Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 3,066,558
CPST Ref: 16144/00003
RAILROAD SPIKE REMOVER
[01] This application claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional Application
No. 16/734,125,
filed January 3, 2020; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/788,925, filed
January 6, 2019
which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Non-Provisional
Application No.
15/175,900, filed June 7, 2016.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[02] The field of invention for this disclosure relates to a portable
railroad spike remover.
BACKGROUND
[03] Removing railroad spikes from a rail tie has not changed much over time.
Railroad
spikes are often removed from a rail tie manually using a crowbar. A railroad
spike may need
as much as 5,000 pounds of vertical force to remove a spike embedded in a rail
tie. A portable
device to easily remove the railroad spikes would be a great improvement.
SUMMARY
[04] The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention in
order to
provide a basic understanding of the invention and various features of it.
This summary is not
intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but it simply
provides a general
overview and context for the more detailed description that follows.
[05] The present disclosure provides an apparatus for removing railroad spikes
from a rail
tie that is portable and easy to use.
[06] According to one aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for removing a
railroad spike
from a rail tie comprises: a main housing that includes an upper housing and a
lower housing,
wherein the upper housing includes a bearing housing that contains one or more
bearings; a
drive shaft connected to the main housing and a mounting flange, the drive
shaft extending
through the one or more bearings and an opening in the bearing housing; and a
plurality of
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standoffs with a first end and a second end, with the first end of the
plurality of standoffs
connected to the mounting flange and the second end of the plurality of
standoffs connected to
a clevis pivot plate with a clevis fastener that is connected to a claw
assembly extractor. The
claw assembly extractor may include a pair of jaw members that are pivotally
connected to
each other by a pivoting pin and a rotating pin. Each jaw member may include a
lower end
and a pair of upper members interlocked with each other. The lower end may be
configured to
contact and secure a railroad spike and the pair of upper members may be
pivotally connected
to the clevis fastener with the rotating pin. When the drive shaft is rotated,
the claw assembly
extractor and the mounting flange may move inside the main housing in a
vertical direction to
extract the railroad spike from the rail tie.
[07] According to another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for removing
a railroad
spike from a rail tie comprises: a main housing that includes an upper housing
and a lower
housing, wherein the upper housing includes a bearing housing that contains
one or more
bearings; a drive shaft connected to the main housing and a mounting flange,
the drive shaft
extending through the one or more bearings and an opening in the bearing
housing; a T-handle
assembly to hold a battery-operated drill-type tool that connects to the drive
shaft, wherein the
T-handle assembly includes one or more fastening straps and one or more side
plates to connect
the T-handle assembly to the main housing; and a plurality of standoffs with a
first end and a
second end, with the first end of the plurality of standoffs connected to the
mounting flange
and the second end of the plurality of standoffs connected to a clevis pivot
plate with a clevis
fastener that is connected to a claw assembly extractor. The claw assembly
extractor may
include a pair of j aw members that are pivotally connected to each other by a
pivoting pin and
a rotating pin. Each jaw member may include a lower end and a pair of upper
members
interlocked with each other. The lower ends may be configured to contact and
secure a railroad
spike and the pair of upper members may be pivotally connected to the clevis
fastener with the
rotating pin. The claw assembly extractor may include a friction assembly that
includes a
spring and one or more friction caps to keep the jaws in an open position as
the jaws are moved
from an up position to a home position after a railroad spike has been pulled.
When the drive
shaft is rotated, the claw assembly extractor and the mounting flange moves
inside the main
housing in a vertical direction to extract the railroad spike from the rail
tie.
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[08] According to another aspect of the disclosure, the rail spike remover may
include a rail
spike driver for driving the railroad spike into the rail tie. The rail spike
driver may be
interchangeable with the claw assembly extractor by removing the clevis pivot
plate and
attaching the rail spike driver to the plurality of standoffs.
[09] According to yet another aspect of the disclosure the rail spike remover
may include a
rectangular leveling block located on a side of a bottom footer of the lower
housing of the main
housing, wherein the leveling block is utilized to level the main housing and
the rail spike
remover when removing railroad spike.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[10] The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in
the
accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar
elements and in which:
[11] FIG. 1 illustrates a top front perspective view of an example embodiment
of a rail spike
remover according to one or more aspects described herein;
[12] FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the example embodiment of the rail
spike remover of
FIG. 1;
[13] FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the example embodiment of the rail spike
remover of
FIG. 1;
[14] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the example embodiment of
the rail spike
remover of FIG. 1;
[15] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an extractor from the example
embodiment of
the rail spike remover of FIG. 1 with other components removed;
[16] FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the extractor of FIG. 5;
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[17] FIG. 7 illustrates atop view of an alternate embodiment of the extractor
of the rail spike
remover of FIG. 1;
[18] FIG. 8 illustrates a front view of an extractor tooth from the extractor
of FIG. 7;
[19] FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the extractor tooth of
FIG. 7;
[20] FIG. 10 illustrates a side perspective view of an alternate embodiment of
the extractor
of the rail spike remover of FIG. 1;
[21] FIG. 11 illustrates an internal side perspective view of the extractor
and rail spike
remover of FIG. 10;
[22] FIG. 12 illustrates a close-up view of a bottom portion of the extractor
and rail spike
remover of FIG. 10;
[23] FIG. 13 illustrates a close-up view of the extractor and rail spike
remover of FIG. 10;
[24] FIG. 14 illustrates a side perspective view of the extractor of the rail
spike remover of
FIG. 10;
[25] FIGS. 15A-15D illustrate the interchangeability of the extractors 140 and
340 for the
railroad spike remover 100;
[26] FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate perspective views of an alternate embodiment
of the rail
spike remover of FIGS. 1 and 10;
[27] FIG. 17A illustrates a cross-sectional view along A-A of the rail spike
remover of FIGS.
