Articulated Rail Coupler for Rotating Trailer Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for loading and unloading tractor-trailer combinations onto rail vehicles are inefficient, requiring large and expensive machinery or complex equipment, which increases ton-miles and complicates the process, especially for tankers and other specialized trailers.
Innovation Solution
The development of an articulated rail coupler that allows railcars to be coupled in a semi-permanent manner at a 90-degree angle, enabling easy loading and unloading of trailers by rotating the male and female connecting members about bearings, reducing the need for extensive machinery and simplifying the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If large and expensive machinery such as cranes or forklifts is used to lift loaded trailers onto rail vehicles, then loading capability is achieved, but equipment cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The rail vehicle is designed with a rotatable body that can change its orientation dynamically. The body can rotate about a vertical axis to align with material handling vehicles approaching from different directions, eliminating the need for fixed-position heavy lifting equipment. This dynamic repositioning capability allows the same rail vehicle to be loaded from multiple approaches without requiring expensive cranes or forklifts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces rotational movement about a vertical axis, adding a new degree of freedom to the loading process. Instead of requiring vertical lifting (one-dimensional movement), the system uses horizontal rotation to achieve proper alignment for loading, transforming the problem from a vertical lifting challenge to a horizontal positioning solution.
2Productivity
If a rotary loader attached to the dock is used to move trailers onto rail vehicles, then loading efficiency improves, but the complexity of the loading system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rail vehicle itself becomes the dynamic element rather than the loading equipment. The rotatable body on the rail vehicle provides the necessary movement flexibility, eliminating the need for a separate rotary loader mechanism at the dock. This transfers the complexity from the loading system to the rail vehicle design, simplifying the overall loading infrastructure.
3Ease of operation
If a moveable ramp with oblique extension bridges is used to enable trailer access, then loading accessibility improves, but structural complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using complex moveable ramps and extension bridges, the invention uses the rotational capability of the rail vehicle body to achieve proper alignment. The rail vehicle rotates to present its loading platform directly facing the approaching trailer, eliminating the need for angled ramps and bridge structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Conventional approaches move the loading equipment toward the rail vehicle using ramps and bridges. This invention inverts the approach by having the rail vehicle move (rotate) toward the loading position, reversing who performs the positioning action and simplifying the required infrastructure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution facilitates efficient and cost-effective loading and unloading of trailers by allowing railcars to be positioned at a 45-degree angle, reducing the need for heavy machinery and enabling easy access for material handling vehicles, thus improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a bearing 130 configured to reduce friction between the male and female connecting members during rotation
Data Source
AI summary
An articulated rail coupler comprises a base member, a female connecting member, a male connecting member, a bearing race, a first bearing seated within the bearing race and defining a vertical axis of rotation, and a second or a coupler bearing configured and sized to be received within a truck bogie bearing bowl. The male connecting member is allowed to rotate relative to the female connecting member about the vertical axis of rotation in a range of about ninety degrees, when the male connecting member and the female connecting member are coupled therebetween by the first bearing.