Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10~7537
This lnvention re]ates to vehicles each carrying
highway running gear witll rubber tire~ wheels and railroad
running gear with flanged railroad wheels with means to alternately
raise and lower the highway running gear and railroad running
gear for selective use for highway mode and railroad mode of
travel.
Such convertible vehicles are disclosed in Such U.S.
patents as Browne 2,889,785, Wanner 3,002,469 and Browne
3,34~,141.
In Browne 2,%89,785 the body is provided with a center
sill which adds considerable weight thereto, the highway wheel
set is of the single axle type and the railroad wheel set and
highway wheel set are both pivotably interconnected via support
arms suspended from the vehicle frame by torsion springs which
are in turn connected to the fxame by struts, all adding weight
and mechanical complexity to the structure.
In Wanner 3,002,469, like Browne 2,889 J 785, the alternate
ground-engaying running gear are both single axle wheel sets
which are supported by a common carrier having arms that are
operatively secured to a rotatable shaft which is in turn connected
to the vehicle by a fork. Rotation of the shaft will allow for
pivotally moving the highway and rail axles on the common carrier.
Here again, ~he suspen~ion adds considera~le weiqht to the
vehicle, does not employ air springs and employs the principle
of rocking about a common member, as does Browne 2,889,785 to
effect alternate selecti~e engaqement o~ the highway or the
railroad wheels on the road or on tracks.
In Browne 3,342,141 which is the most pextinent
reference, the highway wheel sets and the railroad wheels sets
are suspended from the vehicle ~rame bv air springs. However,
the frame contains a heavy center sill, the two axles of the
1~1"7537
highway running gear each support a pair of tired wheels, four
in all, instead of dual sets on each axle, or eight wheels,
thereby limiting the utility of the vehicle for over-the-road
or highway travel. Additionally, the highway wheel axle sets
and the railroad wheel axle sets are pivotally anchored on
brackets connectea to the vehicle frame. ~his is a complex and
heavy construction and uses the principle of pivoting the wheel
sets about a common pivot to effect alternate raising and lowering
of the highway and railroad wheel sets.
It is the primary object of this invention to provide
a convertible highway-rail vehicle which overcomes the weight
and complexity disadvantages of the vehicles of the aforementioned
Browne and Wanner patents and is therefore economical in con-
struction and operation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a con-
vertible highway-rail vehicle in which a tandem axle, dual-wheel
highway running gear supports the vehicle body by means of air
springs independently of the air-spring suspension of the rail-
road running gear and which does not employ the principle of
alternately raising and lowering the highway and railroad running
gear by a pivotal action and therefore does not require the heavy
expensive mRchanical arrangement to pivotally interconnect the
respective running gears.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
positive safety stop in the event of air spring failure wherein a
rubber cushioned stop is raised to a suitable operating position
when in the rail mode yet can be telescoped and stored in a
compressed position when the rail wheels are in the raised
position.
7537
Another ob~ect of the invention is to provide a
convertible highway-rail vehicle of the character described
which is light enough to be competitive with standard highway
trailers and provide a structure which will transmit the high
buff and draft loads to the vehicle required to operate a train
of approximately 50 vehicles without the use of a heavy outer
sill.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
convertible highway-rail vehicle of the character described
employing a novel single axle rail wheel bogie which will permit
the rail wheel-set to have self-steering characteristics suitable
for a 45 ft. long vehicle to negotiate all main line track curves
of 13 or less when the vehicles are coupled end to end and are
running in the rail mode of travel, wherein the axle maintains
a position radial to the curve.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
substantially improved ride quality in the rail mode, while at
the same time providing dynamic stability without bogie "hunting"
or violent oscillations. The free-floating self-guiding design
and geometry permits the rail wheel-set to conform to rail
conditions without transmitting unwanted motions to the trailer
body. Provision is made for adequate and suitably damped
movement in the planes of principal forces, particularly, in
the vertical and lateral directions.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
convertible highway-rail vehicle of the character described in
which the rail bogie is eauipped with an improved air braking
system capable of rapid application, modulation and release of
braking action when the vehicles are coupled as a train, as
compared to conventional railroad air brakes, and which will
require no time to recharge the hraking system after each brake
7~37
application, and which will apply spring braking for parking.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a
convertible highway-rail vehicle of the character described
employin~ an easily operable means for coupling the vehicle
bodies end to end to provide a train of vehicles pulled by a
locomotive in the rail mode, and where said couplinq means do
not interfere with conventional tractor-trailer geometry and
permit utilization of full cubic capacity of the trailer within
legal height and length limitations.
The foregoing objects are attained by structure which
comprises a vehicle body in the form of a semi-trailer of
conventional length, width and height, a tandem axle, dual tire
highway suspension, mounted to the underframe of the vehicle
body via conventional semi-trailer air springs, a single axle
railway wheel bogie behind the highway wheels independently
suspended from the vehicle underframe by air springs, means to
inflate and deflate the highway running gear air springs and the
rail bogie air springs operative with rail bogie and highway
axle lifting means whereby the highway axle and wheel assemblies
may be raised and stored in an inoperative or non-rolling
position while the rail wheels are lowered into rolling engage-
ment with the tracks, and vice versa, means to couple the vehicle
bodies end to end to form a train for the rail mode and uncouple
them for the highway mode, the foregoing components being so
constructed and arranged as to render them easily adaptable to
various vehicle body styles, such as van, tank, hopper, etc.
