Patent ID: 6637727
Filing Date: 2003-10-28
Classification: E01B,Y10T

Abstract:
A rail puller for reducing gap between rail sections, the rail puller comprising:a first clamp assembly and a second clamp assembly disposed at opposite ends of the rail puller; an elongated clamping beam coupled to the first clamp assembly and the second clamp assembly, and including a clamping cylinder that is extendable and retractable to adjust the length of the clamping beam, and the clamping cylinder being movable to clamp the first clamp assembly and second clamp assembly to the rail sections; and at least one elongated pulling member coupled to the first clamp assembly and the second clamp assembly, and the at least one elongated pulling member being movable to draw the first clamp assembly and second clamp assembly toward one another to reduce the gap between the rail sections, wherein the at least one elongated pulling member includes a pulling cylinder which is extendable and retractable, and the rail puller is movable between an open condition and a closed condition, the rail puller being in the open condition when the clamping cylinder is retracted and the pulling cylinder is extended, and the rail puller being in the closed condition when the clamping cylinder is extended.