Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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ROAD TRANSPORTABLE LOADING MACHINE FOR GONDOLA CARS
This invention is in the field of railroad equipment and in particular
material handling
S equipment for track maintenance and construction.
BACKGROUND
Rail bed maintenance and construction requires moving various materials such
as gravel,
ties and the like to work locations along the rail bed, and moving other
materials such as
used ties, off the rail bed. The materials are typically transported in open
top rail cars
called gondola cars. Where small quantities of material are involved a single
gondola
car, or a truck adapted for rail travel, with an attached handling arm can be
utilized
satisfactorily. Where larger quantities are required, it is desirable to move
a string of
1 S cars, and preferably also provide a machine with a handling arm capable of
unloading or
loading the material as may be required.
United States Patent Numbers 6,190,106 to Richardson et al., and 6,561,742 to
Crawford
et al. disclose loading machines with handling arms rotatable about the
apparatus to load
and unload as required from the front, rear or sides of the apparatus. The
loading
machines move along the top edges of the sidewalls of a gondola car as
required. Ramps
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are provided to allow the loading machines to climb into position atop the
sidewalk,
however the machines of Richardson et al. and Crawford et al. are not able to
cross from
one gondola car in a string to the next.
To provide satisfactory service the loading machine should be able to travel
from one car
to the next to load or unload the material from a string of cars. United
States Patent
Number 4,099,635 to Leonard et al. discloses a loading machine apparatus that
has the
ability to move along the top edges of the sidewalls of a gondola car, and
across the gap
between the gondola cars in a string such that same can be conveniently used
to unload or
load a string of gondola cars, however no means is disclosed for positioning
the apparatus
on the top of the sidewalls.
Backhoes have also been adapted to travel along the top edges of gondola car
sidewalk.
Such an adapted backhoe is disclosed in United States Patent Number 4,190,394
to
Herzog et al. The backhoe is moved into position on the top edges of the
gondola car
sidewalls by manipulating the boom and bucket of the backhoe. Similar
manipulation
moves the backhoe across the gaps between cars. To move onto the gondola car,
the
entire machine is raised a considerable distance off the ground to a height
equal to the
height of the gondola car, and balanced on the front bucket and rear boom of
the backhoe.
Stability of the backhoe while raising same to the top of the gondola car is
thus a concern.
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Slot trains are also known comprising cars that have no end walls, and have a
substantially continuous floor from one end of the string to the other. An
excavator or
like machine with a handling arm is simply driven along the floor, loading or
unloading
as required. Material brought in must be trans-loaded onto the slot train from
a transport
train that carnes the material to the work site. Similarly, material picked up
from the rail
bed and loaded in the slot train must be trans-loaded onto a transport train
to be hauled
away. Considerable extra time is thus required.
Loading machines are also known that include a lengthy frame that can be
extended
forward and rearward with respect to the loading machine. The loading machine
and
frame are mounted on wheels that travel along the top of gondola car sidewalk
similar to
the apparatus of Leonard et al. To move from one car to the next, the frame is
extended
ahead of the loading machine across the gap separating the cars such that it
is supported
by the gondola cars on each side of the gap. Once the frame is in place on
both cars, the
loading machine is moved along the frame across the gap and onto the next
gondola car
where it can operate to load or unload that car. To maneuver the apparatus
onto a second
string of cars, the first string must be backed up to the second string and
the apparatus
moved onto the second string, the first string must be moved away, dropped,
and the
engine re-attached to the second string. Considerable time is thus required to
move the
apparatus to a fresh string of cars.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a material handling and
transport
apparatus for railroad use that overcomes problems in the prior art. It is a
further object
5 of the present invention to provide such an apparatus comprising a rail car
loading
assembly that can load, unload, and similarly handle material in each of a
string of
gondola cars, and a deck vehicle onto which the rail car loading assembly can
be moved
for transport to another string of gondola cars. It is a further object of the
present
invention to provide such an apparatus that can be transported on roads and
highways
with a maximum elevation of 13.5 feet so as to meet load limitations for
public highway
use in many jurisdictions.
The present invention provides in a first embodiment a material handling and
transport
apparatus for railroad use comprising a rail car loading assembly and a deck
vehicle. The
rail car loading assembly comprises a loading machine having a handling arm,
and a
bridge beam assembly slidably attached to the loading machine such that the
bridge beam
assembly can be selectively extended forward and rearward of the loading
machine. The
rail car loading assembly is adapted to be alternately supported on top edges
of sidewalk
of a gondola car by the loading machine and the bridge beam assembly such that
the
bridge beam assembly can be extended forward and rearward with respect to the
loading
machine to move the rail car loading assembly forward and rearward along top
edges of
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sidewalls of a string of gondola cars and across gaps between the gondola
cars. The deck
vehicle comprises a deck located at a deck end of the deck vehicle such that
the deck
vehicle can be maneuvered to position the deck adjacent to an end gondola car
of the
string of gondola cars. The deck is located at a vertical loading position
such that the
bridge beam assembly can be extended onto the deck and supported on the deck
to move
the rail car loading assembly onto the deck.
The present invention provides in a second embodiment a material handling and
transport
apparatus for railroad use comprising a rail car loading assembly and a deck
vehicle. The
rail car loading assembly comprises a loading machine having a handling arm,
and means
to move the rail car loading assembly forward and rearward along top edges of
sidewalls
of a string of gondola cars and across gaps between the gondola cars. The deck
vehicle
comprises a deck located at a deck end of the deck vehicle such that the deck
vehicle can
be maneuvered to position the deck adjacent to an end gondola car of the
string of
gondola cars wherein the deck is located at a vertical loading position such
that the means
to move the rail car loading assembly is operative to move the rail car
loading assembly
onto the deck.
The present invention provides in a third embodiment a method of handling
material in a
plurality of strings of gondola cars. The method comprises providing an
automotive rail
car loading assembly comprising a loading machine having a handling arm;
moving the
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rail car loading assembly forward and rearward along top edges of sidewalls of
a first
string of gondola cars and across gaps between the gondola cars and
manipulating the
handling arm to handle the material; providing a deck vehicle comprising a
deck located
at a deck end of the deck vehicle; maneuvering the deck vehicle to position
the deck
adjacent to a first end gondola car of the first string of gondola cars
wherein the deck is
located at a vertical loading position; moving the rail car loading assembly
from top
edges of sidewalls of the first end gondola car onto the deck; lowering the
deck to a
vehicle transport position; moving the deck vehicle to a position wherein the
deck is
adjacent to a second end gondola car of a second string of gondola cars;
raising the deck
to the vertical loading position; moving the rail car loading assembly onto
top edges of
sidewalls of the second end gondola car; and moving the rail car loading
assembly
forward and rearward along top edges of sidewalk of the second string of
gondola cars
and across gaps between the gondola cars and manipulating the handling arm to
handle
the material.
Conveniently the loading machine and bridge beam assembly are provided with
bases
and clamps to engage the sidewalls of the gondola cars. The bases are on jacks
so that
the bridge bases and loader bases can be moved up and down selectively such
that the rail
car loading assembly is alternately supported by the loader bases on the
loading machine
and the bridge bases on the bridge beam assembly. When the rail car loading
assembly is
supported on the loader bases the bridge beam assembly can be extended forward
and
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rearward with respect to the loading machine, then the bridge bases are
lowered onto the
sidewall and the loader bases raised so the loading machine can then move
along the
bridge beam assembly. Thus the rail car loading assembly can be walked forward
and
rearward as required.
For travel on public roads the rail car loading assembly can be walked from
the deck to a
lower location on a trailer where the overall height of the rail car loading
assembly can be
kept below 13.5 feet for travel on public roads. Also, for increased
stability, the loading
machine can be mounted on lateral slides so that same may move to the side of
the
gondola car opposite the side toward which the loading arm is extended to
handle
material.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred
embodiments
are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best
understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several
diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a material handling and transport
apparatus of
the invention;
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Figs. 2 - 8 are side views of the embodiment of Fig. 1 showing how the rail
car loading
assembly is moved from the gondola car to a vehicle transport position on the
deck of the
deck vehicle;
Fig. 9 - 16 are side views of the embodiment of Fig. 1 showing how the rail
car loading
assembly is moved from the vehicle transport position on the deck of the deck
vehicle to
a lower trailer transport position on a trailer bed;
Figs. 17 - 20 are side views of the embodiment of Fig. 1 showing how the rail
car loading
assembly is moved from one gondola car to the next in a string of gondola
cars;
Fig. 21 is a top view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 with the rail car loading
assembly on
top of a gondola car.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS:
Figs. 1 - 21 illustrate a material handling and transport apparatus 1 for
railroad use. The
apparatus 1 comprises a rail car loading assembly 3 comprising a loading
machine 5
having a handling arm 7. Means 9 are provided to move the rail car loading
assembly 3
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forward and rearward along top edges 11 of sidewalls 13 of a string of gondola
cars 15
and across gaps 17 between the gondola cars 15 as illustrated in Figs. 17 -
20.
In the illustrated embodiment the means 9 to move the rail car loading
assembly 3
S forward and rearward along top edges 11 of sidewalls 13 comprise a bridge
beam
assembly 20 slidably attached to the loading machine 5 such that the bridge
beam
assembly 20 can be selectively extended forward and rearward of the loading
machine 5.
The bridge beam assembly 20 is moved back and forth with respect to the
loading
machine 5 by gears, hydraulic cylinders, a rack and pinion mechanism, or like
system
10 known in the art. The rail car loading assembly 3 is alternately supported
on the top
edges 11 of sidewalk 13 by the loading machine 5 and the bridge beam assembly
20.
The illustrated loading machine 5 further comprises loader bases 22 with
clamps 30
adapted to engage the top edges 11 of the sidewalls 13 by selectively clamping
to the
sidewall 13. The loader bases 22 are mounted on loader jacks 24 such that the
loader
bases 22 are selectively movable up and down with respect to the loading
machine 5.
Similarly the bridge beam assembly 20 further comprises bridge bases 26 with
clamps 30
adapted to engage the top edges 11 of the sidewalk 13 by selectively clamping
to the
sidewall 13. The bridge bases 26 are mounted on bridge jacks 28 such that the
bridge
bases 26 are selectively movable up and down with respect to the bridge beam
assembly
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20. Front bridge bases 26A are located forward of the loading machine 5 and
rear bridge
bases 26B are located rearward of the loading machine 5.
In the illustrated embodiment, as seen in Fig. 21, the loader bases 22
comprise a loader
member 23 that extends across an open top of the gondola car 15 with flanges
31
extending down from the top edges 11 of the sidewalls 13 along the outside of
the
sidewalls 13. The flanges 31 are operative to selectively bear against the
outside of the
sidewalls 13 to clamp the loader bases 22 to the sidewalls 13. Similarly the
bridge base
26 comprise a bridge member 27 that extends across an open top of the gondola
car with
bridge flanges 29 extending down from the top edges 11 of the sidewalls 13
along the
outside of the sidewalls 13. The bridge flanges 29 are operative to
selectively bear
against the outside of the sidewalls 13 to clamp the bridge bases 26 to the
sidewalls 13.
In the illustrated embodiment the loader and bridge members 23, 27 are
extendable and
retractable such that retracting the member brings the flanges 29, 31 to bear
against the
outside of the sidewalls 13. Alternately, the flanges 29, 31 could pivot on
the ends of the
members 23, 27 and be moved against and away from the sidewalls 13 with a
hydraulic
cylinder or the like to clamp the members 23, 27 to the sidewalls 13.
Similarly an
alternate clamp 30 might comprise a mechanism which squeezes both sides of
each
sidewall 13, much a it would be grasped with a hand. Other clamps such as are
known in
the art are contemplated as well.
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With the loader bases 22 down and the bridge bases 26 up, the rail car loading
assembly 3
is supported on the loader bases 22 and bridge bases 26 are clear and bearing
no weight
so the bridge beam assembly 20 can be extended forward or rearward with
respect to the
loading machine 5. Once extended the bridge bases 26 are moved down and
clamped and
the loader bases 22 are moved up so that the rail car loading assembly 3 is
supported on
the bridge bases 26 and the loader can then move back and forth on the bridge
beam
assembly 20. In this way the rail car loading assembly 3 can be walked along
the
gondola car 15, and across a gap 17 to the next gondola car 15 in a string as
illustrated in
Figs. 17 - 20.
For maximum stability, once the loading machine 5 is located in a desired
location for
working, the clamps 30 on the loader bases 22 and bridge bases 26 are all
engaged to
clamp the sidewall 13. The loading machine 5 and handling arm 7 are rotatably
mounted
with respect to the rail car loading assembly 3 such that the handling arm 7
can extend
and operate in substantially any direction. All of the clamps 30 hold the rail
car loading
assembly 3 stable during operations.
