MX2014008997A - Reconditioning of articulated connector load bearing bottom surfaces. - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for semi-automatically reconditioning a railcar articulated connector that comprises a male portion (10) including a parent casting material is provided. The method comprises applying weld material to a male portion (10) of an articulated connector, mounting a housing mounting a housing defining an interior space to the male portion, the male connector within the interior space, centering and stabilizing the fixture laterally on the male portion, inserting a clamping mechanism (218) attached to the housing within an opening (32) of the male connector (10) to affix the housing to the male portion, securing the clamping mechanism (218) to a surface of the male portion, and automatically machining at least a portion of the weld and/or parent casting material.

Description

RECONDITIONING OF LOWER SURFACES THAT SUPPORT ARTICULATED CONNECTOR LOAD RELATED REQUESTS The present application claims priority to the Provisional Application of E.U.A. No. 61 / 590,675, filed on January 25, 2012 and entitled "Reconditioning of Articulated Connector Load Bearing Bottom Surfaces"; Non-Provisional Application of E.U.A. No. 13/749, 190, filed January 24, 2013 and titled, "Method for Semi-Automatically Reconditioning to Railcar Articulated Connector"; Non-Provisional Application of E.U.A. No. 13 / 749,229, filed January 24, 2013 and titled, "Application of Wear Píate to Articulated Connector Load Bearing Bottom Surface"; Non-Provisional Application of E.U.A. No. 13 / 749,305, filed January 24, 2013 and titled, "Gauge for Measuring a Portion of a Railcar Articulated Connector"; Non-Provisional Application of E.U.A. No. 13 / 749,325, filed January 24, 2013 and titled, "Fixture for Use in Semi-Automatic Reconditioning Process of a Railcar Articulated Connector"; and Non-Provisional Application of E.U.A. No. 13 / 749,364, filed January 24, 2013 and titled, "Method for Reconditioning to Railcar Articulated Connector," whose full descriptions are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Multi-unit rail cars are typically interconnected using couplings, such as articulated connectors, to link one unit to the next. Very often, the connectors include a portion of a male casting member mounted to the end structure of one of the car units that is attached to a female casting portion located on the end structures of the adjacent car unit. The union of the male and female portions results in an articulated connection between the wagon units. American Steel Foundries, Inc. (ASF) of Granite City, IL and Meridian Rail, Inc. (formerly and hereinafter National Castings) of Lombard, II manufacture the frequently used connectors of this type in the U.S.A.

The load portion of a railroad comprises a plurality of multi-unit wagons linked in this way. As such, the driving locomotive is only acting directly on the wagon adjacent to it, which is then attached to the next unit, etc. The attraction, or push, of the wagon units by means of the locomotive creates a significant level of tension on each connector since each one supports all the force of the rest of the wagons. Any contact between the portions of male and female castings and their associated components results in wear on those contact areas of the connectors.

The tension placed on the connectors results in wear of the metal at several points of contact between the male and female portions of the connectors, or their respective components, due to impact and contact by friction. Particular points of wear include the lower ring surface and anterior surfaces of the perforations of the female connector portion, and the lower bearing surface, the spherical inner surface of the opening 32 (as shown in Figure 1) and the frontal spherical surface of the male portion of the connector. The Patents of E.U.A. No. 7,490,363 and 6,944,925 describe processes for reconditioning the front surface 30 of the male portion of the connector and the front surfaces of the perforations of the female connector portion as well as the anterior surfaces of the perforations of the female portion of the connector.

Since articulated connector castings are an integral part of the wagon structure and are difficult and expensive components to replace, it is favorable to repair or recondition the connectors as opposed to replacing these or the entire wagon. Connector castings can commonly move 1, 931, 212.8 km (1, 200,000 miles) or more without the need for significant maintenance. In the past, the reconditioning of most wagon components has involved removing several parts of the wagon and reapplying them in place after such reconditioning. Some couplers have been reconditioned in this way, especially those removable by design. However, articulated connectors are not suitable for such Removal and repair as they are integrated into the car and such repair would be inefficient, slow, and expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for reconditioning wagon connectors so that the reconditioning occurs while the conditions are still fixed to the wagons. It is a further object of this invention to simplify the measurement of portions of the connectors by ensuring that the connectors are reconditioned to the appropriate dimensions, including the use of appropriate gauges. It is even a further object of this invention to provide a method for reconditioning wagon connectors using gauges to take the measurements of the connectors while they are still attached to the wagon. It is even another object of this invention to provide a method for reconditioning wagon connectors using less laborious processes to eliminate the need to invert a wagon in order to perform reconditioning of the connectors, although the process can be used in inverted wagons as well.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In a first embodiment, a method for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated wagon connector comprising a male portion including a parent casting material is provided. The method comprises applying welding material to a male portion of a articulated connector, mount a housing that mounts a housing defining an interior space to the male portion, the male connector within the interior space, center and stabilize the accessory laterally on the male portion, insert a clamping mechanism fixed to the housing within a opening of the male connector for securing the housing to the male portion, securing the clamping mechanism to a surface of the male portion, and automatically turning at least a portion of the weld and / or parent cast material.

In a second embodiment, a method for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated wagon connector is provided. The method comprises attaching a welding attachment to a male portion of an articulated connector, automatically applying welding material within a welding device to at least a portion of the lower bearing surface of the male portion, allowing the male portion to be cool, remove the male portion of the welding attachment, attach a turning attachment to the male portion, and turn at least a portion of the welding material.

In a third embodiment, a method is provided for semi-automatically reconditioning a wagon connector, the method comprising fixing a welding attachment to a male connector, attaching a welding device to the welding attachment, placing a torch nozzle of the welding along an outer portion of a lower bearing surface of the male connector, and forming an intermittent welding pattern along the lower bearing surface.

In a fourth embodiment, a method for semi-automatically reconditioning a wagon connector is provided. The method comprises fixing a welding attachment to a male connector, attaching a welding device to the welding attachment, placing a torch nozzle of the welding device along an inner portion of a lower bearing surface of the male connector, and forming a welding pattern along the lower bearing surface.

In a fifth embodiment, an apparatus is provided for measuring a portion on an articulated connector relative to a reference point of said connector. The apparatus comprises a base that can be fixed mountable to the connector against the reference portion of the connector, an arm pivoted to the base that can extend toward the connector portion, the arm has a measurement portion, the portion of Measurement can be moved through at least one section of the connector portion, and a rotating component connected to a mounting part.

In a sixth embodiment, a method for reconditioning a wagon connector is provided. The method comprises turning a portion of a casting part to create a wear plate application surface, placing a wear plate on the wear plate application surface, and welding the wear plate to the plate application surface of wear.

In a seventh embodiment, a method for reconditioning a wagon connector is provided. The method involves turning one portion of a casting piece to create a wear plate application surface, place a wear plate on the wear plate application surface, and mechanically clamp the wear plate to the wear plate application surface.

In an eighth embodiment, a turning attachment is provided for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated connector. The attachment comprises a housing having at least two side walls, an upper plate having a first opening connecting the side walls, and a lower plate connecting the side walls, side walls, top plate, and bottom plate defining a space inside. The attachment also includes a fastening mechanism fixed to at least one of the side walls, the fastening mechanism comprises a curved hook portion, the curved hook portion portion is laterally adjustable.

In a ninth embodiment, an assembly is provided to semi-automatically recondition an articulated connector. The assembly comprises a welding fixture that includes an attachment shaft extending upward from the welding fixture and a plurality of clamps for securing the welding fixture to a male casting, a welding fixture that includes an assembly of torch nozzle for applying welding material to a control unit for indicating the flow of welding material to the torch nozzle, an opening for attachment to the accessory shaft, and a welding cam having at least one brake, wherein an uninterrupted welding pattern is formed on the lower bearing surface of the male casting when the welding cam engages with the control unit.

In a tenth embodiment, an assembly is provided to semi-automatically recondition an articulated connector. The assembly comprises a welding fixture that includes an accessory shaft extending upwardly from the welding fixture and a plurality of clamp to secure weld access to a male casting, a welding device that includes an assembly of torch nozzle for applying welding material, a control unit for indicating the flow of welding material to the torch nozzle, an opening for fixing to the accessory shaft, and a welding cam, where a welding pattern is formed uninterrupted on the lower bearing surface of the male casting part when the welding cam engages with the control unit.

