BALLAST CLEANER Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: railway transport; permanent way; repair and reconditioning machinery. SUBSTANCE: proposed ballast cleaner has bearing frame resting on front and rear running bogies. The following devices are mounted on bearing frame according to sequence of ballast cleaning operations: raking member, at least one screen for ballast cleaning, and system of conveyors for transportation of contaminated ballast, cleaned ballast and litter. Raking member has transportation and idle chutes and discharge port, bar chain of constant length and track beam. Working member drive is made for displacement along guides relative to chutes and along longitudinal axis of machine. Track beam is made for discrete change of length by means of inserts. Contaminated ballast conveyor is made for possible connection with discharge port of raking member through gate. Raking member is provided with drive displacement devices in form of hydraulic cylinders. Idle chute of raking member is telescopic. Track beam includes inserts whose length is 0.4 - 0.6, 0.2-0.3 and further differing in steps of 0.1-0.015 from its initial length. Inserts proper are made of material, density within 2,50-2,94g/cm³. EFFECT: simplified design of machine, enlarged operating capabilities or raking member, reduced power consumption for its driving and cut down time taken for cleaning switches; provision of uniform wear of bar chain and inserts with possibility of prediction of service life of working member and machine as a whole. 5 cl, 4 dwg