Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HINGED CLAMP
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional
Application No.
61/192,665, filed September 19, 2008, the entire contents of which is hereby
incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[00021 This invention relates to a clamp device and, more particularly, to a
hinged
clamping device for attaching a rail device to a railroad rail.
Description of the Prior Art
[00031 In the operation of railroads, it has long been the practice to apply
lubricant or
friction modifying materials onto railroad rails, such as to the top of the
rails or sides of the
rails at curves, turnouts, switches, and in some cases, the sections of the
track immediately
before a switch, and periodically spaced along the length of the track.
Reference may be
made to U.S. Patent Nos. 5,348,120; 5,394,958 and 6,971,479, which are hereby
incorporated
by reference, for a dissertation on rail lubrication and disclosure of rail
lubrication systems
and applicator bars (oftentimes referred to as "wiping bars") used therein.
[0004] Common to these prior art wiping bars is the need for means to rigidly
secure the
device to the railroad rails so that lubricant can be dispensed repeatedly at
the desired rate and
at the needed location. In most cases, such means involve a mechanical
connection to the rail
itself, such as by bolting or clamping in various ways. However, the problems
associated
with such clamping means, among other things, is that the prior art wiping
bars are often
difficult to install and/or re-install in the field whenever maintenance is
performed on the rail
or on the wiping bar itself.
[0005] Fig. 1 shows a typical wiping bar assembly W1 mounted on a railroad
rail 10. The
rail 10 includes a base 12 that has flanges 14 and 16 extending therefrom. The
rail 10 also
includes a head 18, and a web 20 connecting the base 12 and the head 18.
Referring to
Fig. 1, the wiping bar assembly W1 is secured to the railroad rail 10 using a
prior art
mounting support or clamp 24. Typically, it takes two spaced-apart mounting
clamps 24 for
securing a typical wiping bar assembly W1 to a railroad rail. The wiping bar
assembly
typically may include a front blade extending lengthwise on the outside face
of a lubricant
manifold body and an elongated distribution blade extending lengthwise on the
front blade.
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A flow passageway is defined in a portion of the manifold body and the
distribution blade for
material to pass through. The flow passageway defines an exit end for
depositing material
onto the head 18 of the rail 10. As shown in Fig. 1, the wiping bar assembly
W1 is
positioned to deliver material to the gage face of the head 18, although other
wiping bar
assembly W l are utilized.
[0006) The mounting clamp 24 includes a body 26 having a first end 28 and a
second end
30 and defining an upper section 32 and a lower section 34. A recess portion
36 is defined at
the first end 28 between the upper section 32 and the lower section 34 of the
body 26 of the
clamp 24, wherein the recess portion 36 is adapted to receive a portion of the
flange 16 of the
base 12 of the rail 10 as shown. The size and shape of the recess portion 36
is such as to
provide a tight fit when the flange 16 is received therein. A bore 38 is
defined in the lower
section 34 of the clamp body 26 slightly below the recess portion 36 and
extends from the
first end 28 to the second end 30 of the clamp 24. The mounting clamp 24 also
includes a J-
bolt 40 having a hook section 42 defining a recess 44 and a straight section
46 having an end
portion 48. The recess 44 of the hook section 42 is adapted to receive a
portion of the flange
14 of the base 12 of the rail 10 as shown. The straight section 46 of the J-
bolt 40, which
extends below the base 12 of the rail 10, is received within the bore 38 such
that the end
portion 48 extends beyond the second end 30 of the clamp body 26. The end
portion 48 may
be threaded for receiving a threaded fastener 50, such as a nut. A downwardly
extending hole
52, which may be internally threaded, is defined in an upper surface 54 of the
clamp body 26,
wherein the hole 52 is adapted to receive a fastener arrangement 56 for
securing the wiping
bar assembly WI to the railroad rail 10.
100071 With continued reference to Fig. 1, the attachment of the prior art
mounting clamp
24 to the railroad rail 10 is accomplished as follows. First, the straight
section 46 of the J-
bolt 40 is received within the bore 38 of the clamp body 26 and then placed
underneath the
base 12 such that the base flange 14 is received within the recess 44 of the
hook section 42.