In a eleventh embodiment, a method for reconditioning an articulated wagon connector is provided. The method comprises the steps of marking a surface of a portion of an articulated connector for dividing the surface into sections, pre-heating the surface of a portion of an articulated connector, adding solder to a first section of the pre-heated portion of the connector articulated, and add welding to a second section of the preheated portion of the articulated connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a perspective view of male and female cast portions of a non-assembled connector; Figure 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a non-assembled connector; Figure 3 is a flow chart of the process for manually reconditioning a connector casting; Figure 4A is a front view of a turning attachment for reconditioning a connector that is mounted to a male connector portion; Figure 4B is a top view of the accessory of Figure 4A; Figure 4C is a sectional view of the accessory of Figure 4A showing a clamping mechanism in a loosened position; Figure 4D is a sectional view of the accessory of Figure 4A showing a clamping mechanism in a snug position; Figure 4E is an amplified view of a portion of the Figure 4D; Figure 4F is a front view of a turning attachment for reconditioning a male connector with an alignment tube installed; Figure 4G is a sectional view of the accessory of Figure 4F taken along line A-A; Figure 4H is a sectional view of a turning accessory to recondition a connect; Figure 41 is a front view of a turning access to recondition a connect; Figure 4J is a right side view of the accessory of Figure 41; Figure 5 is a flow chart of a semi-automated process for reconditioning a cast iron piece; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a drill rod assembly with an accessory for turning a casting piece to be connected; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a coating head assembly and coating head feed control used for turning; Figure 8 is another perspective view of a coating head assembly and coating head feeding control under a male casting to be turned; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a turning fixture for reconditioning a casting part showing a coating head assembly and coating head feeding control assembled to the fixture including the application of a gauge; Figure 10 is a perspective view of a gauge rod; Figure 1 1 is another perspective view of an assembly of coating head and coating head feeding control under a male casting to be turned; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the lower part of the male casting including a wear plate; Figure 12A is a sectional view along line A-A of Figure 12 showing a male casting including a wear plate; Figure 12B is an alternative sectional view along line A-A of Figure 12 showing a male casting including a wear plate; Figure 13A is a side view of a welding fitting attached to a male (truncated) casting; Figure 13B is a top view of the welding attachment of Figure 13A attached to a male (truncated) casting; Figure 14 is a view of a torch assembly; Figure 15 is a view of a welding apparatus attached to a welding fixture; Figure 16 is a view of a welding cam and switch; Figure 17 is a plan view of a welding cam; Figure 18 is a view of a torch assembly and male casting; Figure 19 is a view of a lower bearing surface of a male casting having an interrupted welding pattern; Figure 20 is a view of an insulator box applied to a male casting while applying a torch assembly; Figures 21 and 21A illustrate a concentric wear plate; Figures 22 and 22A illustrate a displacement wear plate. Figures 23 and 23A illustrate a modified wear plate; Figures 24, 24A, 24B and 24C illustrate a calibrator for use with the present method; Figure 25 is a bottom view of a connector casting part illustrating a splitting in octants and an example of a welding pattern; Figure 26 is a top view of a coiled induction heating induction cable; Y Figure 27 is a perspective view of a male portion of an articulated saddlebag connector in place holding the induction heating cable of Figure 26.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring generally to Figures 1-2, the connector castings that are reconditioned are fixed to the wagon end structure (not shown) and usually include a male casting part 10 located on a wagon unit and A piece of female casting 12 located on the adjacent wagon unit so that the male and female castings can be interlaced, joining the wagon units to form a multi-unit wagon. When the female and male castings are joined, holes 24, 26 of the female casting part are aligned with the male casting part opening 32 so that a pin 16 can be inserted, securing the male and female castings and its internal components together to complete the connector. The connectors are articulated so that they can rotate around the pin and have vertical angularity, allowing the wagon units to rotate relative to one another during movement around curved rails and over undulating terrain.

As noted above, there are two types of dominant articulated connectors used in joining wagon units, primarily ASF connectors and National Castings connectors, although there are other types of connectors that can similarly be incorporated by this invention. The following description refers to the ASF connectors. However, this description is illustrative of wagon connectors generally. As such, the following description of the invention is adapted to industry standards, but the invention could be modified to incorporate specific connectors used, including but not limited to National Castings connectors.

The illustrative ASF connector, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a male casting 10 and a casting female 12. The female casting piece 12 is generally U-shaped in cross section to receive the male casting part 10. The female casting piece 12 includes an upper portion 18 and a lower portion 20, which are generally flat and are joined together. by side walls 22 and a rear wall 23 generally concave. The side walls 22, rear wall 23, upper wall 18 and lower portion 20 define the receiving cavity 34 generally U-shaped of the female casting. Both the upper portion 18 and the lower portion 20 of the female casting include a cylindrical bore 24 and 26, respectively, which are aligned with each other. In addition, the lower portion 20 includes a spherical ring surface 25.

The female casting additionally includes a wedge system located along the concave rear wall 23. The wedge system includes a wedge 36 and a follower block 38. The follower block 38 is designed to conform to the spherical contour of the portion of the male casting part with which it comes into contact. The wedge is then placed between the rear wall 23 and the follower block 38, keeping the follower block 38 in place and providing pressure. The wedge is held in place by gravity and falls as wear occurs within the system to maintain a longitudinal clearance condition, thereby maintaining the follower block 38 in constant contact and compression with the male casting part 10.

The male casting part 10 includes a front end 28, which is a generally U-shaped projection of generally constant thickness. The male casting part 10 has an opening 32 with generally square features on the side closest to the fixing car unit, or back surface 70 of the opening 32, and with a U-shaped concave surface closer to the opposite front surface 54 of the opening. The male opening 32 has a different shape to the female holes 24 and 26 since the front surface 54 of the male opening 32 is concave and generally spherical in shape and the opening 32 has a larger overall volume than required for insertion of the pin. As such, a pin bearing block 31 is inserted into the opening 32 and engages with the front surface 54 of the opening, as shown in Figure 2. The shape of the pin bearing block 31 is generally spherical to along the end contacting the front surface 54 of the opening 32, to complement the opening, and has a generally vertical concave cylindrical shape along the opposite side to receive the pin 16. When the pin bearing block 31 is positioned in the opening 32, the concave cylindrical side of the pin bearing block 31 and the rear end 70 of the opening 32 define the area for receiving the pin as described below.UNCLE.

The leading end 28 of the male casting part is generally U-shaped to complement the interior of the female casting in shape. The front end 28 includes a front surface 30 at the far end of the male casting including the U-shaped area generally. The front surface 30 is the por of the male casting in contact with the follower block 38 when the male casting piece 10 is inserted into the female casting 12. The front end 28 of the male casting also includes a lower bearing surface 33. The lower bearing surface 33 comes into contact with the spherical ring surface 25 when the male casting part 10 is inserted with the female casting 12.

With the assembly, as shown in the cross-sec in Figure 2, the male casting 10, specifically the leading end 28, is inserted into the cavity 34 of the female casting 12. The lower bearing surface 33 of the male casting is placed on the spherical ring surface 25 so that the opening 32 in the male casting is aligned with the perforas 24 and 26 of the female casting. When the two perforas 24, 26 are aligned with the opening 32, a cylindrical pin 16 can be inserted through them. The pin 16 is inserted into the bore 24 in the upper por 18 of the female casting and then passes through the opening 32 in the male casting part 10, which includes the pin bearing block 31, and then further passes to couple the perfora 26 in the lower por 20 of the female casting 12. The upper part of the pin is preferably secured to the upper part of the female casting.

The wedge system works to eliminate slack in the system connector when applying pressure on the male casting and therefore on the perforas and the pin of the cylindrical surface of pin bearing block. Due to the wedge system of the general construc of castings, significant wear occurs in selective areas. On the female casting part, wear may occur on the spherical ring surface 25 and the anterior surfaces 103 of the female holes 24 and 26 as the compressive forces of the pulling wagons push the pin 16 against those surfaces. Conversely, the posterior surfaces 102 of the female perforas receive imperceptible wear, as a result of the wedge system not permitting pin tension on this surface. On the male casting, wear occurs along the lower bearing surface 33 and the spherical anterior surface 54 of the opening 32 since the pin bearing block 31 is mounted thereon. Conversely, the back surface 70 of the male opening 32 receives no wear under normal operating condis. The male casting also experiences significant wear on the front spherical surface 30 as a result of contact with the follower block 38 and sympathetic forces from other car units.

During use of connected wagon units, at least wear in these areas can occur as specified above due to fric caused by the rota and movement of the wagon units relative to each other. The following are methods for recondiing and Repair wagons at these common wear sites either while the connectors are still attached to the wagon or when the connectors have come loose. The recondiing returns the worn parts of the connectors back to their proper dimensions to ensure peak performance with the reconnec of the wagon units.