These and other objects of the invention will become
more apparent as the following description proceeds in con-
junction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
10~7S37
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the
vehicle shown ready to be coupled to a tractor for the highway
mode operation;
Fig. lA is a rear elevational view of the vehicle in
the highway mode;
Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the vehicle in
the railway mode operation with the vehicles coupled end to end
to form a txain;
Fig. 3 is a plan view partially in section taken on
the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing the rail bogie with the high-
way axle and wheel assemblies shown in phantom.
Figs. 4A and B show a sectional view taken on the line
4A,B-4A,B of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is an elevational view looking from the line
5-5 of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of
Fig. 3;
Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the railroad
brake;
Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through
the railroad air spring suspension means;
Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the pneumatic control
system;
Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the coupler taken on
the vehicle centerline;
Fig. 11 is a top plan view of rear sill construction
of the vehicle;
Fig. 12 is a sectional view thereof ta~en on the line
12-12 of Fig. 11;
7537
Fig. 13 is a sectional view taken on the line 13-13
of Fig. 11;
Fig. 14 is a partial rear elevation of the rear sill
construction;
Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 15-15
of Fig. 14; and
Fig. 16 is a longitudinal partial sectional view of
the vehicle subframes and floor construction.
Specific reference is now made to the drawings in
which similar reference characters are used for corresponding
elements throughout.
Referring first to Figs. 1, lA and 2, the present
vehicle is generally shown at 10 and includes a body 12 of con-
ventional semi-trailer dimensions which could be 45 ft. long,
having a male coupling member 14 at its front end, and a female
member 16 at its rear end to receive the male coupler of an
adjacent body as at: 18 to form a train for the railroad mode of
operation, as seen in Fig. 2~ ~,he vehicle also includes a
conventional kingpin 20 adjacent its front end for removahle
coupling to the fifth wheel of a tractor for the highway mode
of operation, conventionally placed, telescoping semi-trailer
landing gears 22, highway running gear 24 including tandem
axles 26 (although a single axle suspension,can be used) each
axle mounting dual tired wheels 28, the running gear being
suspended from the sub or underframe of the body towards the
rear thereof by air-spring means later to be described, and
a railroad bogie 30, to be described in detail later, which
includes a single axle 32 mounting a pair of ~langed railroad
wheels 34, at appropriate rail spacing transverselyi the bogie
being suspended by air-spring means 36 from the vehicle body
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~Q~7537
behind the high~ay runnin~ ~ear 24 and includin~ a novel brakinq
mechanism 38. The arranqement is such that by appro~riate
operation of pneumatic means, to be descrihed hereinafter, the
air springs suspending the highway running gear may be inflated
to lower the ~i~hway wheels 28 into engagement with a paved road
while the air springs 36 of the railroad bogie are deflated so
that the axle and wheel set ls raised into an inoperative stored
position as seen in ~ig. 1, and by reversing this operation, the
railroad wheels 34 can he lowered to engage the track while the
highway axles and wheels are raised into an inoperative stored
position as shown in Fig. 2. In this latter railroad mode, the
vehicle may he coupled as at 18 end to end to form a train to
be pulled by a suitable locomotive. It will be understood that
in the highway mode, when the highway wheels 28 engage the road
and the railxoad wheels 34 are in the raised stored position, the
landing gear 22 is in the load supporting position during which
time a conventional tractor is coupled to the kingpin 20, the
landing gear is telescoped to a raised position and the vehicle
will then be driven as an over-the-road tractor-semi-trailer
co~bination.
Coming now to Figs. 13-18, it will be seen from Fig.
18 that the vehicle adjacent its front end is provided with a
conventional semi-trailer kinqpin subframe 40 which extends
about 52 in. back into the trailer and in one typical arrange-
ment is comprised of upper and lower plates 42 and 44 ~oined by
cross-webs 46 forming, in effect, a box beam. At the rear end
of the trailer ls a rear sill structure 48 which runs the full
width of the trailer, is about 20 in. top to bottom, extends
about 36 in. into the trailer and will be described in detail
shortly. In a standard trailer the rear sill is only 8-12 in.
3LQ~7537
top to bottom an~ extends 3-6 in. into the trailer. The rear
sill structure is secured between the body side rails 61, to its
bottom surface is mounted the conventional longitudinal channels
50 and 52 which mount the highway running gear 24 and, as is
known in the art, these running gear channels 50 and 52 are
about 34 in. apart at the center of the trailer, and extend
approximately 14 ft. forward from the rear of the body.
Between the rear end of the kingpin subframe 40 and
the front end of the rear sill structure 48 a relatively large
number, in the neighborhood of 35-40 I-beam cross members 54 at
about 12 in. centers are provided, secured at their ends to the
body side rails 61 to some of which are secured the running gear
channels 50 and 52, the upper flanges of the cross members 54
being on a level with the upper plate 42 of the kinpin subframe
and the upper plate 56 of the rear sill structure.
