US1588801A - Ballast-removing machine - Google Patents

Description

Jun 15 1926.

E. OVERMIER BALLAST REMOVING MACHINE 192 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 5

fmmons averm/lsr 192 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 15 1926.

' E. OVERMIER BALLAST REMOVING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 5

aw q 85 rl'ufentov June 15 1926.

E. OVERMIER BALLAST REMOVING MACHINE Emma/15 0Vc=rm [er Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT ounce.

EMIMONS OVERMIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MAINTENANCE EQUIP- MENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BALLAST-REMOVING MACHINE.

Application filed November 3, 1924, Serial No. 747,537. Renewed January 11, 1926.

This invention relates to a ballast removing machine, or an' apparatus for skeletonizing a section of railway track, that is, digging the ballast or other material from between the ties and removing it to the sides of the track. More particularly, the invention relates to a self-contained, portable ap-' paratus, movable along the track for performing this ballast removing operation.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a new and improved machine of this type, which is largely automatic in. operation, and easily controlled.

Another object is to provide a'portable 15 machine of. this type, comprising a single power plant and connections therefrom for moving the car from place to place and operating and feeding the diggers in all desired directions. y

A further object is to provide such an apparatus which will first remove the material from between the ends of the ties, and from beneath the rails, and will then remove the material from between the rails, this mate-" rial being thrown out through the excavations previously made at the ends of the ties. I c

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this type comprising two similar oooperating units, each removing the material from one half of the trackway toward either side thereof, the two unitsbeing so mounted and timed that they may operate simultaneously without interfering with one another.

A further object is to provide an apparatus that will simultaneously remove the material from a plurality of adjacent cribs or spaces between adjacent ties.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for ultimately depositing all of the excavated material at one side 'of the track.

The above, and numerous other objects and advantages of this-invention will be ap- 5 parent from the following detailed description of one approved form of apparatus involving the principles of this invention.

, In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationof the complete apparatus in position upon a section of railway track.

Fig. 2 is an end tus on a somewhat larger scale, looking from the left at Fig. 1.

elevation of the appara- Fig. 3 is a detail elevation on a still larger scale of the outside digger, for example, the one at the right of Fig. 2, indicating different operative positions of the digger.

Fig. 4 is a partial horizontal section through a portion of the apparatus, the view being taken substantially on the line 4-4 H of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of one of the outside diggers, showing a modified form adapted to simultaneously excavate two adjacent cribs.

. The car 1 which carries the apparatus hereinafter described, is mounted at its ends on wheels 2, adapted to travel on the rails 3 supported in theusual manner on ties -1-. The platform 5 at one end of the car supports the engine or power plant 6 for driving the car and the digging mechanism. This engine may be of any suitable type being preferably an internal combustion engine as here shown. The car 1 is driven from place to place by means of a train of gearing, comprising a sprocket chain 7 connecting the sprocket wheel 8 on engine shaft 9, with a sprocket 10 on longitudinal drive shaft 11 beneath the car, shaft 11 being connected through suitable drive gearing (not shown) with the rear wheels 20f the car.

sprocket lt'on drive shaft '11 beneath the car. Gears 8 and 13 are normally loose on engine shaft 9, and may be alternatively clutched thereto by means of the intermediate clutch 15. The main engine clutch for disconnecting the power, is indicated at 16.

The forward portion of car 1 comprises a base 17, and a superstructure 18, built up of suitable metal beams, in which superstructure the digging mechanism' is mounted. This digging apparatus consists of two separate substantially identical units, each one operating to excavate one-half of the roadway, that is, from the center line of the trackway to one end of the ties. A driving crank 19 for one of these units is mounted at one side of superstructure 18 near one end thereof, and is rotated in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2, from engine shaft 9 throughsprocket chain 20 engaging about sprocket 21 on the shaft 22 of crank 19.

