초록 ▼

A rail spike cleaning apparatus includes a tumbler and an arrangement whereby the tumbler is automatically loaded and unloaded. The tumbler is a continuous tumbler in that it is operable to receive spikes continuously while it is tumbling and operable to automatically discharge cleaned spikes while

A rail spike cleaning apparatus includes a tumbler and an arrangement whereby the tumbler is automatically loaded and unloaded. The tumbler is a continuous tumbler in that it is operable to receive spikes continuously while it is tumbling and operable to automatically discharge cleaned spikes while it is tumbling. The tumbler is connected to a motor which causes the tumbler to rotate about a rotation axis, which is preferably horizontal. The tumbler is cylindrical and the axis of rotation is the center axis of the cylinder. The tumbler includes a cleaning chamber separated from a discharge chamber by a wall. When spikes reach sufficient height in the cleaning chamber, they may overflow the wall and go into the discharge chamber. Spikes which land in the discharge chamber are caught by vanes which carry them up to drop upon a conveyor belt whereupon they are carried out of the tumbler. The arrangement to automatically carry the spikes into the tumbler includes the same conveyor belt which extends completely through the tumbler. The conveyor belt is attached to a magnetic wheel which picks up spikes from a feed bin and carries them up for traveling along the conveyor into the cleaning chamber of the tumbler. A plow is used to channel spikes off of the conveyor into the cleaning chamber. A rubber liner is used in the cleaning chamber to promote tumbling action and to lessen the noise.

대표청구항 ▼

A spike cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) a tumbler having a cleaning chamber therein; (b) a motor means operatively connected to move said tumbler and for cleaning spikes by tumbling action of spikes within said cleaning chamber; and (c) a vehicle frame having rail engaging wheels mounted thereto

A spike cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) a tumbler having a cleaning chamber therein; (b) a motor means operatively connected to move said tumbler and for cleaning spikes by tumbling action of spikes within said cleaning chamber; and (c) a vehicle frame having rail engaging wheels mounted thereto and operable to move along a railroad track, said tumbler mounted to said vehicle frame; and further comprising input means to automatically pick up spikes and feed spikes continuously into said tumbler while it is tumbling and means to automatically discharge cleaned spikes from said tumbler while said tumbler is tumbling.