ADZER MACHINE HAVING A HEAD ASSEMBLY WITH A CYLINDRICAL DRUM

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to an adzer machine, and more particularly, to an adzer machine having a head assembly with a cylindrical drum.

BACKGROUND

An adzer machine is used in the rail industry to resurface worn cross ties, which are the base components of railroad tracks. Over time, support plates that connect rails to the cross ties are forced into the cross ties by the weight of the trains traveling along the tracks. And depending on a differing hardness of individual cross-ties, the support plates are forced deeper into some cross ties than into other cross ties. In order to maintain a straightness of the rails and ensure that the rails are adequately supported along their lengths, the support plates are periodically reset using the adzer machine.

To reset the support plates, one of the rails is separated from the corresponding support plates and the support plates are removed from the cross ties. A head assembly of the adzer machine is then moved along the cross ties at the locations from whence the support plates were removed. The bead assembly includes a series of cutters mounted to a rotating hub. As the head assembly is moved along the cross ties, the cutters create a smooth level surface at each cross tie, the smooth level surface of all cross ties being set at a common height. The support plates and rail are then reconnected to the newly resurfaced cross ties.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,249,542, (“the '542 patent”), describes an adzer machine having a head assembly including a cutting head having a vertically orientated rotational axis. Such a cutting head may result in large cutting debris, and may direct the cutting debris in undesired directions, such as outward of the machine. Also, the cutting head orientation of the '542 patent may be difficult to service, and the bit placement on the cutting head may place detrimental loads on the machine during the cutting process.

The present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the art. The scope of the current disclosure, however, is defined by the attached claims, and not by the ability to solve any specific problem.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a head assembly for an adzer machine includes a drum housing having a top end, a bottom end, a first side end, a second side end, a front end and a back end, the drum housing forming a drum chamber including an open bottom end. The head assembly further includes a cylindrical adzer drum located within the drum chamber and having a rotation axis extending between the first and second side ends, and a plurality of drum bits located on the cylindrical adzer drum. The head assembly also includes a motor coupled to the drum housing and drivingly connected to the cylindrical drum.

In another aspect, a head assembly for an adzer machine includes a drum housing having a top end, a bottom end, a first side end, a second side end, a front end and a back end, the drum housing forming a drum chamber including an open bottom end. The head assembly further includes a cylindrical adzer drum located within the drum chamber and having a rotation axis extending generally parallel to the surface to be adzed, and a plurality of drum bits located on the cylindrical adzer drum. The head assembly further includes a motor located above the drum housing and drivingly connected to the cylindrical drum, the motor having a drive shaft that is parallel to the rotation axis of the cylindrical adzer drum.

In yet another aspect, an adzer machine includes a first machine end and a second machine end, and a machine frame, at least one rail wheel configured to ride on a railroad rail, the at least one rail wheel located on a first side of the machine, at least one motive track for propelling the machine along the railroad rail, the at least one motive track located on a second side of the machine, and an adzer head assembly. The adzer head assembly includes a drum housing having a top end, a bottom end, a first side end, a second side end, a front end and a back end, the drum housing forming a drum chamber including an open bottom end, a cylindrical adzer drum located within the drum chamber and having a rotation axis extending between the first and second side ends, a plurality of drum bits located on the cylindrical adzer drum, and a motor coupled to the drum housing and drivingly connected to the cylindrical drum. The adzer head assembly is selectively movable with respect to the machine frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various exemplary embodiments and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 1 depicts a side view of an exemplary adzer machine including an exemplary head assembly, according to aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts a top-down perspective view of the head assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 depicts bottom-up perspective view of the head assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 depicts a top-down perspective view of the head assembly within a portion of the adzer machine of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the features, as claimed. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes,” “including,” or other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. In this disclosure, unless stated otherwise, relative terms, such as, for example, “about,” “substantially,” and “approximately” are used to indicate a possible variation of +10% in the stated value.

