US3380067A

US3380067A - Registering recorder of hot-running axle bearings of railroad cars

Info

Publication number: US3380067A
Application number: US544265A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cervenka Milos
Original assignee: Tesla AS
Current assignee: Tesla AS
Priority date: 1966-04-21
Filing date: 1966-04-21
Publication date: 1968-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1985-04-23

Description

M. CERVENKA REGISTERING RECORDER OF HOT-RUNNING AXLE April 23, 1968 BEARINGS 0F RAILROAD CARS Filed April 21, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l Pzf gvvENToR. 27,70; Zen/60%? BY April 23, 1968 M. CERVENKA 3,380,067

REGISTERING RECORDER OF HOTRUNNING AXLE BEARINGS OF RAILROAD CARS Filed April 21, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly. 2

IN VEN TOR.

277/70 3 few men (a April 23, 1968 M. CERVENKA 3,380,067

REGISTERING RECORDER OF HOT-RUNNING AXLE BEARINGS 0F RAILROAD CARS Filed April 21, 1966 '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 HP L 81 7 JUL.

Flig- 5 V VINVENTOR. 2W/705 KeV'yenKa Mm/w United States Patent 3,380,067 REGISTERING RECORDER OF HOT-RUNNING AXLE BEARINGS 0F RAILROAD CARS Milos Cerveuka, Pardubice, Czechoslovakia, assignor t0 Tesla, ntirodni podnik, Prague, Czechoslovakia Filed Apr. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 544,265 5 Claims. (Cl. 346-33) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Timer arrangement, axle detector, infrared detector and control circuit eleetromechanically control printing by a counter of the time and number of axle bearings of railway cars moving on a railroad track and each time a hot running axle bearing is detected, an alarm is set off. The control circuit controls the resetting of the counter after completion of a printing operation.

This invention relates to improved electromechanical data selective recording devices of plural simultaneously moving objects, particularly a registering recorder of hot running axle bearings of railroad cars.

The devices for selective recording, as known in the prior art, connected by means of a single line with coincidence circuits and data communication circuits, are used for detection of hot running axle bearings of railroad cars. These systems permit selective records to be made, do not allow, however, the permanent records referring to different sets of moving objects, e.g., of different trains, to be started and differentiated automatically. In addition to that such devices have been also known which permit only selective indications, but without any provision of permanent records, to be made in connection with relay chains to which indicating lamps are connected. With both these systems constant attendance is required because the operator has, for example, to register the illuminated indicating lamps, to switch over the recorder, to supplement the effected records by appropriately differentiating indications referring to different sets of trains, and to readjust the recorder for the operation as required during the following work cycle.

The present invention has its object to remove the shortcomings and inadequacies mentioned above which are normally encountered with the prior art systems and devices.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved electromechanical registering recorder for selective data recording of plural simultaneously moving objects, particularly a registering recorder for detecting and recording hot running axle bearings of railroad cars, comprising heat-responsive elements, e.g., infrared detectors, with associated amplifiers to which via gating circuits is connected a record printer of multiple inputs and fitted with recording counter elements behind the operating members thereof is connected an electromechanical device for advancing a recording tape while to the track to be monitored, e.g., a railroad track, is arranged a passage pickup of all moving objects, e.g., a magnetic pickup, to which is connected a logic circuit wherein to the output of said logic circuit is connected an electromechanical device fitted with an operating member facing said recording tape as well as the identity recording elements which are coupled to the operating member of another electromechanical device which is connected to the output of an identity pulse generating device while to the output of said logic circuit is connected an auxiliary power supply unit which is associated with the input of a movement for the recording counter elements via two contact pairs, connected in series, whereice of one contact pair: the break contacts arranged in the vicinity of one recording counter element are engaged by a contact breaking means attached at least to one of said recording counter elements when the same is adjusted to the cleared position while said electromechanical device used for advancing the recording tape is in association with the output of said logic circuit.

By means of the devices according to the present invention it is possible to make permanent records completely automatically for a period of several tens of work cycles, which is limited only by the supply of spare recording tape, and the operator can attend only to the evaluation of the records without being obliged to adjust the recorder for the different operations. If special arrangements are made, the recorder can work independently even for a long period of several hours and it automatically actuates an alarm device only in those cases if, with the evaluated objects, detrimental conditions have been detected, e.g., hot running wheel axle bearings.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent as description proceeds, and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the ap ended claims.