The apparatus 1 further comprises a deck vehicle 40 having a deck 42 located
at a deck
end 44 thereof such that the deck vehicle 40 can be maneuvered to position the
deck 42
adjacent to an end gondola car 15A of the string of gondola cars 15.
Conveniently to
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maintain the relative positions of the deck 42 and end gondola car 15A, the
deck vehicle
40 is coupled to the end gondola car 15A. As shown in Fig. 1 the deck 42 is
located at a
vertical loading position VLP such that the means 9 to move the rail car
loading assembly
3 is also operative to move the rail car loading assembly 3 onto the deck 42.
The illustrated deck 42 comprises a pair of side members 46 that are
configured
substantially the same as the top edge 11 of the sidewall 13 of the gondola
car 15, as best
seen in the top view of Fig. 21. In this way, the loader bases 22 and bridge
bases 26
engage the deck 42 by clamping onto side members 46 in the same manner as they
clamp
onto the top edges 11 of the sidewalls 13 of the gondola car 15.
As illustrated in Figs. 1 - 5 the rail car loading assembly 3 is walked across
the gap 50
between the deck 42 and the end gondola car 15A in the same manner as it walks
across
the gap 17 between gondola cars 15 in a string. Thus the means 9 to move the
rail car
loading assembly 3 forward and rearward along top edges 11 of sidewalls 13 is
also
operative to move the rail car loading assembly 3 onto the deck 42.
Once the rail car loading assembly 3 is supported solely by the loader bases
22 on the
deck 42, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the loader bases 22 are moved up, lowering
the rail car
loading assembly 3 as seen in Fig. 6. Actuators 48 are then used to lower the
deck 42 and
rail car loading assembly 3. As the deck 42 moves down as illustrated in Fig.
7, the
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bridge beam assembly 20 can be manipulated back and forth as required to clear
the
vehicle cab 52 and end gondola car 15A. The actuators lower the deck 42 and
rail car
loading assembly 3 into the vehicle transport position VTP of Fig. 8.
S The illustrated embodiment shows the vertical loading position VLP of the
deck 42, as
seen in Fig. 1, as being in proximity to a vertical location of the top edges
11 of sidewalk
13 of the end gondola car 1 SA. Alternatively it is contemplated that the deck
42 could be
somewhat lower and the jacks 24, 28 longer however by raising the deck 42 up
near the
top of the end gondola car 1 SA, improved stability is realized.
Other rail car loading assemblies are known in the art that are operative to
move back and
forth along a string of rail cars such as that disclosed in United States
Patent Number
4,099,635 to Leonard et al, as described above. It is contemplated that such
other
assemblies could provide the means 9 to move the rail car loading assembly 3
forward
and rearward along top edges 11 of sidewalls 13 and also be operative to move
the rail
car loading assembly 3 onto the deck 42.
The rail car loading assembly 3 may be moved to a new string of gondola cars
15 in the
vehicle transport position VTP on the deck 42 of the deck vehicle 40.
Typically however
the rail car loading assembly 3 will still be too high to travel unrestricted
on public roads.
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Figs. 9 - 16 illustrate the transfer of the rail car loading assembly 3 from
the deck 42 of
the deck vehicle 40 to a second vehicle illustrated as a trailer 60. The means
9 to move
the rail car loading assembly 3 is also operative to move the rail car loading
assembly 3
from the vehicle transport position VTP on the deck 42 to a lowered trailer
transport
5 position TTP on the trailer 60 that is lower than the vehicle transport
position VTP. In
the trailer transport position TTP a top 62 of the rail car loading assembly 3
is less than
13.5 feet above the ground, allowing travel without special permits on public
roads in
many jurisdictions. The trailer 60 can be attached to any road vehicle for
convenient and
quick travel on public roads to any other location where it might be required.
In the
10 illustrated embodiment the deck vehicle 40 is a road rail vehicle having
wheels 41
suitable for travel on rails, and wheels 43 suitable for travel on roads, and
mechanisms to
raise and lower the wheels 41, 43 as required for a desired mode of travel.