Running lengthwise of the trailer are floor boards 58,
about 12 in. wide, preferably laminated hardwood, which along
their abutting edges are milled into ship lap, tongue and groove
or other suitable joints. The floor boards are adhesively
bonded to the upper plates 42 and 56 of the kingpin subframe and
rear sill structure respectively and are also secured to said
plates and to the upper flanges of the cross members 54 by a
multitude (about 800-1000) of self-tapping screws 59, see Fig.
15. Thus, this floor structure eliminates the need for a heavy
center sill as in Browne 2,889,785 and 3,342,141 yet is capable
of transmitting buff and draft loads of a high order of magnitude
to the vehicle, particularly when the vehicles are coupled and
running in the railroad mode as seen in Fig. 2. Additionally,
side rails 61 extend the full lenth of the trailer from front
3~ to rear and are usually an aluminum extrusion of profile shown
lQ~7537
in Fig. 13 except that in tl-e present vehicle that portion 63
of each side rail heneath the floor is about twice the thickness
of conventional side rails. Each side rail also includes an
inwardly extending, preferably toothed flange 65, overlying and
sealing the floor boards at both sides of the vehicle.
The rear sill structure 48 includes a central casting
60 of generally "T" shape when viewed from the rear ~see Fig.
14), a horizontal hole or slot 64 terminating in an arcuate wall
62 (see Figs. 10 and 12) adapted to receive the male coupling
member extending from the front of an adjacent vehicle, a vertical
bore 66 intercepting the slot 64 adapted to receive a coupler
locking pin and other parts required to accommodate the coupler
pin and locking mechanism as will appear hereinafter.
Extending longitudinally from the casting 60 and
secured thereto as by welding is a web member 68 shown here as
a channel. The upper or top plate 56 which extends the full
width of the vehicle and about 36 in. into the same is welded
to the top of the channel member 68 through openings 70.
Extending longitudinally on both sides of the rear sill structure
for bolting to the median portion 63 of the side rail 61 are
side channel membe:rs 71, the side edges of top plate 56 being
welded thereto along the top flanges of said side channels.
A bottom plate 72 is provided which is substantially
coextensive with the top plate 56 and which is spaced vertically
therebeneath, the bottom plate being welded to the bottom of the
central channel member 68 and to the bottom flanges of the side
channel members 71. Thus, the top and bottom plates form, in
effect, a sandwich between which are welded diagonal braces 74
and 76, the diagonal braces 74 being secured at their outer ends
_g _
1~7537
as at 78 to the casting 60.
Inboard of and adjacent each side of the vehicle, the
top plate 56 is provided with a downwardly indented portion 80
and extending downwardly from the top plate around said indented
portion is a tubular or pipe member 82 which extends downwardly
through a suitable opening 84 in the bottom plate 72. It is at
these two locations that the air spring assemblies 36 of the
railroad bogie 30 are connected to the body structure.
At its rear, the rear sill structure includes a
vertically depending member 86 which is in the form of symmetrical
right hand and left hand members comprised of foxmed plates 88
and 90 which are welded to the central casting 60 and to th~ rear
edges of the top and bottom plates. At their bottom edges,
plates 88 and 90 are welded to a continuous bottom flange 92
which extends the full width of the vehicle.
The bogie 30 which is shown in detail in Fig~. 3, 4A
and 4B comprises a yoke 94 and a longitudinally extending tubular
tongue 96 which is angulated so that its forwardly extending
portion overlies and clears the highway wheel axles 26. The
yoke comprises transversely spaced longitudinal forwardly
extending side members 98 and 100, preferably of cast hollow
rectangular configuration which are connected at their forward
ends by a transversely extending tubular me~ber 102. The tongue
96 is welded to the transverse tubular member of the yoke as at
104 centxally thereof.
The railroad axle 32 may be hollow as seen at 106 or
conventionally solid and terminates in solid end spindles 108
which may be welded into the hollow portion or merely extensions
of a solid axle. A conventional Timken railroad roller bearing
110 is mounted on the spindle 108 and has an outer diameter less
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10~7537
than that of tlle a~le diameter upon which the wheel is mounted.
To provide support for the ends of the axle, the side
members 98 and 100 of the yoke have a downwardly opening upwardly
curving arcuate portion 114. The arcuate portion receives an
arcuate laminated rubber block 116 which bears on an arcuate
steel member 118 which in turn supports the top of the wheel
bearing 110.
Another arcuate rubber block 120 engages the lower
portion of the bearing and the assembly is held in place by a
strap 122 which abuts the lower rubber block 120 and is secured
to the portion 114 by suitable bolts 124. Thus, to change the
wheels,one need only remove the bolts 124 and the strap 120 to
remove the wheel set. The wheels which are press fit onto the
outer diameter of the axle can then be pulled and will clear the
bearing 110 without the need to remove it, a present practice
which requires extra time and effort.
At the location of the forward end of the tongue 96,
which is about 10 ft. long, an arcuate tube 126 is secured to the
running gear channe:Ls 52 and 54 of the vehicle extending trans-
versely therebetween. The forward end of the tongue is providedwith a split collar 123, retained by bolts 130, the collar
having rubber bushing 129, a Teflo~ or similar low friction
material bushing 132 therein slidably receiving the arcuate tube
126. Thus, the bogie is allowed to self steer as the front end
of the tongue is allowed to slide from side to side on the arcuate
tube 126 so that the rail axle is free to rotate about a v~rtical
axis 127 at its center. The steering angle is limited by the
length of the arcuate member 126 and is shown in phantom in Fig.
