초록 ▼

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 genera

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.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for ultrasonically inspecting railroad track rail elongated members for abnormalities, the apparatus including a sensor head movably supported fom a carriage so as to be in contact with the member to be inspected, the carriage being movable longitudinally along the member to be inspecte

An apparatus for ultrasonically inspecting railroad track rail elongated members for abnormalities, the apparatus including a sensor head movably supported fom a carriage so as to be in contact with the member to be inspected, the carriage being movable longitudinally along the member to be inspected and the sensor head being separately movable laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the carriage, the improvement comprising means for automatically positioning the sensor head laterally relative to the carriage comprising: a pair of passive ultrasound transducers movably supported from the carriage, the transducers of said pair respectively being equally spaced to either side of a line through the center of an ultrasound generator in the sensor head, said line being parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage, the transducers of said pair being acoustically coupled to the member being inspected and generating electrical signals commensurate with reflected ultrasound energy; means responsive to the electrical signals generated by the transducers of said pair for generating a position error signal commensurate with any difference between the transducer generated signals; actuator means for imparting lateral movement to the sensor head and to said passive transducers, said actuator means being supported on the carriage; and means responsive to said position error signal for delivering a control signal to said actuator means to cause movement of said head and passive transducers in a direction to null the error signal.