Locomotive rail conditioning system alignment verification

• US 6,588,808 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Sheppard, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US10/081,298
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 291/1, 291/41, 291/44, 291/46, 291/47, 104/17.1, 104/17.2, 250/222.1, 250/222.2, 250/234, 250/334
• US Class Current: 291/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/026 the material being in gas form
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 39/04 the material being granular, e.g. sand combined control of sanding apparatus and brakes of rail vehicles B61H
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 15/102 with sanding equipment of mechanical or fluid type, e.g. by means of steam

Abstract

An apparatus (40,60) for aligning a rail conditioning system, such as a sanding system or a compressed air snow removal system of a locomotive. A source of light (50,70) is removeably and unmovingly attached to a conduit (44,62) of the rail conditioning system to direct a beam of light (53) toward a rail (46) to verify a location of impingement (56) of a spray of rail conditioning material (45,66). The source of light may be a battery operated laser pointer, and it may be attached to a fixture (48,72) that is removeably secured to the conduit. The fixture may be attached over an outlet nozzle (42,62) of the conduit, or it may be threaded onto the conduit in place of the nozzle when the nozzle is removed for cleaning and inspection.

Claims

1. A method of aligning a rail conditioning system installed on a rail vehicle for delivery of a rail conditioning material to a desired location on a rail relative to a wheel of the rail vehicle, the rail conditioning system including a delivery conduit having a nozzle for producing a diffused spray of a material centered along a line of flow directed toward the rail, the method comprising:

removing a nozzle from a delivery conduit of a rail conditioning system of a rail vehicle;

detachably securing a source of light on the delivery conduit in place of the nozzle to unmovingly align the source of light relative to the delivery conduit;

energizing the source of light to direct a beam of light along a path corresponding to a central line of a flow of material to be delivered by the nozzle;

detecting impingement of the beam of light on one of a rail and a wheel to assess alignment of the nozzle when installed on the delivery conduit for centering the flow of material on a desired location;

removing the source of light from the delivery conduit;

reinstalling the nozzle onto the delivery conduit; and

delivering a spray of a rail conditioning material to provide a desired coverage of the rail by the rail conditioning material.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the source of light to be a laser;

directing a coherent beam of light from the laser;

detecting impingement of the coherent beam of light on one of the rail and the wheel; and

adjusting an alignment of the conduit to position the impingement of the coherent beam of light proximate a desired location.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting alignment of the conduit to position the impingement of the coherent beam of light to within ±

¼

inch of the desired position.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the steps of detachably securing a source of light, energizing the source of light, detecting impingement of the beam of light, and removing the source of light during a service event when the nozzle is otherwise removed from the delivery conduit for servicing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the nozzle from the delivery conduit by unthreading the nozzle;

attaching the source of light to a fixture provided with threads; and

threading the fixture onto the conduit in place of the nozzle.

6. A method of aligning a rail conditioning system installed on a rail vehicle for delivery of a rail conditioning material to a desired location on a rail relative to a wheel of the rail vehicle, the rail conditioning system including a delivery conduit having a nozzle for producing a diffused spray of a material centered along a line of flow directed toward the rail, the method comprising:

detachably securing a source of light to be unmovingly aligned with a nozzle end of a conduit of a rail conditioning system;

energizing the source of light to direct a beam of light along a path corresponding to a central line of flow of a diffused spray of material to be delivered by the conduit through a nozzle;

detecting impingement of the beam of light on one of a rail and a wheel to assess alignment of the nozzle for centering the flow of material on a desired region of the rail;

delivering a spray of rail conditioning material to the rail through the nozzle to provide a desired coverage of the rail by the rail conditioning material;

removing the nozzle from the conduit prior to the step of detachably securing the source of light;

detachably securing the source of light in place of the nozzle; and

reattaching the nozzle between the steps of detecting impingement and delivering a spray of rail conditioning material.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

attaching the source of light to a fitting having threads; and

threading the fitting into the conduit in place of the nozzle.

8. A method of aligning a rail conditioning system installed on a rail vehicle for delivery of a rail conditioning material to a desired location on a rail relative to a wheel of the rail vehicle, the rail conditioning system including a delivery conduit having a nozzle for producing a diffused spray of a material centered along a line of flow directed toward the rail, the method comprising:

detachably securing a source of light to be unmovingly aligned with a nozzle end of a conduit of a rail conditioning system;

energizing the source of light to direct a beam of light along a path corresponding to a central line of flow of a diffused spray of material to be delivered by the conduit through a nozzle;

detecting impingement of the beam of light on one of a rail and a wheel to assess alignment of the nozzle for centering the flow of material on a desired region of the rail;

delivering a spray of rail conditioning material to the rail through the nozzle to provide a desired coverage of the rail by the rail conditioning material;

attaching the source of light to a fitting having a generally hollow shape adapted for receiving the nozzle;

detachably securing the source of light by unmovingly securing the fitting over the nozzle;

forming the fitting to contain a notch in a predetermined location; and

aligning the fitting on the nozzle by engaging a protruding feature of the nozzle into the notch.

9. A method of aligning a rail conditioning system installed on a rail vehicle for delivery of a rail conditioning material to a desired location on a rail, the rail conditioning system including a delivery conduit having a nozzle for producing a diffused spray of a material centered along a line of flow directed toward the rail, the method comprising:

adjusting alignment of a conduit to have approximately a first predetermined angle in a forward direction and to have approximately a second predetermined angle in a sideward direction with respect to a vertical axis passing through a rail;

removing an outlet nozzle from the conduit;

unmovingly securing a source of light on the conduit in place of the nozzle;

energizing the source of light to direct a beam of light along a path corresponding to a central line of a flow of material to be delivered by the nozzle;

adjusting alignment of the conduit to direct impingement of the beam of light onto a predetermined location;

removing the source of light from the delivery conduit; and

reinstalling the nozzle onto the delivery conduit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

selecting the source of light to be a laser;

adjusting alignment of the conduit to direct impingement of the beam of laser light to within ±

⅜

inch of a center of the rail.

11. A method of aligning a rail conditioning system installed on a rail vehicle for delivery of a rail conditioning material to a desired location on a rail relative to a wheel of the rail vehicle, the rail conditioning system including a delivery device for producing a flow of the rail conditioning material along a line of flow, the method comprising:

attaching a source of light to a fitting comprising a first one of a notch alignment feature and a protruding alignment feature;

detachably securing the fitting to the delivery device;

engaging the first one of the alignment features with a second one of the alignment features on the delivery device to align a beam of light produced by the source of light relative to the line of flow; and

detecting impingement of the beam of light to assess alignment of the delivery device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

forming the notch alignment feature in the fitting; and

detachably securing the fitting to engage the notch alignment feature with the protruding alignment feature on the delivery device.

13. A method of aligning a rail conditioning system installed on a rail vehicle for delivery of a rail conditioning material to a desired location on a rail relative to a wheel of the rail vehicle, the rail conditioning system including a delivery device for producing a flow of the rail conditioning material along a line of flow, the method comprising:

removing a nozzle of the delivery device;

detachably securing a source of light to the delivery device in place of the nozzle to align a beam of light produced by the source of light relative to the line of flow; and

detecting impingement of the beam of light to assess alignment of the delivery device.