Points or crossing component with releasable connection and method and arrangement for monitoring the releasable connection

Abstract

The invention relates to a points or crossing component ( 200 ), comprising a basic component ( 202 ), an exchangeable component ( 206 ), at least one releasable connection ( 216, 218, 220 ) by means of which the exchangeable component ( 206 ) can be connected to the basic component ( 202 ) and at least one sensor ( 244 ) for monitoring the quality of the releasable connection, wherein, in the sensor ( 244 ), when a rail vehicle travels over the points or crossing component ( 200 ), a signal is generated that is representative of the quality of the releasable connection. For reliably detecting a connection that is in the process of becoming released, the invention proposes that the sensor ( 244 ) is arranged in the basic component ( 202 ) and is fixedly connected thereto.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A points or crossing component ( 10 ,  200 ,  500 ), such as frog or tongue rail device, comprising a basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ), such as frog block or tongue rail adapter or tongue device of monobloc construction with a tongue bed present in an upper part or upper portion thereof, an exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ), such as frog insert or tongue rail, resting in particular on the basic component and which can be driven over, at least one releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 ,  340 ,  348 ,  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ), such as screw connection or clamping, by means of which the exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ) can be connected to the basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ), in particular in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner,
 characterized in that   the points or crossing component comprises at least one sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ), which is suitable for monitoring the quality of the releasable connection, in that the at least one sensor is arranged in the basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ) and is fixedly connected thereto and in that the sensor is designed to generate a signal representative of the quality of the releasable connection when a rail vehicle passes over the points or crossing component.   
     
     
         24 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ) is designed as an acceleration sensor or structure-borne noise sensor.   
     
     
         25 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ) is coupled to the basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ) for transmitting accelerations and mechanical vibrations in such a way that said sensor detects, when the rail vehicle passes in particular over an inadequately fastened exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ), at least one impact exerted by the inadequately fastened exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ) on the at least one releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 ,  340 ,  348 ,  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ) and/or on the basic components as acceleration and/or mechanical vibration.   
     
     
         26 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the points or crossing component ( 10 ) is a frog, wherein the basic component ( 12 ) is a frog block and the exchangeable component ( 20 ) is a frog insert which is connected to the frog block ( 12 ) by means of the releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ), preferably in the form of a screwable clamping connection.   
     
     
         27 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 26 ,
 characterized in that   the frog insert ( 20 ) is arranged in a recess ( 22 ) of the frog block ( 12 ) which is accessible in a non-destructive manner in the covered state of the frog ( 10 ), and that the sensor ( 58 ) is arranged in the recess ( 22 ), preferably in the vertical direction, below the exchangeable frog insert ( 20 ) and is preferably covered by the latter without contact with the sensor ( 58 ).   
     
     
         28 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 27 ,
 characterized in that   the sensor ( 58 ) is arranged in a channel ( 64 ) formed in a region of the frog block ( 12 ) delimiting the bottom ( 60 ) of the recess ( 20 ), wherein the channel ( 60 ) preferably forms at least one portion of a water outlet and opens into an outlet ( 68 ).   
     
     
         29 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the sensor ( 58 ) has a cable connection ( 66 ) which is led out of the frog block ( 12 ) preferably into a cable shaft connected to the frog block ( 12 ) through the outlet ( 68 ) formed in the region of the frog block ( 12 ) delimiting the bottom ( 60 ) of the recess ( 22 ) and/or through a channel ( 72 ) formed in the frog block ( 12 ) transversely to the direction of travel.   
     
     
         30 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the points or crossing component ( 200 ) is a tongue device, wherein the basic component ( 202 ) is a tongue rail adapter and the exchangeable component ( 206 ) is a tongue rail which is connected to the tongue adapter ( 202 ) by means of the at least one releasable connection ( 216 ,  218 ,  220 ) in the form of at least one screwable clamping connection.   
     
     
         31 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 30 ,
 characterized in that   the releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ;  216 ,  218 ,  220 ) has at least one clamping wedge ( 34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 ;  222 ,  224 ,  226 ), wherein the clamping wedge is penetrated by a clamping screw ( 42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ;  228 ,  230 ,  232 ) which can be screwed into a threaded bore ( 50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 ;  238 ), such as a blind-hole threaded bore, formed in the basic component ( 12 ;  202 ).   
     
     
         32 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the points or crossing component ( 500 ) is a tongue device ( 500 ) of monobloc construction with a tongue bed ( 506 ) formed in an integrally formed upper part ( 502 ) or upper portion for the sliding adjustment of a tongue rail ( 508 ), in that the tongue rail can be fixed in the upper part or upper portion by means of clamping wedges ( 528 ,  530 ,  532 ), which in turn can be fixed by means of clamping screws ( 522 ,  524 ,  526 ) which can be screwed into the upper part or into the upper portion, and in that the sensor ( 558 ) is arranged in the upper part ( 502 ) or upper portion.   
     