16A and 16B;
[28] FIG. 17B illustrates a cross-sectional view of detail B of the rail spike
remover of FIGS.
16A and 16B;
[29] FIG. 17C illustrates a cross-sectional view of detail C of the rail spike
remover of FIGS.
16A and 16B;
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[30] FIG. 17D illustrates a cross-sectional view of detail D of the rail spike
remover of FIGS.
16A and 16B;
[31] FIGS. 18A-18C illustrate perspective views of an upper housing of the
rail spike
remover of FIGS. 16A and 16B;
[32] FIGS. 19A and 19B illustrate perspective views of a lower housing
assembly of the rail
spike remover of FIGS. 16A and 16B;
[33] FIGS. 20A-20C illustrate perspective views of a T-handle assembly of the
rail spike
remover of FIGS. 16A and 16B;
[34] FIGS. 21A and 21B illustrate perspective views of a drill guard assembly
for the T-
handle assembly of FIGS. 20A-20C;
[35] FIG. 22 illustrates a schematic view illustrating the
interchangeability of a rail spike
driver with the extractor or claw assembly extractor of the rail spike remover
of FIGS. 1, 10,
16A, and 16B; and
[36] FIG. 23 illustrates a schematic view of a leveling block for use with the
rail spike
remover of FIGS. 1, 10, 16A, and 16B.
[37] Further, it is to be understood that the drawings may represent the scale
of different
components of one single embodiment; however, the disclosed embodiments are
not limited to
that particular scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[38] In the following description of various example structures according to
the invention,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and
in which are
shown by way of illustration various example devices, systems, and
environments in which
aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other
specific
arrangements of parts, example devices, systems, and environments may be
utilized and
structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the
scope of the
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present invention. Also, while the terms "top," "bottom," "front," "back,"
"side," "rear," and
the like may be used in this specification to describe various example
features and elements of
the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g.,
based on the example
orientations shown in the figures or the orientation during typical use.
Nothing in this
specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional
orientation of
structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention. Also, the
reader is advised that the
attached drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
[39] The following terms are used in this specification, and unless otherwise
noted or clear
from the context, these terms have the meanings provided below.
[40] "Plurality," as used herein, indicates any number greater than one,
either disjunctively
or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number.
[41] "Connected," as used herein, indicates that components may be connected
directly
being physically contacting each other or connected indirectly where the
components are
connected indirectly where the components do not physically contact, but have
one or more
intermediate components positioned between them.
[42] "Integral joining technique" or means a technique for joining two pieces
so that the two
pieces effectively become a single, integral piece, including, but not limited
to, irreversible
joining techniques, such as adhesively joining, cementing, welding, brazing,
soldering, or the
like, where separation of the joined pieces cannot be accomplished without
structural damage
thereto. Pieces joined with such a technique are described as "integrally
joined."
[43] In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is
made to
the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by
way of
illustration, various embodiments in which aspects of the disclosure may be
practiced. It is to
be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and
functional
modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the
present
disclosure.
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[44] In general, as described above, aspects of this invention relate to an
apparatus to remove
railroad spikes from a rail tie comprising a main column, a drive shaft and an
extractor. More
detailed descriptions of aspects of this invention follow.
[45] One aspect of this invention relates to a portable railroad spike remover
100, as shown
in FIGS. 1-4. Specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates a top front perspective view of
an example
embodiment of a railroad spike remover 100. FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of
the railroad
spike remover 100. FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the railroad spike remover
100. FIG. 4
illustrates a cross-sectional view of the railroad spike remover 100. The
railroad spike remover
100 may comprise a main column 102, a bearing housing 110, a plurality of
standoffs 170, a
mounting flange 134, an extractor 140, and a drive shaft 120. The main column
102 may have
a first end 104, a second end 106 opposite the first end 104, and a center
section 108 positioned
between the two ends. The bearing housing 110 may be connected to the first
end 104 of the
main column 102 and have an opening 112 for inserting the drive shaft 120. The
drive shaft
120 may also extend through a bearing 114 secured in the bearing housing 110
by a cap plate
116.
[46] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the drive shaft 120 may have a first end 122
and a second end
124 opposite the first end 122. Near the first end 122, the drive shaft 120
may extend through
an opening in the bearing 114, through an opening 112 in the bearing housing
110, and through
an opening in the cap plate 116. Near the second end 124, the drive shaft 120
may connect to
the mounting flange 134. The drive shaft 120 may be secured to the mounting
flange 134 using
a nut 137.
