Abstract: A system for immobilizing a semi-trailer kingpin on a transport vehicle includes a balance arm and a substantially horizontal rigid linking structure designed to guide the vertical movement of the receiving nacelle, hold it in position above the lifting system in a horizontal plane and take up the forces exerted thereon. The longitudinal rigid linking structure is hingedly linked to the receiving nacelle and to the transport vehicle in order to take up the longitudinal forces from same, and the balance arm includes preloaded springs that take up the forces exerted on the balance arm when the receiving nacelle is temporarily inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The lifting system for lifting the receiving nacelle is mounted pivoting on the railway unit at a pivot pin transverse to the longitudinal axis of the transport vehicle.

Abstract: A retractable stanchion for supporting a semi-trailer during transport on a deck of a railcar is provided. The stanchion includes a rear guide support assembly, a diagonal support strut coupled to said rear guide support assembly, and a vertical support strut operatively connected to said diagonal support strut. The vertical support strut an outer frame, an inner frame, and a moveable pull-up assembly. The outer frame includes an outer frame first end and an outer frame second end. The outer frame first end is pivotally mounted to the deck of the railcar. The inner frame is coupled to and disposed within the outer frame. The moveable pull-up assembly includes a pull-up assembly first end and a pull-up assembly second end, wherein the pull-up assembly first end is pivotally coupled to and substantially disposed within the inner frame, and wherein the pull-up assembly is configured to be engaged by a tractor hook and moved from an engagement position to a pull position.

Abstract: An improvement to a collapsible stanchion on a railcar for supporting semi-trailers thereon. The improvement consists of a linkage which is activated by the pulling of a handle away from the stanchion during the operation of raising it from a resting position to an upright position. The linkage exerts a force on a diagonal support member of the stanchion to urge it into a position where the stanchion's locking mechanism may be engaged to lock the stanchion in an upright position.

Abstract: A rail road car has a deck for carrying wheeled vehicles. The car has deck access fittings mounted between the trucks near a collapsible hitch to provide access to the highway trailer landing gear crank, and flush mounted internal bridge plates. The rail road car has side sills having flared ends to act as a guide for the highway trailers as they are backed up. The hitch is trimmed to a relatively narrow width to lessen the likelihood of fouling the tyres of the highway trailer bogies. The car has intermediate bridge plates having a flush mounted portion to facilitate hostler truck operation. The car includes dual use cross-beams suitable for supporting the deck, acting as jacking beams to permit the car to be lifted, and as container pedestal support beams, if required.

Abstract: A highway trailer carrier has a support base, front and back lift braces attached to the support base, and at least one trailer support attached to the support base for supporting part of the trailer. The support is attachable to the trailer and collapsible so that it does not interfere during loading and unloading. The support base further has wheel wells and anchors for securing the trailer to the support base. Both the support base and the lift braces include mounting fixtures for securing the carrier to other carrier(s) and/or cargo containers, for instance, using a stacking device(s) with twist locks that engage and lock onto the mounting fixtures.

Abstract: A tractor (20) for unloading a trailer (12) from a railcar (14) is disclosed. The tractor (20) comprises a trigger actuator (34) and a bumper (30). The trigger actuator (34) is fixably mounted to the tractor (20) and remains stationary. The bumper (30) of the tractor (20) may be operated between an extended position and a retracted position. When the bumper (30) is in the extended position and the tractor (20) is adjacent to a stanchion (16), the trigger actuator (34) does not engage the trigger of the stanchion (16). When the bumper (30) is in the retracted position and the tractor (20) is adjacent to the stanchion (16), the trigger actuator (34) engages the trigger (28) of the stanchion (16) to operate the stanchion (16) from the raised position to the lowered position, thereby transferring the trailer (12) from the stanchion (16) to the tractor (20).

Abstract: A stanchion or hitch for supporting a semi-trailer on a rail car includes a vertical support member having a base end and a top end with a fifth wheel attached to the top end. A base member is attached to the base end of the vertical support member. The base member includes a plurality of releasable connectors for attaching the base member to the bed of the rail car. The fifth wheel is pivotably attached to the vertical support member and includes a king pin protruding from a lower surface for enabling the fifth wheel to be coupled to a fifth wheel on a yard tractor. A diagonal brace extends between the base member and the vertical support member to prevent collapse of the vertical support member. The rail car bed is modified to accept the connectors on the base member in multiple positions so that the stanchion is selectably positionable at various locations on the rail car.

Abstract: In a system for positioning supporting trailers on stanchions of a railroad car, an optical system is provided to allow the operator to monitor the relationship of the tractor, trailer, stanchion and actuators on the tractor. The unique system of stanchion position indicia is provided to allow rapid and accurate selection of the stanchion position. The tractor includes a positively controlled actuator for operating the breakdown trigger of the stanchion to unlock it.