Recondiing Manual Articulated Connector Several methods are described here for recondiing articulated connectors. Although reference is made below to ASF male casting, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the methods and equipment described below can be easily adapted to be applied to other types of male castings, such as, for example, National Castings, as well as to pieces of casting female For example, the process described below could be applied to the lower surface 3000 of the female casting 12 shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The male castings should be prepared so that an accurate measurement can be taken to determine if reconditioning is required, particularly with respect to the areas described above. Such preparation includes cleaning the surfaces of rust, dirt, sand, grease, lubrication residue, or the like. Substances such as grease, soot and lubricants can be scraped off surfaces. Remaining contaminants can be burned with a blowtorch or removed.

Damage to the metal on the surfaces that need reconditioning must be carefully carefully made to prevent cold wrinkles during subsequent welding. The male castings are then measured to determine if reconditioning is required. Any portion of the casting that exists before the weld is applied may be indicated as being "parent cast material".

As noted above, the lower bearing surface 33 and the front surface 30 of the male opening 32 of the male casting part are prone to wear since they are in frictional contact with the spherical ring surface 25 and the follower block. 38, respectively. The reconditioning of the lower bearing surface is discussed below. As for the front surface 30, an example of reconditioning techniques can be found in the U.S. Patent. No. 7,059,062, assigned to TTX Company, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Figure 3 generally shows the steps of the applicable reconditioning process. Once the area to be measured has been prepared and cleaned 300, the lower bearing surface 33 of the male casting part 10 is measured 302, 304 to determine if the lower bearing surface 33 has been worn out so that needs reconditioning. Any suitable gauge can be used as long as it can be slid along the lower bearing surface to determine if reconditioning should be performed.

An illustrative calibrator-based calibrator described in the U.S. Patent is shown. No. 6,944,925 in Figures 24, 24A and 24B. The preferred calibrator 2401, as shown in Figures 24, 24A, 24B and 24C, for use in measuring the ASF male connector is a pivot gauge, which preferably includes two members: a base 42 and an oscillating arm assembly 44 The base 42 is generally a block-shaped member having a plurality of sides as shown. The upper part of the base 42 includes an opening 48 for receiving a portion of the swing arm assembly 44. The front side of the base 42 has a relatively spherical surface 52 for engaging the front surface 54 of the bore 32 in the workpiece part. male casting 10, which has a complementary shape. The complementary shapes allow the proper vertical ratio of the gauge to the male casting to ensure accurate measurement of the worn portion. The rear side 56 of the base preferably includes an opening 58 for receiving a screw jack assembly 60. The screw jack assembly 60 includes the threaded rod 62 having a supporting end 64 and a nut 66, forming a support Clamp that expands. The supporting end 64 is configured to support and secure the base 42 against the inside of the male bore 32. Preferably, the supporting end 64 has three legs 68 which contact the back surface 70 of the male bore 32. The nut 66, when rotating, extending or retracting the support end 64 of the base 42. As a result, the rotation of the nut 66 can extend the support until it is level with the back surface 70 of the male bore 32 securing the base 42 of the pivot gauge in the male bore 32. The front surface 54 and the back surface 70 are typically not worn or minimally worn portions of the bore 32 which are sufficient for Reference measurement for new finish.

The swing arm assembly 44 comprises an oscillating arm 44a, a cylindrical support 44b, and a plate 44c. The swing arm 44a is generally L-shaped, and includes an extension arm portion 74 and a measurement arm portion 76. The length of the extension arm 74 is determined by the dimensions of the generally male casting including the contact surface 30 and male bore 32.

The swing arm assembly 44 is rotatably connected to the base. The plate 44c is secured to the base 42 by a countersink bolt 48 located on the plate 44c. The countersink bolt 48 received in the opening 78 in the base 42. The cylindrical support 44b, which preferably has an upper portion 43 and a lower portion 45, is then rotatably fixed to the plate 44c. The lower portion 45 of the cylindrical support 41 is preferably inserted into an orifice (not shown) in the plate 44c and secured to the plate, preferably with a c-shaped clip (not shown) inserted into and around a further diameter. small of a groove in the lower portion 43 of the cylindrical support 41.

The upper portion 43 of the cylindrical support 41 includes a notch 47 for receiving extension arm 74 of swing arm 44a. Additionally, an in-line hole 49 extends horizontally through the cylindrical support 41 which is aligned with a similar hole (not shown) in with the extension arm. A bolt can then be inserted through the hole 49 and the hole in the extension arm 74, securing the extension arm 74 to the cylindrical support 41.

The swingarm assembly results in the plate 44c being secured to the base 42 through the countersink bolt 48, the cylindrical holder 44b is removably and rotatably secured to the plate 44c, and the swing arm 44a is rotatably removably secured to the cylindrical support 44b. The oscillating arm 44a of that shape is generally able to rotate vertically upwards from the base around the line 49 hole and bolt. This allows the swing arm 44a to rotate up and away from the male casting 10, when desired. The cylindrical support 44b and thus the oscillating arm 44a are additionally capable of rotating horizontally about the axis of the cylindrical support 44b, allowing the oscillating arm 44a and its contour edge 84 to slide along a desired range of the surface of contact of male casting 30.

The swing arm 44a additionally includes a flat portion 46, which is part of the extension arm 74 which contacts the plate 44c and secures the proper relationship between the control edge 84 and the spherical surface 52 of the base 42. The measurement arm 76 then extends towards down from the extension arm 74. The measurement arm 76 includes a front edge 82 and a profiled edge 84. The curve of the contour edge 84 is designed to conform in shape to the contact surface 30 of the male casting part 10. of the connector. The profiled edge 84 can oscillate over the entire range of the contact surface 30 of the male casting piece 10. The length of the extension arm 74 is such that the contour edge 84 of the swing arm 44a is less than about 0.31 cm ( 1/8") from the contact surface 30 of a male casting part 10 that has no wear.

The preferred caliper 2401 of the present invention also includes a rotating component 2400 attached to a mounting part 2402 that includes a bolt 2404, a bushing 2403 and a spacer 2405. The caliper 2401 is shown in position in FIG. 24C. Once the calibrator 2401 is secured in place as described above, the rotating component 2400 is rotated about to measure the amount of welding that needs to be formed, or, if the rotating component is removed and turned over, it is used to measure whether the Surface 33 needs additional grinding to recover the appropriate dimension.

Once it is determined that the male casting part 10 of the connector requires reconditioning (ie, 302, 304 of Figure 3), the lower bearing surface 33 is divided into octants (step 305) and marked using a steatite as shown in FIG. shown in Figure 25. Next, the lower bearing surface 33 and the surrounding areas are preheated 307 between 148.88-260 ° C (300-500) and maintained at this temperature range during the welding process, for example by using a torch with a heating tip. It is preferable to use a non-contact thermometer to identify that the preheat temperature is within the desired range. Alternatively, the male casting part 10 can be heated using an induction heating cable to automatically preheat the casting and keep the casting piece at the desired temperature during welding. Induction heating can also be used to control slow cooling during the process. Referring to Figures 26 and 27, an illustrative embodiment of an induction heating cable 2600 and its application to a male casting part 10 is shown. The induction heating cable 2600 is typically controlled by a heating system of commercially available induction, such as the Miller Proheat [35] Induction Heating System although other induction heating systems may be used. In operation, the induction heating cable 2600 is entangled in circular, oval 2602 shapes having a minimum of two complete windings as shown in Figure 26. The 2600 cable windings may consist of a single layer or multiple layers, as shown in FIG. required to produce the required casting temperature during the reconditioning process.

In the reconditioning process of male casting part 10, preferably there are at least two of these cable windings 2602 in oval form, which are symmetrically spaced from the approximate midpoint of the induction heating cable. These oval shaped windings 2602 are applied symmetrically to each side of the male casting part 10 as shown in Figure 27. The windings 2602 are shown in insulated panniers 2604 in the illustrations, but any insulating material between the windings of cable 2602 and the male casting surface 10 for separating the windings 2602 from direct contact with the male casting part 10 in order to prevent heat damage to the induction heating cable 2600.