. driving A similar crank arm 23, for driving the other digging unit, is mounted on shaft 24 at the other side and end of superstructure 18, and is driven continuously in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2, from engine shaft 9, through intermeshing spur gears 25 and 26, shaft 27 extending transversely through the upper central portion of superstructure 18, sprocket 28, sprocket chain 29, and sprocket 30, mounted on the crank shaft 24. It will be noted that through the trains of gearing just described, cranks 19 and 23 will be simultaneously rotated at the same speed but in opposite directions.

The excavating unit shown principally in the right ha'nol half of Fig. 2 will firstbe described, it being understood that the unit shown on the left is substantially iden tical therewith, such differences as exist being pointed out hereinafter.

The excavating imit comprises an outer digger 31, adapted to remove the material from between the end portions of a pair of adjacent ties 4, and from beneath the rail 3, and an inner digger 32adapted to 'remove the material from the center line of the track, or slightly beyond this center line, out to the rail 3. Each digger 31 or 32 comprises a plurality of scoops or spades 33, which are adapted to move in looped or elliptical paths, as indicated in dotted lines in the drawings, so as to first dig down into the ballast, then move outwardly substantially horizontally to throw the material towards the side of the track, then move up and back over their former paths to repeat the operation. The cribs or spaces 34 between adjacent ties 4 vary considerably in width in the ordinary roadbed, and the spades, 33 are preferably madesufiiciently narrow to operate in practically any of these cribs.

The outer digger 31 is mounted so as to slide in'a direction perpendicular to rails 3, upon rods or slideways 35 in' supporting frame or carriage 36. The reason for the sliding movement of digger 31 on rods 35 will be explained hereinafter, but for the present, we may consider the digger 31 as substantially fixed upon the rods 35 and moving backwardly and forwardly with the carriage 36.

A pair of bell crank members 38 are centrally pivoted at 39 upon a cross shaft 40 mounted in suitable bearings 41 at the top of the upper portion 37 0f superstructure 18. One lower corner 42 of the'triangular bell-crank member 38 is connected through links 43 with nuts 44 movable along threaded shafts 45 which are suitably mounted in superstructure 1,8. A second pair of bell crank members 46, similar to the bell cranks 38, are similarly mounted upon the upper frame members 37, and the lower corners 47 thereof are connected through links 48 with the lower corners 42 of the bell cranks 38. Both sets of bell cranks 38 and 46 will be normally fixed in position, but may be swung about their pivots 40 and 49 by a movement of nuts 44 longitudinally of threaded shafts 45. A cross shaft 50 connects the corresponding upper inner ends 51 of hell cranks 46, and the upper corners 52 of a swinging framework of trestle-like construction, comprising side bars 53 and inner cross bars 54, are pivotally suspended on shaft 50. A similar swinging framework 55 is pivotally hung from the inner upper ends 56 of bell cranks 38.

A casting or frame 57 comprises parallel side bars 58 and 59, pivoted at their ends 60, on a shaft 61, mounted inears 62 on the upper side of frame or carriage 36. The other ends of bars 58 and 59 are pivoted at 63 to the lower corners 64 of swinging frame 55. A 'pair of levers 65, intermediately pivoted at 66 to the central portion of bars 58'and 59, are pivoted at their upper outer ends 67 to the lower corners 68 of swinging frame 53, and are pivoted at their inner lower ends to short links 69 connected with ears 70 near the upper inner ends of carriage 36. A connecting vrod or pitman 71 is mounted at one end on crank pin 72 of crank arm 23, and at the other end is rigidly connected with the outwardly projecting extension 73 of casting or frame 57. It will be noted that as crank arm 23 is rotated continuously in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the pitman 71 will be moved back and forth lengthwise of the ties 4, and will also swing intermediately about the pivotal connections with the lower ends 64 of swinging frame 55 so that the outer ends 60 of the pitman will rise and fall, raising and lowering the carriage 36,

as it is swung backwardly and forwardly. The structures 58, 59 and 65, 65 constitute a lazy tongs'alternately expanded and contracted to lower and raise the digger as it is oscillated. This will cause the carriage 36, and consequently the digger 31 suspended therefrom, to move through a looped or elliptical path as indicated in dotted lines in the drawings. The function of the second swinging frame 53, and the links 65, is to impart a similar parallel motion to the other end of carriage 36, the carriage remaining substantially parallel with the ground at all times. The short links 69 are to compensate for the varying distances between the lower ends of levers 58, 59 and 65, as carriage 36 is raised and lowered by the swinging movement of the operating pitman 71 about the pivots 63.

