EP0520342B1 - Measuring vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A measuring car arrangement for monitoring an existing track position with respect to a desired track position comprises a measuring car having a frame extending longitudinally in a plane and undercarriages supporting the frame for mobility in an operating direction and having wheels with contact points with the rail heads. The contact points define a reference plane, the frame plane extending parallel to the reference plane. The arrangement further comprises a satellite bogie transportable on the measuring car frame and being drivable along the track independently of the measuring car. The measuring car and the satellite bogie have an upper periphery not projecting beyond a limiting plane enclosing a dihedral angle of 5 degrees to 10 degrees with the reference plane, and the limiting plane and the frame plane define an intersecting line at a forward end of the measuring car in the operating direction, the intersecting line extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension of the frame and parallel to the reference plane.

Description

The invention relates to a measuring vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a measuring vehicle is already known from a brochure "EM SAT Geometerwagen" from Plasser & Theurer. Above the frame level of the machine frame there is a spacious driving cabin and a powerful drive system. The second measuring vehicle, referred to as a satellite car, is connected to a laser transmitter for generating a standing sight and can be connected to the machine frame for a joint transfer run below the frame level.

US Pat. No. 4,691,565 already discloses a machine for measuring or registering and / or also for correcting the position of a track with a carriage that can be moved on the uncorrected track. This front carriage, which is equipped with a laser transmitter and a travel drive, can be moved onto the machine for a joint transfer travel over an end area of a machine designed as a ramp. This machine, which is designed as a track measuring car, has a laser receiver arranged in its front end region and various devices for determining and storing the track position correction values.

The magazine "Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau" 39 (1990), number 4, pages 201-211, points out in accordance with point 2.2 that the darning work to obtain the target data for the track geometry is preceded by complex measurement and evaluation work of the actual track position. Attempts to mechanize this work were undertaken with an EM-SAT measuring machine. A laser beam is used as a chord between a satellite vehicle set up at a fixed point and a measuring vehicle continuously approaching it. The arrow heights to the laser chord are measured, digitized and saved in a computer. Additional measurements of the lateral distances to the fixed points can be used to determine the differences from the target position and to calculate the displacements and increases to be carried out, which are input data for a control computer of a tamping machine should serve. With a GM 80 geometer wagon, a 17 m long and 30 t heavy unit that can be separated into a transmitting and receiving section on the construction site, this work should be carried out faster, more economically and protected against train operation on the neighboring operating tracks.

The object of the present invention is to create a measuring vehicle of the type described in the introduction, which can be used in a particularly rational manner with reduced design effort.

This object is achieved by the features in the characterizing part of claim 1. A measuring vehicle of this type with a low overall height and having a satellite car can be coupled in a particularly advantageous manner for a joint transfer to the place of use with a track-laying machine, in particular a tamping machine. The machine group can be controlled in a particularly efficient manner from the driver's cabin of the tamping machine without impairing visibility. This combined transfer travel enables a particularly simple construction of the measuring vehicle with an auxiliary motor that is only required for work and with a correspondingly low output, but a sufficiently large overall length of the vehicle frame for a satisfactory driving result during the transfer trip is possible due to the corresponding angular range of the limiting plane. In addition, such a measuring vehicle can also be coupled to a tamping machine already in use with a satellite car without any design effort or conversion work. Such a transfer run in a common machine group with a tamping machine enables the track to be measured and tamped in a single track lock, and the logistical effort can also be reduced considerably in comparison to previous separate work assignments.

An advantageous further development of the measuring vehicle according to claim 2 enables unrestricted use of the work with a comfortable driving cabin, taking advantage of the above-mentioned advantages. The development according to claim 3 enables rapid deployment of the satellite car to set up a laser reference line on the camera attached to the measuring car.

The remotely controllable solution of the pulling hook according to claim 4 enables a particularly rapid separation immediately after reaching the track construction site, while avoiding leaving the machine, which jeopardizes safety.

Due to the features of claim 5, the vehicle frame can be positively connected to the axle bearing, so that an influence of the suspension on the measurement result is reliably excluded.

Features cited in claims 6 to 9 enable an improved measurement result, the work steps required for carrying out the measurement being largely remote-controlled.

An advantageous further development according to claim 10, in conjunction with the determination of the difference values between the actual and target position of the track, enables the laser transmitter to be referred precisely to a fixed track point.

The features according to claim 11 advantageously result in smaller arrow heights while achieving more precise measurement results.

Another further development of the measuring vehicle according to claim 12 enables problem-free and rapid attachment of the satellite vehicle below the projecting vehicle frame, so that the measuring vehicle can be incorporated into a train set unhindered.

The development according to claim 13 enables the transport of the satellite car on the vehicle frame, with the ramp ensuring a rapid transfer of the satellite car from the transfer position to the working position.

With an advantageous system according to the invention, work previously carried out in two separate work steps, namely the track measurement and the track stuffing, can be carried out in a single work step to achieve particularly economical and constructive advantages. The joint work assignment now requires in a particularly economical manner only a one-off track lock, the design of which is considerably simplified as a result of the common transfer travel and the low overall height of the measuring vehicle. This design simplification mainly consists of an auxiliary motor, which is only required for low working speeds, and a simple work cabin. The logistical effort for an exact timing of the different work processes is also compared to the known ones Solutions significantly simplified. Finally, to avoid conflicts of interest, it is also advantageous if the measurement and darning work is carried out by one and the same company.

Finally, the refinement according to claim 15 enables exact adjustment of the correction work to be carried out by the tamping machine to the difference values between the actual and target position of the track, which were determined immediately beforehand by the measuring vehicle and the satellite car.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing.

• Fig. 1 eine Seitenansicht eines an eine nur teilweise dargestellte Stopfmaschine angekuppelten Meßfahrzeuges mit einem auf diesem abstützbaren Satellitenwagen,
• Fig. 2 eine Teildraufsicht auf das Meßfahrzeug und
• Fig. 3 eine schematische Darstellung eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispieles eines Meßfahrzeuges.

Show it:

• 1 is a side view of a measuring vehicle coupled to a tamping machine which is only partially shown, with a satellite car which can be supported thereon,
• Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the measuring vehicle and
• Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a further embodiment of a measuring vehicle.

The measuring vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a vehicle frame 2 with a frame plane 3 which runs parallel to a reference plane formed by wheel contact points 4 of rail bogies 5. This parallelism relates to the normal case in which the chassis springs of both rail bogies 5 are loaded to the same extent. An internal combustion engine 7 is arranged on the frame level 3 in the area of the rear machine end 6. A driving cabin 9 with a control device 10 is arranged upstream of this in the working direction of the measuring vehicle 1, indicated by an arrow 8. The driver's cabin 9 is located in a recess 11 of the vehicle frame 2. The upper contour lines 12 formed by the motor 7 and the driver's cabin 9 are arranged below a boundary plane 13 which is related to the reference plane or the reference plane formed by the wheel contact points 4 of the rail bogies 5. the frame plane 3 includes an angle α of 5 to 10 °. The boundary plane 13 forms with the frame plane 3 in the front end of the measuring vehicle 1 in the working direction perpendicular to the machine longitudinal direction and cutting line 14 running parallel to the frame or reference plane. The measuring vehicle 1 can be moved independently with the aid of its own travel drive 52.

Beneath the frame level 3 and immediately in front of the front rail chassis 5 there is a measuring carriage 16 which is connected to the vehicle frame 2 by height-adjustable drives and has wheel flanges 15. A laser receiver 17 with a CCD matrix camera, a bank angle sensor 18 and two video cameras 19 lying opposite one another in the machine transverse direction for video-technical scanning of the rail section located in the region of each flanged wheel 15 are arranged on this. The laser receiver 17 is mounted on the measuring carriage 16 by drives 20 which can be adjusted in height and crosswise. This is also associated with a displacement measuring device 21 with a feeler roller that can be rolled on the rail head.

The length of the vehicle frame 2 projecting beyond the front rail running gear 5 is greater than the total length of a satellite car 22. This can be lifted off a track 24 by a device 23 having drives and can be connected to the front end of the vehicle frame 2. As indicated by dash-dotted lines, the satellite car 22 is located during the transfer run in the section of the vehicle frame 2 protruding beyond the front rail running gear 5, so that it can be coupled to another machine unhindered.

The satellite car 22 has wheel flanges which can be moved on the track 24, an auxiliary motor 25, a seat 26 and a laser transmitter 27. This is mounted on a transverse adjustment device 28 and can be moved up to 500 mm from the middle of the track.

The two rail bogies 5 of the measuring vehicle 1 have locking drives 29, which can be acted upon hydraulically, between the axle bearing and the bogie frame, by means of which the influence of the bogie suspension can be switched off during the measuring process. A pull hook 30 arranged in the working direction at the rear end of the machine is designed for a remotely controllable solution of a coupling formed with a connected machine.

To form a system 31 for measuring the actual track position as well as a track position correction with the help of the difference values between the actual and target position determined by the measurement and a tamping of the track corrected in its track position, the measuring vehicle 1 is for the transfer run with a tamping machine 32 coupled. These are only partial Shown and shown in the usual way with tamping units, a track lifting straightening unit, a leveling and straightening reference system 33 and a travel drive 53 is equipped with a driving cabin 34 in its front end region in the working direction. This driving cabin 34 has a viewing area 35, from which the operator has a clear view of the track 24 during the transfer run. This clear view is ensured in spite of the pre-arrangement of the measuring vehicle 1 in that the upper contour lines 12 are arranged below the already precisely defined boundary plane 13.

Immediately before the system 31 is put to work, the pulling hook 30 is remotely released and the measuring vehicle 1 together with the satellite car 22 is moved one to two hundred meters away from the tamping machine 32 on the track 24. As soon as the track section to be measured is reached, the right of way of the measuring vehicle 1 is stopped and the satellite car 22 is released from the device 23 or the vehicle frame 2 and lowered onto the track 24. The satellite car 22 is then moved up to the next fixed track point and positioned in relation to a color marking on the rail. Then the actual distance and the actual height of the track 24 to the track fixed point is measured. The determined data are transmitted to the measuring vehicle 1 by radio. After this measurement at the fixed track point, the satellite car 22 is moved about 5 to 10 m further and parked there. The laser transmitter 27 is set up on the laser receiver 17, which has meanwhile been lowered onto the track 24 with the measuring carriage 16. The satellite wagon 22 is fixed to a rail of the track by means of a suitable mechanical clamping device, so that movement by passing trains is excluded. During the measurement there is a radio connection via appropriate mobile radio devices between the operators of the stallite car 22 of the measuring vehicle 1 and the crew of the tamping machine 32.

After the laser transmitter 27 has been set up on the receiver 17, the measuring vehicle 1 begins to measure the track section located between the measuring vehicle 1 and the satellite car 22. The height and the direction are measured simultaneously via the CCD matrix camera located in the laser receiver 17. The corresponding actual arrow heights at the predetermined distance are calculated from the increase in the track width of the position of the laser receiver 17 and the adjustment paths, as well as the distance covered, measured by the path measuring device 21. The calculation is only started when the measuring vehicle 1 has arrived at the fixed track point immediately in front of the satellite car 22 and has been stopped precisely in relation to this fixed track point. Only then can the arbitrary position of the chord formed by the laser transmitter 27 be mathematically converted to the theoretical chord on which the target arrow heights are based.

During this calculation, the satellite car 22 can again be moved to the next fixed track point with the aid of its own auxiliary motor 25. After calculating the actual arrow heights, they are compared with the stored target arrow heights and the corresponding displacement and height correction values are determined. These correction data are then transmitted with the aid of a radio device 36 to the central control device 37 of the tamping machine 32 and can be processed further by this or by an automatic control computer for a corresponding control of the drives of the track lifting and straightening unit.

The laser beam generated by the laser transmitter 27 is not split up, but rather is directed onto the receiver 17 as a beam with a circular cross section. This brings the advantages of higher intensity when receiving and thus also ensures reliable reception. The possibility of adjusting the laser transmitter 27 with the aid of the transverse adjusting device 28 has the advantage that the arrow 17 is smaller for the receiver 17. The other oblique position of the laser tendon would have to be adjusted in a larger area.

The CCD matrix camera of the laser receiver 17 is a YZ adjustment device (transverse adjustment Y, height adjustment Z). Since the active reception area of the camera is too small for the necessary reception area, it must be adjusted accordingly. This is done continuously with a computer and an appropriate adjustment unit. The Z adjustment range is 500 mm, the Y adjustment range 1000 mm. The position of the camera on the adjustment unit is measured using an absolute encoder. The laser point is projected onto the CCD camera via a focusing screen and an optical system and its position is calculated by a computer with a corresponding program and transmitted to a main computer 38 of the measuring vehicle 1. With the help of the two video cameras 19 located on the measuring carriage 16, it is possible to use a monitor image generated in the driving cabin 9 to carry out the exact positioning of the measuring vehicle 1 in relation to a corresponding fixed point on the track. This is done by positioning the wheel center of the measuring carriage 16 on a color marking attached to the rail head and web. The measuring axis formed by the flanged wheels 15 is simultaneously designed as a telescopic axis so that the track width can be measured.

After completion of the work, the three-part system 31 is connected to a machine unit by connecting the satellite car 22 to the front machine end of the measuring vehicle 1 through the device 23 and coupling the measuring vehicle 1 itself to the tamping machine 32 by the pull hook 30. As a result of the unhindered Visible over the measuring vehicle 1, the operator can move the system freely from the driving cabin 34 in the direction of arrow 8.

A variant of a further measuring vehicle 39 which can be seen in FIG. 3 has a vehicle frame 42 which is supported on rail undercarriages 40 and has a frame plane 41 running parallel to the track plane. A central control device 43 with a seat 44 is arranged on the rear end of the vehicle frame 42 in the working direction. Immediately in front of it is a parking space for an independently movable satellite car 45. This can be moved on rails 46 running in the machine longitudinal direction and connected to the vehicle frame 42 and via a ramp 47 arranged in the front end region of the vehicle frame (see dash-dotted lines). The ramp 47 can be swiveled back into a rest position by drives for the transfer travel and work use, in which it comes to lie approximately parallel to the frame plane 41 directly above the vehicle frame 42. The measuring vehicle 39 can be moved with the aid of a motor 49 and a travel drive 50. A boundary plane 51 defined according to claim 1 includes an angle of 8 ° with the frame plane 41. The satellite car 45 located on the vehicle frame 42, the control device 43 and the seat 44 are located below this delimitation level 51, so that an unimpeded view of the track is provided by a tamping machine connected in the rear end area for the joint transfer run.

Claims (15)

1. A measuring vehicle (1, 39) for determining the actual track position with respect to the desired track position, comprising a vehicle frame (2, 42), supported on rail bogies (5, 40) and having a frame plane (3, 41) extending parallel to a reference plane formed by the wheel contact points (4), and comprising a satellite car (22, 45) transportable thereon and movable independently on the track, characterised in that the measuring vehicle (1, 39) and the satellite car (22, 45) are designed such that, when the satellite car (22, 45) is positioned at or on the vehicle frame (2, 42) of the measuring vehicle (1, 39), the upper contours (12) of the measuring vehicle (1, 39) and of the satellite car (22, 45) are disposed below a boundary plane (13, 51) which encloses an angle α of 5 to 10° with respect to a reference plane formed by the wheel contact points (4) of the rail bogies (5, 40), the boundary plane (13, 51) forming with the frame plane (3, 41) in the front end of the measuring vehicle (1, 39), in the working direction, a line of intersection (14) extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the machine and parallel to the reference plane, the boundary plane (13, 51) further extending through the visual range (35) of a driver's cabin (34) of a machine (32) coupled to the measuring vehicle (1, 39) at the rear end region thereof.
2. A measuring vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that only an engine (7) and an upper part of a driver's cabin (9) arranged in a recess of the vehicle frame (2) are provided above the frame plane (3) on the rear machine end, in the working direction, of the measuring vehicle (1), and the satellite car (22) is connected to the front machine end below the frame plane (3).
3. A measuring vehicle according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that there are provided below the frame plane (3) and immediately before the front rail bogie (5) a vertically adjustable measuring trolley (16) with flanged wheels (15) and a laser receiver (17) with a CCD-matrix camera and a device (23) for raising and releasably securing the satellite car (22).
4. A measuring vehicle according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that a coupling hook (30) arranged on the rear machine end, in the working direction, is designed for the remotely controllable detachment of a coupling formed with a machine connected thereto.
5. A measuring vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the rail bogies (5) have locking drives (29) which are located between the axle bearing and the bogie frame and which may be operated hydraulically.
6. A measuring vehicle according to claim 3, characterised in that the laser receiver (17) is mounted on the measuring trolley (16) so as to be vertically and transversely adjustable by means of drives (20).
7. A measuring vehicle according to claim 3, characterised in that a displacement measuring device (21) with a contact roller which may be rolled along the rail head is coordinated with the measuring trolley (16).
8. A measuring vehicle according to claim 3, characterised in that two video cameras, positioned opposite one another in relation to the transverse direction of the machine, are arranged on the measuring trolley (16) to scan by video the section of the rail located in the region of each flanged wheel (15).
9. A measuring vehicle according to claim 3, characterised in that the measuring trolley (16) is connected to a transverse inclination measuring device (18).
10. A measuring vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that arranged on the satellite car (22) which has a seating facility (26) and a motive drive (25) are a laser transmitter (27) and a distance measuring device for determining the vertical and lateral deviations of the track in relation to a track reference point.
11. A measuring vehicle according to claim 10, characterised in that the laser transmitter (27) is mounted on a transverse adjustment device (28) and is displaceable transversely in each case up to 500 mm from the centre of the track.
12. A measuring vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the length of the vehicle frame (2) projecting over the front rail bogie is designed to be greater than the total length of the satellite car (22).
13. A measuring vehicle according to claim 1, characterised in that the front end of the vehicle frame (42) is provided with a ramp (47) which is capable of swivelling, for transferring the satellite car (45) from a transit position located on the frame plane (41) on to the track (48).
14. An installation (31) for surveying the actual track position and a track position correction by means of the differential values, obtained by the surveying procedure, between the actual and the desired position and a tamping of the track whose track position has been corrected, comprising a measuring vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterised by a three-part design, wherein, - viewed in the working direction of the installation - the rear part is formed by a tamping machine (32) which is coupled for combined transit with the measuring vehicle (1), on the front end region of which the satellite car (22) is secured.
15. An installation according to claim 14, characterised in that the measuring vehicle (1) has a calculating unit (38) for determining the displacement- and vertical correction values and a radio device (36) for transmitting these values to a control device (37) located on the tamping machine (32) for the automatic control of lifting and aligning drives of a track lifting and aligning unit.

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