Dynamic rail longitudinal stress measuring system

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically and non-destructively measuring the longitudinal stresses in a rail of a continuous rail track includes an ultrasonic transmitter which transmits coded focused shear pulses through a rail which are subsequently received by a linear array of sensors. A displacer adjusts the separation between the transmitter and the sensors to maximize the signal intensity received by a centrally located one of the sensors. A data processor, in conjunction with a rail height detector, a rail temperature detector, and a rail splice detector, dynamically determines the longitudinal stresses in the rail as a function of the velocity of propagation of the pulses, the stress free temperature (SFT) of the rail, and activates a rail marker to mark portions of the rail having unacceptable longitudinal stresses. Stress and related data is recorded on a data log. A video camera provides observed rail separation data to the data processor. A modified embodiment alters the angle of incidence of the transmitted pulses to adjust for changes in velocity of propagation caused by changes in longitudinal stress.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.