A quite similar mechanism is provided for suspending and operating the inner digger 32. The pair of swinging frames 73 and 74 are suspended from pairs of bell crank members 75 and 76, similar to bell crank 46 and 38, respectively, which are connected to operate in unison by links 77, and whose positions are controlled by the nuts 78 movable along threaded shafts 79. An operatingipitman member 80, similar in construction to the members 71 and 57 previously described, is pivoted at one end to the crank pin 72, intermediately pivoted at 81, to the lower end of swinging frame 74, and pivoted at its other end 82 to the ears 83 at one upper end of digger 32. The lower corners of swingingframe 73 are pivoted at 84 to the upper ends of links orlevers 85, centrally pivoted at 86 to intermediate portions of member 80, and pivoted at their other ends 87 to short link 88 pivoted to ears '89 at the other upper end of digger 32. In

the same manner as described in connection with digger 31, the pitman 80 will be reciprocated longitudinally of ties 4 by the rotation of crank23, and will simultaneously rock about the pivots 81 to raise and lower thelever ends 82, thus moving the digger 32 through its looped or elliptical path As before, the swinging frame 73 and levers 85 act in conjunction with swinging frame 74, and lever 80 to maintain the digger 32 parallel with the ground at all times. It will be noted that the inner and outer diggers 32 and 31 are simultaneously operated thrbugh their respective paths by the same crank arm 23. a

A drive shaft 90 is mounted in the uppe portion of superstructure 18, this shaft being driven slowly in one direction from power plant 6 through sprocket chain drive 91, or more rapidly in the opposite direction through sprocket chain drive 92. The

sprocket wheels 93 and 94 which are nor mally loose on shaft may be alternativel clutched thereto by means of the intermediate clutch mechanism 95 controlled by hand lever 96, thus determining the direction and speed of rotation of shaft 90. Threaded shafts 45 are connected with shaft 90, through sprocket gearing 97 controlled by clutch mechanism 98, and threaded shafts 79 are similarly driven from shaft 90 through sprocket gearing 99 controlled by clutch mechanism 100. During the excavating operation, clutch control lever 96 will be thrown to the left, ,Fig. 2, so that shaft 90 will be slowly driven in one direction, and clutch 98 will be thrown to operative position to cause threaded shaft 45 to'be rotated, and nut 44 to be moved toward the right, Fig. 2. This will gradually lower the ends 56 and 51 of bell cranks 38 and 46 respectively, thus gradually lowering the carriage 36 and digger 31 as they are moving through their elliptical orbits. Similarly digger 32 may be lowered by throwing in the clutch 100. Both diggers may be much more rapidly elevated by throwing the clutch lever 96 toward the right Fig. 2, thus driving shaft 90 in the opposite direction at a higher speed through sprocket gearing 92.

Referring now more particularly to Fig.3, it will be noted that when outer digger 31 is at its extreme upper position, just prior to the beginning of the excavating operation, its orbit of travel will necessarily be entirely outside of andbeyond the rail 3. This position of the parts is indicated in solid lines in this figure. However, it is desirable that as this digger 31 is lowered during the excavating process, it be-moved back beneath rail 3.to remove the material located between ties 4 and underneath the rail. The position of digger 31 at this time is indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3. It is for thisreason that the digger 31 is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement upon the rods 35 in carriage 36. A bell crank 101 is centrally pivoted on shaft 61 previously described, one end of the bell-crank 102 being connected by link 103 with the slidable digger 31, and the other end 104 of the bell crank being pivoted to the lower end of an' upwardly extending link 105. The upper end of link 105 is pivoted to one arm 106 ofa bell crank 107; centrally pivoted at 108, in a bracket 109., permanently fixed in the superstructure 18. The other arm 110 of the bell crank 107 is connected by link 111 with the shaft 112, connecting the arms 56 of bell cranks 38. It will be seen from Fig. 3 that when put 44 is at the lefthand end of its travel on threaded shaft 45,

