Railway rolling stock – Locomotives – With land engaging wheel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2001-03-13
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railway rolling stock
Locomotives
With land engaging wheel
C105S026100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199485
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many years specially constructed traction vehicles have been available which operate both on roads and on railroad tracks. Typically they are small rail locomotives with four road wheels which can be raised to permit ordinary railroad travel on rail wheels or lowered to the ground so as to lift the rail wheels and permit road travel. Examples are the vehicles described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,198,137, 3,884,156, 4,067,259, 4,167,142 and 5,168,815. They are of relatively complicated design and quite expensive.
The object of the present invention is to achieve all of the major functions of these known specially built road-rail vehicles at a small fraction of their cost. This is achieved by utilizing a conventional farm tractor for whatever road travel is required of the road-rail vehicle, whether to pull loads or simply to move on the ground from one rail site to another. Then for rail operation a special conversion module is to be attached beneath the farm tractor. This module is to have vertically movable rail wheels which can be retracted upwardly to allow the farm tractor to continue its ordinary functions travelling on the ground. When rail travel is required the rail wheels are to be lowered to tracks so as to lift the tractor and elevate its road wheels off the ground. The tractor engine through its conventional power take-off is to drive the rail wheels and move the vehicle along the railroad track either alone or pulling railroad cars.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is for use with a conventional engine driven tractor having a chassis with a rear power take-off and a fluid power system, preferably hydraulic. Respective pairs of coaxial front steering and rear driving ground wheels are on the tractor each spaced differently, usually wider, than rails of a railroad track. A rail conversion module is provided in accordance with the invention mountable on the tractor chassis and it includes respective pairs of coaxial front and rear rail wheels spaced for rolling engagement on the tracks. A module frame is provided having hinged front and rear sections with the front rail wheels on the front section and the rear rail wheels on the rear section. Attachment means are included on the module frame for affixing the front section to the tractor chassis. An articulated connector is included for placing the rear rail wheels in driving relation with the tractor power take-off. Lifting means are located on the module frame operable by the tractor fluid system for raising and lowering the front rail wheels with respect to the frame front section. Pivoting means are also on the module frame operable by the tractor fluid power system for turning the rear section so as to raise and lower the rear rail wheels with respect to the front section. With this structure upon driving the tractor over the module frame front section with all rail wheels raised, the front frame section is affixed to the tractor chassis, the rear rail wheels are connected to the tractor power take-off and the lifting and mounting means are connected to the tractor fluid power system. Thus when the tractor is driven over the tracks the front and rear rail wheels can be lowered onto the tracks to raise the tractor permitting it to be driven along the rails.
Locking means may also be included for securing the front and rear frame sections in position when the rear wheels are lowered onto the tractor. They may be a rigid bar hinged at one end to one of the front and rear frame sections and securable at the other end to the other of the front and rear frame sections.
The lifting means may comprise an arm pivoted to the front section of the frame with the front rail wheels on one end of the arm remote from the pivot. At least one front hydraulic piston and cylinder are provided between the arm and frame front section for turning the arm and raising and lowering the front rail wheels.
The pivoting means may comprise at least one rear hydraulic piston and cylinder between the rear and front sections of the module frame for turning the rear section and raising and lowering the rear rail wheels.
It is also contemplated that this rail conversion module may be in combination with the engine driven tractor.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3198137 (1965-08-01), White, Jr.
patent: 3633514 (1972-01-01), Deike
patent: 3638579 (1972-02-01), Yard
patent: 3884156 (1975-05-01), Ames et al.
patent: 4067259 (1978-01-01), Ames et al.
patent: 4086856 (1978-05-01), Chenoweth
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patent: 4266483 (1981-05-01), Rannanmaki
patent: 4380198 (1983-04-01), White, Jr.
patent: 4497257 (1985-02-01), White, Jr.
patent: 4537137 (1985-08-01), White, Jr.
patent: 5156639 (1992-10-01), Bostrom
patent: 5168815 (1992-12-01), Comer et al.
patent: 5649490 (1997-07-01), Lovitt
Brown Charles J.
Morano S. Joseph
Olson Lars A.
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