Railway rolling stock – Trains – Articulated
Patent
1994-04-18
2000-08-01
Morano, S. Joseph
Railway rolling stock
Trains
Articulated
105355, 105159, B61D 4700, B61D 316
Patent
active
060950552
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a separable rail transport unit for carrying a road-going load consisting in particular of a fully or partially assembled road unit.
This rail transport unit includes a carrier structure known as a freight car structure resting, so as to be removable by both or by one or other of its ends, on two axle units or bogies by means of interfaces.
It permits the rapid loading notably of one or more towed, mounted or semi-mounted road units, swap bodies, containers or the like.
The transportation of containers and semi-trailers on railroad carrier structures connecting two axle units or bogies is known.
First, where containers are concerned, they are stowed on these structures by means of their ISO-standard corner fittings on projecting lateral supports, each carrying a rotary locking device.
These containers are loaded and unloaded by means of grapplers carried and used by cranes, gantries, travelling machines such as lift trucks or other handling means.
As far as trailers and semi-trailers are concerned, transverse receiving structures carry the running gear at the rear, whilst the coupling pivot is held at the front by a similar support or one constituting an equivalent of the articulation support conventionally known as a trailer dolly on articulated semi-trailer road units.
If the load is held correctly, carrying out the loading and unloading operations hardly ever proves to be easy, because of the cumbersome means used and the accuracy in relative positioning which needs to be observed for stowage.
Loading/unloading operations have also been carried out by the lateral translational movement of a freight car platform between a loading dock and a railroad receiving structure or freight car.
By way of illustration, the freight car structure described in the German patent No DE 3139220, the two ends of the platform of which are slides which are lateral with respect to the axle units or bogie(s), can be cited.
To bring this freight car structure into its loading or unloading position, it is necessary to stop it along a specially arranged external loading surface, then to move the platform in translational motion transversely to the chassis and cause it to rest on the loading surface.
According to this invention, the loading surface is specially raised to bring it to the level of the platform.
Also according to this invention, only the carrier platform is moved, and not the entire structure.
Implementations in accordance with this invention have the drawback of requiring a complex freight car structure, specially adapted for transfers.
These costly and non-universal means are not appropriate for all types of load.
Another drawback lies in the height of the loading surface, access to which is not necessarily compatible with the level of the freight car platform.
The aim of the present invention is to mitigate the above drawbacks by proposing a railroad carrier structure which is easy to manufacture, enabling loading/unloading operations to be carried out rapidly and without difficulty.
In addition, for the purpose of facilitating uncoupling and the placing of the load in an out-of-line position, provision is made for it to be equipped, at one of its ends at least, with lifting means associated with travelling means for the purpose of lateral movement by pivoting about the opposite end.
To this end, the rail transport unit according to the invention comprises a carrier structure connecting two axle units or bogies for the transportation of a load or cargo of a road-going type, in particular a fully or partially assembled road unit, said carrier structure being mounted on each of the axle units or bogies by means of a composite interface transmitting the traction forces and shocks, at least one end of the carrier structure being open so as to define an access passage, said carrier structure being mounted so as to be directly or indirectly separable as a whole from the interface of at least one axle unit or bogie with a view to leaving a completely free passage for the road-going load
REFERENCES:
patent: 2246543 (1941-01-01), Smith
patent: 4653966 (1987-03-01), Bakka et al.
patent: 5216956 (1993-06-01), Adams, Jr.
patent: 5222443 (1993-06-01), Engle
patent: 5564341 (1996-10-01), Martin
Andre Jean-Luc
Ganter Didier
Lohr Robert
Martin Bruno
Lohr Industrie
Morano S. Joseph
LandOfFree
Separable rail transport unit for carrying a load, particularly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Separable rail transport unit for carrying a load, particularly , we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Separable rail transport unit for carrying a load, particularly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-653643