Removable Shell Pocket Wagon for Semi-Trailer Loading
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for loading and unloading road semi-trailers onto railway wagons are complex, expensive, and pose safety and stability issues due to the need for precise positioning and manual operation of locking devices, which slows down the process and increases the risk of accidents.
Innovation Solution
A method and system involving a removable shell with immobilization elements and a locking device that secures the semi-trailer kingpin, allowing for easy loading and unloading using a handling machine, with positioning stops for precise alignment and adjustable support elements for stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pivoting upper railway structure is used to facilitate loading/unloading, then the loading height is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The wagon is divided into two independent parts: a fixed lower railway structure and a removable shell that can be easily detached and repositioned. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex pivoting mechanisms while maintaining loading flexibility, as the simple shell can be removed and placed at the optimal loading height position.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper carrying structure is extracted from the wagon body as a separate removable shell. This allows the shell to be independently positioned, removed, and reinstalled without affecting the stability of the lower railway structure, thereby simplifying the overall system while improving loading/unloading operations.
2Device complexity
If manual positioning and locking operations are required, then the locking mechanism can be simple, but the productivity decreases and operational safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shell incorporates self-aligning features and automatic locking mechanisms that engage when the shell is positioned on the railway structure. The coupling pin and locking device automatically align and secure the shell without requiring manual positioning or complex operations, thereby maintaining simplicity while significantly improving productivity and safety.
3Device complexity
If the semi-trailer is not locked during pivoting operations, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability and safety decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling pin and locking device are pre-positioned on the shell before the semi-trailer is loaded. When the shell is placed on the railway structure, these locking elements are already in position to immediately secure the semi-trailer, ensuring stability throughout the entire loading process without requiring complex dynamic locking mechanisms.
4Manufacturing precision
If precise positioning is required for the coupling pin alignment, then the locking accuracy is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The shell incorporates localized guiding features and positioning stops at specific areas where the coupling pin needs to align with the locking device. These localized quality enhancements ensure precise alignment only where necessary, while the rest of the shell maintains simple, easy-to-operate characteristics.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
The method consists of: -grasping, with a handling machine, the removable shell (15) of the pocket wagon, lifting it and setting it down outside the receptacle (7) of the railway structure (2), preferably on the platform (34) or at an angle across the railroad tracks (35); - equipping a locking device (16) on the kingpin of the semi-trailer (9) previously disconnected from its road tractor; -loading the semi-trailer (9) by means of a handling machine (42), by causing it to roll on the bottom wall of the removable shell; -attaching the locking device to the removable shell; -grasping the loaded shell with the handling machine, lifting it and loading it on the pocket wagon by engaging it in the receptacle of the railway structure.