Rehabilitation of discarded wooden railroad ties having disabling cracks in the ends of the ties

Abstract

Apparatus and methodology by which used and discarded end cracked wooden railroad ties are reclaimed so as to close the end cracks allowing long term use of the reclaimed tie to support rails of a railroad.

1 . A method of repairing a used wooden railroad tie in salvage condition having at least one: disabling crack in an end of the tie comprising the acts of:
 applying compression to the disabling crack at the end of the tie to close the crack;   applying a retainer to the end of the tie to permanently hold the crack in a closed condition;   withdrawing the compression to accommodate later collectively placement of the tie and the retainer in use to support rails of a railroad.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the first applying act comprises extension of at least one automated cylinder. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the cracked end is transversely compressed between a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder and a fixed stop. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the second applying act comprises constraining the compressed end of the tie to retain the crack in its closed condition using a retainer selected from the group consisting of cup-shaped end caps, end cletes and circumferential bands. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the act of placing a filler material in the end crack prior to the applying compression act. 
   
   
       6 . In combination:
 a used wooden railroad tie in salvage condition having at least one disabling crack in at least one end of the tie;   at least one force applying mechanism for applying transverse force to the cracked end of the tie to temporarily close the crack;   at least one retainer for attachment to the cracked end of the tie to permanently hold the crack in a closed condition;   at least one mechanism for attaching the retainer to the cracked end of the tie;   
   
   
       7 . A combination according to  claim 6  wherein the used wooden tie comprises at least one disabling crack in each end of the tie, the at least one force applying mechanism comprises two force applying mechanisms one for closing each cracked end of the tie and the at least one retainer comprises two retainers one for each end of the tie. 
   
   
       8 . A combination according to  claim 7  wherein the at least one mechanism for attaching comprise two mechanisms for attaching one mechanism for each cracked end of the tie. 
   
   
       9 . A combination according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one force applying mechanism comprises at least one stop to engage one side of the cracked end of the tie and a two-way cylinder for engaging a second side of the cracked end of the tie. 
   
   
       10 . A combination according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one retainer is selected from the group consisting of cup-shaped end caps, end cletes and circumferential band fasteners. 
   
   
       11 . A combination according to  claim 6  wherein the at least one mechanism for attaching is selected from the group consisting of end cap applicators, clete applicators and band fastener applicators. 
   
   
       12 . A method of rehabilitating a used wooden railroad tie in salvage condition having at least one disabling crack in one or both ends comprising the acts of:
 forcibly temporarily closing all disabling end cracks in the tie;   applying a retainer to one or both ends of the tie with each disabling end crack temporarily closed to permanently close each disabling end crack;   removing the force which temporarily closed each disabling end crack.