Track Position Measuring Bogie

Abstract

In track surveying or correction apparatus, a measuring bogie with two flanged wheels running on the track rails. The wheels are transversely movable in respect of a carrier for a track surveying element which is to be kept at a constant distance from a selected grade rail. A remotely controllable drive presses the carrier against the grade rail by a drive which is connected with the carrier, on the one hand, and the flanged wheel running on, and in contact with, the other rail.

Description

The present invention relates to improvements in measuring bogies used in surveying and/or correcting the position of a track.

Measuring bogies of this type comprise a running gear with a transversely extending carrier, a track surveying element fixedly mounted on the carrier, and two substantially coaxially mounted flanged wheels supported on the carrier, with each of the flanged wheels running on a respective one of the track rails and the flanges of the wheels in contact with the rails. A remotely controllable drive, such as a pneumatically or hydraulically operated cylinder-piston motor, presses the carrier by means of one of the flanged wheels transversely against a selected one of the rails serving as grade rail whereby the track surveying element on the carrier is held at a constant distance from the grade rail.

In this type of apparatus, it has been proposed to use a separate pneumatic or hydraulic motor to press a shoe transversely against the inside on one of the rails to move the wheel carrier and the wheels against the opposite rail serving as the grade rail. Such drives have many advantages, including the simple and accurate control of the pressure so that the operation could be precisely remote controlled. More particularly, they make it possible to operate a series of successive bogies simultaneously and accurately with the same pressure where a number of spaced bogies are used, for instance as part of a long reference system in track lining. Furthermore, drives of this type make it possible to select the grade rail at will, changes of the grade rail during lining being necessary when the direction of a track curve changes since the outer rail is always used as the grade rail in track curves.

According to this invention, it is also preferred to use a pneumatically or hydraulically operated drive although remotely controllable electromagnetic or electrical drives may also be used, electromagnetic drives of this type being disclosed, for instance, in copending U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,459, filed June 5, 1968, of which one of the joint inventors herein is a joint inventor.

It is the primary object of the invention to simplify the construction of such an apparatus and to provide a compact and economical unit taking up a minimum of space and requiring only relatively few parts, which makes the apparatus less subject to breakdown.

This object is accomplished in accordance with the present invention with a running gear of the indicated type, wherein the flanged wheels and the carrier are transversely movable in respect of each other, and the remotely controllable drive for pressing the carrier against the grade rail is connected, on the one hand, with the carrier and, on the other hand, with the other flanged wheel running on, and in contact with, the other rail for moving the other flanged wheel.

In such a structure, all forces actively or passively acting on the track are exerted in an advantageous manner more or less in the range of a single imaginary horizontal axis extending transversely of the track, at the same point of the track and with the same parts, i.e., always with flanged wheels, which are used, on the one hand, actively as pressure elements, like the shoes of the prior art, and, on the other hand, passively locating the track surveying element. The need for separate hydraulic or pneumatic shoes, which often interfere with the movement of the running gear over encumbered track sections, is thus avoided. All parts of the apparatus are compactly arranged and form a mechanical unit. The pressure points on the track are no longer spaced from each other in the direction of track elongation but are always transversely aligned.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a conventional track lining machine in connection with which the measuring bogies of the invention may be used;

FIG. 1a is a similar view of a conventional track leveling, lining and tamping machine whose reference system may make use of these measuring bogies;

FIG. 2 is a front view, partly in section, as seen in the direction of arrow II of FIG. 3, of a running gear used as a measuring bogie according to the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the running gear.

Referring now to the drawing and first to FIG. 1, there is shown a mobile track liner 1 which may operate in either direction, as indicated by the horizontal arrows, along track 2. The machine frame runs on the track on wheels 3 and carries a track lining tool 4 intermediate the wheels, the lining tool engaging the track rails and being transversely movable to line the engaged track. The reference system for the lining includes a reference line 5 extending between end stations 6, 6 connected to the respective ends of the liner frame by means of spacing rods 6', 6", respectively, the reference line passing intermediate station 7 and measuring station 8 at the point of lining. To make the reference system accurate, the reference line must be located at a constant distance from the track, i.e., its grade rail, for which purpose the running gears described hereinafter are positioned at stations 6, 7, and 8, as is well known in modern track lining operations of this type.

Since these running gears are useful in any lining operation and regardless of the number of reference lines, the reference system and the lining operation will not be further described. As shown in FIG. 1a merely by way of further explanation, such running gears may also be used in other types of mobile track working machines or in any type of operation requiring a survey of the track position.

The combined track tamping, leveling and lining machine of FIG. 1a comprises a mobile frame 1' moving on track 2' by means of wheels 3', track lining tools 4' being mounted on the frame between the wheels. Lining is effected in relation to reference line 5'. A fixed point for the reference system is located at station 7' and the measuring station 8' is located at the track lining point. An overhanging portion of the frame carries track tampers 9 and track lifting tools 10, the track leveling operation being controlled by a reference system including a receiver 11 for a reference beam 12. The receiver rests on on the previously leveled track and is carried by vertically movable rod 13 to indicate the desired level to which the tools 10 are to lift the track, leveling operations of this type being well known and requiring no further description for the purposes of the present invention.

