Railroad spike remover

Abstract

A portable railroad spike remover comprises a claw assembly extractor that is shaped to engage and secure a railroad spike previously installed into a rail tie. The claw assembly extractor may include a pair of jaw members that are pivotally connected to each other by a pivoting pin and a rotating pin. Each jaw member may include a lower end configured to contact and secure a railroad spike and a pair of upper members interlocked with each other and pivotally connected to the clevis fastener with the rotating pin. When the drive shaft is rotated, the claw assembly extractor and the mounting flange may move inside the main housing in a vertical direction to extract the railroad spike from the rail tie.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for removing and pulling a railroad spike of a track, the apparatus
 comprising:   a main housing;   one or more hollow tubes guided in the main housing;   a mounting flange located within the main housing;   a threaded drive shaft connected to the mounting flange, wherein the mounting flange is disposed between the threaded drive shaft and the one or more hollow tubes;   a claw assembly extractor for engaging a railroad spike, the claw assembly extractor being displaceable by the threaded drive shaft in a linear manner relative to the main housing; and   an electric drive unit connected to the threaded drive shaft for electrically operating and rotating the threaded drive shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the main housing has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a bearing housing connected to the main housing, wherein the bearing housing contains a bearing and the threaded drive shaft extends through the bearing and the bearing housing, and further wherein when the threaded drive shaft is rotated, the claw assembly extractor moves inside the main housing in a vertical direction to extract the railroad spike from the track. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded drive shaft has a first end, and a second end, wherein the first end includes a drive element and the second end includes threaded portion. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the claw assembly extractor comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and an opening of the claw assembly extractor extends through the top surface, the bottom surface and at least one side surface and wherein the opening has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein lower portion of the opening preferably has a plurality of tapered side walls and a first rounded rear wall. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the claw assembly extractor comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, and an opening of the extractor extends through the bottom surface and at least two side surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the opening has a first guide rail, a second guide rail, a first side wall adjacent the first guide rail, a second side wall adjacent the second guide rail, and an upper surface connecting the first guide rail to the second guide rail, wherein: a top surface of the first guide rail and a top surface of the second guide rail are coplanar surfaces; or the upper surface is rounded and exposed to an exterior. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein: the opening has a first end and a second end, wherein a first height defined as a distance from perpendicular from the bottom surface of the extractor to the furthest extent of the upper surface at the first end and a second height defined as a distance from the bottom surface to the furthest extent of the second end of the upper surface at the second end, wherein the first height is larger than the second height; or the first guide rail has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a third height defined as a perpendicular distance from the bottom surface of the extractor to the furthest extent of the first end of the first guide rail and the second end has a fourth height defined from as a perpendicular distance from the bottom surface to the furthest extent of the second end of the first guide rail, wherein the third height is smaller than the fourth height. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein: the opening of the claw assembly extractor has a first guide rail, a second guide rail, a first side wall adjacent the first guide rail, a second side wall adjacent the second guide rail, and an upper surface connecting the first guide rail to the second guide rail; or the apparatus has a weight less than 23 kg (50 pounds). 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the opening has a first end and a second end, wherein a first height defined as a distance from perpendicular from the bottom surface of the extractor to the furthest extent of the upper surface at the first end and a second height defined as a distance from the bottom surface to the furthest extent of the second end of the upper surface at the second end, wherein the first height is larger than the second height. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the opening at the first end is larger than the opening at the second end. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the claw assembly extractor has two claws for engaging a railroad spike, the two claws being configured to swivel relative to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive unit, and a T-handle assembly receiving the drive unit. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the T-handle assembly comprises a handle for holding the apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . A method for pulling a railroad spike of a track, the method comprising:
 providing a spike puller for pulling a railroad spike of a track, the spike puller including:
 a main housing; 
 one or more hollow tubes guided in the main housing; 
 a mounting flange located within the main housing; 
 a threaded drive shaft connected to the mounting flange, wherein the mounting flange is disposed between the threaded drive shaft and the one or more hollow tubes; 
 a claw assembly extractor for engaging a railroad spike, the claw assembly extractor being displaceable by the threaded drive shaft in a linear manner relative to the main housing; and 
 an electric drive unit connected to the threaded drive shaft for electrically operating the threaded drive shaft; 
   positioning the spike puller above the railroad spike and engaging the claw assembly extractor around the railroad spike; and   driving the threaded drive shaft by using the electric drive unit, causing the one or more hollow tubes to be linearly displaced and guided within the main housing and the railroad spike to be pulled out of the track.