Device for the automatic testing of joints in electrical high voltage lines

A device for automatic testing joints for electrical high voltage lines, comprising:

• a support;
• at least one driving wheel, coupled to said support, said driving wheel for being in contact with a high voltage electrical line;
• a driving device, coupled to said driving wheel for driving said driving wheel;
• a first remotely controlled device for controlling said driving device;
• remotely controlled means for automatic measurement of physical data at a joint comprising at least one measurement circuit and means for transferring measurement data measured by said measurement circuit to a receiver;
• shielding means for shielding said remotely controlled means for automatic measurement to a uniform potential;
• guide rail means for guiding the device along a electrical high voltage line;
• and
• an additional wheel provided in a distance perpendicularly to said at least one driving wheel, said second wheel being adjustable as to the distance perpendicularly to the at least one driving wheel.

A device for automatic testing joints for electrical high voltage lines, comprising:

• a support;
• at least one driving wheel, coupled to said support, said driving wheel for being in contact with a high voltage electrical line;
• a driving device, coupled to said driving wheel for driving said driving wheel;
• a first remotely controlled device for controlling said driving device;
• remotely controlled means for automatic measurement of physical data at a joint comprising at least one measurement circuit and means for transferring measurement data measured by said measurement circuit to a receiver;
• shielding means for shielding said remotely controlled means for automatic measurement to a uniform potential;
• and
• guide rail means for guiding the device along a electrical high voltage line;
• wherein said guide rail means comprises two substantially triangular formed guide elements each attached to a corresponding side of said support, said guide elements diverging downwards and outwardly.

A compensation circuit for compensating for parasitic electrical voltages induced in measurement instrument by a high voltage electrical line, said compensation circuit comprising:

• a first electrical contact coupled to said high voltage electrical line at a first position;
• a voltage measuring device, coupled to said high voltage electrical line at a second position;
• a second electrical contact, coupled to said voltage measuring device;
• a coil, rotatably coupled to said first and second electrical contacts;
• driving means, coupled to said coil, for rotatably driving said coil in predetermined increments;
• an angular position sensor, coupled to said coil for measuring an angular position of said coil;
• and
• computer means, coupled to said voltage measuring means, said driving means, and said angular position sensor, for rotating said coil in a stepwise fashion and measuring resultant induced voltages across said coil so as to generate a voltage equal to in magnitude but opposite in polarity of said parasitic electrical voltages induced in said measurement instrument for automatic measurement of physical data at a joint.

A method for automatic testing joints for electrical high voltage lines, comprising the steps of:

• placing an apparatus on a high voltage electrical line, the apparatus provided a driving wheel in contact with the high voltage electrical line;
• positioning the apparatus in the vicinity of a joint in a high voltage electrical line by actuating said driving wheel so as to move the apparatus along the high voltage electrical line;
• engaging at least two pointed members into the high voltage electrical line to measure a voltage drop across the joint;
• and
• engaging a loop around the high voltage electrical line to measure current passing through the joint.