HK1193440B - Arrangement for measuring track sections for the purpose of maintaining railway tracks - Google Patents

Description

Arrangement for measuring a track section for the purpose of maintaining a railway track

Technical Field

The invention is directed to an arrangement for marking and measuring sections of track for the purpose of maintaining railway tracks, in particular in the area of switches, turnouts, bends and other sections of track that are susceptible to wear.

Background

Measurements for determining the trajectory of a maintenance area are performed in a variety of ways in this technique via optical, capacitance, and eddy current measurements. In this connection, automatic measurement by means of a measuring train is often not sufficiently precise for the wear critical area to be able to directly control the exact operation of the working machine (grinder or profiling machine). There is therefore a need to perform accurate field measurements of the work area during track maintenance not only in a reliably reproducible manner, but also in a manner that is as close-linked to the work machine as possible. The currently used computer-aided measuring devices have hitherto not been reproducible with sufficient accuracy, especially for complex track areas such as curves or switches, relative to the position of the working area as the working machine repeatedly travels over the track area, and the work must always be restarted exactly at the determined position (determined beforehand by the track profile measuring device).

A measuring device which makes it possible to check the state of a railway track in a track section, such as a corner area, is described in DE3210015C 2. This is a hand-held measuring device for measuring the lateral position and the height position of a railway track, which uses two reference strings which are constructed as tripods which can be arranged in a stationary manner at a defined distance from one another and have a level, an aiming optics and a distance measuring pole, and which has an upright base with a cross bar for deployment on both tracks. This measuring device measures the track position over long distances along the large chord of the curved arc, and in order to verify the measured position and the track position found in this way, it is further necessary to refer to a fixed point (e.g. an overhead line mast) that must be specified by the track network operator. This does not allow to freely determine the track position corresponding to the ascertained status of the track for maintenance of the track section.

Another measuring device for checking rails (particularly corners) is known from EP1548400a 1. In this case, the track interval is detected by a laser distance sensor, an optical waveguide that projects a laser beam onto a point to be measured, and a CCD receiver at the position to be measured.

Apart from the fact that the above-mentioned measuring devices use optical sensors and are only for this reason not suitable for use in working machines such as grinding machines, EP1548400a1 is also disclosed with respect to determining and recognizing individual measuring points (which may be located at a distance of 2 to 5 mm) which are recorded along the travelled distance, which are emitted by the running wheels of the measuring device to the rotary encoder, and which are related to the measurements made at the measuring points. This determination of the measuring position is not accurately reproducible due to slip, in particular back and forth movement in the region of the curve, so that the correlation is not satisfactory for controlling the position at which the working machine will be put into use. Furthermore, the rotary encoder generates systematic errors that cause errors to accumulate via wheel slip during each back and forth movement in the working area.

While visual detectability is desirable for non-contact detection of position, work machine-induced contamination compromises position detection of measurement points, making visual methods not directly useable in combination with work machines (e.g., rail grinders). Therefore, the measuring device for finding the measuring position which has been determined beforehand by the track profile measuring apparatus as a defective section of the track and is defined by rules concerning measurement or machining must be designed in such a way that it is able to reliably and reproducibly collect position data along the track which cannot be tampered with by environmental conditions.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to find novel possibilities for marking and measuring track sections for the purpose of maintaining railway tracks, which allow reliable and accurate determination of easily worn track sections (e.g. bends and switches) with respect to position and directly in cooperation with working machines, without the need for stopping the track work for measurement or the work and measurement being disconnected in some other way for this purpose.

