Abstract: A miter rail system for spanning a railroad track joint including a fixed rail, a lift rail and a rider rail connected to the fixed rail. The rider rail has an upper surface including a central portion defined by an arc of constant radius and opposite end portions. The apex of the central portion is greater in height than the height of the fixed rail and lift rail, and the height of the opposite end portions at opposed end faces of the rider rail is sufficiently low to avoid contact by a rolling stock wheel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for on-site machining are disclosed. The internal portions of devices such as turbine valves must be machined in place, but present certain areas, such as the valve seat, that cannot be readily accessed from an external surface. The present invention provides methods and apparatus whereby such surfaces can be machined using a fixture to which a milling head or other machine tool is attached. In a preferred embodiment, a mounting plate is provided that contains holes or other features that cooperate with the structure to which the plate attached, thereby providing a rigid base for the machining operation. The present inventions also preferably uses a tool bar that has a cutting head that retracts and swivels. In its initial position the cutting head is swiveled inside the tool bar and the assembly can be inserted into a structure. Once inside, a threaded push rod is turned and manipulated to cause the cutting head to swivel, and then it is locked in place.

Abstract: The method of the present invention uses a combination of gap measurement methods to map the gap in a joint in a high pressure vessel such as a steam turbine or steam valve. An exposed and supported surface is hydraulically balanced allowing any twisting of the surface to be removed. The map is then created using a blue contact method, feeler gages, deformable gap measuring medium and laser profiling for both surfaces of the joint. A restoration plan is produced using the map which minimizes the restoration work and produces matching joint surfaces. The joint surfaces are welded and/or machined and finally finished in accordance with the plan. A laser can be used to guide or reference the machine tool. Matching joint surfaces, especially if relatively flat, provide a better high pressure seal than relatively flat surfaces that do not match while relatively flat surfaces that do match produce an even better seal.

Abstract: A compact boring system 20 for machining the interior surface of cylindrical shapes, such as steam turbine valves and rotors in a field situation. The apparatus is designed to set up in the object itself. A boring bar 26 is rotatably disposed in a pair of roller bearing supports 23. A plurality of locating buttons 29 extend radially from the bearing supports 23 to contact the interior of the object and support the apparatus therein. The bearing supports 23 can be secured to the boring bar 26 at any axial location thereon. A machining head 35 is also securable to the boring bar 26 at any axial location, and includes a threaded drive shaft 38 for translating the machining head 35 axially along the bar 26. A cutting tool 56 is disposed in the machining head 35 so as to be radially adjustable with respect to the axis of the bar.

Abstract: A blade pitch measurement apparatus comprises first means for providing an indication of the instantaneous angular position of the rotor relative to a reference location and second means for providing an indication of the passage of a tenon through a selected location about the rotor. A third means is operatively coupled to and responsive to the indications provided by the first and second means for providing an indication of the angular position of each tenon and for computing blade pitch. A method of measuring blade pitch is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining the runout of a shaft which includes combining the signals from two linear variable differential transformers and a resolver in a computer to provide a visual or machine readable representation of the deviation of the outer peripheral portion of a shaft from that of a true cylindrical portion.