Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RAILWAY RAIL, HANDLING APPARATUS
AND METHOD
The present invention relates to railway rail handling apparatus and a
method of handling railway rails using such apparatus.
Railway maintenance may involve replacing railway rails when they are
worn. It is known within the railway maintenance industry to use apparatus
that
runs on an existing railway to lift worn rails and lay replacement rails.
GB 1020111 and DD 102756 disclose such apparatus having a railway
undercarriage with railway engaging wheels to allow the apparatus to run on an
existing railway when in use. A disadvantage of such apparatus is that it
needs to
be lifted onto the railway to bring it into use.
An alternative approach is to use what is termed road-rail plant, such as
that provided by Colmar and Atlas. Road-rail plant is termed as such because
it is
provided with both ground engaging wheels and railway engaging wheels so that
it
is capable of moving over the ground and along a railway. The road-rail plant
is
brought into use by driving the plant onto an existing railway by means of the
ground-engaging wheels. The railway engaging wheels are then brought into
engagement with the railway. In a typical railway rail replacement task,
replacement rails are deposited by the side of the railway and the road-rail
plant is
used as it moves along the railway to move worn rails to one side of the
railway
and replacement rails into position before they are secured to the sleepers.
The present applicant has appreciated several shortcomings of road-rail
plant, amongst which is the need to have the plant certified as on track
plant.
Certification as on track plant is normally a burdensome process involving
compliance with safety measures, which can necessitate the inclusion of safety
mechanisms on~the' plant .,
The present invention has been devised in the light of this appreciation. In
accordancewwith~ a first aspect of the invention there is provided railway
rail
handling apparatus configured for track side operation comprising ground
engaging
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wheel means and rail moving means, which is configured to engage a railway
rail
along part of its length, the rail moving means being further configured for
its
progressive movement longitudinally along the rail as the railway rail
handling
apparatus moves on the ground engaging wheel means and, as the rail moving
means so moves, for progressive bending of the rail laterally of an unbent
part of
the rail to thereby move the rail from a first position to a second position,
the
railway rail handling apparatus defining a footprint over the ground, and the
rail
moving means being, in use, operative within the footprint.
The present invention represents a significant departure from conventional
approaches to railway rail handling in that the present invention operates as
track-
side apparatus in contrast with conventional rail handling apparatus which is
on
track apparatus. Thus, in applying the present invention there is no
requirement to
obtain certification for on track operation or to lift the apparatus onto and
off the
railway. Therefore, there is less need for safety mechanisms, e.g. to provide
braking means on apparatus that runs on railways. The reduced requirement for
safety mechanisms can provide for a simpler, more lightweight apparatus. A
further drawback of on track apparatus is that its usability can be limited.
For
example, road-rail plant may only be operable where there are two railways
side-
by-side: a first railway for the road-rail plant to run on and a second
railway being
worked on by the plant. The present invention has no requirement for two
railways
side-by-side.
Operation of the rail moving means within the footprint of the rail handling
apparatus can provide for advantages over conventional approaches. Road-rail
plant normally makes use of an extendible boom which reaches out to grab a
rail,
which is then raised by the boom and moved to another location. A
counterbalance
is usually required to neutralise the weight of the boom and the rail being
moved.
Such a counterbalance is typically of such a weight that the road-rail plant
is
unsuited to track side operation. This is because the road-rail plant tends to
disturb
the railway ballast, sink into the ground beside the railway or at least grip
the
ground in an unsatisfactory manner providing for uneven movement of the plant.
Disturbance of the ballast supporting the railway sleepers is undesirable
because it
can necessitate time consuming work to remedy the disturbance. Operation
within
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the footprint according to the present invention reduces imbalances in the
railway
rail handling apparatus that may be caused by forces exerted in handling a
rail,
whereby the need for a counterbalance is at least reduced.
It is to be noted that progressive bending of the rail relies to a large
extent
on the inherent flexibility of the rail.
A maintenance operation may involve moving a worn railway rail, which
is to be replaced, from a first position to a second position, e.g. from a
railway to
one side of the railway. Accordingly, the rail moving means may be configured
to
progressively bend the rail laterally over the ground.
