GB800190A - Improvements relating to apparatus for identifying vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

800,190. Identifying railway vehicles. METROPOLITAN-VICKERS ELECTRICAL CO., Ltd. Feb. 15, 1956 [Feb. 23, 1955], No. 5478/55. Class 105. [Also in Group XL (b)] Vehicles are identified as they pass an indentification post by means of a pattern of a plurality of similar or different radio-active transmitters carried by the vehicle which affect radiationresponsive apparatus or reading heads fixed at the post and adapted to provide signals corresponding to the radiation pattern of the sources as they pass by and also adapted, if desired, to provide a single signal for vehicle counting purposes. The sources may, e.g., be attached preferably to the unsprung portion of the vehicle in a verticle line and can be read from a plurality of reading heads equal to the maximum number of sources which may be encountered and arranged with the same vertical spacing, as the sources or, as shown in Fig. 2, the sources 3 may be arranged on the vehicle 1 in a horizontal line allowing of sequential reading of the sources if a single reading head 5 is employed or simultaneous reading may be effected if there is employed a number of reading heads 5 equal to the maximum number of sources arranged to have the same configuration as the source 3, and arranged to be read at the instant the sources are opposite the heads. The horizontallyarranged reading-heads 5 in the form of Geiger- Muller tubes A1-A5, Fig. 4, are arranged in a radiation absorbant, e.g. lead, casing 4, Fig. 2, and are provided with narrow apertures so as to restrict the angle of radiation reception to narrow limits. The outputs of these tubes A1-A5 are amplified in amplifiers B1-B5, their outputs being fed to gating devices C1- C5 which are opened by the signal amplified in amplifier B6 from a Geiger-Muller tube A6 affected by a radio-active transmitter arranged as at 7, Fig. 2, below the horizontal row of transmitters 3 when the latter are instantaneously opposite the tubes A1-A5. The outputs from the gating devices are fed to storage stages D1-D5 or signal utilization devices. The radio-active sources may comprise Sr90+Y90 or else Csl37. The identification information may be in binary code, the two forms of binary digit being indicated by the presence or absence of a radiation source or alternatively by the use of two distinct types of radiation source. For detection of beta-rays an open-ended window type counter such as the Applicant Company's halogen-quenched type B.12.H may be used. Sodium iodide crystals may be used to detect gamma rays.