Detection of anomalies on railroad tracks
First Claim
1. A method for determining the characteristics of a railroad track comprising the steps of:
- (a) creating a first electromagnetic wave adjacent to the track, (b) saturating, at least partially, the track with the first electromagnetic wave, (c) creating a second electromagnetic wave having a frequency higher than the first electromagnetic wave, and (d) engaging the second electromagnetic wave with the track when the track is at least partially saturated for creating a resulting wave which resulting wave is available for detection such that upon detection a received signal is created that has a nulled relationship to the second electromagnetic wave whereby the characteristics of the track are discemable from the received signal.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting anomalies, defects or electromagnetic properties of electrically conductive and magnetically permeable materials by using a magnet to partially saturate the material, thereby lowering its permeability, and sending a second, higher frequency oscillating electromagnetic wave into the material. The oscillating magnetic flux field permeating into the electrically conductive material induces eddy waves. As the apparatus passes over the material, the properties of the induced eddy currents, and the corresponding magnetic flux field induced by such eddy currents, changes as the properties of the material change. These changes can be the result of defects or anomalies in the material or in connecting welds.
56 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for determining the characteristics of a railroad track comprising the steps of:
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(a) creating a first electromagnetic wave adjacent to the track, (b) saturating, at least partially, the track with the first electromagnetic wave, (c) creating a second electromagnetic wave having a frequency higher than the first electromagnetic wave, and (d) engaging the second electromagnetic wave with the track when the track is at least partially saturated for creating a resulting wave which resulting wave is available for detection such that upon detection a received signal is created that has a nulled relationship to the second electromagnetic wave whereby the characteristics of the track are discemable from the received signal.
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2. A method for determining the characteristics of a railroad track, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) lowering the permeability of the track with an initial electromagnetic wave, (b) creating a transmitted electromagnetic wave adjacent to the track having a frequency higher than the initial electromagnetic wave, (c) engaging the transmitted electromagnetic wave with the track for creating a resulting wave, and (d) detecting the resulting wave for creating a received signal that has a nulled relationship to the transmitted wave, and (e) evaluating the received signal to determine the characteristics of the track. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for determining the characteristics of a railroad track comprising the steps of:
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(a) lowering the permeability of the track with an initial electromagnetic wave, (b) creating a transmitted electromagnetic wave adjacent to the track having a frequency higher than the initial electromagnetic wave, (c) engaging the transmitted electromagnetic wave with the track for creating a resulting wave, and (d) making the resulting wave available for detection so as to create a received signal that has a nulled relationship to the transmitted wave for evaluating the characteristics of the track. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for determining the characteristics of a railroad track, the apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for lowering the permeability of the track with an initial electromagnetic wave, (b) a transmitter for generating a transmitted electromagnetic wave and engaging the transmitted electromagnetic wave with the track for creating a resulting wave, (c) a receiver for detecting the resulting wave such that the receiver is nulled with respect to the transmitter, the receiver for creating a received signal, and (d) means for evaluating the received signal to determine the characteristics of the track.
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Specification