and the digger 31 and its suspending mechaward swingingniovement of bel cranks 38 and 46, the movements simultaneously imparted to the system of links and levers 111, 107,105, 101, and 103, will gradually move the digger mechanism 31 toward the left along the slide rods 35, so that the orbit of travel of this digger will project under the rail 3 when the digger 31 has been lowered sufficiently to make this possible without striking the, rail. Obviously, the digger will again be moved outwardly along the slide 35, when the digger is elevated to its original position after the excavating process has been completed.

The outer and inner diggers 113 and 114 at the left-hand side of the apparatus as seen in Fig. 2, are exactly similar to the diggers 31 and 32 previously described, and are suspended and operated in the same manner.

The pitmen 115 and 116 for. these diggers 113 and 114, are connected reach to or slightly over the center line of the track, without interfering with one another. The same drive shaft 90 serves to actuate the adjusting mechanism for the supporting bell cranks of both sets of diggers.

In operation, we will assume that the engine 6 is operating and that car 1 has been driven to the desired position above one of the cribs 34 between ties 4, by means of the driving mechanism including sprocket drive 7. The drive mechanism for the sevoral diggers is now thrown into gear, and these diggers will commence to travel through their elliptical orbits, without, however, coming in contact with the ballast between the ties, since the diggers are now at their extreme upper adjustment so as not to contact with the material to be excavated. Clutches 98 are now thrown into gear to actuate the lowering mechanism for one or both of the outer, diggers 31 and 113. These diggers will now be gradually lowered so that the material between the outer ends of ties 4 will be dug out and thrown beyond the outer side of the trackway. As these diggers are lowered, their orbit Swill gradually be moved back beneath the rails 3, to remove the ballast or other material from beneath the rails. When this excavating operation is completed, the lowering of the outer diggers may be discontinued by throwing out the clutches 98. Clutches 100 may now be selectively thrown into gear to lower one or both of the inner diggers 32 and 114. The material within the crib from the center line of the track to the rails 3, is now dug up by these inner diggers and thrown into the excavation previously made by the outer diggers 31 and 113. The outer diggers being still in operation will throw this material on beyond the ties of the track.

Since the spades 33 on the diggers cannot be made the full width of the cribs, due to the uneven spacing of ties 4, and hence the variable widths of these cribs, it is desirable to slowly move the car 1 longitudinally along the track while the diggers are within one of the cribs, to cause the digging operation to cover the entire Width of the crib.

\ It is for this purpose that the slow speed drive 12, heretofore described, is provided between engine 6 and the driving mechanism 11 of car 1. Of course, the engine 6 will be provided with a reversing gear, so that car 1 may be driven in either direction along the track, and by means of this reversing weasel gear and the slow speed drive 12, the diggers 33 may be moved back and forth across the width of a crib to entirely remove the material from between the ties.

When the excavation of a crib has been completed, the direction of rotation of shaft 90 is reversed by throwing over the lever 96, and all of the diggers are quickly elevated, so that the car 1 may be moved along the track to a new position over the next crib from which the ballast is to be removed.

The diggers might be made multiple in form, so as to simultaneously operate upon two or more adjacent cribs. One example of such a construction is indicated in Fig. 5. The frame or carriage 117, is adjustable along the slide rods 35 in the same manner as the upper portion of digger 31 in Fig. 2. At each side of carriage 117, diggers 118 and 119, each of which corresponds to the digger 31 previously described, are mounted on transverse slide rods 120, the positions of the diggers being adjusted laterally by screws 121 provided with hand wheels 122, and meshing within nuts 123 at the outer ends of rods 120, and connected at their inner ends with ears 124 on the diggers 118 and 119. The operationwill be the same as previously described, except that two adj acent cribs 34 will be excavated at the same time. By suitably manipulating the hand wheels 122, the relative positions of the diggers 118 and 119 may be adapted to the particular spacing and shape of the ties 4 and cribs 34 therebetween. Obviously the inner diggers may be constructed in an exactly similar manner.

