Angled Tamping Shovel Halves for Ballast Compaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand-held tampers for underfilling track ballast lack an effective mechanism for achieving improved compacting action and reducing sideways sliding of ballast during use.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held tamper design featuring a tamping shovel with angled shovel halves, where the lower section inserts into the ballast and the upper section enhances compaction, and an angular arrangement of the shovel halves reduces sideways sliding by angling the shovel parts relative to each other.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional tamping shovel design is used, then the structure is simple, but the compacting action is insufficient and ballast slides sideways
Solution Approach 1:
The tamping shovel is divided into two separate shovel halves instead of using a single conventional shovel blade. This segmentation allows each half to be angled relative to the handle, creating a V-shaped configuration that effectively prevents sideways ballast sliding while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The two shovel halves are arranged asymmetrically at angles relative to the handle's longitudinal axis, with each half forming a specific angle (α) with the axis. This asymmetric angular arrangement creates a V-shaped configuration that directs compaction forces vertically while preventing lateral ballast displacement
2Reliability
If the shovel halves are arranged at an angle, then sideways sliding of ballast is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shovel is segmented into two independent halves that can be manufactured separately using standard fabrication processes, then assembled by attaching them to the handle at the required angles. This approach maintains ease of manufacture while achieving the angular configuration needed to prevent ballast sliding
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves enhanced compacting action and minimizes ballast sliding, resulting in improved performance and efficiency during ballast compaction.
Implementation Method 1
a shaft (9) mounted rotatable about the longitudinal axis (7) by the drive motor (2). This shaft has at the lower end (8) remote from the drive motor (2) an unbalance (10) for generating tamping vibrations.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand-held tamper for underfilling ballast of a track. The tamper has a drive motor for the rotation of an unbalance and a tamping shovel fastened to a lower end of a shaft which is joined to the drive motor and has a longitudinal axis. The shovel consists of two shovel halves each joined to the shaft. Each shovel half has an upper shovel part nearer to the drive motor and a lower shovel part positioned at a first angle <180° in relation thereto. Both shovel halves are disposed at a second angle <180° relative to one another when viewed in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shaft.