In the illustrated embodiment the trailer 60 is attached to the deck end 44 of
the deck
15 vehicle 40. The means 9 to move the rail car loading assembly 3 comprises
the bridge
beam assembly 20 and the trailer bed 64 is configured such that the bridge
beam
assembly 20 can be extended onto the trailer bed 64 to walk the rail car
loading assembly
3 from the deck 42 onto the trailer bed 64 and into a trailer transport
position TTP that is
lower than the vehicle transport position VTP.
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The trailer bed 64 comprises three higher posts 65, four intermediate posts
66, and four
lower posts 67 on each side of the trailer bed 64. The bridge beam assembly 20
is
manipulated over the trailer bed 64 and the higher, intermediate, and lower
posts 65, 66,
67 are selectively engaged by clamps 30 on the loader bases 22 and bridge
bases 26 as
the bridge beam assembly 20 and loading machine 5 are manipulated to walk the
rail car
loading assembly 3 onto the trailer bed 64 and lower the rail car loading
assembly 3 into
the trailer transport position TTP as illustrated in Figs. 9 - 16.
The invention thus provides a method of handling material in a plurality of
strings of
gondola cars. An automotive rail car loading assembly 3 comprising a loading
machine 5
having a handling arm 7 moves forward and rearward along top edges 11 of
sidewalls 13
of a first string of gondola cars 15 and across gaps 17 between the gondola
cars 15 and
the handling arm 7 is manipulated as desired to handle the material. The rail
car loading
assembly 3 is automotive or self propelled, powered by the engine of the
loading
machine 5.
For the most secure operation, once the loading machine S is in the desired
work location,
clamps 30 on both the loader and bridge bases 22, 26 are used to clamp the
bases to the
sidewalk 13 of the gondola car 15.
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A deck vehicle 40 comprises a deck 42 located at a deck end 44 of the deck
vehicle 40.
The deck vehicle 40 is maneuvered to position the deck 42 adjacent to a first
end gondola
car 15A of the first string of gondola cars 15. The deck 42 is located at a
vertical loading
position and the rail car loading assembly 3 moves from top edges 11 of
sidewalls 13 of
S the first end gondola car 15A onto the deck 42 by manipulating the bridge
beam
assembly 20 and loading machine 5 in a walking action as illustrated in Figs.
1 - 5.
The deck 42 and rail car loading assembly 3 are then lowered to the vehicle
transport
position VTP of Fig. 8. In some cases the deck vehicle 40 can then simply be
moved to
the end gondola car of a second string of gondola cars and the process
reversed to
position the rail car loading assembly 3 on the second string of gondola cars,
however
typically the apparatus 1 will be too high for unrestricted travel on public
roads. In that
case a the rail car loading assembly 3 is moved from the vehicle transport
position VTP
on the deck 42 to a second vehicle, such as a trailer 60, in the lower trailer
transport
position TTP illustrated in Fig. 16.
Again the bridge beam assembly 20 and loading machine 5 are manipulated to
walk the
rail car loading assembly 3 from the deck 42 to the trailer bed 64, this time
by clamping
to the posts 65, 66, 67 as illustrated in Figs. 9 - 16. The rail car loading
assembly 3 can
be configured so that the top 62 of the rail car loading assembly 3 is less
than 13.5 feet
above the ground.
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T'he trailer 60 is then moved along a road to a location in proximity to a
second string of
gondola cars, and the process reversed to walk the rail car loading assembly 3
from the
trailer transport position TTP on the trailer 60 to the vehicle transport
position VTP on
the deck 42 of the deck vehicle 40. Then the deck 42 and rail car loading
assembly 3 are
moved into a position adjacent to the end gondola car of a second string of
gondola cars
and walked onto the top edges 11 of the sidewalls 13 thereof to handle the
material for
the second string.
Thus the invention provides a versatile method and apparatus for unloading
separate and
widely separated strings of gondola cars. The handling arm can be configured
with a
grapple for handling ties, a bucket for granular material such as gravel, or
other
mechanism such as might be suitable for handling a particular material while
maintaining
stability of the apparatus.
Fig. 21 also illustrates wherein the rail car loading assembly 3 comprises
lateral slides
operative to shift the loading machine 5 toward either side of a gondola car.
In the
illustrated embodiment the extendable and retractable loader and bridge
members 23, 27
can be manipulated to shift the loading machine S toward a side of the gondola
car 15
opposite that side on which the loading arm 7 is extended to handle material.
Stability is
thus improved.
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The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction
and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
modifications in
structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within
the scope of
the claimed invention.
