Rail gas pressure welding machine

Abstract

The present invention provides a rail gas pressure welding machine that allows for easy alignment and secure clamping when clamping a pair of rails to be joined. [Solution] The rail gas pressure welding machine comprises a fixed frame attached to and fixed to one side of the rail, a support frame located on the other side and on which a pressurizing cylinder is detachably mounted, a plurality of guide means, one end of which is fixed to the fixed frame and the other end of which is fixed to the support frame, and a movable frame attached and fixed to the other side, driven by the pressurizing cylinder and movable along the plurality of guide means. Each of the fixed frame and the movable frame has a reference side chuck that abuts against one side of the rail and a movable chuck that is driven by a clamping cylinder and abuts against and clamps the other side of the rail. The reference side chuck is formed in a wedge shape with an inclined surface and is configured to be adjustable in insertion position according to the distance between it and the rail's belly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rail gas pressure welding machine that clamps a pair of rails to be pressed together, heats them under pressure, and performs pressure welding.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when a defective portion occurs in an existing railway rail, the rail at the defective portion is cut, and when replacing with a new rail, gas pressure welding is used for joining. Gas pressure welding is a joining method in which rails to be joined are butted against each other, and while applying pressure in the axial direction, the area around the butted portion is heated to a high temperature with a gas flame to obtain a predetermined amount of deformation for joining.

[0003] A rail gas pressure welding machine of the type that is placed over the rail from above and used in such a gas pressure welding method is well known (Patent Document 1).

[0004] The rail gas pressure welding machine described in Patent Document 1 comprises: a support frame, to which a pressurizing cylinder is attached, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the pair of rails to be joined; a fixed frame, which clamps one of the rails to be joined and receives pressure, disposed opposite to the support frame. A moving frame driven by the pressurizing cylinder is installed inward on the support frame side. Each frame is assembled with a shared guide shaft at three positions: both sides of the bottom and the top located above the rail.

[0005] Further, between the fixed frame and the moving frame, a burner case that supports a gas burner, which is the heating source for the joining site, is installed in a detachable manner by covering the three guide shafts from above. Clamping cylinders for clamping the rails are respectively attached to the fixed frame and the moving frame, and a push-out tool member for pushing out excess weld metal after joining is provided on the front surface of the moving frame.

[0006] Furthermore, in the rail clamping structure, in the fixed frame, one rail is clamped by a fixed chuck fixed to the frame body and a movable chuck fixed to the rod of the clamping cylinder, while in the movable frame, the other rail is clamped by a fixed chuck fixed to the frame body and a movable chuck fixed to the rod of the clamping cylinder. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-237669 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, in the rail gas pressure welding machine described in Patent Document 1, the fixed chucks attached to the fixed frame and the movable frame have a uniform thickness. Therefore, when clamping a pair of rails to be joined, the joining surfaces of the pair of rails may be misaligned horizontally. If alignment is required, a metal piece or the like must be inserted between the fixed chuck and the rail's body on-site to perform the alignment. This presented a problem in that it was difficult to find a metal piece of the appropriate thickness. Furthermore, the presence of the metal piece could cause clamp misalignment during pressurization.

[0009] Furthermore, in the rail gas pressure welding machine described in Patent Document 1, there was a problem in that alignment was difficult if the joining surfaces of the pair of rails to be joined were misaligned in the torsional direction.

[0010] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a rail gas pressure welding machine that allows for easy alignment and secure clamping when clamping a pair of rails to be joined.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a rail gas pressure welding machine having a centering mechanism that can accommodate misalignment in the torsional direction of the rail. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] According to the present invention, a rail gas pressure welding machine that heats and pressurizes a pair of rails to be pressure-welded while they are clamped together comprises a fixed frame attached to one side of the pair of rails, a support frame located on the other side of the pair of rails and on which a pressurizing cylinder is detachably mounted, a plurality of guide means, one end of which is fixed to the fixed frame and the other end of which is fixed to the support frame, and a movable frame attached to the other side of the pair of rails, driven by the pressurizing cylinder, and movable along the plurality of guide means. Each of the fixed frame and the movable frame has a reference-side chuck that abuts against one side of each of the pair of rails, and a movable chuck that is driven by a clamping cylinder and abuts against and clamps the other side of each of the pair of rails. The reference-side chuck is formed in a wedge shape with an inclined surface, is detachably mounted on each of the fixed frame and the movable frame, and is configured to be adjustable in insertion position according to the distance between each of the fixed frame and the movable frame and one side of each of the pair of rails.

