US2602109A - Flaw detector carriage - Google Patents

Description

July l, 1952 w. c. BARNES ETAL FLAW DETECTOR CARRIAGE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1950 July 1, 1952 w. c. BARNES ETAL FLAW DETECTOR CARRIAGE Patented July 1, 1952 UNITED STATES FLAW DETCTR CARRIAGE Walter C. Barnes, Lake Blulf, andohn C. Dionne;v

' Chicago, Ill.

Application February 1s, 195o, seein No. 144,946

zo claims. l

'This invention relates. .to improvements in apparatus for: magnetically detecting rail flaws such has fissures. -The I general principle in accordance with which such apparatus operates tis', .that if al rail bevproperly subjected to moving magnetic eldsfthe fissures can be polarized and rthen detected by suitable apparatus responsive to lthe. residual magnetic conditions in the Vicinity of the polarized flaws.

' The present invention is not concerned with the details of construction and mode of operation ofthe electrical apparatus and circuits pertainning thereto, but rather with the mechanical structureoffthe detector carriage employed for 'supporting and `positioning with respect to the rails, one of the venergizing magnets and the pickiupv portions of the detector apparatus.

When the car carrying the apparatus moves 1 along a track whose rails vary in: curvature, elevation-.and general straightness, some adequate means is required which shall be able automatically to respond' to track variations in order to :obtain and maintain proper and uniform application of the magnetic fields to therails and lm'aintain the-pick-up devices properly aligned.

Itis to this problem that this invention is pri- .marily devoted, although other objects and advantages of this inventionwill become apparent kfrom the following specification in which a preferred form of the invention is shown andA described. Y

In the drawings: f 1

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a vportion of the detector carriage of thepresent invention, associated with one rail only, and designed for attachment to the underside of a test car;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

ferred embodiment ofV the, invention as required byz Section 4888 of the Revised Statutes, but the `invention is not limited tothe embodiment chosenfor illustration, and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.

The detector carriage herein disclosed may be mounted on test cars of various designs, but for practical reasons has been adopted especially for rmounting. on testl cars already in. use. The iioor (Cl. 17E-183) of such a car'is. herein designatedI as 2,3,to'the undersider of which may be secured'standard longitudinal channel beams 2l,` 22, 23vand 24,v and brackets such as 25 and 25. l

To the brackets25 and 2t arel boltedfrigid depending T bars El and 28, to which are attached short chains 23 and 3G, the chainsfbeing connected to clevis 3l and pin '32 connected to the rear and front end portionslrespectively, .of the main carriage bar 33. 'If desire/d-the main carriage bar may be` made of aluminum to save weight, and toit, directly or indirectly,all the other carriage parts may be attached. f 1

A sub-carriage bar 34 is supported on 'the .rail by wear shoes 35. and 36, preferably made of stainless steel. To'the rear end of the bar'3-lv is Ybolted a split'head pickup box 3l,v having a hanger bracket 3S slotted at 39 `to permit adjusting the box verticallyto maintain a desiredcleiaranceabove the topV surface `of the rail' represented by the line'4il. Y

A cross magnet 4l straddles .and is supported on bar 34 at a fixed distance forwardly of 'the pickup box 3l in a manner to cause it to ride' at a constant air gap above the rail. 4 Y.

The details of construction ofthe pickup box and crossmagnet do not form a part of this invention; hence will not be described any further than as here stated to show their relative positions and means of support.

The main carriage bar 33 is supported on replaceable shoes 42 and 43, which are clamped by means of brackets 44 and bolts 45 to horizontal support bars 43 and 4l, which in turn are rigidly secured to the carriage bar ,33 by vertical bolts', such as 48, which clamp the bars 46 and 4l against vertical spacing plates, such as 49` and 5i).

When the entire carriage is raised` from the track the bar 34 will ride onbar 46, but when the apparatus is in testing position there will be clearance between the top of bar S4`and-the underside of bar 33, and clearance between' lthe underside of bar 34 and the top of bar 43.

