Supplemental Wheel Patents (Class 105/215.1)
  • Patent number: 11752818
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for rear railgear, pivot links, and pin-off systems. An example assembly including railgear, an attachment frame, a mounting bracket, upper and lower links is provided. The rail gear includes a pair of guidewheels, an axle, and an axle saddle; the attachment frame can connect to the axle saddle of the railgear; the mounting bracket is configured to attach to a vehicle; the upper link pivotably connected to the mounting bracket; and the lower link pivotably connected to the attachment frame, where the lower link is connected to the upper link via a pivot pin. The railgear can be secured in either the deployed or stowed position using various interchangeable pin-off systems, including but not limited to: a manual pin-off system, an air operated pin-off system, and a cable pin-off system. The railgear can also be secured in the stowed position using an automatic mechanical lock system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: DIVERSIFIED METAL FABRICATORS, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Alwin Monroe, Brian Jeffery Frankum, Daniel Joseph Jachim
  • Patent number: 11724723
    Abstract: A crane-less locked axle cradle system configured to lift a rail vehicle wheel off a rail and transport the lifted wheel along a rail is presented. The present disclosure discloses a system that can lift the locked-axle wheel off the rail with no crane thereby allowing the train with a locked axle to be transported off the mainline in a shorter period of time. A cradle system can have two parts (male and female members with wedges and rail wheels) that can be mated with each other around a rail wheel. As the male and female members are pulled together, locked wheel engagers can couple with different portions of the locked-axle wheel, causing the locked-axle wheel to lift off the rail given the gradient of the wedge or rotation of the wheel. In another embodiment, the wheel lifting can be assisted by an air bag, hydraulic cylinder, jack, or other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Henry R. Schafer, Christopher M. Romero, Timothy Webb, Mike E. Teaford, Edward M. Meyers, Ryan L. Kimberlin, Larry C. Valentine
  • Patent number: 11384496
    Abstract: The disclosed water barrier systems may include a first mobile water barrier, and adjacent second mobile water barrier, and a translation mechanism for translating the first mobile water barrier and the second mobile water barrier toward each other. Lowering mechanisms may be configured to lower sidewalls of the mobile water barriers. The mobile water barriers may include sealing elements to form water seals between the adjacent mobile water barriers and between the sidewalls and a surface. Related methods of forming a water barrier assembly are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventor: Phillip M. DeLaine, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11235375
    Abstract: A dual-interface coupler includes a utilities unit, a number of utility cables configured to provide a number of utilities to the utilities unit, a first coupling unit associated with the utilities unit, and a second coupling unit associated with the utilities unit. The first coupling unit is configured to mechanically couple the utilities unit to a first corresponding coupling unit and comprises a utility interface. The number of utilities are configured to flow from the utilities unit through the utilities interface. The second coupling unit is configured to mechanically couple the second coupling unit to a second corresponding coupling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Harinder S. Oberoi, Richard Griffith Reese, IV, Quang T. Do, Alan S. Draper, Jeffrey Lawrence Miller, Michael J. Kozak, Vanco Stojanoski
  • Patent number: 10711435
    Abstract: A frame assembly for a machine includes a main frame and a crossmember. The main frame includes first pair of rails and a second pair of rails laterally spaced from the first pair of rails. Each of the first pair of rails and the second pair of rails includes a first rail and a second rail vertically spaced from the first rail. The crossmember includes a first flange connected to both the first rail and second rail of the first pair of rails. The crossmember further includes a second flange connected to both the first rail and the second rail of the second pair of rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Daniel Hicke, Andrew Charles Boen, Christopher R Beasley
  • Patent number: 10000218
    Abstract: Bi-modal traffic system including an integrated path network for bi-modal vehicles, especially for bi-modal trucks, wherein the bi-modal vehicles are configured so that they run both on rail tracks as well as on road tracks. The integrated path network includes at least one rail network and one road network, wherein the at least one rail network and the at least one road network are coupled by at least one junction. The at least one junction is configured so that bi-modal vehicles may change from rail network to a road network and may adapt their speed so that a change of a bi-modal vehicle from the rail network into the road network does not impair the ongoing traffic on the road network, and/or is configured so that bi-modal vehicles may change from a road network to a rail network and may adapt their speed so that a change of a bi-modal vehicle from the road network into the rail network does not impair the ongoing traffic on the rail network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Inventor: Johann Friedrich
  • Patent number: 9623880
    Abstract: A power system for short trains. In an embodiment, an over-the-road tractor is configured with drive gears on a drive axle to interface with driven gear systems on a rail car. By utilizing the apparatus, a method for efficient delivery of goods in containers on semi-trailers may be achieved, thus saving considerable time, and reducing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SEA-TRAIN EXPRESS - LLC
    Inventor: David Kun
  • Patent number: 8869707
    Abstract: Provided is a branching device (D), which includes a branch line side guide rail (20c) that is disposed from a near side main line travel track (Ra) to a branch line travel track (Rc) at an inner side of these travel tracks, a main line side guide rail (10b) that is disposed from the near side main line travel track (Ra) to a far side main line travel track (Rb) at an outer side of these travel tracks, and a switching mechanism (40) that switches a position of a movable rail (25c) of the branch line side guide rail (20c) and a position of a movable rail (25b) of the main line side guide rail (20b) to a branch line guide position (BP) and a main line guide position (MP).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihisa Kawauchi, Hiroyuki Kono, Yukihide Yanobu, Yoshinobu Murakami
  • Patent number: 8863670
    Abstract: A rail draft vehicle for moving railcars along a pair of rails includes a frame having a front end and a rear end. The vehicle also has a front wheel assembly associated with the front end of the frame as well as a rear wheel assembly associated with the rear end of the frame. Each of the wheel assemblies includes an axle housing with a differential and a pair of road wheels connected for rotation relative to the axle housing. Each wheel assembly pivots as a unit relative to the frame about a vertical axis. The vehicle also includes an engine attached to the frame. In addition, a power train powered by the engine drives each of the wheel assemblies and is connected to each wheel assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Nordco Inc.
    Inventor: Eldon Don Jackson
  • Patent number: 8677906
    Abstract: This invention is based on using the railroad system for automatic address transportation of people and cargo. This invention allows usage of existing rail roads, many miles of which are not used or partially used. This invention includes design of vehicle that will be used for automatic address transportation. The invention allows excluding the most complicated part of railroads, switches, and transforms the railroad from an active to a passive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Inventor: Yuriy Vysochan
  • Publication number: 20140069291
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a transmission system of an LCD panel and an automatic crane thereof. The transmission system comprises a guide rail and a transmission apparatus. The transmission apparatus comprises a main body, an alarm unit, a main wheel disposed at the bottom of the main body, and a sensor disposed below the main body. The main wheel abuts to the guide rail so that the transmission apparatus can move along a preset direction of the guide rail. The sensor is for detecting whether the main wheel is abnormal The alarm unit is for generating an alarm when the sensor detects that the main wheel is abnormal. The present can achieve the real-time monitoring for the operation of the main wheel by disposing the sensor in order to timely detect the abnormality and generate an alarm when it is abnormal through the alarm unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Weibing Yang, Chunhao Wu, Kunhsien Lin, Yongqiang Wang, Zhiyou Shu, Minghu Qi, Zenghong Chen, Zhenhua Guo
  • Patent number: 8561547
    Abstract: A track-guided vehicle wheel truck facilitates vehicle maintenance and enables reduction in costs. The track vehicle wheel truck includes guide frames arranged along the forward and rearward directions of the vehicle on the inside of the vehicle width direction in the running wheels, and fixed to knuckles; a tie rod arranged on the center side of the forward and rearward directions in the vehicle along the vehicle width direction, and interlock with the guide frames; guide wheel receivers disposed toward the inside of the vehicle width direction from the guide frames on the vehicle end side and the center side relative to an axis of the running wheels; and a steering axle arranged along the vehicle width direction, and are able to turn the running wheels, the knuckles, and the guide frames by installing a kingpin at both ends thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mihoko Shiroyama, Yoshiki Okubo, Kousuke Katahira
  • Patent number: 8511622
    Abstract: A vehicle that is guided by a guiding system is monitored for derailment. The guiding system has a guiding member interacting with a railhead of a rail that guides the vehicle. The device includes a clamp with a bottom jaw tightly surrounding the railhead in a contactless manner in the closed position thereof, capable of opening the jaw when interaction is lost between the guiding member and the rail. The opening results when the railhead at least partially exits the jaw. A top rod of the clamp enables mechanical transmission of the opening of the jaw to a switch. The switch has a nominal configuration corresponding to the closed position of the clamp during correct re-railing and an alarm configuration generated by mechanical transmission of the opening of the jaw to the switch. The alarm configuration actuates a safety system of the guided vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens S.A.S.
    Inventor: Luciano Consoli
  • Patent number: 8505465
    Abstract: A railway truck is provided comprising first and second wheelsets, each wheelset comprising at least a left and a right wheel adjacent opposite ends of an axle. Each axle is supported for rotation about an axle axis by a respective bearing adjacent the left and right wheels. A first frame member extends between a bearing support adjacent the left wheel of the first wheelset and a bearing support adjacent the right wheel of the second wheelset. A second frame member extends between a bearing support adjacent the left wheel of the second wheelset and a bearing support adjacent the right wheel of the first wheelset. The first and second frame members are free to move without interference from each other to cause the truck to steer in response to a change in a rolling direction of either of the first and second wheelsets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Lanza Projects Corporation
    Inventor: Juan Carlos Elizondo
  • Patent number: 8453581
    Abstract: A high rail excavator is provided. The high rail excavator includes at least one high rail mechanism to elevate the high rail excavator relative to the rails of a railroad track. The high rail mechanism is disposed within an envelope of the tracks, thereby increasing the maneuverability and safety of the high rail excavator. The high rail mechanism includes a power control arrangement that integrates with a power supply of the excavator so that an additional power supply dedicated to the high rail mechanism is not required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Rail Construction Equipment Company
    Inventors: Dean T. Wickman, Steven L. Benck, Dennis Hanke, Andrew C. Wickman, Thomas J. Wickman
  • Patent number: 8408142
    Abstract: In a guide rail type vehicle, a guide wheel includes a main guide wheel that rolls in contact with a main guide rail and a branch guide wheel that rolls in contact with a branch guide rail, a guide frame includes a guide arm that extends in a vehicle width direction and a guide link, the guide arm and the guide link are rotatably connected to each other via a first rotational shaft, the guide link includes a second rotational shaft in which the main guide wheel and the branch guide wheel are rotatably mounted to both ends, a buffer mechanism is provided between the guide arm and the guide link, and when the guide link rotates around the first rotational shaft with the guide wheel contacting with the guide rail, the buffer mechanism suppresses rotation of the guide link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Maeyama, Hiroyuki Kono, Kousuke Katahira
  • Patent number: 8327772
    Abstract: A bogie for a low floor type railway vehicle, in which the accuracy of the distance between left and right wheels is enhanced and which enables a vehicle body to be low-floored. The bogie has a bogie frame for supporting the body of the railway vehicle, a main axle and an auxiliary axle arranged so as to laterally extend at the front and rear in the traveling direction of the bogie frame, wheels attached to both the left and right sides of each of the axles, shaft boxes attached to both the left and right sides of each of the axles and supporting the axle, and shaft box support devices respectively supporting each of the shaft boxes by elastically joining the shaft boxes and the bogie frame together. The wheels attached to the main axle are large-diameter wheels, and the wheels attached to the auxiliary axle are small-diameter wheels having a smaller diameter than the large-diameter wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasumasa Oku, Shinya Matsuki, Masaru Tachibana, Yoshinori Seki, Noboru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8215240
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a bimodal container chassis of differing lengths in a gooseneck type as well as a flat beam type for supporting ISO and domestic containers and other cargo during highway as well as railway transit. The bimodal container chassis has a front end equipped with a king-pin for connecting to a tractor and a rear end equipped with braking and suspension components, axles, wheels and tires, which make the bimodal container chassis suitable for road transport. The bimodal container chassis has front and rear ends for connecting, and thereby suspending, the bimodal container chassis including but not limited to its payload between two rail bogies, which make the bimodal container chassis suitable for rail transit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: RailRunner N.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Graaff, Marieno P. Graveland, Michael W. Diluigi, Gary L. Fenton, Thomas J. Draxler
  • Patent number: 8151713
    Abstract: The guidance system comprises two guidance devices (16) mounted in opposite directions either side of the axle (2) and each comprising: a guidance arm (17) terminated by at least one guidance roller (18); a set of articulated connecting rods serving as a deformable link interface (23) between the axle and the guidance arm; and a jack (29) with two independent and opposing rods (30, 31), having a “rods extended” position in which its two rods lock the set of connecting rods to render it rigid and orient the axle, and a “rods retracted” position in which the set of connecting rods is free and allows a lateral oscillation. Preferably, the jack (29) offers an additional function for damping the lateral oscillation. This invention is of interest in the field of the guidance of public transport road vehicles by a rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Lohr Industrie
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Andre
  • Patent number: 8141496
    Abstract: A sliding body (25) which includes an electrical contact shoe (32) that moves on a guide rail (5) along the length thereof. The sliding body (25) is mounted to the front of a guiding assembly, in the direction of movement of a vehicle, and articulated with the assembly by a connecting rod (26) that is designed to rupture upon exceeding a pre-determined limit. The sliding body (25) includes a device (43), which is located on at least one of the sides of the body, for lifting and releasing objects or debris. The loss of electrical contact between the shoe and the rail enables a risk of derailment to be detected. The invention is suitable for rail-guided vehicle manufactures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Lohr Industrie
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Andre
  • Patent number: 8074577
    Abstract: Structure of a bifurcation site and crossover site of a guideway in a guided vehicle transportation system; in which the guideway consists of left and right roadbeds, a depression between the roadbeds, and a guard rail having a U-shaped groove laid down on the depression; and a fail-safe mechanism is constituted by the guard rail and guard wheels attached to the vehicle; is proposed. The vehicle is equipped with automatic steering mechanisms for steering front and rear wheels and guard wheels supported laterally rotatably by front and rear supporting arms which are supported laterally rotatably underside the vehicle. The guard wheels are received in the groove of the guard rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunji Morichika, Katsuaki Morita, Masahiro Yamaguchi, Kosuke Katahira, Yasuhiro Nagamichi
  • Patent number: 7975618
    Abstract: The invention is a hybrid wheel apparatus with a hybrid roadway apparatus that greatly reduces the energy lost due to rolling resistance where operation is on the hybrid roadway, but the system is configured to allow operation on conventional roads as needed. The hybrid wheel system is a steel wheel used in combination with a rubber tired wheel. The hybrid roadway is a low profile steel rail fixed to the otherwise conventional road surface, which is preferably concrete but could also be the very common asphalt composition. Where roadways are appropriately equipped with rails, the rail top surface is elevated over the roadway surface, and dimensions are set so that most of load force is carried on the steel wheel for general forward travel. Where the rail is absent the load is carried on the rubber tire, and the steel wheel is elevated above the roadway surface such that contact between the steel wheel and the roadway is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventor: James Kenneth Bullis
  • Patent number: 7891303
    Abstract: A system for guiding a vehicle along a guiding rail includes a guide roller device, with at least one rolling bearing roller and at least one lateral roller having a diameter and shape contacting the rail so that the lateral roller has the same speed at a point of contact with the rail as the central bearing roller on a rolling surface on the rail. The system can be used for tramways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Societe Europeenne d'Ingeniere Mecanique - Eurodim
    Inventors: Bernard Dupont, Luo Boulat, Rémi Forget
  • Patent number: 7886670
    Abstract: An articulating camera transport apparatus and corresponding methods involving an articulating camera truck for accommodating a camera element and for engaging a set of camera dolly tracks, the tracks having a curvature, the truck including a carrier and an undercarriage, the undercarriage having a plurality of articulating wheels and a structure for gimbaling the plurality of articulating wheels for accommodating the curvature and for facilitating a smooth passage of the truck along the tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: J.L. Fisher, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20100043665
    Abstract: A transport system for providing increased capacity to move individuals and freight while still accommodating the individual needs of passengers and freight movers to travel to unique destinations. The transit system including a car including a set of switching wheels that are designed to engage with a set of switching rails, the switching wheels being moveable to selectively engage with the switching rails to either maintain the car on the track or switch the car off to another track. The car has the capability to travel on the relatively high-speed track and on a conventional surface street.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventor: Georges Brigham
