Abstract: A production tamper for selectively tamping ballast simultaneously underneath two successive ties or underneath a single tie with a tamping head comprising a common tamping tool carrier, two pairs of opposed vibratory tamping tools mounted on the common tamping tool carrier laterally adjacent the sides of a rail, the pairs of tools being spaced from each other in the direction of elongation of the track so that the adjacent tools of the two pairs may be immersed in a respective crib defined between adjacent ties, and the transversely aligned remote tamping tools of at least one of the pairs being adjustable independently from the other tamping tools for movement between a lowered operative and a raised inoperative position. An adjustment drive is connected to each adjustable remote tamping tool for moving the same, reciprocating drives are connected to the opposed tamping tools, a common drive vibrates the tamping tools, and a drive is provided for vertically adjusting the tamping tool carrier.

Abstract: A gondola car for hauling bulk cargo has a stub sill for receiving longitudinal loads. A shear plate is connected with the stub sill, and longitudinal side sills and connected as by welding to side portions of the shear plate. Side walls extend upwardly from the side sills. The shear plate has an opening therein adjacent the longitudinally inward end of the weld to the side sill for reducing stress in the end of the weld. Cover structure overlies the opening, and side wall support structure is connected with the cover structure and engages the side walls to support them.

Abstract: A railroad car for carrying containers comprising a car body supported by rail trucks adapted for movement over a railroad; the car body having opposing side walls and an end wall near each end connected to the side walls with side walls and end walls defining a well in which a container can be received; supports for the bottom of a container, when in the well, comprising a plurality of metal castings joined to each side wall; and each casting having a substantially vertical leg joined at the bottom of a side wall and an arm extending substantially horizontally inward toward the center of the car on which a container bottom can be supported.

Abstract: In a track maintenance vehicle, a cross tie exchanging mechanism is mounted on the vehicle comprising jaws which grip the end of the cross tie to be removed and operate to pull the cross tie from the road bed laterally from beneath the track rail and also operate to push a new cross tie laterally beneath the rails into the road bed. Rail clamps are provided to grip each rail at two spaced positions along each track rail to prevent the track rail from flexing when the track rail is unfastened from the cross tie to be removed. The rail clamps are also used to lift the track rails clear of the cross ties prior to operation of the tie exchanging mechanism to remove and replace a cross tie. A beam member supports the rail clamp so that the rails are laterally stabilized when lifted. The beam member is continuously laterally positioned independent of the lateral moveent of the vehicle by a guide member relative to the rails when the rail clamp is not engaged with the rails.

Abstract: A transport trailer 10 for moving a combine harvester header including a frame 12, support wheels 14 rotatably journalled on the frame 12, and hitch member 26 on the front end of the frame 12 for attaching the trailer 10 to a draft vehicle. One or more generally vertical guides 28 are attached to the frame 12. A generally horizontal guide 30 is attached to the frame 12 and extends outwardly from each generally vertical guide. A header support structure 32 is supported by a generally vertical guide 28 and a generally horizontal guide 30. Attaching devices 66 are provided for attaching a header to the support structure 32. A hydraulic cylinder 60 is attached to the frame 12 and the header support structure 32 to move the support structure 32 along a vertical guide 28 and simultaneously along a generally horizontal guide 30.

Abstract: A container is locked by use of a locking plate (15) which engages a fork-lift opening (12) formed in a lower container frame member (10) and which has a portion (15a) projecting from said opening (12) and formed with a hole (18) for engagement with a twistlock (19). The opening (12) is disposed at an intermediate position of the frame member (10) between the ends thereof, so that the container is secured against tilting about its front and rear edges. The configurations of opening (12) and locking plate (15) are matched to each other such that the container is also locked against transverse movement.

Abstract: The working apparatus, useful as a cleaning apparatus for textile machines, comprises a mobile servicing or working unit possessing a ventilator cooperating with air guide elements and operates in cleaning zones located at these textile machines. The servicing unit is movable on a track or rails. A stationary drive motor provides the relatively high power drive for the travel motion of the servicing unit along the track and for the ventilator by means of an endless belt trained over transmission members arranged at the servicing unit. These transmission members each contain different size coaxially arranged pulleys. By changing the position of one strand or run of the belt from a smaller size to a larger size pulley and vice-versa, the direction of movement of the travelling servicing unit can be selectively reversed. The movement of the servicing unit is monitored by a control device arranged at the servicing unit with the aid of terminal or limit switches and sensors.

