there is illustrated in the drawings a ballast regulator 10 of known construction incorporating a plow unit 11 on one end and a sweeper unit 12 on the other end . the sweeper unit 12 is used to sweep the gravel and other material forming and covering the ballast for the railway track to a uniform height and consistency . within the sweeper unit 12 is a motor driven broom reel 13 . attached , such as by welding , to the broom reel 13 are a plurality of broom element holders 14 which each removably provide attachment for one or more broom elements 15 . the present invention employs two forms of broom elements 15 and two forms of corresponding broom elements holders 14 and 14a . the primary broom elements 15 of the present invention are of a unique construction . each primary broom element 15 comprises a cylindrical rod of hard rubber , such as two - inch diameter kleensweep solid round regulator tube available from t . c . johnson company of chargin falls , ohio , which has been extruded on two opposite sides to provide two opposite flat faces 16 , 16 of the broom element 15 running parallel to the axis of the broom element 15 for its entire length . the primary broom element holders 14 corresponding to the primary broom elements 15 are also of a unique construction . each primary holder 14 contains two lateral sides 18 , 18 which are each curved , or &# 34 ; contoured ,&# 34 ; away from the interior of the primary holder 14 . each primary holder 14 contains three or four seats 17 each adapted to receive a base 19 of one of the primary broom elements 15 . each seat 17 has an aperture 20 , 20 drilled in each of the lateral sides 18 of the primary holder 14 approximately one inch above the bottom 21 of the primary holder 14 and directly across from one another . the thickness of the broom elements 15 between the two opposite flat faces 16 , 16 is slightly less than the distance between the two lateral sides 18 , 18 of the primary holders 14 . this difference in dimensions may be up to as much as 5 / 8 of an inch . this dimensional difference provides ease of insertion of the broom elements into the holders and also relieves stress as hereinafter discussed . in order to attach the primary broom elements 15 to the primary holder 14 , each primary broom element has a hole 22 drilled through it between its two extruded faces 16 approximately one inch above its base 19 and corresponding with the apertures 20 in each of the lateral sides 18 of each seat 17 of the primary holder 14 . a bolt or smooth pin 23 is provided for each primary broom element 15 adapted to pass through the apertures 20 , 20 and the hole 22 in the broom element 15 . the bolt or pin 23 is adapted to be fastened by a cotter pin 24 at the end of the bolt 23 exiting the primary holder 14 . in this manner , the primary broom elements 15 are securely but loosely fastened to the broom reel 13 without complicated and burdensome compression - type element holders which are difficult to manipulate . moreover , the nature of cotter pin attachment greatly eases removal of worn primary broom elements 15 and is not prone to becoming fixed or &# 34 ; frozen &# 34 ; due to adverse environmental conditions . additionally , this loose securing arrangment permits the secured end of the broom element to move relatively freely within the holder 14 and its seat 17 . in this manner , the stress heretofore experienced in clamped broom elements is greatly reduced and the life of the broom element in this region extended up to four times that heretofore experienced . further , the flat faces 16 of the broom elements working in conjunction with the flat surfaces of the lateral sides 18 of the holder 14 absorb and transfer the energy of impact during sweeping and further reduce wear of the broom elements 15 . in the embodiment shown in the drawings , the pin and cotter pin arrangement and the associated apertures in the holder and broom element are transverse to the broom reel axis . this is necessitated by the plural seat aspect of the holders . however , in the case where single seat holders may be used , the pin and apertures could be positioned parallel to the broom reel axis . the dual curve design of the lateral sides 18 , 18 is also provided to further reduce the wear caused to the primary broom element 15 when it strikes the ballast and is flexed against a lateral side 18 of the primary holder 14 and when it rebounds back into the opposite lateral side 18 of the primary holder 14 upon leaving the ballast . although contouring the holder 14 to receive the broom element 15 during the flex of impact against the ballast is known in the art , the inventors have found that substantial damage is also incurred upon rebound after the broom element 15 has left the ballast . accordingly , the operational life of the primary broom elements can be significantly extended by contouring both lateral sides 18 of the holder 14 . it should be noted that unlike some other broom element holder means presently used , the use of the cotter pin - type attachment need not have a straight lateral side in order properly to receive and hold the broom element and thus is capable of employing he dual curve design herein discussed . the secondary broom elements ( not shown ) and their corresponding secondary broom element holder 14a are of known construction . it has been found that hollow tube broom elements and their corresponding stepped nipple holders 14a function very adequately when sweeping the area over the train rails . accordingly , as seen in fig3 the broom reel 13 is designed to have the stepped nipple holders 14a , 14a , arranged over the train rails so that hollow tube broom elements can be used to sweep the rails . these may be cut shorter than the primary broom elements 15 so to accommodate the higher sweeping surface of the rails . hard rubber hollow regulator tubes , such as the approximately 2 . 25 inch outside diameter kleensweep hollow regulator tube available from t . c . johnson company of chargin falls , ohio , is preferred for this application because it is easier to install than used brake hose . however , two staged nipples with a flexible extension of known construction may be used as secondary holders 14a so to permit the use of used brake hose , which should have a somewhat longer operational life . as is depicted in fig3 the broom element holders 14 , 14a are not arranged in straight rows parallel with the axis of the broom reel 13 . the primary holders 14 are aligned on rows of an approximately three ( 3 ) degree spiral or helix around the broom reel 13 . the secondary holders 14a over the rails are randomly staggered . in this manner , an approximately equal number of solid broom elements 15 will be contacting the ballast at an given time . this avoids the vibration and noise that occurs with the broom reels presently utilized which have the solid broom elements all aligned in straight rows and which thus have an entire row of broom elements strike the ballast surface simultaneously . while particular embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed herein , it is not intended to limit the invention to such a disclosure and changes and modifications may be incorporated and embodied within the scope of the following claims .
an improved broom element , means for loosely attaching the broom element to a broom element holder and orientation of broom elements on a broom reel of a railway ballast regulator is provided . the apparatus significantly reduces the time and effort required for maintenance of broom elements and reduces the stresses which can increase the wear on the broom elements and the sweeper unit of the ballast regulator .