RAIL FLAW DETECTOR POSITION CONTROL

The invention relates to the inspection of elongated members and particularly to the non-destructive testing of rails of the type employed to form railroad tracks. More specifically, the invention is directed to ultrasonic rail-flaw inspection equipment suitable for continuous field testing of rails. A laterally movable ultrasound transducer, comprising the sensor of a rail fault detection device, is automatically centered on the rail as the detection device moves along the rail. The sensor includes a pair of ultrasound receiving transducers positioned to either side of a transducer which generates and receives ultrasonic energy. Signals provided by the receiving transducers are compared and any difference therebetween employed to control the lateral position of the sensor with respect to the rail.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This Government-owned invention available for U.S. licensing and, possibly, for foreign licensing. Copy of application available NTIS.
• Corporate Authors:

  Office of the Secretary of Transportation

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Kaiser, W D
• Publication Date: 1979-8-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 17 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Defects; Detection and identification; Equipment tests; Field tests; Inspection; Nondestructive tests; Patent applications; Patents; Rail (Railroads); Railroad tracks; Sound; Transducers; Ultrasonic tests
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rail flaw detection
• Old TRIS Terms: Sound transducers; Test equipment
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00312836
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: PAT-APPL-6-063 819
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 7 1980 12:00AM