Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
PATENT
30855.8011 (04W01)
RAIL THREADER WORKHEAD
BACKGROUND
[0001]
This disclosure relates to the field of
machines for maintaining railroads, and in
particular, to machines that install railroad rails along a railway.
[0002]
Railroad rails are difficult to install
along a railway to form a track. In the past, rail lifting
machines or cranes were configured to hoist a large section of rail into the
air by lifting the rail
with chains at a lift point along the rail. To lift the rail, an articulating
claw suspended from the
end of a chain hanging from the end of the boom of the crane would be
positioned to engage the
rail under the inside and outside surfaces of the head of the rail at the
desired lift point. Once the
claw was positioned along the rail, the crane operator would lift the section
of track and position
the section as close to the desired location as possible across the railroad
ties. However, the
process of placing a rail into place by the crane was inconsistent, imprecise,
time consuming, and
did not allow for easy insertion of the rail under a lug of the tie plate. In
addition, previously known
rail lifting machines or cranes were configured with a single operator
station, which inhibits the
operator's ability to see and control placement of both an inside rail and an
outside rail across a
set of railroad ties.
[0003]
Consequently, there exists a need for an
apparatus that solves these and other
problems.
SUMMARY
[0004]
An embodiment of a rail threader workhead
for attachment to an end of a rail machine
boom and configured for placing a railroad rail upon a section of railroad
ties is disclosed,
comprising: (i) a first apparatus for mounting to the end of the rail machine
boom and operable
to pivot in a vertical pitch direction; (ii) a second apparatus extending from
the first apparatus and
operable to pivot in a horizontal yaw direction; and a third apparatus
extending from the second
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apparatus, the third apparatus comprising a pair of roller assemblies
configured to engage the
railroad rail, the third apparatus configured to pivot in a cant or roll
direction.
[0005]
The first, second, and third apparatus may
be configured to operate independently of
one another. The first, second, and third apparatus may be configured to
operate simultaneously
with one another. The first, second, and third apparatus may be configured to
operate in series
with one another.
[0006]
The first apparatus may include a pair of
horizontally oriented first hydraulic cylinders
for pivoting the second apparatus in the yaw direction. Each of the first
hydraulic cylinders may
be configured to pivot about a vertical axis that intersects a longitudinal
axis of each of the first
hydraulic cylinders. The second apparatus may include a pair of vertically
oriented second
hydraulic cylinders for pivoting the third apparatus in the cant or roll
direction. Each of the second
hydraulic cylinders may be configured to pivot about a horizontal axis that
intersects a longitudinal
axis of each of the second hydraulic cylinders. The third apparatus may
include a pair of third
hydraulic cylinders to actuate the pair of roller assemblies to engage the
railroad rail. The rail
threader workhead may include a pair of roller arms that are pivotably
attached to a cant or roll
apparatus of the third apparatus. An upper end of each of the third hydraulic
cylinders may be
connected to the cant or roll apparatus, and a lower end of each of the third
hydraulic cylinders
may be connected to a respective roller arm. Each of the roller arms may be
connected to a
respective roller assembly. Each of the roller assemblies may include a pair
of roller bearings
configured to rotate on an internal, stationary shaft that is mounted to each
of the roller arms.
[0007]
The first apparatus may pivot about a first
horizontal pin that is perpendicular to a
longitudinal axis of the rail machine boom, the second apparatus may pivot
about a vertical pin,
and the third apparatus may pivot about a second horizontal pin that is
perpendicular to the first
horizontal pin.
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[0008]
Another embodiment of a rail threader
workhead for attachment to an end of a rail
machine boom and configured for placing a railroad rail upon a section of
railroad ties is disclosed,
comprising: (i) a first apparatus for mounting to the end of the rail machine
boom, the first
apparatus configured to pivot in a vertical pitch direction about a first
horizontal pin that is
perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rail machine boom; (ii) a second
apparatus extending
from the first apparatus, the second apparatus configured to pivot about a
vertical pin in a
horizontal yaw direction; and (iii) a third apparatus extending from the
second apparatus, the third
apparatus configured to pivot in a cant or roll direction about a second
horizontal pin that is
perpendicular to the first horizontal pin.
[0009]
The first horizontal pin may be attached to
and extend from a first receiver connected
to a first side panel of the first apparatus to a second receiver connected to
a second side panel
of the first apparatus. The vertical pin may be attached to and extend from a
top receiver
connected to a top panel of the first apparatus to a bottom receiver connected
to a bottom panel
of the first apparatus. The second horizontal pin is attached to and extends
from a front receiver
connected to a front panel of the second apparatus to a rear receiver
connected to a rear panel
of the second apparatus.
[0010]
The rail threader workhead may include a
pair of roller assemblies attached to the third
apparatus for engaging the railroad rail. The pair of roller assemblies may be
configured to permit
movement of the railroad rail in the cant or roll direction when the third
apparatus pivots in the
cant or roll direction.
[0011]
The first apparatus may include a pair of
horizontally oriented first hydraulic cylinders
for pivoting the second apparatus in the yaw direction. The second apparatus
may include a pair
of vertically oriented second hydraulic cylinders for pivoting the third
apparatus in the cant or roll
direction. The third apparatus may include a pair of third hydraulic cylinders
to actuate a pair of
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roller assemblies to engage the railroad rail. The pair of roller assemblies
may be configured to
permit movement of the railroad rail in the cant or roll direction when the
third apparatus pivots in
the cant or roll direction. The rail threader workhead may include a pair of
roller arms that are
pivotably attached to a cant or roll apparatus of the third apparatus. An
upper end of each of the
third hydraulic cylinders may be connected to the cant or roll apparatus, and
a lower end of each
of the third hydraulic cylinders may be connected to a respective roller arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012]
For a better understanding of the features
described in this disclosure, reference may
be made to embodiments shown in the drawings. The components in the drawings
are not
necessarily to scale, and related elements may be omitted so as to emphasize
and clearly
illustrate the novel features described herein. In addition, system components
can be variously
arranged, as known in the art. In the figures, like referenced numerals may
refer to like parts
throughout the different figures unless otherwise specified.
[0013]
Fig. 1 is a right, front, top, perspective
view of an embodiment of a railroad rail threader
apparatus of the instant disclosure shown in a first articulated position.
[0014]
Fig. 2 is a first partial detail exploded
perspective view of the embodiment shown in
Fig. 1.
[0015]
Fig. 3 is a front elevation view of the
embodiment of Fig. 1 shown in a first position
before engaging a rail.
[0016]
Fig. 4 is a front elevation view of the
embodiment of Fig. 1 shown in a second position
after engaging a rail.
[0017]
Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of the
embodiment of Fig. 1 shown in a third position
after canting a rail in a cant or roll direction.
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PATENT
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[0018] Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown in a
first yaw position of
the manipulator box.
[0019] Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown in a
second yaw position
of the manipulator box.
[0020] Fig. 8 is a right side elevation view of the embodiment of Fig. 1
shown positioned on
an end of a boom and in a first pitch position.
[0021] Fig. 9 is a right side elevation view of the embodiment of Fig. 1
shown positioned on
an end of a boom and in a second pitch position.
[0022] Fig. 10 is right side elevation view of the embodiment of Fig. 1
shown positioned on
an end of a boom and in a first pitch position.
[0023] Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown
positioned on an end of
a boom with the manipulator box shown in a second yaw position.
[0024] Fig. 12 is a front elevation view of a cross section of a rail
before and after insertion of
a rail on top of a tie plate under a lug, where the lug is shown on an inside
side of the rail.
[0025] Fig. 13 is a right side elevation view of a the embodiment of
Fig. 1 shown positioned
on an end of a boom and shown engaged with a rail in a canted position.
[0026] Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown
positioned on an end of
a boom in a third yaw position of the manipulator box while engaged with an
opposite, canted rail
as in Fig. 13.
[0027] Fig. 15 is a front elevation view of the embodiment of Fig. 14.
