Geometrical instruments – Indicator of direction of force traversing natural media – Railway rail spacing and inclination
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-21
2001-02-20
Fulton, Christopher W. (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Indicator of direction of force traversing natural media
Railway rail spacing and inclination
C033S287000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189224
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile track working machine for rehabilitating a ballast bed supporting a track extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising a machine frame extending in the longitudinal direction and supported on the track by undercarriages for mobility in an operating direction. The machine frame is composed of a first frame part, leading in the operating direction, and a second frame part linked thereto. A longitudinal inclination meter is mounted on the first frame part for detecting an inclination of the track in the longitudinal direction. Working units are mounted on the second frame part, the working units being adjustable with respect to a vertical direction. A laser reference system is arranged on the machine frame for controlling the vertical position of the working units, the laser reference system being formed by a laser transmitter for establishing a reference plane and laser receivers for detecting said reference plane. An adjusting device is associated with the laser transmitter for relative adjustment of the position of the reference plane, and an odometer is mounted on the machine frame.
This invention also relates to a method for restoring a position of a track extending in a longitudinal direction, which position has been destroyed in the course of rehabilitating a ballast bed supporting the track.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A ballast cleaning machine formed by two frame parts which are articulatedly connected to one another is known from GB 2,268,021. A laser reference system serves for detecting the longitudinal inclination of the track in the region of the forward, first frame part in order to be able to control, in accordance with said measurement, the vertical position of working units located on the second frame part. To that end, a laser transmitter is provided which is permanently kept in a horizontal position. Arranged on the front undercarriage of the first frame part is a laser receiver which serves for detecting the longitudinal inclination of the first frame part with reference to the horizontal laser reference plane. The longitudinal inclination value computed via an algorithm is conveyed in a time-delayed manner to a further laser receiver located on a clearing chain on the second frame part in order to thereby be able to control the vertical position of the clearing chain.
Additionally known from GB 2,268,529 is a ballast cleaning machine in which respective longitudinal and transverse inclination meters are fastened to a first as well as to a second frame part. The longitudinal inclination of the track measured in the region of the first frame part is stored as a desired value and passed on in a time-delayed manner for controlling the vertical position of a clearing chain. To that end, the actual, existing inclination detected by the longitudinal inclination meter of the second frame part must be taken into account. For the purpose of controlling the vertical position, a cable potentiometer is provided which is arranged between the second frame part and the clearing chain. Since reproducing the position of the track is accomplished via the second frame part, inaccuracies caused by twisting or deflection of the frame cannot be precluded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of this invention to improve a mobile track working machine of the first-described type in such a manner that it becomes possible to restore the original or actual position of the track relatively accurately and without difficulty during working operation of this machine.
In a mobile track working machine for rehabilitating a ballast bed supporting a track extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising a machine frame extending in the longitudinal direction and supported on the track by undercarriages for mobility in an operating direction, the machine frame being composed of a first frame part, leading in the operating direction, and a second frame part linked thereto, and also comprising a longitudinal inclination meter mounted on the first frame part for detecting an inclination of the track in the longitudinal direction, and also comprising working units mounted on the second frame part, the working units being adjustable with respect to a vertical direction, and further comprising a laser reference system arranged on the machine frame for controlling the vertical position of the working units, the laser reference system being formed by a laser transmitter for establishing a reference plane and laser receivers for detecting said reference plane, and also comprising an adjusting device associated with the laser transmitter for relative adjustment of the position of the reference plane, and further comprising an odometer mounted on the machine frame, the above and other objects are accomplished according to this invention by connecting a control device to the longitudinal inclination meter as well as to the odometer and the adjusting device, the control device being designed for conveying, in a time-delayed manner and in dependence upon the distance travelled by the machine as registered by the odometer, a longitudinal inclination value detected by the longitudinal inclination meter to the adjusting device for the purpose of adjusting the reference plane in accordance with the detected longitudinal inclination of the track.
With a reference system including a control device designed in such a way, it is possible with relatively small structural expense to very easily and simply detect the longitudinal inclination of the track existing before the destruction of the track position by the machine, and to reproduce said track inclination in the area of the working units. In this, it is of particular advantage that any deflection or twisting of the frame which might possibly occur is without any influence whatsoever on the measuring result.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for restoring a position of a track extending in a longitudinal direction, which position has been destroyed in the course of rehabilitating a ballast bed supporting the track, using a track working machine having a machine frame composed of a first and second frame part, the method comprising the steps of detecting an inclination of the track in the longitudinal direction with the aid of the first frame part, leading in an operating direction of the machine; registering and storing a corresponding longitudinal inclination value, defined by the said first frame part, as a desired inclination value; using said longitudinal inclination value in a time-delayed manner to correspondingly adjust the inclination of a reference plane, formed by a laser beam, as soon as the second frame part, in the course of working advance of the machine, reaches the local region of the detected longitudinal inclination of the track; and using the reference plane for controlling the vertical position of working units located on the second frame part.
This method according to the invention makes it possible to reproduce with relatively simple means the previously existing track position which got demolished by the operation of the working units. For this purpose, the longitudinal level of the track is continuously registered in front of the working units in the operating direction. With the aid of the laser reference system, a reference plane can be created in the region of the working units which is independent of the vertical position of the second frame part, the reference plane being inclined in accordance with the longitudinal inclination of the track as detected immediately before by a longitudinal inclination meter. Thus it is possible to restore the track position existing before operation of the machine quickly and easily while at the same time avoiding time-consuming re-tooling procedures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3750299 (1973-08-01), Plasser et al.
patent: 4490038 (1984-12-01), Theurer et al.
patent: 5174038 (1992-12-01), Neyens et al.
patent: 5301548 (1994-04-01), Theurer
pa
Lichtberger Bernhard
Theurer Josef
Doan Quyen
Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industriegesellschaft m.b.H
Fulton Christopher W.
Kasper Horst M.
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