Railroad Spike Remover Claw Mechanism
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing railroad spikes from rail ties are labor-intensive and require significant vertical force, often exceeding 2,265 kg (5,000 pounds, making them inefficient and difficult to manage.
Innovation Solution
A portable railroad spike remover apparatus featuring a main housing with a drive shaft, claw assembly extractor, and T-handle assembly, which includes a battery-operated drill-type tool, allowing for easy extraction of spikes with reduced manual effort by rotating the drive shaft to lift the extractor and spike vertically out of the rail tie.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual crowbar method is used to remove railroad spikes, then the device complexity is low, but the force required exceeds 2,265 kg and operation becomes extremely difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical crowbar system with a powered extraction system that uses a motor-driven winch mechanism. The winch winds a cable to generate extraction force, substituting human manual force with an automated mechanical system that can consistently deliver the required 2,265 kg force without operator fatigue or difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction process uses periodic action through the winch mechanism that winds and unwinds the cable in cycles. The winch winds the cable to extract the spike, then unwinds to reset position, creating a rhythmic periodic operation that makes the difficult extraction task manageable and repeatable.
2Ease of operation
If a portable extraction device is developed, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction device is segmented into modular components including a separate motor assembly, winch mechanism, cable system, and frame structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates portability by enabling the device to be broken down for transport while maintaining functional integrity when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates universal features such as an adjustable frame that can accommodate different spike types and rail configurations. The motor-driven winch system serves multiple functions including extraction, positioning, and force application, reducing the need for multiple specialized tools and simplifying the overall device structure.
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
Enables efficient and easy removal of railroad spikes with a significantly reduced force requirement, enhancing user safety and productivity by providing a portable and user-friendly solution for spike extraction.
Implementation Method 1
When in use the drive shaft is rotated, the claw assembly extractor and the mounting flange move inside the main housing in a vertical direction to extract the railroad spike from the rail tie
Data Source
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AI summary
A portable railroad spike remover (500) comprises a housing (502), a drive shaft and a claw assembly extractor (540) that is shaped to engage and secure a railroad spike previously installed into a rail tie. The claw assembly extractor (540) includes a pair of jaw members that are pivotally connected to each other by a pivoting pin and a rotating pin, wherein the claw assembly extractor (540) is connected to a mounting flange. Each jaw member may include a lower end configured to contact and secure a railroad spike and a pair of upper members interlocked with each other and pivotally connected to a clevis fastener connected with the rotating pin. When the drive shaft is rotated, the claw assembly extractor (540) and the mounting flange may move inside the main housing (502) in a vertical direction to extract the railroad spike from the rail tie.