Method and apparatus for track geometry measurement
AssigneeEnsco, Inc.
InventorsGary A. Carr, Christian Diaz, Jeffrey Bloom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring the geometry of a rail for a railroad track which includes mounting first and second cameras in back to back relationship to create a single camera axis passing through the camera lenses and to define a coordinate system with an origin centered between the cameras on the camera axis. First and second targets are placed on the rail to be measured and spaced an equal distance from the origin between first and second cameras respectively. The first and second cameras record the position of the first and second targets and provide position signals from which the mid-chord value of a chord extending between the first and second targets is computed.
Claims18
A method for measuring the geometry of a rail for a railroad track which includes:
- mounting first and second cameras in back to back aligned relationship to face the lenses of the cameras in opposite directions along the rail to be measured to create a single camera axis passing through the center of the camera lenses and to define a coordinate system with an origin at the center of the cameras and the camera axis,
- placing a first target on the rail to be measured in front of said first camera and spaced for a first distance from the origin of said coordinate system,
- placing a second target on the rail to be measured in front of said second camera and spaced for a second distance equal to said first distance from the origin of said coordinate system,
- recording with said first camera the position of said first target on said rail to be measured,
- recording with said second camera the position of said second target on said rail to be measured, and
- determining the mid-chord offset of a chord extending between said first and second targets.
An apparatus for railroad track geometry measurement wherein said railroad track includes first and second spaced, substantially parallel rails, each rail having a top surface and opposed side surfaces extending downwardly from said top surface, said apparatus comprising:
- a vehicle for movement along said railroad track,
- first and second CCD cameras each having a camera lens, said CCD cameras being mounted in back to back relationship on said vehicle to face the lenses for said CCD cameras in opposite directions to create a single camera axis passing through the center of the CCD camera lenses to define a coordinate system with an origin at the center of the cameras and the camera axis,
- a first target assembly mountable on the rail to be measured in front of said first CCD camera, said first target assembly including at least one camera readable target,
- a first elongate guide bar mounted on said vehicle and connected to said first target assembly, said first elongate guide bar being formed to maintain the at least one camera readable target for said first target assembly spaced for a first distance from the origin of said coordinate system,
- a second target assembly mountable on the rail to be measured in front of said second CCD camera, said second target assembly including at least one camera readable target,
- a second elongate guide bar mounted on said vehicle and connected to said second target assembly, said second elongate guide bar, being formed to maintain the at least one camera readable target for said second target assembly spaced for a second distance from the origin of said coordinate system which is equal to said first distance, and
- a central processor unit to cause said first and second CCD cameras to simultaneously record the position of said at least one target on said first and second target assemblies and provide output target position signals to said central processor unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.