As shown in Fig. 1, one orapair of linksy 5I pivotally connected to the front end ofY barl`34 and to a bracket 52 secured to main carriage vbar 33 serves to tow the sub-carriage bar 34, and at the same time exert a lifting forcenon the subcarriage which tends to shift some of the v'veifght of the sub-carriage assembly from shoe, 36 Vto perhaps due to the above-mentioned shifting of weight, the main carriage beam 33 will eventually rest upon the top of sub-carriage bar 34 and thus redistribute the weight. It is the purpose to have all three shoes wear to replacement condition together as a matter of maintenancev convenience.

The maintenance of a desired air gap between cross magnet 4I and the rail, as shoe 36 wears thinner, can be regulated by the insertion of shirns between the magnet and its resting place on bar 34.

The gauge runners 53 are separate pieces which, as shown, may conveniently be bolted to the shoe support bars 46 and 41, and are thus readily replaceable independently. These runners serve to hold the main carriage tracking Y parallel with the rail, while a gauging pressure mechanism, later described, maintains them against the inner sides of the rail heads. A main pickup box 54 is carried by the mai carriage beam v33 upon. vertically adjustable threaded parts, such as 55,7to which are adjustably secured, as shown,hanger brackets, such as 56, the latter being connected to angle brackets 51 xed upon the top of the pickup box.

Having this means of mounting, the pickup box 54 is readily lifted over stepped rail ends by the rail shoe 43, and by reason of its support on the bolts 60 it may tilt about a longitudinal axis to maintainparallelism with the top of the rail.

In some cases it will be preferable to have the pickup box 54 mounted out of engagement with the rail, and this can easily be done by proper adjustment of the bolts 55 and 60.

When the carriage assembly is raised from the track during a non-testing period the chains 29 and 30, though inclined upwardly, assist in maintaining the carriage parallel to the track.

Fig. 3 shows a pair of rails 6I and 62 and a detector carriage in test contact with each rail. To maintain these carriages vertically, or nearly so, while in testing position a horizontal link 63 is pivotally connected to channel beam 22- and to a'vertical-link 64,- th'e lower end of which is pivotally'connected at 65 to a bracket 66 aflixed inanysuitable manner to the top of carriage beam33. Utilizing a slot 61 in bracket- 66- and a bolt 68 passing therethrough, the link 64 may be adjustably but rigidly so connected to the carriage as to maintain the latter in a substantially vertical position when in testing contact with theV rail. H

Links identical with 63 andrllV for the same .purposeare connected with the carriage positioned on rail 62, but are omitted from the drawing for, clarity.

Automatic gauging is an arm 13 on which is rigidly mounted a weight 14 spaced far enough from iloor beam 2| to clear it under all conditions.

A turnbuckle rod 15, oppositely threaded at its ends, is pivotally connected by threaded sleeves 16 and 11 to the lower end of lever 12 and to a bracket 18 rigidly secured to the carriage beam.

A rigid link 19 is pivotally connected to lever 12 and to a pendulum rod 80 which is pivotally suspended from bracket 8l and carries on its lower end a vertically adjustable weight 82. It will be recognized that weight 14 not being located vertically above the pivot 1l, tends to disturb the equilibrium of the linkage system just described, but this is compensated for by normally having pendulum slightly displaced to Vthe right ofv its true vertical position to reestablish equilibrium.

VAs the linkage system connected to the right hand carriage in Fig. 3` is obviously the same, but reversely disposed, as that just described in reference to the left hand carriage, additional reference numerals are generally omitted 1for the sake of simplicity.

Tension springs 83 and 84, termed gauging springs, are connected at 85 to a bracket 86 and to the pendulum 80 and the corresponding pendulum 8B associated with the right hand carriage.

When the track is level and its gauge is exactly standard, the pendulum rods 12 and 8B will be substantially vertical and the pull of the gauging springs will tend to swing` inner pendulum 86 and its counterpart 80 toward the track center, which force acting through the outer pendulum lever 12 and its counterpart serves to press the gauge runners, such as 53, against the gauge sides of the two rails.

While Fig.` 3 and the description indicate for simplicity thatthere are only two `pendulurns Vand one tension spring connected with each carriage, in actual practice preferably a pair of pendulums and a spring are connected with each end of each carriage.

