Deployable Rail Welding Boom for Adjacent Track Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

In-service railroad trackwork is difficult to repair due to increasing traffic requirements, making it challenging to access and perform welding repairs as typical welding units are large, hard to maneuver, and often interfere with train traffic, lacking the necessary reach to access adjacent or opposite tracks.

Innovation Solution

A deployable mobile welding system stored within a vehicle, featuring a slidable base unit, an extendable and rotatable boom, and a welding unit that can rotate 180 degrees for full reach of railroad trackwork, allowing easy deployment and positioning for welding repairs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a welding unit is placed near or adjacent the railroad trackwork for repair, then the welding repair can be performed on the trackwork, but the welding unit is large in size and difficult to manipulate and move to access different locations or clear for passing trains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manipulationVSAvoidsize of welding unit

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The welding system is divided into multiple components: a base unit, an extendable boom, and a welding unit. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates easier deployment and repositioning compared to a single large welding unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base unit is designed to be movable along the track, and the boom is extendable and rotatable. This dynamic design allows the welding unit to reach different locations without physically moving the entire system, improving ease of operation while maintaining a compact storable form.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a typical welding unit is placed to access specific railroad trackwork locations, then welding repair can be performed, but it is difficult to move the welding unit to access a different location or out of the way for passing trains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility to different locationsVSAvoidease of movement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The base unit can move along the track, and the boom can extend and rotate to reach different positions. This dynamic configuration allows the system to access various trackwork locations and be quickly repositioned or retracted for passing trains, improving both adaptability and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The boom provides an additional dimensional reach by extending vertically and rotating, allowing the welding unit to access locations that would require physical relocation of the base unit, thereby improving accessibility while maintaining ease of movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a welding unit is placed on or near adjacent tracks to access trackwork, then repair work can be performed, but the welding unit may not have the necessary range to reach the location on the other track

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereach to adjacent tracksVSAvoidrange of welding unit

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The extendable boom provides additional reach in multiple directions, allowing the welding unit to access trackwork on adjacent tracks or opposite tracks from a single base position, eliminating the need to physically move the entire system to different tracks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The combination of a movable base unit and an extendable, rotatable boom creates a dynamic system that can reach various locations across multiple tracks without requiring the base unit to be repositioned, thereby increasing range while maintaining operational flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If an on-track mobile welding unit is deployed to the repair site, then welding repair can be performed, but the welding unit would interfere with passing trains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of welding repairVSAvoidinterference with train traffic

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system can be quickly deployed and retracted due to its movable base and extendable boom, allowing welding repairs to be performed efficiently while minimizing the time the welding unit occupies the track and interfering with passing trains.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The welding unit can be extracted from the base unit and positioned only where needed on the track, rather than requiring the entire base unit to occupy the track space, thereby reducing interference with train traffic while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20230381899A1Apparatus and Methods for Deployment of Welding Repair Systems for Railroad Trackwork

Publication Date: 2023.11.30 HOLLAND CO

AI summary

Apparatuses configured to be deployed from mobile welding repair vehicles for the repair of railroad trackwork allow a welding system to be stored and deployed from the mobile welding repair vehicles. The apparatuses deploy from the vehicles on a slide system and are supported by one or more legs, the system having 180-degree or greater rotation for full reach of railroad trackwork for welding repair thereof. Methods of using the same are further provided.