Disclosure of Invention

In an arrangement for marking and measuring sections of track for the purpose of maintaining railway tracks, in which means for optical acquisition of measuring points are provided, the above-mentioned object is met according to the invention in that a sensor unit for detecting measuring points positioned in the vicinity of the track has at least two separate detector units which are measured in a contactless manner on the basis of different measuring principles, wherein one measuring principle utilizes an optical sensor with spectrally selective sensitivity and a second measuring principle utilizes an identification detector for individual identification of the measuring points, in that the measuring points have at least two legs as corner elements, wherein a first vertically oriented leg is detachably fastened to the track and a coating for the spectrally selective sensor which is emitted in a narrow spectral band and an identification value carrier for the identification detector are provided at a second horizontally oriented leg, and in that the sensor unit is arranged at a device which can travel on the track, so that the individual detector units are guided parallel to the rail in the same direction above the measuring point with the movement of the device that can travel on the rail.

The sensor unit is advantageously configured so as to be laterally vertically rotatable relative to the rail.

Furthermore, the sensor unit may usefully be arranged so as to be displaceable transversely to the rail in order to adapt it to the rail gauge and the orientation of the measuring point relative to the rail.

The sensor units for each rail are advantageously provided at a device that can travel on the rail, said sensor units being arranged opposite each other in a transverse direction with respect to the rail.

The measuring point is suitably detachably fastened to the rail by means of a permanent magnet and is preferably arranged on the outside or on the inside of the web.

In this connection, it is possible to arrange the measuring points at the guide rail or at the guide rail of the rail in the case of a grooved rail.

The measuring point is preferably provided with a luminescent layer as a coating emitting in a narrow band. In this variant, the sensor unit advantageously comprises a spectrally selective sensor for luminescence, which is adapted to the emission wavelength range of the luminescent layer.

Second, the measurement point is suitably provided with an identification tag in the form of an RFID chip. For this embodiment, the sensor unit suitably comprises a radio frequency transducer for reading the RFID chip.

In an advantageous manner, the device that can travel on the rail and that is used to fasten the sensor unit is a working machine from the group comprising rail grinders or rail profiling machines. However, it may also simply be a measuring vehicle.

The invention is based on the following basic considerations: known track measuring devices define a determined defect region outside and independent of the track stretch with a fixed point, such as a mast, or require optical detection of a fine measuring mark (e.g., a bar code, etc.) at the track and indirectly determine the position with a wheel-driven rotary encoder. In both cases, routine contamination caused by work performed on the track (e.g., lapping) compromises optical or mechanical position measurement, but the latter is essential to accurately obtain the measurement.

This problem is solved in the present invention through the use of suitable marking elements (hereinafter: measuring points) which are positioned temporarily or for a longer period of time at or within the vicinity of the railway track and whose characteristics are such that they can be detected and acquired in a contactless manner, actively or passively, with sufficient accuracy, by a measuring system fastened directly to the vehicle running on the track.

The invention comprises a combination of a specially manufactured measuring point with an accompanying sensor unit having a plurality of sensitivities.

The entire measuring system on which the rail section works has a plurality of "movable" measuring points, which are fastened directly to the transverse surface of the rail web, preferably in a detachable manner, by means of permanent magnets. The measuring point is designed in such a way that it can also be easily fastened to the guide rail (wheelguard rail) so that it can also be used in closed tracks (embedded tracks in street buildings).

As such, the location of the measurement points is determined based on a measurement log of a track profile measurement device previously employed in the track section or in compliance with established rules governing measurement or work, and the measurement points are arranged at locations such as a start point and an end point that distinguish one or more work areas for the work machine (grinder or press).

According to the invention, the measuring points can be detected on the basis of at least two qualitatively different measuring principles by means of a sensor unit which is guided along a device moving on the rail. Additional links to GPS and transmissions to GPS can be achieved with simple modifications.

Two non-contact measurement principles are preferably used in combination for detection, one of which utilizes an optical principle with the lowest possible susceptibility to failure and using spectrally sensitive marker dyes (based on photoluminescence), and the other one is a principle based on radio frequency, magnetic or capacitive and allowing for decoding (ID-tags). Both principles can operate both actively and passively, but at least one active principle is suitable for ID tags.

With respect to the optical principle, a fluorescent dye that is sufficiently activated by daylight or by the working illumination of the working machine is preferably detected by a spectrally sensitive optical sensor that is tuned in dependence on the emission wavelength of the fluorescent dye. In this way, position detection is ensured and clutter or ambiguity in combination with other reflective objects is excluded.