3 as 125. When the railroad brakes are applied, the arcuate
tube 126 supplies the longitudinal restraint, and also the vertical
restraint to the ~orces produced by the brake torque. It will be
*Trademark of DuPont ~o~pany
--11--
i0Q7~37
understood that while a circular cross-section of the arcuate
tube 126 and bushing 130 is preferred, they can be of any other
suitable cross-sectional shape, such as rectangular, etc.
Referring now to the air suspension of the rail bogie,
there are two essentially vertical legs which are the same;
therefore, a description of one will suffice. As indicated
heretofore, and as shown in Figs. 4B and 8, the indentation 80
in the top plate 56 is designed to take compression under certain
failure conditions to be described later and is surrounded by
a pipe member 82 which extends through a circular opening 84
in the lower plate 72. Secured to the lower plate and to the
pipe member 82 adjacent its lower end and extending therebeneath
is a round air bag enclosing member or "can" 134. Each casting
98 and 100 of the side members of the bogie includes a tubular
upwardly extending vertical portion 136, and pressed into the
internal diameter thereof is a further vertical upwardly extending
member 138 which at its upper end is in turn welded to a circular
casting 144 which is also welded to an inner tubular member 154
and an outer tubular member 156 which is also welded to inner
member 154 at their upper edges. A leg is thereby provided in
which the casting 144 of the leg includes an outer groove 148
which receives a cable 150 which wraps around the outboard
portion of casting 144 and is connected to the longitudinal
highway running gear channel 52. The cable is a lateral restraint,
and shock-absorbing means 152 is carried by the end of the cable
where it is attached to the channel 52.
The leg which is comprised of tubular member 138, the
~asting 144 and the tubular members 154 and 156 are load bearing
members adapted to support about 30,000 lbs. in normal operation.
An open-ended round torous-shaped reinforced rubber
~QC~7537
invaginating air bag 160 adapted to operate at internal pressures
on the order of 100 psi is provided having thickened end portions
162 and 164 which may include wire reinforcements as in tire
beads which are sealed to the rim 158 of the strut member 156
and to the rim 166 formed beneath the position where the can 134
meets the pipe 82. The air bag accommodates lateral, vertical
and fore and aft movements.
A plate 168 in the form of an inverted round hat section
includes a rim portion 170 which rests on the top of the innermost
tube 140, the median portion o~ the plate 168 which extends into
the top of the tube 140 abutting a spring seat memher 172 which
is in turn welded to the inside of the tube 140 adjacent its
upper end. A disk 174 is weldea to the tube 140 at its outer
surface and extends into the space between the tube 140 and the
leg tube 154. In the space between the rim 170 and the disk 174
is a low-friction split circular guide 176, preferably made of
Teflon, which also has gaps in its outer periphery to allow air
to pass through. A ring 178, located in a groove in tubular
member 154, limits the travel of the piston formed by parts 140,
172, 174, 168 and 176.
A molded rubber bumper 180 is bonded to the plate 168
and includes an upper concave surface 182 corresponding to the
dished-in portion 80 of the upper plate 56 of the rear sill
stxucture. The bumper 180 is secured to the spring seat member
172 by a suitable bolt 184. A further lower spring seat member
186 is provided within the tube 140 and a bolt 188 extends
through the member 186 and is threaded into the casting 114,
there being a spacer tube 190 abutting the casting and the
member 186. A spring 194 is interposed between the seat members
172 and 186 which normally urges the bumper into an upward
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iQ~7537
position towards the indentation 80 of the plate 56.
The latch mechanism operative with the afore-described
railroad air bag suspension comprises the following. An opening
196 is provided in the leg member 138 and tubular extension 136
of casting 114 through which extends a horizontally extending
cam finger 198. The finger 198 is an extending portion of the
latch member which also includes a vertically extending portion
200 adjacent whose upper end is a lateral protrusion 202 and
whose lower end 204 is seated in a circular groove 206 in the
casting 114 adjacent the opening 196 in the strut.
Extending longitudinally from the vertical member 136
of the casting 114 is an integral horizontal extension 208 upon
which is bolted an auxiliary air chamber 210 which operates a
piston (not shown) whose rod 212 extends through an opening in
the horizontal extension 208. The piston rod is pivotally
connected by a pin 214 to a bell crank 216 which is in turn
pivoted at its corner by a pin 218 to a gusset 220 of the castings
98 and 100. Between a seat 222 on the horizontal extension 208
and a member pivoted by a pin 225 to the finger 198 is a spring
224 which urges the finger 198 downwardly and, hence, the lateral
protrusion 202 of the latch 200 beneath the ledge 142 of the tube
140 to support the same.
It will be seen that the load support is carried from
the rail to the railroad wheels 34, to the axle 32, to the
bearing 110, to the casting 118, to the leg assembly and finally
to the air bag 160, and thence to the body sides. When there is
a sudden loss of air from the bag, as in the event of a bag
rupture, the load goes from the indented portion 80 of the plate
56 to the bumper 182, to the inner tube 1~0, to the latch 200,
to the casting 114 and then to the axle.