[0013] In a rail gas pressure welding machine, the reference chuck is formed in a wedge shape with an inclined surface, is detachably attached to both the fixed frame and the movable frame, and is configured to allow adjustment of its insertion position to match the distance between each of the fixed frame and the movable frame and one side of each pair of rails. This makes it easy to align and securely clamp the pair of rails to be joined.

[0014] Preferably, the base end of the reference chuck has an insertion position restricting portion that restricts the insertion position when it is mounted on the fixed frame and the movable frame, and the insertion position restricting portion has an insertion recess into which one of several spacer members of different thicknesses can be inserted to adjust the insertion position. This ensures that the insertion position of the reference chuck is reliably restricted when aligning the center. It also prevents clamp misalignment when pressurized and ensures that the pair of rails are securely clamped.

[0015] The reference-side chuck is preferably composed of multiple segments arranged vertically, with each segment having an insertion position regulating section. This allows for adjustment of misalignment in the torsional direction of the rail during alignment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, in a rail gas pressure welding machine, the reference side chuck is formed in a wedge shape with an inclined surface, is detachably attached to each of the fixed frame and the movable frame, and is configured to be adjustable in insertion position according to the distance between each of the fixed frame and the movable frame and one side of each of the pair of rails, thereby making alignment work easy and ensuring secure clamping when clamping a pair of rails to be joined.

[0017] Furthermore, the reference chuck has an insertion position restricting section that restricts the insertion position when it is attached to the fixed frame and the movable frame, and the insertion position restricting section has an insertion recess into which one of several spacer members of different thicknesses can be inserted to adjust the insertion position, thereby ensuring that the insertion position of the reference chuck is reliably restricted when centering. In addition, clamp misalignment during pressurization can be prevented and the pair of rails can be reliably clamped.

[0018] Furthermore, the reference-side chuck is composed of multiple segments arranged vertically, and each segment is provided with an insertion position regulating section, which allows it to accommodate misalignment in the twisting direction of the rail during alignment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a rail gas pressure welding machine according to one embodiment of the present invention (viewed from the right side). [Figure 2] It is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the rail gas pressure welding machine in the embodiment of Fig. 1 (viewed from the left side). [Figure 3] They are (A) a side view and (B) an end view viewed from the left side, schematically showing the configuration of the main body of the rail gas pressure welding machine in the embodiment of Fig. 1. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration and mounting state of the reference side chuck of the rail gas pressure welding machine in the embodiment of Fig. 1. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration and mounting state of the spacer member of the rail gas pressure welding machine in the embodiment of Fig. 1. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view schematically showing the state of adjusting the roller position of the rail gas pressure welding machine in the embodiment of Fig. 1. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view schematically showing the method for setting the rail gas pressure welding machine onto a rail in the embodiment of Fig. 1 (Step 1: placing on the rail). [Figure 8] It is a perspective view schematically showing the method for setting the rail gas pressure welding machine onto a rail in the embodiment of Fig. 1 (Step 2: inserting the undershaft). [Figure 9] It is a perspective view schematically showing the method for setting the rail gas pressure welding machine onto a rail in the embodiment of Fig. 1 (Step 3: mounting the reference side chuck). [Figure 10] It is a perspective view schematically showing the method for setting the rail gas pressure welding machine onto a rail in the embodiment of Fig. 1 (Step 4: mounting the spacer member). [Figure 11] It is a perspective view schematically showing the method for setting the rail gas pressure welding machine onto a rail in the embodiment of Fig. 1 (Step 5: the mounting state of the reference side chuck and the spacer member). [Figure 12]Figure 1 schematically shows the rail gas pressure welding machine in the embodiment being moved along the rail (A) a perspective view showing the movable state and (B) a view from the end face. [Figure 13] This diagram shows the state of the forces experienced when clamping in a conventional integrated frame and the frame of the present invention. [Figure 14] This figure shows other examples of undershaft and clamp member configurations. [Figure 15] The images show the undershaft being inserted from the right side of the clamp member (A) and from the left side of the clamp member (B). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the rail gas pressure welding machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the figures. The rail gas pressure welding machine of this embodiment is a rail gas pressure welding machine that performs pressure welding of railway rails using the gas pressure welding method.