In such a maintenance operation, in a form of the apparatus the railway rail
handling apparatus may be positioned such that the rail moving means is
located
generally over the side of the railway to which it is desired to move the
rail. Then
an end of rail (e.g. a worn rail) may be bent towards and brought into
engagement
with the rail moving means. The bending of the end of the rail is made
possible by
the rail's inherent flexibility. When the end of the rail has been brought
into
engagement with the rail moving means, the rail moving means may be moved
progressively and longitudinally along the rail. As the rail moving means
moves
progressively along the rail, it progressively bends successive parts of the
rail
laterally of an unbent part of the rail and in a direction away from the
railway to
move the rail to one side of the railway.
When the apparatus is used to move a replacement rail from one side of the
railway onto the railway, the above described operation may be repeated
starting
with the rail moving means located generally over the position on the railway
to
where it is desired to move the replacement rail.
The rail moving means may be further configured to support a part of the
rail above the ground. Thus, the railway rail handling apparatus may only need
to
support a part of the weight of a rail in addition to bearing forces exerted
on the
apparatus during bending of the rail. This is in contrast to the road-rail
apparatus
which normally lifts an entire rail off the ground and therefore has to bear
the
entire weight of the rail. Lifting an entire rail off the ground can bend the
rail to
quite a significant extent and thereby put undesirable strain on the rail.
Supporting
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a part of a rail can reduce the extent of bending and provide for a
corresponding
reduction in strain.
The railway rail handling apparatus may be configured for steering of the
ground engaging wheel means over the ground.
More specifically, the railway rail handling apparatus may be configured
for steering of the ground engaging wheel means over the ground in a direction
laterally of the rail as the rail moving means moves along the rail. Lateral
steering
of the railway rail handling apparatus can allow for control of to where the
rail is
moved. For example, at the start of a rail moving operation the rail moving
means
may be positioned closer to an end of rail to be moved so that the end need
not be
bent to a large extent before it is brought into engagement with the rail
moving
means. Steering of the railway rail handling apparatus can then be used to
compensate for positioning the rail moving means closer to the end of the rail
by
steering the apparatus such that the rail is moved to a desired position.
Alternatively or in addition, the railway rail handling apparatus may be
configured to move only one rail from a first position to a second position at
a
time. Therefore, the railway rail handling apparatus may need to be only as
wide
as is required to straddle one rail. This can provide for a narrower apparatus
compared with certain prior art apparatus, thereby providing for use in narrow
railway cuttings, tunnels, etc. Also, the railway rail handling apparatus can
be
more readily transported from one site to another on account of its smaller
width.
The apparatus may further comprise two spaced apart apparatus support
members for supporting the apparatus over a railway, the rail moving means
being
located between the two apparatus support members. Thus, forces exerted on the
rail moving means during bending of a rail can be distributed between the two
apparatus support members. Where the rail moving means supports a rail above
the ground, the weight of the rail borne by the rail moving means can be
distributed
between the two apparatus support members. The railway rail handling apparatus
may be configured to distribute the weight substantially equally between the
two
apparatus support members. For example, the rail moving means may be locatable
substantially half way between the two apparatus support members.
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More specifically, the apparatus may be configured such that the rail
moving means depends between the apparatus support members. Thus, the
apparatus may comprise a chassis means supported on the apparatus support
members with the rail moving means depending from the chassis means. The
apparatus support members may be of a length which, in use, elevates the
chassis
means above a railway by a distance sufficient allow the rail moving means to
raise
a rail above the ground for proper operation of the rail moving means.
Typically,
the apparatus support members raise the chassis means about 1 m above a
railway.
Such forms of the invention may provide for railway rail handling apparatus of
moderate height in contrast to known railway rail handling apparatus. The
moderate height of such forms of the present invention may provide for easier
operation in the vicinity of overhead structures, such as overhead power
lines,
tunnel roofs and bridges.
The chassis means may comprise a platform upon which to mount further
components of the railway rail handling apparatus, such as apparatus control
equipment, pneumatic devices and power generating equipment.
More specifically, the platform may define an aperture through which the
rail moving means depends. Thus, the platform may be positioned nearer the
ground without a reduction in the extent to which the rail moving means may
engage with a rail above the ground. Having a lower platform can provide an
operator who is working behind the railway rail with an improved field of view
over the top of the apparatus.
The rail moving means may be configured to be extendible. Thus, an
elevation over the ground of a rail supported by the rail moving means may be
varied. More specifically, the rail moving means may be progressively
extendible.