Prior to describing the present invention in detail, certain terms of circuitry, which are relevant to the correct understanding of the operation of the devices according to the present invention will be explained below.

In the diagrams of the accompanying drawings exclusively electromagnetic relay circuits are indicated Whose sequence of operation in principle is the same as that of the logic circuits which have been described in Richards, R. K.: Arithmetic Operations in Digital Computers, D. van Nostrand, 1955. These circuits can be, therefore, replaced at their input stages by appropriate equivalents, e.g., diodes as described in the cited book.

A logic circuit with two AND/NOT outputs, as used in the railroad safety systems has been described in this book under the heading: AND/NOT Circuits. As described in said book, an AND/NOT circuit may comprise a time delay relay preset to a selected idle period. When the first pulse is supplied to the relay, said relay is energized. The relay then remains energized for a determined period such as, for example, 5 seconds. If, during the 5-second period, a second pulse is supplied to the relay, said relay remains energized for an additional 5 seconds, and so on. If, during the 5 second period, no additional pulse is supplied to the relay, the relay energizing circuit is opened, the relay is deenergized, and the voltage drop is utilized as a switching pulse for following circuitry to said relay energizing circuit. From the operating point of view, this logic circuit, at the arrival of the first wheel axle of the car which has to be evaluated, opens the shutter of an infrared detector and at the end of the passage of the train, i.e., if no further impulses are set up in the course of several seconds, closes this shutter again. The first operation corresponds with the AND or ON state while the other relates to the NOT or OFF state. In addition to the opening or closing of the detector shutters, the logic circuits can also be used for other operations required by the devices according to the present invention as will be described below. The logic circuit can be controlled either by an ordinary magnetic or mechanical pickup located under the rail. The operation of the logic circuit can be, however, independent from the actuation of the infrared detector shutter or, in addition to this operation, it can be also so designed as to perform other switching operations which are required by the devices according to the present invention. This circuit can be realized as a time responsive relay. These prior art features do not constitute the objects of the invention but are considered as generally known circuits which are required for the novel operation of the registering recorder.

The relay circuits are described below are designed as logic circuits according to the cited work by Richards. Every relay circuit is provided with one or several inputs. An example for an input circuit is the relay winding or coil. These circuits further comprises one or several output circuits which set up the output impulses in dependence on the state of the input circuit. In addition to that they are formed by operating members (armatures) which in the description of the embodiment are electromagnetically controlled again in dependence on the state of the input circuit. In principle these operating members can be designed as mechanical means which are connected with the input circuits so that when the operating member is actuated, i.e., when a pawl lever engages a ratchet wheel, a contact is simultaneously made in the output circuit so that due to that the power source is connected to another input circuit of a further logic circuit. These operations can be, however, ditierentiated and voltage can be also applied reversely as it is customary to do in this technique. A special example of the operating member is the contact surface for the contacts, in short called only contact in the following.

In order that the present invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic and block diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention for selectively detecting and recording hot running axle bearings of railway cars moving on a railroad track;

FIG. 2 is a schematic and block diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 1 including additional components and additional details of some of the components of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of an alarm signal circuit which may be utilized with the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view, partly in section, of part of the counter of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a segment of printed tape provided by the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the make and break devices of the control circuit of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The registering recorder comprises heat responsive elements such as, for example, infrared detectors which include gating amplifiers P21 and Pz2. One of the infrared detectors is aifixed to the left-hand rail of the railroad track at right angles to said rail. The other of the infrared detectors is atfixed to the right-hand rail of the railroad track at right angles to said rail. The infrared detectors, including their amplifiers set up impulses Vppl and Vpp2 which are passed to the registering printer proper. In association with the detectors and amplifiers there are also provided the known diiferentiating circuits Hz, e.g., a coincidence amplifier.

The gating circuits can be designed in accordance with the principles as described in Chance et al.: Waveforms, edited in Massachusetts Institute of Technology Radiation Laboratory Series, volume 19, by McGraw-Hill Book (30., New York-London, 1947. The gating circuit is provided with two inputs: the enabling one and the gate proper, and one single output at which an impulse can appear only if input impulses are applied to the two inputs. The signals are also differentiated according to their respective amplitudes so that an impulse set up by the detector which is actuated by a non-hot running axle hearing, being of a smaller amplitude, cannot pass while that actuated by a hot running bearing, being of a higher amplitude, passes through the gate and is further used for cnergization of the relay circuits.

The coincidence gating amplifier Hz is also connected to the passage pickup MS for counting all objects to be evaluated and which can be a magnetic pickup used for the counting of wheel axles of railroad cars. In association with the passage pickup there is further the logic circuit V0 of the known AND/NOT type, which at the first impulse set up by the passage pickup MS switches on the registering recorder and keeps it in operation in the course of the total period of the train passage or of another moving object to be evaluated. If, however, the series of impulses set up by the passage pickup MS is in terrupted for a preset period of time, then the logic circuit V0 differentiates that no further operation is required any more and sends out an impulse to close the shutter of the heat-responsive element which is also well known. The first impulse, i.e., the opening impulse is passed to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 02, see FIG. 1, while the other impulse, the so-called closing impulse, is passed to the winding of the relay 08, see FIG. 2. This may be effected by suitably differentiating the impulses, for example, by changing their polarity. In the vicinity of the core of the electromagnetic relay 02 there is provided a mechanical operating member 02T, which, when current passes through the winding of the electromagnetic relay 02, is attracted to the core and due to that its other end, fitted with a block bears against two identity recording elements ltlZH and 102M. These elements are fitted with types of numbers cast in reverse indicating minutes and hours respectively. These recording elements are coupled to the ratchet wheel 101H which in turn is engaged by the operating member 01T. From the clock H, which is provided, minute impulses are passed through two make contacts to the winding of another electromagnetic relay 01 which attracts the operating member GIT mentioned above. By this arrangement, interrupted identification signals are sent out at every minute due to which the recording elements 101H and 102M are rotated so that the indication of hours and minutes is printed. This arrangement can be, however, changed by replacing the clock H by a special switching sequence counter indicating the number of switching operations of the logic circuit V0 so that the identification signal may correspond with the serial number of the passing train.

Further the registering recorder is provided with

recording counter elements

301, 302 and 303 which on their surfaces are fitted with reversed numbers from (Ito 9 arranged in carry system permitting numerical integration. These recording counter elements are arranged on the shaft 300 which is fitted with the ratchet wheel 308 which is engaged by the operating member 031 attracted by the core of the electromagnetic relay 03 whose winding is connected to the output of the coincidence gating amplifier Hz.

The outputs of the heat-responsive detectors with their amplifiers Pzl, PzZ which set up the impulses Vppl and Vpp 2, and the output of the gating amplifier Hz are connected to the inputs of the

electromagnetic relays

04 and 05 which, with respect to the former circuits, are connected as logic AND circuits so that they are operated only if the required states are met, i.e., it signals of sufficient applitude are provided. These relays 64 and 05 are also provided with operating members MT and 05T respectively which in turn are fitted with blocks at their distal ends. These blocks are fitted with reversed types L and R for the indication of the left-hand and the right-hand rails. The recording paper tape P moves along these blocks fitted with reversed types. The electromagnetic relays 04 and 05 are also associated with the output circuits to which are connected the

make contacts

04K and 05K when inoperative. These contacts are connected both to the positive terminal of the supply source 04+ and to the output of the winding of the electromagnetic relay 06 which is connected as an OR circuit. This circuit together with the relay 06 is provided with the operating mem-ber 6'6T fitted with a block at its distal end, directed towards the recording paper tape P, bearing against the

recording counter elements

301, 302 and 503 when the relay 06 is energized. The output circuit is provided with the contacts 06K which when inoperative are in their off-position and of which one is connected via the junction point 06K1 to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 07 whose other terminal is connected to the negative terminal of the power supply source 06K5, see FIG. 2. The other of these contacts is connected via the junction point 06K2 to the parallel connected electric lamp Z1 and the horn R1 whose common junction point is connected to the other negative terminal of the power supply source, as shown in FIG. 3. Both these units Z1 and R 1 can be supplemented by a seal-in-relay, not indicated in the diagram, which is used for constant operation. The electromagnetic relay 07 is provided with the operating member 07T which engages the ratchet wheel of the cylinder 07F pressing the recording paper tape P against a support which is not indicated in the diagram. The recording paper tape P passes between the blocks fitted with reversed types L an d R and the

recording counter elements

301, 302 and 303, located on one side, and the

operating members

04T, 05T, and 06T on the other side, and along the identity recording elements 102M and 102H, see FIG. 1. Between the recording paper tape P and the recording counter elements is inserted a printing ribbon T which moves at right angles to the axis of the recording paper tape P, see FIG. 2, and is arranged as an endless loop. The printing ribbon T, as seen in FIG. 2, moves along four guide rollers of which three, as indicated in the diagram, are not fitted with reference numbers, while the fourth roller is marked with the reference number 105 and is rotated by the electromotor 104 which can be, e.g., a stepper motor.

This electromotor 104 is fed from an electric source but to the supply circuit there are connected the contacts 00K2 and 08K3 which when inoperative are in the offposition and are located near the core of the electromagnetic relay 08 which is connected via the junction points V01 and V02 to the output of the logic circuit V0, see FIG. 1. The relay 08 is a seal-in type, and a long series of seal-in relays are well known in the art. In this embodiment one circuit of such a relay will be described with which to one terminal of the relay 08, in addition to the logic circuit V, an auxiliary electric power source is connected only by its positive terminal, as indicated by the plus sign, near the junction point V02, see FIG. 2. The relay 08 is provided with at least four contacts, the two contact pairs being in mutual co-operation with each other. One pair of make contacts, as mentioned above, marked 081(2 and 08K3, are used to apply the required voltage to the stepper motor 104. One contact of the other contact .pair, i.e., the contact 08K'1 is connected to that terminal V01 of the relay 08 which is not connected to junction point V02+ of the positive terminal. And with this contact 00K1, when inoperative, cooperates the contact 08K4 which is in the off-position. The contact 08K4 is connected to the contact pair which is arranged in the vicinity of one recording counter element 301. To prevent the overcrowding of the diagram in FIG. 2, only the contact 1001M of this contact pair is indicated with the reference number. The contact 1081(4 as well as the contact OSKIB of this contact pair are shown in detail in FIG. 6. These break contacts 08K1-B and 108144 are connected via the input circuit of the pulse generator 09, see FIG. 2, to the negative terminal of the power source so that in this way both these contacts are connected in series to this circuit. As shown in FIG. 6, these two break contacts when inoperative are connected with each other. A contact breaking lug 311, arranged on the proximal recording counter element 301, engages these break contacts when the recording counter element 301 is adjusted to its cleared (zero) position.

The output of the pulse generator 09, e.g., the contacts of a pulsating relay set into the auxiliary power supplies, is connected in parallel to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 07. The output of the pulse generator 09 is also connected to the electromechanical device 103, i.e., a stepper motor which is coupled to the clearing shaft 300A which is pivoted in the hubs of the

recording counter elements

301, 302, and 303. This clearing shaft is not identical with the driving shaft 300, see FIGS. 1 and 2, as will be described below.

The diagram in FIG. 4 serves for a better understanding of the well known clearing arrangement of the recording counter elements. These recording counter elements are rotated by means of the electromagnetic relay 0-3 and its operating member 03T in connection with the ratchet wheel 308 mounted to the driving shaft 300 after receiving a pulse set up by the passage pickup MS counting every moving object to be evaluated after, for example, a wheel axle of the railroad car travels along the counting point. After finishing the counting, the recording counter elements indicate the highest number of the counted objects, for example 122. This number has to be cleared and the recording counter elements have to be reset to zero again. If they were actuated by their own driving means, 878 impulses would be necessary to be set up and passed to the three recording

counter elements

301, 302, and 303 in the decade system in order to reset them to zero again. The long-time Zero setting can be, however, prevented by the short-time clearing by means of the well known device, modified for the purposes of this registering recorder and depicted in the diagram of FIG. 4, as follows: The recording

counter elements

301, 302, and 303 are provided with hubs in which a longitudinal slot 30C with a chamfered edge is arranged. Into these hubs of the

