The invention relates to a method of controlling a track maintenance machine, particularly a switch tamping- or universal tamping machine, which moves along a track and has working units, particularly a tamping unit and a lifting unit, which are adjustable relative to a machine frame, wherein position data of track objects, particularly sleepers, rails and optionally obstacles, are recorded by means of a sensor device in front of the working units in a working direction, and wherein operating positions of the working units are determined for a working operation at a track location. In this, prior to actuation of the working units, the determined operating positions of the working units are displayed by means of a display device, wherein, prior to carrying out the working operation, the operating positions of the working units can be changed by means of control elements. As a result of the display of the determined operating positions prior to the working operation, an operator is enabled to recognize possible misalignments before these become effective.

A method and device for compacting the ballast bed of a track, especially in the region of a switch, comprising a switch tamping machine (1), which is fitted with a tamping unit (4), a lifting and lining device (2) comprising at least one pair of roller pincers (6) and at least one lifting hook (7) for lining the track position, and which is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner on the machine frame (2) in the longitudinal direction of the machine. In order to provide advantageous lining conditions, it is proposed that a switch component measuring system (3), which is provided upstream of the lifting and lining device (2) in the working direction (C), is provided for the position-dependent measurement of the position of the switch components.

A track-tamping machine (100) for compressing the ballast bed of a track comprises a tamping assembly group that has at least two tamping assemblies (ST), which are arranged in a row and can be moved transversely to the track-tamping machine longitudinal direction (AR) by a transverse-movement device, in order to tamp the track on each track-tamping machine side (R, L). The tamping assembly group (V, H) is rotatably mounted on a support (18) for the purpose of a rotational adjustment about a track-tamping machine vertical axis (A). At least two tamping assembly groups (V, H) are arranged one behind the other in the track-tamping machine longitudinal direction (A, R), said groups being rotatably mounted about the track-tamping machine vertical axis (A) via a common rotational device (2), wherein the tamping assemblies (ST) of the tamping assembly groups (V, H) can be moved independently of one another transversely to the track-tamping machine longitudinal direction (AR) and can be lifted and lowered relative to the consoles (3) independently of one another.

A tamping assembly for a track-tamping machine tamping tools designed as rocker arm pairs. Each tamping tool has a pick arm mounted on a support so as to be pivotally adjustable about a pivot axis and with a hydraulic drive engaging one end and a pick on the other end. The pick arm is of single web design and is mounted on the pivot axis between two axis supports assigned to the support. A pick holder is between the pick arm and the pick. The pick holder is mounted on the pick arm to be pivotally adjustable about an adjustment axis by a pivot drive. The adjustment axis is perpendicular to the pivot axis, and the point of attack of the hydraulic drive on the pick arm, the longitudinal axis of the pick arm, and the adjustment axis lie in a common plane between the axis supports.

A method for tamping a track in the region of a switch uses a tamping machine mobile on a track. In a first working pass a first branch is brought into desired position and tamped, thereafter the tamping machine travels backward to a point before a branching point, and in a second working pass a second branch is brought into desired position and tamped. During the backward travel, an actual position of the second branch is recorded by a sensor arrangement, particularly relative to the position of the first branch, and correction values for the position of the second branch are calculated based on the recorded actual position. Therefore, the backward travel, which is necessary anyway, is used to determine the position of the second branch, which position changes in the course of the first working pass. A tamping machine for carrying out the method is also provided.

A tamping assembly for a track-tamping machine tamping tools designed as rocker arm pairs. Each tamping tool has a pick arm mounted on a support so as to be pivotally adjustable about a pivot axis and with a hydraulic drive engaging one end and a pick on the other end. The pick arm is of single web design and is mounted on the pivot axis between two axis supports assigned to the support. A pick holder is between the pick arm and the pick. The pick holder is mounted on the pick arm to be pivotally adjustable about an adjustment axis by a pivot drive. The adjustment axis is perpendicular to the pivot axis, and the point of attack of the hydraulic drive on the pick arm, the longitudinal axis of the pick arm, and the adjustment axis lie in a common plane between the axis supports.

The invention relates to a method of controlling a track maintenance machine, particularly a switch tamping- or universal tamping machine, which moves along a track and has working units, particularly a tamping unit and a lifting unit, which are adjustable relative to a machine frame, wherein position data of track objects, particularly sleepers, rails and optionally obstacles, are recorded by means of a sensor device in front of the working units in a working direction, and wherein operating positions of the working units are determined for a working operation at a track location. In this, prior to actuation of the working units, the determined operating positions of the working units are displayed by means of a display device, wherein, prior to carrying out the working operation, the operating positions of the working units can be changed by means of control elements. As a result of the display of the determined operating positions prior to the working operation, an operator is enabled to recognize possible misalignments before these become effective.

During the tamping of a switch, a switch section delimited by two adjacent sleepers is photographed in a front machine section for producing a reference photo, and the photo is stored. The stored reference photo is automatically made available on a monitor, positioned in a work cabin, for observation by an operator as soon as the tamping tools are situated above the section of the switch shown by the reference photo.

A method and device for compacting the ballast bed of a track, especially in the region of a switch, comprising a switch tamping machine (1), which is fitted with a tamping unit (4), a lifting and lining device (2) comprising at least one pair of roller pincers (6) and at least one lifting hook (7) for lining the track position, and which is guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner on the machine frame (2) in the longitudinal direction of the machine. In order to provide advantageous lining conditions, it is proposed that a switch component measuring system (3), which is provided upstream of the lifting and lining device (2) in the working direction (C), is provided for the position-dependent measurement of the position of the switch components.

A method for tamping a track in the region of a switch uses a tamping machine mobile on a track. In a first working pass a first branch is brought into desired position and tamped, thereafter the tamping machine travels backward to a point before a branching point, and in a second working pass a second branch is brought into desired position and tamped. During the backward travel, an actual position of the second branch is recorded by a sensor arrangement, particularly relative to the position of the first branch, and correction values for the position of the second branch are calculated based on the recorded actual position. Therefore, the backward travel, which is necessary anyway, is used to determine the position of the second branch, which position changes in the course of the first working pass. A tamping machine for carrying out the method is also provided.