The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 26, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1999
Damian Mounsey Poole, late of Altrincham, GB;
Alstom UK Limited, , GB;
Abstract
In an arrangement for monitoring the resistance between adjacent rail-ends of a section of railway track, the usual insulating end-post between the ends of adjacent rails is a molded component provided with an embedded conductive mesh or perforated plate situated roughly halfway between the rail-ends. The resistance between each rail-end and the conductive part is monitored to detect any significant decrease in resistance between either rail and the conductive part. When a sufficiently large resistance drop is detected, the normal track signaling circuits associated with the section of line involved are still able to function normally, since the insulation on the other side of the mesh is still unaffected at this stage. Railway personnel are now able to effect a repair to the affected part of the track at their (and the passengers') convenience before the whole end-post fails, disrupting normal service.