Rail loading train for transporting as well as loading and unloading long rails

A rail loading train for transporting as well as loading and unloading long rails;

• comprising:
• a loading car having a frame supported on undercarriages for movement in an operating direction;
• support means mounted on said frame for supporting long rails, said support means including a plurality of rail supports spaced from each other longitudinally in direction of said frame, each said rail support including a separate pivot drive for swinging said rail support about a vertical axis between a receiving position in which said rail support extends perpendicular to said frame and an idle position in which said rail supports extends longitudinally in direction of the frame, and
• a locking mechanism operatively connected to each of said rail supports for automatically securing said rail supports after said rail supports conclude a swinging motion and occupy the receiving and idle positions,
• wherein said support means includes pairs of support columns opposing each other across said loading car, with each support column of a pair of support columns being associated to a locking mechanism in form of a slotted-link mechanism, with one slotted-link mechanism being connected to a first rail support and the other slotted-link mechanism being connected to a second rail support arranged underneath said first rail support.

A rail loading train for transporting as well as loading and unloading long rails;

• comprising:
• a loading car having a frame supported on undercarriages for movement in an operating direction;
• support means mounted on said frame for supporting long rails, said support means including a plurality of rail supports spaced from each other longitudinally in direction of said frame, each said rail support including a separate pivot drive for swinging said rail support about a vertical axis between a receiving position in which said rail support extends perpendicular to said frame and an idle position in which said rail supports extends longitudinally in direction of the frame, and
• a locking mechanism operatively connected to each of said rail supports for automatically securing said rail supports after said rail supports conclude a swinging motion and occupy the receiving and idle positions,
• wherein said support means includes a support column secured to said frame for attachment of a rail support, a support ring connected to said support column and a bearing sleeve resting on said support ring coaxial to the longitudinal axis of said support column and connected to said rail support, said locking mechanism being provided in form of a tongue-and-groove joint with cams projecting from a lower edge of said bearing sleeve for engagement in matching grooves of said support ring in the end positions of said rail support.

A rail loading train for transporting as well as loading and unloading long rails;

• comprising:
• a loading car having a frame supported on undercarriages for movement in an operating direction;
• support means mounted on said frame for supporting long rails, said support means including a plurality of rail supports spaced from each other longitudinally in direction of said frame, each said rail support including a separate pivot drive for swinging said rail support about a vertical axis between a receiving position in which said rail support extends perpendicular to said frame and an idle position in which said rail supports extends longitudinally in direction of the frame, and
• a locking mechanism operatively connected to each of said rail supports for automatically securing said rail supports after said rail supports conclude a swinging motion and occupy the receiving and idle positions,
• wherein said support means includes a support column secured to said frame and standing upright from said frame, and a bearing sleeve rotatably mounted to said support column and connected to said rail support, said bearing sleeve having one end provided with circumferential grooves, said locking mechanism including a locking bar received in said support column and a solenoid acting on said locking bar to selectively engage said grooves of said bearing sleeve in the end positions of said rail support.