Apparatus for detecting hunting and angle of attack of a rail vehicle wheelset

• US 7,681,443 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wabtec Control Systems Pty. Ltd. (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lynxrail Corporation (Lynx Engineering Consultants Pty Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ranwala, Hilary Gration, Kilian, Krzysztof, Mazur, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US11/751,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20070268131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1468
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 1/04 mechanically actuated by a part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/013 Wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/08 Railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/10 Suspensions, axles or wheels

Abstract

An apparatus and method for estimating the angle of attack of wheels, wheelsets, trucks and railway vehicles traveling over a track employing a wayside system having a plurality of sensors, adjacent to the rails of the track, for detecting the passing of each wheelset of each truck. Each sensor communicates its moment of activation and length of activation caused by a passing wheel to a sensor monitoring unit for use in determining the angle of attack of the passing wheel, wheelset, truck and railway vehicle. The estimated angle of attack of the wheelset at different locations along the track may be used to detect a hunting wheelset, truck or railway vehicle.

Claims

1. A detection system comprising:

first sensing means, located adjacent a first rail of a railway, for detecting and communicating proximity along the first rail of a first wheel of a wheelset; and

second sensing means, located adjacent a second rail of the railway, for detecting and communicating proximity along the second rail of a second wheel of the wheelset;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are disposed along a common line generally perpendicular to at least one of a longitudinal axis of at least one of the first rail and the second rail and a tangent of at least one of the first rail and the second rail;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are not strain gages; and

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are in communication with means for monitoring the first sensing means and the second sensing means;

wherein data is produced by the first sensing means and data is produced by the second sensing means; and

processing means wherein at least a portion of the data produced by the first sensing means and the second sensing means is utilized by the processing means to obtain at least one of a hunting condition, lateral position of the wheelset and an angle of attack.

2. A detection system comprising:

first sensing means, located adjacent a first rail of a railway, for detecting and communicating proximity along the first rail of a first wheel of a wheelset; and

second sensing means, located adjacent a second rail of the railway, for detecting and communicating proximity along the second rail of a second wheel of the wheelset;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are disposed along a common line generally perpendicular to at least one of a longitudinal axis of at least one of the first rail and the second rail and a tangent of at least one of the first rail and the second rail;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are not strain gages;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are in communication with means for monitoring the first sensing means and the second sensing means; and

means, in communication with at least one of the first sensing means, the second sensing means and the means for monitoring the first sensing means and the second sensing means, for processing output of at least one of the first sensing means and second sensing means.

3. A detection system comprising:

first sensing means, located adjacent a first rail of a railway, for detecting and communicating proximity along the first rail of a first wheel of a wheelset; and

second sensing means, located adjacent a second rail of the railway, for detecting and communicating proximity along the second rail of a second wheel of the wheelset;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are disposed along a common line generally perpendicular to at least one of a longitudinal axis of at least one of the first rail and the second rail and a tangent of at least one of the first rail and the second rail;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are not strain gages;

wherein the first sensing means and the second sensing means are in communication with means for monitoring the first sensing means and the second sensing means; and

means, in communication with at least one of the first sensing means, the second sensing means and the means for monitoring the first sensing means and the second sensing means, for analyzing reports of at least one of the first sensing means, the second sensing means and the means for monitoring the first sensing means and the second sensing means.