Abstract: A stanchion for supporting a semi-trailer for transport on a bed of a rail car comprises a generally vertically-oriented support member having a base end and a top end, with a fifth wheel mounted to the top end. A diagonal strut attached to the support member extends angularly downward. A first plate member is positioned on the rail car bed and has a first pin extending therethrough and into the rail car bed for pivotally attaching the plate member to the rail car. A second pin extends through the plate member and into the rail car bed to prevent rotation of the plate member about the first pin. Flanges on a top surface of the plate member are attached to the support member and the strut, allowing orientation of the fifth wheel to be reversed by rotating the plate member about the first pin.

Abstract: An improved articulated railway spine car unit for carrying highway truck trailers and/or containers has a center sill which extends substantially the entire length of the car unit. The center sill has end portions with upper surfaces depressed with respect to the upper surface of a longitudinally extended center portion. A retractable fifth wheel or trailer hitch is located on the upper surface of at least one end portion of the center sill. The upper surface of the trailer hitch, when retracted onto the center sill, is at substantially the same level as the center portion of the center sill. The raised center sill center portion both provides backup support for the floors of containers carried on the car unit, and also increases the center sill's structural rigidity and resistance to bending deflection.

Abstract: A trailer sensor (83) for use on a retractable railcar trailer hitch (1) is disclosed. The hitch has a hitch head (3) for capturing a kingpin (K) of a trailer (T), a locking mechanism (35) for latching the hitch in its erect position, and a manually operable release mechanism (67) for retracting the hitch. A movable sensing element (85) carried on the hitch head senses the presence or absence of a trailer. A rod (93) moves the sensing element in response to operation of the release mechanism. If a trailer is supported by the hitch, the assembly blocks movement of the sensor and prevents retraction of the hitch. If no trailer is supported by the hitch, the sensing element allows the release mechanism to unlock the hitch so it can retract.

Abstract: This invention relates to a low profile collapsible hitch for use in securing a container or a trailer on a transport carrier having a vertical strut assembly having an upper end for supporting a king pin receiving plate and a lower end pivotally secured by a pivot mount assembly secured to a deck of the transport carrier, a diagonally extending strut assembly having an upper end pivotally connected to the upper end of the vertical strut assembly and having a lower end pivotally connected to a locking hook assembly which is slidable along the surface of the deck, an anchor for limiting the movement of the diagonal strut assembly during erection of said apparatus, a pair of lock blocks engageable by the locking hook assembly for locking the vertical strut assembly in erected position, the anchor and the lock blocks defining therebetween a path for reciprocal movement of the lower end of the diagonally extending support strut assembly, and release members associated with each of the lock blocks and cooperativel

Abstract: A retractable trailer hitch (1) for use on an intermodal railcar (C) supports an over-the-road trailer (T) of the railcar when the hitch is in its raised position. The hitch includes a hitch head (3) which is releasably securable to the king pin (K) of the trailer. The hitch head is supported by a first or generally vertical support strut (9) and by a second or a diagonal support strut (7), both of these struts being pivotally connected to the hitch head. The lower end of the first strut is pivotally secured in fixed position to the railcar and the lower end of the second strut is selectively locked in a fixed position with respect to the railcar when the hitch is in its raised position. A latch mechanism is carried on the lower end of the second strut so as to positively maintain the hitch in its raised position.

Abstract: A collapsible container has a top frame and bottom frame with folding walls having predetermined fold lines therein. The container has a closed position which is a flat platform configuration. In this configuration the walls are folded within the platform which may be used as a pallet for piece goods. The container has an open position where the top frame is raised and the container can be integral with a wheeled vehicle and used as a bulk carrier. Thus the container can be used for one shipment as a pallet for piece goods and for a next shipment as a bulk carrier.

Abstract: A rail car is adjustable in length to accommodate the mounting thereon of cargo containers of various lengths and widths, such as the presently employed 20 foot, 40 foot, 45 foot and 48 foot lengths and 96 and 102 inch widths. Length adjustment is effected either by forming the rail car frame in two telescopic end sections, or by providing an extensible coupling tongue on one or both ends of the rail car frame. The rail car also may incorporate a collapsible fifth wheel connector for the king pin of a cargo container trailer chassis to accommodate transport of a trailer-mounted cargo container. The rail car also includes structure by which it may be manipulated by external lifting equipment to stack a plurality of the rail cars one atop another, either for stationary storage in a rail yard or for transport in a train to another location.

