System and method for placement of railroad tie plate

Abstract

A system includes a tie plate distribution system, a first diverter, and a second diverter. The tie plate distribution system includes a first end, a second end, and a sloped surface extending between the first end and the second end. The first diverter is located on the sloped surface between the first end and the second end. The first diverter is configured to rotate a tie plate around a first axis as the tie plate moves along the sloped surface. The second diverter is located on the sloped surface between the first diverter and the second end. The second diverter is configured to rotate the tie plate in a first direction, or a second direction opposite the first direction, around the first axis as the tie plate moves along the sloped surface.

1 . A system comprising:
 a tie plate distribution system including a first end, a second end, and a sloped surface extending between the first end and the second end;   a first diverter located on the sloped surface between the first end and the second end, the first diverter configured to rotate a tie plate around a first axis as the tie plate moves along the sloped surface; and   a second diverter located on the sloped surface between the first diverter and the second end, the second diverter configured to rotate the tie plate in a first direction, or a second direction opposite the first direction, around the first axis as the tie plate moves along the sloped surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a tie plate ejector positioned adjacent to the second end, the tie plate ejector configured to eject the tie plate in a predetermined orientation of a field side of the tie plate independent of an orientation of the tie plate when the tie plate is positioned in the tie plate ejector. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the tie plate ejector is configured to eject the field side of the tie plate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rail-mounted vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a tie plate magazine configured to hold a plurality of tie plates, and the tie plate is ejected into the tie plate magazine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a second sloped surface extending from the tie plate magazine to a location underneath the rail-mounted vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , including a third diverter and a hopper, the third diverter disposed along the sloped surface and configured to eject a first tie plate stacked on top of a second tie plate into the hopper. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein tie plate distribution system is cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the sloped surface is helically disposed about the tie plate distribution system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second diverter includes a first projection and a second projection, the first projection configured to engage an upper half of the tie plate, and the second projection configured to engage a lower half of the tie plate. 
     
     
         11 . A railroad tie plate placement system comprising:
 a rail-mounted vehicle having a bed having a maximum width;   a tie plate distribution system configured to deposit tie plates into a first end of a first tie plate magazine or a first end of a second tie plate magazine;   the first tie plate magazine attached to the rail-mounted vehicle at a first location within the bed maximum width, the first tie plate magazine extending vertically such that the first end of the first tie plate magazine is located near the bed and a second end of the first tie plate magazine is located below the bed;   the second tie plate magazine attached to the rail-mounted vehicle at a second location within the bed maximum width, the second tie plate magazine extending vertically such that the first end of the second tie plate magazine is located near the bed and a second end of the second tie plate magazine is located below the bed;   a first sloped surface connected to the second end of the first tie plate magazine and a second sloped surface connected to the second end of the second tie plate magazine, each of the first sloped surface and the second sloped surface having an end for dropping a respective tie plate onto a railroad bed, the ends positioned underneath the bed; and   the first tie plate magazine and the second tie plate magazine being capable of dropping the respective tie plate onto a railroad bed simultaneously.   
     
     
         12 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 11 , wherein the tie plate distribution system deposits the tie plate into the first tie plate magazine or the second tie plate magazine such that a field side of the tie plate is oriented in a direction away from the tie plate distribution system. 
     
     
         13 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 11 , wherein the tie plate distribution system is cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         14 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 11 , further comprising a third sloped surface helically disposed about the tie plate distribution system, and tie plates are moved along the third sloped surface. 
     
     
         15 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 11 , wherein the tie plate distribution system includes a first diverter and a second diverter, the first diverter configured to rotate the tie plate in a first direction about a first axis as the tie plate travels along the tie plate distribution system, the second diverter disposed downstream of the first diverter and configured to rotate the tie plate in the first direction, or a second direction opposite the first direction, as the tie plate travels along the tie plate distribution system. 
     
     
         16 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 15 , wherein the first diverter is disposed along the first sloped surface. 
     
     
         17 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 15 , wherein the second diverter includes a first projection and a second projection, the first projection configured to engage an upper half of the tie plate, and the second projection configured to engage a lower half of the tie plate. 
     
     
         18 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 15 , wherein the tie plate distribution system includes a third diverter, the third diverter configured to orient the tie plate in a predetermined orientation as the tie plate is ejected by the tie plate distribution system. 
     
     
         19 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 18 , wherein the third diverter orients the tie plate such that a field side of the tie plate is positioned in a location away from the third diverter. 
     
     
         20 . The railroad tie plate placement system of  claim 11 , further comprising a tie plate depositor configured to transfer a tie plate from the first tie plate magazine to the first sloped surface.