Title of Invention

A METHOD FOR TRACING THE TRACK GEOMETRY AND A CLEANING MACHINE FOR CLEANING BALLAST OF THE TRACK.

Abstract

In a method of tracing a track geometry immediately ahead of a ballast pick-up device (8) of a cleaning machine (1) in the working direction (7), a first and a second measuring chord (13,14) are guided on a track (3) by two end points (A1 ,B1 or A2,B2), respectively. A versine measured by a first versine sensor (18) of the first measuring chord (13) is stored in connection with a distance measurement - for registering the rear end point (A2) as a desired position with respect to a local track point. After the rear end point (B2) of the second measuring chord (14) has reached the local track point, said end point (B2) is displaced until a measuring value corresponding to the stored versine is reached by a second versine sensor (17), and thus the desired position has been reached.

Full Text

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for tracing the track geometry and a cleaning machine for cleaning ballast of the track. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for tracing the track geometry of a track immediately ahead of a ballast pick-up device, with respect to a working direction, and of restoring said geometry after it has been destroyed by the operation of the ballast pick-up device. Description of Related Art A method of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,704. Since, as result of the operation of a ballast cleaning machine, the track geometry is completely destroyed, the restoration of said geometry after introducing the cleaned ballast is problematic. According to the known method, the position of a first measuring chord -situated ahead of a ballast pick-up device with regard to the working direction, said direction following the track geometry - is used to guide a second, trailing measuring chord. To that end, a versine of the first measuring chord is measured, and an angle enclosed by the two measuring chords is also measured. A track lifting device keeps displacing the track in the transverse direction until a rear end point of the second measuring chord, after attaining said angle, comes to lie in the desired position. Said method, however, is applicable only in a track curve. For transition curves, a correction factor must be taken into account. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to create a method or a cleaning machine of the specified type with which it is possible to accurately restore the track geometry in a problem-free and relatively simple manner. With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, a method of tracing the geometry of a track immediately ahead of a ballast pick-up device, with respect to a working direction, and of restoring said geometry after it has been destroyed by the operation of said ballast pick-up device. The method comprises the steps of moving a first measuring chord along the track, the first measuring chord having a front end point and a rear end point running on the track; measuring a versine of the first measuring chord by means of a versine sensor associated with the first measuring chord; storing a measurement value corresponding to said versine in connection with a measurement of the distance traveled, thus registering the rear end point of the first measuring chord as a desired position with respect to a local track point; moving a second measuring chord along the track, the second measuring chord following the first measuring chord in the working direction and having a front end point and a rear end point running on the track; and correcting the track geometry by displacing, in the transverse direction of the track, the rear end point of the second measuring chord when said rear end point reaches the local track point, while measuring, by means of a second versine sensor associated with the second measuring chord, a versine of the second measuring chord until a corresponding measurement value coincides with the stored measurement value, thus indicating that the desired position has been reached. With the foregoing and other objects in view there is also provided, in accordance with the invention, a machine for cleaning ballast supporting a track. The machine is mobile on the track in a working direction and comprises an excavating car including a vertically adjustable track lifting device and a ballast pick-up device; a screening car arranged ahead of the excavating car in the working direction; and a track measurement system. The latter comprises a first measuring chord associated with the screening car and a second measuring chord associated with the excavating car, the second measuring chord having a rear end point with respect to the working direction; a first versine sensor associated with the first measuring chord, and a second versine sensor associated with the second measuring chord; and an odometer and a memory unit for storing, in dependence on the distance travelled, a measurement value registered by the first versine sensor and for comparing said measurement value to a measurement value registered by the second versine sensor. With this features it is possible without problems to copy the track geometry for the restoration thereof after the reintroduction of the cleaned ballast. During this, in an advantageous manner, it is totally irrelevant whether the track section is part of a track curve or of a transition curve. According to the present invention there is provided: A method for tracing the track geometry immediately ahead of a ballast