As previously pointed out, the running gear of this invention may be used in this type of track correction apparatus to survey the track position and thus to form a part of the reference system for the lining operation.

A preferred embodiment of such a running gear is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It comprises a transversely extending carrier 18 provided with guide means consisting of guide sleeves 17, 17' for glidably mounting the stub axles 16, 16' of flanged wheels 14, 14' which are at least substantially coaxially supported on the carrier 18 and run on a respective track rail 15, 15', with the flanges of the wheels in contact with the rails. In this manner, the flanged wheels and the carrier are transversely movable in respect of each other.

A bracket 19 carrying a track surveying element 30 is fixedly mounted on carrier 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the track surveying element consists of a pulley and a tensioned wire 5 serving as a reference line is trained over the pulley 30. Since the reference line serves as the datum for the track position, the end point 30 thereof must be held at a constant distance from the selected grade rail. The tensioned wire passes from pulley 30 over guide roller 21 to wire tensioning reel 31 which may be turned by handle 23 and, when the wire has been tensioned, may be held against rotation in a known manner to keep the wire under tension. The tensioning reel 31 is mounted on bracket 18a which is fixedly mounted on carrier 18. If desired, brackets 18a and 19 may be integral with the carrier, the brackets in any case forming part of the carrier.

The illustrated remotely controllable drive of the present invention consists of two like hydraulically or pneumatically operated motors each consisting of a cylinder 20, 20', a piston 21, 21', a piston rod 22, 22', and a pressure fluid conduit 20a, 20a'. Since pressure fluid operated motors of this type are very well known, the structure is only schematically indicated and their operation requires no further description. It is equally obvious that the two cylinder-piston motors could be replaced by a single double-acting cylinder-piston motor functioning identically. Furthermore, the drive may be a magnetically, electromagnetically, electrically or mechanically operated motor of any suitable type which may be remote controlled.

In the illustrated embodiment, the two separate drives are arranged laterally adjacent the track surveying element 30, and the track surveying element is mounted intermediate the wheels 14, 14'. The cylinder of each drive forms a fixed part thereof while the piston rod and piston of each drive constitutes a movable part of the drive. The fixed cylinders are linked to the carrier bracket 18a at pivots 19, 19' while the free outer ends of the piston rods 22, 22' are linked respectively to one end of guide levers 24, 24'. The guide levers are pivoted intermediate their ends to stops 25, 25', respectively, while the other ends of the guide levers are linked to brackets 23, 23', respectively, which are mounted on carrier 18. The stops 25, 25' are constituted by bushings fixedly mounted on, or integral with, stub axles 16, 16' of the flanged wheels, these bushings being laterally adjacent the carrier 18. Thus, when the carrier is transversely moved in either direction into engagement with a respective stop, it will take along the stop and its stub axle and thus indirectly move a respective one of the flanged wheels to press its flange against the selected rail.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated connection of driving parts to the flanged wheels. For instance, it would be functionally equivalent to mount the flanged wheels laterally movably on an axle which is fixedly mounted on the carrier 18 and to drive the movably mounted wheels instead of their movably mounted axles. At any rate, the drive is connected indirectly, on the one hand, with the end of carrier 18 to be pressed against the grade rail and, on the other hand, with the flanged wheel opposite to this end for pressing the carrier with its track surveying element against the grade rail while simultaneously holding the opposite flanged wheel in contact with the opposite rail.

The above-described drive operates as follows:

Referring to FIG. 3, the position of the drive is indicated in full lines with the assumption that the right rail 15' is the grade rail in respect of which the carrier 18 with pulley 30 is to be held at a constant distance. For this purpose, the drive is operated by supplying pressure fluid to the chambers on the right of the pistons 21, 21' (as seen in the drawing). This forces the pistons to move to the left (as seen in the drawing). The outward pressure of the piston rod 22 which is indirectly connected to stop 25 will hold the stop in position so as to maintain the contact of flanged wheel 14 with rail 15, the stop 25, stub axle 16 and wheel 14 forming a unit. At the same time, the counterpressure of the pressure fluid in the right-hand chamber of cylinder 20 will exert a pressure against the carrier bracket 18a to press the same with the carrier towards the right. Carrier 18 being transversely movable in respect of the stub axles 16, 16', the rightward movement of the carrier will bring its right end into engagement with stop 25' of stub axle 16'. Thus, the carrier and track surveying element 30 are moved into the position shown in full lines in FIG. 3, pressing the flanged wheel 14' against the grade rail 15' and holding the track surveying element 30 at a fixed distance from the grade rail, which distance is determined by the position of stop 25'. This movement of the carrier 18 is further effected by the pivoting of two-armed guide levers 24, 24' whose one ends are linked to the piston rods moving in opposite directions while its other ends are linked to carrier brackets 23, 23' to move the same towards the right.

If rail 15 is to be the grade rail, pressure fluid is supplied to the chambers on the left of the pistons to reverse the movement, as indicated in FIG. 3 in broken lines.