The affected area is then formed with weld 206 one octane at a time, preferably using a specifically modified Stoody hardcoat welding wire (diameter 0.01 1 cm (0.045") for example, although other embodiments may be used) to allow general welding and use of C02 gas.An equivalent wire having similar chemistry and welding characteristics can also be used.The table below provides illustrative wire compositions and machine properties, but other compositions will be apparent to those skilled in the art: As shown in Figure 25, a weld bead 2500 is preferably applied along each steatite mark forming the gauges from the central hole 32 towards the outer edge 2502 of the casting. Then, starting at the outer edge 2502, weld 2500 is applied moving radially inward until all the octant 2504 is welded. The weld can also start on the inside edge of the casting and be applied moving radially outward until it is welded all octant 2404. Welding is applied to the 2504 octants in the order shown by the numbers 1-6 in Figure 25, leaving two octants diagonally opposite 2505, 2506 without welding. After the first six octants 2504 are welded, the rotating component 2400 is removed and the remaining two can be welded.

Optionally, and as a precaution, the surfaces of the calibrator 2401 shown in FIGS. 24A, 24B and 24C subject to weld spatter should be lightly coated with a splash-resistant product prior to welding. Preferably, the application of welding to worn surfaces should be carried out in a relatively fixed air environment to prevent loss of protective gas and rapid cooling. The surface temperature of the casting should not be allowed to fall below 148.88 ° C (300 ° F) at any time during the forming process. Therefore, it may be necessary that the casting be reheated during the process. If the welding process is interrupted for any significant duration, the welded area should be Fully covered with an insulating layer to prevent rapid cooling and potential cracking of the weld.

Welding practices known in the art should be followed with respect to the removal of all slag, rust scale and splash between passes. The weld must be terminated so as not to produce a notch effect in the weld joint with the parent metal and every precaution must be taken to avoid abrupt changes in section thickness in the fusion line. Following the welding process, the casting is cooled slowly to room temperature using insulating layers or an equivalent such as an insulation box as shown in Figure 20. Cracks, incomplete fusion, overlaps, notches, unfilled craters, Voids, and other defects can be highly problematic and should be avoided. The steps of preheating and slow cooling during the process help reduce the potential for cracking. For porosity, unrounded indications greater than 0.47 cm (3/16 inches) in length, and none of the square regions of 15.24 cm (6 inches) containing ten or more rounded indications are preferred.

Following the slow cooling, the insulating layers are removed. The rotating component 2400 is then applied again in an inverted position. The restored lower bearing surface 33 is then manually ground 308 within a desired tolerance of the blade surface of the rotating component 2400. The desired standards will depend on turning and / or industry requirements, but in a preferred embodiment is within 0.15 cm (1/16 inch) of new nominal dimension. Grinding generally involves the removal of solder, metal, or other surplus material. The weld is additionally mixed on existing adjacent surfaces.

Once 306 and frosted 308 are achieved, the lower bearing surface 33 is measured, such as by passing a gauge on the surface 33, to re-qualify the part 310 and ensuring that proper repair has occurred so that no wear or surplus formation remains, and that the dimensions are correct. If desired tolerances are not satisfied, the lower bearing surface must again be reconditioned as described above. If both 306 and 308 weld is required, it will depend on the quality and remaining thickness of the weld. After cooling, the restored area is tested, such as through the use of penetrating inspection of magnetic particle dye, to determine that the quality of the restored surface is free from defects.

Advantageously, the above reconditioning method overcomes problems in the prior art. Notably, when male castings wear out, they are usually removed and replaced. In other words, expensive and waste materials. The above method avoids this disadvantage. In addition, the octant method as described reduces surface cracks such as radial cracks in the welding material.

With respect to the application of this process to a surface lower female 3000, the general principle of forming a surface as a welding material and then grinding it (or turning the surface in a semi-automatic process as described above) also applies.

Semi-Automatic Process to Recondition Connectors A semi-automatic technique will now be described as being implemented for the reconditioning of an ASF male articulated casting part. It is contemplated that the presently preferred technique is applicable to other connector Castings as castings National Castings articulated connector, and the female counterpart piece casting thereof.

As described above and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the present description, the part of male casting ASF 10 includes a front end 28 having a lower bearing surface 33. The lower bearing surface of the piece Male casting is subjected to wear caused by contact with the spherical ring surface 25 within the female casting 12 during use.

As noted in the description of the above method, the reconditioning of the lower bearing surface 33 on the male casting can be achieved through the manual application of a grinding process once the surface has been reconstructed through welding . The grinding procedure, although it is more desirable over the known method of removing and replacing the entire casting, It can take many hours to complete by hand due to the superior strength of the materials used in casting and welding. Moreover, given the length of the task, it is often advantageous to flip or reverse the wagons with the male part of molding, so that the lower bearing surface not being reconditioned up. This can present challenges due to the large size and weight of the wagon and the casting. In addition, the manual reconditioning process usually requires the wagons to be taken to a repair shop facility. Therefore, it may be desirable to automate the welding and metal removal process.

In accordance with the present invention, a welding fitting 800 is provided to assist in the semi-automatic reconditioning of a male ASF molding part. Switching to Figures 13A-13B, the welding attachment includes a support plate 802 and a base plate 804 extending substantially perpendicular from the support plate 802. The base plate 804 includes a cutout 216 which, as explained to Next, it allows the welding device to be connected to the welding attachment 800. It also includes a pick-up plate 806 that extends downwardly at an angle relative to the base plate. The pick-up plate 806 is coupled to an inner surface of the front surface 54 of the opening of the male casting part 10 to secure the welding fitting 800 to the male casting. Although the acquisition plate 806 can be angled as desired with the In order to secure the welding attachment to the male casting, in a preferred embodiment the pickup is angled down approximately 54 degrees to the base plate.

A pair of side arms 808 extend downward from the base plate 804, so that a side arm 808 is on either side of the male casting piece 10 when the welding fitting 800 is attached to the casting piece. As further explained below, each of the support plate 802 and side arms 808 includes a knob 810 which, when adjusted, allows a screw 812 associated with the knob to engage the male casting and secure the fitting. of welding 800 to the male casting piece 10. An accessory shaft 814 extends upwardly from the upper plate. The accessory shaft indicates the attachment of a welding assembly to semi-automatically form the weld on the lower bearing surface of the male casting.

A turning accessory assembly 200 is also provided to assist in the semi-automatic reconditioning of an ASF male casting. After the welding step as described above, the male casting 10 is removed from the welding fitting 800 and placed and aligned in the turning fitting 200. Preferably, the fitting includes a rigid, adjustable structure apparatus as shown. in Figures 4A-4H. Switching first to Figures 4A-4B, attachment 200 includes a top plate 202 placed horizontally and a corresponding horizontal bottom plate 204. The upper plate 202 includes a first opening 206 and a pair of lugs 208. The lower plate 204 includes a second opening 210, which is substantially aligned with the first opening in the top plate 202. Preferably, and as shown in Figure 41 , the first and second openings 206, 210 are aligned so that the measurements L1 and L2 are within approximately 0.07 cm (1/32 inch) of each other and where the measurements D1 and D2 are within approximately 0.15 cm (1 / 16 inches) with each other. However, in other embodiments other tolerances may be used.

The upper and lower plates 202, 204 are connected through a pair of spaced, vertical side plates 212 fixed rigidly to and extending between the upper plate 202 and the lower plate 204. The shields 214 are mounted in several corners of the structure of the accessory 200 to reinforce the rigidity of the structure. In the rigid structure of the attachment 200, the horizontal plate 202 and 204 and the vertical side plates 212 define an interior space 216. The accessory 200 also includes a centering portion 2000 with a tab 4000 that acts as a guide to assist in centering the accessory 200 laterally on connector 10.

The fitting 200 incorporates a clamp assembly 318 to allow attachment of the accessory 200 to a male ASF casting. Preferably, the clamp assembly 218 includes a hook 220 and a threaded rod 219 which, as explained further below, allows hook 220 to move in the direction of arrow 222 in Figure 4D. The clamp assembly 218 further includes an alignment plate 224 and at least one spacer 226 fixed to the alignment plate 224, so as to be "stacked" in a horizontal direction (i.e., arrows 222). A pair of gauge support rods 228 are fixed to the interior surfaces of the side plates 212 and, as shown in Figure 4B, extend outwardly from the side plates 212. As shown in Figure 4J, the accessory 200 also includes a pair of brackets 230 on one of the side plates 212 for holding a caliper 232. As explained below, the caliper 232 is used in conjunction with the various holders 228 to check the lower bearing surface 33 of the male casting Referring to Figure 4H, in a preferred embodiment it is desirable to make an upper surface 234 of the support rods 228 approximately perpendicular to a surface 236 of the outer separator 226 to within 0.1 degrees, and to make the outer surfaces 234 of the support rods 228 are approximately parallel to each other to within 0.1 degrees.

