US1470055A - Rail clamp - Google Patents

Description

R. S. BUTLER Get. 9 1923.

RAI-L CLIAMP Filed May 1 1922 2 Sheets-Shed 1 R. S.- BUTLER RAIL CLAMP Filed May 19. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 61th): we q Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED stares meats P ATENT oFFjicE. .11

ROBERT s. BUTLER, or JOPLTN, MIss UaI.

RAIL CLAMP.

Application filed Ma 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT S. BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Joplin, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Rail Clamps,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail clamps, and

the cylinder and shovel being mounted on a wheeled frame adapted to travel on a track, and in the present invention, I provide a clamp adapted'to be secured to the frame in any suitable manner to retain it in position when the shovelis thrust forwardly into a pile of material, or to prevent the machine from overturning when aloadecl dipper is elevated andextended.

An obj ect of the invention is the provision of a pneumatically controlled clamp that may be quickly attached to the rail and released therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a rail clamp in position,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view on line 4.4= of Figure 1, and,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the movable aw of the clamp.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1* designates a cylinder having a suitable inlet opening 2 adapted to be connected to a source of supply by a pipe 3.

A depending arm 4 is cast with the cylinder and the upper end of this arm terminates in a hook 5, adapted to be arrange-d over a suitable support 6. The depending arm is substantially T-shaped in transverse cross-section, being provided with a flange 7. The lower end of the arm is offset laterally, as at 8, and is provided with a fixed jaw 9 having a recess 10 to engage the tread or ball of the rail; The upper and lower walls of this recess are parallel, as at 11, but are brackets 19.

1922. Serial No. 562,208.

arranged at an angle. This jaw is adapted to be arranged on one side of the tread or ball of a rail 12, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and if desired, a suitable-shim 13 may be arranged between the jaw and the outer side of the tread to prevent wear on the jaw, and to permit of a better hold on the rail. The shim is provided with offset ends 14:, adapted to engage the sides of the jaw.

I A movable-jaw 16 is pivotally supported on the flange 7. As shown, a pin .17 passes through the flange and is-adapted to be re-' ceived in openings 18 in brackets 19 formed on the jaw. The face of this jaw is provided with a V-shaped recess 20, the upper and lower walls of which recess are parallel" as at 21, and arranged at an angle. Links 22 are pivotally mounted'on' the opposite endsof' a'pin 23 extending-through a boss 24, carried on the upper'portion of the fixed jaw. The. opposite ends of these links are connected toa link-25 by a pin 26. The link 25 is in turn connected to the movable jaw by a pin 27,-received in openings 28 in'the The ends of the pin 26 are connected to coilsprings 29, having theirupper ends secured in suitable supports 30, carried by the cylinder.

A piston 31 is mounted within the cylinder and is adapted to bear upon the connected ends of links 22 and 25 when fluid is admitted to the cylinder.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The clamp is supported on a bar or pin 6 by the book 5 and the jaws are automatically arranged on opposite sides of the rail 12. Normally, the springs 29 exert an upward pull on the adjusted nut or link 25 to swing the movable jaw 16 on its pivot and disengage it from the rail. When fluid is admitted to the cylinder, forcing the piston down, the link 25 moves in the opposite direction against the tension of the spring, causing the jaws to engage the rail.

The use of a pneumatic rail clamp is advantageous in that it permits instant engagement and disengagement and saves a great deal of time formerly necessary in adjusting manually operated clamps. The 105 center of gravity being to one side of the center of the hook causes the stationary jaw to automatically disengage from the rail,

to be positioned slightly above or below the ball or proper level.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v

1. A rail clamp comprising a cylinder, an arm extending therefrom, a fixed jaw, carried by said arm, a movable jaw pivoted thereon,- a piston in said cylinder adapted to force said movable jaw to locked position,

and means for normally maintaining said movable jaw in open position.

2. A rail clamp comprising a cylinder, an

' arm extending therefrom, a fixed jaw carried by said arm, a movable jaw pivoted thereon, a piston in said cylinder adapted to force said movable jaw to locked posi-" tion, and a spring operatively connected to said movable jaw to normally maintain it in open position.

3. A rail clamp comprising a cylinder,an armextending therefrom,- a fixed jaw carried by said arm, a movable jaw pivoted thereon, a link pivoted on said arm and connected to said movable jaw, a piston in said cylinder adapted to engage said link when i lowered position to retain said movable jaw in closed position, and means for normally maintaining said movable jaw in open position. i

a. A rail clamp comprising a cylinder, an arm extending therefrom, a fixed jaw carried by said arm, a movable jaw pivoted thereon, a link pivoted on said arm and connected to said movable jaw, a piston in arm extending therefrom, a fixed aw car-V ried by said arm, a movable jaw pivoted thereon, a link pivoted on said arm and connected to said movable jaw, a piston in said cylinder adapted to engage said link when in in closed position, and a hook formed on said web and adapted to engage a suitable support. 7

6. A rail clamp comprising a cylinder, an

arm extending therefrom, a fixed jaw car ried by said arm, a movable jaw pivoted thereon, and a piston in said cylinder adapt: ed to force said movable jaw to lockedposition.

. lowered positiongto retain said movable jaw In testimony whereof, I aflix my signa-; I

ture in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT S. BUTLER.

Witnesses: p

MATE, CUNNINGHAM, W. J. OWEN.

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