[0021] Figure 1 schematically shows the configuration of a rail gas pressure welding machine 100 for railway rails in one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 schematically shows the configuration of the rail gas pressure welding machine 100, Figure 3(A) schematically shows the configuration of the main body of the rail gas pressure welding machine 100, Figure 3(A) is a front view and Figure 3(B) is a left view. Figure 4 schematically shows the configuration of the reference side chuck 13, and Figure 5 schematically shows the configuration of the spacer member S. Note that the reference side chuck 44 has a similar configuration to the reference side chuck 13.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of this embodiment includes a fixed frame 10 attached to and fixed to one side of a pair of rails, a support frame 20 located on the other side of the pair of rails, a plurality (four) of guide shafts 30 (corresponding to the "guide means" of the present invention) with one end fixed to the fixed frame 10 and the other end fixed to the support frame 20, a movable frame 40 attached to and fixed to the other side of the pair of rails and movable along the plurality of guide shafts 30, and a pair of pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b detachably mounted on the support frame 20. The fixed frame 10 and the support frame 20 are arranged opposite each other with a gap in the longitudinal direction of the pair of rails to be joined. The movable frame 40, driven by the pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b, is installed on the inner side of the support frame 20, and these fixed frame 10, support frame 20 and movable frame 40 are assembled by the plurality (four) of guide shafts 30.

[0023] The fixing frame 10 clamps one of the rails to be joined and receives pressure. The fixing frame 10 is composed of a pair of clamp members 10a and 10b, which can be installed on both sides of the rail, with the upper part of the frame 10 being connected to the other by a connecting shaft 11. The fixing frame 10 also has a detachable undershaft 12 that connects the lower parts of the pair of clamp members 10a and 10b. This undershaft 12 is inserted from below the rail when the fixing frame 10 is installed from above the rail, and is configured to connect the pair of clamp members 10a and 10b to each other. The undershaft 12 also has a plurality (for example, three) of engaging protrusions 12a on one end, and is formed to engage with the engaging receiving portion 10c of the other clamp member 10b by inserting it through the insertion hole of one clamp member 10a and rotating it by a predetermined angle (see Figure 8 described later). The engaging receiving portion 10c is formed inside the insertion hole on the clamp member 10b side.

[0024] Furthermore, in the fixed frame 10, one clamp member 10b has a reference-side chuck 13 that abuts against one side of the rail, and the other clamp member 10a has a detachable clamping cylinder 15 that drives the movable chuck 14 to abut against the other side of the rail and clamp it. Here, the reference-side chuck 13 also functions as a centering mechanism for the pair of rails. The movable chuck 14 is fixed to the tip of a back plate 14a, which acts as a reinforcing member when pressurized, and the back plate 14a is mounted so as to be slidable in conjunction with the movable chuck 14.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the reference-side chuck 13 is formed in a wedge shape with an inclined surface, is detachably attached to the clamp member 10b, and is configured to allow adjustment of its insertion position to match the gap between the clamp member 10b of the fixed frame 10 and one side of the rail. In this embodiment, the reference-side chuck 13 consists of two reference-side chuck divisions 13A and 13B arranged vertically. The inclined surfaces of the reference-side chuck divisions 13A and 13B are mounting surfaces and have engaging projections 13a. On the other hand, the mounting surface on the clamp member 10b side consists of an inclined surface C and an engaging groove D provided on the inclined surface C. When attaching the reference-side chuck divisions 13A and 13B to the clamp member 10b, they are attached by sliding the engaging projections 13a on the mounting surface along the engaging groove D on the clamp member 10b side. After attachment, the surfaces of the reference-side chuck divisions 13A and 13B (the surfaces that contact the rail's side) are parallel to the rail's side. Furthermore, the base end sides of the reference-side chuck divisions 13A and 13B have insertion position restricting portions 13b that restrict the insertion position when they are attached to the clamp member 10b of the fixed frame 10. These insertion position restricting portions 13b have insertion recesses 13c into which any of a plurality of spacer members S having different thicknesses for adjusting the insertion position can be inserted. By providing the insertion position restricting portions 13b, clamp displacement during pressurization can be prevented.

[0026] As shown in Figure 5, the spacer member S has a spacer portion Sx that restricts the insertion position of the reference-side chuck segments 13A and 13B, and an insertion projection Sy that can be inserted into the insertion recess 13c of the insertion position restricting portion 13b. The spacer member S restricts the insertion position of the reference-side chuck segments 13A and 13B and also has a function to prevent the reference-side chuck segments 13A and 13B from coming loose. In this embodiment, for example, the spacer member S has six types of spacer portions Sx with thicknesses of 0 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, and 10 mm. The spacer member S is also held by a spacer holding portion 10bs provided on the fixed frame 10.

