Patent ID: 8528484

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a frame member positioned above and connected to two or more railroad engagement wheels; a cleated belt conveyor having a top and a bottom and being positioned on the frame and angled downwardly for depositing railroad tie plates along railroad ties on a railroad track; a set of rollers connected to the frame and positioned at the bottom of the cleated belt conveyor; a towing member connected to and extending away from an end of the frame; a sliding member positioned above the cleated belt conveyor, wherein the sliding member has a top surface comprising a plurality of ball bearings embedded in the sliding member such that the ball bearings project above the top surface of the sliding member; a drive means for mechanically linking at least one of the railroad engagement wheels and the cleated belt conveyor for controlling the speed at which the cleated belt conveyor rotates; and a lifting member extending vertically from the frame above the cleated belt conveyor, wherein the lifting member has a generally inverted U-shape.