[0028] Fig. 16 is a front detail elevation view of the embodiment of
Fig. 15.
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PATENT
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[0029] Fig. 17 is a left, front perspective view of the embodiment of
Fig. 14.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] While the features, methods, devices, and systems described
herein may be
embodied in various forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will
hereinafter be described,
some exemplary and non-limiting embodiments. Not all of the depicted
components described in
this disclosure may be required, however, and some implementations may include
additional,
different, or fewer components from those expressly described in this
disclosure. Variations in
the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from
the spirit or
scope of the claims as set forth herein. Thus, it should be appreciated that
any of the features of
an embodiment discussed with reference to the figures herein may be combined
with or
substituted for features discussed in connection with other embodiments in
this disclosure.
[0031] The instant disclosure describes and illustrates various
embodiments of a rail threader
workhead apparatus for grabbing, hoisting, and inserting railroad rails onto
railroad ties and vice
versa. In at least some embodiments, the workhead apparatus includes a first
apparatus for
mounting to a rail machine boom and operable to articulate the workhead
apparatus in a vertical,
pitch direction; a second apparatus connected to the first apparatus and
operable to move the
second apparatus in a yaw direction; and a third apparatus connected to the
second apparatus
and operable to grab a rail section and to articulate the third apparatus in a
rotational direction
when viewed in elevation from the front of the workhead. The first, second,
and third apparatus
may be configured to articulate individually, all three simultaneously, or in
simultaneous pairs. In
some embodiments, manual or automated movement of the first, second, and third
apparatus
may be performed in a sequence or simultaneously. For example, movement of the
third
apparatus in a roll direction may be performed in a sequence with or
simultaneously with move of
the first apparatus in a pitch direction. As will be described in more detail
below, articulating the
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PATENT
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first, second, and third apparatus in the pitch, yaw, and roll directions
allows easy movement of
the rail section while taking advantage of natural longitudinal rail bending
to aid the process - all
while maximizing an operator's sight down the rail when sitting in the
operator station of the rail
machine.
[0032]
The rail machine may be configured with one
or more operator stations, such as a pair
of operator stations. The one or more operator stations may be configured to
be operated by a
single operator. For example, if the rail machine is configured with a pair of
operator stations, an
operator positioned longitudinally along a desired inside rail or a desired
outside rail location may
easily see along the path for the desired rail location. The rail machine may
be configured to
traverse on the railroad track to the point in the track where a new rail is
desired to be placed
ahead of the rail machine. The rail machine may include a crane boom and the
rail threader
workhead as shown and described herein for grabbing and hoisting sections of
rail from a location
adjacent to the track and for positioning the rail section in a desired
location across the railroad
ties, or to remove sections of rail from an installed location to a position
adjacent to the track.
[0033]
The rail machine and the rail threader
workhead may be operated hydraulically,
pneumatically, electromechanically, or a combination of all three. In the
embodiments shown in
the figures, the boom, the first apparatus, the second apparatus, and the
third apparatus
described above and described in detail herein are configured for hydraulic
operation, all of which
being operable from a human operator positioned on the rail machine. In other
embodiments, a
human operator via a remote interface and/or display may remotely connect to a
wireless
transceiver on the rail machine to drive and/or operate one or more of the
boom, the first
apparatus, the second apparatus, and the third apparatus, all of which being
connected
electronically to one another on a local network, such as a CAN-Bus network,
and driven by
electromechanical actuators and/or hydraulic mechanisms. In such embodiments,
the transceiver
may include a processor and memory and one or more input/output buses for
communicating
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electronic commands from the processor to rail machine components, including
one or more
components associated with the rail threader workhead, as well as feedback
signals from one or
more position sensors associated with such components. Likewise, the remote
interface and/or
display, such as a touchscreen display on which is displayed a user interface,
may include a
processor, memory, and an wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving
signals to and from
the transceiver on the rail machine. In various embodiments, the remote
transceiver is a mobile
phone, a mobile computer, a remote internet connected computer, and the like.
