GB504587A - Improvements in apparatus for recording data relating to railway tracks - Google Patents

Abstract

504,587. Recording - apparatus ; surveying railway tracks. STEVENS, A. H. (Sperry Products, Inc.) March 2, 1938, No. 6550. [Class 106 (iv)] [Also in Group XX] Data relating to railway track is recorded by mechanism provided in a rail car mounted on front and rear trucks and having an auxiliary intermediate truck which can move relatively to the car body. The auxiliary truck can (I) move laterally to record curvature, (2) tilt with the car to record superelevation, and (3) move vertically to record rail-surface irregularities. The car 10 is mounted on front and rear trucks 11 and the auxiliary truck comprises a frame 16 carrying a closely-fitting axle 18 with flanged wheels 19. Rollers 21, Fig. 5, journalled in a member 24 engage transverse channels 20 secured to the car body, the member 24 having a number of pistons 25 extending into cylinders 26 secured to the frame 16, the pistons being pressed upwards by springs 27. Levers 31, 31<1> are pivoted to the frame 16 and also to tie bars 30, 30<1> connected through spring-loaded shackles 40 and universal joints 36 to the car body. The levers 30, 30<1> are also connected to plungers 44 mounted on the frame 16 and acted upon by springs 42. Recording curvature. Transverse movement of the auxiliary truck is communicated by a link 70, Fig. 6, and rod 72, to a pen P recording on a sheet 50 driven from the wheels of the auxiliary truck. Recording superelevation. A cross-bar 81 secured to the frame of the auxiliary truck is engaged by two rollers 80 on links 82 pivoted to a lever 83 itself pivoted in a block 85 vertically slidable in the car body. An arm 88 secured to the lever 83 engages a vertical slotted member 90 horizontally slidable in the car body and engaged by a pin 94 on an arm 95 of a rod 96 connected by linkage 98, 100 to a pen arm 103 pivoted at 104, and carrying a recording pen P<1>. The point 104 is maintained fixed in space by a gyroscope G. The pen P<1> thus records the tilt of the car caused by superelevation, but the linkage ensures that the pen is not affected by any movement of the auxiliary truck relative to the car due to swaying of the car about a longitudinal axis or by bounce of the car. Recording rail-surface irregularities. Vertical movement of the auxiliary truck relative to the car caused by such irregularities causes movement of the block 85, Fig. 6, this movement being transmitted by levers 111, 114 to a pen arm 116 carrying a pen P<11>.