Apparatus for correcting railroad track

Claim 2

In combination with a track shifting machine, the improvement comprising apparatus for measuring lateral track alignment, said apparatus including an elongated cart on the track and attached to said track machine for movement therewith along the track, a forward cart located on the track ahead of said elongated cart and spaced therefrom, a rigid elongated beam extending between the forward end of said elongated cart and said forward cart and means pivotally connecting said beam to both of said carts to permit relative angular displacement between said elongated cart and said beam in a plane substantially parallel to the track in accordance with the alignment of the track, a first variable electric resistance means attached between said beam and the forward end of said elongated cart so that the electric resistance varies in accordance with angular displacement in the plane parallel to the track, a bridge circuit including said first variable resistance means and means responsive to a current change caused by a variation in the resistance of said first variable resistance means, said circuit being balanced when said elongated cart and said beam are located in a predetermined relationship and becoming unbalanced upon angular deviation of said elongated cart and said beam from said predetermined relationship which varies the resistance of said first variable resistance means, whereby unbalancing of said circuit causes a signal to pass to said means responsive to a current change to actuate said means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said track machine includes means for shifting the track laterally and said means responsive to a current change is an amplifier, a pair of relays electrically connected to said amplifier and operatively connected to said means for shifting track, whereby upon receiving a signal said amplifier energizes one of said relays in accordance with the phase of said signal to actuate said track shifting means to move said track laterally until said predetermined relationship between said elongated cart and said beam is established at which point said circuit is rebalanced and said amplifier is deactuated to deenergize said energized relay and stop the operation of said track shifting means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means responsive to a current change is a meter and said circuit includes an adjustable resistance means, said meter being connected in said circuit between said first variable resistance means and said adjustable resistance means, whereby current passes to said meter when the resistance of said first variable resistance means varies due to angular displacement of said beam relative to said elongated cart and said meter deviates from a neutral setting in accoRdance with the magnitude and phase of the current, and a calibrated knob attached to said adjustable resistance means for adjusting said adjustable resistance means to rebalance said circuit and return said meter to said neutral setting, whereby the amount of adjustment required to rebalance said circuit may be determined from said calibrated knob.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means pivotally mounting said beam on said elongated cart also permits relative movement between said carts in a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane including the track caused by deviation of the track from a smooth condition, means to sense movement of said beam relative to said cart in said substantially perpendicular plane caused by nonsmooth track, and means for raising the track until it is in a smooth condition.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rigid elongated beam extending between said elongated cart and said forward cart is located over one rail of said track, said apparatus including a second rigid elongated beam extending between the forward end of said elongated cart and said forward cart and located over the other rail of said track, means pivotally connecting said second beam to both of said carts to permit relative angular displacement between said elongated cart and said second beam in a plane substantially parallel to the track, a variable electric resistance means attached between said second elongated beam and the forward end of said elongated cart, whereby the variable electric resistance means connected with the elongated beam located over the grade rail is connected into said bridge circuit so that said means responsive to current is actuated by angular displacement between said elongated cart and the beam located over the grade rail.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including a second forward cart on said track ahead of said forward cart, a second rigid beam extending between said forward carts and means pivotally connecting said second beam to both of said carts to permit relative movement between said forward carts in a plane substantially parallel to the track in response to angular deviation between said beams caused by the lateral condition of the track beneath said forward carts, a second variable electric resistance means attached between said beams and connected in said circuit, said second variable resistance means responsive to angular deviation of said beams form a predetermined relationship in a plane substantially parallel to the track, whereby a change in current in said circuit is created by a variation in the resistance of said second variable resistance means, and means in said circuit to proportion the current created by variations in said first and second variable resistance means, whereby angular deviation of said beams from said predetermined relationship changes the resistance of said second variable resistance means to unbalance the bridge circuit and causes a signal to pass to said means responsive to current to actuate said means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said circuit includes an adjustable resistance means and wherein said means responsive to current change is a meter, said meter being connected in said circuit between said first and second variable resistance means and said adjustable resistance means, whereby current passes to said meter upon variation of said first and second variable resistance means to unbalance said circuit and causes said meter to deviate from a neutral position in accordance with the magnitude and phase of said current, and a calibrated knob attached to said adjustable resistance means for adjusting said adjustable resistance means to rebalance said circuit and return said meter to said neutral position, whereby the adjustment required to rebalance said circuit may be determined from said calibrated knob.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means pivotally mounting said beams on said carts also permits relative movement betWeen said carts in a plane substantially perpendicular to said track in response to the surface condition of said track, first variable resistor sensing means connected between said first beam and said elongated cart and second variable resistor sensing means connected between said first and second beams to indicate relative vertical angularity between said first beam and said cart and between said first and second beams, a bridge circuit including said first and second resistor sensing means and means in said circuit responsive to current caused by variations in the resistance of said first and second sensing means, said circuit being balanced when carts are located in a predetermined relationship and becoming unbalanced upon angular deviation of said cart and said beams in a vertical plane from said predetermined relationship which changes the resistance of said resistors, whereby unbalancing of said circuit causes a signal to pass to said means responsive to current to actuate said means.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said track machine includes means for raising the track and wherein said means responsive to current is an amplifier, a relay connected to said amplifier and operatively connected to said means for raising the track, whereby said amplifier energizes said relay upon receiving a signal in accordance with the magnitude of said signal to actuate said track raising means and raise said track until said predetermined relationship between said cart and said beams is established at which point said circuit is rebalanced and said amplifier is deactuated to deenergize said relay and stop the operation of said track raising means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including a cross level sensing variable resistor at the forward end of said elongated cart responsive to the lateral slope of said cart caused by the relative heights of the grade rail and cross level rail, a bridge circuit including said cross level sensing resistor and having means responsive to current caused by a variation in the resistance of said cross level sensing resistor, said circuit being balanced when said cross level sensing resistor indicates a predetermined relationship between said grade rail and said cross level rail and becoming unbalanced upon deviation of said rails from said predetermined relationship which varies the resistance of said cross level sensing resistor causing a signal to pass to said means responsive to current to actuate said means.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including a cross level sensing variable resistor at the rear end of said elongated cart, a twist potentiometer at the forward end of said elongated cart responsive to the relative height of the grade rail and cross level rail, a torque rod having one end attached to the frame of said elongated cart adjacent said cross level sensing variable resistor and the other end operatively connected with said twist potentiometer, and a bridge circuit including said cross level sensing resistor and said twist potentiometer and means responsive to current caused by a variation in the resistance of said cross level sensing resistor and said twist potentiometer, said circuit being balanced when said cross level sensing resistor and said twist potentiometer indicate a predetermined relationship between said grade rail and said cross level rail and being unbalanced upon deviation of said rails from said predetermined relationship which varies the resistance of said cross level sensing resistor and said twist potentiometer causing a signal to pass to said means responsive to current to actuate said means. 12. Apparatus for measuring railroad track alignment comprising an elongated cart, a forward cart spaced along the track from said elongated cart, a rigid beam extending between the forward end of said elongated cart and said forward cart and means pivotally attaching said beam to said carts to permit relative angular displacement between said elongated cart and said beam in a plane substaNtially parallel to said track in accordance with the lateral alignment of said track, a first variable electric resistor attached between said beam and said elongated cart so that the resistance varies in accordance with angular displacement in the plane parallel to the track, said resistor being electrically connected in a bridge circuit with an adjustable resistance means and an amplifier, said amplifier being responsive to current caused by a change in the resistance of said variable resistor, means responsive to a signal generated by said amplifier, mechanical means connecting said signal responsive means and said adjustable resistance for adjusting said resistance in accordance with a signal, a pen connected to said mechanical means, means on said elongated cart for supporting a chart beneath said pen for movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of said carts and at a rate determined by the rate of travel of said carts along the track and a chart carried on said supporting means, whereby variation is said first variable resistor caused by angular displacement between said elongated cart and said beam unbalances said circuit permitting current to pass to said amplifier to generate a signal actuating said signal responsive means to actuate said mechanical means to move said pen relative to said chart and to simultaneously adjust said adjustable resistance to rebalance said circuit.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said chart is formed with perforations along its longitudinal edges and wherein said supporting means includes drive gears with teeth spaced to cooperate with said perforations to move said chart, a motor connected to said gears, a pulse generating switch operatively connected to said motor, and an idler wheel for operating said switch, said idler wheel being in frictional contact with a wheel riding on a rail whereby rotation of said idler wheel by said wheel on the rail causes a pulse to pass from said switch to said motor to rotate said gears and move said chart beneath said pen.

Claim 14

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said signal responsive means for moving said pen and adjusting said adjustable resistance is a servomotor.

Claim 15

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 including a second forward cart spaced along the track from said first forward cart, a second rigid beam extending between said forward carts and means pivotally attaching said second beam to said forward carts, a second variable electrical resistor attached between said beams and included in said circuit, means in said circuit to proportion the currents created by variations in said first and second variable resistors, whereby deviation of said second beam from a predetermined relation unbalances said circuit causing current to pass to said current proportioning means and to said amplifier and causing said amplifier to provide a signal to said signal responsive means in accordance with the deviation of both of said beams to move said pen relative to said chart and to adjust said adjustable resistance to rebalance said circuit.