System and method for mobile subvehicular access and treatment of ground surfaces about occupied rail tracks

• US 9,493,916 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Craig Mercier
• Original Assignee: Craig Mercier
• Inventors: Mercier, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Reis, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/382,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20150021406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 15/007 with agitators in the hopper
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 17/001 Centrifugal throwing devices with a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0014 Field atomisers, e.g. orchard atomisers, self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0082 Undercarriages, frames, mountings, couplings, tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0089 Regulating or controlling systems the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/10 Storage, supply or control of liquid or other fluent material; Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material B05C1/0813, B05C5/0225, B05C17/002 and B05C19/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/02 the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g. from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/02 performed by spraying
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 27/102 Removing unwanted material without removing the ballast
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/203 Centrifugal spreaders with substantially vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 8/10 Removing undesirable matter from rails, flange grooves, or the like railway parts, e.g. removing ice from contact rails, removing mud from flange grooves heating, blowing, or fluid-applying devices installed in the track E01B19/00; built-in draining devices for rails E01B21/02; removing ballast from rails E01B27/04

Abstract

A system and method are provided for subvehicularly accessed treatment of ground surfaces about a rail track occupied by a rail vehicle. A mobile treatment unit having a propulsion mechanism for subvehicular passage between the rails occupied by the rail vehicle includes a dispensing portion for expelling a treatment material therefrom onto regions of the ground surface about the rails. The mobile treatment unit is maneuverable between the rails and maintains height clearance for unobstructed passage beneath the occupying rail vehicle. At least one sensor unit is coupled to the mobile treatment unit, which acquires environmental feedback data about the mobile treatment unit. A control unit is operably linked to the mobile treatment and sensor units, and receives the environmental feedback data. The control unit controls actuation of the mobile treatment unit responsive to the environmental feedback and/or a maneuver control command.

Claims

1. A system for subvehicularly accessed treatment of ground surfaces about a rail track occupied by a rail vehicle comprising:

a mobile treatment unit having a propulsion mechanism for subvehicular passage between the rails occupied by the rail vehicle, said mobile treatment unit including a dispensing portion for expelling a treatment material therefrom onto regions of the ground surface about the rails, said mobile treatment unit being maneuverable between the rails and maintaining height clearance for unobstructed passage beneath the occupying rail vehicle;

at least one sensor unit coupled to said mobile treatment unit, said sensor unit acquiring environmental feedback data about said mobile treatment unit; and

,

a control unit operably linked to said mobile treatment unit and said sensor unit, said control unit receiving the environmental feedback data, said control unit controlling actuation of said mobile treatment unit responsive to at least one of said environmental feedback and a maneuver control command.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control unit is remotely disposed from said mobile treatment unit.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control unit includes a portable case and a display, control panel, and replacement battery housed in said portable case.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a controller operably coupled to said control unit by a wireless communication link.

5. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said control unit is tethered to said mobile treatment unit for passage of data therebetween.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a storage compartment for holding the treatment material to be expelled from said dispensing portion to treat the ground surface about the rails.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a power driven actuator assembly disposed in said storage compartment for automatically conveying the treatment material to said dispensing portion therefrom.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said power driven actuator assembly includes a conveyor device extending longitudinally through said storage compartment to carry the treatment material to through an outlet of said storage compartment.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said power driven actuator assembly includes:

an auger device at least partially extending upward from a floor portion of said storage compartment; and

,

a chute disposed about at least a portion of said auger device;

wherein said auger is angularly displaced to convey the treatment material from floor portion through said chute for elevated release from said storage compartment.

10. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said dispensing portion includes a power driven rotary spreader mechanism disposed at an aft end of said mobile treatment unit for receiving and projecting the treatment material released from said storage compartment onto the ground surfaces about the rails.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a lift mechanism coupled to said hopper, said lift mechanism being actuated to adjustably elevate an aft portion of said hopper and said power driven rotary spreader mechanism for selectively adjusting a dispensing point for the treatment material in height and angular orientation.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a vehicle platform, and said propulsion mechanism includes at least a pair of wheel sets coupled to said vehicle platform, each said wheel set including a plurality of wheel members disposed in line, said pair of wheel sets being bilaterally disposed at opposing lateral sides of said vehicle platform.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said propulsion mechanism includes a plurality of continuous treads each enveloping one of said wheel sets to be driven thereby through an endless loop thereabout.

14. A system for treatment of a ground surface about a rail track having a pair of substantially parallel rails, with a rail vehicle occupying the rail track remaining in situ thereon comprising:

a mobile treatment unit movably disposed for subvehicular passage between the rails underneath the rail vehicle, said mobile treatment unit including;

a storage compartment defining a space for holding a treatment material, said storage compartment including a power driven actuator assembly for regulating the passage of the treatment material therethrough;

a dispensing portion coupled to said storage compartment for expelling the treatment material passed thereto from said storage compartment, said dispensing portion including a rotary spreader mechanism disposed beneath an outlet of said storage compartment for collecting and projecting outward the treatment material passed from said storage portion, said rotary spreader mechanism thereby spreading the treatment material onto regions of the ground surface adjacent the rails; and

,

at least one sensor unit coupled to said mobile treatment unit, said sensor unit acquiring environmental feedback data about said mobile treatment unit; and

,

a control unit remotely disposed from said mobile treatment unit, said control unit being operably coupled to said mobile treatment unit by a wireless communications link, said control unit receiving the environmental feedback data acquired by said sensor unit;

wherein said control unit controlling actuation of said mobile treatment unit responsive to at least one of said environmental feedback and a maneuver control command to selectively maneuver said mobile treatment unit in between the rails and selectively actuate dispensing of the treatment material therefrom, said mobile treatment unit being configured to maintain sufficient clearance along a full length of the occupying rail vehicle for unobstructed passage therebeneath.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a protective plate extending beneath said rotary spreader mechanism.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a vehicle platform and a propulsion mechanism coupled thereto, said propulsion mechanism including at least a pair of wheel sets being bilaterally disposed at opposing lateral sides of said vehicle platform, each said wheel set having a plurality of wheel members disposed in line along one said vehicle platform lateral side.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said propulsion mechanism includes a plurality of continuous treads each enveloping one of said wheel sets to be driven thereby through an endless loop thereabout.