Extendibility may be achieved by providing the rail moving means with a
telescopic body.
In a form of the invention the railway rail handling apparatus may be
configured for movement of the rail moving means on the railway rail handling
apparatus laterally of a rail engaged in the rail moving means. Thus, the need
to
position the railway rail handling apparatus such that the rail moving means
is
located where it is desired to move the replacement rail may be reduced.
Instead
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the rail moving means may be positioned over the rail to be moved and when the
end of the rail is engaged the rail moving means may be moved laterally on the
railway rail handling apparatus to the desired position, perhaps as the
railway rail
handling apparatus moves over the ground. A further advantage is that a need
to
steer the rail handling apparatus, e.g. to avoid an obstacle, may be reduced.
Thus
disturbance of ballast can be minimised.
More specifically, the railway rail handling apparatus may be configured
such that a part of the rail moving means that engages a rail describes a
substantially linear path as it moves on the railway rail handling apparatus.
Alternatively or in addition, the rail moving means may be configured to
swivel in relation to the railway rail handling apparatus. The rail moving
means
may have an elongate body, with a first end of the elongate body mounted to
swivel on the apparatus and a second opposite end of the elongate body
configured
to engage a rail. Thus, swivelling of the rail moving means can bring it
closer to an
end of a rail at the start of a rail moving operation. This can have the
advantage of
reducing the extent to which the rail needs to be bent before it engages with
the rail
moving means. Configuring the rail moving means for extendibility can also
help
bring the rail moving means closer to the end of the rail at the start of a
rail moving
operation.
Alternatively or in addition, the rail moving means may comprise user
operable arresting means for arresting movement of the rail moving means in
relation to the apparatus in a direction lateral of a rail. Thus, when an end
of a rail
has been brought into engagement with the rail moving means the arresting
means
may be operated to prevent further lateral movement of the rail moving means
in
relation to the apparatus. For example, the arresting means may be a pin or
the like
that a user inserts into the rail moving means to prevent it from swivelling
in
relation to the apparatus.
The rail moving means may be configured for rotational movement in
relation to the railway rail handling apparatus about an axis extending from
the
ground, when the railway rail handling apparatus is in use, and substantially
perpendicular to a longitude of a rail engaged by the rail moving means. In
use, the
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rail moving means can rotate to a position in relation to the railway rail
handling
apparatus to suit an angle to which the rail is to be or is being bent.
The rail moving means may define an aperture for receiving a rail
lengthwise. More specifically, the aperture may be of sufficient dimensions to
accommodate discontinuities and projections encountered on a surface of a
rail,
such as bolts, weld seams and fissures.
More specifically and according to a first form of the invention, the rail
moving means may be configured to completely encircle the part of the length
of
rail engaged by the rail moving means. This can have the advantage, in
comparison with known rail grab devices and the like, of providing for secure
engagement of the rail. For example, a rail moving means according to the
first
form of the invention is less likely to drop a rail on encountering
discontinuities
and projections on the surface of the rail.
More specifically, the rail moving means may have a gate means moveable
to allow a rail to be received by the rail moving means. Thus, the gate means
may
be moved at the start of a rail moving operation to permit reception and
engagement of a rail by the rail moving means. For example, the gate means may
be mounted for rotation on a rotatable mounting. The gate means may have
locking means for locking the gate means in a closed position.
The rail moving means may be configured for ease of its movement
longitudinally along a rail engaged by the rail moving means. The rail moving
means may be configured for ease of movement by means of one or more devices
that engage with the rail, such as rollers, bearings, low friction surfaces,
etc.
The apparatus may be configured to provide a rigid connection to the rail
moving means at least in a direction lateral of a rail engaged in the rail
moving
means. Thus, a force for bending a rail may be properly and controllably
transmitted from the apparatus to the rail moving means.
The railway rail handling apparatus may further comprise railway rail
raising means. The railway rail raising means may be used to help raise an end
of a.
rail towards the rail moving means, for example at the start of a rail moving
operation. The raising means may, for example, comprise a block and tackle
arrangement.
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The railway rail handling apparatus may comprise two spaced apart
apparatus support members for supporting the apparatus over a railway and the
ground engaging wheel means may be provided on the apparatus support means.
The ground engaging wheel means may comprise a continuous chain tread
means. A continuous chain tread means can provide for distribution of the
weight
of the railway rail handling apparatus, which can be advantageous when the
apparatus is moving over ballast.
More specifically, the continuous chain tread means may be of a length at
least as great as a standard spacing of railway sleepers. Thus, at least some
of the
weight of the railway rail handling apparatus may be borne by the railway
sleepers
thereby reducing the likelihood of disturbing the ballast.
Where the railway rail handling apparatus comprises two continuous chain
tread means, the two continuous chain tread means may be spaced apart to
substantially the same extent as a standard rail to rail spacing. This can
allow for
the spaced apart continuous chain tread means to move over the ground close to
the
rails where the ballast is closer packed and less liable to disturbance.
The railway rail handling apparatus may comprise pneumatic systems for
actuating one or more moving parts of the apparatus.
The railway rail handling apparatus may be configured to be self
propelled.
More specifically, the railway rail handling apparatus may comprise an
engine, e.g. such as a diesel engine, configured to provide motive power for
the
railway rail handling apparatus.
The railway rail handling apparatus may comprise a generator for
providing power to actuate one or more moving parts of the apparatus. More
specifically the generator may comprise a diesel generator.
The railway rail handling apparatus may comprise user control means for
user control of the apparatus.
One or more of the component parts of the railway rail handling apparatus
may be formed of metal, such as steel.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method of handling a railway rail by means of a railway rail handling
apparatus,
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which is configured for track side operation and comprises ground engaging
wheel
means, the method comprising engaging a railway rail along part of its length
by a
rail moving means of the railway rail handling apparatus, and moving the
railway
rail handling apparatus on the ground engaging wheel means to progressively
move
the rail moving means longitudinally along the rail to progressively bend the
rail
laterally of an unbent part of the rail to thereby move the rail from a first
position
to a second position, in which the rail moving means is operated within a
footprint
over the ground of the railway rail handling apparatus.
Forms of the second aspect of the invention may comprise one or more of
the features described above in relation to the first aspect of the invention.
The present applicant has realised that a rail moving means according to
the first form of the invention defined above may have wider application than
hitherto described. Thus, according to a third aspect of the present invention
there
is provided a railway rail handling device, which is configured to receive a
railway
rail lengthwise and to engage the rail along part of its length and for
progressive,
longitudinal movement along the received rail and, as it so moves, for
progressive
bending of the rail laterally of an unbent part of the rail, the device being
further
configured to completely encircle the part of the length of rail engaged by
the
device.
A railway rail handling device according to the third aspect of the
invention can have the advantage, in comparison with known handling devices,
such as a rail grab device of a road-rail plant, of providing for secure
support of a
rail. For example, a railway rail handling device according to the third
aspect of
the invention is less likely to drop a rail on encountering discontinuities
and
projections on the surface of the rail, such as bolts, weld seams and
fissures.
Forms of the third aspect of the invention may comprise one or more of the
features described above in relation to the first and second aspects of the
invention.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
railway rail handling apparatus, as defined below, having a railway rail
handling
device according to the third aspect of the present invention.
For the purpose of the fourth aspect of the present invention, railway rail
handling apparatus is defined as comprising a railway rail handling apparatus
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according to the first aspect of the present invention, known road-rail plant
as
described hereinabove and other such prior art forms of railway rail handling
apparatus.
A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described by
way of example only and with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure 1 a is a side view of a railway rail handling apparatus according to
the invention;
Figure lb is a front view of the railway rail handling apparatus of Figure
1 a;
Figure 2 is a detailed front view of the rail moving means of Figures la
and lb when open to receive a rail;
Figure 3a is a side view of the railway rail handling apparatus of Figure la
when engaged with a rail;
Figure 3b is a front view of the railway rail handling apparatus of Figure
lb when engaged with an end of a rail;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figures la to 3b in operation;
and
Figures Sa and Sb are views of an alternative embodiment of the railway
rail handling apparatus.
Referring to the drawings, Figures la and lb respectively provide side and
front views of a railway rail handling apparatus 10 according to the
invention. The
apparatus 10 comprises rail moving means 12, which is located approximately
half
way between and depends between two spaced apart apparatus support members
14, 16. The rail moving means 12 depends from a chassis 18, which is supported
on the two spaced apart apparatus support members 14, 16. On the chassis 18
are
supported a pneumatic system 20, a diesel generator 22 and a user control 24,
which provide pneumatic actuation, generation and user control of the railway
rail
handling apparatus in accordance with known techniques. The diesel generator
provides motive power for the railway rail handling apparatus. In addition, a
block
and tackle arrangement 26 is mounted on the front of the chassis 18. The block
and tackle arrangement can be moved to one of several positions between the
spaced apart support members 14, 16. A continuous chain tread 28 (which
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constitutes ground engaging wheel means) is provided at the end of each of the
two
spaced apart apparatus support members 14, 16.
