Road and rail vehicle with pivotable axle and associated methods
AssigneeSavage Services Corporation
InventorCharles R. Jacob
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A road and rail vehicle includes a towing vehicle having a plurality of axles coupled to an elongate frame with road wheels disposed on the axles. The plurality of axles include at least one rear drive axle. Rail guide wheels are movably coupled to the frame. The rail guide wheels are movable between a lowered position engageable with a pair of fixed rails of a railroad track and a raised position away from the rails. A crane is coupled to the frame rearward of a rearmost road wheel. A tag axle is pivotally coupled to the frame rearward of the crane. The tag axle pivots between a lowered position that is engageable with a roadway and a raised position adjacent the crane.
Claims13
A road and rail vehicle, comprising:
- a towing vehicle having a plurality of axles coupled to an elongate frame with road wheels disposed on the axles, and including at least one rear drive axle;
- rail guide wheels movably coupled to the frame and movable between a lowered position engageable with a pair of fixed rails of a railroad track and a raised position away from the rails;
- a crane coupled to the frame rearward of a rearmost road wheel;
- a tag axle pivotally coupled to the frame rearward of the crane and pivotal between a lowered position engageable with a roadway and a raised position adjacent the crane;
- and
- a mounting fixture coupled to a rear portion of the frame, the mounting fixture further comprising:
- a plate coupled to the frame and having a pair of apertures, each aperture sized and shaped to receive an elongate beam of the frame;
- a pair of pivot brackets coupled to the plate, each pivot bracket having a pair sides bracketing the elongate beam of the frame extending through the aperture, the pair sides extending away from the plate to a pivot connection coupled to an arm of the tag axle;
- and
- a gusset extending between the pair of pivot brackets and rearward to the pivot connection coupled to a railcar coupler.
A road and rail vehicle, comprising:
- a towing vehicle having a frame and a plurality of axles with road wheels coupled to the frame for supporting the towing vehicle on a roadway, the plurality of axles including a drive axle for propelling the towing vehicle on the roadway and a railway by at least one road wheel;
- a crane coupled to the frame rearward of a rearmost road wheel;
- a tag axle pivotally coupled to the frame rearward of the crane and pivotal between a lowered position engageable with the roadway and a raised position adjacent the crane;
- a railcar coupler coupled to a rear end of the frame;
- rail guide wheels movably coupled to the frame rearward of the rearmost road wheel and below the crane, and movable between a lowered position engageable with a pair of fixed rails of a railroad track and a raised position;
- and
- a mounting fixture coupled to a rear portion of the frame, the mounting fixture further comprising:
- a plate coupled to the frame and having a pair of apertures, each aperture sized and shaped to receive an elongate beam of the frame;
- a pair of pivot brackets coupled to the plate, each pivot bracket having a pair sides bracketing the elongate beam of the frame extending through the aperture, the pair sides extending away from the plate to a pivot connection coupled to an arm of the tag axle;
- and
- a gusset extending between the pair of pivot brackets and rearward to the pivot connection coupled to the railcar coupler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.