The measuring point is preferably equipped with an RFID chip (radio frequency identification chip). Which is used to identify the optically detected measuring points and constitutes a "counter" or classification of the working area (which may also be a "non-working area") of the track section to be maintained.

By means of the invention as a combination of two different measuring methods applied to suitably designed measuring points (marking elements), it is possible to carry out marking and measuring of track sections for the purpose of maintenance of the railway track in order to allow reliable and positionally accurate determination of easily worn track sections (and also to cooperate directly with a working machine) without the need for stopping the track work for measurement or the work and measurement being disconnected in some other way for this purpose. Due to the sensor system according to the invention, the positions of all measurement points and their correct sequence are unambiguously determined, ambiguities are excluded, and repeated accuracy (excluding wheel slip) can be reproduced over multiple channels.

Drawings

The invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to examples of embodiment. The drawings show that:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of measurement points at the tee rail;

fig. 2 is an arrangement of measurement points in the area of a switch (turnout);

fig. 3 is an arrangement of measurement points in the area of a switch (without turnout);

FIG. 4 is a side view of the work machine with the sensor unit secured to the rear;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a work machine having a rotatable sensor unit;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a work machine with a displaceable sensor unit secured on the outboard side (T-rail);

FIG. 7 is a front view of a work machine having a displaceable sensor unit secured on the inside (slotted track);

FIG. 8 is a front view of a work machine having a displaceable sensor unit secured on the inside (on a grooved track);

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a measuring point wherein a slotted track is in the packing area with magnets configured as shorter legs for fastening corner elements of the measuring point;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the operational principle of measurement point detection for direct control of a work machine based on acquired measurement points; and

fig. 11 is an illustration of the operating principle of measurement point detection for data acquisition and data processing of a work machine using GPS.

Detailed Description

As schematically shown in fig. 1, the basic arrangement according to the invention comprises a measuring point 3 detachably arranged at a track 1, shown in a conventional manner as a t-rail. The sensor unit 2 fastened to the work machine 8 is guided over the measuring point 3. The sensor unit 2 comprises two separate detector units based on different principles.

The first detector unit is an optical sensor I which can capture spectrally selective radiation within a limited reception range (e.g. having a diameter of 2cm at a distance of up to 25 cm) and which is adjusted in dependence on the radiation emitted in the narrow band by the measurement point 3.

The second detector unit is designed for a defined ID tag and is preferably an active radio frequency transducer II that can read the programmed value of the RFID chip 6. The range is designed for approximately 10 to 30cm and is limited to transmit/receive cones of approximately the same size.

A measuring point 3 suitable for this sensor unit 2 comprises a corner element 4 (e.g. made of a metal such as steel, stainless steel, brass, a stable plastic or composite such as CRP, GRP, ARP or SRP, or other durable dimensionally stable material). The corner element 4 has at least two legs, the permanent magnet 7 is fastened or recessed into the shorter 41 of the two legs, and the luminescent layer 5, preferably a fluorescent or phosphorescent material, is arranged on the upper side of the longer leg 42. The outer side of the long leg 42 is directed upwards towards the sensor unit 2. Furthermore, an RFID chip 6 containing an ID tag and readable by the radio frequency transducer II is arranged at the long leg 42 of the corner element 4. In certain embodiments, the short leg 41 may branch off from both sides of the long leg 42, creating a T-shaped corner element 43 (shown in FIG. 5).

The optical sensor I detects a very narrow reception range (about 6 to 8cm), preferably for the detection of fluorescent dyes, as a luminescent layer 5 which is sufficiently activated by daylight or by the working illumination of the working machine 8 and thus ensures sufficient position detection, while the radio-frequency transducer II is responsible for identifying the measuring point 3 and thus is a detector within the meaning of a "counter" or classifier for interpreting the working area of the working machine 8, which follows the measuring point 3. For this purpose, each measuring point 3 is equipped with an RFID chip 6, in which the determined ID value is programmed.

