Ultrasonic track testing carriage

An ultrasonic track testing carriage for movement along rails in operative relationship with a test vehicle, comprising:

• A. a pair of wheel frames each having guide means for following the gauge side of the rail,
• B. a main frame disposed between said wheel frames and adapted to be coupled to the test vehicle for movement therewith,
• C. interconnecting means between said main frame and each of said wheel frames to provide a connection therebetween so as to permit each said wheel frame independent freedom of motion relative to said main frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the gauge side of the rail while simultaneously maintaining parallelism between said wheel frames,
• D. locking means operatively connected between said coupling means and said main frame to lock the position of said wheel frames in place relative to said main frame,
• E. cant means mounted relative to each said wheel frame for angular displacement relative thereto,
• F. positioning means mounted relative to each said cant means for lateral displacement relative thereto,
• G. ultrasonic sensing means having a working surface for positionment adjacent the rail for transmitting an ultrasonic energy pulse into the rail and receiving a reflected ultrasonic energy pulse therefrom, and
• H. support means for mounting said ultrasonic sensing means relative to each said positioning means to provide vertical displacement of said sensing means relative to said positioning means, such that said sensing means may be adjusted in a vertical, lateral, and angular plane relative to the rail.

An ultrasonic track testing carriage for movement along rails in operative relationship with a test vehicle, comprising:

• A. a pair of wheel frames each having guide means for following the gauge side of the rail,
• B. a main frame disposed between said wheel frames and adapted to be coupled to the test vehicle for movement therewith,
• C. interconnecting means between said main frame and each of said wheel frames, said interconnecting means including:
• 1. a pair of link members associated with each said wheel frame and said main frame,
• 2. means for pivotally mounting each pair of said link members in spaced apart relationship to each other between said wheel frames and said main frame, and
• 3. coupling means for pivotally joining each pair of said link members together to provide a connection therebetween so as to permit each said wheel frame independent freedom of motion relative to said main frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the gauge side of the rail while simultaneously maintaining parallelism between said wheel frames,
• D. locking means operatively connected between said coupling means and said main frame to lock the position of said wheel frames in place relative to said main frame,
• E. positioning means including a positioning frame associated with each of said wheel frames,
• F. cant means including a cant frame mounted relative to each said wheel frame in surrounding relationship to said positioning means,
• G. ultrasonic sensing means mounted on each of said positioning means having a working surface to be placed in operative relationship with a portion of the rail for transmitting an ultrasonic energy pulse into the rail and receiving a reflected ultrasonic energy pulse therefrom,
• H. wherein said positioning means includes:
• 1. means for mounting each said positioning frame relative to each said cant frame, wherein said ultrasonic sensing means extends downwardly from said positioning frame, and
• 2. means for moving said positioning frame relative to said cant frame to provide incremental lateral adjustment of the working surface of said ultrasonic sensing means relative to the rail portion being tested,
• I. wherein said cant means includes:
• 3. means for mounting the lower end of said cant frame relative to said wheel frame along an axis extending substantially parallel to the rail for angular displacement of said cant frame along said axis, and
• 4. means extending between said wheel frame and said cant frame at the upper end thereof to obtain lateral displacement between said cant frame and said wheel frame so as to obtain the desired angular displacement of said ultrasonic sensing means for proper positioning relative to the portion of the rail being tested, and
• J. switching means operatively associated with said ultrasonic sensing means such that downward movement thereof automatically energizes said switching means such that activation of said locking means locks the position of said wheel frames to prevent lateral movement thereof relative to said main frame.

A method of ultrasonic track testing comprising the steps of:

• A. moving a carriage along rails in operative relationship with a test vehicle, said carriage including a pair of wheel frames each having guide means to follow the gauge side of the rail, with a main frame disposed between said wheel frames and adapted to be coupled to the test vehicle for movement therewith,
• B. interconnecting said main frame and each of said wheel frames to provide a coupling therebetween so as to permit each said wheel frame independent freedom of motion relative to said main frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the gauge side of the rail while simultaneously maintaining parallelism between said wheel frames,
• C. transmitting an ultrasonic energy pulse into the rail from ultrasonic sensing means adjustably mounted relative to each of said wheel frames and receiving a reflected ultrasonic energy pulse from the rail, and
• D. adjusting said ultrasonic sensing means relative to each said wheel frame, whereby the axis of said ultrasonic energy pulse may be adjusted in a vertical, lateral and angular plane relative to the rail.