Granted Patent B2

US 8,397,643 · App. 13/012,052 · Granted Mar 19, 2013

Inventors: Albert Esposti (Brookfield, CT); Stanislaw Kostrzewski (Newtown, CT); Thomas Hannon (Milford, CT); Thomas E. Young (Southbury, CT)

Assignee: Macton Corporation

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. An apparatus for removing a wheelset from a railroad vehicle, said apparatus comprising;

a frame configured for motion with respect to the railroad vehicle;

a lifting yoke cooperatively associated with said frame, said yoke being configured to engage flanges of the wheelset, said lifting yoke having first and second sides, each with two opposed wheel flange capture blocks having flange-receiving grooves therein, said wheel flange capture blocks being configured and dimensioned to engage the flanges of the wheelset in said flange-receiving grooves, away from a rail point of contact; and

at least one lifting member interposed between said frame and said lifting yoke, such that upon actuation of said at least one lifting member, said yoke may be raised and lowered to selectively engage the flanges of the wheelset.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

said wheel flange capture blocks are cooperatively configured and dimensioned to engage substantially all anticipated wheelsets expected to be encountered in a given application.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said lifting member comprises a lifting screw.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said apparatus is configured and dimensioned to be installed in a pit sunken below a maintenance facility main surface, and wherein said pit has a depth of about two feet.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said apparatus is configured and dimensioned to be installed in a pit sunken below a maintenance facility main surface, and wherein said pit has a depth of about foot.

6. A combination comprising:

a blocked up railroad vehicle;

at least one wheelset of said blocked up railroad vehicle, disconnected from said blocked up railroad vehicle;

walls and a floor defining a pit beneath said blocked up railroad vehicle; and

an apparatus for removing said at least one wheelset from said railroad vehicle, said apparatus in turn comprising:

a frame configured for motion with respect o said railroad vehicle, and located at least partially within said pit;

a lifting yoke cooperatively associated with said frame, said yoke engaging flanges of said wheelset; and

at least one lifting member interposed between said frame and said lifting yoke, said at least one lifting member having been actuated to cause said lifting yoke to engage said flanges of said wheelset.

7. The combination of claim 6 , wherein said lifting member comprises a lifting screw.

8. The combination of claim 7 , wherein said pit has a depth of about one foot.

9. The combination of claim 7 , wherein said pit has a depth of about two feet.

10. The combination of claim 6 , wherein said lifting yoke has first and second sides, each with two opposed flange engaging members configured and dimensioned to engage said flanges of said wheelset away from a rail point of contact.

11. The combination of claim 6 , wherein said lifting yoke has first and second sides, each with two opposed wheel flange capture blocks having flange-receiving grooves therein, said wheel flange capture blocks being configured and dimensioned to engage said flanges of said wheelset in said flange-receiving grooves, away from a rail point of contact.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

providing an apparatus for removing at least one wheelset from a railroad vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a frame configured for motion with respect to said railroad vehicle, and located at least partially within a pit;

a lifting yoke cooperatively associated with said frame, said yoke being configured to engage flanges of said wheelset; and

at least one lifting member interposed between said frame and said lifting yoke, such that upon actuation of said at least one lifting member, said yoke may be raised and lowered to selectively engage said flanges of said wheelset;

positioning said apparatus at least partially in said pit beneath said railroad vehicle, said railroad vehicle being on rails;

actuating said at least one lifting member to cause said lifting yoke to engage said flanges of said wheelset and slightly lift said railroad vehicle off said rails;

blocking up said slightly lifted railroad vehicle;

disconnecting said at least one wheelset from said blocked up railroad vehicle; and

actuating said at least one lifting member to cause said lifting yoke to lower said wheelset.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said lifting member of said apparatus provided in said providing step comprises a lifting screw, and where said actuating comprises turning said lifting screw in a first direction to engage said flanges and in a second direction to lower said wheelset.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said pit in which said apparatus is at least partially positioned in said positioning step has a depth of about one foot.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said pit in which said apparatus is at least partially positioned in said positioning step has a depth of about two feet.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said lifting yoke of said apparatus provided in said providing step has first and second sides, each with two opposed flange engaging members configured and dimensioned to engage said flanges of said wheelset away from a rail point of contact.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein said lifting yoke of said apparatus provided in said providing step has first and second sides, each with two opposed wheel flange capture blocks having flange-receiving grooves therein, said wheel flange capture blocks being configured and dimensioned to engage said flanges of said wheelset in said flange-receiving grooves, away from a rail point of contact.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (3)