Articulated assembly of two links, and associated removal chain

Abstract

Disclosed is an articulated assembly of two links for a ballast removal chain, a first of the two links comprising a single-piece member having two flanges which are parallel to one another and each of which has a through-hole, a second of the two links comprising a single-piece member comprising a guide flange that is inserted between the two parallel flanges of the first link, the guide flange being penetrated by a guide hole, the articulated assembly further comprising a hinge pin that is inserted into the guide hole and the through-hole in each of the two parallel flanges. The guide hole is reinforced by a bushing designed to receive the hinge pin and rotatingly guide the hinge pin relative to the single-piece member of the second link. The through-hole in one of the two parallel flanges comprises a flat portion cooperating with a flat section of the hinge pin so as to prevent the hinge pin from rotating relative to the single-piece member of the first link.

1 . An articulated assembly of two links for an excavation chain of a ballast excavation device comprising:
 a first of the two links comprising: a single-piece body having two flanges which are in parallel with one another and with a reference plane of the articulated assembly, and through each of which a through-hole passes which is aligned with a geometric articulation axis of the articulated assembly, perpendicular to the reference plane, and the second of the two links comprising: a single-piece body comprising a guide flange that is inserted between the two parallel flanges of the first of the two links, a guide hole passing through the guide flange, which guide hole is aligned with the geometric articulation axis, the articulated assembly further comprising a hinge pin that is inserted into the guide hole and the through-hole in each of the two parallel flanges wherein the guide hole of the articulated assembly is reinforced by a bushing designed to receive the hinge pin and to guide the hinge pin so as to rotate relative to the single-piece body of the second link; and   the through-hole of one or the other of the two parallel flanges, referred to as the flange for preventing the rotation of the hinge pin, comprises a flat portion cooperating with a flat region of the hinge pin so as to prevent the hinge pin from rotating relative to the single-piece body of the first link.   
     
     
         2 . The articulated assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flat portion and the flat region are located in a plane in parallel with the geometric articulation axis. 
     
     
         3 . The articulated assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the one or other of the two flanges, in parallel with the first of the two links, referred to as the flange for preventing translation of the hinge pin, comprises a translation prevention interface which is designed to receive a means for preventing translation of the hinge pin in at least one direction in parallel with the geometric articulation axis. 
     
     
         4 . The articulated assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the translation prevention interface and the means for preventing translation of the hinge pin do not prevent the rotation of the hinge pin about the geometric articulation axis. 
     
     
         5 . The articulated assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the translation prevention interface is an annular groove inside the hole through the flange for preventing translation of the hinge pin. 
     
     
         6 . The articulated assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the means for preventing translation comprises an inner resilient ring that has quadrilateral, axial cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The articulated assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the flange for preventing translation of the hinge pin is separate from the flange for preventing rotation of the hinge pin. 
     
     
         8 . The articulated assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first of the two links has a separate second geometric articulation axis, perpendicular to the reference plane, the flat portion of the through-hole being oriented so as to be contained in a plane that is located between the geometric articulation axis of the articulated assembly and the separate second geometric articulation axis, perpendicular to a plane containing the two geometric articulation axes. 
     
     
         9 . The articulated assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the body of each of the two links is made of cast steel, the flat portion of the through-hole of one of the two flanges in parallel with the first of the two links being formed together with the body of the associated link, so as not to be machined. 
     
     
         10 . The articulated assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge pin comprises, on one of the two ends thereof, an anchoring interface, to allow it to be grasped by a tool in order to be manipulated. 
     
     
         11 . An excavation chain having an excavation portion for a device for excavation of ballast under a railroad, the excavation chain comprising a succession of chain links which are connected in pairs by an assembly, so as to form an endless chain. 
     
     
         12 . The excavation chain of  claim 11 , wherein the chain is formed by an alternating succession of links forming the first link of an assembly with each of the two adjacent links, and links forming a second link of an assembly with its two adjacent links. 
     
     
         13 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The articulated assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the anchoring interface is a threaded hole that is coaxial with the geometric articulation axis. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled)