US3547039A

US3547039A - Track lining apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3547039A
Application number: US773556A
Authority: US
Inventors: Franz Plasser; Josef Theurer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen Industrie GmbH
Priority date: 1967-11-14
Filing date: 1968-11-05
Publication date: 1970-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1987-12-15
Also published as: ES360238A1; PL79429B1; DE1817886A1; DE1808281B2; AT305336B; CH483520A; DE1817886B2; HU162631B; DE1808281A1; JPS4835527B1; SU542476A3; GB1248076A; DE1817886C3; FR1588093A

Description

United States Patent Inventors Franz Plasser and Josef Theurer, Johanesgasse 3, Vienna, Austria Appl. No. 773,556 Filed Nov. 5, 1968 Patented Dec. 15, 1970 Priority Nov. 14, 1967 Austria No. A 10279/67 TRACK LINING APPARATUS 16 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 104/8 Int. Cl 1501b 33/02 Field of Search 104/7, 8;

Primary E xaminerArthur L. La Point Assistant ExaminerRichard A. Bertsch Attorney-Kurt Kelman ABSTRACT: In a track liner, the moving force or speed of the lateral movement of the track shifting means is controlled in direct relation to the size of the alignment error at all track points as the apparatus moves continuously along the track in a nonstop alignment operation.

1 TRACK LINING APPARATUS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF .THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track. In suchapparatus, the track is laterally moved-at points which are out of alignment into alignment, without stoppin'ggFor this-purpose, track shifting means is provided with an element which is held under lateral pressure in gripping engagement with a track rail while being.

movable in relation to the'rail, i.e. in a rolling or gliding envgagement, and means is provided for laterally moving the reference system determining the lateral movement of the track shifting means moves with the apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof.

It is the object of this invention to operate such an apparatus with high accuracy and with high efficiency so that the track is the nonstop speed of the apparatus which progresses without stopping along the track. Thus, if the lateral movement is too slow, it will not be completed at a point of large alignment error before the apparatus has moved on.

:track shifting means and the track engaged thereby. A I

- trol system.

To accomplish the object of the invention and to overcome the above disadvantage, a control means is provided for automatically changing the speed' of the lateral movement or the moving force of the track ,shifting'mean's in .direct relation to thesize' of the alignment error at any track point.

- With this improvement, it is possible to correct even sizable alignment errors relatively quickly without impairing the ac- 40.

curacyjof the alignment or the forward speed of the apparatus.

When the alignment error is considerablethe coarse alignt ment is effected in'the'initial lateral movement at a high speed While the fine alignment, which determines the accuracy of the lining operation, is effected in the terminal phase of the lateral movement with relatively little; force and slowly. Thus, the control means of the present invention will automatically increase the speed and/or the force of the lateral movement in direct relation to the size 'ofthe alignment error.

When pressure fluid means, such as a hydraulic-motor, is used for laterally moving the track shifting means, the control means of this invention includes a servovalve. in the pressure fluid supply circuit for varying the amount of pressure fluid supplied tothe pressure fluid means in direct relation to the alignment error size. I

In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the lateral pressure on the element of the trackshifting means gripping the track rail is maintained. after the lateral movement so that the track is held in the corrected alignment while the apparatus progresses along the track.

A preferred track shifting means comprises a bogie laterally movable in respect of the track elongation and two pairs of track gripping elements, such as flanged rollers, preferably pivotally mounted on the bogie, the elements of each pair being spacedalong the track elongation and the elements of the one or the other pair gripping an associated track rail. Furthermore, vibrating means is preferably provided to vibrate the track shifting means so as to facilitate the lateral track movement and thus to save'moving power;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The above and other objects,features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of two now preferred embodiments,

taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a track liner of generally conventional structure, the. arrow indicating the working direction of the liner;

. FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view, on a smaller scale, of the liner in a track curve, showing the reference lines used to control the lining operation;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the control of the lining operation according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 of another embodiment of a track liner; FIG. 6 is a top view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one detail of this embodiment; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating another lining operation con- DETAILED DESCRIPTION The mobile track liner of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a frame I resting on running

gears

2 and 3. A conventional track shifting means 4 is mounted laterally movably intermediate the running gearsand, in the illustrated embodiment, substantially centrally in respect thereto. The track shifting means includes elements engageable with the track rail which isto be moved, i.e. for moving the track to the right or to the left, the illustrated track engaging elements consisting of flanged rollers engaging each track rail. I

A conventional reference system is provided for controlling the lining'of the track 5 by the lateral movement of'the track shifting 'means 4. The reference system includes a long reference line'6 and two

short reference lines

7, 7 having half the length of reference line 6. Only one of the two short reference lines is used at any one time, line 7 being used when the-liner moves in the direction of the arrow and line 7' being used when the liner moves in the opposite direction, thus makingthe liner useable in both working directions without turning it around:

The'long reference line 6 extends between

bogies

8 and 10 which'are held at a'flxed distance from the frame I to constitute front and rear stations of the reference system, an intermediate point of the reference line being attached to the bogie 4 of the track shifting means 4 and passing over the bogie 9 which is the intermediate station of the reference system and serves to measure and control the lining operation. All these bogies have a fixed axle carrying flanged wheels for engagement with a respective track rail, and the axles of all the bogies are pressed against the reference rail so as to obtain an accurate reference basis for the lining operation. .Iack shoes may be used for this purpose, for instance, such as shown in our US. Pat. No. 3,334,592.

The short reference line 7 (or 7') runs from the bogie 4' of the track shifting means 4 to the rear bogie 10 (or 8), over the intermediate bogie 9 (or 9' The reference lines may take any suitable form, i.e. they may be tensioned wires, light or other electromagnetic wave beams, and the like. In the illustrated embodiments, tensioned wires are used.

FIG. 2 illustrates the correction of considerable misalignment in broken lines and that of a smaller misalignment in chain-dotted lines, the large alignment error being corrected by imparting to the track shifting means faster movement arid/or stronger power while the small alignment error is corrected by moving the trackshifting means more slowly and/or with less force.

In the diagram of FIG. 4, there is seen the hydraulic drive for the track shifting means on the left side of the FIG. while the right side shows the circuit diagram of the alignment measuring and control means cooperating with

reference lines

6 and 7 to control the hydraulic motors 11 of the track shifting means 4.

Hydraulic fluid is delivered to each motor 11 from a reservoir 13 by constant pressure delivery pump 11' through supply conduit 12, a pressure relief valve 14 in the supply conduit limiting the maximum pressure in the conduit to a set extent. Return conduits l5, 16 lead the pressure fluid back into the reservoir, conduits Hand above servovalve 17 alternating their function, depending on whether the track is moved right or left.

The servovalve 17 in the supply conduit controls the amount of pressure fluid delivered tothe motor 11, thus controlling indirectly the force and/or the speed of the lateral movement of the track shifting means 4.

The operation of the servovalve 17 is controlled by the control circuit which includes the alignment measuring and control elements mounted on bogie 9 (or 9') and cooperating with reference lines 6 and 7 (or 7) in a manner fully described and illustrated in our U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,373.

in this system, a threaded rotatable shaft 18 having two sections of different pitch is mounted on bogie 9 transversely of the track elongation. A first nut carrying a potentiometer 19 is mounted on one of the shaft sections and is associated with the short reference line while a second nut carrying a pair of electrical contacts is mounted on the other shaft section, with the long reference line passing between the contacts so that a signal will be produced when the long reference lines touches either one of the contacts. Thus, the pair of contacts 20 is capable of signalling the position of the long reference line relation thereto. The potentiometer may, of course, be replaced by any suitable means for varying the voltage.

The shaft 18 may be rotated by motor 21 to move the nut carrying the pair of contacts 20 intoa predetermined position in relation to the long reference line, thus automatically causing the nut carrying potentiometer 19 to move in the same direction and at a ratio to the movement of contacts 20, which determined by the ratio of the pitches of the two shaft sections on which the respective nuts are mounted. The arrangement is such that the potentiometer 19 is in the zero position when the long reference line 6 passes freely between the pair of contacts 20 without producing a control signal. In this manner, it is possible at all times to read, record or indicate any deviation of the short reference line from the desired position in respect of the zero point of potentiometer 19.

The control circuit for operating motor 21 includes a voltage source 24 delivering current through

electric supply conductor

25 and 26. Branch conductors 23 connects motor 21 to supply conductor 25 while branch conductors 27, 27' connect the pair of contacts 20 to supply conductors 26, conductors 22, 22' connecting the contacts to motor 21.

Branch conductors

28, 30 connect potentiometer 19 to supply conductor 25, and conductor 29 delivers measuring signals from the potentiometer to indicating dial 31.

The scale of dial 31 has a relatively wide actual indicating range which is delimited by heavy graduation. In this range, the measuring parameters, i.e. the differences in the measurements, which are in the usually narrow lining range, are indicated in a greatly enlarged scale to make an accurate reading possible. In the final lining phase, when accuracy is important, the dial pointer moves in this indicating range of the dial, which is immediately adjacent the centrally positioned zero point. In the outer dial scale range adjacent each end of the central indicating range, the dial pointer movement need not be enlarged since only the coarse, initial lining movement of the track shifting means (and the track) is indicated therein.