Abstract: A coupling device for scale model railway cars has a hook-shaped coupling element with a free end, a shaft connected to the coupling element, a crosspiece extending horizontally from both sides of the shaft. There is a chamber having a rear wall which defines an abutment surface facing the free end of the coupling element and a front wall opposite and spaced from the rear wall and defining at least in part a through opening for the shaft. There is at least one compression spring coupled with the shaft and/or the crosspiece and bearing against the front wall. The chamber houses the abutment surface, the crosspiece and spring, the latter seeking to hold the coupling element resiliently in the normal position but permitting a swiveling of the coupling element about a vertical axis against the force of the spring while the crosspiece is urged by the spring against the abutment surface.

Abstract: A railway vehicle control system particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for controlling single track working. Transponders are located at fixed positions along the track such as at intersections, points and so on, and a vehicle is provided with sensors for detecting the transponders. A central control office supplies information concerning an identifying characteristic of the next transponders expected to be detected, when this happens the event triggers apparatus on the vehicle to communicate with the central office which then supplies information to identify the next transponder. The same sequence of events ensues as each successive transponder is passed. The transponders may be staggered alternately to opposite sides of the track for identification purposes. If the expected transponder is not detected but instead a different transponder is encountered, then a vehicle safety function such as the emergency brakes, may be brought into operation.

Abstract: A railway hopper car has a pneumatic discharge structure having a throat leading to a control tube from which lading is pneumatically withdrawn. The throat is opened and closed by valve plates supported on the ends of rods extending through bearings supported in the wall of the control tube. The rods have rack structures mounted thereon operatively engaged with pinion portions of operating shafts extending parallel to the control tube. Rotation of the operating shafts causes movement of the rods and valve plates. Retainer brackets are mounted on the rack structures and include retaining portions spaced and parallel to the rack structures. The pinion portions are supported between the rack structures and the retaining portions to maintain intermeshed engagement of the pinion portions with the rack structures. Stop portions are provided on the bracket which prevent movement of the valve plates beyond the fully open and fully closed positions.

Abstract: A method for controlling a magnetic suspension vehicle which is guided by means of levitation and guidance magnets (magnetic wheels) along a track by means of individual magnet controls for each magnetic wheel. The controller signals (U.sub.R) or at least portions (U.sub.Su) of these signals are stochastically falsified for the individual magnet controls during standstill suspension or at low travel velocities of the magnetic suspension vehicle independently of each other. Thereby, the central interference possibilities of the track to the system vehicle/track are decentralized and asynchronized, so that all controls act independently of each other and the magnetic suspension vehicle or the dynamic overall system can be kept stable also at standstill and at low travel velocities.

Abstract: A rail suspension arrangement including suspending member and a rail of I beam configuration, the I beam having a web and upper and lower cross bars, one side of the web having claws for connection with conductor holders, and claws on the other side of the web that have portions facing each other to define a channel with internal overhung portions against which fastening screws are clamped. The suspending member has projecting surfaces bearing against support surfaces of the web, and has a plate from which the fastening screws extends. A supplemental rail may be interposed between the web and the suspending member.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting at least one metallic object in a series of metallic objects lying along a path in a repetitive pattern by a metallic detector mounted on a vehicle movable along the path with the movement of the vehicle controlled by the detector to position the vehicle over a detected metallic object and blocking detection of a previously detected object subsequent to the detection of the previously detected metallic object to prevent erroneous metallic object detections, and further controlled to initiate different travel modes of movement including a fast mode to move the vehicle in a forward direction along the path at an optimum speed and controlling deceleration of the vehicle for accurately positioning it at a detected one of the metallic objects. The apparatus has particular application to the tamping of crossties on railway tracks and includes programs for controlling the movement of the vehicle and the tamping operation.

