Vehicle for road and rail operation with air suspension for adjusting weight on both the road wheels and rail wheels

A vehicle adapted for operation on roadway and railway including:

• a) frame means;
• b) rear and front pairs of roadwheels mounted on the frame means;
• c) rear and front pairs of retractable railwheels mounted on the frame means for movement between a roadway configuration in which the railwheels are retracted and support and drive for the vehicle is provided by the roadwheels, and a railway configuration in which the railwheels are extended and adapted to locate the vehicle on a railway;
• d) adjustable, independent air suspension between the frame means and each wheel of the rear pairs of roadwheels and railwheels, the air pressure being adjustable to vary the proportion of the vehicle weight carried by each of said rear pairs of wheels with the railwheels in the railway configuration;
• e) first drive means for driving the first pair of road wheels in the roadway configuration, and for driving the first pair of railwheels and the first pair of roadwheels in the railway configuration;
• and
• f) a respective differential for transferring drive from a drive shaft from a vehicle prime mover to drive axles for each of the rear wheels, and at least each rear rearwheel driven axle includes a planetary drive axle, said drive axle including a length adjustable drive shaft to accommodate movement of the respective railwheel between the railway and roadway configurations;
• wherein at least the pair of rear railwheels are mounted on a trailing arm pivotally mounted to the frame means, and each railwheel of the pair of rear railwheels is provided with independent air bag suspension and lift means to move the rear railwheels from the railway configuration to the roadway configuration.

A vehicle adapted for operation on roadway and railway including:

• a) frame means;
• b) rear and front pairs of roadwheels mounted on frame means, said front roadwheels provided towards the front of the vehicle;
• c) rear and front pairs of retractable railwheels mounted on the frame means for movement between a roadway configuration in which the railwheels are retracted and support and drive for the vehicle is provided by the roadwheels, and a railway configuration in which the railwheels are extended and adapted to locate the vehicle on a railway;
• d) adjustable, independent air suspension between the frame means and each wheel of the rear pairs of roadwheels and railwheels, the air pressure being adjustable to vary the proportion of vehicle weight carried by each of said rear pairs of wheels with the railwheels in the railway configuration;
• e) first drive means for driving the first pair of road wheels in the roadway configuration, and for driving the first pair of railwheels and the first pair of roadwheels in the railway configuration;
• f) in the railway configuration, the front railwheels supporting the weight of the vehicle which is supported by the front roadwheels in the roadway configuration;
• g) in the railway configuration, the front railwheels being driven by common second drive means through a common differential;
• and
• h) the front railwheels being provided on a common support member extending across the vehicle and mounted on a pair of arms, one end of each of the arms being pivotally mounted to the frame means, and lift means extending between the arms and the frame means for moving the front railwheels between the roadway and railway configurations, the lift means being in the form of a pair of hydraulic lift cylinders, each cylinder extending between the frame means and the other end of the respective arm, and wherein the front roadwheels and said one end of each of the arms are mounted to the frame means via common suspension means.

A vehicle adapted for operation on roadway and railway including:

• a) frame means;
• b) first and second pairs of roadwheels mounted on the frame means;
• c) first and second pairs of retractable railwheels mounted on the frame means for movement between a roadway configuration in which the railwheels are retracted and support and drive for the vehicle is provided by the roadwheels and a railway configuration in which the railwheels are extended and adapted to locate the vehicle on a railway;
• d) adjustable, independent air suspension between the frame means and each wheel of the first pairs of roadwheels and railwheels, the air pressure being adjustable to vary the proportion of vehicle weight carried by each of said first pairs of wheels with the railwheels in the railway configuration;
• e) first drive means for driving the first pair of road wheels in the roadway configuration, and for driving the first pair of railwheels and the first pair of roadwheels in the railway configuration;
• and
• f) a respective differential for transferring drive from a drive shaft from a vehicle prime mover to drive axles for each of the first wheels and at least each first railwheel drive axle includes a planetary drive axle, said drive including a length adjustable drive shaft to accommodate movement of the respective railwheel between the railway and roadway configurations.

A vehicle adapted for operation on roadway and railway including:

• a) frame means;
• b) first and second pairs of roadwheels mounted on the frame means;
• c) first and second pairs of retractable railwheels mounted on the frame means for movement between a roadway configuration in which the railwheels are retracted and support and drive for the vehicle is provided by the roadwheels and a railway configuration in which the railwheels are extended and adapted to locate the vehicle on a railway;
• d) adjustable, independent air suspension between the frame means and each wheel of the first pairs of roadwheels and railwheels, the air pressure being adjustable to vary the proportion of vehicle weight carried by each of said first pairs of wheels with the railwheels in the railway configuration;
• e) first drive means for driving the first pair of road wheels in the roadway configuration, and for driving the first pair of railwheels and the first pair of roadwheels in the railway configuration;
• and
• f) the second railwheels being provided on a common support member extending across the vehicle and mounted on a pair of arms, one end of each of the arms being pivotally mounted to the frame means, and lift means extending between the arms and the frame means for moving the second railwheels between the roadway and railway configurations, and wherein the second roadwheels and said one end of each of the arms are mounted to the frame means via common suspension means.