The first and second bearings 238, 240 are included and are centered within the first and second openings 206, 210. The first bearing 238 is disposed on an upper side 242 of the upper plate 202 and the second bearing 240 is disposed on one side 244 of the lower plate 204. The first and second bearings 238, 240 must be substantially aligned. One way to align the bearings is through the use of an alignment tube 246 (Figures 4F-4G). In a desired embodiment, the bearings can be aligned so that the vertical axis defined by Yi is parallel to the axis defined by Y2 to within 0.1 degrees and the vertical axis defined by Y3 is perpendicular to the horizontal axis defined by Xi within 0.1 ° .

Figures 4A-4E show a male casting of ASF 10 attached to the fitting. In particular, Figure 4C shows that the threaded rod 219 is loosened so that the hook 220 is pulled closer to the alignment plate 224. This allows the clamp assembly 218 to be lowered into the opening 32 of the work piece. male casting 10. The threaded rod 219 is then adjusted. Specifically, and as shown in Figures 4D-4E, the threaded rod 219 must be adjusted so that the hook 220 and the anterior opening surface 54 are in contact with each other and so that the outer spacer 226 and the surface of Rear perforation 70 are in contact with each other.

An illustrative embodiment of the semi-automatic reconditioning technique for the ASF male articulated casting part will now be described. Figure 5 illustrates a flow diagram of a preferred method embodiment. As shown in 552, the male cast part of the ASF 10 articulated connector is prepared for reconditioning. This preparation is similar to that of the modalities previously described above. In general, however, dirt, grease, lubrication residue, and other contamination must be removed from the bottom of the male bearing surface of the casting prior to the restoration procedure. Preferably, this is done through burning and / or turning (ie, grinding). Burrs are then removed from the inner and outer diameters of the lower bearing surface. The fitting 800 is mounted 553 to the casting part 10 and the casting part 10 is preheated 555 to 148.88 ° -260 ° C (300 ° -500 ° F).

The welding operation can then proceed as in 552 in order to add weld metal to portions of the lower bearing surface 33 of the male casting. Referring to Figures 14-16, in a preferred embodiment, an automatic welding device 818 is applied to the accessory shaft 814 of the accessory 800 to reconstruct the lower bearing surface with welding. An illustrative welding device includes an AutoBoreWelder supplied by Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems, Inc. of Newberg, Obregón. Of course, a number of other welding devices can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The welding device 818 includes a torch assembly 820 and a drill welding assembly 822. The torch assembly 820 includes a torch nozzle 824 and a spindle 826 for attachment to the drill weld assembly 822. The spindle 826 is a component of a radial face torch. Although any suitable radial face can be used, in a preferred embodiment the radial face torch is a Bortech Radial Face Torch Assembly model A1035 provided by Boretech Corporation of Keene, NIL.

The drill welding assembly 822 includes a control unit 828 and a solder coating head 830. The control unit 828 starts and stops the welding process. It includes a control unit shaft 832 extending upward from the control unit, a welding cam 834 located on the control unit shaft, and a roller switch 836 which, as explained further below, is coupled by the welding cam 834 as it rotates on the control unit shaft 832 when the welding device 818 is in operation. Referring to Figures 16 and 17, the welding cam 834 includes a series of small brakes 838 so that when an 838 passes the roller switch 836, the roller switch 836 will no longer be engaged so that the nozzle Torch 824 will stop your welding operation. However, the welding device 818 will continue to rotate due to the continued operation of the solder coating head 830. When a portion of the solder cam 834 that does not have a brake 838 is coupled to the roller switch 836, the welding will restart. This allows intermittent, automatic welding of the lower bearing surface of the male casting. Although in a preferred embodiment there are six brakes equally spaced along the circumference of the welding cam that allows each one 15 degrees of welding interruption, in other embodiments a different amount of welding may be used. brakes, or none at all.

The weld coating head 830 controls the rotation and movement of the welding device 818. It is coupled with the control unit shaft 832 and, when the welding device is ready for use, the welding coating head is able to rotate 360 degrees during the welding operation.

The drill welding assembly 822 also includes a connecting beam assembly 840 which at one end 822 is fixed to the coating head and at the other end 844 is connected to the control unit 828, which forms a connection between the shaft accessory 814 of the welding attachment and the connecting beam assembly 840.

To perform the welding operation 554, the welding fitting 800 is fixed to the male casting piece 10 so that the leading end 28 of the male casting piece 10 is oriented to the supporting plate 802. The knobs 810 located on the side arms 808 and the support plate 802 can then be rotated so that their respective screws 812 are engaged with the male casting to secure the welding attachment 800 to the casting piece 10. Remarkably, as the screws 812, the pickup plate 806 will further engage the inner surface of the front surface 54 of the male casting part opening.

The control unit 828 is fixed to the accessory shaft 814 of the welding accessory and the torch assembly 820 passes through the cut-out 816 on the base plate 804 from the underside of the casting part 10. The spindle 826 of the torch assembly 820 is then connected to the drill welding assembly 822. Referring to Figure 18, the torch assembly 820 is adjusted so that the torch nozzle 824 is positioned along an outer portion 824 of the lower bearing surface 33 of the male casting piece 10. Alternatively, the torch nozzle 824 can be placed in an inner portion of the lower bearing surface 33 of the male casting part 10.

The welding cam 834 must be rotated so that one of the brakes 838 is placed towards the rear surface 70 of the opening. The male casting should be preheated as described above and maintained at 148.88 ° -260 ° C (300 ° -500 ° F) throughout the welding process. This is achieved through the use of an insulating layer or an equivalent medium. The male casting part 10 is reheated as required in order to maintain the appropriate temperature. By actuating the control unit 828, for example, with a push button, the welding process can then begin. The welding device will begin to apply the weld on an outer portion of the lower bearing surface and, as the rotation continues, the torch nozzle will rotate inwardly along the lower bearing surface in a direction against the clockwise as observed from the top of the casting. Typically, the torch nozzle will make between 10 to 12 passes or revolutions around the bearing surface lower to apply a welding layer. Typically, 4-8 welding layers can be expected to "rebuild" the lower bearing surface, although the actual number may vary depending on the amount of wear and the desired thickness of the weld. In addition, preferably the gas used with the welding device will be either 100% C02 or a composition of 75% AR 25% C02, although other compositions known to those skilled in the art may be used.

As noted above, the presence of the welding cam 834 will cause an interrupted welding pattern to form on the lower bearing surface. The roller switch 838 of the control unit will be disengaged when a brake 838 on the welding cam passes over it. This will cause the torch nozzle 824 to stop the "welding" until the welding cam again operates the roller switch. In a preferred embodiment, and as shown in Figure 19, the welding pattern will be approximately 45 degrees of the weld material 848 followed by approximately 15 degrees of null weld 850. When the automatic welding operation is completed, the amount of welding can be measured with a Calibrator to determine if the welding formation is satisfactory. If the quantity is considered insufficient, the previous process can be repeated, with the number of layers applied adjusted accordingly.

The welding device can then be removed from the welding attachment. The areas on the lower bearing surface that do not have any welding then can be "filled" manually with welding. When using the same type of gas, the manually applied welding can be added in the areas 850 that remain free of welding after the automatic welding process. These areas are mixed with the automatically applied welding so that the entire lower bearing surface has been formed for the turning operation as described below. Notably, the automatic application of the welding material reduces the time it takes for an operator to weld the lower bearing surface. In addition, because this operation allows the weld to be applied from below the casting, it also limits any prolonged, difficult handling required by the operator, and does not require investment of the wagon or casting to perform the welding operation.

After the lower bearing surface has had the weld applied, it should be allowed to slowly cool 557 before proceeding with the turning operation. Desirably, although the welding attachment is still mounted to the casting, the casting will have an insulating box 852, insulating layers, and / or equivalent means applied thereto (Figure 20) to control the cooling rate of the part. of casting. The insulating box is a two-piece box whose exterior is made of metal sheet. The insulating box facilitates the cooling of the casting piece in a measured way. Otherwise, if the casting cools too quickly, the welding material may crack or develop other surface faults. The insulating box includes a pair of doors 854 located opposite. The doors 854 may be fully open or completely closed to control the exposure of the casting to ambient air during cooling. In addition, any of the portions of the casting that remain exposed, such as due to the presence of any of the cutouts in the insulating box 852, may be wrapped in an insulating layer 858.