[47] The plurality of standoffs 170 may connect to the mounting flange 134 at
one end and
to the extractor 140 at the opposite end. Alternatively, the drive shaft 120
may connect directly
to the extractor 140 without the need for the mounting flange 134 and the
plurality of standoffs
170. The extractor 140 may engage and grip the railroad spike 10 to secure it.
Once the
extractor 140 secures the railroad spike 10, a user may engage the first end
122 of the drive
shaft 120 with a tool to provide torque to the drive shaft 120. As the drive
shaft 120 is rotated,
the mounting flange 134 and the extractor 140 may move inside the column in a
vertical
direction to extract the railroad spike 10 from a rail tie. As the extractor
140 moves up within
the main column 102, the railroad spike 10 is removed from the rail tie.
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[48] The main column 102 may have a plurality of substantially vertical side
walls that are
open at both ends 104, 106. The main column may have a height of approximately
32 inches
or within a range of 24 to 40 inches or any height. As shown in the exemplary
embodiment
shown in FIGS. 1-9, the main column 102 may generally have a square cross-
sectional shape.
However, the main column may have any geometric cross-sectional shape, such as
circular,
triangular, such that the main column 102 may have any number of side walls.
For example as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the main column 102 may have four side walls, but may
have 3 side
walls, 5 side walls, 6 side walls or any number of side walls. The side walls
may have a
thickness of approximately 0.188 inches or within a range of 0.125 inches to
0.25 inches, or
within a range of 0.06 inches to .375 inches. Each side wall may have a width
of approximately
4 inches or within a range of 3 inches to 5 inches, or within a range of 2
inches to 6 inches.
[49] As shown in FIG. 2, at least one side wall of the main column 102 may
have an aperture
109 that extends from the second end 106 to a portion of the height of the
main column 102.
For example, the aperture 109 may have a height of approximately 20 percent of
the height of
the main column 102 or the aperture 109 may have a height that is within a
range of 12 percent
to 37 percent of the height of the main column. The aperture 109 may have an
elongated shape
and may have a height of approximately 7 inches or may be within a range of 5
inches to 9
inches. In addition, the aperture 109 may have a width of approximately 1.5
inches or within
a range of 1.0 inch to 2.5 inches. The aperture 109 may align with the opening
147 of the
extractor 140 to allow the railroad spike remover 100 to slide into position
to engage the
railroad spike 10 with the extractor 140.
[50] The bearing housing 110 may be integrally joined to the first end 104
of the main
column 102. Alternatively, the bearing housing 110 and main column 102 may be
formed as
a single piece. As previously discussed, the bearing housing 110 may have an
opening 112.
The opening 112 may be located in the geometric center of the bearing housing
110 and may
have a cylindrical shape to allow the drive shaft 120 to extend through the
bearing housing 110.
The opening 112 may be through both ends of the bearing housing 110. In
addition, the bearing
housing 110 may have a cavity 113 that is concentric with the opening 112. The
cavity 113
may be sized to contain the bearing 114 and have a cylindrical shape that is
open at one end
with a surface at the opposite end to engage one end of the bearing 114. The
bearing housing
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110 may also have a plurality of holes around the perimeter of the housing.
The plurality of
holes may be threaded to releasably connect the cap plate 116. The bearing 114
may be a roller
bearing or bushing that enables the drive shaft 120 to rotate freely when the
bearing 114 is
installed onto the drive shaft 120 and into the bearing housing 110.
[51] The drive shaft 120 may have a first end 122 and a second end 124 and may
be partially
threaded. As shown in FIG. 4, the drive shaft 120 may have a plurality of
distinct diameter
regions. For example, the drive shaft 120 may have a first region 128 with a
first diameter 129
corresponding to the threaded region, a second region 130 having a second
diameter 131 with
a smooth surface, and a third region 132 which may have a third diameter 133.
The first
diameter 129 may be greater than both the second diameter 131 and the third
diameter 133.
The first diameter 129 may be approximately 1 inch or within a range of 0.75
inches and 1.5
inches or within a range of 0.5 inches to 2.0 inches. The threaded portion
(first region 128)
may be ACME threads or other similar threads. Alternatively, the drive shaft
120 may have
two distinct diameter regions or four distinct diameter regions.
[52] The first end 122 may have a drive element 127 to allow a user to engage
the drive shaft
120 with a rotating tool, such as a torque wrench 20 or similar device to
rotate the drive shaft
120. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive element 127 may have a hexagonal shape to
be engaged by
a standard hexagonal socket. The standard hexagonal socket may be a 0.5 inches
or larger.
Preferably, the torque wrench 20 has a length of 18 inches or longer. A
battery-operated drill-
type apparatus or an air hammer attached to a pneumatic supply could be
utilized as the rotating
tool in lieu of the torque wrench 20, thereby engaging the drive shaft 120 and
rotating the drive
shaft 120 to move the drive shaft 120 up and down.
[53] As discussed the drive shaft 120 may connect to the mounting flange 134.
The
mounting flange 134 may have a centrally located aperture 136 to connect the
drive shaft 120.
The mounting flange 134 may be connected to the drive shaft in a plurality of
ways. For
example, the aperture 136 may be threaded to directly engage the drive shaft
120, or
alternatively as shown in FIG. 4, a nut 137 may be connected to the aperture
136 of the
mounting flange 134 where the drive shaft 120 may connect to the mounting
flange 134 with
the nut 137 positioned between the mounting flange 134 and the drive shaft
120. The nut 137
may be integrally joined to the mounting flange 134 or some may be connected
using an anti-
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rotation element to prevent the nut 137 from rotating in relation to the
mounting flange 134
when the drive shaft 120 is rotated, such as a set screw. The mounting flange
134 may also
have a plurality of mounting holes positioned around the perimeter to allow
for easy connection
to the plurality of standoffs 170. The mounting flange 134 may be releasably
connected to the
standoffs 170 or the drive shaft 120 to allow any repairs that may be
required.
[54] The plurality of standoffs 170 may be hollow tubes that connect at a
first end to a
mounting flange 134 and a second end of connected to an extractor 140. Each
standoff 170
may have internal threads such that they may be releasably connected using a
threaded fastener.
Alternatively, the plurality of standoffs 170 may be integrally joined to the
either the mounting
flange 134 or extractor 140 or both.
[55] Each standoff 170 may be approximately 7 inches long or within a range of
5 inches to
9 inches or within a range of 3 inches to 12 inches. Each of the standoffs 170
may be the same
length, but depending on the shape of the either the mounting flange 134 or
extractor 140, each
of the standoffs 170 may have different lengths.
[56] As discussed above, the plurality of standoffs 170 connect to an
extractor 140. As
shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the extractor 140 may comprise a metallic plate with a
top surface
141, a bottom surface 142, and a plurality of side surfaces 143, 144, 145,
146. The extractor
140 may further comprise an opening 147 through the top and bottom surface and
extending
through at least one side surface. The opening may further include an upper
portion 148 and a
lower portion 149. The lower portion 149 of the opening may have a plurality
of tapered side
walls 150, 151 and a first rounded rear wall 152. The plurality of tapered
side walls 150, 151
may be vertically oriented and taper toward one another. The upper portion 148
of the opening
may have vertically oriented side walls 153, 154, and a second rounded rear
wall 155, wherein
the width of the upper portion 148 is larger than the width of the lower
portion 149. The first
rounded rear wall 152 and the second rounded rear wall 155 may be concentric.
The extractor
140 may have a plurality of holes 158 to releasably connect the extractor 140
to the plurality
of standoffs 170. The plurality of holes 158 may be positioned near the side
surfaces 143, 144,
145, 146 of the extractor 140 and extend through the top surface 141 and
bottom surface 142.
The plurality of holes 158 may be threaded or clearance holes for a threaded
fastener.
Alternatively, as discussed above, the extractor 140 may be integrally joined
to the standoffs
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170. Additionally, as discussed above, the extractor 140 may be connected
directly to the drive
shaft 120.
[57] FIGS. 7-9 show an alternate embodiment for the extractor 140. For the
embodiment of
FIGS. 7-9, the features of the extractor 240 are referred to using similar
reference numerals
under the "2XX" series of reference numerals, rather than "1,0C" as used in
the embodiment
of FIGS. 5 and 6. Accordingly, certain features of the extractor 240 that were
already described
above with respect to the extractor 140 of FIGS. 5-6 may be described in
lesser detail, or may
not be described at all.
[58] The extractor 240 may have the similar exterior shape as extractor 140 to
fit within the
main column 102 with a top surface 241, a bottom surface 242, and a plurality
of side surfaces
243, 244, 245, 246. An opening 247 may extend through at least two side
surfaces and the
bottom surface 242. The opening 247 may include a first guide rail 248, a
second guide rail
249, a first side wall 250 adjacent the first guide rail, a second side wall
251 adjacent the second
guide rail, and an upper surface 252 connecting the first guide rail 248 to
the second guide rail
249. The upper surface 252 of the opening may be rounded and exposed to the
exterior. The
opening 247 may have a first end 253 and a second end 254, wherein a first
height 255 at the
first end 253 may be defined as a distance perpendicular from the bottom
surface 242 of the
extractor 240 to the furthest extent of the upper surface 252 and the second
end 254 may have
a second height 256 defined from the bottom surface 242 to the furthest extent
of the second
end 254 of the upper surface 252. The bottom surface 242 may further include
an angled region
257, such that the angled region 257 angles upward toward the first end 253 of
the opening
247.
[59] Additionally, the top surfaces of the first guide rail 248 and the second
guide rail 249
may be coplanar surfaces. The first guide rail 248 may have a height at the
first end 253 of the
opening 247 defined as a perpendicular distance from the bottom surface 242 of
the extractor
240 to the furthest extent of the first end 253 of the first guide rail 248.
Similarly, the second
end 254 may have a second height defined as a perpendicular distance from the
bottom surface
242 to the furthest extent of the second end 254 of the first guide rail 248,
wherein the first
height is smaller than the second height. The guide rails 248, 249 may be
linear surfaces and
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angle in a direction away from the bottom surface 242. Thus, the opening 247
may be larger
at the first end 253 than at the second end 254.
[60] The first side wall 250 adjacent the first guide rail 248 and the second
side wall 251
adjacent the second guide rail 249 are parallel. Alternatively, the first side
wall 250 adjacent
the first guide rail 248 and the second side wall 251 adjacent the second
guide rail 249 are
angled toward one another. Also, similar to the extractor 140, the extractor
240 may have a
plurality of holes 258 to connect the extractor 240 to the plurality of
standoffs 170.
