Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for sensing the temperature of bearings of vehicles traveling along a track, the apparatus including a linear-array infrared detector positioned adjacent to the track. The output from the linear-array infrared detector is scanned at a scanning rate that is regulated according to the vehicle's velocity, and this output is compared to predetermined thresholds to indicate excessive heat produced by the wheels and/or bearings.

Abstract: A housing having a base having a cavity within which a temperature scanner module may be mounted and which is readily clamped to a rail of a railroad track so that a scanner may detect an over-heated wheel or wheel bearing. The base includes a rail clamp support portion for extending beneath the rail. A clamping assembly is positioned on the clamp support portion with resilient compressible bumpers sandwiched therebetween. The clamping assembly includes a first rail clamp and a pair of spaced apart arms between which a second rail clamp is positioned and adjustably attached to the first clamping assembly so as to secure the assembly to a rail. The arms of the clamping assembly terminate at locations above the upper surface of the clamp support portion and may be forcibly urged to apply a bending moment to the clamping assembly adjacent the cavity to pivot the clamping assembly on the bumpers relative to the base. The base may thus be angularly adjusted relative to the rail.

Abstract: A detector apparatus uses two scanners on the right of way for monitoring the wheels of a moving train . The scanners scan the wheels transversely to the tracks along a common axis and generate wheel temperature signals. The signals corresponding to the wheel bearing end caps or housing lids indicative of the wheel bearing temperatures are separated and analyzed so that the apparatus can detect and indicate both hot wheel and hot bearing conditions.

Abstract: A monitor to diagnose wheel assemblies of passing railroad trains, the monitor being characterized in that a cavity is present in and parallel to a measurement tie or in a hollow railroad tie, the cavity housing infrared deflection units and at least one infrared detector which make it possible to monitor all heat sources present in the vicinity of the wheel assembly and the undercarriage of the train car while offering maximum protection against mechanical and electrical factors. The wheel pressure and accelerator pickups introduced with the monitor allow accurate determination of the values needed to normalize the infrared test results such as wheel position, wheel weight and tread conditions.

Abstract: A train analysis system for analyzing a wheel condition such as wheel bearing temperature includes circuitry for identifying the wheels of a railroad car, circuitry for averaging the condition of each wheel of a car, and circuitry for establishing a threshold level for said condition, dependent on said averaging. When a wheel cannot be identified, a threshold level is set which is below the maximum level for identified wheels.

Abstract: A temperature sensor assembly for monitoring railroad car wheels includes an array of temperature detectors arranged to generate a temperature profile of the wheel. The array may be formed integrally with imaging elements and signal conditioning elements on a single IC chip. The assembly may be arranged to monitor the wheel either transversely or in parallel to the direction of wheel movement.

Abstract: In the case of a system for detecting excessively heated wheel bearings and/or wheel tires of rail vehicles, a device is inserted into the path of the beam extending from a measuring point to a heat radiation sensor that distorts the resulting image and, in particular, widens it at least uniaxially. This device also serves to detect the measuring point when wheel axles shift in an axial direction. A system of this type may be formed by using a distorting optical device (6) which permits the imaging of a correspondingly widened field (4).

Abstract: In the case of a device for detecting the spatial orientation of excessively heated points of wheel bearings and/or wheel running treads of rail vehicles, it is suggested that a deflecting device, such as an oscillating mirror 5, that can be varied periodically in its slope, be inserted into the path of the rays from a measuring point to a heat radiation sensor 7. The ray that is deflected when the slope of the deflecting device is changed can in this way also arrive on reflecting surfaces 10 for the purpose of autocollimation, thereby enabling an improvement in measuring precision. Radiation emitted from the detector is periodically reflected back onto the detector to provide a reference signal.

Abstract: A gating circuit and method for controlling the output of data from the scanner of a heat detector in response to a bi-polar signal indicating the presence of an object within the scanning window of the heat detector; stores the data output; senses the stored data with respect to a reference signal with a differential amplifier responsive to the data output; gates the data output to storage by a first gate interconnecting the data output with the differental amplifier; generates control signals for opening and closing the gate with different states of the bi-polar signal for controlling the gate such that the reference signal represents the last immediate data output; detects the difference between the stored peak value and the highest data value of the output data subsequent to turning off a first gate; and using a second gate interconnecting the output of the sensor with the detector and controlled by the control signals to be open with the first gate closed and closed with the first gate open.

Abstract: A hot box detector system is provided wherein heat signals from bearings within a housing are analyzed to determine if the scanned surface of the housing is an inner sidewall surface or an outer sidewall surface. The signals are normalized to account for differences in the heat dissipating characteristics of the inner and outer sidewalls and air stream cooling resulting from the trains movement.

Abstract: A train monitoring system for detecting hot boxes, dragging equipment and the like at the rail site, determining the location on the train of a monitored defect and annunciating the defect and location from a digital automated voice generator to the train crew as well as along a telephone line to a central location. Recording of the defect with time and date of same is provided. The system also has provision for self check via an external simulated train.

Abstract: A speed independent system is used for obtaining a preselected number of samples from an object moving along a fixed path, such as a railroad train passing through a sensing zone along the section of track. The sensing zone is defined by a pair of wheel sensors. Upstream of the sensing zone a third sensor is positioned. The distance between the third sensor and the closer of the pair of sensors comprises a reference distance which is the length of the sensing zone multiplied by a known multiple. The time for the train to pass through the reference distance is obtained and then divided by a divisor comprising the product of the known multiple and the desired number of samples to obtain a single interval. During the time the train passes through the sensing zone consecutive intervals are counted off to obtain the desired number of samples.

Abstract: A railroad car hot box detector system is provided which includes a variable circuit means for processing the heat signal generated by an infra-red detector viewing a sensing zone along a section of track. The system includes a conditioning circuit which determines one or more conditions of the train (such as the wheel speed or temperature of the car bottom) and uses that information to vary the processing circuit to enable the heat signal to be processed optimally for the detected condition.

Abstract: An improved method and circuit is provided for processing waveforms from a railway car heat signal to eliminate spurious signals and to differentiate between roller bearings and friction bearings in a railroad hot box detector system. The waveforms generated by passing bearings are discretely sampled and spurious signals are eliminated by considering only those signals that fall within the crossing points of a threshold value. Discrimination between roller bearings and friction bearings is obtained by determining the ratio of the sum of the discrete values of the amplitude of the waveform within a first set of samples between the crossing points to the sum of the discrete values of the amplitude of the waveform within a second set of samples between the crossing points.

Abstract: A system is provided for determining whether a railway car passing a sensing station is a freight car. The system utilizes wheel trips along the track at the sensing station to determine the spacing between axles of the car. If the spacing between axles is determined to fall between slightly more than 4' - 5" to slightly less than 6' - 1" the car is presumed to be a freight car.