Battery-Operated Portable Grinder for Railway Running Rails

Abstract

A dual-use battery-operated portable grinder is utilized for the railway industry, specifically for grinding the web of railroad rails post-welding. The battery-operated portable grinder can be employed in a hand-held configuration or seamlessly integrated with a quick-connect mechanism onto a specialized frame device, serving as both a support structure for the grinder and a means for reducing worker strain by eliminating the need for bending. The battery-operated portable grinder may include: battery-powered operation, a robust brushless motor, a built-in handle-incorporated base portion for safeguarding the motor from potential damage, a lightweight design, an anti-vibration handle to alleviate operator fatigue and ensure proper balance during usage, a reinforced shaft to enhance operational durability, improved grinding wheel stability to minimize vibration and wear during use, and its versatility in performing rail head and web grinding tasks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery-operated portable grinder for grinding the rail and web of railroad rails, comprising:
 a grinder motor assembly with a brushless motor, wherein the grinder motor assembly comprises:
 a rear handle that extends to the rear of the grinder motor assembly configured to be utilized by a user to hold and operate the battery-operated portable grinder; 
 a battery compartment located adjacent to the rear handle, wherein the battery compartment is sized and shaped to accept and receive a rechargeable battery pack to power the battery-operated portable grinder; and 
 a motor enclosure located adjacent to the battery compartment configured to house and hold the brushless motor, wherein the motor enclosure includes a motor support handle configured to be utilized to hold and steady the grinder motor assembly and the battery- operated portable grinder; and 
   a grinder wheel assembly connected to the grinder motor assembly, wherein the grinder wheel assembly comprises:
 a base portion configured to attach to and engage with the grinder motor assembly; 
 a wheel assembly handle attached to and extending from the base portion configured to be utilized by the user to hold and handle the grinder wheel assembly and connect the grinder wheel assembly to the grinder motor assembly; 
 a grinder wheel shaft connected to the brushless motor that extends perpendicularly from the base portion; 
 a grinder wheel attached to and connected to the grinder wheel shaft, wherein the grinder wheel is configured to remove imperfections, wear, and surface defects from the rail and web of railroad rails; and 
 a grinder wheel guard that extends around a portion of the grinder wheel configured to provide safety and protection to the user, wherein the grinder wheel guard includes an adjustable grinding wheel guard that is adjustable with rotation through 360 degrees. 
   
     
     
         2 . The battery-operated portable grinder of  claim 1 , wherein the grinder wheel assembly further includes a support guard extending from the motor enclosure configured to provide protection and safety to the user when holding the motor support handle. 
     
     
         3 . The battery-operated portable grinder of  claim 1 , wherein the grinder wheel shaft includes a reinforced shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The battery-operated portable grinder of  claim 1 , wherein the grinder wheel is made of a material composition of a high-strength abrasive from one or more of the following: aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or diamond grit. 
     
     
         5 . The battery-operated portable grinder of  claim 1 , wherein the grinder motor assembly and the grinder wheel assembly are engaged together using one or more attachment posts located on either the grinder motor assembly or the grinder wheel assembly and one or more attachment holes located on the other of the grinder motor assembly or the grinder wheel assembly, wherein the one or more attachment posts slide into and engage with the one or more attachment holes. 
     
     
         6 . The battery-operated portable grinder of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the rear handle, the motor support handle, and the wheel assembly handle include an anti-vibration handle configured to enhance operator comfort, reduce hand-arm vibration, and ensure proper balance during operation of the battery-operated portable grinder. 
     
     
         7 . The battery-operated portable grinder of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame device configured to hold and connect to the battery-operated portable grinder, the frame device includes one or more pivoting and locking mechanisms configured to allow and provide rotation, adjustment, and movement of the battery-operated portable grinder at a plurality of designation rotations along the rail and web of railroad rails. 
     
     
         8 . The battery-operated portable grinder of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame device configured to hold and connect to the battery-operated portable grinder, the frame device includes a quick connect mechanism configured to change the battery-operated portable grinder from hand- held to a body moveable grinder and frame device that moves up and down the rail and web of railroad rails. 
     
     
         9 . A battery-operated portable grinder assembly for grinding the rail and web of railroad rails, comprising:
 a grinder motor assembly with a brushless motor, wherein the grinder motor assembly comprises:
 a rear handle that extends to the rear of the grinder motor assembly configured to be utilized by a user to hold and operate the battery-operated portable grinder; and 
 a battery compartment located adjacent to the rear handle, wherein the battery compartment is sized and shaped to accept and receive a rechargeable battery pack to power the battery-operated portable grinder; 
   a grinder wheel assembly connected to the grinder motor assembly, wherein the grinder wheel assembly comprises:
 a base portion configured to attach to and engage with the grinder motor assembly; 
 a grinder wheel shaft connected to the brushless motor that extends perpendicularly from the base portion; and 
 a grinder wheel attached to and connected to the grinder wheel shaft, wherein the grinder wheel is configured to remove imperfections, wear, and surface defects from the rail and web of railroad rails; and 
   a frame device configured to hold and connect to the battery-operated portable grinder, the frame device comprising a handle bar, a stabilizing bar extending from and perpendicular to the handle bar, and a support bar extending from and perpendicular to the stabilizing bar, wherein the support bar includes a rest tube assembly located at an end of the support bar, wherein the rest tube assembly includes a tubular structure configured to provide support and alignment for the battery-operated portable grinder during operation on the rail and web of railroad rails, and further wherein the handle bar is U-shaped and includes two handles and a frame lever connected to a cam lock lever assembly located on the support bar by a cable that extends from the frame lever to the cam lock lever assembly to control and connect the battery-operated portable grinder,   the frame device further comprising one or more pivoting and locking mechanisms located along support bar, configured to allow and provide rotation, adjustment, and movement of the battery-operated portable grinder at a plurality of designation rotations along the rail and web of railroad rails.   
     