Assuming that the test car equipped with this apparatus is proceeding around a curve and that rail 6I, being the outer rail, is higher than the inner rail 62 by about six inches, for example, under such conditions the body of the test car is tilted Yto the right, as Fig. 3 is viewed, and the left hand detector carriage would have a tendency to move toward the track center because of gravity. The pendulum 80 is displaced from its normal substantially perpendicular position, and while it is so displaced tends to act through link 19, and the pivotally supported inverted pendulum lever 12 exerts a force tending to pull the left hand carriage back toward the rail and to cause its gauge runners 53 to hug the rail side. The inverted pendulum 'l2- 13-14 also being displaced from normal by the tiltingof the car exerts an increased force in a manner to assist pendulum 80. Hence, the two pendulums under the conditions of'track elevation compensate for the carriages gravitational pull to the right.

While pendulum 80' tends also to shift to the right and such movement tends to shift the right hand carriage `toward the track center, the gauging spring 84 and the right hand inverted pendulum exert a counteracting force which is adequate to hold the gauge runners to the right hand carriage against the track side. The right hand carriage will naturally tend of its own weight to hug the rail.

Another factor tending to hold the left hand "acca-,109

. 'carriage on the higher rail, iianging againstthat Icombined eiect o' this factor and the pendulum compensation is designed to compensate 'for'the carriages tendency to jfall away from the high when the-test can is riding on lever straight :trackage the shape f o-fthe wheels tends. to cause :the Ucar to ride. midwaybetween the-rai1s,. and the; pendulum: system underv jthese conditions is .designed to bevgenerally iinY Whatmay `rbe `termed as perpendicular equilibrium on the non-elevated track. However, of necessity, there mustbesome side clearance-betweenrthe wheel flanges and lthe -railsfandcthis clearance-will varyv duewtowear andrmay-:showup on I. either `side. On-level straight track there is,.:therefore, -frequent lateral or nosing-movement between `the -carand the rails.

Since each detector carriage should remain laterally constant with its rail there is lateral movement between each carriage and the test car, and such lateral movement willdisturb the perpendicular equilibrium of the pendulum system. In the absence of track elevation thecarriage'does not counteract this relative displacement-when the Acar noses to one side or the other.

. Assuming thatA the car noses tov the right, as

Fig. 3 is viewed, this means that-with respect to brace 69 the track movesy to the left. The

l automatic gauging mechanism'is exerting gauging. pressure against rail 6i and causes theV left yhand carriage to. tend lto* follow the frail. This inverted pendulum tends to shift to the. right exerting a force tov the' right on linky 'i9 while pendulum 80 tends to exert a force. to the left on link T9, the one force canceling the other force sufiiciently so that the gauging' spring 83 retains major control over the gauging force.

Whichever way the car noses the compensatory forces in the gauging mechanism associated with each carriage will act correctively and quickly and maintain each carriage gauging properly on its rail.

Fig. 3 shows two lifting tables or chains 87 and 88, each connected to an eye bolt, such as 89, secured to the upper side of each main lcarriage beam 33. Some suitable source of power (not shown) is employed to lift these cables toraise both carriages a few' inches above the raiis when the car is running but not testing. The pulleys 96 and 9i are mounted onthe car body in any suitable manner (not shown) somewhat inwardly alignment'. f the 'f-testingdevices .with the. rails during testing.. and! .that automatic gauging. is readily accomplished as the test car moves'. along the track.

' We claim:

in .a rail; fiawifdetection apparatus for attachrnent` to test car, aid'etector carriage adapted in .testing positionY toiri'de 'upon-a rail andhaving a gaugeY runner, apair of pendulums pivotally mountable onilthe car, means connecting' said pendulums to effectsi'multaneous Yopposite angular rotation of the two about their pivots. responsive .tofgravitational forces, and

frneans controlledv by the rotationfof said pendulu-msV for controlling .thegauging .positionof vsaid runner.

2. In-r arail naw detection apparatus- 'for'. at-

v.tachme'nt to Aa te'stJcan' a detector carriage of the rails, hence the lifting force of the cables v (which are slack during testingydraw .the car-Y 'herein shown and described assuresrthe. proper adapted' in testingi'zposition. toride upona rail and having. a gauge. (runner, a pair of A.pendu- 'lums pivotally'.M mountable on 'the car t `inwardly and outwardly ofthe rail position ofthe carriage, and means operatively .connecting said pendulums to said carriage for. lgravitationally'effecting control upon the 'gauging yposition of said runner.