Figure 2 shows the rail moving means 12 of Figures 1 a and 1 b in more
detail. With reference to Figures la, lb and 2, the rail moving means
comprises an
elongate telescopic body 40, having a first part 42 that is telescopically
received in
a second part 44. Referring now again to Figures la and lb, the upper end of
the
body 40 is mounted on the chassis 18 by means of a c oupling 46, which
provides
for swivelling and/or rotation of the rail moving means in relation to the
chassis. A
pin (not shown and which constitutes arresting means] is inserted by an
operator
into an upper part of the rail moving means to arrest s wivelling and/or
rotation in
relation of the chassis.
At the end of the rail moving means 12 opposite the end having the
coupling 46, the rail moving means is configured to define an aperture 48 for
receiving a rail. The aperture 48 is defined by two spaced apart side members
50,
52, a plate 54 substantially perpendicular to the spaced apart side members
50, 52
and a roller 56 (which constitutes a gate means) spaced apart from the plate.
The
aperture is of sufficient dimensions to accommodate discontinuities and
projections
encountered on a surface of a rail, as the rail moving means is moved along
the rail.
As can be seen from Figure 2, the side members 5~, 52 can be rotated in the
direction of the arrows. As the roller 56 is attached to one of the side
members 50,
rotation of that side member 50 swivels the roller 56 to one side, thereby
permitting
a rail to be received between the side members from below. When the roller 56
is
in the closed position shown in Figure la, a retractable bolt 58 provided on
the
roller 56 is received in a corresponding locking aperture 60 provided in one
of the
side members 52.
As shown in Figure 2, two rotatable handle supports 62, 64 are provided on
the top of the plate 54, with a handle 66 extending from a side of one of the
handle
supports 62. The handle supports 62, 64 and handle 66 are not shown in Figures
1 a
and lb for the sake of clarity. The handle supports can be rotated sideways,
as
shown in Figure 2. The handle supports 62, 64 may be rotated independently of
the side members 50, 52; alternatively, the side members and handle supports
may
be in mechanical communication such that a handle support will rotate with its
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corresponding side member. When the two handle supports 62, 64 are rotated
towards each other such that they extend forward of the rail moving means 12,
the
handle 66 that extends from one of the handle supports 62 engages with the
other
handle support 64 to provide a convenient operator handle, which extends
across
the front of the rail moving means 12.
Structural parts of the railway rail handling apparatus, such as the chassis
18, the support members 14, 16, the block and tackle arrangement 26, the rail
moving means 12, etc, are largely formed of a metal, such steel. The
continuous
chain tread 28 may be formed of rubber, plastics or similar such material.
A height of the railway rail handling apparatus 10 from the ground to the
chassis 18, when the apparatus is standing on the continuous chain tread 28 is
about lm. A width of the chassis 18 from one support member to the other 14,
16
is about 1 m. A length of the apparatus from the front of the continuous chain
tread
to its rear is about 1.7m and the length of the chassis is about lm. The rail
moving
means has a diameter of about 0.2m. The length of the rail moving means in the
fully retracted state is about 0.7m and in the fully extended state is about
0.9m.
The aperture defined by the rail moving means for receiving a rail is about
0.2m
high and 0.2m wide.
Turning now to Figures 3a, 3b and 4, it will be seen that these figures
illustrate a use of the apparatus shown in Figures la, lb and 2. Accordingly,
the
reader is directed to the description given with reference to Figures la, lb
and 2 in
the preceding paragraphs for a description of those components that are common
to
Figures 3a to 4.