elements

301, 302, and 303 is inserted, by passing through these members from their distal side and in the opposite direction to the driving shaft 300, the singlesided clearing shaft 300A which is coupled to the electromechanical driving means, e.g., the stepper motor 103, FIG. 2. For all the

recording counter elements

301, 302, and 303, radial holes are bored in the clearing shaft 300A in which a spring 30B and a pin 30A are provided. The proximal recording counter element 301, see FIG. 2, is fitted with two

lugs

310 and 311, of which the latter marked 311 engages the break contacts 108-K4 and 08K1B, see FIG. 6, as mentioned above, to disconnect the break contacts. This contact breaking lug 311, with respect to the break contacts 1031(4 and 08K1B and the position of the zero digit, is so arranged that it may engage these break contacts at that time when the recording counter element 301 finishes its step-by-step movement and the zero (0) digit is adjusted to the recording paper tape P. In the vicinity of the proximal recording counter element 301 is also provided a pair of make contacts 108K2 and 08K1A, see FiGS. 2 and 6, of which the contact K2 is connected in series by one lead of the pulse generator 09 to the electromagnetic relay 07 while the other contact 08K1A is directly connected to the second terminal of the relay 07. Both these make contacts 108K2 and 08K1A, when inoperative are in the off-position. The other lug 310 of the recording counter element 301, the so-called contact making lug, engages the make contacts 108K2 and 08-K1A only along a defined section of the periphery of the element 301 during its rotation.

The operation of the registering recorder is as follows:

The registering recorder is put into operation by switching on the appropriate power supply units. At 14 hours 05 minutes the first train has passed along the heat-responsive detectors. Up to this time the clock H has performed only timing operation and has actuated the recording elements 102M and 1021-1 indicating minutes and hours respectively. At the arrival of the first wheel axle of the railroad car, the passage pickup MS sets up the first impulse and simultaneously both the heat-responsive detectors with their amplifiers P21 and Pz2 are actuated and the logic circuit V0, see FIG. 1, passes the first impulse, relevant to the travelling train, to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 02. The operating member MT is attracted by the core of the relay 02 and the indication of time 14 05 is printed by the recording elements 102 M and 102H. A specimen record is depicted in FIG. 5. Simultaneously the other circuits, i.e., the coincidence gating amplifier Hz and the heat-responsive detectors together with their amplifiers P11 and PZZ effect the gating of the output impulses Vppl and VppZ and due to the impulses passed to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 03, the operating member 03T is alternatively attracted actuating by means of the ratchet wheel 308 and the driving shaft 300 the units, tens, and/or

hundreds recording elements

301, 302, and 303. Because no hot running axle bearings have been detected in the passing train, after the passage of the train only the record 14 05 has been printed on the recording paper tape P and the recording counter elements have counted the total number of Wheel axles without printing them. If it is required for checking purposes, this total number can be also printed on the recording paper tape P. After the passage of the train, the passage pickup MS stops setting up impulses and the logic circuit V0 determines that the passage of the train has been finished and sets up another impulse, the so-called closing impulse passing it to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 08, see FIG. 2. In the railroad safety systems these two impulses are also called AND and NOT impulses. By the NOT or closing impulse, the contact 08K4 is attracted for a moment to the contact 081(1, see FIG. 2. Simultaneously the contact 081(2 is attracted to the contact 08K3. Because, however, one terminal of the winding of the electromagnetic relay 08 is connected to the positive terminal marked V02+, while the other terminal is connected to the contact 081(1, and the contacts 08K1B and 108-K4, when inoperative, are in the on-position, even after the NOT impulse has been terminated by the logic circuit V0, the winding of the relay 08 remains permanently connected to the circuit formed by the positive terminal of the power supply source, the electromagnetic relay 08, the contacts 08K1, 08K4, 08K1B, and 108K4, the input of the pulse generator 09, and the negative terminal of the power supply source, because due to this design the sealing-in operation of this relay is ensured. The pulse generator 09 is formed, e.g., by a pulsating relay which is the generator proper of electric impulses. The pulse generator 09 now starts to set up impulses which are passed by the leads via the junction points 09A and 093 to the electromechanical clearing device (used for zero setting), i.e., to the stepper motor 103 while during the passage of the train the clearing shaft 300A has remained stationary and the

recording counter elements

301, 302 and 303 have been rotated by means of the driving shaft 300 turning them in such a direction that the pin 30A, due to the chamfered edge of the slot 300 ,is caused to be slowly pressed inside the radial hole of the clearing shaft 300A. When, however, the clearing shaft 300A is rotated in the same direction as has been rotated the driving shaft 300-, the pin 30A due to the pressure exerted by the spring 30B, is pushed out by moving along the chamfered edge of the slot 300 and engages its flat wall.

In consequence of that the pin 30A starts successively to carry along all the

recording counter elements

301, 302, 303, in spite of their being adjusted to any position at the end of the passage of the train, so that their zero digits of these elements are all aligned in their turn. Because the contact breaking lug 311, arranged on the proximal recording counter element 301, as mentioned above, see FIG. 6, is so designed as to engage the break contacts 08K1B and 1081(4 in order to bring them to the off-position, when the proximal recording counter element 301 is turned with its zero digit to face the recording paper tape P, the pulse generator 09 passes impulses to the clearing electromechanical device 103 so long till all the zero digits of the recording counter elements are so adjusted as to face the recording paper tape P. At this moment immediately prior to the end of the last impulse, the contact breaking lug 311 engages the break contacts 08K1B and 108144 and disconnects the same. Due to that the total circuit of the winding of the relay 00 is interrupted, the contacts 08K1 and 08K4 are brought to the off-position, and the power supply source is disconnected 8 from the pulse generator 09. Because the circuit has been interrupted, the clearing electromechanical device 103 is also switched otf. Thus the recording counter elements have been reset to zero.

It has to be noted that although the engagement of the break contacts 108K4 and 08K1B by the contact breaking lug 311 is effected at the zero position of the

recording counter elements

301, 302, and 303, the lug 311 arranged on the recording counter element 301, due to the momentum, slightly overpasses the last step-by-step movement of the

recording elements

301, 302, 303 which causes the release of the otT-position of the break contacts 108K4 an 08K1B so that the registering recorder is again ready for operation at the arrival of another train. Thus the clearing (zero setting) could have been effected only by a few or tens of impulses without being obliged to make transfers to the next decimal order.

During the total period of operation of the pulse generator 09, tthe contacts 08K2 and 08KB; of the relay 08 have been adjusted to the on-position. Because the contact 08K2 is connected to the positive terminal of another power supply source and the contact 08K?) is connected to one terminal of the electromotor 104 Whose other terminal is connected to the negative terminal of the supply source, during the total period when the contacts 08K1 and 0010! have been kept in the on-position, the electromotor 104 has rotated and by means of the guide roller 105 has carried along the printing ribbon T so that the section against which the records have been printed on the recording paper tape P has been exchanged. During the rotation of the proximal recording counter element 301, which is fitted with the

lugs

310 and 311, the contact making lug 310 engages the make contacts 108K2 and 08K1A when the elements 301 is not adjusted to its zero position. This contact making lug 310 is so arranged as to be in operation for a period, e.g., of 4 impulses. Because the make contacts 1081(2 and 08K1A are connected in series with the auxiliary lead of the pulse generator 09 connected to the electromagnetic relay 07, the four impulses have been passed to the Winding of the electromagnetic relay 07 causing the four attractions of the operating member 071 to be made resulting in the engagement of the ratchet wheel associated with the cylinder 07P so that the recording paper tape P has been advanced at least by 4 steps. The different records are, therefore, appropriately spaced from One another on the recording paper tape P so that they are well arranged and visible by the operator, because a portion of the recording paper tape P is always covered by the recording counter elements.

When summing up it is possible to state that at the end of this procedure the registering recorder is again in the stand-by position and prepared for further operation, the recording counter elements are set to zero, the recording paper tape P has been advanced 'by several steps which is advantageous, and the printing ribbon has been also advanced by an appropriate section against which the different records have been printed. At 14 hours 08 minutes another train travels along the counting point. No hot-running axle bearings are detected and, therefore, the total procedure as mentioned above is repeated. The registering recorder is automatically reset to zero and also adjusted to the stand-by position in the same manner as has been described with the train at 14 05.

