Rotating Hammer Moil for Railway Fastener Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current railway track fastener removal tools face challenges such as insufficient containment of clips during insertion or removal, reliance on operator skill, and high force requirements for removing heavily corroded or broken fasteners, leading to safety risks and potential operator injury.
Innovation Solution
A workhead apparatus with a percussion hammer and a hammer moil that rotates relative to the percussion hammer to maintain alignment with the fastener, combined with force biasing means like hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, and a guide member for safe and efficient removal of track fasteners, including those that are heavily corroded or broken.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a percussion hammer with a rotating hammer moil is used to maintain alignment with the fastener, then the removal efficiency and safety are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hammer moil is designed to rotate relative to the percussion hammer during operation, transitioning from a static alignment system to a dynamic one. This rotation allows the removal tool to automatically maintain alignment with the fastener despite angular offsets, improving reliability and safety while managing the added complexity through controlled mechanical motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the angular parameter of the hammer moil relative to the percussion hammer during operation. By allowing the hammer moil to rotate through a predetermined angular offset, the system adapts the alignment parameter dynamically, enabling effective removal of corroded or broken fasteners without compromising safety.
2Strength
If force biasing means such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders are applied to provide biasing force to the track fastener, then the ability to remove heavily corroded or broken fasteners is improved, but the device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates force biasing means in the form of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders that provide controlled biasing force to the track fastener during removal. This enables the system to handle heavily corroded or broken fasteners by applying sufficient force through fluid pressure, improving strength capability while managing complexity through standardized pneumatic/hydraulic components.
Solution Approach 2:
The force biasing means applies preliminary biasing force to the track fastener before the main removal action occurs. This pre-loading helps to initially dislodge corroded or broken fasteners, making the subsequent removal process more effective and reducing the peak force required during the actual extraction.
3Measurement precision
If the hammer moil rotates relative to the percussion hammer to compensate for angular offset, then the alignment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hammer moil rotates dynamically relative to the percussion hammer to maintain alignment with the fastener. This rotational movement compensates for angular offsets between the moil head and moil mount, ensuring that the removal tool remains precisely aligned with the target fastener throughout the removal process.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating hammer moil system is designed to self-align with the fastener through its rotational capability. The system automatically compensates for angular offsets without requiring external adjustment mechanisms, as the rotation itself enables the removal tool to find and maintain alignment with the fastener during operation.
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 solution ensures safe and efficient removal of track fasteners by maintaining alignment and applying controlled force, reducing the risk of projectiles and operator injury, and effectively handling corroded or broken fasteners that are difficult to extract.
Implementation Method 1
force biasing means, which includes one or more hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders coupled between the support frame assembly and the percussion hammer
Implementation Method 2
force biasing means, which includes one or more hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders coupled between the support frame assembly and the percussion hammer
Implementation Method 3
a percussion hammer; b) a hammer moil including a moil mount coupled to and being in substantial alignment with the percussion hammer
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is used to remove one of a plurality of railway track fasteners that secures a pair of laterally spaced railway tracks to underlying sleepers. The track fasteners are each in the form of a known e-clip or PR-clip fastener. The apparatus includes a support frame assembly adapted to locate on the railway tracks, a drive assembly mounted to the support frame assembly, and a workhead associated with the support frame assembly for removal of the track fastener. The workhead includes a percussion hammer and an associated hammer moil arranged for removal of the fastener. The hammer moil includes a moil mount connected at a predetermined angular offset to a moil head. The hammer moil is rotatable relative to the percussion hammer during removal of the track fastener whereby alignment between the moil head and the fastener is maintained.