3. In a rail naw detection apparatus' for attachment to a" test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing positionztoi' ride "upon ai rail andY having a gauge runner, a pair of pendulums pivotally mountable on the car inwardly and outwardly of the rail position of the.. carriage, and means linking said pendulums to said carriage for gravitationally A`regulating. the gauging lposition of said' runner.

'4. 'InV a rail flaw detection:v apparatus for attachment to a. test car; adetector carriage adapted in testing'V position to'ride-upon a rail and having a gauge runner, an arm connected with the carriage, and a pair of pendulums linked to said arm andv pivotally mountable on the car inwardly and outwardly of the rail position of the. carriage gravitationally acting on said arm for regulating the gauging of said runner against the inner side of the rail.

' 5. In a rail. flaw ldetection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail -and havingV a gauge runner, an inverted pendulum and a normal rdepending pendulum pivotally mountable on thecar, and means connecting Vsaid p'endulums to 'said carriage for controlling the gauging. position of said runner.

6.- In a rail iiaw detection 'apparatus for attachment to "a test car, a detector carriage adapted in. testing position to ride upon a rail andhaving a gauge runner, an inverted pendulum and a normal depending pendulum pivotally 'mountable on the. car, and means connecting saidpendulums to said carriage for controlling theA gauging position of said runner, and a tension spring connectable to the car and acting on Yone of said pendulums in opposition to the gravitati'onal force thereon. f

7. In a rail flaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing'position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, weight carrying arms pivotally kmountable on the car, means linking said arms together to effect a generally perpendicular equilibrium between the rotative forces produced by' said weights, and means connecting one of said arms-with said carriage for controlling the' gauging position of said runner.

A8.?In1a1'rail iiaw detection apparatus for. at-

' tachment 'to Iaf-test. can-a. detector vcarriage adapted in testing position to. ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, weight carrying arms pivotally mountable on the car, means linking said arms together to effect a generally perpendicular equilibrium between the rotativeforces produced by said weights, means connecting one of said arms with said carriage for controlling the gauging position of said runner, and a tension spring connectable with the car and operatively connected with the pendulum system for effecting additional gauging control on said Tunnel'.

9. In a rail iiaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, a pendulum pivotal- `ly connectable at its upper end to the car, a

second pendulum pivotally supported upon said car at a substantial distance below the pivotal support ofthe first pendulum, means pivotally connecting said pendulums for effecting simultaneous rotation of them in opposite angular directions when subject to gravitational displacement forces, and means controlled by the rotation of said pendulums for regulating-the gauging position of said runner.

10. In arail flaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage comprising a main carriage beam, fore-and-aft gauging shoes connected to said beam, a sub-carriage beam `straddling one of said shoes longitudinally and vertically shiftable relatively to said main carriage beam, a detection magnet mounted on the forward part of said sub-carriage beam and a pickup device mounted on the rear part of said beam, track shoes supporting the sub-carriage beam upon a rail, and towing means connecting the sub-carriage beam to the main beam.

11. In a rail flaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage comprising a main carriage beam, means flexibly connecting said beam to the testcar, gauging shoes secured to said main beam, a sub-carriage beam longitudinally straddling one of said shoes and vertically shiftable between said shoe and the main beam, track shoes supporting the front and rear end of said sub-carriage beam, a aw detection magnet supported on the forward end of said sub-carriage beam, an electrical pickup device supported on the rear end portion of said subcarriage beam, and means connecting the subcarriage beam to the main carriage beam to eiTect towing of the former by the latter.