  • Patent number: 7640865
    Abstract: A rail car mover for road-rail operation is enabled for shunting rail cars that are guided on two parallel rails. The rail car mover has a bogie and wheels which are mounted thereon and have rubber tires. Each wheel is assigned a bolt element, or a disk, which can be moved by way of an adjusting device from a first retracted position for the road mode in which the ground-side end face of the bolt element is located above the rolling level of the wheel, beyond the rolling level in the direction of the ground into a second deployed position for the rail mode in which the ground-side end face of the bolt element is located underneath the rolling level in such a way that the external circumferential faces of the bolt element of two wheels which are assigned to one another extend along the inner lateral edges and/or the outer lateral edges of the rails in order to guide the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Inventor: Wolfgang Zappel
  • Patent number: 7637216
    Abstract: An articulating camera transport apparatus and corresponding methods involving an articulating camera truck for accommodating a camera element and for engaging a set of camera dolly tracks, the tracks having a curvature, the truck including a carrier and an undercarriage, the undercarriage having a plurality of articulating wheels and a structure for gimbaling the plurality of articulating wheels for accommodating the curvature and for facilitating a smooth passage of the truck along the tracks. The gimbaling structure has a gimbaling mechanism which includes a rocker arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: J.L. Fisher, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Fisher
  • Patent number: 7637215
    Abstract: An articulating camera transport apparatus and corresponding methods involving an articulating camera truck for accommodating a camera element and for engaging a set of camera dolly tracks, the tracks having a curvature, the truck including a carrier and an undercarriage, the undercarriage having a plurality of articulating wheels and a structure for gimbaling the plurality of articulating wheels for accommodating the curvature and for facilitating a smooth passage of the truck along the tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: J.L. Fisher, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20090101042
    Abstract: A glyde-rail apparatus removably attached to a carrier such as an excavator to enable the excavator to mount and demount at any point along a railroad track and to travel along the railroad track without damaging the railroad track. A non-metallic cover attaches to the track of the excavator. A front swing arm assembly and a back swing arm assembly attach to ends of the excavator. A first pair of hydraulic cylinders on the front swing arm assembly and a second pair of hydraulic cylinders on the back swing arm assembly enable rail wheels to be raised or lowered. An operator of the carrier controls the raising and lowering of the front swing arm assembly and the back swing arm assembly from within a cab of the carrier by a combination of hydraulic controls in the carrier and the glyde-rail apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: Glyde-Rail Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: James Foote, Dennis Inman, John Roy
  • Patent number: 7461599
    Abstract: The disclosed is a derailment protection apparatus that may comprise a wheel guiding member or a rail contact member having an inclined surface, a descending device to descend the wheel guiding member or the rail contact member, and wherein the inclined surface comes in contact with a rail, when the descending device operates. The derailment protection apparatus may return a wheel of a rolling stock to be deviated from a rail to a normal position, when the rolling stock with a bogie receives an abnormal vibration due to such as earthquake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Inventor: Masato Hachikawa
  • Publication number: 20080053332
    Abstract: A glyde-rail apparatus removably attached to a carrier such as an excavator to enable the excavator to mount and demount at any point along a railroad track and to travel along the railroad track without damaging the railroad track. The glyde-rail apparatus comprises a front swing arm assembly having a pair of rail wheels which removably attaches to one end of a frame of the excavator and a back swing arm assembly having a pair of rail wheels which removably attaches to a second end of the frame of the excavator. A pair of hydraulic cylinders positioned on the front swing arm assembly and another pair of hydraulic cylinders positioned on the back swing arm assembly enable the rail wheels to be raised or lowered onto the railroad track. A hard rubber cover attaches to the track of the excavator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: John Roy