At 14 hours 12 minutes a further train passes and actuates the registering recorder to print the appropriate records of time on the recording paper tape P but its 17th right-hand and the 81st left-hand axle bearings have been detected as hot-running. In this case the procedure is as follows: first of all the heat-responsive detectors With the amplifiers Pzl and P22 and in connection with the coincidence gating amplifier Hz have detected the 17th righthand hot-running axle bearing. Up to that time the wheel axle bearings of the railroad car have been only counted by the

recording counter elements

301, 302, and 303. At the passage of the 17th wheel axle and the AND circuit 9 04 and/or 05 has evaluated an undesired state and the

relay

04 or 05, after being energized, has attracted the operating member 04T and/or ST respectively, as the case may be, to indicate either the right-hand or the lefthand axle, because the heat-responsive detectors with their amplifiers Pzl and P22 are mounted to both rails. The block fixed to the distal end of the appropriate operating member has been pressed against the plate with reversed letter R and due to that simultaneously the contacts K or 04K have been made so that voltage has been applied to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 06 whose operating member 06T after being attracted prints the member 17, and by closing the contacts 06K, voltage is applied to the winding of the electromagnetic relay 07, the operating member 07T is attracted, and the recording paper tape P is advanced by one step under the cylinder 07P. Simultaneously an impulse has been passed through the junction point 06K2, see FIGS. 1 and 3, to the indicating lamp X1 and the horn R1. This circuit can also include a seal-in relay, which is not indicated in this diagram so that the indicating lamp as Well as the horn are kept constantly in operation, i.e., the lamp is constantly illuminated and the horn constantly sounded. The operation of these alarm devices is kept on so lOng till the operator, after being summoned by this alarm, switches off these devices. But even without this intervention of the operator, the operation of the registering recorder is fully automatic. At the passage of the 81st Wheel axle, the record L81 is printed on the recording paper tape P indicating that the 81st lefthand axle bearing is hot running, the recording paper tape P is advanced by one step, and all remaining Wheel axles are counted by the recording counter elements Without being, however, printed. At the end of the train passage, the procedure is repeated as has been described above with the train at 14 05, i.e., the zero setting and advancement of the recording paper tape P and of the printing ribbon T. The specimen recording, see FIG. 5, includes records made within the period of from 14 05 to 14 43 hours. As it is apparent from the description, the operation of the registering recorder is fully automatic. With the train at 14 31 hours both the right-hand and the left-hand hot running axle bearings of the 16th wheel axle have been detected and duly recorded as is shown in FIG. 5. The optical and acoustic alarm indicating devices have been kept on indicating the detected unwanted state which can last during the total period as mentioned above and cannot be stopped Without these alarm devices being switched oif by the operator.

In the description above all relevant auxiliary units and elements have been omitted, e.g., amplifiers, transfer circuits, and mechanical gears. According to the selected component parts it will become necessary that between two indicated circuits an amplifying circuit has to be arranged. This appears to become necessary especially with the timing clock H because pulse current of several amperes which are required for the feeding of further driving means could not be suitably switched and/off by the sensitive contacts. Similarly between the clearing device and the recording counter element proper, a gearing can be arranged so that access to the different units and assemblies during possible modifications or repairs is facilitated. In this case the engagement of the contact making and the contact breaking lugs can be directly determined from the rotation of the clearing shaft or its stepper motor. Such modifications are, however, only adaptations according to the selected components with respect to the permissible operating conditions of the component parts. In the same manner the pulse energization of the electromagnetic relay 07 used for advancing the recording counter tape P can be determined according to the operation of the operating member 02T of the electromagnetic relay 02 so that in that case, if the time recording is printed at the end of the passage of the train so that in- 10 tcrvals of the AND/NOT opening and closing impulses would immediately follow one after the other.

For other working conditions, on the contrary, it is suitable to arrange the relay operating members (armatures) in such a manner that the movement of the

recording counter elements

301, 302, and 303, 102M, and 102H, and of the ratchet wheels 308 and NIH is efilected by the force of springs exerted against the attractive force of the relay magnets. In this case the counting of the Wheel axles is started at the stage indicated by the number 001 because the impulse causes the release of the operating member from the ratchet Wheel and the end of the impulse causes new attraction of the operating member, thus resulting in the advancement by one step. Thus the clearing (zero setting) depends on the agreed digit coding so that the clearing operation cannot be considered as a simple zero setting.