[0027] Furthermore, the fixed frame 10 has rollers 16 that can travel along the upper surface of the rail, and the fixed frame 10 rests on the upper surface of the rail via the rollers 16. The fixed frame 10 further includes a roller position adjustment mechanism 17 for adjusting the vertical position of the rollers 16. This roller position adjustment mechanism 17 has a plurality of clamp positioning parts 17a, 17b corresponding to the height of the rail, a travel positioning part 17c, and a lever 18. The lever 18 is configured to fit and position the clamp positioning parts 17a, 17b and the travel positioning part 17c.

[0028] The support frame 20 is located on the other rail of the pair of rails to be joined, and is configured to allow a pair of pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b to be detachably mounted. The upper part of the support frame 20 is connected to each other by a connecting shaft 21, and the lower part consists of a pair of clamp members 20a and 20b that can be installed on both sides of the rail R2, respectively. One end of a guide shaft 30 is attached to the upper and lower parts of each of the pair of clamp members 20a and 20b. Each of the pair of clamp members 20a and 20b is provided with mounting holes 22a and 22b for mounting the pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b, and the mounting holes 22a and 22b have engaging parts 23a and 23b that engage with and prevent the mounted pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b by rotation after insertion. The pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b can be mounted by inserting them into the mounting holes 22a and 22b from the outside of each of the clamp members 20a and 20b, rotating them by a predetermined angle, and engaging the engaging parts.

[0029] Furthermore, the support frame 20 has rollers 26 that can travel along the upper surface of the rail, and the support frame 20 rests on the upper surface of the rail via the rollers 26. The support frame 20 further includes a roller position adjustment mechanism 27 for adjusting the vertical position of the rollers 26. This roller position adjustment mechanism 27 has a plurality of clamp positioning parts 27a, 27b corresponding to the height of the rail, a travel positioning part 27c, and a lever 28. The lever 28 is configured to fit and position the clamp positioning parts 27a, 27b and the travel positioning part 27c.

[0030] The guide shafts 30 are made of metal rods, and in this embodiment, the fixed frame 10, the support frame 20, and the movable frame 40 are assembled using four parallel-arranged guide shafts 30. One end of each guide shaft 30 is inserted and fixed through the upper and lower insertion holes of a pair of clamp members 10a and 10b of the fixed frame 10, respectively. The other end of each guide shaft 30 is inserted and fixed through the upper and lower insertion holes of a pair of clamp members 20a and 20b of the support frame 20, respectively.

[0031] The movable frame 40 is positioned between the fixed frame 10 and the support frame 20, on the support frame 20 side, and is attached and fixed to the other rail. It is driven by pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b and is configured to move along four guide shafts 30. The movable frame 40 consists of a pair of clamp members 40a and 40b, which can be installed on either side of the rail, with their upper parts connected by a connecting shaft 41. The movable frame 40 also has a detachable undershaft 42 that connects the lower parts of the pair of clamp members 40a and 40b. This undershaft 42 is inserted from below the rail when the movable frame 40 is installed from above the rail, and is configured to connect the pair of clamp members 40a and 40b to each other. Furthermore, the undershaft 42 has a plurality (for example, three) of engaging protrusions 42a on one end, and is formed to engage with the engaging receiving portion 40c of the other clamp member 40b by inserting it through the insertion hole of one clamp member 40a and rotating it by a predetermined angle (see Figure 8, described later). The engaging receiving portion 40c is formed inside the insertion hole on the clamp member 40b side. The pair of clamp members 40a and 40b have joint blocks 43a and 43b on their rear surfaces (the surfaces facing the support frame 20) to which the rods 51a and 51b of the pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b are connected.

[0032] Furthermore, in the movable frame 40, one clamping member 40b has a reference-side chuck 44 that abuts against one side of the rail, and the other clamping member 40a has a detachable clamping cylinder 46 that drives the movable chuck 45 to abut against the other side of the rail and clamp it. Here, the reference-side chuck 44 also functions as a centering mechanism for the pair of rails. The movable chuck 45 is fixed to the tip of a back plate 45a, which acts as a reinforcing member when pressurized, and the back plate 45a is mounted so as to be slidable in conjunction with the movable chuck 45.

