APPARATUS FOR APPLYING AND REMOVING RAIL CLIPS ONTO RAIL TIES

1 . A paddle mechanism for use with an apparatus for applying or removing rail clips to secure a rail onto a rail tie including a frame, an operator workstation disposed on the frame, at least one workhead assembly constructed and arranged to move relative to the frame, at least one fastener assembly disposed on the workhead assembly, a cylinder mounting bracket disposed on said fastener assembly, at least one fin disposed on the cylinder mounting bracket and having at least one oval-shaped opening for engagement with a pivot pin, a latch cylinder affixed to the fin, said paddle mechanism comprising:

a paddle bracket having a housing and a pair of spaced ears defining a slot therebetween;

each said ear being wedge-shaped and having a transverse bore constructed and arranged for accommodating the pivot pin and the latch cylinder being accommodated in said slot, said bores of adjacent ears being in registry with each other; and

a paddle secured to a lower end of said bracket and including a first, horizontal panel and a second, vertical panel joined together along a common edge to form a general right angle.

2 . A retention bracket for use with an apparatus for applying or removing rail clips to secure a rail onto a rail tie including a frame, an operator workstation disposed on the frame, at least one workhead assembly constructed and arranged to move relative to the frame, at least one fastener assembly disposed on the workhead assembly, at least one paddle assembly disposed on the workhead assembly for working in conjunction with the fastener assembly to push a clip in position for holding the rail to the tie, a cylinder mounting bracket forming a common mount of the paddle assembly and the fastener assembly, at least one fin disposed on the cylinder mounting bracket having a protruding strip generally parallel to a rail web on the rail and having at least one oval-shaped opening for engagement with a pivot pin, said retention bracket comprising:

at least one sliding portion having a track constructed and arranged to slidingly engaging the strip; and

a depending guide portion having a laterally facing guide opening at a first end of the sliding portion for accommodating the pivot pin when said sliding portion engages the strip.

3 . The retention bracket of claim 2 wherein the rail has a rail web and said bracket further comprises:

a guide surface oriented to be generally coplanar with the rail web and affixed and depending from a second end of said sliding portion.

4 . The retention bracket of claim 3 further comprising:

at least one fastener; and

a plate, said guide surface being fastened to said plate using said at least one fastener.

5 . A plate for use with an apparatus for applying or removing rail clips to secure a rail onto a rail tie including a frame, an operator workstation disposed on the frame, at least one workhead assembly constructed and arranged to move relative to the frame, at least one fastener assembly disposed on the workhead assembly, at least one paddle assembly disposed on the workhead assembly for working in conjunction with the fastener assembly to push a clip in position for holding the rail to the tie, a cylinder mounting bracket forming a common mount of the paddle assembly and the fastener assembly, at least one fin disposed on the cylinder mounting bracket having a protruding strip generally parallel to a rail web on the rail and having at least one oval-shaped opening for engagement with a pivot pin, a retention bracket having at least one sliding portion having a track constructed and arranged to slidingly engaging the strip and configured to move between a retracted position and a clip engaging position, a depending guide portion having a laterally facing guide opening at a first end of the sliding portion for accommodating the pivot pin when the sliding portion engages the strip, and a generally planar guide surface affixed to a second end of the guide portion, the guide surface being oriented to be generally coplanar with the rail and including at least one opening constructed and arranged for accommodating at least one plate fastener to secure said plate to the guide surface, said plate comprising:

a generally planar and generally “U”-shaped body having a base portion connecting two spaced end portions,

at least one elongated opening disposed on each said end portion configured for accommodating the corresponding plate fastener for securing said plate to the guide surface;

a chamfered clip recess disposed on said base portion between said end portions for engaging the clip when said plate is secured to the guide surface and the retention bracket is in the clip engaging position.