Rotatable Rail Device for Truck Track Placement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods require long sidings to place large trucks, such as tractor trailer trucks, onto railroad tracks, which are not always available, and there is a need for a solution to enable truck placement when long sidings are unavailable, especially during tasks like catenary cable installation.

Innovation Solution

A rotatable rail device is installed on the truck, allowing it to be positioned onto railroad tracks using a shorter siding by rotating the rear portion of the truck over the device, which engages with the tracks, enabling the truck to be aligned and moved along the tracks with reduced siding length.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a long siding is used to place a large truck onto railroad tracks, then the truck can be successfully placed onto the tracks, but the required siding length becomes excessively long (90 feet or more)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetruck placement capabilityVSAvoidsiding length

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a vertical dimension by using a rotatable rail device that lifts and rotates the truck rear end upward and sideways, transitioning the truck from horizontal ground placement to a vertical rotation motion, then to track alignment, thereby eliminating the need for excessive horizontal siding length

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The rotatable rail device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the truck and the railroad tracks, providing a rotational platform that enables the truck to transition from road position to track position without requiring a long siding, thus mediating the placement process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a long siding is required for truck placement, then proper truck alignment onto tracks can be achieved, but the availability of such long sidings is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetruck alignment capabilityVSAvoidsiding availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable rail device introduces dynamic motion (rotation) to the previously static alignment process, allowing the truck to be rotated into alignment with the tracks, making the system adaptable to locations with limited or no long siding availability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the truck is placed onto tracks using conventional methods, then the truck can be moved along the tracks, but the process requires excessive space and time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetruck movement capabilityVSAvoidplacement time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable rail device performs preliminary alignment and positioning actions by rotating the truck into the correct orientation before the truck begins movement along the tracks, eliminating the need for time-consuming adjustments after placement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9682600B2Rotatable rail device and method for placing a truck onto a set of tracks

Publication Date: 2017.06.20 MASS ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION CO

AI summary

A rail gear system and a method for placing a truck on railroad tracks are provided in which the truck can be placed into the set of railroad tracks using a short siding. The rail gear may be mounted on a back portion of the truck and may rotate so that the a rear portion of the truck rotates about the track when the rail gear is engaged with the set of railroad tracks.