Gauge restraint load calibration system

• US 7,451,632 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• 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): Raevis; Robert R
• Application Number:
  US11/131,586
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 73/10.8, 73/11.5
• US Class Current: 73/1.15
• 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 load axle calibration system for calibrating a track strength monitoring vehicle wherein the vehicle includes an axle with first and second wheels, the axle having first and second axle shafts equipped with axle force sensors, the load axle calibration system comprising:

a transfer standard cell adapted to measure lateral force in the axle;

a harness connected to the axle and adapted to transmit lateral forces to the transfer standard cell from the axle;

a controller adapted to control the force exerted by the axle on the transfer standard cell, the controller adapted to compare the force values of said axle force sensors to standardized force values established by the transfer standard cell.

2. The load axle calibration system of claim 1, wherein the harness is in the form of a strap that connects the first and second wheels of the axle to the transfer standard cell.

3. The load axle calibration system of claim 2 further including brackets to attach the strap, which strap engages the wheels.

4. The load axle calibration system of claim 1, wherein said axle includes a hydraulic cylinder that is adapted to apply incremental lateral forces on the first and second axle shafts.

5. The load axle calibration system of claim 4, wherein the force exerted on the axle shafts is measured by both the axle force sensors and the transfer standard cell, the measurements of the sensors and cell being compared by the controller.

6. The load axle calibration system of claim 5, wherein the axle force sensors are recalibrated to match the values the transfer standard cell if the lateral force measured from the load cells varies from the lateral force measured by the transfer standard cell.

7. The load axle calibration system of claim 4, wherein the lateral force applied by the hydraulic cylinder on the first and second axle shafts is applied in increments ranging from about two thousand pounds to about nine thousand pounds of lateral force.

8. The load axle calibration system of claim 1 wherein calibration data collected from the axle force sensors and the transfer standard cell are used to create a historical statistical quality graph for the detection of gradual or abrupt changes in the load axle.

9. A load axle calibration system for calibrating a track strength monitoring vehicle wherein the vehicle includes an axle with first and second wheels, the axle having first and second axle shafts equipped with axle force sensors, the load axle calibration system comprising:

a transfer standard cell adapted to measure vertical force in the axle;

a harness connected to the axle and adapted to transmit vertical forces to the transfer standard cell from the axle;

a controller adapted to control the force exerted on the transfer standard cell, the controller adapted to compare the force values of said axle force sensors to standardized force values established by the transfer standard cell.

10. The load axle calibration system of claim 9, wherein the harness is in the form of a strap that connects the first and second wheels of the axle to the transfer standard cell.

11. The load axle calibration system of claim 9, wherein the load axle calibration system includes at least one hydraulic cylinder that is adapted to apply incremental vertical forces on the first and second axle shafts.

12. The load axle calibration system of claim 11, wherein the vertical force exerted on the axle shafts is measured by both the axle force sensors and the transfer standard cell, the measurements of the sensors and cell being compared by the controller.

13. The load axle calibration system of claim 11, wherein the vertical force applied by the at least one hydraulic cylinder on the first and second axle shafts is applied in increments ranging from about two thousand pounds to about fifteen thousand pounds of vertical force.

14. The load axle calibration system of claim 9, wherein the axle force sensors are recalibrated to match the values the transfer standard cell if the vertical force measured from the load cells varies from the vertical force measured by the transfer standard cell.

15. The load axle calibration system of claim 9 further including a centering device that is incorporated above the axle to ensure vertical loading.

16. The load axle calibration system of claim 9 wherein calibration data collected from the axle force sensors and the transfer standard cell are used to create a historical statistical quality graph for the detection of gradual or abrupt changes in the load axle.

17. A load axle calibration system for calibrating a track strength monitoring vehicle wherein the vehicle includes an axle with first and second wheels, the axle having first and second axle shafts equipped with axle force sensors, the load axle calibration system comprising:

a first transfer standard cell adapted to measure vertical force in the axle;

a second transfer standard cell adapted to measure lateral force in the axle;

a first harness connected to the axle and adapted to transmit vertical forces to the first transfer standard cell from the axle;

a second harness connected to the axle and adapted to transmit lateral forces to the second transfer standard cell from the axle;

a controller adapted to control the force exerted on the transfer standard cells, the controller adapted to compare the force values of said axle force sensors to standardized force values established by the transfer standard cells.

18. The load axle calibration system of claim 17, wherein the harnesses are in the form of straps that connect the first and second wheels of the axle to the transfer standard cells.

19. The load axle calibration system of claim 17, wherein the load axle calibration system includes comparison of loads measured by said second transfer cell to axle forces imparted by hydraulic cylinders that are adapted to apply incremental lateral and vertical forces on the first and second axle shafts.

20. The load axle calibration system of claim 19, wherein the lateral and vertical forces exerted on the axle shafts are measured by both the axle force sensors and the transfer standard cells, the measurements of the sensors and cells being compared by the controller.

21. The load axle calibration system of claim 19, wherein the vertical force applied by the hydraulic cylinders on the first and second axle shafts is applied in increments ranging from about two thousand pounds to about fifteen thousand pounds of vertical force.

22. The load axle calibration system of claim 19, wherein the lateral force applied by the hydraulic cylinders on the first and second axle shafts is applied in increments ranging from about two thousand pounds to about nine thousand pounds of lateral force.

23. The load axle calibration system of claim 17, wherein the axle force sensors are recalibrated to match the values the transfer standard cells if the vertical or lateral forces measured from the load cells varies from the vertical or lateral forces measured by the transfer standard cells.

24. The load axle calibration system of claim 17 further including a centering device that is incorporated above the axle to ensure vertical loading.

25. The load axle calibration system of claim 17 wherein calibration data collected from the axle force sensors and the transfer standard cells are used to create a historical statistical quality graph for the detection of gradual or abrupt changes in the load axle.