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

• US 9,781,914 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2016
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• 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:
  US15/336,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20170042137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• 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 method for subvehicularly accessed treatment of ground surfaces about a rail track occupied by a rail vehicle, comprising:

establishing a mobile treatment unit having a propulsion mechanism and including at least one sensor unit coupled thereto to capture environmental feedback data about said mobile treatment unit;

positioning said mobile treatment unit between the rails occupied by the rail vehicle for subvehicular passage therealong;

actuating said mobile treatment unit to dispense a treatment material therefrom onto regions of the ground surface about the rails while maneuvering said mobile treatment unit between the rails;

maintaining a height clearance for unobstructed passage of said mobile treatment unit beneath the occupying rail vehicle; and

,

controlling said mobile treatment unit through a communications link maintained therewith, said mobile treatment unit being controlled thereby responsive to at least one of said environmental feedback and a maneuver control command input.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a control unit is operably coupled to a controller established in said mobile treatment unit by a wireless communication link.

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

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein a power driven actuator assembly is disposed in said storage compartment for automatically conveying the treatment material to said dispensing portion therefrom.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said power driven actuator assembly is established to include:

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 said floor portion through said chute for elevated release from said storage compartment.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said maneuver control command is manually entered into said control unit for directing actuation of said mobile treatment unit responsive thereto.

7. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said maneuver control command is programmably entered into said control unit for directing actuation of said mobile treatment unit responsive thereto.

8. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said dispensing portion is power driven to generate a rotary spreading action at an aft end of said mobile treatment unit for projecting the treatment material received from said storage compartment onto the ground surfaces about the rails.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a hopper and lift mechanism actuated to adjustably elevate an aft portion of said hopper for selectively adjusting a dispensing point for the treatment material in height and angular orientation.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said mobile treatment unit is established on a self-propelled vehicle platform supported by at least a pair of wheel sets coupled thereto, disposing in each said wheel set a plurality of wheel members arranged in line, said pair of wheel sets being bilaterally disposed at opposing lateral sides of said vehicle platform.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said wheel sets is enveloped by a continuous tread to be driven thereby through an endless loop thereabout.

12. A method for subvehicularly accessed treatment of ground surfaces about a rail track occupied by a rail vehicle, comprising:

establishing a mobile treatment unit on a self-propelled vehicle platform supported by at least a pair of wheel sets coupled thereto, disposing in each said wheel set a plurality of wheel members arranged in line, said pair of wheel sets being bilaterally disposed at opposing lateral sides of said vehicle platform, actuating at least one sensor unit coupled to said vehicle platform to capture environmental feedback data about said mobile treatment unit;

positioning said mobile treatment unit between the rails occupied by the rail vehicle for subvehicular passage therealong;

actuating said mobile treatment unit to dispense a treatment material therefrom onto regions of the ground surface about the rails while maneuvering said mobile treatment unit between the rails;

maintaining a height clearance for unobstructed passage of said mobile treatment unit beneath the occupying rail vehicle; and

,

controlling said mobile treatment unit through a wireless communications link maintained therewith, said mobile treatment unit being controlled thereby responsive to at least one of said environmental feedback and a maneuver control command input.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein a power driven actuator assembly is disposed in a storage compartment for automatically conveying the treatment material to said dispensing portion therefrom.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said power driven actuator assembly is established to include:

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 said floor portion through said chute for elevated release from said storage compartment.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein said mobile treatment unit is maneuvered through a rail system having at least one ladder track configured portion for treatment of ground surfaces thereabout.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said wheel sets is enveloped by a continuous tread to be driven thereby through an endless loop thereabout.

17. A method 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:

establishing in a mobile treatment unit configured to maintain sufficient clearance along a full length of the occupying rail vehicle for unobstructed passage therebeneath;

a storage compartment defining a space for holding a treatment material, said storage compartment being selectively power driven 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 being selectively actuated for rotary spreading of the treatment material from said storage compartment onto regions of the ground surface adjacent the rails; and

,

at least one sensor unit coupled to said mobile treatment unit, said sensor unit being actuated to acquire environmental feedback data relative to said mobile treatment unit;

propelling said mobile treatment unit for subvehicular passage between the rails underneath the rail vehicle;

establishing a control unit 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; and

,

actuating said control unit to selectively maneuver said mobile treatment unit in between the rails and selectively actuate dispensing of the treatment material therefrom responsive to at least one of said environmental feedback and a maneuver control command.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said mobile treatment unit is established on a self-propelled vehicle platform supported by at least a pair of wheel sets bilaterally disposed at opposing lateral sides of said vehicle platform, said mobile treatment unit being maneuvered through a rail system having at least one ladder track configured portion for treatment of ground surfaces thereabout.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein each of said wheel sets is enveloped by a continuous tread to be driven thereby through an endless loop thereabout.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said mobile treatment unit includes a lift mechanism actuated to adjustably elevate an aft portion of said storage compartment for selectively adjusting a dispensing point for the treatment material in height and angular orientation.