Abstract: A device for the continuous reprofiling of the rails of railroads includes at least one abrasive rail reprofiling unit (2) guided along the railroad tracks and comprising at least one abrasive disk (3) that can be pressed against a rail (1). This device notably includes at least one abrasive-waste pickup (20) having at least one segment forming a collection port (21). This segment is placed in the immediate vicinity of at least one abrasive disk (3) and into the geometric axis (41) of the major waste jet (40) produced during operation of this abrasive disk (3). The segment (21) simultaneously cooperates with means for transporting the waste. Moreover, each waste pickup (20) includes elements for reflecting and absorbing the kinetic and thermal energy that allow the formation of agglomerations of matter on the pickup to be avoided.

Abstract: A device for the continuous reprofiling of the rails of railroads includes at least one abrasive rail reprofiling unit (2) guided along the railroad tracks and comprising at least one abrasive disk (3) that can be pressed against a rail (1). This device notably includes at least one abrasive-waste pickup (20) having at least one segment forming a collection port (21). This segment is placed in the immediate vicinity of at least one abrasive disk (3) and into the geometric axis (41) of the major waste jet (40) produced during operation of this abrasive disk (3). The segment (21) simultaneously cooperates with means for transporting the waste. Moreover, each waste pickup (20) includes elements for reflecting and absorbing the kinetic and thermal energy that allow the formation of agglomerations of matter on the pickup to be avoided.

Abstract: A resilient clamp (15) is provided which has the general shape of a dish or of a bell, and which is provided with radial slots (18) in its peripheral part and a central solid annular part. Structure is provide (21) for centering the clamp (15) with respect to the driving shaft (2). The lateral segments of this clamp (15) move radially with respect to the axis of the clamp when the central part (16) thereof is moved along this axis.

Abstract: A continuous nondestructive process for controlling the rails on a railway line by ultrasounds is carried out by the emission of ultrasounds at successively different points along the rail which are spaced apart by a measured value. For each echo, the acoustic distance between the point of emission and the point of reflection of the beam of ultrasounds is determined, and then a bidirectional map of the echoes is established by correlation. Finally, this echo map is compared to a mask having a window, of which the shape, the orientation and the dimensions are determined by the characteristic features of the rail to be examined and by the type of defect looked for, only those echoes which appear in this window being then taken into consideration.

Abstract: The invention relates to a programming method for the reprofiling of rails according to which the track is divided in successive sections as from a starting point and for each of these sections one proceeds for each line of rails to the measuring of the wavelength and/or of the amplitudes of the longitudinal undulations of the rolling table of the rail and to the measure of the transverse profile of the head of the rail. One compares thereafter a reference profile to the measured transverse profile and determines the transverse metal section to be removed to correct the transverse profile of the rail, then one determines as a function of the amplitudes of the longitudinal undulations of the rail the longitudinal metal section to be removed to correct the longitudinal profile of the rail.

Abstract: A method for programming the work of reprofiling the rails of a railroad track, and/or for reprofiling the rails, and an apparatus to carry out this method is disclosed. The method is simple, precise, entirely automatic, and rapid and thus avoids interference with normal rail traffic. The method comprises dividing the track into a certain number of portions, and carrying out several steps on each portion. The method which permits the simultaneous use of diverse advanced techniques for measuring the profile, may be carried out immediately or be differed to a later time.

Abstract: A method for reprofiling the rails of a railway track and a machine for doing so. The reprofiling machine comprises measuring apparatus 16 of the transversal profile of the rail 11 for each line of rails. It comprises a storing 23 of at least one base reference profile for each type of rails and of at least one other reference profile for each base reference; and a selector 25, 26 of a pair of reference profiles as well as a device assignating one of the reference profiles of that pair to one of the line of rails and the other profile to the other line of rails. It comprises a comparator 23 of the measured profile of each rail to the selected reference profile; a controller and/or a selector in function of these comparison datas of a configuration, position and power, of reprofiling tools assigned to each line of rails.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for positioning with precision a member displaced along a rail transversely with respect to the symmetry axis of the head of the rail. According to this method, one emits through the head of the rail two ultrasound beams which are practically perpendicular to the fish plates of this rail. One receives the echoes of these beams reflected by the fish plates. One forms a regulation or adjusting signal which is a function of the time difference between the emission and the reception of its echo for each of the two ultrasound beams and uses this regulating signal to elaborate a control signal for the transverse positioning of the member.

