that is FIG. 2. Outer curve indexer wear pads 50 are placed at the interfaces of the angled outer curve indexer track 36, and inner curve indexer wear pads 52 are placed at the interfaces of the angled indexer track segments 38. Outer curve wear pads 54 are placed at the interfaces of the return trough segments 40 and inner curve return trough wear pads 56 are placed at the interfaces of the angled trough sections 42. It will be recognized that the wear pads 50 and 54 located in the indexer track and chain return trough, respectively, are placed on the inside of the corresponding track and trough inasmuch as this represents the outer portion of the curve and the chain will have the tendency to move in that direction and bear against the wear pads. Conversely, the indexer track and chain return trough wear pads 52 and 56 are located on the outer portion of the indexer track and chain return trough, respectively, as this represents the inner portion of the curve. Thus, the tendency of the chain to shift from one side or another as it negotiates the curve is compensated by the location of the wear pads which absorb side forces and enable the chain to slide past easily. Reinforcing structural members as at 58 may be added to take chain side loading that occurs in the curve.

(11) FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary view of the area circled in FIG. 2 and shows the details of the interfaces between indexer track segments and chain return trough segments previously described. Note that the interface between the segments is slightly offset from a straight joint by 1.03 degrees. In this manner, the eight (8) curve segments shown in FIG. 1 would accommodate cumulatively a curve of about 8.24 degrees. It is anticipated that the railcar positioning system of the invention can operate on a track having a curvature of up to at least 10 degrees. Thus, the slight offset can be about 1.2 degrees or less. The angle between the segments is commensurate with the curvature of the railroad track.

(12) FIG. 4 depicts a further enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a fragment of the layout similar to that shown in FIG. 3 depicting a joint between segments in the outside portion of the curved section, which has been further enlarged.

(13) FIG. 5 depicts a greatly enlarged view of a dog carriage suitable for use in the indexer arrangement of the present invention and includes a dog carriage 70 with a pair of opposed dogs 72 and 74, shown in raised relation. A nitrogen tank is shown at 76 and a coordinating connection at 78, which raises and lowers the dogs in unison. Chain connections are shown at 80 and 82 with the connected chain 84. The dogs are shown addressing one side of a bogey frame 86 having associated wheels 88 operating along a track rail 90.

(14) One skilled in the art would recognize that the operation of the hydraulic drive units to advance and retract the chain to advance and retract the carriages and the coordination of the raising and lowering of the dogs on the dog carriages of the indexer arrangement are well known and need not be repeated here in detail. The system of the embodiment of the detailed description is designed to operate the dog carriages in unison so that the dogs of both carriages 24 and 26 are coordinated to operate against both sides of a bogey frame in unison. A control unit is associated with the system and each of the hydraulic motors and carriages.

(15) This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use embodiments of the example as required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different devices and that various modifications can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.