US 12,286,759 B2
Rail tie plate orienting and distribution system and method
Matthew L. Combs, Agency, MO (US); Jacob P. DiVilbiss, Kansas City, MO (US); Daniel L. Wilcoxson, Savannah, MO (US); and Alex Jensen, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Assigned to Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., St. Joseph, MO (US)
Filed by Herzog Railroad Services, Inc., St. Joseph, MO (US)
Filed on Jan. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/414,184.
Application 18/414,184 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/462,131, filed on Sep. 6, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/480,076, filed on Jan. 16, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/375,131, filed on Sep. 9, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0150969 A1, May 9, 2024
Int. Cl. E01B 9/40 (2006.01); E01B 9/02 (2006.01)
CPC E01B 9/40 (2013.01) [E01B 9/02 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for orienting rail tie plates to be distributed on or in close proximity to ties of a railroad track, wherein each of the rail tie plates has a gauge side end and a field side end and a pair of shoulders extending upward from and across a shoulder side surface of the rail tie plate transverse to a longitudinal axis of the rail tie plate, the method comprising the steps of:
singulating a plurality of randomly oriented rail tie plates into a conveyed stream of individual rail tie plates oriented longitudinally relative to a direction of conveyance and conveyed successively in the direction of conveyance including rail tie plates oriented right side up and rail tie plates oriented upside down;
conveying the rail tie plates successively through a tie plate flipping assembly flipping upside down rail tie plates into a right side up orientation while maintaining right side up rail tie plates in the right side up orientation; and
thereafter, scanning the right side up rail tie plates with a sensor in communication with a controller and, using the controller, determining a longitudinal orientation of each rail tie plate conveyed past the sensor relative to the direction of conveyance, and selectively rotating the rail tie plate a quarter turn.