  • Patent number: 6988451
    Abstract: A rail car mover apparatus for a loader vehicle comprises means to rotatably attach a pair of front rail wheels to a front end of the loader vehicle such that the front rail wheels are spaced to engage the pair of railroad rails and such that the front rail wheels can move up and down in response to forces exerted by a front actuator; means to rotatably attach a pair of rear rail wheels to a rear end of the loader vehicle such that the rear rail wheels are spaced to engage the pair of railroad rails and such that the rear rail wheels can move up and down in response to forces exerted by a rear actuator; and a coupler adapter adapted at a rear end thereof for attachment to a front portion of the loader arms and adapted at a front end thereof for coupling to a rail car hitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Brandt Road Rail Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Marcotte, Barry Burt
  • Publication number: 20040250724
    Abstract: A combination vehicle for the use of various roadways. The combination vehicle (1) consists of a traction. head (14) and a trailer element (15) for requirements of various types of use and in this combination, is determined for three alternative types of locomotion including wheel/road (6), whecl/rails (7) and magnetic levitation (8). For the whecl/rails (7) and wheel/road (6) types of locomotion, the vehicle is provided with a combined flange wheel (5) and street wheel (4). For its use as a maglev vehicle, at least four supports (11) with extendable or swing-out current-carrying magnetic coils (12) and asynchronous short-stator motors (13) arc arranged on both sides of the chassis.%! For the transition from one type of locomotion to another, the roadways (6, 7) are lowered relatively to each other using ramps. To overcome points of discontinuity such as intersections (38), switches (39) and level crossings, roadway sections (40, 41, 42, 43, 45) are lowered or swung out in relation to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Walter Sobolewski
  • Publication number: 20040123768
    Abstract: A rail car mover apparatus for a loader vehicle comprises means to rotatably attach a pair of front rail wheels to a front end of the loader vehicle such that the front rail wheels are spaced to engage the pair of railroad rails and such that the front rail wheels can move up and down in response to forces exerted by a front actuator; means to rotatably attach a pair of rear rail wheels to a rear end of the loader vehicle such that the rear rail wheels are spaced to engage the pair of railroad rails and such that the rear rail wheels can move up and down in response to forces exerted by a rear actuator; and a coupler adapter adapted at a rear end thereof for attachment to a front portion of the loader arms and adapted at a front end thereof for coupling to a rail car hitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Neil Marcotte, Barry Burt
  • Patent number: 6725782
    Abstract: A railroad test vehicle extending in a longitudinal direction comprises a measurement axle comprising two flanged wheels rotatable about a measuring axis extending transversely to the longitudinal direction and adapted to run on two track rails. A cross member extends transversely to the longitudinal direction, is vertically spaced from an underside of the vehicle and is affixed thereto. The connection between the measurement axle and the cross member comprises two trunnions transversely spaced from each other and mounted on the cross member, each trunnion defining a clearance with the cross member sufficient to enable the trunnion to be freely tilted to either side of the vehicle about an axis extending in the longitudinal direction, a support frame mounted on each trunnion for pivoting freely about an axis extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, and two pairs of linkages, the pairs being transversely spaced from each other by the same distance as the transversely spaced trunnions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignees: Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft m.b.H, Ensco, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bloom, Gary A. Carr, Georg Seyrlehner, Ta-Lun Yang, Günther W. Oberlechner
  • Patent number: 6598538
    Abstract: For use with a road/rail vehicle that is convertible from a road mode for traveling on a road, to a rail mode for traveling on rails, an apparatus for mounting a rail wheel to the vehicle. The apparatus comprises an air bag bearing against the rail wheel and the vehicle frame such that the vehicle frame is supported on the rail wheel by the air bag and such that the vehicle frame can move up and down with respect to the rail wheel in response to motion of the vehicle along a set of rails. A stop mechanism is attached to the vehicle frame and to the rail wheel and is operative to allow the vehicle frame to move down with respect to the rail wheel only to a stopped position where adjacent road wheels of the vehicle are above the rails. A kit allows installation on existing road/rail vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Brandt Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim Semple, Jeff Doka
