Wheel position control for railway maintenance vehicle
First Claim
1. In a railway maintenance vehicle of the character adapted to be moved along a pair of underlying railway rails and including vehicle frame means, drivable tire means mounted on said frame means for moving said vehicle relative to ground, flanged rail engaging wheel means laterally between said tire means and supported on said frame means for displacement between first and second positions relative to said frame means, said wheel means in said first position engaging said pair of rails and supporting said vehicle for said tire means to be spaced above ground and supported in suspension from said frame means, whereby the entire weight of said vehicle is supported on said rails by said wheel means, said wheel means in said second position being elevated from said pair of rails for said tire means to engage ground laterally outwardly of each rail of said pair, whereby the entire weight of said vehicle is supported by said tire means, and means to displace said wheel means between said first and second positions, the improvement comprising:
- means to displace said wheel means to a third position in which said vehicle is supported for maintenance operation, said third position being between said first and second positions and providing for said tire means to engage ground laterally outwardly of each rail of said pair of rails to provide primary lateral support for said maintenance vehicle laterally outwardly of each of said rails and in which third position said wheel means engage said pair of rails to provide a stabilizing force for said maintenance vehicle laterally inwardly of said tire means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Railway maintenance vehicles are disclosed which are of the character having a frame assembly provided with drivable ground engaging tires and rail engaging flanged wheels. The frame assembly supports maintenance equipment, and the rail engaging wheels are displaceable between first and second positions relative to the frame assembly. In the first position the flanged wheels engage underlying rail members so as to support the vehicle with the ground engaging tires in suspension above ground, and in the second position the flanged wheels are elevated from the rails and the tires engage ground to support the vehicle. Heretofore, maintenance operations have been performed with the flanged wheels either in the first or second position thereof. An improvement according to the present invention provides for the flanged wheels to be displaceable to a third position engaging against the rails to provide guidance and a stabilizing force while the tires engage ground to provide the primary vehicle support and stability during maintenance operations.
56 Citations
14 Claims
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1. In a railway maintenance vehicle of the character adapted to be moved along a pair of underlying railway rails and including vehicle frame means, drivable tire means mounted on said frame means for moving said vehicle relative to ground, flanged rail engaging wheel means laterally between said tire means and supported on said frame means for displacement between first and second positions relative to said frame means, said wheel means in said first position engaging said pair of rails and supporting said vehicle for said tire means to be spaced above ground and supported in suspension from said frame means, whereby the entire weight of said vehicle is supported on said rails by said wheel means, said wheel means in said second position being elevated from said pair of rails for said tire means to engage ground laterally outwardly of each rail of said pair, whereby the entire weight of said vehicle is supported by said tire means, and means to displace said wheel means between said first and second positions, the improvement comprising:
- means to displace said wheel means to a third position in which said vehicle is supported for maintenance operation, said third position being between said first and second positions and providing for said tire means to engage ground laterally outwardly of each rail of said pair of rails to provide primary lateral support for said maintenance vehicle laterally outwardly of each of said rails and in which third position said wheel means engage said pair of rails to provide a stabilizing force for said maintenance vehicle laterally inwardly of said tire means.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
Specification