Tandem Carriage Railcar Indexer

a technology of indexers and carriages, applied in the direction of train hauling devices, railway components, rope railways, etc., can solve the problem of one-half of the force applied to the tracking railcar, and achieve the effect of double the amount of force and high load to be moved

US20140261056A1Inactive Publication Date: 2014-09-18CALBRANDT
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2014-09-18
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

A railcar indexer system is disclosed that includes a design that enables extremely high loads to be moved without exceeding present railcar limitations. The railcar handling system of the present invention employs hydraulically-operated indexers that divide the load between consecutive dog carriages that, in turn, operate to apply force to railcar bogey frames or axles on consecutive railcars. This transfers a large amount of force to be applied to a lead railcar and enables a much larger amount of force to be applied to the next railcar and a larger total force to be applied to a string of railcars.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicableSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] I. Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates generally to trackside railway car handling equipment for positioning railcars along a track for loading or unloading operations. More particularly, the present invention relates to train positioning systems that employ a tandem dog carriage arrangement that enables force to be applied to consecutive railcars which greatly increases the total force available for an indexer to move a string of railcars without exceeding the maximum force allowable on any one railcar. Embodiments of the system of the present invention can be used to operate by engaging the bogey frames or axles of railcars.

[0005] II. Related Art

[0006] Freight-hauling railway cars need to be precisely positioned proximate freight or cargo handling equipment during loading and unloading op...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0023]The following detailed description is directed to one or more embodiments of the invention which are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way as variations that are within the scope of the inventive concepts may occur to those skilled in the art.

[0024]Terms such as “left, right, first, second, lead, trailing, up, down, horizontal, vertical” are arbitrary or general terms taken in connection with the figures and should not be construed as absolute terms.

[0025]FIGS. 1A and 1B show schematic plan layout and side elevational views of a bogey frame engaging indexer in accordance with the invention. The indexer system, generally at 10, includes two identical units, which may be designated for convenience as a left unit 12 and a right unit 14 mounted in guideways 16 and 18, respectively, situated on opposite sides of a railroad track having left and right rails 20 and 22. The system is generally designed to move railcars from right to ...