  • Patent number: 6550396
    Abstract: A guide wheel assembly, which can be pre-assembled as a single unit, is configured to be connectable to a guide frame of a rail guided vehicle. The guide wheel assembly generally includes a fixed component connectable to the guide frame and a rotating component rotatably supported on the fixed component by a bearing assembly. The elements of the fixed component, the rotating component and the bearing assembly are assembled on a shaft of the fixed component from a top or first end of the shaft. The shaft includes a support member secured at a second end of the shaft and configured to prevent the rotating component from detaching from the fixed component in the event of bearing failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kummeter, William K. Cooper, Holger Strubelt, Ralf Krause, Jeffrey J. Schwalm
  • Patent number: 6431082
    Abstract: A guide wheel assembly, which can be preassembled as a single unit, is configured to be connectable to a guide frame of a rail guided vehicle. The guide wheel assembly generally includes a fixed component connectable to the guide frame and a rotating component rotatably supported on the fixed component by a bearing assembly. The elements of the fixed component, the rotating component and the bearing assembly are assembled on a shaft of the fixed component from a top or first end of the shaft. The shaft includes a support member secured at a second end of the shaft and configured to prevent the rotating component from detaching from the fixed component in the event of bearing failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kummeter, William K. Cooper, Holger Strubelt, Ralf Krause, Jeffrey J. Schwalm
  • Publication number: 20020073881
    Abstract: A guide wheel assembly, which can be pre-assembled as a single unit, is configured to be connectable to a guide frame of a rail guided vehicle. The guide wheel assembly generally includes a fixed component connectable to the guide frame and a rotating component rotatably supported on the fixed component by a bearing assembly. The elements of the fixed component, the rotating component and the bearing assembly are assembled on a shaft of the fixed component from a top or first end of the shaft. The shaft includes a support member secured at a second end of the shaft and configured to prevent the rotating component from detaching from the fixed component in the event of bearing failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Stefan Kummeter, William K. Cooper, Holger Strubelt, Ralf Krause, Jeffrey J. Schwalm
  • Patent number: 6352035
    Abstract: A track traveling vehicle having rubber tires for engaging a public road to permit the vehicle to travel thereon, and also having metal wheels capable of engaging rails associated with a track for permitting the vehicle to travel therealong. The metal wheels are supported on the chassis of the vehicle for vertical movement between a raised position wherein the rubber tires engage the road, and a lowered position wherein the metal wheels engage the rails and the rubber tires are maintained in an upwardly suspended non-engaged position. Hydraulic pumps are driven by the rubber tires when they are in the raised suspended position, and the hydraulic pumps supply hydraulic fluid to hydraulic motors to effect driving thereof. The hydraulic motors are in turn drivingly coupled to either the front or rear metal wheels to effect driving thereof when the metal wheels are engaged on the rails so that the vehicle can travel therealong.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Nikken Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro Kashiwase, Katsuyoshi Aida
  • Patent number: 6298792
    Abstract: An improved hi-rail wheel assembly includes a frame connected to an axle tube surrounding an axle, a pair of railway wheels mounted in spaced relation on the axle tube, a first pair of pivotal links connected between a frame and the axle, and a second pair of pivotal links connected to the frame and the axle. The hi-rail wheel assembly is attached to a conventional roadway vehicle such that the extension of said pivotal links effects a downward lowering of the axle and the railway wheels from the frame and lifts the vehicle whereby the vehicle tires engage the railroad track, and the retraction of the pivotal links effects an upward lifting of the axle and railway wheels towards the frame such that the vehicle tires engage a ground surface or roadway. Each pivotal link includes a cam aperture and a recessed cam shoulder surrounding the cam aperture to receive a cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: ESSCO
    Inventor: Robert D. Jackson, Jr.