Such a differentiated indication and recording of the track alignment on the dial, which is advantageous for an accurate and rapid track lining operation, may be simply obtained by amplifying the potential of potentiometer 19 in the final or indicating range for fine lining.

At the dial 31, the parameter measured at potentiometer 19 is received through conductor 29 and is compared there with the parameter measured at an adjustable potentiometer 33 connected to the dial by conductor 32. The potentiometer 33 is set to the desired alignment value of the track. Any difference between the parameters (voltages) at

potentiometers

19 and 33 are delivered to amplifier 34 through conductor 35, this differential being delivered to dial 31 through conductor 36. The signal pulses indicative of the differential are delivered from amplifier 34 via selector switch 37 to servovalve 17 which accordingly varies the amount of pressure fluid delivered by pump 12' to the motors 11 ofthe track shifting means 4. The selector switch 37 is connected by supply conductor 25 to the voltage source 24, by conductors 42, 43 to the amplifier 34 and by conductors 37' to the servovalve 37.

The selector switch 37 is used selectively, and as required, to provide an automatic control of the lining by potentiometer 19, as described hereinabove, or to enable the lining to be manually controlled by an operator, i.e. to correct the automatic operation at any particular track point where such correction may be indicated by the reading of dial 31.

The optional manual operation is effectuated by switch 38 which is connected by branch conductor 39 to the supply conductor 26 of the electric control circuit. The switch 38 has a zero position, an L (left) position and an R (right) position, depending on whether the operator desires to move the track to the left or to the right. The switch contacts L and R are connected to the selector switch 37 by conductors 40, 41 so that the operation of the servovalve may be controlled manually if and when desired.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, like reference numerals indicate like parts operating in a like manner so as to avoid repetition in the description. The reference system in this embodiment includes only a single reference line 44 extending between the front and

rear bogies

8 and 10 in the same manner as the long reference line 6 of the previously described embodiment.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 7, the reference line 44, which may be a tensioned wire, cord or cable, is affixed to the

endless cables

45 and 46 of two pulley drives which are spacedly mounted on the liner in the direction of track elongation, the

pulley drive

45, 47, 49 being positioned at the lining point where the track shifting means 4 operate and the other pulley drive 46, 48, 50 being positioned at the intermediate bogie 9 (or 9'). Each pulley drive comprises a driving

pulley

47, 48 of a rotary potentiometer and a freely rotating

pulley

49, 50. The relative position of the reference line 44 to bogies 4' and 9 (or 9'), whose position in relation to the track is fixed determines the rotary position of the

potentiometers

47 and 48 which are mounted on these bogies. The distance between the pulleys of each drive must, of course, be sufficient to prevent the point of attachment of the wire 44 to the

cables

45, 46 to be moved onto either pulley even at points of maximal track alignment errors.

As shown in FIG. 8, the

rotary potentiometers

47 and 48 on

bogies

4 and 9 are connected to the voltage source 24 by

supply conductors

25, 26. The electrical measuring parameters are delivered to the amplifier 34 and to the dial 31 by

branch conductors

51 and 52 which connect the potentiometers to

conductors

53 and 54. The control panel 55 carries not only a dial 31, such as described previously, but also a switch 56 which is operated to take into account the varying ratios of the two parameters measured at the potentiometers in transition sections of a track curve. Manual operation may be effected by switch 57 in the same manner as described in connection with switch 38.

The

potentiometers

47 and 48 are so adjusted that the differential of the measured parameters at these potentiometers, which is delivered to dial 31 and amplifier 34, is zero when the track is properly aligned. The desired differential is automatically produced by the distance between the working bogie 4' and the measuring bogie 9 (or 9) within the reference system and the length of the track section delimited by the rear and

front stations

8 and 10 of the reference system. This desired differential may be indicated electrically be electrical resistances of different size or mechanically by pulleys of different diameters.

While the present invention has been described in connection with certain. now preferred embodiments, it will be understood that many modifications and variations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is concerned with making it possible to produce a continuously progressing track lining operation by changing the speed and force of the lining movement in dependence on different requirements at different track points.v

We claim: 7 1

1. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at said'points, which comprises atrack shifting means, the track shifting means including an element which is held under lateral pressure in gripping engagement witha track rail while being movable inv relation to said rail,'and means for laterally moving the track shifting means and the track engaged thereby; a reference system moving with the apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof, the reference system determining the lateral movement'ofjth'e track shiftingmeans, the improvement of control means arranged automatically to increase the speed of the lateral movement of the track shifting means in direct relation and response to the an increase in the size of the alignment error at said points.

2. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at said points, which comprises a track shifting means, the track shifting means including an element which is held under lateral pressure in gripping engagement with a track rail while being movable in relation to said rail, the lateral pressure on said element being maintained constant during the continuous lining operation to hold the track in the desired alignment as the apparatus continuously progresses along the track, and means for laterally moving the track shifting means and the track. engaged thereby; a reference system moving with the apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof, the reference system determining the lateral-movement of the track shifting means; and control means changing the speed of the'lateral movement determined by the moving force of the track shifting means in direct relation to the size of the alignment error at I said points.

t -3. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at saidpoints, which comprises a track shifting means, the track shifting means including an element which is held under lateral pressure in gripping engagement with atrack rail while being movable in relation to said rail, pressure fluid means for laterally moving the track shifting means and the-track engaged thereby, and a pressure fluid circuit for supplying pressure fluid to the pressure fluid means; a reference system moving withthe apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof, the reference system determining the lateral movement of the track shifting means; and control means changing the speed of the lateral movement determined by the moving force of the track shifting means in direct relation to the size of the alignment error at said points, the control means including a servovalve in said circuit for varying the amount of pressure fluid supplied to the pressure fluid means in direct relation to the size of the alignment error.

4. In the lining apparatus of claim 3, an alignment error indicating means in said reference system, said indicating means producing an alignment error signal, and an amplifier for said signal between the indicating means and the servovalve.

5. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at said points, which comprises a track shifting means, the track shifting means including an element which is held under lateral pressure in gripping engagement with a track rail while being movable in relation to said rail, and means for laterally moving the track shifting means and the track engaged thereby; a reference system moving with the apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof, the reference systemv determining the lateral movement of the track shifting means; and control meanschanging the speed of the lateral movement determinedby the moving force of the track shifting means in direct relation to the size of the alignment error at said points, the reference system including an alignment error indicating means producing electrical control signals corresponding to said error at each of said track points, and said control signals operating the control means.

6'. In the lining apparatus of claim 5, the alignment error indicating means including a potentiometer and the reference system also including a reference line associated with, and controlling, the potentiometer.

7. In the lining apparatus of claim 5, an additional one of ,said alignment error indicating means, a differential signal between the two indicating means operating the control means.

8. In the lining apparatus of claim 7, the reference system including a long reference line and a short reference line, said alignment error indicating means being associated with a respective one of said reference lines, one of the indicating means generating a control signal corresponding to the desired alignment of the track and other control signal corresponding to the actual lateral position of the track.

9. In the lining apparatus of claim 8, wherein the track shifting means is arranged at the front end of the short reference line and the alignment error indicating means generating the other control signal is arranged substantially centrally between the ends of the short reference line.

shifting means is arranged at the front alignment error indicating means.

12. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at said points, which comprises a track shifting means, the track shifting means including an element which is held under lateralpressure in gripping engagement with a track rail while being movable in relation to said rail, and means for laterally moving the track shifting means and the track engaged thereby; a reference system moving with the apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof, the reference system determining the lateral movement of the track shifting means; and control means changing the speed of the lateral movement determined by the moving force of the track shifting means in direct relation to the size of the alignment error at said points, and a manually operable switch for operating the control means.

i 13. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at said points, which comprises a track shifting means, the track shifting means including two elements spaced apart along the track elongation and held under lateral pressure in gripping. engagement with a track rail while being movable in relation to said rail, and means for laterally moving the track shifting means and the track engaged thereby; a reference system moving with the apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof, the reference system determining the lateral movement of the traclg shifting means; and control means changing the speed of the lateral movement determined by the moving force of the track shifting means in direct relation to the size of the alignment error at said points.

14. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at said points, which comprises a track shifting means, the track shifting means including an element which is held under lateral pressure in gripping engagement with a track rail while being movable in relation to said rail, means for vibrating the track shifting means, and

track shifting means; and control means changing the speed of the lateral movement determined by the moving force of the track shifting means in direct relation to the .size of the alignment error at said points.

15. In a mobile apparatus for continuously lining a track by laterally moving the track at points which are out of alignment into alignment without stopping at said points, which comprises a track shifting means, the track shifting means including an element which is held under lateral pressure in gripping engagement with a track rail while being movable in relation to said rail, and means for laterally moving thetrack shifting means and the track engaged thereby; a reference system moving with the apparatus along the track during the continuous lining thereof, the reference system determining the lateral movement of the track'shifting means, and an indicating dial connected to the reference system for visually indicating the lateral track position sensed by the reference system; and control means changing the speed of the lateral movement determined by the moving force of the track shifting means in direct relation to the size of the alignment error at said points.

16. In the lining apparatus of claim 15, wherein the indicating dial has a scale including a zero mark indicating correct alignment and a scale range adjacent the zero mark, said scale range indicating alignment errors on an amplified scale.