The registering recorder according to the present invention can be modified as required, The embodiment described above seems, however, to be the most suitable from the point of recording of different train sets of railroad cars but to meet different real requirements it can be also modified while constantly maintaining the advantage of automatic operation. No attending personnel is required with the registering recorder as it can be kept in operation for hours, constantly effecting appropriate records, and in connection with the optical and acoustic alarm signalling devices, it calls the operator only at emergency cases. The registering recorder according to the present invention can be utilized especially by the manufacturers of railroad safety systems.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for selectively detecting and recording hot running axle bearings of railway cars moving on a railroad track, comprising axle detecting means in operative proximity with the railroad track for detecting each axle, said axle detecting means having an output producing an electrical signal upon detection of an axle; infrared detecting means in operative proximity with the railroad track for detecting each hot running axle bearing of each wheel on each rail of said track, said infrared detecting means including amplifying means and an output producing an electrical signal upon detection of a hot running axle bearing; gating means having outputs and inputs connected to said detecting means for distinguishing the signals from said axle and infrared detecting means;

counting means coupled to the output of said axle detecting means for counting each passing axle, said counting means comprising a plurality of rotatable counter wheels and energizing means electrically connected to said axle detecting means and coupled to said counter wheels for rotating said counter wheels incrementally in accordance with the signals produced by said axle detecting means, each of said counter Wheels having numbers suitable for imprinting on its peripheral surface;

first, second and third printing means in operative proximity with the counter wheels of said counting means;

first actuating means electrically connected to the outputs of said gating means and in operative proximity with said first printing means for moving said first printing means against said counter Wheels;

second actuating means electrically connected to the outputs of said gating means and in operative proximity with said second printing means for moving said second printing means against said counter wheels;

third actuating means electrically connected to the outputs of said gating means and in operative proximity with said third printing means for moving said third printing means against said counter wheels;

timer means comprising a source of time signals, a

plurality of rotatable time Wheels and energizing means electrically connected to said source of time signals and coupled to said time Wheels for rotating said time wheels incrementally in accordance with the signals produced by said source of time signals, each of said time wheels having numbers suitable for imprinting on its peripheral surface;

fourth printing means in operative proximity With the time Wheels of said timer means;

time switching circuit means having an output and an input connected to the output of said axle detecting means;

fourth actuating means electrically connected to the output of said time switching circuit means and in operative proximity with said fourth printing means for moving said fourth printing means against said time wheels;

reset means for rotata'bly resetting the counter Wheels of said counting means, said reset means having an input and being positioned in operative proximity with said counter wheels;

control circuit means having an input connected to the output of said time switching circuit means, said control circuit means comprising power supply means for providing electrical energy, make means connected to said power supply means and break means afiixed to one of the counter wheels of said counting means for opening said control circuit means in the zero position of said one of said counter wheels relative to said first printing means, said power supply means being connected to the input of said reset means via the make means of said control circuit;

recording tape movably mounted for incremental movement between each of the counter wheels of said counting means and said first, second and third printing means and between each of the time wheels of said timer means and said fourth printing means; and tape driving means coupled to said recording tape for incrementally moving said tape between said counter and time wheels and said first, second and third and fourth printing means, said tape driving means being in operative proximity with said first printing means and said fourth printing means and being controlled in operation by said first and fourth printing means.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising circuit means connecting said control circuit means to said tape driving means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising alarm signal means connected to said second and third printing means for signalling the presence of a hot running axle bearing.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the break means of said control circuit means comprises a break projection afiixed to and extending from said one of said counter wheels of said counting means.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an inked ribbon interposed between the peripheral surface of each of the counter wheels of said counting means and said recording tape and ribbon driving means coupled to said ribbon for moving said ribbon between said counter wheels and said recording tape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,251,190 12/1917 Dixon 346 2,333,783 11/1943 Harrington 34659 3,177,359 4/1965 Bramer et al 246169 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

J. W. HARTARY, Assistant Examiner.