Once the casting part has cooled and the insulating box, layers and accessory have been removed, the casting part is mounted 556 and aligned 558 in the turning attachment 200 so that the turning operation 560 can be performed. described above, this may include coating, grinding or milling, among other suitable operations, in order to remove excess solder to a specified dimension. Referring to Figures 6-10, in this semi-automatic method of the present invention, a drill rod assembly 400, coating head assembly 500, and coating head feeding control 600 are used. drill rod 400 drives the drill head assembly 500, which includes a turning tool 502 (Figure 11), while the feed control 600 indicates the axial feed of the turning tool as welding material is removed from the lower bearing surface 33 of the male portion 10 of the casting part, and indicates the adjustment of the feed speed of the turning tool 502 during the turning process. In a preferred embodiment, the head assembly of Coating 500, drill rod assembly 400 and coating head feed control 600 are manufactured by Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems, Inc. of Newberg, Oregon. Of course, other drill rod and coating head assemblies and / or coating head feeding controls may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 6, the drill rod assembly 400 includes an axial feed assembly 402, a rotary drive assembly 404, spindle 406, drill rod 408, a plurality of clamp collars 410a-c and a clamp ring 412. As further explained to Next, the drill rod assembly 400 is fixed to the fitting by inserting the drill rod 408 into the bearing in the first opening 206 of the upper plate 202. Remarkably, the axial feed assembly 402 indicates the adjustment and movement of the the drill rod 408 in a vertical direction through its engagement with the spindle 406. The rotary drive assembly 404 includes a motor 405 and a rotary drive unit 407 which together drive and indicate rotation of the drill rod 408. In addition to the turning tool 502, the coating head assembly 500 includes a coating head 504, and a vehicle the coating head 506. As described below, the coating head assembly 500 is connected to the drill rod 408 and thus rotates when the drill rod 408 is being driven. by the rotary impeller assembly 404. The coating head assembly 500 retains the turning tool 502 that turns the lower bearing surface 33 of the casting part 10. The coating head feeding control 600 is in mechanical contact with the lining head assembly 500 and controls the feed rate, i.e., the speed at which the cutting tool moves or "feeds" in an inward direction along the lower bearing surface as it is removed the welding material. It includes a feed adjustment 602 and clutch wheel 604. Clutch wheel 604 secures the feed adjustment 602 in place. When the clutch wheel 604 is loosened, the feed adjustment 602 can be adjusted to change the feed speed of the turning tool 502.

To perform the turning operation, nothing is attached to the drill rod assembly 400 on the fixture 200 applied to the casting part 10. As part of the drill rod assembly 400, clamps 410a and 410b are secured to the drill rod. perforation 408 to prevent drill rod 408 from coming out of axial feed assembly 402 and rotating drive unit 407 when the drill rod assembly 400 is replaced. Drill rod 408 is inserted into the first bearing 238 in the upper plate 202, completely through the first opening 206 and completely through the male casting piece opening 32. However, it should be left space on the second bearing 240 in the lower plate 204 sufficient to place the coating head assembly 500 up on the drill rod 408. Then following the coating head assembly is a clamp collar 508a, the feed control coating head 600, and another clamp collar 508b. After that, the end 414 of the drill rod 408 is placed through the second bearing 240 until the drill rod assembly clamp ring 412 covers the first bearing 238. The clamp ring 412 is then secured on the first bearing 238, such as through the use of a push button latch, spring loaded.

The turning tool 502 is also positioned by first determining the lowest point of the material on the lower bearing surface 33 to be turned. As shown in Figure 9, the gauge rod 232 is positioned such that a primary flat side 232a (Figure 10) is horizontal through the support rods 228. Then, such as through the use of a measurement of scale or tape, the location of the lowest point from the flat side 232 of the gauge rod is evaluated for the material that requires turning on the lower bearing surface 33. Other methods may also apply.

The turning tool 502 is placed in the tool support vehicle 506 and secured. As noted above, the tool can be a similar coating or cutting tool to facilitate the removal of welding material. The head assembly of liner 500 is slid up onto drill rod 408 until tip 502a of cutting tool 502 is placed near the lowest location of solder material on lower bearing surface 33, preferably within 0.63 cm (1 / 4 inches). The liner head assembly 500 is securely fastened to the drill rod 408. The clamp neck 508a is slid in direct contact with the underside 501 of the liner head assembly 500 and is fastened to the drill rod 408 The coating head feeding control 600 is loosely placed against the holding collar 508. Another holding collar 508b slides upwardly in direct contact with the lower side 606 of the coating head feeding control 600 and is securely attached to drill rod 408.

The rest of the configuration indicates "fine tuning". The tolerances given below are illustrative, and other tolerances may be used depending on turning requirements. The axial feed 402 includes a crank 416 that can be manually engaged to move the drill rod 408 upwardly so that the tip 502a of the tool 502 is within approximately 0.07 cm (0.030 inches) of a point below the material of the area that is going to turn. Crank 416 thereafter is coupled down by approximately half turn or 0.012 inch. The coating head also includes a pair of vehicle control knobs 508, one of which may be coupled to place the outer end 506a of the tool support vehicle 506 at a desired distance from the end 503 of the coating head. The tool support vehicle 506 is secured in place so that it does not move. In a preferred embodiment, a pin and brake configuration can be used so that the vehicle control knob "secures" the tool support vehicle 506 in place.

The coating head assembly 500 and turning tool 502 are rotated towards the rear of the casting when coupling the rotary drive system 404, such as through a push button (not shown). Once the coating head assembly 500 is in position, the rotary drive system 404 is decoupled. The crank 416 of the axial feed 402 is then engaged by approximately one full turn so that the drill rod 408 moves upwardly. approximately 0.254 cm (0.100 inches) towards the area to be turned. The clamp 410c is then secured and the crank 416 is uncoupled from the axial feed 402. In a preferred embodiment, the crank has pins that engage with brakes associated with axial feed, so that when the pins are uncoupled the axial feed is secured instead. Once ready to begin actual turning, the drill rod 408 is engaged by depressing the push button, resulting in the rotary movement of the coating head assembly 500. If the above properties are incorporated, they will be removed approximately 0.050 cm ( 0.020 inches) of the material from the surface of lower bearing. However, as noted above, this embodiment is illustrative, and other properties may be used so that a greater or lesser amount of material is removed.

Advantageously, an operator can monitor the turning process without having to perform it, which as described above may require the operator to grind the lower bearing surface from below the casting, or also require the casting piece to be inverted ( and potentially the car). Each of these techniques requires large amounts of time and are undesirable because the above requires prolonged handling, difficult for the operator while the latter requires the handling of large equipment (casting and / or wagon). In addition, articulated connectors are not suitable for such removal of the wagon since they are integrated into the wagon and such repair would be inefficient, slow, and expensive.

In a preferred embodiment, during turning it is desirable to feed the tool holder and the vehicle 506 inwardly along the lower bearing surface approximately 0.025 cm (0.010 inches) per revolution of the turning tool 502. The feeding adjustment can be made by loosening the clutch wheel 604 and rotating the feed adjustment 602 in the proper direction. In this embodiment, the counter-clockwise rotation of the power setting 602 decreases the power, while the clockwise rotation of the power setting increases the power.

If the feed is unknown, a slower initial property can be used until desired feed is achieved, at which time the clutch wheel 604 can be re-secured.

In addition, metal fragments 700 (Figure 9) created by the turning process may need to be removed during the turning process. One way to achieve fragment removal is through the use of a low pressure hose to blow out the fragments.

Once the turning is complete, the equipment can be decoupled to determine if the desired casting dimension has been achieved, ie, the casting is subjected to rating 562. In a preferred embodiment, this will occur after one pass. along a lower bearing surface by cutting tool 502. However, in most cases, more than one pass will be necessary. The upper clamp neck 410c on the upper part of the drill rod 408 is loosened and the crank 416 moves the drill rod 408 downward so that the cutting tool moves in a downward direction away from the lower bearing surface . As such, the coating head assembly 500 is moved so that it is not in the way during qualification. The gauge rod 232 is placed on the various support rods 228 so that the primary plane side 232a is vertical. In a preferred embodiment, if the gauge rod 232 can slide under the turned casting surface and the space between the gauge rod and the turned surface is within 0.15 cm (1/16 inch), then the desired dimension has been achieved. Additionally, it may be desirable to cause the cumulative total of the non-turned areas of the lower bearing surface to be no greater than about 2.54 cm (1 inch) in diameter. If these tolerances are not met, the process described above can be repeated, except that the drill rod crank 416 can rotate further to raise the liner head assembly 500 towards the lower bearing surface so that additional material is removed. Upon completion of turning, sharp edges of the lower bearing surface are ground with a radius of approximately 0.15 cm-0.31 cm (1/16"-1/8") and the remaining weld formation is mixed with the workpiece surfaces. existing castings. The restored surface is then checked for defects.

