Roll on-roll off piggyback bimodal terminal system
US5901649A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 5, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 11, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 5, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB61D47/005
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The invention is a system for transporting highway vehicles on railway vehicles. It has rail cars positionable relative to one another at an angle of at least about 50 degrees. Each car has a deck for highway vehicles. The system has a railroad terminal with a first track with switch(es) connected to spur(s) so trucks supporting a first set of car ends may be kept on the first track, while a second set of trucks supporting a second set of car ends is placed on the spur(s). The rail cars are thereby placed in a zig-zag configuration. For each of the rail cars, a truck supporting one end remains on the first track while a truck supporting the other end is placed on a spur. A vector parallel to the direction of travel of a truck along the tracks supporting it has a vector component of at least about 0.25 in a direction parallel to the centerline of a railway vehicle supported on the truck, so forces for moving rail cars into and out of the zig-zag configuration may be communicated by tension or compression along the rail cars. The terminal has a dock or ramp having an elevation about equal to the elevation of the rail cars so that highway vehicles may be driven or pulled onto or off t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.