The first end 28 of the clamp body 26 is placed adjacent the base 12 of the
rail 10 such that
the flange 16 is received within the recess portion 36 of the body 26 of the
clamp 24. A
nut 50 or other fastener arrangement such as a nut and lockwasher is placed on
the threaded
end portion 48 and rotated toward the second end 30, thus drawing the mounting
clamp 24
and the hook section 42 of the J-bolt 40 toward each other for tight
securement (including
lateral securement) to the railroad rail 10. The wiping bar assembly WI may
then be fastened
to the upper surface 54 of the clamp body 26 as indicated at 56. When removing
and/or
installing the wiping bar assembly WI, such as for routine maintenance, the
wiping bar
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assembly W1 must either be unbolted from the clamp body 26 or the entire
mounting clamp
24 must be removed from the railroad rail 10. This requires a tool such as a
socket wrench
which may be used to unloosen the nut 50 on the J-bolt 40 to remove the clamp
24 entirely or
to unloosen the fastener arrangement 56 on the upper surface 54 of the clamp
body 26 to
remove only the wiping bar assembly WI. In most prior art clamps of this type,
the
tightening and/or unloosening process is relatively slow and tedious, thus
making installation
and removal of the wiping bar assembly W1 difficult and time consuming. This
is
particularly true with a rail lubrication system that contains at least four
wiping bars totaling
eight mounting clamps 24.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In one embodiment, a clamp device for mounting a rail device onto a
railroad rail
includes a clamp body and a pivot arm. The clamp body has a first end and a
second end.
The first end of the clamp body is configured to receive a portion of a rail
flange. The pivot
arm has a body and is attached to the clamp body. The pivot arm is
displaceable between a
first position and a second position relative to the clamp body, and the body
of the pivot arm
is configured to be attached to a rail device. The pivot arm may be pivotally
attached to the
clamp body and pivotable relative to the clamp body between the first and
second positions.
The body of the pivot arm may be u-shaped having a first section, a second
section, and an
intermediate section extending between the first and second sections. The
pivot arm may
further comprise a pair of side members extending from each side of the first
section.
Further, the clamp body defines a bore hole extending through the clamp body,
and the side
members each define an opening aligned with the bore hole of the clamp body.
The pivot
arm may be pivotally secured to the clamp body via a fastener positioned
through the bore
hole of the clamp body and the openings of each side member. The first section
of the body
of the pivot arm is engaged with the clamp body when the pivot arm is in the
first position,
and the first section of the body of the pivot arm is retracted from the clamp
body when the
pivot arm is in the second position.
[0009] In a further embodiment, a clamp device for mounting a rail device onto
a railroad
rail includes a clamp body having an upper section and a lower section. The
body defines a
recess portion between the upper and lower sections and an opening in the
lower section.
The recess portion is configured to receive a portion of a rail flange. A bolt
having a first end
and a second end extends through the opening in the lower section of the body
with the first
end of the bolt being configured to receive a portion of a rail flange. A
pivot arm having a
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body is pivotally attached to the upper section of the clamp body. The pivot
arm is
configured to be attached to a rail device. The body of the pivot arm may be u-
shaped having
a first section, a second section, and an intermediate section extending
between the first and
second sections. The pivot arm may further comprise a par of side members
extending from
each side of the first section. The clamp body may also define a bore hole
extending through
the clamp body, and the side members may define an opening aligned with the
bore hole of
the clamp body where the pivot arm is pivotally attached to the upper section
of the clamp
body via a fastener positioned through the bore hole of the clamp body and the
opening of
each side member. The pivot arm may be pivotable relative to the clamp body
between a first
position and a second position with the first section of the body of the pivot
arm being
engaged with clamp body when the pivot arm is in the first position, and the
first section of
the body of the pivot arm being retracted from the clamp body when the pivot
arm is in the
second position. The clamp device may further comprise a rail device attached
to the pivot
arm. The pivot arm may be pivotable relative to the clamp body between a first
position and
a second position with the rail device configured to be engaged with a head of
a railroad rail
when the pivot arm is in the first position, and the rail device configured to
be retracted from
a head of a railroad rail when the pivot arm is in the second position.