pick-up device in the working direction, and of restoring the track geometry destroyed by said ballast pick-up device, wherein a first and a second measuring chord are guided, one following the other in the working direction, on a track by two end points, respectively, and a versine (fx) is measured in the region of the first measuring chord, and the rear end point of the second measuring chord is displaced in the transverse direction of the track for correcting the track geometry, characterized by the following features: a) the versine (fx) measured by a first versine sensor of the first measuring chord is stored in connection with a distance measurement - for registering the rear end point as a desired position with respect to a local track point (Px); b) after the rear end point of the second measuring chord has reached the local track point (Px), said end point is displaced until a measuring value corresponding to the stored versine (fx) is reached by a second versine sensor associated with the second measuring chord!, and thus the desired position has been reached, method for tracing the track geometry. A cleaning machine for cleaning ballast of a track, consisting of an excavating car comprising a vertically adjustable track lifting device and a ballast pick-up device, and a screening car arranged ahead of the excavating car with respect to a working direction, wherein a first measuring chord and a versine sensor are associated with the screening car, and a second measuring chord of a track measurement system having a rear end point - with respect to a working direction is associated with the excavating car, characterized in that a second versine sensor is associated with the second measuring chord, and the track measurement system comprises an odometer and a memory unit for storage, dependent on the distance travelled, of a measuring value registered by the first versine sensor and for comparing said measuring value to the measuring value registered by the second versine sensor. Additional advantages and other embodiments of the invention also become apparent from the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a simplified side view of a cleaning machine. FIGS. 2 and 3 each show a schematic representation of part of the track measurement system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As visible in FIG. 1, a cleaning machine 1 for cleaning ballast 2 of a track 3 is composed of an excavating car 4 and, coupled to the same, a screening car 5. The latter is equipped with a screening unit 6 screening for cleaning ballast. The excavating car 4, following behind the screening car 5 with respect to a working direction 7, comprises a ballast pick-up device 8, guided around the track 3, with a first track lifting device 9 is associated. A second track lifting device 9 is connected in front of a rearward on-track undercarriage 10, not further shown, to a machine frame 11 mobile on on-track undercarriages 10. A track measurement system 12 consists of a first measuring chord 13 - with regard to the working direction 7 - and a second measuring chord 14 following behind, both chords having the same length. Each measuring chord 13, 14{ see also FIGS. 2 , 3) comprises a front end point A1 or B1 and a rear end point A2 or B2, each in the form of a measuring axle 15 guided on the track 3. The rear end point B2 of the second measuring chord 14 is situated in the region of the first track lifting device 9 or in the region of a section, positioned underneath the track 3, of the ballast pick-up device 8. Arranged centrally between the two end points A1, A2, or B1, B2, of both measuring chords 13, 14 is a first or second versine sensor 16, 17. The rear end point A2 of the first measuring chord 13 and the front end point B1 of the second measuring chord 14 are formed by a common measuring axle 15. As indicated schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3, the track measurement system 12 comprises a memory unit 18, an odometer 19 for registering the distance travelled by the cleaning machine 1, and a comparator 20. The method of tracing a track geometry will now be described in more detail below. For registering the actual position of the track 3, the latter is traced continuously by the first measuring chord 13 within the scope of a pre-measurement operation, in that a versine fx detected by the versine sensor 16 is stored in the memory unit 18. Parallel thereto, a distance registered by the odometer 19 is stored in order to thereby associate the rear end point A2 of the first measuring chord 13 with a local track point P* As soon as the local track point Px has been reached by the rear end point B2 of the second measuring chord 14 in the course of a working pass of the cleaning machine 1, the versine fx associated - in the pre-measurement by the first measuring chord 13 - with this track point and stored is furnished to the comparator 20. As visible in FIG. 3, the rear end point B2 is not in the desired position. As a result, the versine registered by the second versine sensor 17 of the second measuring chord 14 does not correspond to the measurement value stored and recorded in the pre-measurement operation. With the aid of the track lifting device 9, the track 3 is now transversely displaced until the versine registered by the second versine sensor 17 corresponds to the comparative value present in the comparator 20. With that, the rear end point B2 is located precisely in the desired position registered in the course of the pre-measurement operation by the first measuring