Patent Publication Number: US-8113120-B2

Title: Track position correction machine

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicants claim priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of AUSTRIAN Application No. AT A1638/2004 filed on Oct. 1, 2004. Applicants also claim priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 of International Application No. PCT/EP2005/009634 filed on Sep. 8, 2005. This application is a by-pass continuation application of said International Application No. PCT/EP2005/009634 filed on Sep. 8, 2005. The International application under PCT Article 21(2) was not published in English. The disclosures of the aforementioned International application and Austrian application are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a track position correction machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a track position correction machine comprising a multi-part machine frame having a satellite frame associated therewith. A first packing unit and a track lifting unit are disposed on the satellite frame, which can be displaced relative to the machine frame using a drive. A stabilization unit is associated with the machine frame and a second packing unit is disposed between the satellite frame and the stabilization unit. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     GB 2 146 374 shows a track position correction machine which travels continuously during work operation, while a satellite frame with a packing unit is moved discontinuously from packing site to packing site. After underfilling has taken place, the track is lowered in a controlled manner using a stabilization unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a track position correction machine. In one aspect, the track position correction machine includes a multi-part machine frame with a satellite frame associated with the machine frame. A first drive is provided for displacing the satellite frame relative to the machine frame. A first packing unit and a track lifting unit are disposed on the satellite frame. A stabilization unit is associated with the machine frame and a second packing unit is disposed between the satellite frame and the stabilization unit. A second drive is provided for displacing the second packing unit relative to the machine frame. 
     In a further aspect, the multi-part machine frame includes a first frame part, a second frame part following the first frame part, and a third frame part following the second frame part. The first packing unit is associated with the first frame part, the second packing unit is associated with the second frame part and the stabilization unit is associated with the third frame part. 
     In a further aspect, the track position correction machine includes a unit frame connected with the second packing unit. The unit frame has a front end and a back end and the second frame part includes two carrier frames running parallel to one another in a longitudinal machine direction. The unit frame is disposed centered between the two carrier frames. The unit frame is mounted at its front end to travel on the two carrier frames by way of a support roller and to be displaceable relative to the carrier frames at its back end. 
     In a further aspect, the track position correction machine includes a drive connected with the unit frame. The drive includes a press-down roller for contacting an underside of the second frame part which is spaced apart from the support roller in a vertical direction. 
     A track position correction machine according to an embodiment of the invention provides better underfilling of tracks having irregular distances between ties. In particular, with a track position correction machine according to an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to carry out a first packing, in combination with a track position correction, and subsequent further underfilling, during which the track position is no longer changed, within the framework of a continuous advance of the machine. Directly afterwards, the underfilled track can be immediately lowered by means of stabilization units, in controlled manner, and thereby brought into a permanent position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other benefits and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
       In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
         FIG. 1  shows a side view of a front segment of a track position correction machine according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of a back segment of a track position correction machine according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of a unit frame according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a front view of the unit frame shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of the unit frame shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring now in detail to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show a machine  1  for correcting the position of a track  2 . Machine  1  includes a machine frame  6  which may be composed of three frame parts  3 ,  4 ,  5 , as well as rail undercarriages  7 . 
     Front frame part  3  and center frame part  4  (with regard to a working direction  8 ) each have a packing unit  9  for underfilling ties  10 . A back frame part  5  has stabilization units  11  associated with it. 
     A first packing unit  9  positioned on front frame part  3  is disposed on a satellite frame  13 , together with a track lifting unit  12  that is positioned in front of it. The satellite frame is mounted on frame part  3  with a front end, so that it can be displaced lengthwise by means of a drive  31 , while a back end is supported on its own rail undercarriage  7 . 
     A first working cabin  14  is disposed above rail undercarriage  7 . Working cabin  14  has a control device  15 , connected with the front frame part  3 . A reference system  17  having measurement axles  16  is provided for track position correction. 
     Center frame part  4  is connected with the front frame part  3  with an articulated connection  19 , by way of a front end  18 . A second working cabin  20  having a control device  21  is provided between this articulated connection  19  and the second packing unit  9 . A back end  22  of the center frame part  4  rests on a rail undercarriage  7 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 , two packing units  9  assigned to one rail  23 , in each instance, may be mounted on a common unit frame  24 , so as to be adjustable in height by means of drives  25 . The unit frame  24  is displaceably mounted on center frame part  4  with a back end  26 , and is displaceable relative to this frame part, in the longitudinal machine direction, by means of a drive  27 . A front end  28  of the unit frame  24  is positioned between two carrier frames  35  that run in the longitudinal machine direction and has two support rollers  29  that can roll on guide rails  30 . 
     Unit frame  24  has two drives  33 , each drive having a press-down roller  32 . The drives press the press-down rollers  32  against an underside  34  of frame part  4 . 
     In operation, machine  1  is continuously moved in a working direction  8 , for track position correction. Only the satellite frame  13  and the unit frame  24  are moved forward cyclically, or brought to a stop for local underfilling, with appropriate application of power to the respective drives  31 ,  27 . The first packing unit  9  at the front frame part  3  underfills every other tie, while at the same time, the track  2  is brought into its correct position by means of the interaction of reference system  17  and track lifting unit  12 . This first partial underfilling is controlled by a first operator located in the working cabin  14 . 
     Every other tie that has not yet been underfilled is underfilled by the second packing unit  9  on the center frame part  4 . This action is controlled by a second operator located in the working cabin  20 . This packing procedure is carried out while maintaining the track position that has already been corrected, without any change. In this connection, it is particularly advantageous if the distance between the two rail undercarriages  7  that are adjacent to the back packing unit  9  is as small as possible. These undercarriages exert a pressure on the track  2  that has already been corrected, and thereby prevent it from being lifted up due to the underfilling. Furthermore, a crosswise displacement of the packing units in the curved track is eliminated. 
     Once the track  2  has been completely underfilled by the second packing unit  9 , the track  2  is immediately lowered in a controlled manner using the stabilization units  11  which immediately follow, thereby stabilizing the track. 
     Accordingly, while several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.