[61] The various components for the railroad spike remover 100, such as the
main column
102, the bearing housing 110, the drive shaft 120, the mounting flange 134,
the plurality of
standoffs 170, and the extractor 140, 240 may be made of a metallic material,
preferably a steel
alloy. Alternatively, the components may be made of other metallic materials
such as iron,
aluminum, an aluminum alloy, titanium, or a titanium alloy.
[62] The railroad spike remover 100 may be portable for a single user to move
and operate.
Thus, the railroad spike remover 100 may have a weight of less than 50 pounds.
In other
embodiments of this invention, the railroad spike remover 100 and 500 may have
a weight of
less than 30 pounds.
[63] To operate the railroad spike remover 100, a user may position the
railroad spike
remover 100 near a railroad spike 10 and then slide the opening 147 of the
extractor 140 onto
the top of the railroad spike 10 such that the railroad spike 10 is secured in
extractor 140. The
user may then position the railroad spike remover 100 over the railroad spike
10. The user then
engages the drive element 127 with the torque wrench 20 and rotates the drive
shaft 120 to
raise the mounting flange 134 and the extractor 140. As the drive shaft 120 is
turned, the
extractor 140, along with the railroad spike 10, raises into the main column
102 until the
railroad spike 10 is released from the rail tie. Then, the user may reverse
the drive shaft 120 to
lower the mounting flange 134 and the extractor 140 to allow the railroad
spike remover 100
to be ready to remove another railroad spike 10. As was discussed above, a
battery-operated
drill-type apparatus or an air hammer attached to a pneumatic supply could be
utilized in lieu
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of the torque wrench, thereby engaging the drive shaft 120 and rotating the
drive shaft to move
the drive shaft 120 up and down.
[64] FIGS. 10-14 show an alternate embodiment for the extractor 140, 240. For
the
embodiment of FIGS. 10-14, in the place of the extractor 140, 240, the
railroad spike remover
100 may include an extractor 340 with moving jaws 342 that are frictionally
delayed. The
features of the extractor 340 are referred to using similar reference numerals
under the "3,0C"
series of reference numerals, rather than "1,0C" as used in the embodiment of
FIGS. 5 and 6.
Accordingly, certain features of the extractor 340 that were already described
above with
respect to the extractor 140 of FIGS. 5-6 may be described in lesser detail,
or may not be
described at all. The extractor 340 may be used with similar features of the
railroad spike
remover 100 already described above. 7 FIG. 10 illustrates a side perspective
view of an
alternate embodiment of the extractor of the rail spike remover of FIG. 1.
FIG. 11 illustrates
an internal side perspective view of the extractor and rail spike remover of
FIG. 10. FIG. 12
illustrates a close-up view of a bottom portion of the extractor and rail
spike remover of FIG.
10. FIG. 13 illustrates a close-up view of the extractor and rail spike
remover of FIG. 10. FIG.
14 illustrates a side perspective view of the extractor of the rail spike
remover of FIG. 10.
[65] As discussed above, the plurality of standoffs 170 connect to an
extractor 340. As
shown in FIGS. 10-14, the extractor 340 may comprise a claw assembly
extractor. Generally,
the claw assembly extractor 340 may be designed to open, close, and grab with
the drive shaft
120 movement the railroad spike at a force as high as 19,000 pounds. The claw
assembly
extractor 340 may include a pair of jaws 342 that are pivotally connected to
each other by a
pivoting pin 344 and a rotating pin 346. The lower ends 348 of the jaws 342
are configured to
contact and grab the railroad spike 10. The upper members 350 of the jaws 342
are pivotally
connected to the mounting flange 134 with the rotating pin 346 or the pivoting
pin 344 as
illustrated in FIG. 15A. When the drive shaft 120 is pulled upward, the jaws
342 move towards
a grabbing position to grab onto the railroad spike 10.
[66] The extractor 340 and claw assembly extractor includes the two jaws 342,
a pivoting
pin 344, the two upper members 350, spacer caps, a rotating pin 346, and a
friction assembly.
The friction assembly generally includes a spring and friction caps. The jaws
342 and upper
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members 350 form a moveable parallelogram assembly. The jaws 342 each have a
pivot hole
352 which the pivot pin 344 is located in. The jaws 342 also each have a
rotating section 354
which the rotating pin 346 is located in. The upper members 350 of the jaws
342 are pivotally
connected to the jaws 342 by their rotating sections 354 and the rotating pins
346. The upper
members 350 of the jaws 342 may be also pivotally connected to the mounting
flange 134 and
drive shaft 120 by the pivoting pin 346.
[67] The friction assembly functions for keeping the jaws 342 in an open
position as the
jaws 342 are moved from the up position to the home position after a spike 10
has been pulled.
Initially, a user places the railroad spike remover 100 over the spike 10 with
the jaws 342 in
the open position. When the user begins movement of the railroad spike remover
100, the drive
shaft 120 is moved upward, pulling the upper members 350 upward and rotated
pulling the
upper members 350 of the jaws 342 towards each other. The friction assembly
keeps the
centers of the jaws 342 fixed relative to the main column 102 such that the
jaws 342 only
initially rotate and do not translate relative to the main column 102. Thus,
the lower ends 348
of the jaws 342 are able to rotate under the head of the spike 10. Then the
jaws 342 are stopped
by the spike 10 from further rotation, the upward movement of the drive shaft
120 overcomes
the frictional forces of the friction assembly and the jaws 342 translate
upward along the
interior of the main column 102 pulling the spike 10 with it. When the user
releases the
movement of the railroad spike remover 100, the drive shaft 120 is moved
downward back
towards its home position. The friction assembly initially holds the center of
the jaws 342 fixed
relative to the main column 102 such that the jaws 342 only initially rotate
and translate to
move the jaws 342 to an open position. As the jaws 342 are opened, the spike
10 is able to be
released. The jaws 342 stop rotating and start translating down the main
column 102 when the
back surfaces of the jaws 342 lower ends contact the opposite interior sides
of the main column
102. The lower ends 348 of the jaws 342 substantially block an area between
the main column
102 and the back surfaces to prevent the spike 10 from entering this area.