It is often desirable, for one reason or another, to have all of the excavated material or ballast at one side of the track. For this purpose, a swinging derrick mechanism, indicated generally at 125, is mounted on car 1, this mechanism comprising a lifting bucket 126, and hoisting mechanism 127,

"which may be operated in the usual manner from engine 6, whereby the material thrown out at one side of the trackway by the digging mechanism, may be picked up by buck et 126, swung over to the other side of the track, and dumped there along with the material thrown out at that side by the other set of diggers. Furthermore, a part or all of the excavated material may be picked up in bucket 126 and deposited in a car or other vehicle for removing same from that location. 1

- I claim:

1. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car and means supported thereon for diga car and means supported thereon for digging up the material between adjacent ties and removing the same from the space between said ties..

3. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car and means supported thereon and operating on the road bed surface between ties for digging up the material between adjacent ties and moving the same in a direction parallel to the ties to a place beyond the ends of the ties.

4. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car and means supported thereon and operating on the road bed surface between ties for digging up the material between adjacent ties and moving the same under one of the rails and to a place beyond the ends of the ties.

5. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car and means supported thereon and operating in opposite directions from the center of the track for digging up material between adjacent ties and moving the same outwardly beyond the ends of the ties.

6. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of va railway track comprising a car and means supported thereon and operating in opposite directions from the center of the track for digging up material between adjacent ties and moving the same under the rails and outwardly beyond the ties. Y

7. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car and means supportedthereon for excavating the material between a pair of adjacent ties and under the, rail bearing thereon.

8.. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railwaytrack comprising a car and means supported thereon and operating on the road bed surface between ties for excavating the material between a pair of adjacent ties and under the rail bearing thereon and moving said material outwardly beyond the ends of the ties.

9. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car and means supported thereon for excavating the material between a pair of adjacent ties and under the rail bearing thereon and moving said material outwardly beyond the ends of the ties, and means for".

digging up the material-within the rails and moving the same outwardly in the space be: tween said ties.

10. Apparatusfor removing ballast from' the road bed of a railway track comprising a car, a digger supported thereon extending transversely of the ties and arranged 'to operate in the space between adjacent ties,

transversely of the ties and arranged to operate in the space between adjacent ties,

means for moving said digger over a path parallel to said ties to dig up and carry material from the center portion of the track toward the ends of the ties, and means for progressively lowering the digger as the excavation of material proceeds.

12. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car, a digger suported thereon extending transversely of the ties and arranged to operate in the space between the adjacent ties, and means for moving said digger in an elongated orbit parallel to the tles to dig up and carry material from the center portion of the track toward the ends of the ties.

13. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car, a digger supported thereon extending transversely of the ties and arranged tov operate in the space between the adjacent ties, means for moving said digger in an elongated orbit parallel to the ties to dig up and carry material from the center portion of the track toward the ends of the ties, and means for progressively lowering the digger as the excavation of material proceeds.

14. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car, a pair of diggers supported there: on extending transversely of the ties and arranged to operate in the space between adjacent ties, one of said diggers being between the rails and the other outside of one of the rails, and means for moving said dig' gers 0 er paths parallel to the ties.

I 15. pparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car, a pair of diggers supported thereon extending transversely of the ties and arranged to operate in the space between adjacent ties, one of said diggers being between the rails' and the. other outside of one of the rails, and means for moving said diggers over paths parallel to the ties, one of said diggers being adapted toiexcavate material from underneath a rail.

16. Apparatus for removing ballast from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car, a digger arranged to operate between 18. An apparatus for removing materialfrom between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, a digger mounted on the car, means on the car for operating the digger in the space between a pair of ties in an elongated orbit so that it will move downwardly between the ties, outwardly toward the ends of the ties, then upwardly and inwardly, means for feeding the digger downwardly to gradually lower its orbit of travel, and means foradjusting the digger longitudinally of the ties as it moves downwardly, to carry the orbit of travel beneath a rail.