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~97537
To collapse the suspension, that is, to ultimately
raise the railroad wheels into a stored position and lower the
highway running gear into a load supporting position, the air
bags of the highway running gear are inflated. At essentially
the same time, the air is vented from the air bags 160 or the
pressure therein reduced and the auxiliary air chamber 210 is
actuated whereby its piston rod 212 turns the bell crank in a
clockwise direction. The arm 228 of the bell crank acts
against the free end of the cam finger 198 against action of the
spring 226 rocking the latch bar 200 in a counter-clockwise
direction until its protrusion 202 moves out of the position of
supporting the tube 140 thereby allowing the leg assembly to
move upward while the bumper 182 remains in contact with the
indented portion 80 of the plate 56, the parts assuming the
position shown in phantom.
To prevent accidental separation of the bogie from the
vehicle, a downstop cable 230 is connected as at 232 and 234 to
a cross member of the vehicle and to the yoke member 102
respectively.
When the leg assembly is permitted to telescope by the
removal of the restraint of the bumper latch, the suspended
portion of the bogie can be lifted to a stored position while the
vehicle is in the highway mode with the tired wheels engaging the
ground and supporting the load.
A bracket 236 is welded centrally to the cross member
102 of the bogie to which is attached a cable 238 which is
trained over a pulley 240. ~nother bracket 242 is ~ounted on one
of the vehicle subframe members and supports an aix actuator 244
whose piston rod 246 bears against a rod 248 whose other end is
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l~g7537
connected to the cable 238 as at 250. ~he rod 248 extends
slidably through the arms 252 and 254 of a guide bracket 256
which is secured to the cross members of the trailer or vehicle.
At the end of the rod 248 adjacent the piston rod 246 a washer
258 is secured and, between the washer 258 and the arm 252 of
the guide bracket 256, a spring 260 is interposed and wound
about the rod, the spring rating being very high, in the order
of magnitude of 3000 lbs. to counter-balance the weight of the
bogie.
In the rail mode with the railroad wheels engaging the
tracks, the air spring actuator 244 extends the piston rod 246
compressing the spring 260 and thereby removing tension from
the cable 238 when the axle 32 is in the down position. When
the air bags of the rail bogie are deflated and air is fed into
the air spring suspensions of the highway running gear, air is
vented from the actuator 244 depressurizing it and allowing the
spring 260 to expand against the piston rod 246 and to thereby
pull the cable 238 and lift the bogie and, hence, the railroad
wheels off the rails, in which action the tongue bushing 132
rotates around the arcuate member 126 attached to the vehicle.
This is the stored position of the railroad bogie.
The railroad bogie also mounts the wheel brakes, which
braking mechanism will now be described, with reference particu-
larly to Fig. 7. Here again, since both brake mechanisms for
the railroad wheels are the same, only one will be described.
Mounted on the cross member 102 of the bogie adjacent each wheel
is a conventional brake chamber 262, which includes a service
chamber and a spring brake chamber, in the se~vice chamber of
which air operates a piston through a diaphragm and is spring
~o returned, while in the spring brake chamber, air keeps a very
~7537
strong spring compressed and inactive. In the event of a
failure in the air svstem, or in parking, air is exhausted from
the spring brake chamber, allowing the spring to apply brakes,
a commercial unit available from many companies, such, for
example as, Model SB-3 marketed by ~endix Heavy Vehicle System
Group of Elyria, Ohio and Part No. 5178500, Ultra-Brake,
marketed by The 3erg Mfg. Co. of Des Plaines, Ill. Spaced
brackets 264 are welded on the bogie cross-member 102 to one
of which the downstop cable 230 is attached as at 234. Swing-
ably mounted as at 266 between the brackets 264 is a hanger bar
268 whose other end contains a rubber bushing 270 by which the
hanger bar is connected via a bolt 272 which extends through
the bushing and holes 274 in the opposed plates 276 of a brake
shoe head 278 having an arcuate wheel-engaging braking face 280.
The hanger bar takes most of the braking forces.
Centrally of the brake shoe head and opening opposite
its brake face is a U-shaped slot 282. Behind the slot the shoe
contains a transverse hole 284 which receives a roller 286 and
a pin 288 extending through the roller to retain it in the ho~e.
The piston rod 289 operated hy the brake chamber 262
is operatively connected to a slack adjuster 290. Connected to
the bottom of the slack adjuster is a shaft 292 which extends
rotatably through appropriate holes in brackets 296 depending
from the bogie cross member 102, there being~ a nut 306 to hold
the shaft 292 in the bracket 296. The shaft has a cam 298
splined thereon which has an arcuate raised cam face 300 and a
depre~sed portion 302 adjacent the shaft. On each side of the
cam, rollers 304 are carried cn ~he shaft 292 between the cam
and brackets 296.
The brackets 296 straddle the brake shoe head, the shaft
292 extending through the U-shaped slot 282 with the cam ?96
located between the slots, the rollers 304 bearing on the slots
282 to prevent rotation of the shoe assembly. When the brake
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chamber is not actuated and the brake shoe is not applied to
the wheel, the roller 286 rests in the depressed portion 302
of the cam. h~en the brake c~amher is actuated, the shaft
292 is rotated counter-clockwise and the arcuate cam face 300
engages the roller 286 thereby urging the brake shoe against
the wheel. ~hen brake pressure is not applied, gravitational
forces act upon the brake shoe and head so as to keep surface
280 away from the surface of the wheel 34.
