Workhead assembly for rail applications

1. A workhead assembly for use in rail applications, comprising:

a frame;

a vertically-oriented actuator coupled to the frame; and

a pair of linkage arms:

rotatably coupled to the vertically-oriented actuator via a connector such that the vertically-oriented actuator is configured to impart rotational movement to the linkage arms;

coupled to a pair of tamping arms; and

comprising hydraulic actuators; and

a pair of tamping tools coupled to the tamping arms.

2. A workhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of tamping tools are configured such that the tamping tools are capable of moving towards one another to about 10 degrees as measured from a vertical side of one of the tamping tools.

3. A workhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the pair of tamping tools are configured such that the tamping tools are capable of tilting away from one another to open to about 22 degrees as measured from a vertical side of one of the tamping tools.

4. A workhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the vertically-oriented actuator is operable to impart vibration to the assembly.

5. A rail vehicle comprising the workhead assembly of claim 1 .

6. A workhead assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the tamping tools are tynes.

7. A method of using a workhead assembly in rail applications, comprising:

providing a workhead assembly having a frame, a vertically-oriented actuator coupled to the frame, and a pair of linkage arms rotatably coupled to the vertically-oriented actuator via a connector and further coupled to a pair of tamping arms, wherein the linkage arms are hydraulic actuators; and

actuating the vertically-oriented actuator to impart rotational movement to the linkage arms and to vibrate the workhead assembly.

8. A method of using a workhead assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising using the linkage arms to impart independent movement to a pair of tamping tools coupled to the tamping arms by independently actuating the hydraulic actuators.

9. A split workhead assembly comprising:

a frame;

a first hydraulic actuator coupled to the frame;

a second hydraulic actuator coupled to the frame, the second hydraulic actuator being independently operable with respect to the first hydraulic actuator;

a first workhead assembly coupled to the first hydraulic actuator and disposed on a first side of the frame, the first workhead assembly comprising:

a first vertically-oriented actuator

a first pair of linkage arms, each linkage arm rotatably coupled to the first vertically-oriented actuator and including a further hydraulic actuator;

a first pair of tamping arms, each tamping arm coupled to a respective one of the first pair of linkage arms; and

a first pair of tamping tools coupled to the first pair of tamping arms; and

a second workhead assembly coupled to the second hydraulic actuator and disposed on a second side of the frame.

10. The split workhead assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first hydraulic actuator is configured to translate the first workhead assembly along a first vertical axis and the second hydraulic actuator is configured to translate the second workhead assembly along a second vertical axis.

11. The split workhead assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first vertically-oriented actuator is operable to impart vibration to the first workhead assembly.

12. The split workhead assembly of claim 9 , wherein the frame is coupled to a rail vehicle.

13. The split workhead assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first pair of tamping tools are tynes.

14. The split workhead assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second workhead assembly comprises:

a second vertically-oriented actuator coupled to the frame;

a second pair of linkage arms each coupled to the second vertically-oriented actuator;

a second pair of tamping arms coupled to the second pair of linkage arms; and

a second pair of tamping tools coupled to the second pair of tamping arms.