After the jaws 342
open the downward movement of the drive shaft moves the jaws 342 downward back
to their
home position while maintaining the jaws 342 in their open position along this
home returning
movement.
[68] The claw assembly extractor and the jaws 342 includes a frictionally-
delayed
movement that includes pivoting claws 348 with arms or upper members 350 that
frictionally
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contact each other and/or the main column 102 when opening and closing the
jaws 342. The
frictionally-delayed moving jaws functions as a means for keeping the jaws in
an open position
as the jaws 342 are moved from the up position to the home positions after a
spike 10 has been
pulled.
[69] Additionally, FIGS. 15A-15D illustrate the interchangeability of the
extractors 140 and
340 for the railroad spike remover 100. FIG. 15A illustrates fastening the
mounting flange 134
to the top end of the main column 104 and the bearing housing 110 with the
bolts and the
standoffs 170. FIG. 15B illustrates sliding the standoffs 170 (or long bolts)
into the extractor
140 (or claw) and then sliding the sleeves onto the standoffs 170 (or long
bolts). FIG. 15C
illustrates the use of spacers installed onto the extractor 140 (or claw) as
needed, which will
adjust the stroke of the railroad spike remover 100 from 4.5 to 6.5 inches.
FIG. 15D illustrates
sliding the extractor assembly (or claw assembly) into the main column 102 and
tightening the
four standoffs 170 (or long bolts) into the mounting flange 134.
1701 FIGS. 16A-20C show an alternate embodiment for a rail spike remover 500.
The
features of the rail spike remover 500 are referred to using similar reference
numerals under
the "5XX" series of reference numerals, rather than "1XX" or "3XX" as used in
the
embodiments of FIG. 1 and 10. Accordingly, certain features of the rail spike
remover 500
that were already described above with respect to the rail spike remover 100
of FIGS. 1-9 or
the rail spike remover 300 of FIGS. 10-15D may be described in lesser detail,
or may not be
described at all. The rail spike remover 500 may be used with similar features
of the railroad
spike remover 100, 300 already described above. FIGS. 16A and 16B illustrate
perspective
views of an alternate embodiment of the rail spike remover of FIGS. 1 and 10.
FIG. 17A
illustrates a cross-sectional view along A-A of the rail spike remover of
FIGS. 16A and 16B.
FIG. 17B illustrates a cross-sectional view of detail B of the rail spike
remover of FIGS. 16A
and 16B. FIG. 17C illustrates a cross-sectional view of detail C of the rail
spike remover of
FIGS. 16A and 16B. FIG. 17D illustrates a cross-sectional view of detail D of
the rail spike
remover of FIGS. 16A and 16B. FIGS. 18A-18C illustrate perspective views of an
upper
housing of the rail spike remover of FIGS. 16A and 16B. FIGS. 19A and 19B
illustrate
perspective views of a lower housing assembly of the rail spike remover of
FIGS. 16A and
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16B. FIGS. 20A-20C illustrate perspective views of a T-handle assembly of the
rail spike
remover of FIGS. 16A and 16B.
[71] The railroad spike remover 500 may comprise a main housing 502, a bearing
housing
510, a plurality of standoffs 570, a mounting flange 534, an extractor 540,
and a drive shaft
520 attached to a T-handle assembly 580 with a battery-operated drill-type
tool 582. The main
housing 502 may have an upper housing 504 and a lower assembly housing 506.
The bearing
housing 510 may be connected to the upper housing 504 and have an opening 512
for inserting
the drive shaft 520. The drive shaft 520 may also extend through one or more
bearings 514
secured in the bearing housing 510 by a cap plate 516.
[72] As illustrated in FIG. 17A, the drive shaft 520 may have a first end 522
and a second
end 524 opposite the first end 522. Near the first end 522, the drive shaft
520 may extend
through an opening in the bearing 514, through an opening 512 in the bearing
housing 510, and
through an opening in the cap plate 516. As further illustrated in FIG. 17C,
near the second
end 524, the drive shaft 520 may connect to the mounting flange 534. The drive
shaft 520 may
be secured to the mounting flange 534 using a nut 537.
[73] As illustrated in FIGS. 17C and 17D, the plurality of standoffs 570 may
connect to the
mounting flange 534 at one end and to a clevis pivot plate 572 on the other
end. The clevis
pivot plate 572 may be attached to a clevis fastener 574 which may then be
connected to the
extractor 540 or the claw assembly extractor 540.
[74] As further illustrated in FIG. 17D, the extractor 540 comprises a claw
assembly
extractor 540. Generally, the claw assembly extractor 540 may be designed to
open, close, and
grab with the drive shaft 520 movement the railroad spike at a force as high
as 19,000 pounds.
