US3619551A - Cleaning of rails - Google Patents

Cleaning of rails Download PDF

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Publication number
US3619551A
US3619551A US880197A US3619551DA US3619551A US 3619551 A US3619551 A US 3619551A US 880197 A US880197 A US 880197A US 3619551D A US3619551D A US 3619551DA US 3619551 A US3619551 A US 3619551A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
rail
torch
current
cleaning
head
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US880197A
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English (en)
Inventor
David John Miller Dobbs
Derek Linder
Leslie John Giles
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
British Railways Board
Original Assignee
British Railways Board
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by British Railways Board filed Critical British Railways Board
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3619551A publication Critical patent/US3619551A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01H—STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING OR PREVENTING FOG IN GENERAL CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS
    • E01H8/00—Removing undesirable matter from the permanent way of railways; Removing undesirable matter from tramway rails
    • E01H8/10—Removing undesirable matter from rails, flange grooves, or the like railway parts, e.g. removing ice from contact rails, removing mud from flange grooves
    • E01H8/105—Pneumatically or hydraulically loosening, removing or dislodging undesirable matter, e.g. removing by blowing, flushing, suction; Application of melting liquids; Loosening or removing by means of heat, e.g. cleaning by plasma torches, drying by burners
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B08—CLEANING
    • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
    • B08B7/00—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass
    • B08B7/0035—Cleaning by methods not provided for in a single other subclass or a single group in this subclass by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like

Definitions

  • a method of cleaning a rail comprises subjecting [52 ⁇ US. Cl. 219/121 P, the head of the rail to the gas jet from a plasma-arc torch 2 19/75 operated in the nontransferred mode, but with an additional [51 Int. Cl 823k 9/00 current passed between the torch and the head of the rail.
  • This invention concerns improvements relating to the cleaning of rails, particularly for the purpose of improving wheelrail adhesion of railway vehicles. it seeks to provide for more effective application of plasma-arc techniques for this purpose.
  • e nonnal plasma generator operated with a fully transferred arc is capable of producing an extremely high temperature on a surface.
  • the heating effect is very localized and experience has shown that it is difficult to move the localized hot spot, or anode spot, uniformly at high speeds.
  • the heating and cleaning effects upon rails to which the arc is applied tend not to be uniform and the arc is liable to be extinguished at discontinuities such as gaps between rails.
  • the plasma generator is used for rail cleaning in the usual nontransferred mode, but an additional current is passed between the torch and the head of the rail.
  • Retum may be by way of the rail and a wheel in contact therewith.
  • This proposal has advantages over both the simple transferred mode and the simple nontransferred mode of operation. As compared with the former, the production of a localized anode spot is avoided.
  • the plasma gas emerging from the generator is utilized as a conductor which is further heated by the passage of a current between the generator and the rail surface. The heating effect of the gas jet in the rail, together with the comparatively low current flowing into the rail inhibits the formation of a constricted anode spot and permits of the attainment of uniform movement of the jet.
  • the partially transferred mode in accordance with the present invention results in a hot stream of gas impinging on the rail surface and destroying or removing contaminants thereon. How ever, it avoids loss of effectiveness due to reduction in the temperature of the gas, by the time the latter strikes the rail, caused by mixture with ambient air.
  • the present proposal ensures that the temperature of the gas is maintained down to the rail surface, thus enhancing the cleaning process both locally and away from the point of impact. Improved flow properties consequent upon the high temperature of the gas stream also contribute to this result.
  • the plasma gas jet may be enhanced either by the superimposition of a supply of direct current on the torch current or by the application of an alternating voltage between the anode of the torch and the rail.
  • alternating current By the use of alternating current, the load on rectification equipment can be substantially reduced.
  • the proposal of the invention affords protection for rail end posts of insulating plastics material or composition.
  • the partially transferred plasma system relies upon the existence of a conducting path. Where insulated rail sections occur, no current will flow and the enhancement is reduced or eliminated, so that insulators are protected.
  • the supplies 1 and 2 comprise three-phase transformers 3 and 4 respectively, variable series reactors 5 and 6 respectively and three-phase rectifiers 7 and 8 respectively.
  • the outputs of these supplies are connected together on the negative side, which is connected to the cathode 9 of the plasma torch 10.
  • the torch 10 is carried upon a vehicle in a position above the rail 12, for example from an axle-box of the vehicle.
  • the anode ll of the torch is connected to the positive side of the supply 1.
  • the positive side of the supply 2 is connected to the rail 12 by way of a contactor switch 13 to a wheel set running on the said rail.
  • the supply 2 is so connected to the frame of a bogie 14 having a heavy-current bond 15 to a bogie axle.
  • the torch 10 itself does not essentially require any modification. If desired, more than one torch can be supplied from a common supply system.
  • the following table gives examples of specific operating conditions for a torch using a mixture of hydrogen and argon in which the hydrogen amounts to ID percent of the mixture, the torch-to-rail spacing being I inch and a gas velocity in the I region of 600 meters per sec. being employed.
  • a method of cleaning a track rail to improve wheel-rail adhesion which comprises,

