GB2276598A

GB2276598A - A railway vehicle for carrying trailers

Info

Publication number: GB2276598A
Application number: GB9306874A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan John Prior
Original assignee: PRIOR ALAN J
Current assignee: PRIOR ALAN J
Priority date: 1993-04-01
Filing date: 1993-04-01
Publication date: 1994-10-05
Also published as: GB9306874D0; GB2276598A8

Abstract

A railway vehicle for carrying trailers or other road vehicles has a main frame member 2 extending between two undercarriages 10. Decks 8 extending from the main frame member 2 support the trailer's wheels. In order to reduce the overall height of the loaded vehicle, the main frame member 2 extends through the space between the trailer's wheels and under the axles of the trailer 3. The decks 8 can be fixed to the frame member 2 or alternatively can adapted so as to be movable relative to the frame member 2 in order to aid in the loading of the trailer 3. In another embodiment the trailer 3 is supported directly on the main frame member 2 with the unsupported road wheels astride the frame member 2. For loading the trailer 3, the frame member 2 can also be detached from the undercarriages 10. <IMAGE>

Description

CENTER SOLE ROAD/RAIL TRAINS This invention relates to railway trains that transport commercial road vehicles.

The transporting of road vehicles on railway trains dates back to the first public passenger railways and was a common feature in Britain until the end of the Second World War and the advent of the motorway. Not only do road vehicles tend to travel by road now, but much rail cargo has now moved to the road.

In the U.S.A. and Australia where destination distances can be vast, long flat trains loaded with commercial vehicles is common practice. The large loading gauge and sparce infrastructure making such large trains viable.

On the continent there is fresh development, and pressure on Britain to run through road/rail trains to and from major cities in Britain to Europe via the Channel tunnel when it is completed. The drawback to this is the smallness of the British loading gauge and the immense amount of infrastructure that would have to be moved or modified to make the loading gauge bigger.

The present road/rail trains consist of flat decked railway wagons on low bogies. The deck of the wagon is on the main chassis or "sole frame" which supports the weight of the road vehicle 3 and the thrust and drag of the drawing of the train. Even when the sole frame and deck 1, are diped between the bogies the overall height is still rail clearance 7, and sole frame and decking 6 plus road vehicle 5. A typical cross section of a conventional road/rail train is shown in Figure 1 of the attached drawings.

Figure 2 shows a typical cross section of a road/rail train as per the invention herewith described and demonstrates its principal.

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 show various modes of application of the invention: Figure 3, with fixed side decks and ramped bogies.

Figure 4, with raised and lowered side decks.

Figure 5, with no side decks and the road vehicle straddling on the sole frame.

Figure 6, with the sole frame lowered and separated from the bogies.

Figure 2,in the invention here described, the sole frame 2 is formed to pass through the space between the road wheels and under the axles of the road vehicle 3, and support it clear of the running rails 4. With the minimum deck construction 8 or 12 required to support the road vehicle 3 off the sole frame 2 the additional height required 6 in addition to the rail clearance 7 and vehicle height 5, would be minimal, and if the vehicle 3 issupported directly off the centre sole 2 and the decks 8 or 12 omitted altogether the additional height required 6 would be zero. With the sole frame 2 positioned as described no additional structure would be needed to the railway wagon, outside the road vehicle 3, maintaining minimum width as well as height and thereby minimising the amount of infrastructure needing to be altered.

Loading and unloading can be by various means: Figure 3,the deck 8 can be permanently fixed to the bottom of the sides of the centre sole 2 and ramped up over small wheeled bogies 10, with sliding plates 9 to allow the train to bend.

Figure 4, alternatively the decks 12 can be raised and lowered to level with the top of a fixed deck 13, on top of conventional bogies 11, by means of an integral jacking system.

Figure 5, another alternative would be to raise and lower, loading platforms 14, each side of the sole frame 2 to level with the bogie deck 13, and when lowered would leave the road vehicle 3 standing on support stands 15, with the road wheels astride the centre sole 2.

Figure 6, a different approach to loading would be to lower both ends of the centre sole 2, from its bogies 11, on to the ground, between the running rails which are flush with the yard floor 17, and released 16 from the begies 11. One of the freed bogies 11 is then marshaled away and the road vehicle 3 is reversed into position over the centre sole 2. When the support stands 15 are located the free bogie 11 is marshaled back into position and the centre sole 2 raised back into position 16, supporting the road vehicle 3 above the rails 17 and straddling the centre sole 2.

The practice of loading conventional road/rail trains by lifting the road vehicle into position using either travelling gantries or forklifts is not uncommon and could work well with this invention.

It may be noted in addition that to accommodate central protrusions under the road vehicles (such as dif. cases) the top face of the centre sole can be set lower than the top of the sides.

This invention may also have potential on a smaller scale i.e. with private motor cars or light commercial vehicles.

Claims

1. A road/rail train where the sole frame of the railway vehicle passes through the space between the road wheels and under the axles of a commercial road vehicle being carried.

2. A road/rail train as described in claim 1 where the decks supporting the road vehicle wheels are fixed to the bottom outside of the sole frame.

3. A road/rail train as described in claims 1 and 2 but where the supporting deck is raised and lowered to a height level with or above the top of the centre sole for the purpose of loading and unloading road vehicles.

4. A road/rail train as described in claim 1 where a supporting deck is raised and lowered (for loading road vehicles) from the ground, each side of the centre sole and when lowered leaves the road vehicle on support stands with its wheels astride the centre sole.

5. A road/rail train as described in any of the previous claims where the top of the centre sole is lower than the top of the sides to accommodate central protrusion on the underside of the road vehicle.

5. A road/rail train as described in claims 1 and 4 where the centre sole frame is lowered and released from its bogies and rolled on tracks under the road vehicle then raised in to position in its bogies.

6. A road/rail train as described in claims 1, 4 and 5 but where the road vehicle is driven into position over the centre sole frame prior to its relocation on its bogies.

7. A road/rail train as described in any of the previous claims where loading and unloading is carried out by means of travelling gantries or forklifts.

8. A road/rail train as described in any of the previous claims where the top of the centre sole is lower than the top of the sides to accommodate central protrusion on the underside of the road vehicle.

9. A road/rail train as described in any of the previous claims but for the purpose of transporting private motor cars or light commercial vehicles.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A road/rail train where the sole frame of the railway vehicle passes through the space between the road wheels and under the axles of a commercial road vehicle being carried.

2. A road/rail train as described in claim 1 where a supporting deck is raised and lowered (for loading road vehicles) from the ground, each side of the centre sole and when lowered leaves the road vehicle on support stands with its wheels astride the centre sole.

3. A road/rail train as described in claims 1 where the centre sole frame is lowered and released from its bogies, one bogie rolled away and the road vehicle is driven into position over the centre sole frame prior to its relocation on its bogies.

4. A road/rail train as described in any of the previous claims where loading and unloading is carried out by means of travelling gantries or forklifts.