TAMPING TINE AND METHOD FOR TAMPING A TRACK

Abstract

The invention relates to a tamping tine for a tamping machine for tamping a track, including a tine shaft which has at its upper end a retaining portion for fastening in a tine mount and which merges at its lower end into a tine plate. In this, a sensitive element of a sensor is arranged in a recess of the tine shaft, and the tamping tine includes a coupling element for transmission of a sensor signal. In this manner, the tamping tine fulfils a sensor function for recording measuring values occurring in the tamping tine.

Claims

1. A tamping tine for a tamping machine for tamping a track, including a tine shaft which has at its upper end a retaining portion for fastening in a tine mount and which merges at its lower end into a tine plate, wherein a sensitive element of a sensor is arranged in a recess of the tine shaft, and that the tamping tine includes a coupling element for transmission of a sensor signal.

2. The tamping tine according to claim 1, wherein the tamping tine includes electronics of the sensor.

3. The tamping tine according to claim 1, wherein the sensitive element is designed for recording several measuring values occurring in the tamping tine.

4. The tamping tine according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element is an element of a detachable plug connection.

5. The tamping tine according to claim 1, wherein the tamping tine includes an electronic component, in particular a Trusted Platform Module, for marking the tamping tine.

6. The tamping tine according to claim 1, wherein the sensitive element is a strain element glued into the recess.

7. The tamping tine according to claim 1, wherein the sensitive element is a fibre optic cable with a fibre Bragg grating.

8. The tamping tine according to claim 7, wherein the fibre optic cable protrudes from the recess of the tine shaft, and that the protruding portion of the fibre optic cable is sheathed by a flexible protective cover.

9. The tamping tine according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed as a longitudinal bore in a core section of the tine shaft.

10. A tamping machine (1) for tamping a track, wherein oppositely positioned tamping tools are supported—actuatable with a vibration and squeezable towards one another—on a vertically adjustable tool carrier wherein the respective tamping tool includes a tine mount in which a tamping tine according to claim 1 is fastened, and that an evaluation device is coupled to the sensor of the respective tamping tine.

11. The tamping machine according to claim 10, wherein the evaluation device is connected by means of a plug connection to the respective sensor, and that the respective plug connection is arranged in particular at the tool carrier.

12. A method for operating a tamping machine according to claim 10, wherein a measuring value occurring in the respective tamping tine is recorded during a tamping operation by means of the associated sensor and registered by means of the evaluation device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a calibration procedure is carried out for each sensor prior to a tamping operation in order to determine calibration values.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein, prior to a tamping operation, a readout process is started for each tamping tine, and that—in the case of a missing or wrong electronic component for marking the respective tamping tine—the tamping operation is blocked.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein an exchange of a tamping tine is registered by means of the evaluation device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The invention will be described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. There is shown in a schematic manner in:

[0022] FIG. 1 a tamping machine

[0023] FIG. 2 a tamping unit

[0024] FIG. 3 a tamping tine with longitudinal bore

[0025] FIG. 4 a tamping tine with a sensitive element and coupling element

[0026] FIG. 5 a tamping tine in a tine mount

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The tamping machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is mobile by means of on-track undercarriages 2 on a track 3 to be tamped and comprises a tamping unit 4, a lifting-/lining unit 5, a measuring system 6 and a machine control 7. The track 3 is a ballast track in which a track grid formed of sleepers 8 and rails 9 is supported in a ballast bed 10. During a tamping operation, the track grid is lifted to a target position and optionally shifted laterally by means of the lifting-/lining unit 5. A comparison of the current position of the track grid to the target position takes place by means of the measuring system 6.

[0028] The target position is fixed in that the tamping unit 2 with vibrating tamping tool tines 11 penetrates into the ballast bed 10 between the sleepers 8 and compacts ballast under the sleepers 8 by way of a squeezing motion. Controlling the lifting-/lining unit 5 and the tamping unit 4 takes place by means of the machine control 7 while utilizing the measuring system 6.

[0029] Each tamping tine 11 is fastened in a tine mount 12 of a tamping tool 13. To that end, a tine shaft 14 of the respective tamping tine 11 has at its upper end a retaining portion 15 which is stuck into the tine mount 12. The retaining portion 15 is designed cylindrically, for example, and provides a fit with a cylindrical inner surface of the tine mount 12. The retaining portion 15 is wedged into the tine mount 12 by means of screws. At its lower end, the tine shaft 14 merges into a tine plate 16.

[0030] Oppositely positioned tamping tools 13 are supported in a tong-like manner on a common tool carrier 17. The tool carrier 17 is guided for vertical adjustment in an assembly frame 18. Upper ends of the tamping tools 13 are connected via respective squeezing drives 19 to a vibration generator 20. The squeezing drives 19 are supported, for example, on a rotating eccentric shaft. In an alternative design, the vibration generation is integrated in the respective squeezing drive 19. In this, cyclic vibration strokes are superimposed on a squeezing stroke in a hydraulic cylinder.

