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US 9,878,724 B2Granted
Traction assist for railcar mover
AssigneeTrackmobile LLC
InventorsRobert Evans, Jeffrey Looney, Allan Draheim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An auxiliary drive axle assembly is disclosed for a railcar mover that provides traction for a railcar mover when required. The auxiliary drive axle assembly comprises a frame, a plurality of hydraulic motors, and a plurality of wheel assemblies positioned underneath a railcar mover. The auxiliary drive axle assembly may be lowered to a use position where the wheels engage the rails either upon demand by the railcar mover operator or automatically by a control system based upon a set of monitored parameters. When in a use position, the control system directs the power to the hydraulic motors such that the wheel assemblies can have optimal traction to assist the railcar mover.
Claims16
An auxiliary drive axle assembly for a railcar mover comprising:
- a structural frame;
- a plurality of hydraulic wheel drive motors;
- a plurality of wheel assemblies, wherein each wheel assembly is powered by one of the plurality of hydraulic wheel drive motors and wherein each hydraulic wheel drive motor is connected to a power source of the railcar mover;
- and
- a plurality of gearboxes,
- wherein the structural frame and auxiliary drive axle assembly is positioned underneath the railcar mover and provides traction assistance to the railcar mover by being lowered from a retracted position to a use position, wherein the retracted position is defined where the plurality of wheel assemblies do not engage a set of rails and the use position is defined where the plurality of wheel assemblies engage the set of rails;
- wherein the auxiliary drive axle assembly includes a control system comprising a controller and a plurality of sensors to control the auxiliary drive axle assembly;
- and
- a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to at least:
- acquire, by the plurality of sensors, a first set of data comprising:
- engine revolutions per minute;
- compare the first set of data to a first set of predetermined parameters;
- and
- upon determining that first set of predetermined parameters is satisfied, instruct to lower the auxiliary drive axle assembly into the use position from the retracted position underneath the railcar mover;
- and
- wherein the first set of predetermined parameters includes designated target values of at least engine revolutions per minute.
13 more elements
An auxiliary drive axle assembly for a railcar mover comprising:
- a structural frame having a first end and a second end and a plurality of side walls positioned between each end,
- a first hydraulic wheel drive motor, a first gearbox, and a first wheel assembly positioned at the first end of the structural frame;
- and
- a second hydraulic wheel drive motor, a second gearbox, and a second wheel assembly positioned at the second end of the structural frame,
- wherein the first wheel assembly is connected to the first hydraulic wheel drive motor via the first gearbox;
- and the second wheel assembly is connected to the second hydraulic wheel drive motor via the second gearbox;
- wherein the auxiliary drive axle assembly is positioned underneath the railcar mover,
- wherein the auxiliary drive axle assembly includes a control system comprising a controller and a plurality of sensors to control the auxiliary drive axle assembly, and
- a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to at least:
- acquire, by the plurality of sensors, a first set of data comprising:
- engine revolutions per minute;
- compare the first set of data to a first set of predetermined parameters;
- and
- upon determining that first set of predetermined parameters is satisfied, instruct to lower the auxiliary drive axle assembly into a use position from a retracted position underneath the railcar mover;
- and
- wherein the first set of predetermined parameters includes designated target values of at least engine revolutions per minute.
13 more elements
An auxiliary drive axle assembly for a railcar mover comprising:
- a structural frame having a first end and a second end and a plurality of side walls positioned between each end,
- a first hydraulic wheel drive motor, a first gearbox, and a first wheel assembly positioned at the first end of the structural frame;
- a second hydraulic wheel drive motor, a second gearbox, and a second wheel assembly positioned at the second end of the structural frame,
- a control system comprising a controller and a plurality of sensors to control the auxiliary drive axle assembly;
- wherein an outer diameter of each of the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly is within a range of 24 inches to 38 inches;
- wherein the first wheel assembly is powered by the first hydraulic wheel drive motor, and the second wheel assembly is powered by the second hydraulic wheel drive motor, and wherein the first hydraulic wheel drive motor and the second hydraulic wheel drive motor are connected to a power source of the railcar mover;
- wherein the auxiliary drive axle assembly is positioned underneath the railcar mover;
- and
- a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to at least:
- acquire, by the plurality of sensors, a first set of data comprising:
- engine revolutions per minute:
- compare the first set of data to a first set of predetermined parameters;
- and
- upon determining that first set of predetermined parameters is satisfied, lower the auxiliary drive axle assembly into a use position from a retracted position underneath the railcar mover, wherein the retracted position is defined where the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are not engaging a set of rails and the use position is defined where first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly engage the set of rails.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.