Cutting by use of rotating axially moving tool – Means to drive tool – Including means to move tool along tool-axis
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-22
2001-07-24
Tsai, Henry W. H. (Department: 3722)
Cutting by use of rotating axially moving tool
Means to drive tool
Including means to move tool along tool-axis
C408S712000, C082S105000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264407
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for drilling railroad rails and, more particularly, is concerned with a portable electric railroad rail drill apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical railroad track has a pair of elongated rails. The pair of rails receive wheels of train cars thereon. The rails are spaced laterally apart from one another and extend longitudinally and in substantially parallel relation to one another. Each rail has an upright configuration with a top portion, a base portion and an intermediate portion which extends between and interconnects the top portion and the base portion. The base portion is mounted to the ground. The wheels of train cars, particularly, rest on and roll along the top portion. Items, such as sensors, electrical cables, splices and the like, may be mounted to the rails.
Drill devices are employed to form holes in and through the intermediate portions of the rails. Fasteners are inserted through the holes to mount items, such as those mentioned above, to the rails. Railroad tracks are also laid in sections. Ends of adjacent track sections must be attached to one another. The rails of the adjacent track sections are arranged such that the holes of the intermediate portions of the rails are aligned so fasteners may be inserted through the aligned holes to secure the rails and thereby the ends of adjacent track sections to one another in the process of laying a track.
In the past, crews have used gasoline powered drill devices to form the holes in the intermediate portions of the rails. These drill devices generally consist of a gasoline engine, a mounting frame and a horizontal drill press. Problems exist, however, with these drill devices in that they are cumbersome, heavy and unreliable in cold weather. These problems impair the precision and ease of use of the drill devices.
A variety of drill devices have been developed over the years. Representative examples of drill devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,391,725 to Everett, U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,943 to Honl, U.S. Pat. No. 1,841,798 to Everett, U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,111 to Chandler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,376,524 to Talboys et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,908 to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,505 to Stougaard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,196 to Harrow et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,556 to Solko and U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,650 to McCourtney. While these prior art drill devices may be satisfactory in use for the specific purposes for which they were designed, many of them appear to have the same above-mentioned problems associated with gasoline powered drill devices.
Consequently, a need still exists for a drill apparatus which provides a solution to the aforementioned problems in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a portable electric railroad rail drill apparatus designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The portable electric railroad rail drill apparatus of the present invention is compact and lightweight. The portable electric railroad rail drill apparatus is generally more reliable than the prior art gasoline powered drill devices. The portable electric railroad rail drill apparatus is also more precise and easier to use than prior art drill devices.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a portable electric railroad rail drill apparatus which comprises: (a) an elongated main shaft having opposite first and second ends; (b) a support frame reciprocally mounted to the main shaft for movement therealong between the first and second ends of the main shaft; (c) an electric drill fixedly mounted to the support frame and reciprocally movable therewith along the main shaft; (d) means for mounting the main shaft at a location adjacent to the first end thereof to a railroad track rail such that the drill is disposed adjacent to the rail and movable along the main shaft toward and away from the rail and is operable for drilling a hole through the rail concurrently with movement toward the rail; (e) a handle; and (f) means for pivotally mounting the handle to the main shaft such that the handle can be pivotally moved between forward and rearward positions relative to the rail to cause movement of the support frame along the main shaft and thereby the drill toward and away from the rail for drilling the hole through the rail and removing the drill from the hole.
More particularly, the drill is disposed below the main shaft. The shaft mounting means includes a clamp mounted at the location adjacent to the first end of the main shaft. The clamp includes a pair of jaws. One jaw of the clamp is movable toward and away from the other jaw. The jaws receive the rail therebetween such that movement of the one jaw toward the other jaw tightens the jaws onto the rail and movement of the one jaw away from the other jaw loosens and allows removal of the jaws from the rail such that the clamp removably mounts the main shaft to the rail. The shaft mounting means also includes a wing nut rotatably mounted to the first end of the main shaft and movable toward and away from the jaws such that rotation of the wing nut in one direction moves the wing nut toward the jaws and thereby tightens the jaws and rotation of the wing nut in an opposite direction moves the wing nut away from the jaws and thereby loosens the jaws.
The handle also is convertable between a stored condition and an employed condition. The handle in the stored condition is mounted to the clamp and extends above and adjacent to the main shaft. The handle in the employed condition is pivotally mounted to the main shaft and extends upwardly therefrom. The handle has a base portion which is pivotally mounted to the main shaft and a main portion which removably fits with the base portion.
The apparatus further comprises a support leg convertable between a stored condition and a deployed condition. The support leg in the stored condition is mounted to the clamp and extends above and adjacent to the main shaft. The support leg in the deployed condition is mounted to the second end of the main shaft and extends in a substantially transverse relation thereto such that the support leg rests on the ground and supports and retains the second end of the main shaft above the ground.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1391725 (1921-09-01), Everett
patent: 1634943 (1927-07-01), Honl
patent: 1841798 (1932-01-01), Everett
patent: 2187111 (1940-01-01), Chandler
patent: 2376524 (1945-05-01), Talboys et al.
patent: 2887908 (1959-05-01), Miller
patent: 3068722 (1962-12-01), Carion
patent: 3706505 (1972-12-01), Stougaard
patent: 3945749 (1976-03-01), McIlrath
patent: 4268196 (1981-05-01), Harrow et al.
patent: 4753556 (1988-06-01), Solko
patent: 5203650 (1993-04-01), McCourtney
patent: 5244048 (1993-09-01), Moorhead, Sr.
patent: 5322397 (1994-06-01), Spear
patent: 5348428 (1994-09-01), Turner
Flanagan John K.
Flanagan John R.
Flanagan & Flanagan
Tsai Henry W. H.
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