[0033] The reference-side chuck 44 is formed in a wedge shape with an inclined surface, is detachably attached to the clamp member 40b, and is configured to allow adjustment of its insertion position to match the gap between the clamp member 40b of the movable frame 40 and one side of the rail. In this embodiment, the reference-side chuck 44 is composed of two reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B arranged vertically (see Figure 4). The inclined surfaces of the reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B are mounting surfaces and have engaging projections 44a. On the other hand, the mounting surface on the clamp member 40b side is composed of an inclined surface C and an engaging groove D provided on the inclined surface C. When mounting the reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B to the clamp member 40b, they are mounted by sliding the engaging projections 44a on the mounting surface along the engaging groove D on the clamp member 40b side. After mounting, the surfaces of the reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B (the surfaces that contact the side of the rail) are parallel to the side of the rail. Furthermore, the base end of the reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B has an insertion position restricting portion 44b that restricts the insertion position when they are attached to the clamp member 40b of the movable frame 40. This insertion position restricting portion 44b has an insertion recess 44c into which one of a plurality of spacer members S having different thicknesses for adjusting the insertion position can be inserted. By providing the insertion position restricting portion 44b, clamp misalignment during pressurization can be prevented. As shown in Figure 5, the spacer member S has a spacer portion Sx that restricts the insertion position of the reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B, and an insertion projection Sy that can be inserted into the insertion recess 44c of the insertion position restricting portion 44b, thereby restricting the insertion position of the reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B and having a function to prevent the reference-side chuck divisions 44A and 44B from coming off. In this embodiment, for example, the spacer member S has six types of spacer portions Sx with thicknesses of 0 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm, and 10 mm. Furthermore, the spacer member S is held in place by a spacer holding portion 40bs provided on the movable frame 40.

[0034] The pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b are mounted on the support frame 20 and are pressurizing means for driving the movable frame 40 and pressing a pair of rails together. The rods 51a and 51b of the pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b are connected to joint blocks 43a and 43b which are attached to the rear surface of the movable frame 40.

[0035] The burner case, which supports the gas burner that serves as the heat source for the joint, is installed by placing it over the four guide shafts 30 from above. It can be transported separately from the main body of the rail gas pressure welding machine 100.

[0036] The following describes how to install and press-weld the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of this embodiment onto a pair of rails R1 and R2 that are to be joined together, with reference to Figures 6 to 12.

[0037] When installing the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 on rails R1 and R2, first, as shown in Figure 6, the lever 18 is fitted into the corresponding clamp positioning section 17a or 17b, and the lever 28 is fitted into the corresponding clamp positioning section 27a or 27b, according to the type of rails R1 and R2 to be joined (50N rail or 60K rail), and the vertical positions of the rollers 16 and 46 are adjusted. Figure 6(A) shows the lever 18 in the clamp positioning section 17a corresponding to the 60K rail, Figure 6(B) shows the lever 18 in the clamp positioning section 17b corresponding to the 50N rail, and Figure 6(C) shows the lever 18 in the running positioning section 17c. The same applies to the other lever 28.

[0038] Next, as shown in Figure 7, with the joining surfaces R0 of the pair of rails R1 and R2 to be joined together, the main body of the rail gas welding machine 100 is placed on the rails R1 and R2. For example, with the lever 18 fitted into the clamp positioning part 17a corresponding to the 60K rail, the main body of the rail gas welding machine 100 is placed on top of the rails R1 and R2, and the rollers 16 and 26 are set to contact the upper surfaces of the rails R1 and R2, respectively. In this embodiment, for example, the fixed frame 10 is installed on the rail R1 side and the support frame 20 is positioned on the rail R2 side.

[0039] Next, as shown in Figure 7, the clamping cylinder 15 is attached to the clamping member 10a of the fixed frame 10, and the clamping cylinder 46 is attached to the clamping member 40a of the movable frame 40. In addition, the pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b are attached to the support frame 20, and the rods 51a and 51b of the pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b are connected to the joint blocks 43a and 43b attached to the rear surface of the movable frame 40.

[0040] Next, as shown in Figure 8, the undershafts 12 and 42 are inserted from below the rails R1 and R2, respectively, connecting the pair of clamp members 10a and 10b and the pair of clamp members 40a and 40b to each other.