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary adzer machine (“machine”) 100 configured to resurface cross ties 102 of a railroad track. As is known in the art, cross ties support parallel rails at opposing ends thereof. The rails may be connected to the cross ties by way of support plates 107, and fasteners (e.g., spikes) that are driven through the plates into the cross ties. As part of the resurfacing process, one of the rails, the support plates associated with that rail, and the corresponding fasteners may have already been removed at the side of the track (i.e., the exposed side shown in FIG. 1) being resurfaced. Only one side of the track may be resurfaced at a time, as adzer machine 100 may ride on the remaining rail 109 at the opposing side.

Machine 100 may include, among other things, a machine frame 101, and one or more rail wheels 103 located on one side of machine 100 and configured to support machine frame 101 and ride along the remaining rail 109 located at the end of the cross ties not being resurfaced. Machine 100 may also include one or more motive track-type crawlers (“crawlers”) 105 located at the side of machine 100 opposite at the one or more least one rail wheels 103. Crawlers 105 may support and propel machine 100, and may be located to ride directly on the ends of the cross-ties that are being resurfaced. A forward or front located crawler 105 may ride along unfinished surfaces of the cross-ties, while an aft or rear located crawler 106 may ride along newly finished surfaces. Crawlers 105 may have a width about the same as the support plates and be aligned to travel along the same locations previously occupied by the support plates. Machine 100 may include brushes 111 at the first end of machine 100 and/or the second end of machine 100. The brushes may be configured to remove debris from a surface of the cross-ties,

Machine 100 may include a head assembly 110 configured to cut into and thereby perform resurfacing of the cross ties. As shown in FIG. 1, head assembly 110 may be generally located between and longitudinally aligned with crawlers 105. In one or more embodiments, a shield (e.g., a rubber or canvas drape, not shown) may be disposed on a bottom of machine 100 and/or around head assembly 110 to help contain fragments, dust, and/or debris generated during the resurfacing process. Due to features of head assembly 110 described below, the shield may be omitted as fragments, dust, and/or debris generated by head assembly 110 are removed by components of head assembly 110 or are thrown in a direction parallel to the rails of the railroad track and/or thrown generally downward toward the railroad.

As seen in at least in FIGS. 2 and 3, head assembly 110 may include a drum housing 120 having a drum chamber 134 configured to contain at least portion of a cylindrical adzer drum 150. Drum housing 120 may include a first side end or longitudinal end 126 and a second side end or longitudinal end 128. Drum 150 may be located within drum chamber 134 between first side end 126 and second side end 128. Further, drum 150 may have a rotation axis 153 extending between first side end 126 and second side end 128. Rotation axis 153 of drum 150 may be a central longitudinal axis of drum 150, and may extend generally horizontally and parallel to the surface to the adzed or milled.

Drum housing 120 may further include a front or forward end or wall 130 and a back or rear end or wall 132. In operation, machine 100 may be configured to move in a direction from back end 132 toward front end 130, or visa-versa. Front end 130 may be generally planar (e.g., may include a planar surface). Front end 130 may extend generally parallel relative to rotation axis 153 of drum 150. Back end 132 may include an angled wall 132a that is angled away from rotation axis 153. Relative to back end 132, front end 130 may be located closer to rotation axis 153.

Drum housing 120 may include a top end 122 and a bottom end 124. Bottom end 124 may be positioned nearer the cross ties than top end 122. Top end 122 may include a planar top wall portion 122a. Top end 122 may further includes an angled front wall portion 122b and angled rear wall portion 122c. Angled front wall portion 122b may be connected and/or adjacent to front end or wall 130 and angled rear wall portion 122c may be connected and/or adjacent to back end or wall 132. During operation, bottom end 124 may be suspended or positioned above the cross ties.

Drum housing 120 (e.g., top end 122, bottom end 124, first side end 126, second side end 128, front end 130, and back end 132) may form chamber 134. As discussed above, chamber 134 may be sized and shaped to receive drum 150. Chamber 134 may include an opening 134a at bottom end 124. Opening 134a may be sized and shaped to receive drum 150. At least a radial portion of drum 150 and/or one or more components of drum 150 (e.g., one or more of a plurality of drum bits 152 discussed below) may extend through and beyond opening 134a toward the cross ties.

