WO1989003784A1

WO1989003784A1 - Improved semi-trailers for rail or road travel

Info

Publication number: WO1989003784A1
Application number: PCT/EP1988/000930
Authority: WO
Inventors: Angelo Mangone
Original assignee: Ferrosud S.P.A.
Priority date: 1987-10-22
Filing date: 1988-10-17
Publication date: 1989-05-05
Also published as: FI895791A0; HU212172B; DK27690A; BG60906B1; HU886015D0; HUT53327A; DK27690D0; BG90479A; AU2549288A

Abstract

Improved semi-trailers (1) for rail or road travel have a detachable road bogie (2) and a detachable rail bogie (4). They can therefore travel on rails with the rail bogie (4) alone and by road with the road bogie (2) alone, with all the ensuing advantages as regards construction, operation and organization. Other improvements concern means for mounting the rail bogie (4), means (5, 6) for coupling the semi-trailers, and in particular adapter bogies (C-A) for mounting on the ends of a semi-trailer or a series of semi-trailers to permit their incorporation into a normal railway convoy, in which coupling between vehicles is effected by hooks and buffers. The improvements also permit substantial simplification of the hydraulic circuits of each semi-trailer which are limited mainly to the circuits needed to raise or lower the rear end of the road bogie (2).

Description

"Advanced semi-trailers that can run on rails and on the road".

This invention relates to semi-trailers which can run on rails like railway wagons or on the road like road vehicles, in which the transformation from railway semi-trailer to road semi-trailer or vice versa can be carried out without the use of crane, lifting platform or other similar systems.

The idea of having semi-trailers that can run either on rails or on the road is not new; the state of the art includes several types of road / - rail vehicles already in circulation, as well as numerous Patents and Applications, the most relevant of which we cite below: 1) European Patent Application No. 84308107.6 of the Trailer Train Limited concerning a transport system consisting of semi-trailers in which the road bogie is irremovable, with wheels which can be lifted on the plane of the rails when the semi-trailer lands on a railway bogie: to make a train of semi-trailers, each semi-trailer can be connected to the previous one by placing it on the railway bogie.

2) U.S. Patent n. 4342265 concerning a semi-trailer in which the road wheels and the railway wheels are both removable: on rails the road wheels are lifted while on the road the railway wheels are lifted.

3) European Patent A p p l i c a t i o n n. 84306544.2 "Intermodal transport" concerning a container that can be transported on rails and on the road.

4) PCTUS International Application n. 81/01162 of 08.28.1981 for a convertible road / rail vehicle and wheel support system. 5) USA patent n. 4448132 concerning a convertible road / rail vehicle having road bogies and bogies railroads which can be lifted alternately to allow either walking on the road or walking on rails. 6) French patent n. 743409 concerning a platform wagon which can run on road and on rails. 7) USA patent n. 4416571 "Road and rail transport system", which consists of an elongated container which can be transported either on rails or on the road.

8) European patent n. 0143614 concerning a transport system with road / rail semi-trailer in which the rail bogie is removable while the road bogie is irremovable, but it can be lifted during running on rails.

9) USA patent 2263578, 2513552, 2564311, 2709069, 2879719, 2889715, etc ... From the state of the art mentioned above, in no case does the existence of road / rail semi-trailers appear with which either possible to travel on the road with only the road bogie or on rails with only the rail bogie. In fact, all the vehicles described in the Patents, for performing the road / rail service, are based on a removable railway bogie or on an irremovable road bogie, that is to say permanently connected to the vehicle so that, only when the vehicles mentioned above travel on the road, we can reduce their tare by the weight of the unused bogie, that is to say the railway bogie: when the vehicle is traveling on rails, the road bogie is not introduced, but simply lifted above the plane of the rails and locked in this position. Neither does the existence of a single adapter bogie emerge from these patents, to be applied either to the rear end or to the front end of a road / rail vehicle, to allow its introduction into a convoy normal railway vehicles. The vehicles which can circulate on road and on rails are for the most part semi-trailers which during circulation on the road are placed with the front end on the base plate of a road tractor and, during running on rails, are connected by the rear end, thanks to a coupling device applied at its front end, with the end rear of the preceding semi-trailer. The state of the art also includes numerous solutions for solving the problem of the coupling between vehicles, the problem of the application of the railway bogie, of raising the road bogie, of the automations necessary for carrying out the lifting of the plane of the vehicles. , etc ....

