Method and apparatus for intermodal container handling
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65G-063/00
B65G-019/22
B66C-019/00
출원번호
US-0144494
(2016-05-02)
등록번호
US-9682831
(2017-06-20)
발명자
/ 주소
Kun, David
출원인 / 주소
SEA-TRAIN EXPRESS-LLC
대리인 / 주소
Goodloe, Jr., R. Reams
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
3인용 특허 :
49
초록▼
A rail-road intermodal freight system. In an embodiment, a conveyor system is provided for placing rail cars in a position for loading shipping containers thereon, while an over-the-road trailer is secured to the rail car. By utilizing the method, efficient loading and unloading of train involved in
A rail-road intermodal freight system. In an embodiment, a conveyor system is provided for placing rail cars in a position for loading shipping containers thereon, while an over-the-road trailer is secured to the rail car. By utilizing the method, efficient loading and unloading of train involved in intermodal shipments may save considerable time, and thus reduce costs.
대표청구항▼
1. Apparatus for loading shipping containers on over-the-road trailers at a railroad siding, the railroad siding including a pair of spaced apart rails configured for movement of railroad cars thereon, said apparatus comprising: an L-shaped rail car adapted for travel on rails of a railroad, said ra
1. Apparatus for loading shipping containers on over-the-road trailers at a railroad siding, the railroad siding including a pair of spaced apart rails configured for movement of railroad cars thereon, said apparatus comprising: an L-shaped rail car adapted for travel on rails of a railroad, said rail car comprising a frame, said frame having a front and a rear having a rear base having an upper side, said frame further comprising a deck extending between a deck first end and a deck second end, said deck sized and shaped for receiving and supporting an over-the-road trailer or semi-trailer, said frame further comprising one or more support members at or near the front of said frame, said one or more support members adapted for engagement with an upper side of a rear base of a next forward rail car in a set of N rail cars, wherein N is a positive integer;a single pair of flanged main rail wheels located at or near the rear of said frame and near said deck second end;a suspension system supporting said frame above said pair of flanged main rail wheels;a pair of unsprung flanged auxiliary rail wheels, said flanged auxiliary rail wheels located forward of said flanged main rail wheels and positioned closer to said deck first end than to said deck second end, and disposed downwardly from said frame by opposing first and second gear leg struts, said first and second gear leg struts spaced apart by a cross-brace, said flanged auxiliary rail wheels configured to support said rail car while said rail car traverses a rail siding;a conveyor hook, said conveyor hook extending below said frame, said conveyor hook having an arm with a proximal end pivotally affixed to said frame and a distal end with a downwardly extending hook portion extending therefrom;a hitch, said hitch located at or near the front of said frame and near said deck first end, and extending upward from said frame, said hitch comprising a steel mating plate and clamping jaws, said clamping jaws adapted for locking engagement with a king pin extending downward from an over-the-road trailer. 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a conveyor system, said conveyor system comprising a drag chain and at least one driving wheel which powers said drag chain, said drive chain comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion oriented substantially collinear with said rail siding and between said pair of rails. 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said drag chain comprises a plurality of links, said links sized and shaped for receiving therein said conveyor hook extending below said frame of said rail car. 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising: (a) a pivot and a pivot board, said pivot board pivotally mounted to said pivot, said pivot board oriented along and between said pair of rails, said pivot board having an upper surface adapted for sliding engagement with said cross-brace; and(b) a moveable pivot stop, said moveable pivot stop having a pivot board engaging position and a pivot board avoidance position, said pivot stop having an upper end adapted to receive a lower side of said pivot board and thereby stop pivotal movement of said pivot board when said pivot stop is in said pivot board engaging position. 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said moveable pivot stop further comprises a pivot stop positioning element, and wherein said pivot stop positioning element is adapted to move said pivot stop from said pivot board engaging position to said pivot board avoidance position. 6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said pivot board is located at a height H1 above said pair of rails, said height H1 sufficient to cause said pivot board to engage and upwardly urge said cross-brace of said rail car, as said rail car is advanced toward said pivot by said conveyor system. 7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said pivot stop is located to receive and stop pivotal motion of said pivot board, and whereby said conveyor hook is raised sufficiently to disengage said conveyor hook from said drag chain of said conveyor system, so as to stop further movement of said rail car by way of said conveyor system. 8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said flanged auxiliary rail wheels are spaced a distance W below said frame, so that said flanged auxiliary rail wheels are raised above said pair of rails when said cross-brace is engaged by said pivot board. 