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US4700574A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ultrasonic detection method of the internal defects of a railroad track rail located in the sides of the head of said rail and device to carry it out

Assignee: MATIX INDUSTRIES A FRENCH Co SA
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Filing: 1986-05-15
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Granted: 1987-10-20
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Expires: 2006-05-15
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Abstract

Abstract An ultrasonic beam is made to penetrate into the rail from the median surface (A) of the rolling table of the rail along a direction forming in horizontal projection an angle (α 1 ) comprised between 10° and 25° with the longitudinal axis of the rail and in vertical projection an angle (α 2 ) with the symmetric plane of the rail comprised between 60° and 80°. The echoes reflected by a displaced oval flaw are detected either directly or indirectly.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jean-Pierre Turbe

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 14:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/04; G01N29/06; G01N29/0609; G01N29/0618; G01N29/043; G01N29/07; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/04; G01N2291/044; G01N2291/10; G01N2291/102; G01N2291/26; G01N2291/262; G01N2291/2623

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 173 words
A method for ultrasonic detection of displaced oval flaws in a rail head having a median plane of symmetry, comprising the steps of: displacing a support in sliding contact with a rail head along said median plane at a constant rate of speed, said support comprising a pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of said median plane such that each said emitter-receiver is adapted to emit across said median plane an ultrasonic beam of constant orientation having a vertical projection forming an angle of 60°-80° on said median plane and a horizontal projection forming an angle of 10°-25° relative to said median plane; alternately emitting ultrasonic beams from each of said pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers; receiving an echo of a said emitted ultrasonic beam reflected by a displaced oval flaw in said rail head; and determining on which side of said median plane said displaced oval flaw is located, based on a time difference between the corresponding said alternate emission and its reception by one of said pair of emitter-receivers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 173 words
A method for ultrasonic detection of displaced oval flaws in a rail head having a median plane of symmetry, comprising the steps of: displacing a support in sliding contact with a rail head along said median plane at a constant rate of speed, said support comprising a pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of said median plane such that each said emitter-receiver is adapted to emit across said median plane an ultrasonic beam of constant orientation having a vertical projection forming an angle of 60°-80° on said median plane and a horizontal projection forming an angle of 10°-25° relative to said median plane; alternately emitting ultrasonic beams from each of said pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers; receiving an echo of a said emitted ultrasonic beam reflected by a displaced oval flaw in said rail head; and determining on which side of said median plane said displaced oval flaw is located, based on a time difference between the corresponding said alternate emission and its reception by one of said pair of emitter-receivers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 81 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein time windows are established outside of which no said echo is received, a first said time window receiving echoes generated by direct reflection of a said ultrasonic beam and a second said time window receiving echoes generated by indirect reflection of a said ultrasonic beam; and a said oval flaw is detected having an orientation within said rail head defined by in which of said first and second time windows its corresponding echo appears.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 177 words
Apparatus for ultrasonic detection of displaced oval flaws in a rail head having a median plane of symmetry comprising: means for displacing a support in sliding contact with a rail head along said median plane at a constant rate of speed, said support comprising a pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of said median plane such that each said emitter-receiver is adapted to emit across said median plane an ultrasonic beam of constant orientation having a vertical projection forming an angle of 60°-80° on said median plane and a horizontal projection forming an angle of 10°-25° relative to said median plane; means for alternately emitting ultrasonic beams from each of said pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers; means for receiving an echo of a said emitted ultrasonic beam reflected by a displaced oval flaw in said rail head; and means for determining on which side of said median plane said displaced oval flaw is located, based on a time difference between the corresponding said alternate emission and its reception by one of said pair of emitter-receivers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 177 words
Apparatus for ultrasonic detection of displaced oval flaws in a rail head having a median plane of symmetry comprising: means for displacing a support in sliding contact with a rail head along said median plane at a constant rate of speed, said support comprising a pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of said median plane such that each said emitter-receiver is adapted to emit across said median plane an ultrasonic beam of constant orientation having a vertical projection forming an angle of 60°-80° on said median plane and a horizontal projection forming an angle of 10°-25° relative to said median plane; means for alternately emitting ultrasonic beams from each of said pair of ultrasonic emitter-receivers; means for receiving an echo of a said emitted ultrasonic beam reflected by a displaced oval flaw in said rail head; and means for determining on which side of said median plane said displaced oval flaw is located, based on a time difference between the corresponding said alternate emission and its reception by one of said pair of emitter-receivers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 82 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, and means for establishing time windows outside of which no said echo is received, a first said time window receiving echoes generated by direct reflection of a said ultrasonic beam and a second said time window receiving echoes generated by indirect reflection of a said ultrasonic beam; and means for detecting a said oval flaw having an orientation within said rail head defined by in which of said first and second time windows its corresponding echo appears.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3962908A Cited
US4174636A Cited
SU697918A1 Cited
WO1982003920A1 Cited
US4487071A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-10-19 1991-04-20 1991-10-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-10-19 1995-04-20 1995-10-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-10-19 1999-04-20 1999-10-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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