Methods and apparatus for the manufacturing of prestressed reinforced concrete railroad ties and the like

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for the manufacturing of prestressed reinforced concrete railroad ties and the like in which the apparatus consists of an elongated spine or compression member which has no foundation but rather is independent of the supporting surface upon which it rests. In one version of the apparatus two bridge members confront the opposite ends of the spine and permanent tension resisting members pass beneath the spine from end to end of the spine and are attached to the lower ends of the bridge members. In another version two structural members are embedded in the concrete of the spine and protrude to provide terminal members.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Apparatus for use in the manufacturing of prestressed reinforced concrete railroad ties, comprising: 
 an elongated spine;    first and second terminal means respectively located adjacent the opposite ends of said spine;    a plurality of anchoring means each of which is adapted to be attached to one end of a reinforcing wire which passes through railroad tie molding means borne by said spine;    first and second collocating means for maintaining a first set of said anchoring means attached to said first terminal means in a predetermined array, and for maintaining a second set of said anchoring means attached to said second terminal means in a predetermine array;    said spine being capable of maintaining said first and second terminal means at a fixed distance from each other during the curing of concrete deposited in said railroad tie molding means.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which said spine rests upon a supporting surface and is unattached to said supporting surface.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which said spine is comprised at least in part of concrete, and said terminal means are projecting parts of structures embedded in the concrete of said spine.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  in which said spine is comprised at least in part of concrete, and said terminal means are projecting parts of structures embedded in the concrete of said spine.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which said terminal means bear against the ends of said spine and are interconnected by countertension means affixed to said terminal means at locations adjacent the ends thereof remote from said collocating means.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  in which said terminal means bear against the ends of said spine and are interconnected by countertension means affixed to said terminal means at locations adjacent the ends thereof remote from said collocating means.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which said spine is a single, unitary member composed substantially entirely of concrete.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  in which said spine is a single, unitary member composed substantially entirely of concrete.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which said spine is comprised of a plurality of modules, each of which modules is composed substantially entirely of concrete.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  in which said spine is comprised of a plurality of modules, each of which modules is composed substantially entirely of concrete.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which each of said anchoring means includes strain gauge carrying means and strain gauge means carried thereby.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  in which each of said anchoring means includes strain gauge carrying means and strain gauge means carried thereby.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising signal converting means for converting signals received from said strain gauge means into digital representations of the tensions measured by said strain gauge means, computer means, and printing means for printing tabulations of said tension measurements.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising signal converting means for converting signals received from said strain gauge means into digital representations of the tensions measured by said strain gauge means, computer means, and printing means for printing tabulations of said tension measurements.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  in which said collocating means comprise tensioning means for individually adjusting the tension in each reinforcing wire attached thereto.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  in which said collocating means comprise tensioning means for individually adjusting the tension in each reinforcing wire attached thereto.  
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing prestressed reinforced concrete railroad ties comprising the steps of: 
 fabricating an elongated spine resting upon a supporting surface and unattached to said supporting surface;    locating terminal means at the ends of said spine;    attaching reinforcing wire anchoring means to said terminal means;    emplacing railroad tie molding means upon said spine;    passing reinforcing wires through said molding means; and    attaching said reinforcing wires to said anchoring means.    
     
     
         18 . The method claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of: 
 deriving from strain gauge means incorporated in some of said anchoring means data signals representing the tensile stresses in corresponding individual ones of said reinforcing wires;    generating a document in which said tensile stresses are tabulated against identifiers which identify the corresponding ones of said reinforcing wires; and    supplying said documents to the purchasers of the corresponding ones of said railroad ties.