Reconditioning through the Use of Wear Plates This alternative method does not require the application of a forming weld followed by grinding, as described above. Referring to Figure 12, instead of this a wear plate 900 can be mechanically welded or secured to a wear surface 901 of the male casting that has been turned or frosted flat using processes like those noted above. The wear surface will be prepared as described above (for example, turning, grinding, burrs are removed, etc.) so that it is ready to have a wear plate welded to it. By way of example, as for the lower bearing surface 33, the same lower bearing surface will act as the surface to which the wear plate is welded.

The wear plate may include a substrate layer 904 and a welded layer 902 (shown exaggeratedly in Figures 12, 12A, and 12B). The substrate layer 904 is typically made of a weldable material and is the layer that is welded for attachment to the lower bearing surface 33. A suitable material is a weldable steel substrate, while in other embodiments, A low carbon or low strength alloy steel can be used. The welded layer 902 acts in place of the forming welding material previously described. The surface 906 of the welded layer will come into contact with the spherical ring surface 25 when the male casting part 10 is inserted into the female casting 12. Before fixing a wear plate, the lower bearing surface can be turned using the techniques described above until the desired casting dimension is achieved, which can be determined by measuring the casting piece with a gauge. Preferably, the solder layer 902 of the solder plate 900 is made of chromium carbide, although other suitable materials such as hard solder may be used. Other options for wear plate include, without limitation, box or flame hardened wear plates that have other treatments of resistant surface. Wear plates made entirely from materials such as those observed for the substrate layer are also an option. The wear plate could also be composed of stainless steel.

Accordingly, the casting can be reconditioned at a faster speed since the welding does not have to be formed. Rather, the wear plate only needs to be fixed to the prepared wear surface. Notably, this method can also be used to recondition the lower bearing surface 3000 of the female casting. Many alternative embodiments of the wear plate described herein are envisaged. For example, the opening 950 in the wear plate 900 may be concentric to the outer edge 952 of the wear plate 900 as shown in Figure 21. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 22, the opening 950 in the plate wear 900 may have a displacement, or non-concentric relationship with the outer edge 952 of the wear plate 900. In another alternative embodiment, the outer edge 952 of the wear plate 900 is not circular, rather it has cutting portions. Other forms are also foreseen.

Of course, a person skilled in the art will realize that the machines, accessories, tools and gauges used in the above embodiment of the reconditioning method are illustrative only and there are many alternatives. The examples illustrated here are not intended to be restrictive. In addition, although the pieces of ASF male castings, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the methods and equipment described herein can easily be adapted to be applied to other types of male castings, such as, for example, from National Castings, as well as to female castings. If the methods are applied here to female castings 12, the lower bearing surface (or spherical ring) 3000 can be reconditioned in this way.

