Importance

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Abstract

A rail clip applicator for automatically positioning and installing spring clips into the shoudlers of rail ties for securing rails to the ties. A superstructure rolls along the track from tie to tie carrying a large supply of clips. The superstructure carries two carrier frames. Each carrier frame carries two applicator assemblies disposed on either side of a track rail. Each applicator assembly carries a clip magazine and a head assembly, the head assembly carrying a clip shuttle, a drive block, and a backup block. Clips are loaded into the magazine. From the magazine, clips are serially dispensed to a clip grasping means at the end of a clip shuttle arm. The arm extends to hole the clip in position for being driven into a tie shoulder. The backup block presses against the rear of the shoulder, and the drive block moves the clip from the clip graspign means into the shoulder. The applicator assemblies and head assemblies are moutned such that they automatically position themselves correctly with respect to the tie shoulders. Clips are positioned and installed substantially simultaneously into four shoulders.

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First Claim