Transition vehicle for use with convertible rail-highway trailers
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
United States of America Patent
Stats
-
Apr 17, 1990
Grant Date -
N/A
app pub date -
Sep 14, 1988
filing date -
Sep 14, 1988
priority date (Note) -
Expired
status (Latency Note)
Importance
Abstract
A transition vehicle for connecting convertible rail-highway trailers in a pulling or pushing relationship with the railway coupling mechanism found on a locomotive or a preceding railcar and which can also be converted for roadway use and coupled to a yard tractor for off-rail relocation. A convertible trailer is coupled to the transition vehicle through engagement of its coupling tongue and the king pin adjacent thereto, respectively, by a female coupler socket and a funnel-shaped receiving slot in a load carrying shelf mounted on top of the central tube of the transition vehicle. The convertible trailer is further secured to the transition vehicle by a clamping mechanism which grasps the trailer side walls. The transition vehicle is fitted with flanged rail wheels and a double shelf railway coupler for coupling to a locomotive or a preceding railcar when in the rail mode of use, and with tired road wheels and a telescopic gooseneck coupler for coupling to the elevated fifth wheel of a tractor when in the roadway mode of use. The tired road wheels are retractable to a stored position during rail use, and can be lowered to the ground for roadway use by inflating an air spring suspension system operatively connected thereto.
First Claim
Other Claims data not available