IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,612,740
Granted Patent B2
US 12,612,740 · App. 18/280,002 · Granted Apr 28, 2026

Method and machine for tamping a track

Inventors: Harald Daxberger (Linz, AT); Christian Koczwara (Gresten, AT); Samir Omerovic (Eidenberg, AT)
Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
E01B27/17E01B27/16E01B2203/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,612,740
App. No.
18/280,002
Granted
Apr 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a method for tamping sleepers of a track panel, supported in a ballast bed, by means of a tamping unit, comprising two tamping tools opposite one another which, during tamping of the respective sleeper, are lowered into the ballast bed with vibrations being applied, and are moved towards each other with a squeezing movement while the track panel is held in a raised position. In this, an evaluation device is used to monitor a squeezing speed of at least one tamping tool, with a current value of the squeezing speed being compared with a limit value when a predefined squeezing time or a predefined squeezing distance is reached, and with a notification signal indicating whether the current value is above the limit value. This may indicate that a void located below the sleeper has not yet been sufficiently filled.

Claims (15)

1 . A method for tamping sleepers of a track panel, supported in a ballast bed, by means of a tamping unit, comprising two tamping tools opposite one another which, during tamping of the respective sleeper, are lowered into the ballast bed with vibrations being applied, and are moved towards each other with a squeezing movement while the track panel is held in a raised position, wherein an evaluation device is used to monitor a squeezing speed of at least one tamping tool, that a current value of the squeezing speed is compared with a limit value when a predefined squeezing time or a predefined squeezing distance(s) is reached, and that a notification signal indicates whether the current value is above the limit value.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the notification signal is fed to a display device to indicate to an operator an insufficient filling of a void below the current sleeper to be tamped.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the notification signal is fed to a control device of the tamping unit, and that a longer squeezing time and/or a modified squeezing force is automatically specified, particularly by means of the control device.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the control device automatically triggers a further tamping process for the current sleeper to be tamped.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the frequency of the vibrations of the tamping tool is increased when the current value falls below the limit value.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the squeezing speed at the point in time of reaching the predefined squeezing time or the predefined squeezing distance(s) is evaluated as the current value.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a value of the squeezing speed averaged over a range of the squeezing time or the squeezing distance(s) is evaluated as the current value.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current value is determined as the result of a weighted time or distance integral.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein a weighting is predefined depending on a calculated or measured process variable of the tamping process.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein a penetration work or a penetration force is recorded as a process variable during the lowering of the tamping tools.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current value is determined as a weighted sum of several measuring values of the squeezing speed.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a time progression of the squeezing speed or the squeezing distance(s) is fed to a machine learning model as input data.

13 . A tamping machine for carrying out a method according to claim 1 , further, comprising a lifting unit for lifting the track panel and the tamping unit for tamping lifted sleepers, wherein a sensor system is arranged to record the squeezing speed, and that the sensor system is coupled with the evaluation device, which is set up for comparing the current value of the squeezing speed with the limit value and for outputting the notification signal, indicating whether the current value is above the limit value.

14 . The tamping machine according to claim 13 , wherein the evaluation device is coupled with a display device for displaying a notification.

15 . The tamping machine according to claim 13 , wherein the evaluation device is coupled with a control device of the tamping unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2023
From: DAXBERGER, HARALD; KOCZWARA, CHRISTIAN; OMEROVIC, SAMIR
To: PLASSER & THEURER EXPORT VON BAHNBAUMASCHINEN GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.
Reel/Frame 064774/0491 →
Priority Claims (1)
AT A 50266/2021 · Apr 12, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240141596A1 · May 2, 2024
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