Wireless signals
may be communicated to and from the respective transceivers via WiFi,
cellular, satellite, near-
field communications, Bluetooth, or any other suitable wireless means. In this
way, a human
operator may be stationed alongside a portion of the track and command the
rail machine from
his/her remote vantage point to grab, hoist, and position a section of rail on
a desired installation
location, or conversely, to remove a section of installed rail and to place it
alongside the track.
The rail machine may include one or more cameras positioned strategically on
the rail machine,
boom, and/or rail threader workhead and/or on one or more camera stands or
tripods positioned
alongside the track for aiding a remote operator to operate the rail machine
and/or the rail threader
workhead. The one or more cameras may wirelessly stream images or video to
either the
operator's display or user interface onboard the rail machine or to the remote
operator for display
or both to one or more user interfaces and/or displays to aid the operator in
moving sections of
rail.
[0034]
A central processing unit comprising a
processor and memory may be positioned
onboard the rail threader workhead to (1) receive and process sensor data and
operator input
commands (including input commands received by the onboard transceiver from
the remote
transceiver), (ii) output command signals to one or more components of the
rail threader
workhead to cause motion, for example, of a commanded component commensurate
with input
signals, and/or (iii) output data signals to the operator's display or user
interface onboard the rail
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PATENT
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machine. In some embodiments, such data signals may also be simultaneously
transmitted to a
remote operator's display or user interface via the respective transceivers
discussed above. In
other embodiments, such data signals may be transmitted to the remote
operator's display or user
interface instead of to an onboard operator's display or user interface.
[0035]
The central processing unit may also be
connected to the local network described
above. For example, one or more sensors, such as one or more position or angle
sensors, may
be strategically positioned on various components of the rail threader
workhead to post
component position or angle data on the local network. The processor of the
central processing
unit may receive such data as well as any input data from the operator,
determine appropriate
output signals to operate one or more components of the rail threader workhead
in response to
the position or angle feedback data and operator input data, and post the
output command(s) on
the local network to enable the component to effect the desired command.
[0036]
Turning now to the figures, there is shown
various aspects of rail threader workhead
100 for mounting to boom 150 of rail machine 200. As shown in Figs. 1-7, Rail
threader workhead
100 includes: (i) manipulator head 1 configured for rotation about a
horizontally oriented pin 50 in
a pitch direction in a first vertical plane aligned longitudinally with boom
150, (ii) manipulator box
16 configured for rotation about a vertically oriented pin 6 in a yaw
direction in a horizontal plane,
and (iii) manipulator head 33 configured for rotation about a horizontally
oriented pin 18 in a cant
or roll direction in a second vertical plane. Manipulator head 33 includes a
pair of opposed rail
manipulator roller arms 37 configured to rotate about respective horizontally
oriented pins 34e,34f
to enable respective roller assemblies 39 connected to the respective roller
arms 37 to rotate in
a roll direction in a third vertical plane that is aligned with the second
vertical plane.
[0037]
In the embodiments shown in the figures,
hydraulic cylinders of varying diameters and
lengths are strategically positioned on boom 150 and/or rail threader workhead
100 to enable the
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PATENT
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rotational motion of manipulator head 1, manipulator box 16, manipulator head
33, and rail
manipulator roller arms 37.
[0038]
For example, as shown in Figs. 3-5, rail
squeeze cylinders 44a,44b positioned on
opposite sides of manipulator head 33 are independently actuated but
nevertheless configured to
work in tandem to cause roller assemblies 39a,39b to engage both sides of the
head of rail 60.
Each roller assembly 39a,39b includes a pair of roller bearings configured to
rotate on an internal
shaft that is mounted to respective rail manipulator roller arms 37a,37b. This
configuration allows
at least some longitudinal motion of rail 60 between roller assemblies 39a,39b
and vice versa to
avoid galling, scratching, and gouging of rail 60 during handling of rail 60.