Abstract: Railroad vehicle for the reprofiling of at least one rail of a railway track, includes a frame provided with wheels resting on each rail. At lest two reprofiling units are supported by the frame, having each a motor, the shaft of which carries at each end a rotative tool. A support carries the grinding units; and the support is connected to the frame in such a way as to permit displacing the support vertically and transversely with respect to the frame. The reprofiling units comprise further structure to apply one of their tools against a rail. The support is displaceable with respect to the frame in rotation and/or translation.

Abstract: Reprofiling device of the head of at least one rail of a railway track, comprising a support carrying at least one grinding unit. The grinding unit is mounted on the support for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the length of the rail. The unit comprises at least one motor driving at least one grinding wheel in rotation. The axis of pivoting of the grinding unit is movable both horizontally and vertically in a direction perpendicular to the length of the rail. The grinding wheel is displaceable axially relative to the grinding unit to apply the grinding wheel against the rail. The support comprises the framing of a railroad vehicle having at one of its ends at least two wheels resting each on one of the rails of the railroad track. A hinge supports the framing at its other end on a rigid frame provided with at least two wheels resting each on one rail of the railroad track.

Abstract: One displaces along the railway track at least one assembly of grinding units (13,14,15), angularly displaced the ones with respect to the others. One controls the pressure with which each grinding unit (13,14,15) is applied against the rail (12) in function of at least one parameter of a polygon (6) cirrcumscribing to a reference profile and the sides of which are parallel to the active surfaces of the corresponding grinding wheels (14) of the grinding units. The apparatus comprises grinding (13,14,15) angularly displacable on a carriage (11) guided along a rail (12).

Abstract: Machine provided with two grinding slippers 8 for each rail track 1 connected by a lifting jack 9, and driving beams 10, to its rolling frame 2. On each slipper 8 are mounted four grinding units 6 angularly displaced at an angle D.sub.1 with respect to each other. The slippers 8 are located in front of one another in the transverse direction of the track and are hinged on a connecting element 12 in order to be inclined at an angle D.sub.2 by means of a double-acting jack 14. The inclination D.sub.2 of each slipper is monitored by a potentiometer 27 connected to an indicating dial 28. This machine enables truing of the rail by grinding the whole profile of the rolling surface of the rails by varying the inclination of the grinding slippers at each pass.

Abstract: A rail grinding device comprising at least one reprofiling unit (80,81) driven along the track by a railroad vehicle (83); a jack (85) to displace in height the reprofiling unit with respect to the railroad vehicle (83) and to apply at least one tool of the reprofiling unit against the rail. The reprofiling unit (80,81) comprises at least one support (81) angularly displaceable with respect to the railroad vehicle (83) carrying several reprofiling tools (94,95) forming a group of tools. A positioning device (102), (104) and locking device (106,107) fixes the positions of the support (81) for which one (95) of the reprofiling tools (95,96) of the group of tools is located in working position.

Abstract: The device for reprofiling the head of at least one rail comprises a support (1, 2, 12, 13, 9) carrying at least one grinding unit (3, 4, 6, 7) pivotally mounted about an axis (8) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail (11). This grinding unit has a grinding wheel (3) driven in rotation by a motor (4) and structure (7) for displacing axially the grinding unit (3) to apply it against a side line of the head of the rail (11) and thus compensate its wearing off. It comprises structure (9, 10, 19, 20, 21) for displacing the axis of pivoting (8) of the grinding unit (3, 4, 6, 7) parallel to itself, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the rail (11). Servo-mechanism is provided to make dependent on each other the pivoting of the grinding unit (3, 4, 6, 7) and the displacement of its axis of pivoting (8).

