Patent · US Expired

Pivot plate assembly for articulated railway cars

US5657698A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
12References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 16, 1995
Grant dateAug 19, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 16, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB61D3/187
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A pivot plate assembly for supporting vehicles over the articulation between pivotably interconnected railway car units, and allowing rolling transport of vehicles from one railway car unit to the next. Platforms are pivotably attached to respective railway car units adjacent their interconnected ends. A vehicle has its front end portion secured to one of the pivotal platforms and its rear end portion secured to the other platform while the platforms are oriented collinearly with respect to one another. The vehicle thereby maintains the pivotal platforms collinear with one another as the railway car units pivot with respect to one another. Accordingly, the pivotal platforms remain substantially stationary with respect to the vehicle supported thereon throughout pivotal movement of the railway car units to stably support the vehicle straddling the articulation between pivotably interconnected railway car units during transport. Bridge plates are slidably engaged to both of the railway car units and span the pair of pivotal platforms to allow rolling transport of vehicles over the articulation from one railway car unit to the next. The platform assembly remains in place throughout lo…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.