     
         33 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the sensor ( 58 ;  244 ) is arranged in a region, such as a recess ( 60 ,  64 ), of the basic component ( 12 ;  202 ) which is covered at least in some regions, preferably completely, by the exchangeable component ( 20 ;  206 ).   
     
     
         34 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 23 ,
 characterized in that   the exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ) is connected to the basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  502 ) via a releasable connection ( 340 ,  348 ,  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ), which comprises a clamping wedge ( 340 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ) as well as a clamping screw ( 348 ,  522 ,  524 ,  526 ) passing therethrough, which can be screwed into the basic component, in that the shank of the clamping screw is surrounded by a closed-cell sealing element, which extends between the wedge element and the basic component in such a way that, when the wedge element is fixed, the shank is sealed from the bore in the basic component which receives it.   
     
     
         35 . The points or crossing component according to  claim 34 ,
 characterized in that   at least one, preferably two, clamping disks ( 341 . 1 ,  341 . 2 ,  536 ,  538 ) generating a preloading force is or are arranged between the head ( 348 . 1 ,  540 ) of the clamping screw ( 348 ,  522 ,  524 ,  526 ) and the clamping wedge ( 528 ,  530 ,  532 ).   
     
     
         36 . A method for monitoring the quality of a releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 ,  340 ,  348 ,  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ) of a points or crossing component ( 10 ,  200 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ), such as a frog or tongue rail device, wherein by means of the releasable connection an exchangeable, in particular drivable, component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ) resting on the basic component, such as a frog block or tongue rail is fastened to a basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  502 ), such as a frog blog or tongue rail adapter or tongue device of monobloc construction, with a tongue bed present in an upper part or upper portion thereof,
 characterized in that   by means of a sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ), a signal for checking the quality of the releasable connection is detected, which signal is generated when a rail vehicle passes over the points or crossing component and is representative of the quality of the releasable connection, wherein the signal is generated by at least one impact exerted by the exchangeable component on the releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 ,  340 ,  348 ,  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ) and/or on the basic component ( 12 .  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ) when the rail vehicle passes over the exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ).   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 ,
 characterized in that   the signal is generated, when the rail vehicle passes, by a relative movement of the exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ) and/or by an exchangeable component being displaced from the optimum position with respect to the releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 ,  340 ,  348 ,  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ) and/or the basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ).   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36 ,
 characterized in that   the sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ) used is an acceleration sensor or a structure-borne noise sensor, wherein the sensor, when the rail vehicle passes over the exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ,  508 ), detects at least one characteristic acceleration or characteristic structure-borne noise exerted by an inadequately fastened exchangeable component onto the at least one releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  216 ,  218 ,  220 ,  340 ,  348 ,  516 ,  518 ,  520 ,  528 ,  530 ,  532 ) and/or basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ).   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 36 ,
 characterized in that   the signal generated by the passing of the rail vehicle is compared as an actual value signal with a reference signal or a limit value in order to detect a signal having the characteristic acceleration or characteristic structure-borne noise.   
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 ,
 characterized in that   in the event of a deviation of the actual value signal from the reference signal or the limit value, a message is generated about an inadequate quality, in particular of the force transmission and/or of the form-fitting connection, of the releasable connection.   
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40 ,
 characterized in that   that at least two measurements are carried out in the case of a passage of the rail vehicle or in the case of two successive passing rail vehicles, and that the message is triggered only if at least two events per passage or successive passages are detected, the event being the detection of a characteristic signal.   
     
     
         42 . An arrangement ( 80 ) comprising the points or crossing component ( 10 ,  200 ) according to  claim 23 ,
 wherein the arrangement ( 80 ) comprises an evaluation unit ( 82 ) connected to the sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ), wherein the sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ) is connected exclusively to the basic component ( 12 ,  202 ,  500 ,  502 ,  504 ) and is designed in such a way that it detects a signal generated by at least one impact exerted on the basic component ( 12 ;  202 ) by the releasable connection ( 28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ;     216 ,  218 ,  220 ) and/or the exchangeable component.   
     
     
         43 . The arrangement according to  claim 42 ,
 characterized in that   the evaluation unit ( 80 ) has a computing unit with a comparator for comparing the detected sensor signal with a reference signal or a limit value.   
     
     
         44 . The arrangement according to  claim 42 ,
 characterized in that   the basic component ( 12 ,  202 ) has a region, such as a recess ( 60 ,  64 ), which is covered at least in some regions, preferably completely, by the exchangeable component ( 20 ,  206 ) and in that the sensor ( 58 ,  244 ,  558 ) is arranged in said region.