Rail measurement system
First Claim
1. A method of continuously measuring a profile of rails in real time where said rails are in position on a track bed comprisingtransmitting a first beam of light at a selected wavelength onto a gauge side of a running rail to illuminate a portion of said running rail,transmitting a second beam of light at a selected wavelength onto a profile of a conductor rail to illuminate a portion of said conductor rail,recording a digital image of said illuminated portions of said rails at a first and second sensor head, each of said first and second sensor heads having an image acquisition means and wherein one acquisition means is angled to capture a profile of the gauge side of said running rail while a second image acquisition means is angled to capture the profile of said conductor railmanipulating said digital images to filter all but said selected wavelengths, determining rail wear from said digital images created by the selected wavelengths of light.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of continuously measuring the profile of a rail in real time is disclosed. The rail which the profile is obtained in position on a track bed, The system includes a means for transmitting a beam of light at a selected wavelength onto the rail to illuminate a portion of the rail. The light is preferably a beam of laser light. A digital image of said illuminated portion of said rail is recorded. The digital image is manipulated to filter all light except for the selected wavelength. Rail wear is determined from the digital image created by the selected wavelength of light.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of continuously measuring a profile of rails in real time where said rails are in position on a track bed comprising
transmitting a first beam of light at a selected wavelength onto a gauge side of a running rail to illuminate a portion of said running rail, transmitting a second beam of light at a selected wavelength onto a profile of a conductor rail to illuminate a portion of said conductor rail, recording a digital image of said illuminated portions of said rails at a first and second sensor head, each of said first and second sensor heads having an image acquisition means and wherein one acquisition means is angled to capture a profile of the gauge side of said running rail while a second image acquisition means is angled to capture the profile of said conductor rail manipulating said digital images to filter all but said selected wavelengths, determining rail wear from said digital images created by the selected wavelengths of light.
- 7. A method for providing a detailed rail profile analysis of rail samples in real-time comprising computing one or more rail dimensional measurements, obtained by at least two sensor heads wherein each sensor head has an image acquisition means being comprised of a source of laser light and a digital camera and wherein one image acquisition means is angled to capture a profile of a gauge side of a running rail while a second image acquisition means is angled to capture a profile of a conductor rail, comparing the measurements so obtained to a representative new rail measurement, compiling a rail wear analysis for said samples.
- 17. A method for providing a detailed rail profile analysis of rail samples in real time comprising computing one or more rail dimensional measurements obtained by at least two sensor heads wherein each sensor head has an image acquisition means and wherein one image acquisition means is angled to capture a profile of a gauge side of a running rail while a second image acquisition means is angled to capture a profile of a conductor rail.
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26. A system that continuously measures a profile of rails in real time where said rails are in position on a track bed comprising
a means for transmitting a first beam of light at a selected wavelength onto a gauge side of a running rail to illuminate a portion of said running rail, a means for transmitting a second beam of light at a selected wavelength onto a profile of a conductor rail to illuminate a portion of said conductor rail, a means for recording a digital image of said illuminated portions of said rails, at a first and second sensor head, each of said first and second sensor heads having an image acquisition means and wherein one acquisition means is angled to capture a profile of the gauge side of said running rail while a second image acquisition means is angled to capture the profile of said conductor rail a means for manipulating said digital images to filter all but said selected wavelengths to determine rail wear from said digital images created by the selected wavelengths of light.
Specification