Gauge restraint measuring system

• US 7,270,018 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Holland Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Holland Incorporated
• Inventors: Conneally, Martin, Ruggles, Harold Thomas, Otto, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MASOUD H
• Application Number:
  US11/202,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 738/626.31
• US Class Current: 73/862.631
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/08 Measuring installations for surveying permanent way applications of measuring apparatus or devices for track building purposes E01B35/00; measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/047 Track or rail movements
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/026 Relative localisation, e.g. using odometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0058 of elongated objects, e.g. pipes, masts, towers or railways
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0091 by using electromagnetic excitation or detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0244 Tests performed "in situ" or after "in situ" use

Abstract

A direct measuring loaded gage axle assembly that measures track strength by directly measuring constant load on split axles as vertical loads are imposed by a hydraulic ram, and horizontal loads being supplied by horizontal rams through split axles and steel wheels to the railroad tracks enabling improved calibration to measure changes in track gauge indicating track strength condition and further including electronic data recording and comparison.

Claims

1. A track strength monitoring system for monitoring a track testing load axle controlled by a closed loop control system, wherein the axle includes a first and a second wheel, the track strength monitoring system comprising:

a first graphical display illustrating data points of vertical and lateral force exerted by the first wheel on railway track as accumulated plots relative to a statistical envelope;

a second graphical display illustrating data points of vertical and lateral force exerted by the second wheel on railway track as accumulated plots relative to a statistical envelope.

2. The track strength monitoring system of claim 1 further including a first histogram illustrating a historic log of the lateral over vertical force ratio of the first wheel;

a second histogram illustrating a historic log of the lateral over vertical force ratio of the second wheel.

3. The track strength monitoring system of claim 1, the graphical displays include statistical envelops that provide an acceptable range of force to be applied to the track.

4. The track strength monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the first graphical display is a two dimensional graphical display for plotting horizontal and vertical forces measured by the track testing load axle.

5. The track strength monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the first graphical display graphically illustrates measurements in thousands of pounds.

6. The track strength monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the second graphical display is a two dimensional graphical display for plotting horizontal and vertical forces measured by the track testing load axle.

7. The track strength monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the second graphical display graphically illustrates measurements in thousands of pounds.

8. The track strength monitoring system of claim 1, wherein an additional data point is added to the graphical displays for every foot of lineal travel of the wheels.

9. The track strength monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said monitoring system further includes video cameras that are used to monitor the track simultaneously as measurements are made with the track testing load axle.

10. The track strength monitoring system of claim 9 wherein said monitoring system includes a video display for displaying real-time video footage taken by the video cameras.

11. A railroad track strength monitoring system for use with a track testing vehicle having a track testing load axle for testing track that is controlled by a closed loop system, wherein the track testing load axle is formed of first and second axle halves attached to first and second wheels, each axle half including force sensors adapted to measure changes in lateral and vertical forces in the axle halves, the railroad track strength monitoring system comprising:

a first graphical display illustrating data points of vertical and lateral force exerted by the first axle half wherein the data points of forces measured from the first axle half are plotted with respect to statistical envelopes that provide acceptable ranges for horizontal and vertical loads placed on the track;

a second graphical display illustrating data points of vertical and lateral force exerted by the second axle half wherein the data points of forces measured from the second axle half are plotted with respect to statistical envelopes that provide acceptable ranges for horizontal and vertical loads placed on the track;

said first graphical display providing a first histogram illustrating a historic log of the lateral over vertical force ratio of the first wheel; and

said second graphical display providing a second histogram illustrating a historic log of the lateral over vertical force ratio of the second wheel.

12. The railroad track strength monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the first and second graphical displays graphically illustrate axle forces in thousands of pounds.

13. The railroad track strength monitoring system of claim 11 wherein an additional data point is added to the graphical displays for every foot of lineal travel of the wheels.

14. The railroad track strength monitoring system of claim 11 wherein said monitoring system further includes video cameras that are used to monitor the track simultaneously as measurements are made with the track testing load axle.

15. The railroad track strength monitoring system of claim 14 wherein said monitoring system includes a video display for displaying real-time video footage taken by the video cameras.

16. The railroad track strength monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the system includes inputs for controlling monitoring functions.