Claims (1)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS 1 .- A method for reconditioning sem -automatically an articulated wagon connector comprising a male portion including parent casting material, the method comprising: applying solder material to a male portion of an articulated connector; mounting a housing defining an interior space to the male portion, the male connector within the interior space; center and stabilize the attachment laterally on the male portion; inserting a clamping mechanism fixed to the housing within a male connector opening to secure the housing to the male portion; securing the clamping mechanism to a surface of the male portion; and automatically turning at least a portion of the weld and / or parent casting material. 2 - . 2 - The method according to claim 1, further characterized by additionally comprising: determining whether a desired turning dimension has been achieved. 3. - The method according to claim 2, further characterized in that it further comprises: placing a calibrator within a predetermined distance of the welding material so that the calibrator encompasses the interior space; and slide the gauge through the portion of the welding material and determine if the Welding material or parent casting material is within a predetermined distance from the calibrator. 4 - . 4 - The method according to claim 2, further characterized by additionally comprising: automatically turning a portion of the welding material a second time. 5. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the steps of the method are performed while the male portion of the articulated connector is connected to a car. 6. - The method according to claim 5, further characterized in that the wagon is in a vertical position. 7. - The method according to claim 5, further characterized in that the wagon is not inverted during the steps of the method. 8. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the step of centering the accessory is made using flanges and a guide. 9. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of automatically rotating at least a portion of the parent melting material of the male portion. 10. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that the step of applying welding material further comprises: attaching a welding attachment to the male portion; automatically apply welding material to at least a portion of a lower bearing surface of the male portion. eleven . The method according to claim 10, further characterized in that applying welding material to at least a portion of a lower bearing surface of the male portion further comprises forming an interrupted welding pattern on the lower bearing surface. 12. The method according to claim 10, further characterized in that applying welding material to at least a portion of a lower bearing surface of the male portion further comprises forming an uninterrupted welding pattern on the lower bearing surface. 13. - The method according to claim 11, further characterized in that it further comprises forming an interrupted welding pattern on the lower bearing surface comprising 45 degrees of welding alternating with 15 degrees of zero welding. 14. The method according to claim 10, further characterized in that the step of applying welding material to at least a portion of the lower bearing surface of the male portion is carried out by means of an automatic welding device. 15. - The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of preheating the male portion before the welding step. 16. - The method according to claim 15, further characterized in that the pre-heating step is performed by applying an induction heating cable to the male portion. 17. - The method according to claim 16, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of providing insulating material between the surface of the male portion and the induction heating cable. 18. - The method according to claim 16, further characterized in that the induction heating cable is wound in oval shapes. 19. - A method for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated wagon connector, comprising: attaching a welding attachment to a male portion of an articulated connector; automatically applying welding material with a welding device to at least a portion of a lower bearing surface of the male portion; allow the male portion to cool; remove the male portion of the welding attachment; joining a turning attachment to the male portion; and turning at least a portion of the welding material. 20. - The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that it further comprises determining whether a desired turning dimension has been achieved. 21. - The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that it determines whether a dimension of Further desired turning comprises: placing a gauge within the housing and at a predetermined distance from a lower bearing surface of the male portion; and sliding the gauge through the lower bearing surface to determine if the welding material is within a predetermined distance of the gauge. 22 -. 22 - The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that applying welding material to at least a portion of the lower bearing surface of the male portion further comprises forming an interrupted welding pattern on the lower bearing surface. 23. The method according to claim 22, further characterized in that it additionally comprises forming an interrupted welding pattern on the lower bearing surface of 45 degree welding areas alternating with areas of 15 degrees of zero welding. 24. The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that applying welding material to at least a portion of a lower bearing surface of the male portion further comprises forming an uninterrupted welding pattern on the lower bearing surface. 25. - The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that the welding step is performed by an automatic welding assembly having a welding cam including at least one brake, the welding cam capable of being coupled to a switch to cause a welding torch to turn on and off. 26. - The method according to claim 19, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of preheating a surface of the male portion before the welding step. 27. - A method for semi-automatically reconditioning a wagon connector, comprising: attaching a welding accessory to a male connector; joining a welding device to the welding attachment; placing a torch nozzle of the welding device along an outer portion of the lower bearing surface of the male connector; and forming an intermittent welding pattern along the lower bearing surface. 28. - The method according to claim 27, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of pre-heating a surface of the male portion before the welding step. 29. - The method according to claim 27, further characterized in that it additionally comprises placing an insulating material around the male connector while it is attached to the welding fitting to the male connector. 30. The method according to claim 27, further characterized in that forming a welding pattern further comprises forming an interrupted welding pattern on the lower bearing surface of 45 degrees of welding alternating with 15 degrees of zero welding. 31. - The method according to claim 27, further characterized in that forming an intermittent welding pattern further comprises automatically applying in the range of 4 to 8 layers of welding material to the lower bearing surface. 32 -. 32 - The method according to claim 28, further characterized in that the uninterrupted welding pattern is formed on the lower bearing surface. 33 -. 33 - The method according to claim 29, further characterized in that the insulating material is an insulating box. 34. - A method for semi-automatically reconditioning a wagon connector, comprising: attaching a welding accessory to a male connector; joining a welding device to the welding attachment; placing a torch nozzle of the welding device along an inner portion of a lower bearing surface of the male connector; and forming a welding pattern along the lower bearing surface. 35. - An apparatus for measuring a portion on an articulated connector relative to a reference portion of said connector, said apparatus comprises: a base that can be fixed mountable to said connector against said reference portion of said connector; and an arm rotatably mounted to said base and which may extend toward said portion of said connector; said arm has a measurement portion, said measurement portion can be moved through at least one station of said portion of said connector, and a rotating component connected to a piece of mounting. 36. - The apparatus according to claim 35, further characterized in that the rotating component has a first side and a second side and can be mounted to the mounting part with either the first side facing upwards or the second side facing upwards. 37. - The apparatus according to claim 36, further characterized in that the first side measures whether more welding material should be added to the surface of the connector. 38. - The apparatus according to claim 37, further characterized in that the second side measures whether welding material should be removed from the surface of the connector. 39. - The apparatus according to claim 35, further characterized in that said base that can be further fixed comprises a screw mechanism connected to a support end, said screw mechanism adapted to drive said support end against said reference portion. 40. - The apparatus according to claim 35, further characterized in that said base that can be fixed further comprises a clamping mechanism for coupling to an inner portion of said connector. 41. - The apparatus according to claim 39, further characterized in that said screw mechanism and supporting end can be mounted within a bore of said connector. 42. - The apparatus according to claim 41, further characterized in that said base that can be fixed complements the shape of said perforation of said connector. 43. - A method for reconditioning a wagon connector, comprising: turning a portion of a casting piece to create a wear plate application surface; place a wear plate on the wear plate application surface; and weld the wear plate to the wear plate application surface. 44. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that turning a portion of a casting piece to create a wear plate application surface further comprises turning a portion of an infenor bearing surface of a male portion of an articulated connector . 45. The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that welding the wear plate to the application surface further comprises: determining whether the male portion has achieved a desired turning dimension after application of the wear plate. 46. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that welding the wear plate to the application surface further comprises welding a substrate layer of the wear plate to the application surface. 47. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate includes a layer made of chromium carbide. 48. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate includes a layer made of a weldable steel substrate. 49. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate includes a layer made of stainless steel. 50. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate is generally circular and includes an opening that is generally concentric with an outer edge of the wear plate. 51. The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate is generally circular and includes an opening that is generally non-concentric with an outer edge of the wear plate. 52. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate is a non-circular shape. 53. - The method according to claim 52, further characterized in that the wear plate includes a generally circular opening defined therein. 54 -. 54 - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate substantially coincides in the form of a lower bearing surface of a male portion of an articulated connector. 55. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the wear plate application surface is on a female portion of an articulated connector. 56. - The method according to claim 43, further characterized in that the turning step is automatic. 57. - A wear plate for reconditioning a surface of an articulated connector, the wear plate has at least one opening there defined and comprises at least one layer of substrate connected to a welded layer. 58. - The wear plate in accordance with the claim 57, further characterized in that the wear plate is generally circular. 59. - The wear plate in accordance with the claim 58, further characterized in that the opening is generally concentric with an outer edge of the wear plate. 60. - The wear plate according to claim 58, further characterized in that the opening is generally non-concentric with an outer edge of the wear plate. 61 - The wear plate according to claim 57, further characterized in that the wear plate is a non-circular shape. 62. - The wear plate according to claim 61, further characterized in that the opening is generally circular. 63 -. 63 - The wear plate according to claim 57, further characterized in that the welded layer is composed of chromium carbide. 64. - A method for reconditioning a wagon connector, comprising: turning a portion of a casting piece to create a wear plate application surface; place a wear plate on the wear plate application surface; and mechanically fasten the wear plate to the wear plate application surface. 65. - A turning attachment for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated connector comprising: a housing having at least two side walls, an upper plate having a first opening connecting the side walls, and a lower plate connecting the side walls, the side walls, upper plate, and lower plate defining an interior space; a clamping mechanism attached to at least one of the side walls, the clamping mechanism comprises a curved hook portion, the curved hook portion being laterally adjustable. 66 -. 66 - The accessory according to claim 65, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a calibrator that can be removably placed inside the interior space. 67 -. 67 - The accessory according to claim 65, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a driving rod placed inside the interior space and through the first opening of the upper plate; a rotary drive system electrically connected to the driving rod to automatically drive the driving rod; and a turning mechanism connected to and rotatably driven by the driving rod, the turning mechanism includes a cutting tool. 68. - The accessory according to claim 66, further characterized in that the rotary drive system further comprises a crank mechanism connected to the driving rod for manually adjusting the driving rod. 69. - The accessory according to claim 65, further characterized in that it additionally comprises: a housing having a bearing in relative alignment on and under the opening of a male portion of an articulated connector; and a power control electrically connected to the turning mechanism to control the feed speed of the turning mechanism. 70. - The accessory according to claim 65, further characterized in that the lower plate further comprises a second opening for coupling with the driving rod. 71 - The accessory according to claim 65, further characterized in that the hook includes a portion for coupling a front surface of an opening surface of a male portion of an articulated connector; a means incorporated within a housing that allows alignment of a drill rod in perpendicular alignment with a lower bearing surface; and at least one plate, wherein an outer portion of the at least one plate is for coupling a rear portion of an opening of a male portion of an articulated connector. 72. - The accessory according to claim 65, further characterized in that the cutting tool is a coating tool. 73. An assembly for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated connector comprising: a welding attachment including an accessory shaft extending upwards from the welding attachment and a plurality of clamps for securing the welding attachment to a casting part male; a welding device that includes: a torch nozzle assembly for applying welding material; a control unit for providing the flow of welding material to the torch nozzle; an opening for attachment to the accessory shaft; and a welding cam having at least one brake; wherein an interrupted welding pattern is formed on the lower bearing surface of the male casting when the welding cam engages with the control unit. 74. - The accessory according to claim 73, further characterized in that the welding cam includes at least six brakes. 75. - The accessory according to claim 73, further characterized in that the welding accessory further comprises a base plate, the base plate includes a pick-up plate extending downwardly at an angle relative to the base plate for coupling with a perforation of the male casting. 76. - The accessory according to claim 75, further characterized in that the pick-up plate is angled down to approximately 54 degrees relative to a plane substantially perpendicular to the base plate. 77. An assembly for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated connector comprising: a welding attachment including an accessory shaft extending upwards from the welding attachment and a plurality of clamps for securing the welding attachment to a casting part male; a welding device that includes: a torch nozzle assembly for applying welding material; a control unit for providing the flow of welding material to the torch nozzle; an opening for attachment to the accessory shaft; and a welding cam; wherein an uninterrupted welding pattern is formed on the lower bearing surface of the male casting when the welding cam engages with the control unit. 78. - A method for reconditioning an articulated wagon connector, the method comprises the steps of: marking a surface of a portion of an articulated connector to divide the surface into sections; pre-heating the surface of a portion of an articulated connector; adding solder to a first section of the pre-heated portion of the articulated connector; and adding solder to a second section of the preheated portion of the articulated connector. 79. - The method according to claim 78, further characterized in that the portion of the articulated connector is a lower bearing surface of a male portion of the articulated connector. 80. - The method according to claim 79, further characterized in that the sections are wedge-shaped sections. 81. - The method according to claim 80, further characterized in that the surface is divided into eight sections. 82. - The method according to claim 81, further characterized in that the welding is added to six of the eight sections leaving two opposite sections without welding. 83. - The method according to claim 82, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the step of turning the welded sections. 84. - The method according to claim 83, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the step of welding the two remaining non-welded sections. 85. - The method according to claim 84, further characterized in that it additionally comprises the turning step the two remaining sections. 86. The method according to claim 85, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of allowing the articulated connector portion to cool to room temperature. 87 -. 87. The method according to claim 86, further characterized in that said step of allowing the articulated connector portion to cool is performed with the articulated connector portion covered in insulating material. 88. - The method according to claim 87, further characterized in that the insulating material is an insulating box. 89. The method according to claim 80, further characterized in that welding is added starting at an outer edge of the lower bearing surface and is applied radially moving inwardly to an opening in the lower bearing surface. 90. - The method according to claim 86, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of measuring the lower bearing surface to re-qualify the portion of the articulated connector. 91. - The method according to claim 78, further characterized in that the pre-heating step is performed by applying an induction heating cable to the male portion. 92. - The method according to claim 91, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of provide insulating material between the surface of the male portion and the induction heating cable. 93. - The method according to claim 91, further characterized in that the induction heating cable is wound in oval shapes. 94. - The method according to claim 78, further characterized in that the portion of the articulated connector is a male portion. 95. - A method for reconditioning a lower bearing surface of a male portion of an articulated connector, the method comprising the steps of: adding welding to the lower bearing surface one occupant at a time; turning the welded sections; and allow the welded sections to cool. 96. - The method according to claim 95, further characterized in that it further comprises the step of measuring the lower bearing surface to re-qualify the male portion of the articulated connector.