In the rail mode, to form a train of the trailers
they must be coupled end to end by means of the male coupler 14
protruding centrally from the front of the trailer and adapted
to be releasably locked into the female coupling slot in the
rear sill of the adjacent trailer; thus, each trailer is equipped
with a male and female coupling member at the front and rear
thereof, which is shown in detail in Figs. ll, 14 and 15. The
central portion of the rear sill construction, na~ely, the
casting 60, is formed with a hole or slot 64 which opens through
the rear end of the sill and whose outer face is flush therewith.
The slot 64 is almost as wide as the casting 60 and is inwardly
2Q tapered as at 308. The male coupling pin 14 is tapered to
conform to the taper 308 of the female receiving slot but has
a smaller included angle between its sides to allow limited
horizontal rotation on the coupling pin 338.
A manually operable locking mechanism is provided to
releasably lock the male coupler in the female slot and comprises
the following.
The central portion of the male coupler 14 includes a
vertical hole 332 around which is a spherical bearing comprising
an inner bushing 334 and an outer bushing 335 held in place by
a snap ring. The bottom face of the male coupler rests on a
spherical washer 337 to permit limited relative pitching and
rolling motion between adjacent vehicles in the train as well
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as the rotation previously mentioned.
The vertical locking pin 338 includes a lower cylindri-
cal portion 340 and an inwardly tapered upper portion 342. The
vertical bore 66 may include a lower hardened bushing 346 and
an upper hardened bushing 348 to minimize wear on the casting 60.
The lower end of the vertical locking pin 338 is
provided with a recessed socket 339 into which ex~ends a connect-
ing link 350 whose upper end is enlarged and substantially
spherical and is pivotally connected to the vertical locking pin
for movement about an axis 352 diametrically therethrough and
restrained in the socket by seat bushing 351. The lower end of
the link is pivoted about pin 354 about an axis parallel to 352
to one leg 356 of a bell crank 358 whose corner is, in turn,
pivoted about an axis parallel to 352 and 354 on a shaft 360
supported in bearings 362 in casting 60.
A bearing 364 in the form of a collar is pivoted as at
366 to another portion of the casting 60 for movement about an
axis parallel to the other axes 352, 354 and 360. Slidable in
the bearing is a rod 368 having a yoke 370 adjacent its lower
end, the yoke 370 being connected by a pin 372 to the other arm
-~74 of the bell crank around an axis parallel to the other axes.
A spring 376 is wound about the rod 368 and normally urges the
rod downwardly.
In operation of the coupler to couple the vehicles end
to end, the front vehicle is backed up toward the following vehicle
until the male coupler 14 enters the tapered female opening 64
until its nose 378 bottoms against arcuate surface 362 of
casting 60. The shaft 360 is manually rotated counter-clockwise
causing the bell crank 358 to rotate. As pin 372 moves past
the line of center between 366 an~ 360, the spring 376 augments
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the rotational action of the bell crank and, through connecting
rod 350, urges the locking pin 338 upwardly through the hole
332 in the male coupler 14. The pivot 354 ends up on the line
of centers between pivot 360 and pivot 352 thereby producing a
secure locking action which may be augmented by allowing pivot
354 to move slightly over center.
To uncouple the vehicles, one applies force to turn the
shaft 36~ which forms the pivotal connection between the corner
of the ~ell crank and the casting gusset 362, through an appro-
priate opening 382 in the rear sill. Rotation of the shaft 360
clockwise retracts the vertical locking pin 338 from the vertical
hole 332 in the male coupler compressing spring 376 and, thus,
rotating the bearing 364 in a counter-clockwise direction about
its pivot 366. When pivot 352 passes the line of centers 366-
360, the compressed spring 376 retains the locking pin 338 in
its retracted position. Further clockwise rotation of the bell
crank is prevented by a stop (not shown).
Coming now to the air spring means and lifting mechanism
for the highway axle and wheel assemblv, reference is made
particularly to Fig. 4B. It should be noted that the highway
axle and wheel assembly is suspended from the conventional
channel rails 50 and 52 by air springs and lifting mechanisms
embodied in a commercially available suspension as, for example,
Model ART-555-B-3 Neway Air Ride ~trademark) marketed by Neway
Division, Lear Siegler, Inc., Muskegonr Michigan.
There are two such mechanisms per trailer axle 26 and
each comprises a trailing arm 384 substantially on the center
of which is mounted as at 386 a bracket 388 which prevents the
axle 26 from rotating and positions the axle on the trailing arm.
The forward end of the trailing arm is pivoted for movement
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around a transverse axis as at 390 to a bracket 392 which is
bolted as at 394 to one of the longitudinal channel rails 50.
At the other or rear end of the trailing arm is mounted a con-
ventional trailer air spring 396 which is secured at its upper
end to the longitudinal channel rail 50 as at 398.
