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Two wheel ultrasonic rail testing system and method

  • US 4,174,636 A
  • Filed: 08/01/1977
  • Issued: 11/20/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1977
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a system of the type for performing ultrasonic inspection of a length of test material, such as a rail, with ultrasonic transducing means emitting a beam of ultrasonic energy from within sealed wheel means containing a coupling liquid therein and having a flexible membrane transparent to the ultrasonic beam and arranged for rolling contact along the test material, rail inspection apparatus comprising:

  • leading wheel means arranged for rolling contact along the length of rail,trailing wheel means spaced behind the leading wheel means and arranged for rolling contact along the length of rail,first ultrasonic transducer means mounted in the leading wheel means aimed at an angle downwardly and rearwardly and second ultrasonic transducer means mounted in the trailing wheel means aimed at an angle downwardly and forwardly for transmitting ultrasonic energy from one of said transducer means to the other longitudinally through the rail at an angle to the top surface thereof,third ultrasonic transducer means mounted in one of said wheel means aimed at an angle downwardly and laterally for transmitting ultrasonic energy in the rail in a side-looking direction substantially perpendicularly to the side surface of the rail and at a resultant angle of approximately 40°

    to the perpendicular to the top surface of the rail toward the lower gage corner of the rail head and for obtaining optimum reflection of ultrasonic energy from the lower gage corner, regardless of the various sizes of rail heads encountered, to detect loss of amplitude of the energy caused by impingement with a defect,fourth ultrasonic transducer means mounted in the other wheel means aimed at an angle downwardly and laterally for transmitting ultrasonic energy in the rail in a side-looking direction substantially perpendicularly to the side surface of the rail and at a resultant angle of approximately 40°

    to the perpendicular to the top surface of the rail toward the lower field corner of the rail head and for obtaining optimum reflection of ultrasonic energy from the lower field corner, regardless of the various sizes of the rail heads encountered, to detect loss of amplitude of the energy caused by impingement with a defect, andfifth ultrasonic transducer means in at least one of said wheel means aimed downwardly at a zero angle to the perpendicular to the top surface of the rail,thereby effectively probing the rail for various kinds and orientations of defects regardless of whether the rail is welded or jointed.

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