[0031] In order to monitor and, optionally, influence the quality of a tamping procedure, at least one measuring value occurring in a tamping tine 11 is recorded. For that purpose, a sensitive element 22 of a sensor 23 is arranged in a recess 21 of the tine shaft 14. The measuring value is fed to an evaluation device 25 via a coupling element 24 connected to the sensitive element 22. In the variant shown in FIG. 2, the evaluation device 25 is connected to the respective sensor 23 by means of a plug connection 26. The evaluation device 25 is set up in the machine control 7, for example.

[0032] Advantageously, the sensitive element 22 is a fibre optic cable with a fibre Bragg grating. In this, the portion having the fibre Bragg grating is glued into the recess 21 of the tine shaft 14. In this manner, the extensions, compressions or bendings in the tine shaft 14 are transmitted to the fibre optic cable. The fibre optic cable is guided out of the tine shaft 14 at a recess opening 27. Advantageously, a mechanical protection is arranged here to avoid damage to the fibre optic cable. In the example according to claim 2, the protruding section of the fibre optic cable with the connection to sensor electronics 28 forms the coupling element 24. This section is sheathed by a flexible protective covering (an armoured hose, for example).

[0033] In further sequence, the extensions, compressions and bendings of the tine shaft 14 recorded by means of the fibre optic sensor 23 are analysed. For example, forces, accelerations and temperature changes are determined from this in the evaluation device 25 by way of calculation. Further measuring values can be derived from the measuring signals by means of the sensor electronics 28 also. Basis for this is a preceding calibration process.

[0034] The calibration of the sensor 23 takes place, for example, by the manufacturer prior to delivery. During this, the calibration data are stored in the sensor 23 or in a separate memory element. Advantageously, a memory chip 29 is glued into the tamping tine 11, the connector of which is guided to the outside via a cable. In an alternative wireless sensor 23, the readout of the memory chip data takes place by means of a reader which can be designed stationary or mobile. The data are transmitted to the machine control 7 via a radio interface.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally to the initial calibration, an automatic calibration program is carried out prior to each machine employment. In this, calibration values are determined for each tamping tine. The updated values are stored in the memory chip 29.

[0036] Usefully, the tamping tine 11 comprises a further electronic component 30 which enables an electronic marking of the tamping tine 11. For example, a so-called Trusted Platform Module is implemented which ensures a forgery-proof identification of the tamping tine 11. Favourably, the memory chip 29 and the electronic component 30 are integrated into the sensor electronics 28.

[0037] In this, the machine control 7 is set up in such a way that a readout process is started after putting the machine 1 into action and prior to carrying out a first tamping operation. If the respective electronic component 30 is missing, or if an identification of the respective tamping tine 11 is not possible, then the tamping operation is blocked. Thus it is prevented that a tamping operation is executed with the wrong tamping tines. The readout process can also be used for documenting a tamping tine exchange.

[0038] In FIG. 3, the recess 21 is shown as a longitudinal bore in a core region of the tine shaft 14. This does not weaken the tine shaft 14 since the geometrical moment of inertia of the shaft cross-section is influenced only slightly. The longitudinal bore extends approximately up to the tine plate 16. Thus, counterforces of the ballast bed 10 acting on the tine plate 16 can be immediately detected with a fibre Bragg grating at the end of a fibre optic cable glued in. In a simpler variant, the recess 21 is designed as a groove along the tine shaft 14, wherein the groove is sealed after installing the sensitive element 22.

[0039] In the region of the recess opening 27, a countersinking for the sensor electronics 28 is provided. In this, the memory chip 29 and the electronic component 30 as well as plug contacts 31 are also accommodated in a glued-in electronics enclosure (FIG. 4). In this variant of embodiment, the tamping tine 11 contains the entire sensor 23.

[0040] In the installed state of the tamping tine 11, the plug contacts 31 are connected to contacts of the tine mount 12 (FIG. 5). This plug connection 26 is arranged protected in the tine mount 12 and connects the sensor 23 to the evaluation device 25 fastened to the tamping tool 13. A connection to the machine control 7 takes place via a cable or via a radio interface.

[0041] The direct recording of mechanical forces, vibrations and optionally the temperature in the tamping tines 11 enables a continuous condition monitoring. This concerns initially the condition of the treated ballast bed 10. From this, adjusted control parameters can be derived in order to adapt the tamping procedure to the respective ballast bed state. This takes place automatically in the machine control 7 on the basis of all sensor data and leads to an optimized controlling of the unit drives.

[0042] Beside the condition recording of the ballast bed 10, the sensors 23 serve for documenting the individual tamping procedures. During this, it is useful if ranges for the individual measuring values are prescribed in order to recognize early any undesired deviations. In this manner, operating errors and progressive wear signs can be determined (condition monitoring). An evaluation of the documentation data enables a proactive maintenance of the wear parts, particularly the tamping tines 11 (predictive maintenance).