In converting the vehicle from the highway mode to the
rail mode, the air from the bag 39~ is depressurized or vented,
thereby allowing the axle and wheel assembly to be raised. The
means to raise the highway wheels and axle to its stored position
comprises a chain 400 which is secured as at 402 to the trailing
arm 384 forward of the axle 26, the chain being connected by
linkage to a rod 404. A suitable bracket 406 is secured to the
suspension bracket 392. A compression spring 408 is wound about
the rod 404 and is interposed betwen suitable stops. When the
air bag 396 is pressurized and the trailer wheels engage the
grou~d in the highway mode, the spring 408 is compressed. When
the air bag 396 is depressurized with the vehicle body supported
by the rail bogie, the spring 408 expands and thereby raises the
trailing arm and associated axle 26 and highway wheels 28 into
the stored position.
The brakes for the highway wheels are conventional and,
hence, there is no need to show or describe them except as they
are shown in Fig. 9, the diagrammatic plan of the pneumatic
control system which will now be described~
~ ssume the vehicle has been operating in the highway
mode and has arrived at the rail yard to be coupled to other
vehicles to form a train for the rail mode. A hostling tractor
is coupled to the vehicle via the kingpin and the trailer air
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lines, service (signal) and emergency (supply) 410 and 412
respectively, are coupled hy conventional glad hands to their
respective tractor hoses behind the cab. The vehicle is then
backed into position over the tracks. In Fig. 9 and in the
description which follows, it will be understood that the symbols
for the control valves are those adopted by the American
National Standards Institute.
A manually operable, spring-urged, 3-way, 3-position
valve MV-l is interposed in the emergency (supply) line 412. As
seen in the schematic view, the median position is Run, the right
position is Fill Rail and the left position is Fill Highway.
When valve MV-l is moved to the Fill Rail position, compressed
air from the emergency supply line will pass through conduit 422
and shift the pilot-operated, 2-position, 2-way valve CV-3 to a
position (left on the schematic) which will subsequently allow
the compressed air from the emergency line to flow into the rail
air springs AS-5 and AS-6 via the conventional leveling valves
LV-3 and LV-4 through conduit 414 and 416 and branch conduits
418, 419, 420 and 421, but at a very slow rate. Simultaneously,
compressed air from the emergency supply line enters the conduits
422, 423 and 425 which activates the pilot-operated, spring-
return, 3-position, 3-way valves CV-l and CV-2. Valve CV-l
immediately opens conduits 426 and 428 of the highway air springs
AS-l, AS-2, AS-3 and AS-4 to exhaust for rapid deflation. Valve
CV-2 immediately opens conduits 430 and 432 causing communication
with the supply line to allow for rapid and full inflation of the
rail air springs AS-5 and AS-6 for the rail operating position.
Simultaneously, compressed air is a~mitted into cylinder 244
extending rod 248 compressing spring 260 and allowing cable 238
and the rail axle 32 to lower. The air flow to cylinder 244 is
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restricted by a conventional flow control valve FV-l to prevent
the rail axle from falling freely.
At the same time, the bumper unlatch cylinders 210 are
vented to exhaust through valve MV-l to insure free engagement
of the bumper latches 200 (see Fig. 8) when the rail suspension
legs 154, 156 are fully extended. Since air from the highway
air springs is vented to exhaust through valve CV-l, the springs
408 expand pulling on the chains 400 and lifting the trailing arms
384 and, hence, the highway axles 26 and wheels 28 into the
raised, stored position.
When the rail air springs AS-5 and AS-6 are slightly
overextended, valve MV-l is released returning to the median or
centered Run Position and allowing rail air springs AS-5 and
AS-6 to find their proper height by operation of the leveling
valves LV-3 and LV-4 which can now be supplied with compressed
air from the supply line. ~7alve CV-3, since it is not
a spring-return valve, remains in the rail position and valves
CV-l and CV-2 return to their centered or median positions.
While this is unimportant to the highway air springs AS-1,2,3,4
(as they are deflated), it is necessary to prevent air from
being exhausted from the rail air springs AS-5 and AS-6 in the
rail mode of travel.
Valve CV-4 is a spring-urged pressure-limiting valve
which varies from full open to full closed, is controlled by the
pressure in rail air spring AS-6 necessary to support the load,
and to which it is connected by conduit 434. At lighter loads,
valve CV-4 limits the service line pressure and, hence, the
braking force at the rail braking chambers 262. With the
rail running gear now in place and the highway wheel axles
raised into the stored position, the vehicle is backed up by the
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7537
tractor allowing th~ vehicle coup]ers 14 and 16 to be enyaged.
The hose connections to the followiny trailer are then disengaged
from the conventional dwNny glad hand couplings and connected to
the glad hands of the following trailer. The connecting hoses
on the rearmost vehicle are left on the dummy glad hands to close
of the lines.
When converting from rail to highway operation,
essentially the reverse operation is carried out. The landing
gear on the lead trailer is lowered so that the locomotive can
be disconnected and a tractor can be connected in its place. The
valve MV-l is moved to the Fill Highway position, causing control
valve CV-3 to move to the Highway position, subsequently allowing
compressed air from the emergency supply line to be fed to the
levelling valves LV-l and LV-2 of the highway running gear via
conduit 436. At the same time, valves CV-l and CV-2 are operated
through conduits 427 and 429, CV-l inflating the highway air
springs AS-1,2,3,4 through conduits 426 and 428, and CV-2 opening
the rail air springs AS-5 and AS-6 to exhaust through cond~lits
430 and 432 through CV-2. Simultaneously, the bumper latch
cylinders ~10 are pressurized through conduits 431 and 433 pushing
the bumper latches 200 out of the way and thus permitting the
rail air spring legs 154, 156 to telescope. At the same time,
air is vented from cylinder 244 through CV-2 allowing spring 250
to expand and pull cable 238 lifting the rail axle into the
raised stored position. Flow control valve ~V-l has free flow
in the exhaust direction.
