Device for detecting crossties of a track

Abstract

A device for detecting crossties of a track comprises a crosstie detection sensor (11), which is arranged on a track-laying machine, optionally on a track measuring wagon associated with the track-laying machine, for measuring and determining the position of crossties (5, 19) on the track. In order to ascertain the position of crossties, the crosstie detection sensor (11) comprises a magnet, which generates a magnetic field in a magnetic circuit with at least one air gap between the crosstie detection sensor (11) and the track, and a Hall sensor (13), which is arranged in the magnetic circuit and the Hall voltage (U) of which Hall sensor (13) is used to determine the position of the crossties (5, 19), said Hall voltage changing in the track longitudinal direction (A, s).

1 . A device for detecting crossties of a track, said device comprising:
 a crosstie detection sensor that is arranged on a track-laying machine or on a track measuring wagon associated with the track-laying machine, said crosstie detection sensor measuring and determining positions of the crossties on the track;   wherein the crosstie detection sensor comprises   a magnet generating a magnetic field in a magnetic circuit with at least one air gap between the crosstie detection sensor and the track; and   a Hall sensor producing a Hall voltage arranged in the magnetic circuit;   wherein the Hall voltage of said Hall sensor changing in a longitudinal direction of the track provides a determination of the positions of the crossties in the track.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnet includes an electromagnet or a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the magnet includes a permanent magnet, and a current coil of the electromagnet is connected to a direct current source and generates a direct magnetic field in the magnetic circuit. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the magnet includes a permanent magnet, and a current coil of the electromagnet is connected to an alternating current source and generates an alternating magnetic field in the magnetic circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein detection of metallic components between the crossties is provided by the crosstie detection sensor and one or more additional crosstie detection sensors arranged next to each other in a transverse direction of the track. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the crosstie detection sensors is supported so as to be displaced in the transverse direction of the track by a displacement device associated with the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to search for metallic components on the track. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one crosstie detection sensor is arranged on the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to be adjustable in height with respect to the track. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the Hall sensor is positioned in the air gap. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , and further comprising a control system that continuously determines a limit value from a difference of voltage peaks of the Hall voltage over a track length and a base level of the Hall voltage, the limit value lying between the voltage peaks and the base level, and determines the position of the crosstie in the track from an average value of intersection points of each of the voltage peaks with the limit value. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein detection of metallic components between the crossties is provided by the crosstie detection sensor and one or more additional crosstie detection sensors arranged next to each other in a transverse direction of the track. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the crosstie detection sensors is supported so as to be displaced in the transverse direction of the track by a displacement device associated with the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to search for metallic components on the track. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one crosstie detection sensor is arranged on the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to be adjustable in height with respect to the track. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein detection of metallic components between the crossties is provided by the crosstie detection sensor and one or more additional crosstie detection sensors arranged next to each other in a transverse direction of the track. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the crosstie detection sensors is supported so as to be displaced in the transverse direction of the track by a displacement device associated with the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to search for metallic components on the track. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one crosstie detection sensor is arranged on the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to be adjustable in height with respect to the track. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein detection of metallic components between the crossties is provided by the crosstie detection sensor and one or more additional crosstie detection sensors arranged next to each other in a transverse direction of the track. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the crosstie detection sensors is supported so as to be displaced in the transverse direction of the track by a displacement device associated with the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to search for metallic components on the track. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one crosstie detection sensor is arranged on the track-laying machine and/or the track measuring wagon so as to be adjustable in height with respect to the track. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 3 , and further comprising a control system that continuously determines a limit value from a difference of voltage peaks of the Hall voltage over a track length and a base level of the Hall voltage, the limit value lying between the voltage peaks and the base level, and determines the position of the crosstie in the track from an average value of intersection points of each of the voltage peaks with the limit value. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 4 , and further comprising a control system that continuously determines a limit value from a difference of voltage peaks of the Hall voltage over a track length and a base level of the Hall voltage, the limit value lying between the voltage peaks and the base level, and determines the position of the crosstie in the track from an average value of intersection points of each of the voltage peaks with the limit value.