Abstract: A mobile ballast cleaning machine comprises a machine frame supporting a ballast excavating and conveying chain, a screening installation and a cleaned ballast redistributing apparatus arranged to receive the cleaned ballast from the screening installation and to redistribute the cleaned ballast at a ballast discharge site behind the ballast excavating site. A cleaned ballast compacting device is arranged at the ballast discharge site, the compacting device comprising a plate-shaped compacting beam extending below the track and transversely thereto to the ballast discharge site, the compacting beam having opposite ends projecting beyond the track, a carrier post supporting each compacting beam end on the machine frame, and a drive connected to each carrier post for continuously reciprocating the compacting beam in a plane extending substantially parallel to the track whereby the cleaned ballast is compacted at the discharge site in a direction opposite to the operating direction.

Abstract: A railroad car for transporting vehicles comprising a first deck having side sills and being supported near each end by a railroad truck; a vertical side wall along each side of the car; each side wall including a plurality of spaced apart vertical columns having lower ends rigidly connected to each of the side sills; a second deck horizontally located above the first deck and rigidly connected to the columns; the second deck having a hinged section joined to each opposing end of a central portion, rigidly connected to the columns, to pivot about a horizontal axis; each hinged section being vertically pivotal and having an outer end with a lock attached to it to movably secure the outer end in upward and downward positions; each hinged section having side edges; a laterally movable, spring-biased rod along each hinged section side edge; the rod having a forward end extendable beyond the hinged section side edge into locking engagement with a retainer on the adjoining car wall; the rod forward end having outwa

Abstract: An extendable safety rail for locomotives wherein a set of parallel bars is secured horizontally by the ends to vertical posts adaptable for vertical movement inside suitably sized sleeves mounted on the locomotive sides so as to safeguard men working on a locomotive top when the safety rail is in an upward position. When no work is being done the safety rail is lowered onto rubber cushions by the posts sliding into the mating sleeves to insure sufficient underpass clearing when the locomotive is enroute in regular service. The safety rail includes a centrally spaced support rod hinged to a lower horizontal bar for temporarily holding the guard upwards until the ends thereof are secured by appropriate pins at each vertical post, such that one man can extend the guard.

Abstract: A vital switch control circuit for a railroad switch machine includes a permanent magnet motor which is immune to stray or induced a.c. currents, and which is operable to either of two directions depending on the polarity of energy applied thereto. Switch-normal and switch-reverse contacts of a switch request relay logic circuit establish alternate positive and negative-current paths which are connected over a minimum number of line wires to a motor control contact arrangement and to a mechanically-interlocked, dual-coil, reversing contactor. The reversing contact is operable only above a specific d.c. voltage, therefore providing low-level d.c. immunity in case of grounding or cross-over conditions arising in the line wires. A reverse motor contact and a normal motor contact are used to alternately establish negative-current paths to the permanent magnet motor.

Abstract: A cargo restraining device for a palletized load including a platform with a pallet crosstie reception slot for receiving a pallet with a load of cargo thereon, and a vertical frame at one end of the platform. A handle is pivotally secured to the frame and connected to a horizontally extending member which is movable to place it in frictional contact with a floor or supporting surface. To lock the pallet and platform to the floor, the handle is pushed downwardly while at the same time pushing the vertical frame toward the load. Movement of the handle which pivots about a hinge pivotally connected to the frame, moves the horizontally-extending member into contact with the supporting surface and at the same time lifts and tilts the platform, which adds an augmented downward force on the horizontally-extending member in contact with the supporting surface.

Abstract: A railway car having an optimum length of 500 feet comprising two end walls, two side walls and a floor forming one continuous trough. The trough being supported at each end wall by wheel-containing truck means and at an intermittent section by a plurality of wheel containing truck means. The side walls consist of a plurality of side panels. The side panels are provided with overlapping means to permit relative motion between adjacent panels for maneuvering curves and hills. The floor includes a plurality of laterally and longitudinally extending slope sheets. The laterally extending slope sheets are provided with overlapping means to allow relative motion therebetween. A flexible center sill extends continuously the entire length of the railway car.

Abstract: A sanding apparatus improves adhesion between a railcar wheel and a rail by supplying adhesion intensifying particles to the contact faces. Sand and/or quartz particles, having diameters such that at least 50% of the particles are 100 to 300 micrometers, are mixed with compressed air and jetted at high velocity through a U-shaped storage chamber, out a nozzle, to the wheel-rail contact area. In the nozzle, a compressed air supply pipe surrounds and projects beyond the end of the particle supply pipe to create an air curtain surrounding the jetted particles. A heater, a heat insulation member, or constantly leaking air may be used to prevent freezing in the pipes.