Referring to Figures 3a, 3b and 4, use of the railway rail handling
apparatus will now be described. The railway rail handling apparatus 10 is
manoeuvred over the ground by means of the continuous chain tread 28 so that
the
rail moving means 12, when substantially vertical to the ground, is over a
location
(e.g. part of a railway) to which it is desired to move a rail. The side
members 50,
52 and the rotatable handle supports are rotated to take up the position shown
in
Figure 2. The pin, which is used to arrest swivelling of the rail moving means
is
removed. In addition, the block and tackle arrangement 26 is moved to a
position
between the two spaced apart members 14, 16, which is above or at least as
close
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as possible to a rail 80 lying on the ground. Then, the rail moving means 12
is
swivelled sideways towards the rail 80 and, at much the same time, the block
and
tackle arrangement 26 used to raise an end 82 of the rail above the ground and
towards the open end of the rail moving means 12. If need be, an operator may
use
the inherent flexibility of the rail to bend the end of the rail laterally
towards the
rail moving means, e.g. by means of a crowbar or other such -tool. The rail
moving
means 12 and the end 82 of the rail are manoeuvred so that the end 82 is
received
in the aperture 48 defined by the side members 50, 52 of the rail moving means
12.
The telescopic body 40 of the rail moving means 12 may be extended or
retracted
to aid location of the end 82 of the rail in the aperture 48.
When the end 82 of the rail is properly received in the aperture 48, the side
members 50, 52 (along with the handle supports 62, 64) are rotated to close
the rail
moving means 12 so that that they take up the position shown in Figures 3a and
3b.
The block and tackle arrangement 26 can now be disengaged from the end of the
rail. In this position, the retractable bolt 58 is received in the
corresponding
locking aperture to hold the side members 50, 52 and roller 56 securely in
place.
Thus, as shown in Figure 3b, the rail moving means completely encircles the
end
82 of the rail. The end 82 of the rail on the roller 56 and thus part of the
rail (see
Figure 3a) is supported above the ground. The set-up procedure concludes with
the
rail moving means 12 being swivelled back to be substantially vertical to the
ground and the pin re-inserted to arrest further swivelling of the rail moving
means
12 in relation to the chassis 18. This concludes the set-up procedure.
Upon conclusion of the set-up procedure, the railway rail handling
apparatus 10 is driven on the continuous chain tread 28 so that the rail
moving
means 12 moves longitudinally along the rail 80. The presence of the roller 56
provides for ease of movement of the rail moving means along the rail.
Rotation of
the rail moving means 12 in relation to the chassis 18 about an axis extending
substantially vertically from the ground can ease travel of the rail moving
means
along the rail.
Figure 4 provides a plan view of the railway rail handling apparatus 10 in
operation, with the arrow indicating the direction of movement of the
apparatus
along the rail 80. As the apparatus 10 moves progressively along the rail, the
rail
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moving means 12 engages with successive parts of the rail to bend them
laterally of
the as yet unbent part of the rail in a continuous rrianner. The bending of
the rail is
made possible by its inherent flexibility. Thus, the rail is progressively
moved
from its initial location to a location generally below the rail moving means
12.
This operation continues until the end of the rail is reached. Steering of the
apparatus can be achieved by independent control of the two continuous chain
treads 28. Steering allows an operator to control to where the rail is moved.
Typically, the rail moving means 12 is disengaged from the rail by driving the
apparatus 10 until the furthest end of the rail is re ached and the furthest
end drops
from the rail moving means. As may be best appreciated by viewing Figure 4,
the
rail moving means 12 is operative within a footprint defined by the railway
rail
handling apparatus 10 over the ground.
Figures Sa and Sb are partial side and plan views of an alternative
embodiment of the railway rail handling apparatus, in which the chassis 18
defines
an aperture 19 through which the rail moving means 40 depends. As can be seen
from Figure Sa the rail moving means 12 exte=nds above the chassis, thereby
allowing for the support members 14, 16 to be shortened and the height of the
apparatus to be reduced. The rail moving means L 2 is movable to and fro
laterally
of a rail engaged by the rail moving means in the aperture 19 (as indicated by
the
arrows of Figure Sb). The rail moving means 12 moves to and fro on a train
(not
shown) under power provided by the diesel generator. This embodiment provides
several advantages. More specifically, the rail moving means 12 can be moved
laterally during engagement of a rail with the rail moving means. In addition,
the
rail moving means can be moved laterally during bending of a rail, e.g. to
avoid an
obstacle, without disturbing ballast by having to steer the railway rail
handling
apparatus 10 on the continuous chain tread 28. Furthermore, the rail moving
means can be moved laterally to control a position to where a rail is being
moved
by the railway rail handling apparatus.
14