The simplest "counter" code consists in an alternating allocation of 0/L codes for the measuring points 3, wherein "0" identifies the start position and "L" identifies the end position of the individual working areas of the working machine 8.

In the case of a track section to be maintained and in which the working machine 8 (repeatedly) travels back and forth on the track section performing the work, having a plurality of working areas (and therefore a plurality of measuring points 3) or areas comprising different working steps, a divergent or extended digital identifier can be programmed in the RFID chip 6 for generating a clear assignment of the measuring points 3.

The measuring point 3 is preferably passively and actively detected by a sensor unit 2 which moves together with the working machine 8 over the track section. The two non-contact measurement methods are jointly employed during detection, so that the optical principle with the lowest possible susceptibility to faults and using a coating (cold light layer 5) emitting in a narrow band for the accurate determination of the position in the track is combined with a radio-frequency transducer II which confirms the purpose of the unique determination of the measurement point 3 and at the same time excludes the possibility that extraneous signals detected by the optical sensor I can be further processed incorrectly as measurement point 3.

Alternatively, the ID tag may also be detected using magnetic or capacitive measurement principles.

Thus, thanks to the sensor system according to the invention, the positions of all the measurement points 3 and their correct sequence are unambiguously determined, ambiguities are excluded, and the repetitive accuracy of the measurement point detection (excluding erroneous positions due to wheel slip) can be reproduced over multiple channels.

The measuring points 3 can be used for different track markings, arranged and rearranged as required and reused whenever required, so that they can be used for repeated alterations and expansions (maintenance work) at or between work sites and always in a clearly assignable manner.

The fluorescent coating (luminescent layer 5) can be restored directly on site at the construction site in a simple manner (for example, by means of fluorescent painting) in the event of surface damage (contamination, mechanical influence). Thus, the measuring point 3 is wear-resistant, as long as the RFID chip 6 is not damaged, and the signal of the measuring point 3 is reproducible, as long as the measuring point 3 is not accidentally displaced along the track 1.

The measuring point 3 is preferably produced as a corner element 4 having a width of 2 to 8cm, preferably 4cm, and having a foot length of between 2 and 6cm, preferably 3cm, for the short foot 41 and a foot length of 10 to 20cm, preferably 12 to 15cm, for the long foot 42. In this connection, the short legs 41 may also be completely or partially replaced by permanent magnets 7, or two short legs 41 may branch off from both sides of the long leg 42, thus creating a T-shape.

For the spatial resolution of the position of the measurement point 3, a positioning accuracy of 1cm can be easily maintained, even when the width of the corner element 4 is a few centimeters, since it can be easily and accurately determined by center detection or edge detection in the captured optical image of the measurement point 3.

Since no visual recognition (high-resolution spot detection) is required, normal contamination does not impair the position detection of the measuring spot 3 by the optical sensor I. However, in order to limit working contamination (e.g. grinding dust), an additional air flow can be introduced in the measuring gap between the measuring point 3 and the sensor unit 2, preferably by means of a nozzle (not shown). In the above mentioned detection units (optical sensor I and radio frequency transducer II), the measurement gap is between 10cm and 30cm, most preferably about 15 cm.

The entire measuring system for the track section to work on has a plurality of "movable" measuring points 3 which are fastened temporarily in a simple manner to the railway track 1 or in the vicinity of the railway track 1; the fastening is reliably carried out directly at the side surface of the respective rail 1 by means of the permanent magnets 7. In order to be able to use the measuring point 3 also in a closed rail construction (in-line rail), it is designed in such a way that it can also be easily fastened to the guard rail (guard rail). The fastening is preferably carried out on the outside of the rail, as shown in fig. 5 and 6. However, there are a variety of special track sections that need to be arranged at the inner side of the track or also at the guard rail (wheelguard rail) or the guide rail, as shown in fig. 7 and 8.