12. In a rail flaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, a pendulum for pivotal mounting on the car and normally depending therefrom in a substantially vertical position, a second pendulum, means for pivotally supportingV the same Aupon the car in inverted position, means connecting said pendulums for simultaneous rotation in opposite angular directions, and means connecting one of said pendulums to the carriage for controlling the gauging position of said runner( 13. In a rail flaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, a pendulum and means for mounting the same in a substantially vertical depending position upon said car inwardly of the railv position of said carriage, a

.second pendulum and means for pivotally mounting the saine in inverted position uponrthe car outwardly of the rail position of the carriage, means connecting said pendulums whereby the rotation of one effects opposite angular rotation of the other, and means connecting the inverted pendulum to the carriage for eiecting an increased outwardly acting gauging force on said carriage upon movement of the iirst pendulum inwardly toward the track center.

14. In a rail flaw detection apparatus for mounting on a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, linkage means pivotally connected with the test car for maintaining the carriage in vertical position while testing, a depending pendulum pivotally mountable on the car inwardly of the testing position of the carriage, an inverted pendulum pivotally mountable on the car outwardly of the testing position of the carriage, means connecting said pendulums for eiecting simultaneous opposite angular rotation of them when subjected to gravitational displacement forces, means pivotally connecting one of said pendulums to the carriage for effecting pendulum control of the gauging position of the carriage runner, the axes of all aforesaid pivotal connections being disposed longitudinally relatively to the testrcar, and means-for lifting the carriage from testing position arranged for effecting swinging movement of the carriage inwardly and upwardly from its testing position.

l5.-In a rail flaw ydetection apparatus, a car,

'a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, and weighted gravity operated means pivotally supported on the car and operatively connected to the carriage for positioning said gauge runner, said means having a normal equilibrium position when the car is level and moving without side sway for exerting a predetermined normal positioning force upon said carriage for controlling the gauging of said runner, said means being gravitaticnally rockable out of equilibrium position when the car assumes a transversely tilted position for exerting a different positioning force upon said carriage.

16. In a rail naw detection apparatus, a car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, means pivotally connected to the car and carriage maintaining the carriage perpendicular to the car when testing, a gauging arm connected to the carriage for pulling the gauge runner against the rail, a lever pivotally supported on the car outside the rail position connected to said arm, a vertically depending lever pivotally supported on the car inside the rail position, a link extending above the carriage pivotally connecting the two levers, and resilient biasing means connected to the car and the second lever operative for resiliently biasing said gauge runner against the rail.

17. In a rail flaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a, gauge runner, a pendulum and means for mounting the same in a substantially vertical depending position upon said car inwardly of the rail position of said carriage, a second pendulum and means for pivotally mounting the same in inverted position upon the car outwardly of the rail position of the carriage, the second pendulum having a weight p-ositionedabove and inwardly of its pivotal support, means connecting said pen dulums whereby the rotation'of one effects vop'.-

posite angular rotation of the other, and means connecting the inverted pendulum to the car riage for effecting an increased outwardly acting gauging force on said carriageupon movement of the rst pendulum inwardly toward the track center.

18. In a rail iiaw detection apparatus for attachment to a test car, a detector carriage adapted in testing position to ride upon a rail and having a gauge runner, a pendulum for pivotal mounting on the car and normally depending therefrom in a substantially vertical position, a second pendulum and means for pivotally sups porting the same upon the car in inverted position, means connecting said pendulums for simultaneous rotation in opposite angular directions, means independent of the pendulums for maintaining the carriage perpendicular to the rail, and means connecting one of said pendulums to the carriage for` controlling the gauging position I of said runner.

and having a gauge runnena pair of pendulums pivotally mountable on the car, means connecting said pendulums to eiect simultaneous opposite angular rotation of the two about their connected to the car maintaining the carriage substantially perpendicular to the rail when test-` ing, a pendulum pivotally depending from the car inside the rail position, an inverted pendulum pivotally supported on the car outside the rail position lhaving a, Weight inwardly oiset above y its pivot, a gauging arm connecting the lower pivots responsive to gravitationaliforces, means Y end of the inverted pendulum to the carriage to effect an outward pull thereon, and a link pivotally connecting the two pendulums effecting a substantial equilibrium between their opposite angular rotative forces when the car is level for holding the gauge runner against the rail.

WALTER C. BARNES. JOHN C. DIONNE. Y

'REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,874,030 Cushnie Aug. 30, 1932 1,899,525 Perry et al. Feb. 28, 1933 2,276,011 Billstein Mar. 10, 1942

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