US 4,060,035 AGranted

Convertible rail-highway shuttle car

AssigneeAutomation Equipment, Inc.

InventorJon R. Swoager

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Abstract

An elongated shuttle car is provided having a set of undriven rail wheels and a set of driven road wheels. The rail wheels are movable between a lowered position wherein they support the shuttle car and a raised position wherein the shuttle car is supported from the road drive wheels. The road drive wheels are independently driven by fluid drive motors, one of which is associated with each road wheel. The road wheels are disposed so as to permit movement of the shuttle car generally perpendicular to its longitudinal axis which is aligned with the rail bed. Hydraulic cylinders or jacks are utilized for raising and lowering the undriven rail wheels which are normally formed of steel. The rail wheels are supported in movable truck assemblies. The movable truck assemblies have an axle permanently attached thereto and a pair of rail wheels are attached to the ends of the fixed axle.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A shuttle car, for transporting massive loads, movable on a road bed and a rail bed comprising:

an elongated main frame;
a pair of movable truck assemblies spaced apart and movably supported from said elongated main frame;
a pair of flanged rail wheels supported from each truck assembly for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elongated main frame;
a plurality of smooth solid resilient wheels supported from said elongated main frame for rotary movement about axes fixed with respect to said elongated main frame which axes are parallel to the longitudinal axis of said elongated main frame;
drive means connected to said plurality of smooth solid resilient wheels for driving all of said plurality of smooth solid resilient wheels when activated;
and,
positioning means for moving said pair of truck assemblies between a first position wherein said flanged rail wheels are lower than said plurality of smooth solid resilient wheels, fully supporting said frame, and a second position wherein said plurality of smooth solid resilient wheels are lower than said flanged rail wheels, fully supporting said frame, and a second position wherein said plurality of smooth solid resilient wheels are lower than said flanged rail wheels, fully supporting said frame, for moving the shuttle car in a direction transverse to its longitudinal axis.

4 more elements

A load carrying velicle, for transporting heavy loads, which can move on rails and a smooth surface comprising:

a frame defining a longitudinal axis;
a flat upper surface, utilized for carrying heavy loads, defined by the top of said frame;
a plurality of rotatable flanged rail wheels positionable supported from said frame which when in engagement with rails permit movement in an axial direction relative to said frame;
a plurality of drive wheels supported on fixed axes from said frame for engaging the smooth surface and which when in engagement with the smooth surface permit movement in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis defined by said frame;
drive means disposed beneath said flat upper surface for driving all of said plurality of drive wheels;
each of said plurality of drive wheels comprises a solid resilient tire;
and,
positioning means for providing relative movement between said plurality of rotatable flanged rail wheels and said plurality of drive wheels to a first position wherein said flanged rail wheels are lower than said drive wheels and a second position wherein said flanged rails wheels are higher than said drive wheels.

5 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

an elongated frame;
a flat load surface, extending the entire length of said frame, supported from said frame;
drive means supported from said frame beneath said flat load surface;
a set of smooth resilient drive wheels supported by said frame for rotational movement about axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of said frame and fixed with respect to said frame and being connected to and driven by said drive means when said drive means is activated;
a set of flanged wheels supported from and movable, up and down, with respect to said frame;
and,
positioning means connected between said frame and said set of undriven wheels beneath said flat load surface for moving said set of flanged wheels between a first position wherein said set of flanged wheels are supporting said frame and said set of smooth resilient drive wheels and a second position wherein said set of smooth resilient drive wheels are supporting said frame and said set of flanged wheels.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.