Versine trolley-type equipment for inspecting track irregularity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10429180-B2
Application number	US-201615570373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

Provided is versine trolley-type equipment for inspecting a track irregularity, having sensors respectively provided to a trolley so as to measure a height difference, direction misalignment, gauge irregularity, rail longitudinal slope, cant and the like of railroad rails, and simultaneously measuring the height difference and direction misalignment of a left rail and a right rail so as to reduce a measurement time by half and, also, allowing left and right measurement frames to freely move in a vertical direction within a predetermined range, thereby bringing front and rear trolley wheels of the left and right measurement frames into close contact with the rails all the time even if the rails are warped.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A versine trolley-type equipment for inspecting track irregularity, which is capable of simultaneously measuring a height difference and direction misalignment of left and right rails, comprising:
versine left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ) on which front and rear trolley wheels ( 120 a to 120 d ) are mounted, and hung on the left and right rails to move along the left and right rails for a versine inspection;
first and second vertical measurement wheels ( 130 a and 130 b ) installed at outer side surfaces of the versine left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ) so as to be able to detect a height difference of each of the left and right rails;
first and second height difference sensors ( 140 a and 140 b ) respectively engaged with the first and second vertical measurement wheels ( 130 a and 130 b ) to detect the height difference of each of the left and right rails;
first and second direction misalignment sensors ( 150 a and 150 b ) respectively installed at inner side surfaces of the versine left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ) to detect a direction misalignment of each of the left and right rails;
horizontal measurement wheels ( 210 a and 210 b ) respectively connected to the first and second direction misalignment sensors ( 150 a and 150 b ) and interposed at inner lower portions between the versine left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ) so as to allow the first and second direction misalignment sensors ( 150 a and 150 b ) to detect the direction misalignment; and
a horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) interposed between the versine left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ) and configured to connect the versine left measurement frame ( 110 a ) to the right measurement frame ( 110 b ).

2. The equipment of claim 1 , wherein the first and second vertical measurement wheels ( 130 a and 130 b ) are respectively installed at the left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ) to vertically freely move within a predetermined range, and the first and second height difference sensors ( 140 a and 140 b ), which are displacement sensors, detect vertical movement amounts of the first and second vertical measurement wheels ( 130 a and 130 b ) to measure a versine height difference.

3. The equipment of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal measurement wheels ( 210 a and 210 b ) are respectively installed at the left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ) to horizontally freely move within a predetermined range, and the first and second direction misalignment sensors ( 150 a and 150 b ), which are displacement sensors, detect horizontal movement amounts of the horizontal measurement wheels ( 210 a and 210 b ) to measure a versine direction misalignment.

4. The equipment of claim 1 , wherein a horizontal elastic spring ( 220 ) is installed at the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) to allow the front and rear trolley wheels ( 120 a to 120 d ), which are installed at front and rear sides of the left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ), to be respectively brought into close contact with upper surfaces of the left and right rails and side surfaces thereof, and supports the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) connected to the left measurement frame ( 110 a ), and an elastic force is applied to the right measurement frame ( 110 b ) by the horizontal elastic spring ( 220 ) so that the front and rear trolley wheels ( 120 a to 120 d ) on left and right sides are respectively brought into close contact with the left and right rails.

5. The equipment of claim 1 , wherein, when the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) is connected to the right measurement frame ( 110 b ), horizontal measurement wheel adjustment springs ( 230 a and 230 b ) are installed at left and right end portions of the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ), and the left horizontal measurement wheel ( 210 a ) and the right horizontal measurement wheel ( 210 b ) are respectively brought into close contact with the left and right rails using elastic forces of the horizontal measurement wheel adjustment springs ( 230 a and 230 b ).

6. The equipment of claim 1 , wherein, when a traveling direction of each of the left and right rails, which is a traveling direction of each of the left and right measurement frames ( 110 a and 110 b ), is defined as an X-axis, a horizontal direction of each of the left and right rails is defined as a Y-axis, and a vertical direction of each thereof is defined as a Z-axis, the left measurement frame ( 110 a ) is able to yaw about the Z-axis and to pitch about the Y-axis with respect to the right measurement frame, and the yawing and the pitching are allowed within a predetermined angle by restricting a rotation over a predetermined magnitude.

7. The equipment of claim 6 , wherein a connection box ( 200 a ) is fomied at an end portion of the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ), and a horizontal elastic spring ( 201 ) and a horizontal measurement wheel adjustment spring ( 202 ) are installed inside the connection box ( 200 a ), wherein the horizontal elastic spring ( 201 ) is installed at left and right sides inside the connection box ( 200 a ) for a buffering effect and confinement of a rotation about the Z-axis and is in contact with a surface of the connection box ( 200 a ) of the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) to prevent the rotation over a predetermined extent about the Z-axis.

8. The equipment of claim 7 , wherein the horizontal measurement wheel adjustment spring ( 202 ) is installed at upper and lower sides inside the connection box for a buffering effect and confinement of a rotation about the Y-axis, and is in contact with the surface of the connection box ( 200 a ) of the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) to prevent the rotation over a predetermined extent about the Y-axis.

9. The equipment of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rail slope sensor ( 160 ) installed at the versine left measurement frame ( 110 a ) and configured to detect a rail longitudinal slope;
a taco sensor ( 170 ) installed at an outer side surface of the versine right measurement frame ( 110 b ) and configured to measure a speed of the versine trolley-type equipment ( 100 ) for inspecting track irregularity;
a gauge sensor ( 180 ) configured to detect a gauge between the left and right rails; and
a cant sensor ( 190 ) installed at an upper left portion of the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) and configured to detect a cant amount.

10. The equipment of claim 9 , further comprising a data acquisition (DAQ) system ( 240 ) installed at the horizontal connection frame ( 200 ) and configured to acquire and display values detected from the sensors ( 140 a , 140 b , 150 a , 150 b , 160 , 170 , 180 , and 190 ).

Assignees

• Korea Railroad Res Institute

Inventors

• Choi Il Yoon
• Lee Jun Suk
• Kwon Sam Young
• Min In Ki

Classifications

• G01C9/00

  Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels · CPC title

• B61L23/048

  Road bed changes, e.g. road bed erosion · CPC title

• B61K9/08

  Measuring installations for surveying permanent way · CPC title

• B61L23/047

  Track or rail movements · CPC title

• B61K9/00

  Railway vehicle profile gauges; Detecting or indicating overheating of components; Apparatus on locomotives or cars to indicate bad track sections; General design of track recording vehicles · CPC title