Vehicle that can be driven on both roads and railroad tracks

Abstract

A vehicle, particularly a semitrailer, is adapted for driving on both a road and a railroad track. The semitrailer includes a traction vehicle, which is joined articulately to a trailer. The traction vehicle has a front rail-wheel unit and a rear rail-wheel unit, whereas the trailer includes only one rear rail-wheel unit. At least one of the two latter rail-wheel units includes drive means, and one or both of said units may consist of a bogie that includes two axles, or one or both of said units may be a single-axle unit. All rail-wheel units are vertically movable to enable the vehicle to be placed on the railroad and adjacent rubber wheel to be lifted.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a semitrailer, for operation on both road and railroad track, and more specifically of the kind defined in the preamble of Claim 1. [0002] A vehicle that can be driven on both roads and railroad tracks is known to the art; see, for instance, SE,B,7506711-6 (Publication No. 402 343) (Storm) and its American counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,925. [0003] A lighter vehicle, for instance a delivery van or a corresponding vehicle, that can be driven on both roads and railroad tracks is described in SE,C,9401479-2 (Publication No. 502 692) (SRS et al). [0004] Hitherto, it has not been considered possible to equip truly large and heavy vehicles of the semitrailer type for both road and railroad operation. [0005] The difficulties encountered in this regard have mainly been associated with the understanding that the significant length of the vehicle and the occurrence of leading swivel axle or kingpin betwee...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] Despite the semitrailer being extremely heavy in its entirety, particularly when fully loaded, and having considerable length, the invention provides a particularly simple and convenient solution to the aforesaid problem.

[0014] A particular advantage afforded by the present invention is that it enables many alternative designs to be achieved, and therewith offers significant flexibility with regard to the design of the rail-wheel equipped units.

Problems solved by technology

Hitherto, it has not been considered possible to equip truly large and heavy vehicles of the semitrailer type for both road and railroad operation.

The difficulties encountered in this regard have mainly been associated with the understanding that the significant length of the vehicle and the occurrence of leading swivel axle or kingpin between the traction vehicle and the trailer would render impossible an adjustment between the different driving modes, and particularly driving of the vehicle on railroad tracks.

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