In both positions, the flanged wheels 14 and 14' are held in contact with the rails whereon they run. The position of the carrier 18 and the track surveying element 30 which is fixed thereon, in relation to the selected grade rail depends solely on which stop 25, 25' the carrier is pressed against.

While a specific embodiment has been described and illustrated, many structural variations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the claims. As indicated, any suitable remote controlled drive may be used and the motion-transmitting means from the drive to the flanged wheels and the carrier may take any desired form.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A running gear for surveying the position of a track, comprising

1. a transversely extending carrier,

2. a track surveying element fixedly mounted on the carrier,

3. two substantially coaxially mounted flanged wheels supported on the carrier,

a. the flanged wheels and the carrier being transversely movable in respect to each other, and

b. each of the flanged wheels running on a respective one of the track rails, with the flanges of the wheels in contact with the rails,

4. a remotely controllable drive for pressing the carrier together with one of the flanged wheels transversely in the direction of a selected one of the rails serving as a grade rail, whereby the track surveying element on the carrier is held at a constant distance from the grade rail, and for holding the other wheel in contact with the other rail, and

5. motion-transmitting means between the drive and the carrier, on the one hand, and the other flanged wheel, on the other hand, for simultaneously driving the carrier towards the grade rail and the other flanged wheel into contact with the other rail.

2. The running gear of claim 1, wherein the drive is a cylinder-piston pressure fluid operated motor.

3. The running gear of claim 1, comprising a separate one of said drives for each of said wheels, the separate drives being arranged laterally adjacent the track surveying element, said element being mounted intermediate the flanged wheels.

4. The running gear of claim 1, further comprising a stub axle carrying each of said flanged wheels, substantially coaxial guide means on the carrier for glidably mounting the stub axles on the carrier, and said drive being connected to the stub axles.

5. The running gear of claim 4, wherein the motion-transmitting means comprises a stop fixedly mounted on each of said stub axles, the stops being laterally adjacent the carrier, the drive pressing the carrier transversely against the stop on the stub axle of the one flanged wheel while holding the other flanged wheel in contact with the other rail.

6. A running gear for surveying the position of a track, comprising

1. a transversely extending carrier,

2. a track surveying element fixedly mounted on the carrier,

3. two stub axles mounted on the carrier and each carrying a flanged wheel,

a. each of the flanged wheels running on a respective one of the track rails, with the flanges of the wheels in contact with the rails,

4. two substantially coaxial guide sleeves for slidably mounting respective ones of the stub axles on the carrier whereby the flanged wheels and the carrier are transversely movable with respect of each other,

5. a remotely controllable drive connected to the stub axles for pressing the carrier together with one of the flanged wheels transversely in the direction of a selected one of the rails serving as a grade rail, whereby the track surveying element on the carrier is held at a constant distance from the grade rail, and for holding the flange of the other wheel in contact with the other rail, and

6. motion-transmitting means between the drive and the carrier, on the one hand, and the other flanged wheel, on the other hand, for simultaneously driving the carrier towards the grade rail and the other flanged wheel into contact with the other rail,

a. the motion-transmitting means comprising a stop bushing fixedly mounted on each of the stub axles adjacent a respective one of the guide sleeves, and the drive pressing the carrier transversely against the stop bushing on the stub axle of the one flanged wheel while holding the other flanged wheel in contact with the other rail.

7. A running gear for surveying the position of a track, comprising

1. a transversely extending carrier,

2. a track surveying element fixedly mounted on the carrier,

3. two stub axles mounted on the carrier and each carrying a flanged wheel,

a. each of the flanged wheels running on a respective one of the track rails, with the flanges of the wheels in contact with the rails,

4. two substantially coaxial guide means for slidably mounting the stub axles on the carrier whereby the flanged wheels and the carrier are transversely movable in respect of each other,

5. a remotely controllable drive connected to the stub axles for pressing the carrier together with one of the flanged wheels transversely in the direction of a selected one of the rails serving as a grade rail, whereby the track surveying element on the carrier is held at a constant distance from the grade rail, and for holding the flange of the other wheel in contact with the other rail, the drive comprising

a. a fixed part connected with the carrier, and a movable part connected with the stub axles, the fixed and movable parts of the drive being arranged adjacent the stub axles and guide means therefor and extending in the same direction as the stub axles and guide means, and

6. motion-transmitting means between the drive and the carrier, on the one hand, and the other flanged wheel, on the other hand, for simultaneously driving the carrier towards the grade rail and the other flanged wheel into contact with the other rail.

8. The running gear of claim 7, wherein the motion-transmitting means comprises a stop fixedly mounted on each of the stub axles, the stops being laterally adjacent the carrier and the movable part of the drive being connected with the stops for moving the same, and a guide lever interposed between the movable part of the drive and each of the stub axle stops.

9. The running gear of claim 7, wherein the motion-transmitting means comprises a guide lever interposed between the movable part of the drive and the stub axle connected thereto.

10. The running gear of claim 8, wherein each guide lever is pivoted to a respective one of the stub axle stops, one end of the guide levers being linked to the movable drive part and the other end of the guide levers being linked to the carrier.