As seen in FIG. 3, cylindrical adzer drum 150 may include a plurality of drum bits 152 located on drum 150. Plurality of drum bits 152 may be positioned on a curved surface of drum 150. In one example, planar style bits 152 may be disposed around the drum 150 in a scroll shaped pattern. During operation, drum 150 may be rotated along rotation axis 153 so that tips of plurality of drum bits 152 are driven into/contact the cross-ties. While drum 150 is rotating during operation, debris collected on drum 150 or plurality of drum bits 152 may be thrown downward and/or in a direction parallel to the rails of the railroad track. Drum 150 and plurality of drum bits 152 may be configured to resurface or mill the cross-ties. Drum 150 may include a longitudinal length of less than approximately 56.5 inches (143.51 cm) corresponding to the standard distance between the rails of the railroad tracks.

As at least seen in FIG. 2, head assembly 110 may include a drive motor 154 and an enclosed belt transmission 156 (shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3). Motor 154 and belt transmission 156 may be configured to rotate drum 150 about rotation axis 153. For example, drum 150 may be drivingly connected to motor 154 via the belt transmission 156. In some examples, motor 154 may be a hydraulic motor. Motor 154 may be positioned above top end 122 and/or may be coupled to top end 122, and may include a drive shaft that is parallel to rotation axis 153 of drum 150. Belt transmission 156 may be located within a transmission service housing 157 on first side end 126 of drum housing 120.

As at least seen in FIG. 3, head assembly 110 may include a chamber vent connection 180. Vent connection 180 may be configured to provide a path for the removal of dust, particles, and debris from chamber 134 during operation. Vent connection 180 may be located on first side end 126 of drum housing 120. Vent connection 180 may include an opening through first side 126 and a tube 184 extending from the opening, away from chamber 134. It should be understood that portions of tube 184 are omitted from FIGS. 3 and 4 to highlight other features of head assembly 110. Tube 184 may include a bend 184a configured to direct tube 184 parallel to first side end 126 toward top end 122 of drum housing 120. Tube 184 continues to a top of machine 100 as shown in FIG. 1.

As at least seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, head assembly 110 may include one or more height adjustment brackets 170, for example, head assembly 110 may include a pair of height adjustment brackets 170. The pair of height adjustment brackets 170 may be fixedly coupled to top end 122 of drum housing 120 such that drum housing 120 moves with the pair of height adjustment brackets 170. As best shown in FIG. 4, head assembly 110 may be movably coupled to machine frame 101 via a pair of pivoting arms 174 and one or more hydraulic cylinders 172, all of which may be coupled to height adjustment brackets 170 of head assembly 110. For example, the pair of pivoting arms 174 may be rotationally or pivotably coupled to a horizontal bar 131 at one end, and rotationally or pivotably coupled to a portion (e.g., a lower portion) of height adjustment brackets 170 at an opposite end. Three hydraulic cylinders 172 may be rotationally or pivotably coupled to another portion (e.g., an upper portion) of height adjustment brackets 170 to controllably or selectively raise, lower, and/or rotate head assembly 110 with respect machine frame 101.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The disclosed aspects of the head assembly 110 of machine 100 may be of the present disclosure may be used in industry. For example, head assembly 110 may be used to resurface worn cross ties of railroad tracks so that track support plates can be reset.

The head assembly 110 with drum rotation axis 153 oriented generally parallel to the milling surface and may provide for a reduction in the size of the cut pieces so that the milled debris may be easily removed via vent connection 180 or sweeper brushes of machine 100. Further, the orientation of rotation axis 153 may facilitate service of drum 150, such as providing easy access to the drum 150 for the replacement of damaged or worn bits 152 on the drum 150. Further, the generally horizontal rotation axis 153 of drum 150 may help force material or milled debris to discharge downward, rather than outward, of machine 100. Finally, the orientation of drum 150 about rotation axis 153 may help alleviate over loading of machine 100 during the adzing operation.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed system without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments of the system will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the system disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.