The impossibility of detaching the road bogie when the vehicle is traveling on rails is ultimately the cause of the four major drawbacks mentioned below:

A) Larger tare of the rail semi-trailer, because it is increased by the weight of the road bogie (about 5 tonnes); this prevents the use of semi-trailers which on the road exceed 35 tonnes gross weight, if we want to limit the load for each of the two axles of the railway bogie to 20 tonnes, in accordance with the regulations of certain countries.

B) Need to provide semi-trailers with all these means to lift on the plane of the rails, block and secure in this position the wheels of the road bogie, when the semi-trailer travels on rails.

C) Impossibility of using the road bogie when the semi-trailer travels on rails, to amortize the cost more quickly, that is to say to reduce both the number of rail bogies and the number of road bogies compared to the number of chassis of semi-trailers. In other words, the following components of each semi-trailer cannot be used separately: a) generally closed chassis; b) railway bogie; c) road bogie. D) Higher costs of the road / rail semi-trailer: the presumed cost of the road bogie and lifting devices and blocking necessary to allow walking on rails, is about 1/3 of the cost of the complete semi-trailer. In addition, the absence of a single adapter bogie to be applied indifferently to the rear or front end of the semi-trailer to allow introduction into a normal rail convoy entails, among other things, higher operating and maintenance costs.

The main object of this invention is to eliminate the drawbacks caused by the application to road / rail semi-trailers of an immovable road bogie.

Another important object is to provide a single type of bogie adapter to be applied equally to one or the other of the two ends of a convoy of one or more road / rail semi-trailers to allow the rapid formation of convoys mixed consisting of normal rail vehicles and bimodal road / rail vehicles.

Another important goal is to improve the functionality of bimodal road / rail semi-trailers by providing them with means which allow rapid assembly of both the rail bogie and adapter bogies.

Another important aim is to provide means making the coupling between the semi-trailers safer and faster, in order to form a railway convoy.

For such purposes, the invention solves the following problems: The first problem is solved by applying to the semi-trailer a removable road bogie, that is to say provided with an independent chassis which includes elastic suspensions of pneumatic or in any case fluid-dynamic type, which can be connected, for operation, to the pneumatic installation of the vehicle, to allow, with the raising and lowering of the semi-trailer, the application of the rail bogie: the bogie is provided means which allow the assembly and disassembly of the semi-trailer, which is provided for this operation. A second problem is solved with the design of a bivalent adapter bogie, that is to say that can be applied indif fiercely before or after the semi-trailer, using both the reciprocating coupling means between the semi-trailers and the means which allow the mounting of the railway bogie. A third problem is solved thanks to this invention; this is the problem relating to the supply of an automatic coupling device applicable both to semi-trailers and to a bivalent adapter bogie; this device, with greater positional tolerances, allows the coupling by a lowering movement of the front part of the semi-trailer, without the use of either elastic buffers or traction hooks.

The fourth problem solved by this invention relates to the disassembly of the railway bogies or the bivalent adapter bogie, by means of a device which limits the vertical movement of the rear end of the semi-trailer, that is to say a device which avoids additional displacement about. 100mm. necessary to jump, with the coupling pin secured to the semi-trailer, the rail bogie or adapter bogie.

The invention is explained in detail below with the aid of the ten drawing plates which provide:

Fig. 1, the semi-trailer according to this invention, with the rail bogie in the pre-assembly position and the road bogie removed;

Fig. 1a, a detail of FIG. 1;

Fig. 2, two examples of maneuvers necessary to change the road / rails attitude;

Fig. 3, a section of the coupling device between the semi-trailers;

Fig. 4, a detail of the coupling device between the hollow sphere and the solid sphere of the coupling device of FIG. 3; Fig. 5, a side view of the railway bogie coupled to the rear end of the semi-trailer;