When the highway air springs AS-1-4 have pushed their
axles down to slightly below their riding level t valve MV-l is
released and by its spring action returns to its median or
centered Run position. Control valve CV-3 remains in the Highway
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posit:lon, contro] va1ves CV-I and CV-2 return to their centered
~ position and control valve CV-l closes off highway air spri.ngs
~S-1,2,3,4 so that their level is now controlled by levelling
valves LV-l ancl LV-2~ supplied with compressed air through
conduits 414, 436, ~138 and 440.
Coming now to that portion of the air schematic related
to the braking functions, the vehicle air supply origlnates at
the air couplings (qlacl hands) at the front of the vehicle which
are connected either to the highway tractor, or on rails to -the
next vehicle fol~ard and thence to the locomotive. When the
manual valve MV-l is moved to either the "Fill Highway" or "Fill
Rail" position, in a~dition to the functions previously described,
control valve CV-6, a pilot-operated, 2-position, 2-way valve
is also operated through conduit 460 or 462, connectiny the
service (or signal) line to either the highway brakes or the rail
brakes as the case may be. The inactive set of brakes will be
vented to exhaust.
The highway braking system is con~Jentional and shown
generally in the area 446. It is operatively connected to the
service (or signal) and emergency (or supplyl lines 410 and 412
and comprises interconnected brake chambers B-1,2,3,4, tanks
T-1,2,3, hoses, in-axle sensors (not shown) and ratio relay
valves RRV-l, and modulating valves M-1,2 for skid ccntrol as
required by the Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 121 (DOT FMVSS-121) for tandem-axle air brakea
trailers with load capacity greater than 10,000 lbs. Such
trailer anti-skid braking systems are co~nercially available
from many companies such as, for e~ample, B. F. Goodrich Company
of Troy, Ohio
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~Q'~537
The rail braking system operates similarly to a high-
way trailer braking system prior to the anti-lock requirement
of DOT-F~VSS-121, rather than to a conventional rail car braking
system. The brake operating linkage is actuated by the brake
chambers 262 which embody a service chamber and a spring brake
chamber. As is well known in the art, in the service brake
chamber air operates a diaphragm which pushes a piston and its
connected rod and the linkage to the brakes thereby applying the
brakes; and the spring brake chamber operates inversely in that
air prevents the spring therein from applying the brakes.
The service brake is activated by compressed air from
the locomotive independent brake line through the service or
signal line 410 which causes the relay emergency valve REV-l to
permit compressed air from reservoir 444 to flow through conduit
456 through the valve REV-l, control valve CV-4 and conduits 448
and 450. Valve REV-l is commercially available such as, for
example, Model No. RE6 from Bendix Heavy Vehicles Group, Elyria,
Ohio. Control valve CV-4 is a pressure reducing valve in which
the pressure from the service outlet port of the Relay emergency
valve REV-l is modulated by pressure reaching CV-4 through
conduit 434 which is equal to the pressure in air spring AS-6
which varies with the load being supported by AS-6. As the load
on AS-6 increases, control valve CV-4 opens further allowing
greater pressure to be supplied to the service brake chamber,
thus making the braking force proportional to the load. The
spring brake is rendered inoperative as long as compressed air
from the reservoir is permitted to flow through conduits 452 and
454, thus preventing simultaneous application of the service
brake and spring brake.
In a breakaway situation, when emergency line 412 is
opened to atmosphere, the emergency feature of valve REV-l
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applies the service brakes by allowing full reservoir pressure
to flow to the service brake chambers. In the arrangement
shown, this pressure is modulated by valve CV-4. The service
brakes remain activated as long as pressure remains in the
reservoir. Since this pressure leaks off gradually, in a parking
situation valve CV-5 is manually operated to permit the spring
brake chambers to be vented through valve CV-5. This valve
C~-5 is a 2-position, 2-way, manually-operated, spring-returned
valve which allows compressed air to flow from tank 444 to
conduit 452 and 454 as long as it it in its normal position.
It will be understood that as used herein the term
"rear sill structure" includes the central casting 60, the upper
and lower plates 56 and 72, the channel member 68, the side
rails 71, the diagonal braces 74 and 76, the vertical member ~6
and the flange 92, as seen particularly in Figs. 11 and 14.
A~so, the term "bogie" is used interchangeably herein with the
rail wheel-set axle unit and includes the longitudinal castings
98 and 100, the transverse member 102 joining them, the tongue
96, the axle 32 and the railroad wheels 34 and miscellaneous
parts.
Thus, it will be seen that an economically and opera-
tionally viable venicle is provided which is readily and sa~ely
convertible from rail to highway mode of travel and vice versa;
and skilled artisans may make variations without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
_~7_