Fig. 3 shows rail
squeeze cylinders 44a,44b in retracted positions to cause roller assemblies
39a,39b to be in an
ungrasped position relative to rail 60. Figs. 4-5 show rail squeeze cylinders
44a,44b in extended
positions to cause roller assemblies 39a,39b to grasp rail 60. Counterbalance
valves 28 are
configured to hydraulically lock the rail squeeze cylinders 44a,44b in the
extended position to
prevent the roller assemblies 39a,39b from inadvertently retracting and
opening to avoid
"dropping" the rail.
[0039]
Similarly, as shown in Figs. 3-5, cant or
roll cylinders 46a,46b positioned on opposite
sides of manipulator box 16 are configured to work in tandem to pivot
manipulator head 33 in the
roll direction (interchangeably called the "cant direction") via pin 18. Fig.
3 shows manipulator
head 33 in a neutral position, longitudinally inline with manipulator box 16
and manipulator head
1. By extending and retracting respective cant or roll cylinders 46a,46b,
manipulator head 33
may be moved to a right rolled (aka right cant) position (as shown in Fig. 5)
or a left rolled (aka
left cant) position (as shown in Figs. 14-17). In addition, when manipulator
head 33 is moved to
either a right rolled position or a left rolled position, a grasped rail 60 at
a longitudinal grasp point
of the rail is also moved accordingly, as shown in Figs. 5, 15-16).
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PATENT
30855.8010 (04US1)
[0040]
As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, yaw cylinders
10a,10b positioned on opposite sides of
manipulator head 1 are configured to work in tandem to pivot manipulator box
16 in the yaw
direction via pin 6. Fig. 6 shows manipulator box 16 in a neutral position,
longitudinally inline with
manipulator head 1. By extending and retracting respective yaw cylinders
10a,10b, manipulator
box 16 may be moved to a left yaw position (as shown in Fig. 7) or a right yaw
position (as shown
in Fig. 14). This side to side motion allows boom 150 to be centrally mounted
on rail machine
200 between the inside rail and the outside rail (see, e.g., Fig. 15) while
allowing rail threader
workhead 100 to insert/place both the inside rail and the outside rail across
a set of railroad ties
to form a section of railroad track.
[0041]
Meanwhile, as best shown in Fig. 10, boom
150 of rail machine 200 includes hydraulic
cylinders 152,154,156. While cylinders 154 and 156 are configured to
articulate respective boom
arms 160 and 162, as shown in Figs. 8-9, cylinder 152 is configured to
articulate boom arms
158,159 forwardly and rearwardly via pin joints 166,168 and pin 52, which in
turn pivots
manipulator head 'I upwardly and downwardly about pin 50 in the pitch
direction. Angle sensor
11 may be mounted to manipulator head Ito measure the pitch angle induced by
cylinder 152 to
inform the processor and ultimately the operator via a display or user
interface described above.
[0042]
In the embodiment shown in the figures,
manipulator head 'I includes opposed, parallel
side walls 62,63, front wall 64, rear wall 65, and bottom wall 66 positioned
opposite and parallel
to top wall 67 ¨ all arranged to form a boxlike structure. Top wall 67 and
bottom wall 66 are
parallel to one another. Rear wall 65 is angled to follow the slanted profile
of side walls 62,63.
Manipulator head 1 also includes a plurality of receivers 68 for receiving
pins 6, 50, and 52.
Respective receivers 68 may be welded to side walls 62,63, top wall 67 and
bottom wall 66.
[0043]
Respective yaw cylinders 10a,10b are mounted
to respective side walls 62,63 via
trunnion mounts 2 positioned above and below yaw cylinders 10a,10b. Trunnion
mounts 2 each
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PATENT
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include receivers 3 to receive a respective cylinder mount post 9 to enable
each yaw cylinder
10a,10b to pivot thereon.
[0044]
In the embodiment shown in the figures,
manipulator box 16 includes opposed, parallel
side walls 72,73, front wall 74 positioned opposite and parallel to rear wall
75, and bottom wall 76
positioned opposite and parallel to top wall 77 ¨ all arranged to form a box-
like structure. Front
wall 74 and rear wall 75 extend below bottom wall 76. Manipulator box 16 also
includes
rearwardly extending parallel top wall 82 and bottom wall 83 for engaging
manipulator head 1.