chord 13. The most simple solution consists of configuring both measuring chords 13, 14 with chord divisions of equal length. Should the length be different, the versine registered by the first versine sensor 16 must be converted according to the geometric proportions. In order to prevent the track geometry from drifting off as a result of inaccuracies, it is expedient to also guide the second track lifting device 9 following the ballast pick-up device 8. To do so, the desired geometry of the track 3 is calculated in the known manner as a positional image from the symmetrical versines of the first measuring chord 13. The position of the excavating car 4 is figured into said positional image in each case. From this position, it is possible to determine the versines of the machine frame 11 in the region of the second track lifting device 9. Said actual value of the versine is compared to the calculated versine. In case of a difference, it is possible to adequately counteract by means of the second track lifting device 9. WE CLAIM: 1. A method for tracing the track geometry immediately ahead of a ballast pick-up device (8) in the working direction (7), and of restoring the track geometry destroyed by said ballast pick-up device (8), wherein a first and a second measuring chord (13, 14) are guided, one following the other in the working direction (7), on a track (3) by two end points (A1, B1 or A2, B2), respectively, and a versine (fx) is measured in the region of the first measuring chord (13), and the rear end point (B2) of the second measuring chord (14) is displaced in the transverse direction of the track for correcting the track geometry, characterized by the following features: a) the versine (fx) measured by a first versine sensor (16) of the first measuring chord (13) is stored in connection with a distance measurement - for registering the rear end point (A2) as a desired position with respect to a local track point (Px); b) after the rear end point (B2) of the second measuring chord (14) has reached the local track point (Px), said end point (B2) is displaced until a measuring value corresponding to the stored versine (fx) is reached by a second versine sensor (17) associated with the second measuring chord (14), and thus the desired position has been reached. 2. A cleaning machine (1) for cleaning ballast of a track (3), consisting of an excavating car (4) comprising a vertically adjustable track lifting device (9) and a ballast pick-up device (8), and a screening car (5) arranged ahead of the excavating car (4) with respect to a working direction (7), wherein a first measuring chord (S1) and a versine sensor (16,17) are associated with the screening car (5), and a second measuring chord (14) of a track measurement system (12) having a rear end point (B2) - with respect to a working direction (7) is associated with the excavating car (4), characterized in that a second versine sensor (17) is associated with the second measuring chord (14), and the track measurement system (12) comprises an odometer (19) and a memory unit (18) for storage, dependent on the distance travelled, of a measuring value registered by the first versine sensor (16) and for comparing said measuring value to the measuring value registered by the second versine sensor (17). 3. A method for tracing the track geometry substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 4. A cleaning machine (1) for cleaning ballast of a track substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In a method of tracing a track geometry immediately ahead of a ballast pick-up device (8) of a cleaning machine (1) in the working direction (7), a first and a second measuring chord (13,14) are guided on a track (3) by two end points (A1,B1 or A2,B2), respectively. A versine measured by a first versine sensor (16) of the first measuring chord (13) is stored in connection with a distance measurement - for registering the rear end point (A2) as a desired position with respect to a local track point. After the rear end point (B2) of the second measuring chord (14) has reached the local track point, said end point (B2) is displaced until a measuring value corresponding to the stored versine is reached by a second versine sensor (17), and thus the desired position has been reached.

Documents:

801-KOL-2005-CORRESPONDENCE 1.1.pdf

801-KOL-2005-CORRESPONDENCE 1.2.pdf

801-KOL-2005-CORRESPONDENCE-1.3.pdf

801-KOL-2005-FORM 27-1.1.pdf

801-KOL-2005-FORM 27.pdf

801-KOL-2005-FORM-27.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-abstract.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-claims.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-correspondence.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-description (complete).pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-drawings.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-examination report.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-form 1.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-form 18.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-form 2.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-form 26.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-form 3.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-form 5.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-letter patent.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-priority document.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-specification.pdf

801-kol-2005-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf

801-KOL-2005-OTHERS.pdf