Herzog Services, Inc.

Andy White

Brent T Applebury

Timothy J Coolman

Troy L Elbert

Jason Roe

John W Kieser

A roller search unit for detecting rail defects with integrated digital circuitry includes a liquid filled tire mounted to an axle assembly with wheels. An ultrasonic transducer array positioned within a housing is positioned within the within the tire and coupled to the axle. The housing contains transducer interface circuitry operable to receive analog signals from the ultrasonic transducer array and contains digital flaw detection circuitry operable to convert the analog signals to digital signals and perform analysis on the digital signals to detect flaws in a rail. The transducer interface circuitry and digital flaw detection circuitry are configured to stack to provide a compact, small footprint assembly. The conversion of the transducer signals from analog to digital within the tire permits transmission of the digitized data without susceptibility to interference and noise.

Roller search unit having integrated digital circuitry for detecting rail defects

An equipment housing assembly removably securable to a hi-rail vehicle operable to advance along first and second rails of a railroad track includes a housing that houses and/or supports at least one rail sensor. The at least one rail sensor is operable to sense at least one property of at least one of the first and second rails as the hi-rail vehicle advances along the first and second rails. The at least one rail sensor is advanceable from a retracted configuration relative to the equipment housing to a deployed configuration relative to the equipment housing to sense the at least one property of at least one of the first and second rails. A power distribution system is removably and electrically connectable to a power source in the hi-rail vehicle. A control system is communicatively coupled the at least one sensor to control operation thereof and communicate sensor data therefrom.

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Savannah, MO, United States of America

Andy White