As described above and illustrated for the extractor 340 and FIGS. 10-14, the
claw assembly
extractor 540 may include a pair of jaws 542 that are pivotally connected to
each other by a
pivoting pin 544 and a rotating pin 546. The lower ends 548 of the jaws 542
are configured to
contact and grab the railroad spike 10. The upper members 550 of the jaws 542
are pivotally
connected to the clevis fastener 574 with the rotating pin 546 or the pivoting
pin 544 as
illustrated in FIG. 17D. When the drive shaft 520 is pulled upward, the jaws
542 move towards
a grabbing position to grab onto the railroad spike 10.
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1751 The claw assembly extractor 540 includes the two jaws 542, a pivoting pin
544, the two
upper members 550, spacer caps, a rotating pin 546, and a friction assembly.
The friction
assembly generally includes a spring and friction caps. The jaws 542 and upper
members 550
form a moveable parallelogram assembly. The jaws 542 each have a pivot hole
552 which the
pivot pin 544 is located in. The jaws 542 also each have a rotating section
554 which the
rotating pin 546 is located in. The upper members 550 of the jaws 542 are
pivotally connected
to the jaws 542 by their rotating sections 554 and the rotating pins 546. The
upper members
550 of the jaws 542 may be also pivotally connected to the clevis fastener 574
and the clevis
pivot plate 572 by the pivoting pin 546.
[76] The friction assembly functions for keeping the jaws 542 in an open
position as the
jaws 342 are moved from the up position to the home position after a spike 10
has been pulled.
Initially, a user places the railroad spike remover 100 over the spike 10 with
the jaws 542 in an
open position. When the user begins rotation of the drive shaft 520 of the
railroad spike
remover 500, the drive shaft 520 is moved upward, pulling the upper members
550 upward and
rotated pulling the upper members 550 of the jaws 542 towards each other. The
friction
assembly keeps the centers of the jaws 542 fixed relative to the main housing
502 such that the
jaws 542 only initially rotate and do not translate relative to the main
housing 502. Thus, the
lower ends 548 of the jaws 542 are able to rotate under the head of the spike
10. Then the jaws
542 are stopped by the spike 10 from further rotation and the upward movement
of the drive
shaft 520 overcomes the frictional forces of the friction assembly and the
jaws 542 translate
upward along the interior of the main housing 502 pulling the spike 10 with
it. When the user
releases the movement of the railroad spike remover 100 and rotates the drive
shaft 520
downward, the drive shaft 520 is moved downward back towards its home
position. The
friction assembly initially holds the center of the jaws 542 fixed relative to
the main housing
502 such that the jaws 542 only initially rotate and translate to move the
jaws 542 to an open
position. As the jaws 542 are opened, the spike 10 is able to be released. The
jaws 542 stop
rotating and start translating down the main housing 502 when the back
surfaces of the jaws
542 lower ends contact the opposite interior sides of the main housing 502.
The lower ends
548 of the jaws 542 substantially block an area between the main housing 502
and the back
surfaces to prevent the spike 10 from entering this area. After the jaws 542
open the downward
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movement of the drive shaft 520 moves the jaws 542 downward back to their home
position
while maintaining the jaws 542 in their open position along this home
returning movement.
[77] The claw assembly extractor 540 and the jaws 542 includes a frictionally-
delayed
movement that includes pivoting claws 548 with arms or upper members 550 that
frictionally
contact each other and/or the main housing 502 when opening and closing the
jaws 542. The
frictionally-delayed moving jaws 542 function as a means for keeping the jaws
542 in an open
position as the jaws 542 are moved from the up position to the home positions
after a spike 10
has been pulled.
[78] The main housing 502 may include both an upper housing 504 and a lower
assembly
housing 506. As illustrated in FIGS. 18A, 18B, 18C, 19A, and 19B, the upper
housing 504
and the lower assembly housing 506 may include a plurality of substantially
vertical side walls.
The main housing 502 may have a height of approximately 24 inches or within a
range of 16
to 40 inches or any height. The upper housing 504 may have a height of
approximately 10
inches or within a range of 6 to 18 inches or any height. The lower assembly
housing 506 may
have a height of approximately 14 inches or with a range of 10 to 22 inches or
any height. As
shown in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 16A-20C, the main housing
502, the
upper housing 504, and the lower assembly housing 506 may generally have a
square cross-
sectional shape. For example as shown in FIGS. 16A-20C, the main housing 502,
the upper
housing 504, and the lower assembly housing 506 may have four side walls. Each
side wall
may have a width of approximately 3.5 inches or within a range of 3 inches to
4 inches, or
within a range of 2 inches to 6 inches. Additionally, the upper housing 504
may include a
housing handle 508 attached to the upper housing 504. The lower housing
assembly 506 may
also include a housing handle without departing from the invention.
