Apparatus for measuring the contours of a wheel

• US 5,555,632 A
• Filed: 02/07/1995
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Niles-Simmons Industrieanlagen GmbH (NILES-SIMMONS Hegenscheidt GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Niles-Simmons Industrieanlagen GmbH (NILES-SIMMONS Hegenscheidt GmbH)
• Inventors: Oesterreich, Rolf, Naumann, Hans J., Robotta, Reinhard, Schroter, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US08/385,034
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 33/1 M, 33/1 Q, 33/1 PT, 33/203, 33/203.15, 33/203.18, 33/287, 33/336, 33/338, 33/503, 33/523.1, 33/533, 33/546, 33/551, 33/556, 33/651, 33/77 2, 73/8, 73/104, 73/105, 73/146
• US Class Current: 33/203
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 5/28 for turning wheels or wheel sets or cranks thereon, i.e. wheel lathes
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/5475 followed perpendicularly by a single rotating pair
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/20 for measuring contours or curvatures

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring the contours of a railroad wheel which contains a tool slide, a measuring arm pivotally attached to the tool slide, a measuring wheel rotatably attached to the measuring arm, a device for moving the measuring arm horizontally, vertically, and pivotally, a marker, an optical sensor, and a device for sensing the movement of the measuring arm. The apparatus also contains a first encoder for determining the degree to which the measuring arm moves during any particular time during the rotation of the railroad wheel in any particular rotation cycle, and, additionally, a second encoder for determining at what point in said particular rotation cycle said measuring arm has moved.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring the contours of a railroad wheel comprising a tool slide, a measuring arm pivotally attached to said tool slide, a measuring wheel rotatably attached to said measuring arm, means for moving said measuring arm horizontally, means for moving said measuring arm vertically, means for pivoting said measuring arm, a mark, optical means for sensing the rotation of said railroad wheel, and means for sensing the movement of said measuring arm, wherein:

(a) said apparatus is comprised of a first encoder for determining the degree to which said measuring arm moves during any particular time during the rotation of said railroad wheel in any particular rotation cycle, and

(b) said apparatus is comprised of a second encoder for determining at what point in said particular rotation cycle said measuring arm has moved.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said measuring arm is connected to a measuring wheel receptor.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said measuring wheel receptor is pivotally connected to said measuring arm.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said measuring wheel receptor is connected to said measuring arm at a first end of said measuring arm.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said measuring wheel is comprised of a thin disk.

6. A process for measuring a railway wheel, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an apparatus for measuring the contours of a railroad wheel comprising a tool slide, a measuring arm pivotally attached to said tool slide, a measuring wheel rotatably attached to said measuring arm, means for moving said measuring arm horizontally, means for moving said measuring arm vertically, means for pivoting said measuring arm, means for marking said railroad wheel, optical means for sensing the rotation of said railroad wheel, and means for sensing the movement of said measuring arm, wherein;

1. said apparatus is comprised of a first encoder for determining the degree to which said measuring arm moves during any particular time during the rotation of said railroad wheel in any particular rotation cycle, and

2. said apparatus is comprised of a second encoder for determining at what point in said particular rotation cycle said measuring arm has moved;

(b) moving said apparatus from a parking position to a first measuring position in which said measuring wheel is contiguous with the face of said railroad wheel;

(c) thereafter rotating said railroad wheel and said measuring wheel while determining both the degree to which said measuring arm moves during any particular time during the rotation of said railroad wheel in any particular rotation cycle and at what points in said particular rotation cycle said measuring arm has moved;

(d) thereafter moving said apparatus to a second measuring position in which said measuring wheel is contiguous with the profile of said railroad wheel;

(e) thereafter rotating said railroad wheel and said measuring wheel while determining both the degree to which said measuring arm moves during any particular time during the rotation of said railroad wheel in any particular rotation cycle and at what points in said particular rotation cycle said measuring arm has moved; and

(f) thereafter moving said apparatus to said parking position.