GB2183567A - Two-purpose vehicle for travelling on roads and railroads - Google Patents

Abstract

A framework (12) with downwardly directed arms (17) is connected to the beam or stringers (5) of the frame of a truck. Supporting means (23) of railway axles (22) are hinged on said arms so that they can be rotated around the hinge and brought from an external operating position to a retracted idle position through motor means (53). The engine used for road travel works also for railroad travel through a power takeoff (10), that can be disengaged, and the power takeoff (10) drives a pump (11) that feeds a fluid-operated rotary engine (53). The engine (53) drives one of the railway axles through a reduction gear (52). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Two-purpose vehicle for travelling on roads or railroads This invention relates to a motor vehicl e of the ki nd that can travel both on roads as a conventional truck, thus being able to carry goods and/or passengers, and on railroad as a conventional railcar,thevehicle being of the type comprising at leastone engine, road axles and rail axles supported so thatthey can be brought from an operating position to a retracted idle position and viceversa.

Vehicles ofthis kind are well known and are expressly designed and constructed to fulfil the twofold road and railroad function. Forthis reason they are particularly complex and costly (because the market demand does notjustify mass production) and,whatis more important,they representcon- struction sites means in that they are not qualified for goods transport on roads as normal trucks, but only for movement at construction sites or in the neighbourhood thereof.

Road vehicles are also known that can be used on railroads after replacement of the road wheels with rail ones, butthis involves not only long and inconvenient wheel replacement operations, but even the use ofsuspensionsthat, as they need to meetdifferenttravelling conditions, represent a compromise that, as such, cannot be considered as satisfactory.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a vehicle that can be considered as a real road vehicle when it travels on a road and a real railroad vehicle when it travels on a railroad, as it is equipped with independent suspensions specific forthe two differenttravelling conditions.

According to our invention in a vehicle of the kind set forth having a frame incorporating a beam, a second frame is connected to the beam, and the second frame carrying hinged and retractable railway axles whereby, when the vehicle travels on a railroad, the second frame shifts the weight ofthe road vehicle onto the railway axles themselves.

Preferable the road transport vehicle, which is one ofthecomponents ofthe multipurposevehicle ofthe invention, provides a conventionally selectable outlet or power take-off, with disengagement of axle operation, that drives a pump to control a conventional fluid rotary engine, and the engine acts on a railway axle, preferably th rough a wheelwork reduction gear.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description, provided byway of example, of but not limited to, a preferred form of embodiment, shown in the attached drawing where: Figures land are schematic side and plan views respectively ofthe vehicle of the invention; Figures 3 and 4showviews, similarto the preceding ones, of a variant ofthe vehicle; Figures 5and 6 are less schematic but partial side and plan views respectively ofthe vehicle of Figures 1 and 2.

With reference to Figures 1,2,5 and 6,1 indicates a convention road vehicle showing the driver's cab 2, the frame 3, the road axles with tyres 4with their sus- pensions 4A. The frame 3 comprises a longitudinal beam consisting of two parallel stringers 5 conventionally interconnected by cross-members, which are not shown. The road vehicle is conventionally provided with an engine with its own gear box and clutch, a driving shaft 6, a transfer case 7 and two outlets, one, 9, connected to the differential gear8 installed on the rear axle, and the other, 10, providing a powertakeoff, connected, according to the invention, to a pump 11 that can be supported in any known way ofthe stringers 5 ofthe frame 3.Thefunction ofthe pump in question will be explained later on.

In accordance with the invention, a second frame 12 is provided which consists, in this example, of a pair of parallel stringers 13 and cross-members 14 and 15 as well as ofsidepieces 16, the frame 12 is connected to the frame 3 by bolts and the like.

The sidepieces 16 project from both sides of the frames 3 and 12. Pairs of parallel downward arms 17 and 1 7A are provided at the ends of such sidepieces.

Attheirlowerends, such arms 17 and 17Aforkinto two branches 18a, 18b and 19a, 19b. Arms 20 are hinged, at 21, on branches 1 8a and bear a front railway axle 22 through a conventional railway suspension 23 consisting of: a bushing 24travelling in the guides 25which arefixed tothe arms 20, a compression spring 26 and a crossbar 27 that closes the guide at the bottom.

The arms 20 are hinged atthetip, at 28, onthestem 29 of a double-acting jack 30 operated by a pressure fluid. The jack30 is hinged, at 31, to shoulders 32 integral with the arms 17.

In orderthatthe railway axle 22 may be locked in the operating position, holes 33 are provided both in the arm 20 and in the branch 18b that line up in that position, and a lockpin, not shown here, is inserted therein.

Two arms, one upper 35, and one lower 36, are hinged at34 on the branches 19a ofthe rear arms 17a.

The stems 38 of double-acting jacks 39, operated by fluid under pressure, that are hinged at42 on shoulders 43 integral with the stationary arms 1 7a are hinged at 37 on the upper arms 35. The arms 35 carry spring-guide elements 40 for a conventional spring 41 that bears upon a railway bushing 44 where the rear railway axle 45 is installed. The bushing 44 runs inside guides of the arm 36, which consists of two spaces plates 36a, 36b interconnected by crossmembers 50 (see Figure 6). This construction allows the spring 41 to bear on the bushing 44. A railway suspension has been obtained.Conventional railway rings 60 are arranged between the arms 35 and 36 and provide the necessary connection between the arms 35 and 36 that allows the arms 35to drag the arm 36 when the axle 44 is lifted by the jacks 39 and brought from the operating position to the retracted position shown by the dashed line in Figure 5.

A box 51 containing a wheelwork reduction gear 52 is integral with at least one of the arms 36 (see Figure 6). The outlet wheelwork 53A is keyed to the axle 45. A pressure-fluid rotary engine 53 fed by the previously mentioned pump 11 is fixed to the box 51.

The engine drives the axle 45 thorough the reduction gear52.

The end of a shaft 55 ofthe reduction gear 51 pro- jects from the box 51. On said end a disc 56 is fixed on which a conventional caliper 57 can act to provide braking ofthevehicle when thistravels on rails. The caliper 57, thoug h not shown, is integral with the arms 36.

Holes 70 (in the arms 17a and 35) are provided also forthe rear axle 45, and can be lined up to insert railway axle lockpins in the operating position. The disc brakes can also be arranged so that the disc may be mounted on the axle 45 and the caliper be integral with a specially provided part of the arms 36 in a way somewhatsimilartothat used in railcars.Adisc braking system acting on the axle can be provided also on the front axle 22. The braking system for travel on railroad will branch offfrom the one provided for road travel so thatthe driver may brake the vehicle always pressing the same pedal. The scope ofthis invention also provides a simple automatic device that selects the two braking systems (road and railroad) depending on the position ofthe railway axle.

The pressure fluid can be supplied to the jacks 30 and 39 by the pump 11 itself or by another pump such as, for example, the one conventionally provided in dumpers.

Ifthevehicle isto pass from rail (represented in Figure 5 by a solid line) to road travel, the drive will activate the jacks 30 and 39 in a direction such that the corresponding stems 29 and 38wiIl retract. This causes the arms 20 and 36, hence the railway axles 22 and 45, to turn to the retracted positions shown by dashed lines. The vehicle now rests on the road axles 4.

If now the driver wants to switch to rail road travel, he will move the jacks 30 and 39 in the oppositedir- ection, thus lowering the railway axles and causing, due to the different level reached by the wheels ofthe railway axles 22 and 45, lifting ofthe road axles4 and, obviously, causing the wheels of the railway axles 22,45 to rest on the rails. The embodimentof Figures 3 and 4 differs from the one described above only in thatthe rear railway axle 45' is located behind the rear road axle 4', so that the frame 12' is longer.

By removing the rings 60, locking the springs 41 and therefore turning the arm 35 only, the spring 41 can be easily replaced when the vehicle rests on the road axles.

Claims (9)

1. A motorvehicle ofthe kind set forth in which the vehicle has a frame incorporating a beam, and a second frame is connected to the beam, the second frame carrying hinged and retractable railway axles whereby, when the vehicle is used on a railroad, the second frame shifts the weight of the road vehicle onto the railway axles.

2. Avehicle according to claim 1, in which the second frame carries downwardly by directed side arms on which movable arms are hinged, the movable arms carrying the railway axles and the relevant suspensions.

3. Avehicle according to claim 2, in which at least two pairs of movable arms are provided, and which one arm of each pair is operated by a jackwhilethe other is such as to be dragged by the former, the arms of each pair being hinged on the same pin.

4. Avehicle according to claim 3, in which one arm of each pair is guided by a bushing forthe railway axle, and a spring is installed between the bushing and the other arm.

5. A vehicle according to the previous claims, in which at least either railway axle is motorized.

6. A vehicle according to claim 5, in which the motorization is provided by a fluid-operated rotary engine through a reduction gear.

7. Avehicle according to claim 6, in which the rotary engine is fed by a pump driven byan outlet or powertakeoffofthe road vehicle.

8. A vehicle ofthe kind set forth substantially as described herein with reference to and as iilustrated in Figures 1,2,5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A vehicle ofthe kind setforth substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.