[0041] Next, as shown in Figures 9 and 11(A), the reference-side chuck segments 13A and 13B of the fixed frame 10 are inserted between the clamp member 10b of the fixed frame 10 and one side of the rail R1. The reference-side chuck segments 44A and 44B of the movable frame 40 are inserted between the clamp member 40b of the movable frame 40 and one side of the rail R2. Then, as shown in Figures 10 and 11(B), a spacer member S selected from a plurality of spacer members S of different thicknesses is inserted into the insertion position regulating portion 13b of the reference-side chuck segments 13A and 13B, and also into the insertion position regulating portion 44b of the reference-side chuck segments 44A and 44B. This allows the insertion positions of the reference-side chuck segments 13A and 13B and 44A and 44B to be adjusted. The surfaces (rail-contacting surfaces) of the reference-side chuck segments 13A, 13B and 44A, 44B can be brought into close contact with one of the sides of rail R1 and rail R2.

[0042] Next, the clamping cylinder 15 drives the movable chuck 14, bringing it into contact with the other side of rail R1 and clamping rail R1. Then, the clamping cylinder 46 drives the movable chuck 45, bringing it into contact with the other side of rail R2 and clamping rail R2. This completes the mounting of the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 to rails R1 and R2.

[0043] Next, a burner case (not shown) is placed over the four guide shafts 30 from above. A gas burner, which is the heat source for the joint, is then installed in the burner case.

[0044] When pressing a pair of rails R1 and R2 together, heating is performed with a gas burner, and the movable frame 40 is driven by pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b to pressurize the abutting portion of rails R1 and R2. The entire circumference is then heated by an oxygen-acetylene flame from the gas burner to perform the pressing. After pressing, the excess material around the joint surface R0 is removed using a grinder or the like. Alternatively, a punching tool may be provided on the front of the movable frame 40 to push out the excess material after joining.

[0045] Furthermore, after welding is completed at one location, when moving the rail gas welding machine 100 along rail R1 or R2 to another welding position, or when performing adjustment work on the rail joint while it is still hot, or when moving the rail gas welding machine 100 away from the joint, as shown in Figure 12, first, the clamping cylinders 15 and 46 of the fixed frame 10 and the movable frame 40 are driven in reverse to release the clamps from the movable chucks 14 and 45 side. Next, the spacer member S, the reference side chuck divisions 13A and 13B, and the reference side chuck divisions 44A and 44B are removed. Next, the undershafts 12 and 42 are removed, respectively. Next, the lever 18 on the fixed frame 10 side is fitted into the travel positioning section 17c and positioned (see Figure 6(C)). Similarly, the lever 28 on the support frame 20 side is fitted into the travel positioning section 27c and positioned. As a result, the lower ends of the fixed frame 10, support frame 20, and movable frame 40 of the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 rise above the bottom surface of the rails R1 and R2, allowing it to move without interfering with the sleepers (see Figure 12(B)). When the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 is pushed in either direction of the rails R1 or R2 (in the direction of the arrow in Figure 12(A)), the rollers 16 and 46 travel on the upper surface of the rails R1 and R2, thereby moving the rail gas pressure welding machine 100.

[0046] As described above, the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of this embodiment includes a fixed frame 10 attached to and fixed to one side of a pair of rails to be joined together, a support frame 20 located on the other side of the pair of rails, a plurality of guide shafts 30 with one end fixed to the fixed frame 10 and the other end fixed to the support frame 20, a movable frame 40 attached to and fixed to the other side of the pair of rails and movable along the plurality of guide shafts 30, and a pair of pressurizing cylinders 50a, 50b detachably mounted on the support frame 20. The fixed frame 10, the support frame 20, and the movable frame 40 each consist of a pair of clamp members 10a, 10b, 20a, 20b, and 40a, 40b at the top, which are connected to each other by connecting shafts 11, 21, and 41, and at the bottom, which can be installed on both sides of the pair of rails R1, R2, respectively.

[0047] This design divides each frame, which accounts for a large proportion of the overall weight of the rail gas pressure welding machine 100, into a pair of clamping members. As a result, the portion of each frame above the rail consists only of the connecting part, making it lighter and allowing for transportation and installation by fewer people. Therefore, work efficiency can be improved.

[0048] Furthermore, since the pressurizing cylinders 50a and 50b and the clamping cylinders 15 and 46 are detachable, they can be removed during transportation and installation, resulting in weight reduction and easier assembly. Additionally, by making the clamping cylinders 15 and 46 detachable, they can be removed when transporting and installing the rail gas pressure welding machine on the rail, further reducing weight and making assembly easier.