[79] As shown in FIGS. 16A, 16B, 20A, 20B, and 20C, a T-handle assembly 580
with a
battery-operated drill-type tool 582 may be connected to the drive shaft 520
to rotate the drive
shaft 520. The first end 522 of the drive shaft 520 may have a drive element
527 to allow a
user to engage the drive shaft 520 with the T-handle assembly 580 and the
battery-operated
drill-type tool 582, such as a high-impact torque wrench or similar device to
rotate the drive
shaft 520. The battery-operated drill-type tool 582 may include a rechargeable
battery pack
583. The drive element 527 may have a hexagonal shape to be engaged by a
standard
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hexagonal high impact socket 592 on the T-handle assembly 580. The standard
hexagonal
socket may be 0.5 inches or larger. A battery-operated drill-type apparatus or
an air hammer
attached to a pneumatic supply could be utilized as the rotating tool, thereby
engaging the drive
shaft 520 and rotating the drive shaft 520 to move the drive shaft 520 up and
down. The T-
handle assembly 580 may also allow the battery-operated drill-type tool 582 to
be easily
removed by a user and removed for storage.
[80] As illustrated in FIGS. 20A, 20B, and 20C, the T-handle assembly 580 may
include a
drill face plate 596 to hold the battery-operated drill-type tool 582. The
drill face plate 596
may be connected to a handle plate 594 extending perpendicular to the drill
face plate 596. A
handle 586 may be extend perpendicular and be connected to the handle plate
594. A handle
grip 588 may surround the handle 586 and may be made of a foam material. One
or more
fastening straps 590 and one or more side plates 584 may be utilized to
connect the T-handle
assembly 580 to the main housing 502 and specifically to the upper housing
504. The one or
more fastening strips 590 may be designed to be quick-connect straps to
quickly disconnect the
battery-operated drill-type tool 582 from the main housing 502 and upper
housing 504 of the
railroad spike remover 500. The one or more side plates may extend from and
connect to the
drill face plate 596. The one or more straps 590 may surround and secure the
battery-operated
drill-type tool 582 to the drill face plate 596, thereby securing the T-handle
assembly 580 to
the main housing 502. Additionally, the battery-operated drill-type tool 582
may be attached
to an impact socket 592 which then connects to the drive element 527 of the
drive shaft 520.
The battery-operated drill-type tool 582 may be other similar tools, such as
electronic,
pneumatic, or other such drill-type tools that will perform similar
functionality as a battery-
operated drill-type tool 582.
[81] In another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS.
21A and 21B,
the T-handle assembly 580 may include a drill guard structure 598. The drill
guard structure
598 may be connected to the T-handle assembly 580 and provide a guard for the
battery-
operated drill-type tool 582. The drill guard structure 598 may include a case
over the battery-
operated drill-type tool 582 while allowing the user to hole the battery-
operated drill-type tool
582. The drill guard structure 598 may include side panels that extend the
length of the battery-
operated drill-type tool 582 and a back panel that covers the battery area.
The drill guard
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structure 598 may also include front panels that cover the rotating section of
the battery-
operated drill-type tool 582.
[82] The plurality of standoffs 570 may be hollow tubes that connect at a
first end to a
mounting flange 534 and a second end of connected to a clevis pivot plate 572.
The clevis
pivot plate 572 may be attached to a clevis fastener 574 which is then
connected to the claw
assembly extractor 540. Each standoff 570 may have internal threads such that
they may be
releasably connected using a threaded fastener on the clevis pivot plate 572.
Alternatively, the
plurality of standoffs 570 may be integrally joined to the either the mounting
flange 534 or the
clevis pivot plate 572 or both. Each standoff 570 may be approximately 7
inches long or within
a range of 5 inches to 9 inches or within a range of 3 inches to 12 inches.
Each of the standoffs
570 may be the same length, but depending on the shape of the either the
mounting flange 534,
the clevis pivot plate 572, or the extractor 540, each of the standoffs 570
may have different
lengths.
[83] The various components for the railroad spike remover 500, such as the
main housing
502, the bearing housing 510, the drive shaft 520, the mounting flange 534,
the plurality of
standoffs 570, the T-handle assembly 580, and the claw assembly extractor 540
may be made
of a metallic material, preferably a steel alloy. Alternatively, the
components may be made of
other metallic materials such as iron, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, titanium,
or a titanium
alloy.
[84] In another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG.
22, the rail spike
remover 100, 500 may include a quick attachment that allows the rail spike
remover to be either
a spike puller or a spike driver. The rail spike remover 100, 500 may also
include rail spike
driver 180 that can be interchangeable with any of the extractor 140,
extractor 340, or the claw
assembly extractor 540. For example, the rail spike driver 180 may be quickly
interchanged
with the claw assembly extractor 540 by removing the clevis pivot plate 572
and attaching the
rail spike driver 180 to the plurality of standoffs 570. Additionally, and
similarly, the rail spike
driver 180 may be interchanged with extractor 140 and the extractor 340. The
rail spike driver
180 may be utilized
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[85] In another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG.
23, the rail spike
remover 100, 500 may include a leveling block 190 for use with the rail spike
remover of FIGS.
1, 10, 16A, and 16B. The leveling block 190 may be located on one side of the
bottom footer
of the second end 106 of the main column 102 or the lower assembly housing 506
of the main
housing 502 of the rail spike remover 100, 500. As illustrated in FIG. 23, the
leveling block
190 may be rectangular in shape. The leveling block 190 may be utilized to
help level the rail
spike remover 100, 500 when removing railroad spikes. Additionally, the
leveling block 190
may be utilized to help remove the rails flanged angle when pulling railroad
spikes.
CONCLUSION
[86] While the invention has been described in detail in terms of specific
examples including
presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the
art will appreciate
that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described
systems and
methods.
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