Abstract:
A railroad tie spacer including a left shoe, a right shoe, a handle connected to the left and right shoes and a support bar therebetween.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     None.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable.  
       APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     This invention generally relates to measuring devices and, more particularly, to a spacer for spacing railroad ties.  
         [0006]     2. Related Art  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,556,350 to Tucker et al. discloses a tie plate for railroad tracks. The tie plate includes rail supporting members  16  and  17  and web  18 . The web  18  separates or spaces the railroad ties. The tie plate is permanently mounted to the railroad ties. Tucker does not disclose a portable device for temporarily spacing railroad ties during installation.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,991,857 issued to Soderberg discloses a railroad bridge tie spacer. The bridge tie spacer includes a plurality of spacers that separate and hold the railroad ties in a fixed relationship. The railroad bridge tie spacer is held in a fixed position and can only be used for a limited number of ties. Soderberg does not disclose a portable device for temporarily spacing railroad ties during installation.  
         [0009]     There remains a need in the art for a portable device for temporarily spacing railroad ties.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     It is in view of the above problems that the present invention was developed. The invention is a railroad tie spacer. The railroad tie spacer includes a handle, a left and right shoe connected to the handle and a support separating the left and right shoes. Each shoe includes a first face, a second face, a third face, and a fourth face. The faces are used to distance and locate railroad ties for installation.  
         [0011]     In an alternative embodiment, the railroad tie spacer is adjustable in height and/or width. In other words, the handle includes structure for vertical adjustment, and the faces are horizontally adjustable relative to one another.  
         [0012]     Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a railroad tie spacer in a first embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the first embodiment;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the first embodiment;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the first embodiment;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the first embodiment;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a back view of the first embodiment;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the railroad tie spacer;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the second embodiment;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the second embodiment;  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the second embodiment; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a back view of the second embodiment.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate like elements,  FIGS. 1 through 6  illustrate a railroad tie spacer, generally indicated by numeral reference  10 . The railroad tie spacer  10  includes a left shoe  12  and a right shoe  14 . The left shoe  12  and the right shoe  14  are connected by a handle  20 . The left shoe  12  and the right shoe  14  are separated by a support  16 .  
         [0026]     Each shoe  12 ,  14  includes a lip  30 . The lip  30  is placed on top of a railroad tie to locate the railroad tie spacer  10  in a vertical direction. Each shoe  12 ,  14  also includes a pocket  32 . The pocket  32  is used to reduce the weight of a shoe and may be omitted in some embodiments. Additionally, each shoe  12 ,  14  includes a mounting flange  34 . The mounting flange  34  receives and provides support for the handle  20 . In the depicted embodiment, the left and right shoes  12 ,  14  are formed by aluminum castings, and the lip  30 , the pocket  32 , and the mounting flange  34  are integral portions of the shoe casting.  
         [0027]     The left shoe  12  includes a first face  26  and second face  28 . The right shoe  14  includes a third face  22  and fourth face  24 . The first face and the third face  26 ,  22  are in the same plane. The second and fourth faces  28 ,  24  are also in the same plane. Moreover, the faces  22 ,  26  and  24 ,  28  are parallel to one another. The first and third faces  26 ,  22  are dimensioned to be a distance from the second and fourth faces  28 ,  24  that corresponds to the proper spacing between installed railroad ties. This dimension may be varied to establish any space between ties as they are installed according to a gauge or other rail construction specifications or requirements. A height of the faces  22 - 28  may also be varied so that the railroad tie spacer  10  rests on the bed or ground between railroad ties when in use or not.  
         [0028]     In the depicted embodiment, the handle  20  is formed from tubular aluminum, and has an ergonomic shape. Sides of the handle  20  bow in a first longitudinal direction, and a center of the handle  20  projects in an opposite longitudinal direction, facilitating movement of the railroad tie spacer  10 . Additionally, the handle  20  includes a cover  36 , for example a foam cover, in the depicted embodiment. In alternative embodiments, the cover  36  may be made of leather or vinyl.  
         [0029]     In the depicted embodiment, the support  16  is formed by an aluminum square tube. However, those skilled in the art will understand that other material and other shapes may be used.  
         [0030]      FIGS. 7-11  illustrate a second embodiment of the railroad tie spacer, generally indicated by numeral reference  110 . The railroad tie spacer  110  includes a left shoe  112  and a right shoe  114 . The left shoe  112  and the right shoe  114  are connected by a handle  120 . The left shoe and the right shoe are separated by a support  116  (not shown in  FIG. 7  for clarity).  
         [0031]     Each shoe  112 ,  114  includes a lip  130 , a pocket  132 , and a mounting flange  134 . The left shoe  112  includes a first face  126  and a second face  128 . The right shoe  114  includes a third face  122  and a fourth face  124 .  
         [0032]     The railroad tie spacer  110  is adjustable in vertical height and horizontal width. In the depicted embodiment, both the handle  120  and the mounting flange  134  include a plurality of vertically spaced holes  150 . A user (not shown) aligns the holes  150  and places a pin  152  in the selected hole for a selected height. In this manner, the user can vertically adjust the handle  120  to achieve a comfortable handle position.  
         [0033]     Each shoe  112 ,  114  includes a first member  164   a,  a second member  166   a,  a third member  164   b,  and a fourth member  166   b.  The members  164 ,  166  slidingly engage one another such that the width of the shoe may be variable. In other words, the dimension between the first and third faces  126 ,  122  and the second and fourth faces  128 ,  124  is adjustable such that the proper spacing between installed railroad ties is achieved. This dimension may be adjusted to establish any space between ties as they are installed according to a gauge or other rail construction specifications or requirements. In the depicted embodiment, each shoe  112 ,  114  includes a plurality of horizontally spaced holes  160  and pins  162 . A user (not shown) moves the first member  164  relative to the second member  166  and aligns the plurality of holes  160 . Thereafter, the user places at least two pins  162  in the holes  160  to locate the first and third faces  126 ,  122  relative to the second and fourth faces  128 ,  124 .  
         [0034]     There is also provided a method of assembling the railroad tie spacer. The method includes the steps of: providing a left shoe having a first face and a second face offset from said first face; providing a right shoe having a third face and a fourth face offset from said third face; spacing said first and third faces from said second and fourth faces in a direction parallel to a railroad track in a dimension corresponding to a proper installation space between ties; interconnecting said left shoe and said right shoe with a support; and connecting a handle to said left shoe and to said right shoe. In a first optional step, the method includes the step of manufacturing a plurality of vertically spaced holes in the handle. In a second optional step, the method includes the step of manufacturing a plurality of horizontally spaced holes in each shoe.  
         [0035]     In operation, a user grasps the handle  20  and places the second face  28  and fourth face  24  against a railroad tie that is already installed in its proper position. The lip  30  of each shoe  12 ,  14  sits on top of the railroad tie. Thereafter, the user places a second railroad tie abutting the first face  26  and the third face  22 . Then the user secures a next railroad tie in position for installation. The proper spacing between ties is easily maintained without the need for measurement. The user then lifts the railroad tie spacer  10  up above the railroad ties and places the second face  28  and the fourth face  24  against the second railroad tie. Thereafter, the user places a third railroad tie against the first face  26  and the third face  22 . The worker then secures the location of the third railroad tie. The user repeats this process until the appropriate number of railroad ties are installed and located into position.  
         [0036]     In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several advantages of the invention are achieved and attained.  
         [0037]     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. For example, while the handle is depicted as having an ergonomic shape, other shapes may be used. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.