Abstract: It comprises a chassis (1) resting on at least one rail (3) by means of contact members (4, 4') connected to a vehicle (V) traversing the track. It comprises at least a detector (2) delivering an electric signal representing the distances separating a rectilinear reference space defined by the position in space of said chassis (1) and successive points on the surface of the rail line (3) traversed. The contact members of the chassis (1) with the rail (3) are constituted by two shoes (4, 4') articulated on the chassis (1) about axes (5) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rail. The extent of these shoes (4, 4') in the longitudinal direction of the rail (3) is at least equal to twice the wavelength (l) of the undulatory deformations of the rail of short wavelength, but less than the wavelength (L) of the undulatory deformations of long wavelength.

Abstract: The measuring device comprises a carrying frame (7) guided by the rails (2, 2') and driven along it through a railroad vehicle to which it is connected through the intermediary of hinges enabling a vertical and lateral displacement of said frame (7) with respect to the vehicle. The carrying frame (7) is provided with a plurality of feelers, cooperating with the surface of the head (12) of the rail (2) transversally spaced apart the ones from the other. The carrying frame (7) comprises a guiding dihedral used as reference base, the edge of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail (2), applied against the upper part of the rolling surface of the rail (2) and the lower part of the internal face of the head (12) of the rail.

Abstract: A method for measuring the transverse profile of the head of a rail of a railroad track according to which a luminous trace (1) is projected onto the surface of the head of a rail, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said rail, this trace (1) having a particular point (3). The trace obtained is observed from two directions forming an angle (.alpha.) between them, located on either side of a longitudinal plane of the rail (2) and forming an angle with the plan of projection of the trace. This observation creates two partial reproductions (1'; 1") of this trace (1). Finally the two partial representations (1', 1") are angularly displaced by an angle corresponding to the angles from which the trace is observed and the images (3', 3") of the particular point (3) of the trace (1) are superimposed to obtain the representation of the transverse profile of the rail in its totality.

Abstract: A grinding device for the reprofiling of a rail of a railway track, comprises at least one grinding unit having a conical grinding wheel rotatably driven by a motor. The motor is secured to a bracket connecting it rigidly to the chamber of a jack whose piston is secured to a rod fixed on the carriage of a railroad vehicle. The jack makes it possible to cause feeding movement of the grinding wheel along a direction parallel to the side profile of the grinding wheel and defining the cutting depth and compensating for wearing away of the grinding wheel. This feeding movement of the grinding wheel takes place along a direction forming an angle with the axis of rotation of the conical grinding wheel, this angle being about half the summit angle of the conical grinding wheel.

Abstract: A measuring carriage (2,4,6), defining a transverse reference base extending parallel to the plane of the railway track, intended to be connected to a driving vehicle. This carriage comprises three detectors (13, 14, 15) located above and transversely to each line of rails (5) in order to cover a portion of the tracing of the rolling table. These detectors (13,14,15) are connected to an electronic processing circuit (16 to 23, 29) of their signals adapted to determine the amount of curvature (f) of the rolling table and its inclination (i) with respect to the plane of the railway track with the measurements representing the distances (Ya, Yb, Yc) between the reference base and the rolling table under the detectors.

Abstract: A rail grinding device comprising at least one reprofiling unit (80,81) driven along the track by a railroad vehicle (83); a jack (85) to displace in height the reprofiling unit with respect to the railroad vehicle (83) and to apply at least one tool of the reprofiling unit against the rail. The reprofiling unit (80,81) comprises at least one support (81) angularly displaceable with respect to the railroad vehicle (83) carrying several reprofiling tools (94,95) forming a group of tools. A positioning device (102), (104) and locking device (106,107) fixes the positions of the support (81) for which one (95) of the reprofiling tools (95,96) of the group of tools is located in working position.