Railroad rail support for a grinder

Abstract

A grinder support apparatus for supporting a grinder on a railroad rail. The apparatus comprises a support wheel adapted to roll on a top surface of the rail, and a frame having the support wheel connected thereto. The frame comprises a handle for a user to move the support wheel and frame along the rail and a support section for removably connecting the grinder to the frame. A grinding wheel of the grinder can contact a surface of the rail as the support wheel contacts the top surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A grinder support apparatus for supporting a grinder on a railroad rail, the apparatus comprising: 
 a support wheel adapted to roll on a top surface of the rail; and    a frame having the support wheel connected thereto, the frame comprising a handle for a user to move the support wheel and frame along the rail and a support section for removably connecting the grinder to the frame such that a grinding wheel of the grinder can contact the top surface of the rail as the support wheel contacts the top surface.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the support wheel is the sole support wheel for rolling on the rail.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the frame is adjustable to adjust a height of the handle.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the frame is configurable between a collapsed storage configuration and an expanded operational configuration.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as in  claim 1  wherein the support section comprises front and rear cross-beams with an open area between the cross-beams for a grinding wheel of the grinder to rotatably extend through.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as in  claim 5  wherein the cross-beams comprise connection areas for connecting the grinder to the frame at multiple different positions relative to the frame.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as in  claim 5  wherein the support section comprises a laterally offset side support beam connected between the front and rear cross-beams, a top surface of the side support beam forming a support for a portion of the grinder to seat thereon.  
     
     
         8 . A railroad rail grinding apparatus comprising: 
 a grinder having a rotatable grinding wheel; and    a support having the grinder connected thereto, the support comprising a frame having a handle and a support wheel connected to the frame,    wherein the apparatus is adapted to be supported by contact on a top surface of a railroad rail of only the support wheel and the grinding wheel on the top surface.    
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as in  claim 8  wherein the grinder comprises a hand-held grinder having handles and wherein the grinder is removably connected to the support.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as in  claim 9  wherein the grinder comprises a cover partially surrounding a grinding wheel of the grinder, and wherein the cover is connected to the support.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus as in  claim 8  wherein the frame is collapsible to a collapsed storage configuration from an expanded operational configuration.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus as in  claim 8  wherein the handle has an adjustable height relative to the support wheel and grinding wheel.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus as in  claim 8  wherein the frame comprises a lateral generally horizontal support beam having a frame of the grinder being supported on a top surface of the support beam.  
     
     
         14 . A grinder support device for supporting a grinder on a railroad rail, the grinder support device comprising: 
 a roller adapted to roll on the railroad rail; and    a frame connected to the roller, the frame comprising a handle and a connection section for removably connecting a hand-held grinder to the frame,    wherein the frame is collapsible from a first operational configuration to a second collapsed storage configuration.    
     
     
         15 . A grinder support device as in  claim 14  wherein the frame is adjustable to adjust a height of the handle.  
     
     
         16 . A grinder support device as in  claim 14  wherein the second collapsed storage configuration comprises a substantially flat side profile.  
     
     
         17 . A grinder support device as in  claim 14  wherein the connection section is adapted to removably connect the hand-held grinder to the frame at a plurality of positions on the frame.  
     
     
         18 . In a hand-held grinding apparatus having a drive section, a grinding wheel connected to the drive section, and a cover located over a portion of the grinding wheel, the improvement comprising: 
 the cover having at least one connection section for connecting the cover to a frame of a support for at least partially supporting the grinding apparatus on a railroad rail.    
     
     
         19 . A hand-held grinding apparatus as in  claim 18  wherein the cover has two of the connection sections, a first one of the connection sections extending from a front of the cover and a second one of the connection sections extending from a rear of the cover.  
     
     
         20 . A hand-held grinding apparatus as in  claim 19  wherein the first and second connection sections each comprise a flange with a fastener mounting hole extending through the flange.