[00101 In another embodiment, a method of mounting a rail device onto a
railroad rail is
provided. The method includes the steps of securing the clamp device to a
portion of a
flange of a railroad rail, where the clamp device includes a clamp body and a
pivot arm;
securing a rail device to the pivot arm; and pivoting the pivot arm from a
first position to a
second position relative to the clamp body, where the rail device is engaged
with a head of
the railroad rail when the pivot arm is in the first position, and where the
rail device is
retracted from the head of the railroad rail when the pivot arm is in the
second position. The
clamp device may further include a bolt having a first end and a second end
with the bolt
extending through an opening defined in the clamp body and the clamp body
defining a
recess portion. The method may further include the steps of engaging a first
flange of the
railroad rail with the recess portion of the clamp body, and securing the bolt
to the clamp
body via a fastener such that the first end of the bolt engages a second
flange of the railroad
rail. The pivot arm may be a u-shaped body having a first section, a second
section, and an
intermediate section extending between the first and second sections. The rail
device may be
attached to the second section of the u-shaped body of the pivot arm. Further,
the pivot arm
may act as a leaf spring when the pivot arm is in the first position.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TBE DRAWINGS
[0011] Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of a typical wiping bar mounted to a
railroad rail
using a prior art mounting clamp;
[0012] Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of a hinged clamp for a wiping bar
according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
100131 Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2;
[0014] Fig. 4 is an elevational side view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2;
[0015] Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2;
[0016] Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2,
wherein the
hinged clamp is secured to a railroad rail;
[0017] Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2
with a wiping
bar attached, wherein the clamp is shown mounted to a railroad rail in an
engaged position;
[0018] Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2
with a wiping
bar attached, wherein wiping bar is pivotally moved partially away from a
railroad rail;
[0019] Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2
with a wiping
bar attached, wherein the wiping bar is pivotally moved further away from a
railroad rail; and
[00201 Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the hinged clamp shown in Fig. 2
with a wiping
bar attached, wherein the wiping bar is shown pivotally moved completely away
from a
railroad rail in a disengaged position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] For purposes of the description hereinafter, spatial orientation terms,
if used, shall
relate to the referenced embodiment as it is oriented in the accompanying
drawing figures or
otherwise described in the following detailed description. However, it is to
be understood
that the embodiments described hereinafter may assume many alternative
variations and
embodiments. It is also to be understood that the specific devices illustrated
in the
accompanying drawing figures and described herein are simply exemplary and
should not be
considered as limiting.
[0022] Referring to Figs. 2-10, one embodiment of the present invention
provides for a
hinged mounting clamp 60 that quickly engages and disengages a rail device,
such as a
wiping bar assembly W1 or a sensor (not shown), with respect to a railroad
rail 10. The
hinged mounting clamp 60 includes a body 62 having a first end 64 and a second
end 66 and
defining an upper section 68 and a lower section 70. A recess portion 72 is
defined at the
first end 64 between the upper section 68 and the lower section 70 of the body
62 of the
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clamp 60. The recess portion 72 is configured to receive a portion of the
flange 16 of the
base 12 of the rail 10 as shown. A bore 74 (shown in phantom in Fig. 6) is
defined in the
lower section 70 of the clamp body 62 slightly below the recess portion 72 and
extends from
the first end 64 to the second end 66 of the clamp 60. Clamp 60 further
includes a pivot arm
88 pivotably attached to the top of the upper section 68 of the clamp body 62
with the pivot
arm 88 being attached to the wiping bar assembly WI. Typically, two spaced
apart hinged
mounting clamps 60 are utilized for securing a wiping bar assembly WI to the
railroad rail
10. For example, a first hinged mounting clamp 60 may be secured to one end of
the wiping
bar assembly W1 and a second hinged mounting clamp 60 may be secured to the
other end of
the wiping bar assembly W l. The pivot arm 88 is pivotable between an engaged
position
(Figs. 6 and 7) and a retracted position (Figs. 8.10). The mounting clamp 60
also includes a
J-bolt 76 having a hook section 78 that defines a recess 80 and a straight
section 82 having an
end portion 84. The recess 80 of the hook section 78 is configured to receive
a portion of the
flange 14 of the base 12 of the rail 10. The straight section 82 of the J-bolt
76, which extends
below the base 12 of the rail 10, is received within the bore 74 such that the
end portion 84
extends beyond the second end 66 of the clamp body 62. The end portion 84 is
threaded for
receiving a threaded fastener 86, such as a nut.
[0023] Referring to Figs. 2-5, the pivot arm 88 includes a U-shaped body 90
having an
inner surface 92 and an outer surface 94 and defining a first section 96, an
intermediate
section 98 depending from the first section 96 and a second section 101
depending from the
intermediate section 98. A recess area 103 is defined between the first
section 96 and the
second section 101. Referring to Figs. 2 and 5, each side of the first section
96 includes a
downwardly extending side member 105, 107 attached thereto. Each side member
105, 107
defines at least two openings 109, 111 therein. The openings 109, 111 in the
side member
105 are aligned with the respective openings 109, 111 in side member 107 such
that a
fastener 113, for example, a nut and bolt arrangement, can pass through the
respective
openings 109, 111 in each side member 105, 107. Further, the body 62 of the
clamp 60
defines a pair of spaced-apart bore holes 115, 117 in the upper section 68 and
extend from
one side of the body 62 to the other. The bore holes 115, 117 in the upper
section 68 of the
body 62 align with the respective openings 109, 111 in the side member 105,
107 in the first
section 66 of the body 64 of the pivot arm 62 when the wiping bar assembly WI
is in the
engaged position (shown in Figs. 6 and 7).