Management of an arrangement of the type described above is shown in figures 2 and 3. For the sake of clarity, only the different measuring points 3 in the track area of the switch are shown.

Before the working machine 8 works on the rail, the defined working area is determined in certain sections of the rail on the basis of previously determined rail wear conditions or on the basis of a specified work task, and the measuring points 3 are positioned in a corresponding manner. The position is read by means of the sensor unit 2 and the data is processed, stored and made available for automatic control of the working machine 8.

Fig. 2 shows the different working areas during track maintenance in a track section with switches set to traverse to the left (section turn S). In this case, the measurement point positions 0L to 1L, 1L to 2L, and 2L to 3L will be detected at the left-hand track 1 as the working areas B and C, while the sections 0R to 1R, 1R to 2R, and 3R to 4R at the right-hand track 1 are the working areas, and the sections 2R to 3R at the right-hand track 1 are the non-working areas a.

The individual working areas of the track sections shown in the drawings may be specified as follows:

A-No work area (traveling only through)

B-areas with work (switch sections)

C-with continuously working areas on the surface of the track (grinding of the complete section).

In fig. 3, a route with straight travel T (without turnout) is adjusted by a switch. This produces regions 0L to 1L, 1L to 2L, and 3L to 4L as active operating regions B and C. On the right-hand track 1, the switch in the region of the sections L1 to L2 will only work partially (region B) on the head of the track 1, while between 2L and 3L (passive working area) the work is stopped, i.e. the grinding element (not shown) of the working machine 8 is at a safe distance from the track 1 so that the switch is not damaged. In the measurement point position 3L, the work is restarted and carried out until position 4L. On the right-hand rail 1, the rail head is fully reworked in the sections from 0R to 1R and 2R to 3R, while it is only partially worked between the measurement positions 1R and 2R.

This mode of operation can be repeated for each track 1 whenever required; it is not important whether the working machine 8 with the sensor unit 2 travels forward or backward over the area, since the measuring point 3 ensures a clear assignment of position and area.

This exact control method of the point of the work machine 8 can be applied in any section of the track, in particular also inside the switch. In this way, dangerous portions (i.e., positions that are not damaged) are marked, and perfect working of the track 1 is performed because the sensor unit 2 exactly detects the positions. The exact and error-free detection of the measuring points 3 also allows to carry out work on a plurality of successive switches of any shape.

In a side view of the work machine 8, fig. 4 shows that the sensor unit 2 is arranged in a front or rear area of the work machine 8. The view of the front/rear area of the work machine 8, offset by 90 ° respectively in fig. 5, shows that when the measuring point 3 is arranged on the outside of the track, the detector units I and II (optical sensor I and radio frequency transducer II) are advantageously configured as rotatable sensor units 21 in order to keep the latter safely away from the measuring and working operations of the work machine 8, in particular in a house niche (not shown), for example when the work machine 8 is moved from one construction site to the next.

Fig. 5 shows a further preferred embodiment form of the measuring point 3, in which a T-shaped corner element 43 is mounted to the outside of the web of the rail 1. In this way, the short leg 41 mounted to the rail web can also be formed by the permanent magnet 7, since the long leg 42 is directly adhered to the permanent magnet 7.

Fig. 6 and 7 show a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the detector units I and II are constructed as sensor units 22 which are laterally displaceable relative to the track direction. Fig. 6 shows the position of the displaceable sensor unit 22 for detecting the displacement of the measuring point 3 arranged on the outer side of the rail 1 out along the crossbar 9, while fig. 7 shows the displaced position of the measuring point 3 fastened to the inner side at the slotted rail 11. In the latter fastening case, a guard rail (guard wheel rail) is used for arranging the measuring points 3 by means of magnets 7 (not shown here for simplicity).

Fig. 8 shows a similar situation, wherein the track section in an in-line construction forcibly arranges the measuring point 3 at the guard rail (guard wheel rail) of the grooved track 11, since no other fastening possibilities are available. Due to the confined spatial conditions usually found near the grooved track 11, it is sometimes necessary to modify the shape of the measurement point 3.