[0049] Furthermore, each of the fixed frame 10 and the movable frame 40 has detachable undershafts 12 and 42 that connect the lower parts of their respective pairs of clamp members 10a, 10b and 40a, 40b. The undershafts 12 and 42 are inserted from below the pair of rails R1, R2 when the fixed frame 10 and the movable frame 40 are installed from above the pair of rails R1, R2, and are configured to connect their respective pairs of clamp members. As a result, the fixed frame 10 and the movable frame 40 can reliably clamp the pair of rails R1, R2 to be pressed together. Moreover, when clamping, as shown in Figure 13, the lower part of a conventional integrated frame deforms outward and excessive stress is concentrated on the upper part (see Figure 13(A)), requiring a robust shape. In contrast, the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of the present invention receives outward force uniformly on the upper and lower parts of the frame (see Figure 13(B)), allowing for a thinner shape and reducing the weight of the frame. Furthermore, in the case of the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of the present invention, there is no need to remove large quantities of sleepers, gravel (crushed stone), or concrete materials from under the rails, saving time and labor in removal and re-laying work, and improving efficiency.

[0050] Furthermore, each of the reference-side chucks 13 and 44 is formed in a wedge shape with an inclined surface, and is detachably attached to the fixed frame 10 and the movable frame 40, respectively. The insertion position can be adjusted to match the gap between each of the fixed frame 10 and the movable frame 40 and one of the sides of the pair of rails R1 and R2, thus allowing for easy adjustment of the abutting position between the joint surfaces of rails R1 and R2. Additionally, each of the reference-side chucks 13 and 44 is composed of two vertically aligned reference-side chuck divisions 13A, 13B and 44A, 44B. By adjusting the insertion positions of the two reference-side chuck divisions 13A, 13B and 44A, 44B, the gap caused by the inclination between the fixed frame 10 and the movable frame 40 and the rails R1 and R2 can be filled, thus accommodating misalignment in the torsional direction of the rails. Therefore, alignment of the pair of rails R1 and R2 to be pressed together is easily achieved. Furthermore, clamp misalignment during pressurization can be prevented, ensuring reliable clamping of rails R1 and R2.

[0051] Furthermore, each of the fixed frame 10 and the support frame 20 has rollers 16 and 26 that can travel along the upper surfaces of a pair of rails R1 and R2. Since the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 is mounted on the upper surfaces of the pair of rails R1 and R2 via the rollers 16 and 26, when moving the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 to another welding position on rail R1 or R2 after welding at one location is completed, the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 can be moved along rail R1 or R2 via the rollers 16 and 26 to the other welding position. Therefore, there is no need to move the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 using transport machinery such as cranes. In other words, the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 can be easily moved.

[0052] In the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of the above-described embodiment, the undershafts 12 and 42 were described as being inserted from one of the clamp members 10b and 40b sides, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in the modified example in Figure 14, they may be inserted from either side of both clamp members.

[0053] Figure 14 shows another example of the configuration of the undershaft and clamp member. As shown in Figure 14, the undershaft 12A (42A) has a plurality of engaging protrusions 12a on one end. In addition, the clamp members 10a and 10b of the fixed frame 10A and the clamp members 40a and 40b of the movable frame 40A are each provided with engaging receiving portions 10c (40c).

[0054] In this case, the undershaft 12A (42A) is equipped with an operating handle H for rotating it. It is also equipped with a lock pin P for maintaining the locked state of the undershafts 12A and 42A. By inserting the lock pin P, the locked state of the undershafts 12A and 42A can be securely maintained.

[0055] Figure 15 shows the state when the undershaft 12A (42A) is installed. Figure (A) shows the state when inserted from the clamp member 10a (40a) side, and (B) shows the state when inserted from the clamp member 10b (40b) side. As shown in Figure 15, after insertion, the end plate K and lock pin P are attached to the tip side of the undershaft 12A (42A) and fixed in place. In this case, the tip of the lock pin P is inserted into the recess 12b (42b) formed on the outer circumference of the engaging projection 12a (42a) of the undershaft 12A (42A). This allows the undershaft 12A (42A) to be inserted from either side of the clamp members, improving work efficiency. Furthermore, it prevents the clamp from loosening due to the rotation of the undershaft 12A (42A) during pressure welding.