[0024] The pivot arm 88 is pivotally secured to the clamp body 62 by a
fastener 113
extending through openings 111 in the side members 105, 107 and the bore hole
117 of
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clamp body 62. The first section 96 of the pivot arm 88 is engaged with the
clamp body 62
when the pivot arm 88 is in the engaged position and the first section 96 of
the pivot arm 88
is retracted from the clamp body when the pivot arm 88 is in the retracted
position.
Similarly, the wiping bar assembly W1 is configured to be engaged with the
head 18 of the
rail 10 when the pivot arm 88 is in the engaged position and the wiping bar
assembly W1 is
configured to be retracted from the head 18 of the rail 10 when the pivot arm
88 is in the
retracted position. The U-shaped body 90 of the pivot arm 88 acts as a leaf
spring when the
attached wiping bar assembly W1 is contacted or deflected such as by a rail
car, thus
preventing damage to the wiping bar assembly W l. The U-shaped body 90 of the
pivot arm
88 can also be reversed such that the intermediate section 98 is furthest away
from the
railroad rail 10 (not shown).
[0025] Referring to Figs. 2-10, an opening 119 is defined in the second
section 101 of the
pivot arm 88 and extends from the inner surface 92 to the outer surface 94 of
the body 90 of
the pivot arm 88. A nut 121 may be attached to the inner surface 92 of the
second section
101, wherein the nut 121 is aligned with the opening 119 for receiving a
fastener such as a
bolt 123 for securing the wiping bar assembly W1 to clamp 60. The opening 119
may also be
internally threaded for receiving the bolt 123.
[0026] In operation, as shown in Figs. 6-10, the clamp 60 is secured to the
railroad rail 10
in a similar manner as the prior art clamp 24. The straight section 82 of the
J-bolt 76 is
received within the bore 74 of the clamp body 62 and placed underneath the
base 12 of the
rail 10 such that the base flange 14 is received by the recess 80 of the hook
section 78 of the
bolt 76 and engages the hook section 78 of the bolt 76. The first end 64 of
the clamp body 62
is placed adjacent the base 12 of the rail 10 such that the flange 16 of the
rail 10 is received
within the recess portion 72 of the clamp body 62 and engages the clamp body
62. The
fastener 86, such as a nut and lockwasher arrangement, is placed on the
threaded end portion
84 and rotated toward the second end 66 thereby drawing the mounting clamp 60
and the
hook section 78 of the J-bolt 76 toward each other for tight securement to the
railroad rail 10.
Other suitable arrangements may be used to secure the clamp 60 to the rail 10,
such as a
quick clamp type of mounting arrangement. The wiping bar assembly W1 is
secured to the
second section 101 of the pivot arm 88 using the fastener 123 and nut 121 as
discussed above.
In order to secure the pivot arm 88 in the engaged position (Figs. 6 and 7),
the fastener 113 is
inserted through the openings 109 in the side members 105, 107 and the bore
hole 115 in the
clamp body 62 thereby preventing pivotal rotation of the pivot arm 88 and
maintaining
engagement of the wiping bar assembly WI with the rail 10.
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10027] Referring to Figs. 7-10, when removing the wiping bar assembly W1, such
as for
routine maintenance, the wiping bar assembly W l may be disengaged from the
railroad rail
using the hinged clamp 60. First, the fastener 113 which is closest to the
railroad rail 10 is
removed from the bore hole 115 in the clamp body 62 and from the openings 109
in the side
members 105, 107 as shown in Fig. 7. Instead of a fastener 113, such as a nut
and bolt
arrangement, a quick release pin arrangement may be used. Next, as shown in
Figs. 8 and 9,
the pivot arm 88 is pivotably rotated away from the railroad rail 10 until the
wiping bar
assembly W1 is removed a sufficient distance away from the railroad rail 10
such that
maintenance can be performed on the wiping bar assembly W1 and/or the railroad
rail 10. In
a disengaged position, as shown in Fig. 10, the pivot arm 88 is prevented from
further
rotation either by the inner surface 92 of the second section 101 of the pivot
arm 88 abutting
against the end portion 84 of the J-bolt 76 or by the fastener 123 of the
wiping bar assembly
W1 abutting against the end portion 84 of the J-bolt 76 (not shown). After
maintenance is
performed, the pivot arm 88 is pivotably rotated toward the railroad rail 10
such that the outer
surface 94 of the first section 96 abuts against or engages the top of the
upper section 68 of
the clamp body 62, thus placing the wiping bar assembly W1 into the engaged
position with
respect to the railroad rail 10. The fastener 113 can then be inserted back
through the
opening 109 in the side members 105, 107 and the bore hole 115 in the clamp
body 62 thus
securing the wiping bar assembly W1 relative to the clamp 60.
[00281 This invention has been described with reference to the preferred
embodiments.
Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and
understanding
the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be
construed as including
all such modifications and alterations.
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