Abstract: A system for transporting a semi-trailer with a king pin and a wheel assembly on first and second drawn vehicles includes a stanchion on the first vehicle for releasably securing the trailer king pin. Ramp assemblies are provided on the vehicles and are extendable therebetween for loading and unloading the trailer. A pair of wheel cradles are independently and pivotally mounted to a butt plate box which in turn is adjustably mounted on a platform of the second vehicle. The wheel cradles receive the wheel assembly and have combination chocks and ramps pivotally mounted thereon.

Abstract: A system for moving receptacles such as highway semi-trailers on railway trains. The system includes a plurality of rail bogies as the sole support of adjacent rear and front ends of the trailers and as the sole connection means between the trailers, to form the trains. The rail bogie has a frame structure supported on spaced apart wheeled axles, defining a pair of end deck surfaces positioned above the wheeled axles and a central drop-deck surface disposed between and below the end deck surfaces. A vertically adjustable fifth wheel assembly is supported above each of the end deck surfaces for receipt of a semi-trailer king pin. A deck plate member is pivotally secured to the drop-deck surface. A pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending, internal and external rub-rail members extend upwardly from the drop-deck plate member for receipt of semi-trailer tandems therebetween.

Abstract: Pivot mounts for enabling pivotal attachment of support struts of a fifth wheel hitch assembly to the deck of a raiway car are provided with a fabricated inverted U shaped torque box or beam fixed transversely between upright pivot mount plates of the center sill mounted hitch on the railway car for structural strength and rigidity. Due to the torque box the mount is sufficiently rigid to preclude the need to attach the pivot mount to the inside of the box sill of a railway car.

Abstract: A rear pivot mount assembly for a fifth wheel hitch assembly for railway cars has a multiplanar support beam which coacts with a transverse support plate to tie together and rigidify the components of the pivot mount. The multiplanar support beam and transverse support plate affectively transfer loads imposed upon a pivotal connection to the outside of a center sill which provides the longitudinal and load bearing support for the railway car.

Abstract: The intermodal rail truck and coupling system for the coupling of two intermodal containers, two conventional rail cars, or an intermodal container and a conventional rail comprising a rail truck frame having a central longitudinal axis and wheel supports for rotatable securement of conventional rail wheels for use on conventional rails. Two conventional rail car coupler means are positioned at opposite ends of said frame along said longitudinal axis, and are vertically adjustable to a height equal to conventional rail car couplers which defines the load line of conventional rail cars, and are lowerable below that load line when not used. Two fifth-wheel pancake members are also positioned at opposite ends of said frame along said longitudinal axis and have means for receipt and pivotable securement of fifth-wheel kingpins of intermodal containers.

Abstract: A convertible freight car operable as a flatbed car for receiving items such as lumber and the like or as a bulk storage freight car for bulk items such as grain or the like. The freight car is converted from the flatbed car to the bulk storage freight car when the flatbed is elevated upward permitting a plurality of flexible containers attached to the underside of the flatbed to be extended to form containers for receiving bulk goods or liquids.

Abstract: A railway transport vehicle including a single load carrying beam having a novel coupling mechanism provided at each end and with one end including a rail truck and hydraulic lifters for lifting that end of the beam from a lowered position to a trailer axel engaging and lifting position, an upstanding support disposed proximate the other end of the beam for mating with and supporting the fifth wheel of the trailer unit to be transported, and a jack for lifting that end of the beam into a coupling position.

Abstract: Safety apparatus for a mining machine having a gathering head for gathering product (e.g., coal) in a mine, a conveyor system which extends rearwardly along the machine from the gathering head for conveying the product rearwardly for discharge at the rear of the machine, and power generating equipment for driving the conveyor system and the gathering head. The conveyor system comprises an elongate conveyor support or structure pivotally mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine between lowered and raised positions. The machine has a frame having a rear bottom section below the conveyor support and sides extending upwardly from the rear bottom section. Hydraulic lift means is provided between the rear bottom section and the support powered by the power equipment for pivoting the support. Access is provided between the support and the rear bottom section, when the support is raised, for personnel servicing machine components located in this area.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a trailer hitch is provided including a vertical strut and a diagonal strut which support a hitch head or fifth wheel adapted to engage the kingpin of a highway trailer. Removable pins are provided at the base of the vertical strut to enable the hitch to be pivoted to the retracted position. The vertical strut includes a pair of lifting lugs located on either side of the hitch head and which are each adapted to receive a strong, flexible connection from an overhead crane. The lugs are located inboard of the combined center of mass of the hitch head and the vertical strut toward the diagonal strut a distance sufficient to cause the vertical strut to pivot inboard toward the diagonal strut when the hitch is lifted by the crane.