Manipulator box 16 also includes a plurality of receivers 78 for receiving pin
18, sleeve 79 for
receiving pin 6, and a plurality of receivers 80 for receiving pins 19.
Respective receivers 78 may
be welded to front wall 74 and rear wall 75, and respective receivers 80 on
top wall 82 may be
welded to top wall 82.
[0045]
Respective cant or roll cylinders 46a,46b
are mounted to respective side walls 72,73
via trunnion mounts 2 positioned forwardly and rearwardly of cant or roll
cylinders 46a,46b. As
discussed above, trunnion mounts 2 each include receiver 3 to receive a
respective cylinder
mount post 9 to enable each cant or roll cylinder 46a,46b to pivot thereon.
Camera 25 may be
secured to a pedestal positioned on front wall 74. Camera cover 31 may be
secured to the
pedestal to cover and protect camera 25.
[0046]
In the embodiment shown in the figures,
manipulator head 33 includes front wall 92
positioned opposite and parallel to rear wall 93, top wall 94 positioned
opposite and parallel to
bottom wall 95 (not shown), and opposed, parallel side walls 98 (not shown) ¨
all arranged to
form a box-like structure. Manipulator head 33 also includes sleeve 96 for
receiving pin 18.
[0047]
Manipulator head 33 also includes rail
squeeze cylinders 44a,44b connected to
respective rail manipulator arms 37a,37b, which are connected to and pivot on
respective pins
34e,34f. Rail manipulator arms 37a,37b are configured to receive respective
roller assemblies
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39a,39b and are configured as a clevis to receive rail squeeze cylinders
44a,44b. An upper end
86a,86b of rail squeeze cylinders 44a,44b is connected to respective pins
34a,34d while a lower
end 87a,87b of rail squeeze cylinders 44a,44b is connected to respective pins
43a,43b. Pins
34a,34d are configured to pass through receivers 55a,55d, and pins 43a,43b are
configured to
pass through and be received by receivers 56a,56b.
[0048]
Turning now to Fig. 15, there is shown an
embodiment of a cab 205 of the rail machine
200. Cab 205 is configured as an enclosure for an operator. However, in other
embodiments,
cab 205 may be configured any number of known ways. In this embodiment,
although only one
operator is needed to operate rail threader workhead 100, a pair of operator
stations 210 are
positioned side by side on opposite ends of the front of cab 205 to allow
flexibility of an operator
to switch seats to install either an inside rail or an outside rail across a
set of railroad ties. Each
of the operator stations 210 are strategically positioned to provide an
operator with an
unobstructed view of the respective inside rail or outside rail.
[0049]
To operate rail threader workhead, an
operator would (i) position boom 150 over a
desired rail 60 to be moved (see Fig. 3), (ii) command rail squeeze cylinders
44a,44b to extend
to cause roller assemblies 39a,39b to engage with the head 61 of the selected
rail 60 (see Fig.
4), (iii) command cylinder 152 to retract or extend to cause manipulator head
Ito pitch up or down
as needed (see Figs. 8-9), (iv) command yaw cylinders 10a,10b to retract or
extend to cause
manipulator head 16 to yaw to the right or to the left as desired (see Figs. 6-
71 11, and 14), (v)
command cant or roll cylinders 46a,46b to retract or extend to cause
manipulator head 33 to cant
or roll in a desired direction as needed (see Figs. 4-5) to enable insertion
of a flange 59 of rail 60
under rail lug 58 positioned on an inside location of tie plate 57 (see Figs.
12-16). These
commands may be performed manually or automatically in a sequence, or
multiples of these
commands may be performed manually or automatically simultaneously.
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[0050]
The embodiments described herein are
possible examples of implementations and are
merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the features
described herein. Many
variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s)
without
substantially departing from the spirit and principles of the techniques,
processes, devices, and
systems described herein. All such modifications are intended to be included
herein within the
scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.
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