Method of loading automobiles through the side opening of a rail car
AssigneeSouthern Pacific Transportation Company
InventorsBenjamin F. Biaggini, William M. Jaekle, Paul V. Garin, Robert Byrne, Armand Giovanelli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Automobiles are lifted from alongside a fully enclosed multi-level deck rail car and loaded onto the decks through a side opening of the rail car. The automobiles are pushed forwardly from the rear towards an end of the rail car. Detachable securement means on the decks and the frames of the cars cooperate automatically in response to forward movement of the automobiles to compress the spring suspension systems of the automobiles and lock the automobiles to the decks to prevent longitudinal or sideward movement of the automobiles on the decks during transport.
Claims11
A method of loading automobiles into a rail car wherein said rail car has a superstructure with a plurality of horizontal vertically spaced decks ad said automobiles each have a frame mounted by a spring suspension system on the wheels of the automobile, the method comprising:
- a. positioning said automobile on one of said decks with the front of said automobile facing one end of said rail car,
- b. raising the rear wheels of said automobile above said deck,
- c. moving the automobile forwardly along said deck,
- d. pulling the frame of said automobile downwardly on the wheels of said automobile as said automobile is moving forwardly along said deck,
- e. securing the pulled-down frame against forward and rearward longitudinal movement and against vertical longitudinal movement relative to said deck in response to forward movement of said automobile along said deck,
- f. lowering the rear wheels of said automobile onto said deck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.