GB979913A - System and method of weighing coupled railroad cars in motion - Google Patents

Abstract

979, 913. Weighing coupled rail cars. H. A. L. VENNER. (S.H. Levinson). Dec. 18, 1962, No. 47778/62. Heading G1W. A method of weighing coupled railroad cars while in motion in which the cars are passed over a weigh rail 16 and weighed, comprises altering the distance between adjacent cars an amount sufficient to free the joined couplers 7, 7<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 1 of forces in draught for a time sufficient to permit the couplers to drop by gravity to a predetermined position, as in Fig. 2, if they are not already in such position, then increasing the distance between the cars an amount sufficient to cause the couplers to engage in draught before the car to be weighed reaches the weigh rail, and maintaining the cars coupled in draught until after the car being weighed has passed over the weigh rail. An engine E, Fig. 6, draws railroad cars A, B, C, D along a track 15 containing the weigh rail 16. The cars are coupled by couplers 7, 7<SP>1</SP> having the form shown in Figs. 1, 9 and the couplers are mounted on keys 9 with springs 8, 8<SP>1</SP> to absorb shocks, the couplers having a vertical play between upper and lower sills 6, 6<SP>1</SP> and 5, 5<SP>1</SP> respectively, on the cars. If the couplers are in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 the cars may be weighed accurately since there can be no transfer of weight from one car to the next. However, with the couplers in a position such as that shown in Fig. 5, weight may be transferred and to overcome this the tank 15 has inclined sections 19, 20 arranged as shown in Fig. 6. The coupling between the cars B, C will be in the condition shown in Fig. 2, where the couplers rest on the lower sills 5, 5<SP>1</SP> and this will automatically occur whatever the previous positions of the couplers. The couplers between the cars B, A and A, D are in the condition shown in Fig. 1, and by the time the cars have reached the position of the car D in Fig. 6, the car is free from jolting and is being pulled steadily by the engine E, the car thus being in proper condition for weighing, the weight being transmitted to an indicator a recorder 18, which allows for the inclination of the weigh rail 16. The upwardly inclined track section 20 may be replaced by a level rail section fitted with retarders, (Fig. 7, not shown), or on a level rail, a retarder may be provided, at the position of the car B in Fig. 6 to provide the same effect of temporarily relieving the couplers of horizontal forces, (Fig. 8, not shown). Also, the weigh rail may be such as to give a weight reading for part of a car only, e.g. one axle loading, and the engine E may alternatively be arranged to push the cars over the weigh rail.