9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises an over-the-road trailer, said over-the-road trailer sized, shaped, and configured for secure mounting engagement on said frame and to said hitch;wherein rail siding is located adjacent a wharf adapted to receive a ship transporting shipping containers; andwherein said apparatus further comprises a crane, said crane adjustably positionable on the wharf for removing shipping containers one at a time from the ship and placing them on said over-the-road trailers, when said over-the-road trailers are mounted on said rail car. 10. A method for intermodal transport of over-the-road trailers via railroad, comprising: providing a plurality of rail cars as set forth in claim 1;providing a plurality of over-the-road trailers, said over-the-road trailers configured for receiving and securely transporting shipping containers;providing a first rail siding, said first rail siding located adjacent a source of shipping containers, said first rail siding comprising a pair of rails connected to a railroad;affixing one of said over-the-road trailers to a selected rail car;providing a conveyor system, said conveyor system having a first end and a second end, and a drag chain for moving rail cars from said first end to said second end;moving said selected rail car to a loading position adjacent said source of shipping containers by engaging a conveyor hook on said rail car to said drag chain;disengaging said conveyor hook from said drag chain to halt movement of said rail car;lifting a selected shipping container from said source of shipping containers, and then lowering said selected shipping container and mounting said selected shipping container to an over-the-road trailer on one of said plurality of rail cars; andreengaging said conveyor hook with said drag chain to move said rail car to said second end of said conveyor system. 11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the end of said conveyor system comprises a train assembly area, said method further comprising affixing a first one of a selected plurality of rail cars to a dolly. 12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the source of shipping containers is organized by destination, and wherein said shipping containers are loaded to said rail cars in groups by destination, and wherein rail cars in a selected plurality of rail cars is provided with a separate dolly for each destination. 13. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said first rail siding is located on a wharf, and wherein said source of shipping containers is a ship. 14. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of disengaging said conveyor hook from said drag chain comprises lifting a cross-brace on said rail car sufficiently so as to disengage said conveyor hook from said drag chain. 15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein during the step of mounting said selected shipping container to an over-the-road trailer on one of said plurality of rail cars, said method further comprising supporting said cross-brace a height above said pair of rails sufficient to allow said drag chain to move without engaging said conveyor hook. 16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein upward movement of said cross-brace is provided by a pivot board as said drag chain moves one of said plurality of rail cars. 17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein after loading of said shipping container on said over-the-road trailer, the method further comprising moving said pivot stop so as to remove support for said cross-brace, to thereby allow said conveyor hook to reengage said drag chain. 18. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein during the step of mounting said selected shipping container to an over-the-road trailer on one of said plurality of rail cars, said cross-brace is supported a height above said pair of rails above a pivot board which is supported by a pivot stop. 19. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the over-the-road trailer being transported comprises an upper mating plate and a king pin, and wherein said rail car further comprises a fifth wheel mating plate with adjacent spring loaded clamping jaws, said fifth wheel mating plate and clamping jaws adapted to lock the king pin to secure the over-the-road trailer, and wherein said method further comprises affixing one of said over-the-road trailers to a selected rail car by locking the king pin in said clamping jaws.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (49)
Wheatley Thomas W. (Westmount CAX) Arrey Kelly J. (Montreal CAX), Articulated lightweight piggyback railcar.
Brodeur Rene H. (2108 Beechwood Ave. Wilmette IL 60091) Terlecky Boris S. (234 Lippincott La. Fox Lake IL 60020) Sellberg Ronald P. (5 S. 649 Wright Naperville IL 60540) Halliar William R. (942 Pearl, Articulated rail car for vehicular trailers.
Cripe Alan R. (4511 Menokin Rd. Richmond VA 23225) Cripe Christopher A. (1903 Escourt Dr. Coatesville PA 19320), Container carrying convertible rail-highway vehicle.
Rhodes Arthur B. (3347 Camp Ground Rd. Louisville KY 40211), Conveyor system with transverse pusher to transfer load carrier between seperate conveying paths.
Paton H. Neil (2521 W. Montlake Pl. Seattle WA 98112) Skilling John B. (3000 Webster Point R. Seattle WA 98005), Depressed center spine piggyback/container railcar.
Rhodes Arthur B. (3347 Camp Ground Rd. Louisville KY 40211), Device for selectively coupling a movable load bearing unit to a link chain conveyor flight.
Rhodes Arthur B. (3347 Campground Rd. Louisville KY 40211), Improvement in conveyor chain engagement pin in conveying system for moving load carrying units.
Lienard Jean (Ferriere La Petite FRX) Haesebrouck Francis (Versailles PA FRX) Katz Sol (New Hope PA) Abolins Andrew (Langhorne PA) Schmidt George (Langhorne PA), Intermodal road/rail transportation system.
Ehrlich Donald J. (Lafayette IN) Ehrlich Rodney P. (Monticello IN) Smidler Francis S. (Lafayette IN) Williams DeWayne B. (Lafayette IN), Modular articulated railcar.
Adams ; Jr. George W. (3468 Sandpiper Ct. Hayward CA 94542), Truck train system having a removable first truck and a second truck with a load platform and an extendable center sill.
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