Fig. 6, a view from above of the two positions assumed the interface of the railway bogie, to allow the application of one of its two ends indifferently; Fig. 7, an enlarged detail of the interface of FIG. 6 view from above. Fig. 8, with sections XX and YY, the details of the means which allow the interface to rotate relative to the bogie, and its blocking;

Fig. 9, a front view of the interface connected to the coupling beam of the semi-trailer: the railway bogie is in section;

Fig. 10, the bivalent adapter bogie which can be applied to both the rear end and the front end of a semi-trailer; Fig. 11, the same bivalent adapter bogie provided both for applications to the front part and to the rear part of the semi-trailer;

Fig. 12, a detail of the auxiliary means for blocking the adapter bogie at the front end of the semi-trailer; Fig. 13, a detail of the auxiliary blocking device of the adapter bogie intended for mounting at the rear end of the semi-trailer: sections HH of FIG. 11; Fig. 14, a detail of the auxiliary locking device of the adapter bogie intended for mounting at the front end of the semi-trailer: sections W-W of FIG. 11; Fig. 15, the anti-nesting cross member with the levers which cause the pivots to rotate which ensure the coupling between the semi-trailers on the railway.

Fig. 16, a section of FIG. 15 in which we note the end-of-travel devices actuated by the anti-interlocking cross member and by the hook locking bolt which provides the interface with the po st é r i eu r pivot of the semi-trailer;

Fig. 17, the diagram of the pneumatic installation to which the limit switches actuated by the anti-slip bar are connected, which cause the plane of the semi-trailer to be raised or lowered; Fig. 18, a fragment of the pneumatic installation of the brakes of the semi-trailer concerned by the additional safety device which acts on the brakes. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1a, the main characteristic of semi-trailer 1 is the removable road bogie 2 placed in zone 1a of plane 1b, provided with independent fluid-dynamic suspensions, which can be connected to the pneumatic circuit of the semi-trailer. trailer.

This bogie can be attached to the semi-trailer or unhooked from the semi-trailer both laterally and laterally, using suitable means; in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in these figures, the mounting of the bogie can be carried out laterally with T-sections, 2a, mounted transversely to the bogie, threaded in the grooves 1 to ₁ , defo rm ei de nt i que, ob t enu esdansunb â ti 1 are ndu secured to the chassis 1b of the semi-trailer by side members 1c.

The bogie introduction operation, road 2 can be carried out with various means, such as for example a floor P provided with rollers P ₁ , or a spur F also sliding, fig.1.

To facilitate the introduction of the road bogie into the floor P, fig. 1, it is possible to connect, with an extension, the air suspension circuit of the road bogie to the brake circuit of the semi-trailer, to lift the T-beams, 2a , at the height necessary to be able to introduce them into the T-section grooves, 1a ₁ , placed below the plane of the semi-trailer.

With the spur F, of the fluidodynamic mechanical type, the maneuver for introducing the road bogie can be carried out in an identical manner by acting directly on the suspensions of the spur F.

The road bogie can also be applied by the rear part of the semi-trailer by moving it in the longitudinal direction, after having placed the end of the semi-trailer on the jacks 9, fig.1. In fig. 2 are illustrated the maneuvers for changing the road / rail attitude thanks to the use of a spur F or of the floor P.

In the first way, during phase a, the end of the load surface 1b of the semi-trailer is raised using the pneumatic suspension of the wheels 2b of the road bogie 2, fig. 7, to insert the pivot 3 integral with the semi-trailer in the groove 4c of the interface 4 of the railway bogie. In phase b, after coupling the railway bogie CF, the road bogie is removed with the sliding spur F, actuated by fluidodynamic means, while the semi-trailer is placed previously on its legs 8, thus allowing the road tractor , fig. 1, to detach from the coupling pin 7 applied previously to the plane of the semi-trailer.

In the second way, phase c ₁ of fig. 2, the semi-trailer is moved so that the road bogie mounts on the sliding floor P, placed on the rails, and then the rail bogie is moved and applied: the suspensions of the road bogie need only make small vertical movements adaptation, since thanks to the floor P, the rear end of the semi-trailer is automatically positioned at the height necessary to insert the pivot 3 in the groove 4c of the interface of the railway bogie.

In phase c ₂ , the road bogie is removed with the plane P on which it is superimposed in phase c ₁ : the semi-trailer is placed on the legs 8 so that its front end is raised enough to allow coupling to another semi-trailer.

Phase d shows two semi-trailers after the reciprocal coupling: the coupling is obtained by lowering the front end of one of the two semi-trailers so that the cavity όa of its coupling device is superimposed on the sphere 5 mounted on the rear end of the other semi-trailer. The coupling between the semi-trailers on rails is carried out with the device illustrated in figs. 3 e 4. This device consists of two spherical surface bodies, one hollow 6 mounted at the anterior end of each semitrailer in correspondence with the longitudinal plane of symmetry, and the other spherical 5 obtained in a block of molten steel, placed at the rear end of each semi-trailer. The sphere 5 is mounted on a slide 10 sliding in a guide 11, reacted by an elastic means 8 made of rubber.

A pin 13 by means of the lever 14 ensures the reciprocal connection of the sphere 5 to the groove 6a so as to allow a relative rotation about an axis normal to the plane of the iron, to allow the inscription in the turns even with a minimum radius of 90 or 75 mm. An important characteristic of the device resides in the coupling movement which is carried out by applying, by a displacement from top to bottom, the cavity 6a on the sphere 5. The external surface of the sphere is extended for +/- 105 °, from the vertical, on the longitudinal plane and for approximately +/- 80 ° on the transverse plane of the vehicle. The use of this spherical body 5 is justified by the need to allow simultaneous rotations around two orthogonal axes between them, with the result of the closing forces of the coupling inclined, with respect to the vertical, by a maximum of +/- 80 ° in the longitudinal plane (vertical force of 20 tonnes and horizontal effort of 100 ÷ 120 tonnes) and +/- 20 ° in the transverse plane (vertical effort of 20 tonnes and horizontal effort of 10 tonnes to balance the centrifugal force in the turns). The device which allows the CF rail bogie to be mounted at the rear end 17 of the semi-trailer, consists of a box beam 4, fig. 5, 6, 7, and 9, also called interface in this description, which forms a groove 4c delimited by triangular plates 4a inclined downwards: a coupling pin R ₂ , coupled to the bogie R ₁ of the bogie thanks to the pivot R ₃ provided with a die at the end, is secured to the lower surface of the interface. The interface 4 is blocked at the end of the semi-trailer, after a pivot 3 secured to the transverse beam Le 17 of the semi-trailer is inserted in the groove 4c, fig. 7, thanks to a hook 4d held in the closed position by a lock 4b, and thanks to two forks 18 which thread into two tubular cavities 18a in the box beam 17; the lock is formed by a rod, provided with a 4th handle and it remains in the unlocking position of the hook 4d when the notch 4f is inserted in the lateral edge of the interface. The interface can pivot, around the axis of the pivot R ₃ of the bogie plate, by 180 °, fig. 6, to allow coupling of the bogie to the semi-trailer, by the two ends, by means of a bar threaded into the tube 19 which is integral with it. For this purpose, the studs 27 inserted in the holes 4h are removed from the interface, which, because of the presence of the stops 27a, allow only the rotations of +/- 5 ° around the axis of the pivot R ₃ of the toad. The rotation of the interface is facilitated by an annular plate 23 integral with the bogie CF, on which it is placed by means of rollers 24 so that its plane remains horizontal even during rotation, see fig. 8. The plates 22, fig. 9, made of anti-friction material, are intended to reduce the friction which takes place during the coupling of the interface with the semi-trailer; the sliding of the forks 18 in the tubular cavities 18a is facilitated by the presence of anti-friction metal plates 18b. The blocking of the interface of the railway bogie to the semi-trailer, fig. 9, is also insured, in an emergency, by two studs 25; each stud slides in one of the two holes 4g of the cross-member 17 of the semi-trailer and slides into the corresponding hole 4g1, with a vertical axis, in the interface 4. The studs are maneuvered by the levers 25a so as to unlock in at the same time the interface 4 of the crosspiece 17, fig. 9, during the uncoupling operations of the rail bogie and adapter bogies. The AC adapter bogie is shown in fig. 10: fig. 11 illustrates the two possibilities for which it is provided, to allow application both at the front end and at the rear end of the semi-trailer. It consists of a railway bogie CF similar to the bogie according to the improvements in question, in which the interface 4 connected to the toe plate R is replaced by a functionally equal 4CA interface, but integral on one side with a box body CA ₁ provided at one end with CA ₁ / R bumpers and with the coupling device for traditional bogies and on the other side with two CA ₂ crosspieces, forming a frame, provided with auxiliary means for blocking with the chassis 1b of the semi-trailer trailer.

To facilitate its insertion under the plane of the semi-trailer, the cross members CA ₂ have the ends CA ₂ / E inclined downwards, fig. 10: the fins CA ₂ / A are also shaped so as to form a mouth , to facilitate the insertion of the pivot 3 of the semi-trailer into the groove 4c, fig. 7, maintaining their surface at the same level as the upper wing of the double-T beams, CA ₂ . When the adapter bogie is not applied to the semi-trailer, fig. 10, the interface 4CA and the connected frames CA ₁ and CA ₂ are held in a horizontal position by a device 29, by means of a hook 29a which engages with the pin 28 secured to the rail bogie. This device 29 is also provided with forks 29c which cause an additional blocking of the frame CA ₂ with the frame 1b of the semi-trailer, fig. 10, 13, 14, when the adapter bogie is coupled to the semi-trailer: the operations of the device 29 are carried out using a small flywheel 29d, supported by a crow 29e, which actuates gears placed in a box 29b.

For coupling, fig. 11, with the rear end of the semi-trailer, the adapter bogie is applied in the same way as for coupling with the CF rail bogie, using the same coupling means. the pivot 3 secured to the interface 1b of the semi-trailer and the other blocking means of the frame CA ₂ constituted by the hooks 29c.

For coupling the adapter bogie to the front part of the semi-trailer, the coupling sphere 5CA is used, similar to that used for reciprocally coupling the semi-trailers; this sphere is threaded into the cavity 6a of the coupling device 6 of the semi-trailer: the additional locking means of the adapter bogie, fig. 14, are the same hooks 29c, which engage with the lower wings of the double T profiles forming the frame 1b of the semi-trailer, which, in correspondence with the front end, has a lower height.

So that the front end of the frame of the semi-trailer can rest on the frame CA ₂ of the adapter bogie, fig. 11, the frame CA ₂ is provided with means such as for example bodies of cubic or parallelepiped shape 30, FIG. 12, 13 and 14, which are connected by hinges 30c to the frame. CA ₂ and can rotate so as to form a support plane of a higher height, that is to say equal to the height fixed by the coupling sphere 5CA, to allow the blocking of the frame CA2 of the adapter bogie with the frame 1b of the semi-trailer in the area where the latter frame is at a lower height.

If the 4CA interface of the adapter bogie is in a position such that it cannot be applied to the corresponding end of the semi-trailer, simply rotate the 180 ° interface around the pivot R ₃ of the clip to allow application with the means provided for this: with the application of the adapter bogie, the CA ₁ / R stops, fig. 10 and 11, allow the coupling of the semi-trailer to a traditional bogie.

The semi-vertical plates 30a, fig. 10, 12 and 14, are intended to center the front end of the semi-trailer on the adapter bogie during the coupling operation between the sphere 5CA and the hollow sphere 6a of the device 6 mounted at the front end of the semi-trailer trailer: the CA ₃ stop also comes into play, preventing unnecessary longitudinal movements.

In fig. 15 and 16 is illustrated the operation of the anti-nesting bar AI by the lever 33; this lever rotates around the pivot 33a, and it is integral with a plate 33c; this plate has a shape such that, by pivoting when it is not engaged with the rod 34 maneuvered by the lever 34e reacted by the spring 34b, it causes, with the small rod 33e and the rod 33d, the rotation of the safety hitch 15 around the pivot 33f so that, by superimposing the hollow sphere 6a on the sphere 5, the pins 15a of the safety hitch 15 mentioned above are inserted, fig.5, in the holes 16 of the large plate forming the plane, ensuring an additional coupling between the semi-trailers.

The pneumatic installation which allows the front part of the semi-trailer to be raised by means of the SP bogie suspensions to apply the CF rail bogie or alternatively the adapter bogie, fig. 17, includes a limit switch 31 actuated by the anti-nesting bar AI when it pivots upward to allow circulation on the railway; the end of the stroke, by acting on the valves 36, deactivates the level valve 35 and causes the semi-trailer to rise, by inflating the cylinders SP of the suspensions of the road bogie: the air arrives through one of the reservoirs provided for this, and the maximum height is fixed by the limit stop valve 32.

In the diagram of fig. 18, the devices which cause the intervention of the braking system of the semi-trailers for the reduction of the air pressure are illustrated: this may be due to the rupture of the piping 21 of the pneumatic system, fig. 5 and 18, if the knife 21 which is applied to it and which is secured to part 6 of the coupling device opposes the pivot 15 secured to element 5 of the coupling device, in the event that it it suffers damage.

Braking can also be caused by an operation of the handle 4e which acts on the latch 4b, see fig. 18.

The possibility of removing the road bogie therefore revolutionizes the means of manufacturing and using road / rail semi-trailers.

Indeed, the chassis of the semi-trailer, the rail bogie and the road bogie, form three separable and interchangeable components, which can be built and used separately: this makes it possible to reduce the number of road or rail bogies compared to the number of closed chassis or not of each semi-trailer, since the use of the two bogies cannot be carried out separately, but the use of the first excludes the use of the second. The use of semi-trailers according to this invention therefore allows a drastic reduction in the cost of vehicles for road / rail transport, with all the advantages which result therefrom.

Claims

1) "Advanced semi-trailers that can travel on rails and on the road", the semi-trailers being provided with means for automatic coupling to the rear end of another semi-trailer of identical type to form a convoy of railway semi-trailers, as of means for coupling to a road tractor as the pivot of a crapaudine (R) to function as road semi-trailers, as well as of means for the application of a removable railway bogie (CF) or special adapter bogies to be applied at the ends to allow the introduction of one or more semi-trailers into a normal rail convoy, as well as a road bogie, characterized by the fact that the road bogie (2) is also removable like the railway bogie, that is to say it can be applied to semi-trailers when they have to travel on the road and removed when they have to travel on the railway, by means of coupling me adapted canics which can allow its application either by the sides than by the rear part of each semi-trailer, the wheels of each road bogie being provided with elastic suspensions of pneumatic or rather fluidόdynamic type which can be connected to the fluidodynamic installation of semi - trailers to also allow, thanks to the fluid-dynamic suspensions, the raising or lowering of the plane of each semi-trailer above the plane of the rails, necessary to effect the introduction of the railway bogie (CF). 2) Semi-trailers according to claim 1, each semi-trailer being characterized by means allowing the rapid application and extraction of the road bogie indifferently from one of the two sides, that is to say transversely, of the good of one of the two ends of each semi-trailer; these means consist of: a) mechanical coupling devices such as for example sliding couplings, pivots, hooks and so on, between the frame of the plane (1b) and the bogie (2), such as for example profiles (2a) with T-section, to be threaded in the grooves (1a ₁ ), they also have a T-section, of a metal beam (1a) incorporated into the chassis of the plane (1) of the semi-trailer; b) means to make this connection safer during the road exercise; c) means for allowing the elastic suspension devices of the road bogie wheels to be connected to the pneumatic or rather fluidodynamic circuits of each semi-trailer.

3) Semi-trailers according to claim 1, characterized by means such as for example jacks (8) previously mounted, to allow the parking of the semi-trailer in the absence of the road tractor, both on the road and road attitude, and means external to the road bogie, such as for example jacks (9) mounted later, to allow the lifting or lowering of the load plan of each semi-trailer, to insert or remove the road bogie either in the direction of the axis of the semi-trailer, by the rear part, or, if necessary, by the front part, either transversely, by one of the two sides, the jacks (9) being applied so as not to hinder the operations for insert or remove the road bogie.

4) Semi-trailers according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling means of each rail bogie (CF) with the rear end of each semi-trailer, are formed of a flat beam (4) also called interface , provided with a groove (4c), into which, during coupling, a pivot (3) is threaded integral with the lower surface of the cross member (17) from which is secured the rear coupling device of the semi-trailer , the groove (4c) being delimited by two triangular plates (4a), the blocking being carried out by means of a hook (4d) which automatically blocks the pivot in the groove (4c) and remains blocked by a latch (4b), the flat beam (4) also being provided with two prongs (18) which, by entering two tubular cavities (18a) the longitudinal axes of which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the semi-trailer, prevent any movement or rotation of the interface horizontally or vertically, and by two goons (25) sliding in two tubular holes (4g ) in the crosspiece (17), which thread into two holes (4g1) in the interface (4), the interface also being provided with anti-friction plates (22) and (18b) to facilitate the coupling operation between the interface and the rear end of the semi-trailer. 5) Semitrailers according to claim 4, characterized in that the interface (4) is integral with a coupling pin (R ₂ ) and backing pads, to allow coupling with, respectively, the crapaudine (R ₁ ) and the pads of the railway bogie or, more generally, other means adapted to make an identical functional connection; the interface can pivot with respect to the bogie about the axis of the pivot (R ₃ ) which connects the crapaudine (R ₁ ) to the coupling pin (R ₂ ) of the bogie to allow its application to semi-trailers by n ' no matter which end of the bogie (CF), when it is not blocked with the bogie by two studs (27) threaded in two vertical holes (4h) in the interface, which come out opposing two stops (27a ) applied to the bogie, so as to allow, in the functional position, only small rotations of the bogie (CF) relative to the end of each semi-trailer, due to the rotations of the bogie around the pivot (R ₃ ) of the crapaudine, the rotation of the interface of 180 ° around the axis of the crapaudine to allow the application of the railway bogie by any of its two ends being facilitated by the application of small wheels (24) integral of the interface (4) which press on two semi-annular plates (23) integral with the chassis of the bogie (CF).

6) Semi-trailers according to the preceding claims, characterized by the application of bivalent adapter bogies (CA), which can be connected either to the rear part or to the front part of each, semi-trailer, or of a series of semi-trailers - trailers, when these have to be inserted in a normal railway convoy where wagons or cars are fitted with buffers and hooks of traditional connection type; the bivalence of each adapter bogie (CA) consists in the fact that the adapter bogie can be indifferently applied to both the rear and the front part of the semi-trailer, by rotating the frame by 180 ° (CA ₁ ) integral with the interface (4CA) of the bogie. 7) Semi-trailers according to claim 7, characterized in that each bivalent adapter bogie (CA) is formed of: a) a rail bogie (CF); b) a frame (CA ₁ ) integral with the interface (4CA) connected to the bogie by a clamping-pin coupling system

(R); c) means for coupling to the rear end of each semi-trailer identical to the means which are applied to the interface (4) of the railway bogie, such as forks (18CA), holes (4g ₁ ) for thread the studs (25) blocking the crosspiece (17) into the interface (4CA) of the adapter bogie; these studs (27) are removable to limit the rotation of the interface (4CA) around the axis of the pivot (R ₃ ) of the coupling pin system when the bogie is not connected to the semi-trailer; there are also other means such as additional hooks (29c) for ensuring the connection between the side members (1b) of the semi-trailer and the longitudinal cross members (CA ₂ ) of the adapter bogie; d) means for coupling to the end of each semi-trailer, these means being identical to those which are provided for reciprocal coupling between semi-trailers; these means consist of a solid sphere (5CA) mounted on the frame (CA ₁ ) of the adapter bogie, sphere on which the hollow sphere (6a) forming part of the coupling device can be superimposed, mounted at the front end of each semi-trailer; subsequent locking of the adapter bogie with the front part of each semi-trailer is effected by double-acting hooks (29c), which at the same time allow both the coupling with the side members (1b) of each semi-trailer and the coupling with bodies of cubic or parallelepiped shape, which are normally housed inside the frame (CA ₂ ) of the adapter bogie and which by turning around a hinge (30c) can be arranged so that the part front of a height lower than that of the side members (1b) of the semi-trailer can lean against it and remain blocked, so as to stabilize the connection between the frames (CA2) of the adapter bogie and the front end of the semi-trailer , that is to say so as to prevent any reciprocal movement between the front end of each semi-trailer and the frame (CA ₂ ) of the adapter bogie (CA); e) means for blocking the frame (CA ₁ ) of the adapter bogie: a hook (29a) which, thanks to a small flywheel, can rotate around a horizontal axis so as to be connected to the pivot (28) applied to the end of the chassis (CA ₂ ) of the adapter bogie, to make this chassis integral with the bogie when it is not in use, that is to say to avoid unforeseen oscillations or rotations of the chassis of the adapter bogie; 8) Semi-trailers according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the means which allow the coupling between the front part of a semi-trailer and the rear part of the adjoining semi-trailer consist of a device applicable by moving the top to bottom of the front end of a semi-trailer relative to the rear end of the adjoining semi-trailer; this device is formed by two spherical surface bodies, one (6a) contained in a support (6) and the other formed by a solid sphere (5) mounted on a sliding slide (10) and reacted by a spring (12), the spherical shape of the solid body (5) being extended for approximately +/- 105 ° from the vertical in the longitudinal plane and for approximately +/- 80 °, in the transverse plane of the vehicle, with resulting closing closing forces inclined with respect to the vertical with a maximum of +/- 80 ° in the longitudinal plane, vertical force of 20 tonnes and horizontal force of 100 - 120 tonnes, and with a maximum of +/- 20 ° in the transverse plane, vertical force of 20 tonnes and horizontal force of +/- 10 tonnes to balance the centrifugal force in the turns; the load zones of the two attached vehicles are approximately 170 millimeters apart to allow registration in turns even with a minimum radius of 90 or 75 mm .; the coupling system is provided with safety pins (13) capable of blocking the sphere in the cavity to prevent unexpected stalls; this system is coupled to safety pivots (15a) integral with two arms (15) capable of engaging in cavities (16) corresponding to the rear end of the lower plane of the chassis of the adjoining semi-trailer, when the bar anti-nesting (AI) rotates to allow circulation on rails; the movement of the arms (15) of the locking pivots (15a) around their axis of rotation (33e) takes place in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the anti-nesting bar (AI) around the axis (33e); the rotations of the pivots (15a) around the axis (33e) are caused by suitable means such as for example a link (33d).

9) Semitrailers according to claim 8, characterized by other safety means in the coupling device between the semitrailers, such as means formed by a pipe or closed body (21) derived from the general conduit of the pneumatic installation of the brakes, placed between two cutters (20) opposite the two pivots (15a), that is to say that this pipe is placed so as to be cut, broken or rather knocked down by a possible displacement of the pivots blocking (15a), in the event of rupture or damage to the main coupling device, to cause, by a drop in pressure in the main duct, the automatic braking of the convoy; this braking can also be caused by the actuation of the lock (4b) which blocks the hook (4d) of the railway bogie (CF) with the pivot (3) of the semi-trailer. 10) Semi-trailers according to the preceding claims, characterized by a pneumatic or rather fluid-dynamic installation (according to the diagram in FIG. 17), for only raising or lowering the rear part of the plane of the semi-trailer thanks to the inflating or deflating the cylinders of the fluid-dynamic suspensions (SP) of the road bogie wheels; the pneumatic installation comprises a limit switch (31) actuated by the anti-nesting bar (AI) when the latter is turned upward to allow circulation on the railway; the pneumatic installation acts fluidodynamically on two valves (36), deactivates a level valve (35), causing the semi-trailer to rise to the height fixed by a limit stop valve (32). 11) Use of a semi-trailer which can run on rails with only the rail bogie and on the road with only the road bogie, the road bogie being therefore removable, characterized by: a) increase in the payload on the railway, due the extraction of the road bogie; b) absence of locking and safety devices for the wheels of the road bogie above the plane of the rails; c) interchangeability of railway bogies with road bogies; d) reduction in the number of railway bogies as well as the number of road bogies compared to the number of closed or non-closed chassis forming each semi-trailer.