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Plasma Technology (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)
US880197A 1968-12-05 1969-11-26 Cleaning of rails Expired - Lifetime US3619551A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB57782/68A GB1287744A (en) 1968-12-05 1968-12-05 Improvements relating to the cleaning of rails

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3619551A true US3619551A (en) 1971-11-09

Family

ID=10480006

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US880197A Expired - Lifetime US3619551A (en) 1968-12-05 1969-11-26 Cleaning of rails

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US3619551A (pl)
AT (1) AT299286B (pl)
CH (1) CH503846A (pl)
CS (1) CS150294B2 (pl)
DE (1) DE1960996B2 (pl)
FR (1) FR2025447A1 (pl)
GB (1) GB1287744A (pl)
NL (1) NL6918335A (pl)
PL (1) PL71474B1 (pl)
RO (1) RO55528A (pl)
SE (1) SE353558B (pl)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2553310A1 (fr) * 1983-10-17 1985-04-19 Gen Electric Appareil et procede de nettoyage par jet de plasma
US5462609A (en) * 1991-03-18 1995-10-31 Aluminum Company Of America Electric arc method for treating the surface of lithoplate and other metals
US9949356B2 (en) 2012-07-11 2018-04-17 Lincoln Global, Inc. Electrode for a plasma arc cutting torch

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE202015009154U1 (de) * 2015-10-21 2016-12-08 OOO Gazprom transgaz Sankt Petersburg Vorrichtung zur Lichtbogen-Plasma-Oberflächenreinigung von Metallerzeugnissen und eine Einrichtung hierfür
GB2572167B (en) * 2018-03-21 2020-03-25 The Imagination Factory Ltd A surface conditioning device for railway tracks or wheels
GB2593764B (en) * 2020-04-02 2024-02-07 Plasmatrack Ltd Surface conditioning of railway tracks or wheels

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2890970A (en) * 1954-07-23 1959-06-16 Gen Electric Method of treating rails to prevent oil films
US3278720A (en) * 1964-02-12 1966-10-11 Reynolds Metals Co Method and apparatus for welding metal members
US3344256A (en) * 1967-09-26 Method for producing arcs
US3479471A (en) * 1967-11-01 1969-11-18 United Aircraft Corp Electric plasma moving current collector

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3344256A (en) * 1967-09-26 Method for producing arcs
US2890970A (en) * 1954-07-23 1959-06-16 Gen Electric Method of treating rails to prevent oil films
US3278720A (en) * 1964-02-12 1966-10-11 Reynolds Metals Co Method and apparatus for welding metal members
US3479471A (en) * 1967-11-01 1969-11-18 United Aircraft Corp Electric plasma moving current collector

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2553310A1 (fr) * 1983-10-17 1985-04-19 Gen Electric Appareil et procede de nettoyage par jet de plasma
US4555612A (en) * 1983-10-17 1985-11-26 General Electric Co. Plasma jet cleaning apparatus and method
US5462609A (en) * 1991-03-18 1995-10-31 Aluminum Company Of America Electric arc method for treating the surface of lithoplate and other metals
US9949356B2 (en) 2012-07-11 2018-04-17 Lincoln Global, Inc. Electrode for a plasma arc cutting torch

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL6918335A (pl) 1970-06-09
PL71474B1 (pl) 1974-06-29
CH503846A (fr) 1971-02-28
SE353558B (pl) 1973-02-05
DE1960996B2 (de) 1972-12-21
FR2025447A1 (pl) 1970-09-11
GB1287744A (en) 1972-09-06
CS150294B2 (pl) 1973-09-04
DE1960996A1 (de) 1970-06-11
RO55528A (pl) 1973-08-20
AT299286B (de) 1972-06-12

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