19. An apparatus for removing the material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, a pair of diggers mounted on the car and operable in the space between a pair of ties, one digger operating between the rails, and the other operating under one rail and in the space between this rail and the end of the ties, and means on the car for operating the diggers.

20. An apparatus for removing the material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, two pairs of diggers mounted on the car and operating in the space between a pair ofties, one digger of each pair digging etween the rails and, toward one of the rails, and the other digging under this rail and toward the ends of the ties, and means on the car for operating the diggers.

21. An apparatus for removing the material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, two pairs of diggers mounted on the car and operating in the space between a pair of ties, one digger of each pair digging between the rails and toward one of the rails, and the other digging under this rail and toward the ends of the ties, a power operating means on the car, and connections between this operating means and each pair of diggers so that the diggers may all operate simultaneously but in such timed relation that both inner diggers are not at their innermost position at the same time.

22. An apparatus for removing the material from between the ties of a railway track, comprisin a car movable along the track, a pair 0 diggers. mounted on the aosasoa car and operable in the space between a pair of ties, one digger operating between the rails and the other operating in the space between one rail and the ends of the ties, means for adjusting the diggers downwardly, and means for causing the outer digger to operate beneath the rail as its working zone is moved downwardly.

23. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, a pair of digging mechanisms mounted on the car and adapted to operate between the ties to dig up the material and remove it from the space between the ties, one for each half of the road-bed, an engine carried by the car, and operating connections between the engine and each digging mechanism, whereby either mechanism can be operated independently of the other, or both can be operated simultaneously. I

24. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, digging mechanism mounted on the car and adapted to operate between the ties, an engine carried by the car, and driving connections operated from the engine for operating the digging mechanism and for feeding same downwardly, progressively, as the excavation proceeds and for raising the same when the excavation is completed.

'25. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, a plurality of diggers mounted on the car and adapted to operate in the space between a pair of ties, an engine carried by the car, means for simultaneously operating all of the diggers from the engine, means for separately adjusting each digger up and down, a drive shaft operated from the engine, and separately controllable connections between this shaft and eatjl digger adjusting mechanism.

26. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, a plurality of diggers mounted on the car and adapted to operate in the space between a pair of ties, an engine carried by the car, means for simultaneously operating all of the diggers from the engine, means for separately adjusting each digger up and down, a drive shaft adapted to be driven from the engine rapidly in one direction or slowly in the other direction, and separately controllable connections between this shaft and each of the digger adjusting mechanisms.

27. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a portable supporting frame, a rotary crank carried in the frame, means for rotating the crank, a pair of swinging frames pivoted in spaced relation in the upper portion of the frame, means for simultaneously adjusting the frames up and down, a digger, a pitman pivoted at one end to the crank, pivoted intermediately to one of the swinging frames, and pivoted at itsother end to the digger, and lever connections between the other swinging frame, the pitman and the digger whereby the digger remains substantially parallel with the ground throughout its swinging movements.

28. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a portable supporting frame, a rotary crank carried. in the frame, means for rotating the crank, a pair of swinging frames pivoted in spaced relation in the upper portion of the frame, means for simultaneously adjusting the frames u and down, a pitman pivoted at oneend to the crank, and intermediately to one of the swinging frames, a lever pivoted to the other swinging frame at'one end and intermediately to the pitman, a carriage sus- .pended from the remaining ends of the lever and pitman, and a' digger mounted on thecarriage.

29. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a portable supporting frame, a rotary crank carried in the frame, means for rotating the crank, a pair of swinging frames pivoted in spaced relation in the upper portion of the frame, means for simultaneously adjusting the frames up and down, a pitman pivoted at one end to the crank, and intermediately to one of the swinging frames, a lever pivoted to the other swinging frame at one end and intermediately to the pitman, a carriage suspended from the remaining ends of the lever and pitman, guides on the carriage, a digger mounted on the guides, and a system of levers and links connecting the digger with the adjusting mechanism of the swinging frames, whereby the digger is moved along the guides as the carriage is raised and low ered.

30. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties .of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, an engine on the car, a frame structure on the car, a plurality of bell-cranks pivoted in the upper portion of the frame, a plurality of cranks mounted in the lower portion of the frame and operable from the engine, a swinging frame suspended from each bellcrank, a plurality of pitmen, each pitman being connected at one end with a crank, and near the other end with a pair of the swinging frames, a plurality of diggers,

each digger being suspended from a portion of a pitman and a pair of the swinging frames, and mechanism operated from the engine for selectively swinging the bellcranks about their pivots.

3-1. An apparatus forremoving material from'between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along the track, an engine on the car, a frame structure on the car, a pair of bell-cranks pivoted in the upper portion of the frame, a crank mounted in the lower portion of the frame and-operated from the engine, a swinging frame suspended from each bell-crank, a pitman pivoted at one end to thecrank and interme- 7 diately to one of the swinging frames, a lever pivoted at one end to the other swinging frame and intermediately to the pitman, a digger suspended from the remaining ends of the pitman and lever, and mechanism operated from'the engine for swinging the bell-cranks about their pivots.

32. An apparatus for removing material from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car movable along the track, two digging mechanisms mounted on the car, one for removing material from between a pair of ties in the space between the rails, and the other for removing the material from the space under the rail and between the projecting ends of the ties, and power means mounted on the car for, operating the' digging mechanisms.

33. An apparatus for removing material from the roadbed of a railway track comprising a car movable along the track, two digging mechanisms mounted on the car, one

for removing material from between a pair .ed on the car, and'connections between the power means and the digging mechanisms, whereby these mechanisms may be operated 1 either individually or simultaneously.

, 34. An apparatus for removing material from the road bed of a railway track comprising a car movable along the track, and a pair of'similar diggin mechanisms mounted on the car for removing the material from between a pair of ties, each mechanism operating in one-half of the roadbed and comprising two diggers, one operating between the railsand'the other under a rail and be- 118 tween the projecting ends of the ties.

35. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a'lazy-tongs structure for supporting the digger, and means for oscillating the digger for alternately expanding 120 and contracting the lazy-tongs.

36. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a lazy-tongs structure pivoted at its upper end for supporting the digger, and means for. simultaneously swinging the lazy-tongs about their pivot and alternately expanding and contracting the same, to move the digger over a closed curved path.

' 37. In excavating apparatus, the combination with a digger, of a hanger pivoted at 1 re: weasel its upper end for supporting the digger, and means for simultaneously swinging the hanger about its pivotal support and elongating or contracting the hanger to produce a movement of the digger over'a closed curved path.

38. In excavating apparatus, the com bination with a digger, a hanger pivoted at its upper end for supporting the digger, means for simultaneously swinging the hanger about its pivotal support, and elongating or contracting the hanger to produce a movement of. the digger over a closed curved path, and means for progressively lowering the pivotal support for the hanger as the excavating proceeds.

39. In excavating apparatus, the combination with a digger, a hanger pivoted at its upper end for supporting the digger, means for simultaneously swinging the hanger about its pivotal support, and elongating or contracting the hanger to produce a movement of the digger 0\ er a closed curved path, means for progressively lowering the pivotal support for the hanger as the excavating proceeds, and driving mechanism for producing the oscillating movement of the hanger and the lowering movement of the pivotal support.

. t0. In excavating apparatus, the combina tion of a digger, a rocking support on which said digger is mounted for oscillatory move ments, and means for rocking said support so as to lower the digger as the excavation proceeds.

41. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a rocking support from which the digger is suspended for oscillatory movements, a screw and a nut on the screw for producing gradual pivotal movements of the support to lower the digger, and mechanism for driving the screw and imparting oscillatory movements to the digger.

42. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a carriage on which the digger is movably arranged, means for giving oscillatory movements to the carriage, and mechanism for lowering the carriage and simultaneously moving the digger on said carriage.

43. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a lever to which said digger is attached, an oscillating structure on which said lever is fulcrumed, and means for giving rocking and longitudinal movements to the lever in opposite directions so as to cause the digger to move over a closed path.

44. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a lever to which said digger is attached, an oscillating structure on which said lever is fulcrumed, means for giving rocking and longitudinal movements to the lever in opposite directions so as to cause the digger to move over a closed path, a rocking support for said oscillatory structure, and means for rocking said support to lower the digger as the excavation proceeds.

(l5. In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a pair of levers pivoted together for supporting said digger, swinging structures to which said levers are pivoted, a pitman constituting an extension of one of said levers, and a crank to which said pitman is pivoted. I

46 In excavating apparatus, the combination of a digger, a pair of levers pivoted together with the lower extremities of which said digger is connected to allow angular movement as between said levers, swinging structures to which the. levers are connected above their connection with each other, a pitman constituting an extension of one of said levers beyond the connection thereof with the swinging structure, and a crank to which the extremity of the pitman is attached.

l7. In excavating apparatus,- the combination of a digger, a pair of levers pivoted together with the lower extremities of which said digger is connected to allow angular movement as between said levers, swinging structures to which the levers are connected above their connection with each other, a pitman constituting an extension of one of said levers beyond the connection thereof with the swinging structure, a crank to which the extremity of the pitman is attached, bell cranks on which said swinging structures are suspended, driving mechanism for the pitman, and mechanism operated thereby for rocking the bell cranks to lower the digger as the excavation proceeds.

48. In excavating apparatus, a pair of diggers, means for moving said diggers in closed, curved, overlapping paths over which the diggers move away from each other while digging and toward each other on the return parts of their movements, and means for supporting the diggers so that they reach the overlapping part of their paths at diflferent times.

49. In excavating apparatus, two diggers, means for moving said diggers in curved, closed paths, over which the diggers move in the same direction during their digging operations, and means for shifting one of said diggers during the excavatingoperation so that its path is moved toward the path of the other digger.

50. In excavating apparatus, twodiggers, means for moving said diggers in curved, closed paths, over which the diggers move in the same direction during their digging operations, means for shifting one of said diggers during the excavating operation so that its path is moved toward the'path of the other digger, and means for gradually lowering said diggers as the excavation proceeds.

51. In excavating apparatus, a pair of digt ll gers, means for moving said diggers in closed, curved paths over which the diggers move away from each other during theirdigging operations, a pair of diggers in line with and outside of the first named diggers, and means ior moving said outside diggers in curved paths in irections away from the other dlggers, during their digging operations.

52. In excavating apparatus, a pair of diggers, means for moving said diggers closed, curved paths over which the diggers move away from each other during their digging operations, a pair of diggers in line with and outside of the first named diggers, means for moving said outside diggers in curved paths in directions away from the other diggers, during their digging operations, and means for radually shifting the outer pair of diggers inwardly so that their paths of movement approach the paths of movement of the inner pair.

53. In excavating apparatus, a pair of diggers, means for movlng said diggers in closed, curved paths over which the diggers move away from each other during their digging operations, a pair of diggers in line with and outside of the first named diggers, means for movin said outside diggers in curved paths in irections away from the other diggers durin their digging operations, means for gra ually shiftmgfhe outer pair of diggers inwardly sothat t eir paths of movement approach the paths of movement of the inner pair, and means for gradually lowering the diggers as the excavation proceeds.

54. An apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along a track, digging means mounted on the car to move transversely of the track between a air of ties, and means for operating said igging means. x

" 55. An apparatus for removing material from'between the ties of a railway track,

comprising -a car movable along a track, digging units mounted on the car to move in opposite directions transversely of the track between a pair of ties, and means for operating said digging means.

56. In an apparatus for removing material from between the ties of a railway track, comprising a car movable along a railway track, a plurality of diggers operable in opposite directions in an elongated orbit between two adjacent ties, and means! for operating said digging means.

' EMMONS OVERMIER.

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