Method and apparatus for applying railway ballast

• US 7,707,944 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Herzog Contracting
• Original Assignee: Herzog Contracting
• Inventors: Bounds, Ivan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano; S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCarry, Jr.; Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/566,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 104/2, 104/5, 104/8, 104/88.01, 105/239, 105/240, 105/241.2, 105/247, 701/19, 246/125, 246/126, 246/127
• US Class Current: 104/5
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 27/02 Placing the ballast; Making ballastway; Redistributing ballasting material; Machines or devices therefor; Levelling means

Abstract

A method and apparatus for spreading ballast along railways makes use of an inertial measurement system to determine where to apply ballast from a hopper car. A variety of techniques can be used to determine the location and speed of the ballast spreading train, including manual or automated visual techniques, laser technology, radar technology, radio frequency transponders, magnetic sensor, thermal imaging and aerial photogrammetry. The invention also contemplates “on the fly” surveys and terrain profiling using lasers or radar.

Claims

1. Apparatus for applying ballast to a bed of a railway having a ballast deficient zone occupying a preselected span along the railway having first and second ends using a railcar that carries ballast and has a ballast door which can be opened to discharge ballast to the bed and closed to prevent ballast discharge as the railcar travels along the railway, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of radar reflective reference locations along the railway each a known predetermined distance from said ballast deficient zone;

a radar transmitter on the railcar for directing a radar signal toward each reference location that is approached by the railcar;

a radar receiver on the railcar for receiving a reflected radar signal reflected from each reference location;

means for determining the current location of the railcar relative to each reference location based on the reflected radar signal to thereby determine the current distance of the railcar from said ballast deficient zone;

means for determining the current distance of the railcar from said first and second ends of said ballast deficient zone using said current location of the railcar;

means for detecting when the current distance of the railcar from said first end of said ballast deficient zone is equal to zero;

means for opening said ballast door to initiate discharge of ballast from the railcar when the current distance of the railcar from said first end of said ballast deficient zone is approximately equal to zero;

means for maintaining said ballast door open to continue discharging the ballast from the railcar while the railcar traverses said span from said first end to said second end;

means for detecting when the current distance of the railcar from said second end of said ballast deficient zone is equal to zero; and

means for closing said ballast door to terminate discharge of ballast from the railcar when the current distance of the railcar from said second end of said ballast deficient zone is approximately equal to zero.

2. Apparatus for applying ballast to a bed of a railway having a ballast deficient zone occupying a preselected span along the railway having first and second ends using a railcar that carries ballast and has a ballast door which can be opened to discharge ballast to the bed and closed to prevent ballast discharge as the railcar travels along the railway, said apparatus comprising:

a thermal sensor carried on the railcar for sensing thermal characteristics of the bed which are at predetermined distances from said first and second ends of said ballast deficient zone in a manner to determine the current distance of the railcar along said railway from said first and second ends of said ballast deficient zone; and

means for opening said ballast door to initiate discharge of ballast from the railcar when the current location of the railcar as determined by said thermal sensor corresponds to said first end of said ballast deficient zone;

means for maintaining said ballast door open to continue discharge of ballast from the railcar when the current location of the railcar as determined by said sensor thermal corresponds to any position between said first and second ends of said ballast deficient zone; and

means for closing said ballast door to terminate discharge of ballast from the railcar when the current location of the railcar as determined by said thermal sensor corresponds to said second end of said ballast deficient zone.