This type of modification of the measuring point 3 is shown in an enlarged view in fig. 9. In this case, the measuring point 3 is modified in such a way that it is preferably located directly on the road support structure (the encasing area 12) and is fixed by the permanent magnet 7 by means of frictional engagement at the guard rail of the slotted track 11.

Fig. 10 and 11 show schematic diagrams of the operation mode of detection of the measuring point 3 as a data transfer scheme for direct control of the working machine 8 and for integration of acquired data using GPS. The signals obtained from the measuring points 3 by means of the sensor unit 2 are sent in a suitable manner via an interface to a computer unit (PLC), where they are further processed in order to carry out specific work steps directly in the work machine 8. In fig. 11, in which the acquisition of the measurement data is the same, a modem is connected downstream of the PLC so that the data (coordinates of the measurement point 3 and measured values) are supplied in retrievable manner via a satellite to other locations worldwide (in a suitable manner via the internet to remote sites with corresponding access data).

Reference numerals

1 orbit (normalized T-shaped orbit)

11 grooved rail

12 packing area

2 sensor unit

21 rotatable sensor unit

22 displaceable sensor unit

I optical sensor

II radio frequency transducer

3 measuring point

31 measurement points for boxed areas

4-angle element

41 short leg

42 long leg

43T-shaped corner element

5 Cold light layer

6RFID chip

7 permanent magnet

8 working machine

Cross bar 9 (for shift sensor unit)

A non-working area

B has some working areas (on the railhead)

C with continuously-operating zones (on railheads)

S section with turnout

T straight line section

u, v, w directions of travel

Claims (14)

1. An apparatus for marking and measuring sections of track for the purpose of maintaining railway track, comprising:

apparatus for optical detection of measuring points, and

sensor unit for detecting a measuring point positioned near a track, the sensor unit comprising:

an optical sensor having spectrally selective sensitivity, wherein the optical sensor measures in a non-contact manner; and

an identification detector for individual identification of the measuring points, wherein the identification detector measures in a contactless manner;

wherein the measurement point comprises at least a first vertically oriented leg and a second horizontally oriented leg as corner elements;

wherein the first vertically oriented leg is removably secured to the track;

wherein the second horizontally oriented leg has a coating for the optical sensor that emits in a narrow spectral band and has an identification value carrier for the identification detector;

wherein the sensor unit is arranged at a device configured to travel on a track such that the optical sensor and the identification detector are configured to be guided parallel to the track in the same direction over the measurement point with movement of the device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the sensor unit is configured to be vertically rotatable transversely to the track.

3. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the sensor unit is arranged so as to be displaceable transversely to the track, such that the sensor unit is adapted to the track gauge and the orientation of the measurement point relative to the track.

4. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the sensor units for each track are provided at the device that can travel on the track such that the sensor units are arranged opposite to each other in a lateral direction with respect to the track.

5. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the measurement point is configured to be detachably secured to the rail with a permanent magnet.

6. The apparatus of claim 5;

wherein the measurement point is arranged at a web of the rail.

7. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the measuring points are arranged at the guide rails of the slotted track.

8. The apparatus of claim 5;

wherein the measuring points are arranged at a guide rail of the track.

9. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the measurement spot is provided with a luminescent layer as a coating emitting in a narrow band.

10. The apparatus of claim 9;

the sensor unit comprises a spectrally selective sensor for luminescence, which is adapted to the emission wavelength range of the luminescent layer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the measuring point is provided with an RFID chip as an identification value carrier.

12. The apparatus of claim 11;

wherein the sensor unit comprises a radio frequency transducer for reading the RFID chip.

13. The apparatus of claim 1;

wherein the device that can travel on the track is a work machine from the group comprising track grinding mills or track profiling machines.

14. The apparatus of claim 13;

wherein the device that can travel on the track is a measuring trolley.