[0056] Furthermore, although the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of the above embodiment was described in which a fixed frame 10, a support frame 20, and a movable frame 40 are assembled using four guide shafts 30, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, three guide shafts may be used. In this case, a common guide shaft is used at the top of each frame, and each frame becomes approximately an inverted V shape.

[0057] Furthermore, in the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which each of the reference side chucks 13 and 44 is composed of two reference side chucks 13A, 13B and 44A, 44B arranged in the vertical direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The reference side chuck may be composed of a single integrated chuck, or it may be composed of three reference side chuck segments arranged in the vertical direction.

[0058] Furthermore, in the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of the above-described embodiment, the roller position adjustment mechanism 17 of the fixed frame 10 has a plurality of clamp positioning parts 17a, 17b corresponding to the rail height, a running positioning part 17c, and a lever 18, and the roller position adjustment mechanism 27 of the support frame 20 has a plurality of clamp positioning parts 27a, 27b corresponding to the rail height, a running positioning part 27c, and a lever 28. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Other roller position adjustment mechanisms may be used.

[0059] Furthermore, although an example using a gas burner as a heat source in the rail gas pressure welding machine 100 of the above-described embodiment has been explained, the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention can also be applied, for example, to a flash butt welding machine that uses the resistance heating of the material to be welded as a heat source.

[0060] The embodiments described above are all illustrative and not limiting, and the present invention can be implemented in various other modified and altered forms. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined solely by the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0061] 10, 10A Fixed Frame 10a, 10b Clamp members 10bs Spacer holding part 10c Engagement receiving part 11 Connecting shaft 12, 12A Undershaft 12a Engagement protrusion 12b Recessed area 13. Reference side chuck 13A, 13B Reference side chuck split parts 13a Engaging projection 13b Insertion position regulating section 13c Insertion recess 14. Movable chuck 14a Backplate 15 Clamping Cylinder 16 Laura 17a, 17b Clamp positioning section 17c Travel positioning section 18 Leva 20 Support Frame 20a, 20b Clamp members 21 Connecting shaft 22a, 22b Mounting holes 23a, 23b engaging part 26 Laura 27a, 27b Clamp positioning section 27c Travel positioning section 28 Leva 30 Guide shaft (guide means) 40, 40A Mobile Frame 40a, 40b Clamp members 40bs Spacer retaining part 40c Engagement receiving part 41 Connecting shaft 42, 42A Undershaft 42a Engagement protrusion 42b Recessed area 43a, 43b Joint Blocks 44 Reference side chuck 44A, 44B Reference side chuck split parts 44a Engagement protrusion 44b Insertion position regulating section 44c Insertion recess 45 Movable chuck 45a Backplate 46 Clamp Cylinder 50a, 50b Pressurizing Cylinders 51a, 51b rods 100 Rail Gas Pressure Welding Machine C Inclined surface D Engagement groove H Operating handle K end plate P Lock Pin R0 joint surface R1, R2 rails S Spacer Member Sx Spacer Section Sy insertion convex part

Claims

1. In a rail gas pressure welding machine that heats and pressurizes a pair of rails to be welded together while they are clamped, A fixing frame attached to and secured to one of the pair of rails, A support frame located on the other side of the pair of rails, to which a pressurizing cylinder is detachably mounted, A plurality of guide means, one end of which is fixed to the fixed frame and the other end of which is fixed to the support frame, A movable frame is attached and fixed to the other of the pair of rails, driven by the pressurizing cylinder, and movable along the plurality of guide means, Each of the fixed frame and the movable frame has a reference chuck that abuts against one side of each of the pair of rails, and a movable chuck that is driven by a clamping cylinder and abuts against and clamps the other side of each of the pair of rails. The rail gas pressure welding machine is characterized in that the reference side chuck is formed in a wedge shape having an inclined surface, is detachably attached to each of the fixed frame and the movable frame, and is configured to be adjustable in insertion position to match the distance between each of the fixed frame and the movable frame and one of the sides of each of the pair of rails.

2. The base end of the reference chuck has an insertion position restricting portion that restricts the insertion position when it is attached to the fixed frame and the movable frame, respectively. The rail gas pressure welding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the insertion position regulating portion has an insertion recess into which any of a plurality of spacer members having different thicknesses for adjusting the insertion position can be inserted.

3. The rail gas pressure welding machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the reference side chuck is composed of a plurality of divided bodies arranged in the vertical direction, and each divided body is provided with the insertion position restricting portion.

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