Sonic track condition determination system
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for determining the condition of a segment of a railroad track between a train on the track and a point on the track distant from the train, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) means, mounted on the train, for impressing a first sonic vibration on the track, and for receiving a second sonic vibration from the track;
(b) means for comparing the first sonic vibration with the second sonic vibration; and
(c) means for converting the comparison of the vibrations into a determination of the condition of the track between the train and the point on the track distant from the train.
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Abstract
Sonic transponders mounted on a train and the track upon which it rolls transmit and receive sonic vibrations along the track. Information currently being transmitted electrically may also be thus transmitted sonically. Since the track interferes with the sonic vibration more than it does with an electrical signal, the condition of the track may also be determined.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining the condition of a segment of a railroad track between a train on the track and a point on the track distant from the train, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means, mounted on the train, for impressing a first sonic vibration on the track, and for receiving a second sonic vibration from the track; (b) means for comparing the first sonic vibration with the second sonic vibration; and (c) means for converting the comparison of the vibrations into a determination of the condition of the track between the train and the point on the track distant from the train. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for determining the condition of a segment of a railroad track between a train on the track and a point on the track distant from the train, the method comprising:
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(a) impressing a first sonic vibration on the track at the train; (b) receiving a second sonic vibration from the track at the train; (c) comparing the first sonic vibration with the second sonic vibration; and (d) converting the comparison of the vibrations into a determination of the condition of the track between the train and the point on the track distant from the train. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for determining the condition of a segment of a railroad track between a train on the track and a point on the track distant from the train, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means, mounted on the train, for impressing a first sonic vibration, in a predetermined form, on the track, and for receiving a second sonic vibration from the track; (b) means, mounted on the track at the point on the track distant from the train, for receiving the first sonic vibration from the track, and for impressing the second sonic vibration, in a predetermined form, on the track; (c) means for comparing the first or second sonic vibration as received with the corresponding sonic vibration as predetermined; and (d) means for converting the comparison of the vibration as received with the corresponding vibration as predetermined into a determination of the condition of the track between the train and the point on the track distant from the train. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for determining the condition of a segment of a railroad track between a train on the track and a point on the track distant from the train, the method comprising:
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(a) impressing a first sonic vibration, in a predetermined form, on the track at the train; (b) receiving the first sonic vibration from the track at the point on the track distant from the train; (c) impressing a second sonic vibration, in a predetermined form, on the track at the point on the track distant from the train; (d) receiving the second sonic vibration from the track at the train; (e) comparing the first or second sonic vibration as received with the corresponding sonic vibration as predetermined; and (f) converting the comparison of the vibration as received with the corresponding vibration as predetermined into a determination of the condition of the track between the train and the point on the track distant from the train. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification