Track maintenance machine for compacting ballast

A continuously advancing track maintenance machine for compacting ballast supporting a railroad track comprising two rails fastened to ties, each rail including a head and having a field side and a gage side, which comprises

• (a) a machine frame having a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the track,
• (b) undercarriages supporting the machine frame on the track for continuous advancement in an operating direction,
• (c) a drive for propelling the machine frame for the continuous advancement thereof,
• (d) two power-driven, vertically adjustable track stabilization assemblies mounted on the machine frame sequentially in a direction of the longitudinal machine frame extension and spaced from each other in said direction between two of the undercarriages, each track stabilization assembly comprising
• (1) rail engaging roller tools arranged to be spread into engagement with the gage sides of the rails, and
• (2) vibrating means for imparting oscillations to the roller tools in a direction extending substantially in a horizontal plane transversely to the longitudinal machine frame extension whereby the roller tools engaging the rails transmit the oscillations to the track,
• (e) a device for measuring the amplitudes of the horizontal oscillations arranged between the two track stabilization assemblies and being tightly engageable with one of the rails, and
• (f) a reference system for monitoring the track level between an actual level of the track and a desired level thereof.

A continuously advancing track maintenance machine for compacting ballast supporting a railroad track comprising two rails fastened to ties, each rail including a head and having a field side and a gage side, which comprises

• (a) a machine frame having a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the track,
• (b) undercarriages supporting the machine frame on the track for continuous advancement in an operating direction,
• (c) a drive for propelling the machine frame for the continuous advancement thereof,
• (d) a power-driven, vertically adjustable track stabilization assembly mounted on the machine frame between two of the undercarriages, the track stabilization assembly comprising
• (1) rail engaging roller tools arranged to be spread into engagement with the gage sides of the rails, and
• (2) vibrating means for imparting oscillations to the roller tools in a direction extending substantially in a horizontal plane transversely to the longitudinal machine frame extension whereby the roller tools engaging the rails transmit the oscillations to the track,
• (e) a device for measuring the amplitudes of the horizontal oscillations, the measuring device comprising
• (1) an oscillation pickup instrument measuring the path of the oscillations and generating a corresponding output signal, and
• (2) a measuring wheel rolling along one of the rails and having two wedge-shaped flanges simultaneously engaging the field and gage sides of the head of the one rail, the instrument being connected to the measuring wheel, and
• (f) a reference system for monitoring the track level between an actual level of the track and a desired level thereof.

A continuously advancing track maintenance machine for compacting ballast supporting a railroad track comprising two rails fastened to ties, each rail including a head and having a field side and a gage side, which comprises

• (a) a machine frame having a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the track,
• (b) undercarriages supporting the machine frame on the track for continuous advancement in an operating direction,
• (c) a drive for propelling the machine frame for the continuous advancement thereof,
• (d) a power-driven, vertically adjustable track stabilization assembly mounted on the machine frame between two of the undercarriages, the track stabilization assembly comprising
• (1) rail engaging roller tools arranged to be spread into engagement with the gage sides of the rails, and
• (2) vibrating means for imparting oscillations to the roller tools in a direction extending substantially in a horizontal plane transversely to the longitudinal machine frame extension whereby the roller tools engaging the rails transmit the oscillations to the track,
• (e) a device for measuring the amplitudes of the horizontal oscillations,
• (f) a resilient bearing between the machine frame and the measuring device for cushioning the measuring device, and
• (g) a reference system for monitoring the track level between an actual level of the track and a desired level thereof.

A continuously advancing track maintenance machine for compacting ballast supporting a railroad track comprising two rails fastened to ties, each rail including a head and having a field side and a gage side, which comprises

• (a) a machine frame having a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the track,
• (b) undercarriages supporting the machine frame on the track for continuous advancement in an operating direction,
• (c) a drive for propelling the machine frame for the continuous advancement thereof,
• (d) a power-driven, vertically adjustable track stabilization assembly mounted on the machine frame between two of the undercarriages, the track stabilization assembly comprising
• (1) rail engaging roller tools arranged to be spread into engagement with the gage sides of the rails, and
• (2) vibrating means for imparting oscillations to the roller tools in a direction extending substantially in a horizontal plane transversely to the longitudinal machine frame extension whereby the roller tools engaging the rails transmit the oscillations to the track,
• (e) a device for measuring the amplitudes of the horizontal oscillations,
• (f) a reference system comprising a rail sensing element for monitoring the track level between an actual level of the track and a desired level thereof, and
• (g) a resilient bearing connecting the measuring device to the rail sensing element of the track level reference system.

A continuously advancing track maintenance machine for compacting ballast supporting a railroad track comprising two rails fastened to ties, each rail including a head and having a field side and a gage side, which comprises

• (a) a machine frame having a longitudinal extension substantially parallel to the track,
• (b) undercarriages supporting the machine frame on the track for continuous advancement in an operating direction,
• (c) a drive for propelling the machine frame for the continuous advancement thereof,
• (d) a power-driven, vertically adjustable track stabilization assembly mounted on the machine frame between two of the undercarriages, the track stabilization assembly comprising
• (1) rail engaging roller tools arranged to be spread into engagement with the gage sides of the rails, and
• (2) vibrating means for imparting oscillations to the roller tools in a direction extending substantially in a horizontal plane transversely to the longitudinal machine frame extension whereby the roller tools engaging the rails transmit the oscillations to the track,
• (e) a device for measuring the amplitudes of the horizontal oscillations, the measuring device being a two-part capacitive receiver monitoring the path of oscillations and having one part connected to the machine frame and another part connected to a measuring wheel guided tightly along one of the rails, and
• (f) a reference system for monitoring the track level between an actual level of the track and a desired level thereof.