     
         10 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of designated rotations includes one or more of the following: 45 degrees, 90 degrees, 135 degrees, 180 degrees, 225 degrees, 270 degrees, 315 degrees, or 360 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the support bar includes bends in the support bar, such that the bends in the support bar and the one or more pivoting and locking mechanisms are configured to provide rotation, adjustment, and movement of the battery-operated portable grinder in two different directions, in both a vertical direction, and a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         12 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more pivoting and locking mechanisms include one or more adjustment knobs located along the support bar 
     
     
         13 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the stabilizing bar includes a handlebar weldment to connect the handle bar and the stabilizing bar. 
     
     
         14 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 9 , further including a clamping assembly configured to connect the stabilizing bar and the support bar, wherein the clamping assembly is a U-bolt clamping assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the frame device includes a quick connect mechanism configured to change the battery-operated portable grinder from hand-held to a body moveable grinder and frame device that moves up and down the rail and web of railroad rails. 
     
     
         16 . A battery-operated portable grinder assembly for grinding the rail and web of railroad rails, comprising:
 a grinder motor assembly with a brushless motor, wherein the grinder motor assembly comprises:
 a rear handle that extends to the rear of the grinder motor assembly configured to be utilized by a user to hold and operate the battery-operated portable grinder; and 
 a battery compartment located adjacent to the rear handle, wherein the battery compartment is sized and shaped to accept and receive a rechargeable battery pack to power the battery-operated portable grinder; 
   a grinder wheel assembly connected to the grinder motor assembly, wherein the grinder wheel assembly comprises:
 a base portion configured to attach to and engage with the grinder motor assembly; 
 a grinder wheel shaft connected to the brushless motor that extends perpendicularly from the base portion; and 
 a grinder wheel attached to and connected to the grinder wheel shaft, wherein the grinder wheel is configured to remove imperfections, wear, and surface defects from the rail and web of railroad rails; and 
   a frame device configured to hold and connect to the battery-operated portable grinder, the frame device comprising a handle bar, a stabilizing bar extending from and perpendicular to the handle bar, and a support bar extending from and perpendicular to the stabilizing bar, wherein the support bar includes a rest tube assembly located at an end of the support bar, wherein the rest tube assembly includes a tubular structure configured to provide support and alignment for the battery-operated portable grinder during operation on the rail and web of railroad rails, and further wherein the handle bar is U-shaped and includes two handles and a frame lever connected to a cam lock lever assembly located on the support bar by a cable that extends from the frame lever to the cam lock lever assembly to control and connect the battery-operated portable grinder,   the frame device further comprising a quick connect mechanism configured to change the battery-operated portable grinder from hand-held to a body moveable grinder and frame device that moves up and down the rail and web of railroad rails, wherein the quick connect mechanism includes the cam lock lever assembly, the cam lock lever assembly comprising:
 a cam lock lever attached to a base of the cam lock lever assembly using a cam, a bolt, and one or more washers and locking washers; 
 a trigger mechanism rotatably connected to and extending from the base; 
 an extension spring that extends between the trigger mechanism and the base; and 
 a cable guide that receives, attaches to, and connects to an end of the cable, 
 wherein when the user engages the frame lever on the handle bar, the cable is tightened through the cable guide to move the trigger mechanism on the base and bias the extension spring, which moves the cam lock lever to start or stop the operation of the grinder wheel of the battery-operated portable grinder. 
   
     
     
         17 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizing bar includes a handlebar weldment to connect the handle bar and the stabilizing bar. 
     
     
         18 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising: a clamping assembly configured to connect the stabilizing bar and the support bar, wherein the clamping assembly is a U-bolt clamping assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the frame device includes one or more pivoting and locking mechanisms configured to allow and provide rotation, adjustment, and movement of the battery-operated portable grinder at a plurality of designation rotations along the rail and web of railroad rails. 
     
     
         20 . The battery-operated portable grinder assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the support bar includes bends in the support bar, such that the bends in the support bar and the one or more pivoting and locking mechanisms are configured to provide rotation, adjustment, and movement of the battery-operated portable grinder in two different directions, in both a vertical direction, and a horizontal direction.