Granted Patent B2

US 12,637,812 · App. 17/677,338 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventors: William Michael Hamilton (Linwood, KS); Ryan Jay Koci (Stilwell, KS); Justin Wynne Tomac (Bonner Springs, KS)

Assignee: MOW Equipment Solutions, Inc.

E01B29/26E01B29/32E01B35/10E01B2201/04

Abstract

Claims (80)

1 . A railway component handling system comprising:

a railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a support structure of a railway workhead, the railway anchor manipulator comprising one or more anchor tools and operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors;

one or more actuators operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator;

a railway fastener installer comprising a hammer assembly and movably couplable with the support structure, the railway fastener installer operable to install one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into a railway tie, where the railway fastener installer is slidably and pivotably couplable with the support structure; and

the railway anchor manipulator operable to:

lower to a deployed position at least partially by operation of the one or more actuators;

engage one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools; and

adjust the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools.

2 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 1 , where the hammer assembly is movably coupled with a dual-shaft assembly so that the hammer assembly is disposed in line between a pair of shafts of the dual-shaft assembly.

3 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 1 , where the railway anchor manipulator and the railway fastener installer are each selectively operable so that respective centerlines of the railway anchor manipulator and the railway fastener installer coincide.

4 . A railway component handling system comprising:

a railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a support structure of a railway workhead, the railway anchor manipulator comprising one or more anchor tools and operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors, where:

a frame assembly of the support structure comprises a first leg and a second leg; and

the railway anchor manipulator is movably couplable with the first leg and the second leg so that the railway anchor manipulator is operable to lower to a deployed position in part by sliding along the first leg and the second leg of the frame assembly; and

one or more actuators operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator;

a railway fastener installer comprising a hammer assembly and movably couplable with the support structure, the railway fastener installer operable to install one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into a railway tie; and

the railway anchor manipulator operable to:

lower to the deployed position at least partially by operation of the one or more actuators;

engage one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools; and

adjust the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools.

5 . A railway component handling system comprising:

a railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a support structure of a railway workhead, the railway anchor manipulator comprising one or more anchor tools and operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors;

a self-centering assembly that comprises the one or more anchor tools and that is movably coupled with a dual-beam support framework;

one or more actuators operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator;

a railway fastener installer comprising a hammer assembly and movably couplable with the support structure, the railway fastener installer operable to install one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into a railway tie; and

the railway anchor manipulator operable to:

lower to a deployed position at least partially by operation of the one or more actuators;

engage one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools; and

adjust the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools.

6 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 5 , further comprising a floating actuator coupled with the one or more anchor tools and operable to cause sliding movement of the one or more anchor tools with respect to the dual-beam support framework.

7 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 5 , where the one or more actuators are coupled with the self-centering assembly so that the self-centering assembly is disposed below a main shaft structure of the support structure.

8 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 7 , where the main shaft structure is movably coupled with a main shaft of the support structure, and the railway component handling system further comprises a main shaft actuator attached to the main shaft structure and operable to selectively slide the main shaft structure along the main shaft.

9 . A railway component handling system comprising:

a railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a support structure of a railway workhead, the railway anchor manipulator comprising one or more anchor tools and operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors;

one or more actuators operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator;

a railway fastener installer comprising a hammer assembly and movably couplable with the support structure, the railway fastener installer operable to install one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into a railway tie;

the railway anchor manipulator operable to:

lower to a deployed position at least partially by operation of the one or more actuators;

engage one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools; and

adjust the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools; and

a system controller configured to facilitate alignment of the railway anchor manipulator and the railway fastener installer with respect to the railway tie so that the railway anchor manipulator and the railway fastener installer are disposed in an aligned position with respect to the railway tie.

10 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 9 , where the system controller is further configured to, when the railway fastener installer is in the aligned position, control the railway fastener installer to install the one or more railway fasteners through the one or more holes of the railway tie plate and into the railway tie.

11 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 10 , where the controlling the railway fastener installer to install the one or more railway fasteners through the one or more holes of the railway tie plate and into the railway tie is based at least in part on a recorded pattern indicative of positions of the one or more holes of the railway tie plate.

12 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 10 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to transmit sensor data to the system controller, where the controlling the railway fastener installer to install the one or more railway fasteners through the one or more holes of the railway tie plate and into the railway tie is based at least in part on the sensor data.

13 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 10 , where the system controller is further configured to, when the railway anchor manipulator is in the aligned position and without adjusting the alignment, control the railway anchor manipulator to cause:

the lowering to the deployed position;

the engaging of the one or more railway anchors attached to the rail with the one or more anchor tools via actuation of a floating actuator; and

the adjusting of the one or more railway anchors.

14 . The railway component handling system as recited in claim 13 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to transmit sensor data to the system controller, where one or both of the engaging and the adjusting the one or more railway anchors is based at least in part on the sensor data.

15 . A method comprising:

lowering a railway anchor manipulator to a deployed position at least partially by operation of one or more actuators, wherein:

the railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a support structure of a railway workhead, the railway anchor manipulator comprising one or more anchor tools and is operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors; and

the one or more actuators are operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator;

engaging one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools;

adjusting the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools; and

installing, with a railway fastener installer, one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into a railway tie, wherein the railway fastener installer comprises a hammer assembly and is movably couplable with the support structure, and wherein the railway fastener installer is slidably and pivotably couplable with the support structure.

16 . A method comprising:

lowering a railway anchor manipulator to a deployed position at least partially by operation of one or more actuators, wherein:

the railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a first leg and a second leg of a frame assembly of a support structure of a railway workhead so that the railway anchor manipulator is operable to lower to the deployed position in part by sliding along the first leg and the second leg of the frame assembly;

the railway anchor manipulator comprises one or more anchor tools and is operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors; and

the one or more actuators are operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator;

engaging one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools;

adjusting the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools; and

installing, with a railway fastener installer, one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into a railway tie, wherein the railway fastener installer comprises a hammer assembly and is movably couplable with the support structure.

17 . A method comprising:

lowering a railway anchor manipulator in a self-centering assembly to a deployed position at least partially by operation of one or more actuators, wherein:

the railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a support structure of a railway workhead, the railway anchor manipulator comprising one or more anchor tools and operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors;

the one or more actuators are operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator; and

the self-centering assembly comprises the one or more anchor tools and is movably coupled with a dual-beam support framework;

engaging one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools;

adjusting the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools; and

installing, with a railway fastener installer, one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into a railway tie, wherein the railway fastener installer comprises a hammer assembly and is movably couplable with the support structure.

18 . A method comprising:

facilitating, by a system controller, alignment of a railway anchor manipulator and a railway fastener installer with respect to a railway tie so that the railway anchor manipulator and the railway fastener installer are disposed in an aligned position with respect to the railway tie;

lowering the railway anchor manipulator to a deployed position at least partially by operation of one or more actuators, wherein:

the railway anchor manipulator movably couplable with a support structure of a railway workhead, the railway anchor manipulator comprising one or more anchor tools and operable to squeeze one or more railway anchors; and

the one or more actuators are operable to selectively raise or lower the railway anchor manipulator;

engaging one or more railway anchors attached to a rail with the one or more anchor tools;

adjusting the one or more railway anchors using the one or more anchor tools; and

installing, with the railway fastener installer, one or more railway fasteners through one or more holes of a railway tie plate and into the railway tie, wherein the railway fastener installer comprises a hammer assembly and is movably couplable with the support structure.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (68)