Truck to railcar transfer device and method

Claim 2

A load transfer device for unloading a container from a truck onto an adjacent railcar comprising: a loading bolster centrally pivoted for a swinging movement parallel to the surface of the railcar; laterally extending portions of said loading bolster forming a support substantially the width of the container; supporting surfaces on said truck; means supporting said container in sliding relationship relative to said supporting surfaces; a rearward portion of the truck mounted to move forward relative to the forward portion of the truck; means to position the truck and container so that the under surface of the container is aligned above the surface of the railcar when the truck is backed with its rear portion adjacent the side of the railcar; whereby on reverse drive of the truck the rear of the truck contacts the side of the railcar and the rear portion of said truck is held in position thereby and the remainder of the truck and the container moves rearward relative to the rear portion of the truck and the railcar so that the rear end of the container is projected to the center of the railcar for support on the pivoted loading bolster; pivot means between the front of the container and the rear of the truck; whereby on subsequent reverse drive of the truck the container slides further onto the bolster and at the same time the container and bolster rotate to position said container toward alignment longitudinally of the railcar.

Claim 3

A load transfer device as in claim 1 wherein means are provided to secure the container to the loading bolster; whereby on subsequent forward movement of the truck the truck supporting surfaces under the container are moved forward under the container so that the front of the container is positioned for support on the rearward portion of the truck.

Claim 4

A load transfer device for unloading a container from a truck onto an adjacent railcar comprising: a loading bolster centrally pivoted for a swinging movement parallel to the surface of the railcar; laterally extending portions of said loAding bolster forming a support substantially the width of the container; supporting surfaces on said truck; means supporting said container in sliding relationship relative to said supporting surfaces; a rearward portion of the truck mounted to move forward relative to the forward portion of the truck; means to position the truck and container so that the under surface of the container is aligned above the surface of the railcar when the truck is backed with its rear portion adjacent the side of the railcar; whereby on reverse drive of the truck the rear of the truck contacts the side of the railcar and the rear portion of said truck is held in position thereby and the remainder of the truck and the container moves rearward relative to the rear portion of the truck and the railcar so that the rear end of the container is projected to the center of the rail car for support on the pivoted loading bolster; means are provided to secure the container to the loading bolster; whereby on subsequent forward movement of the truck, the truck supporting surfaces under the container are moved forward under the container so that the front of the container is positioned for support on the rearward portion of the truck; pivot means between the front of the container and the rear of the truck; whereby on subsequent reverse drive of the truck the container slides further onto the bolster and at the same time the container and bolster rotate to position said container toward alignment longitudinally of the railcar.

Claim 5

A load transfer device for unloading a container from a truck onto an adjacent railcar comprising: a loading bolster centrally pivoted for a swinging movement parallel to the surface of the railcar; laterally extending portions of said loAding bolster forming a support substantially the width of the container; supporting surfaces on said truck; means supporting said container in sliding relationship relative to said supporting surfaces; a rearward portion of the truck mounted to move forward relative to the forward portion of the truck; means to position the truck and container so that the under surface of the container is aligned above the surface of the railcar when the truck is backed with its rear portion adjacent the side of the railcar; whereby on reverse drive of the truck the rear of the truck contacts the side of the railcar and the rear portion of said truck is held in position thereby and the remainder of the truck and the container moves rearward relative to the rear portion of the truck and the railcar so that the rear end of the container is projected to the center of the rail car for support on the pivoted loading bolster; means are provided to secure the container to the loading bolster; whereby on subsequent forward movement of the truck, the truck supporting surfaces under the container are moved forward under the container so that the front of the container is positioned for support on the rearward portion of the truck; pivot means between the front of the container and the rear of the truck; whereby on subsequent reverse drive of the truck the container slides further onto the bolster and at the same time the container and bolster rotate to position said container toward alignment longitudinally of the railcar.

Claim 6

A load transfer device for transferring a load container from a truck; said truck being of the type employing a trailer with a fifth wheel pivoted connection securing the trailer to the truck; means mounting a load container on the trailer with the under surface of the container mounted for a sliding movement relative to the supporting surface of the trailer longitudinally thereof; a loading bolster formed to support the container; means to pivotally support said loading bolster centrally on the railcar on an axis perpendicular to the surface of the railcar; means to project the container in sliding movement relative to the trailer onto said loading bolster in position such that the bolster supports said container for pivotal movement with the under surface of the container substantially parallel with and above the surface of the railcar; pivot means are provided to pivot the forward end of the container relative to the trailer in addition to the pivotal support of the loading bolster on the railcar and in addition to the fifth wheel pivoted connection securing the trailer to the truck; said pivot between the forward end of the container and the trailer being positioned between the pivot of the bolster and the pivot of the fifth wheel connection; whereby on rearward movement of the truck in controlled jackknifed relationship afforded by the fifth wheel pivot the container is pushed farther onto the bolster and simultaneously the bolster is caused to rotate on its pivot with the container in a direction toward alignment of the container longitudinally with the railcar.

Claim 7

A load transfer device for transferring a load container from a truck; said truck being of the type employing a trailer with a fifth wheel pivoted connection securing the trailer to the truck; means mounting a load container on the trailer with the under surface of the container mounted for a sliding movement relative to the supporting surface of the trailer longitudinally thereof; a loading bolster formed to support the container; means to pivotally support said loading bolster centrally on the railcar on an axis perpendicular to the surface of the railcar; means to project the container in sliding movement relative to the trailer onto said loading bolster in position such that the bolster supports said container for pivotal movement with the under surface of the container substantially parallel with and above the surface of the railcar; pivot means are provided to pivot the forward end of the container relative to the trailer in addition to the pivotal support of the loading bolster on the railcar and in addition to the fifth wheel pivoted connection securing the trailer to the truck; said pivot between the forward end of the container and the trailer being positioned between the pivot of the bolster and the pivot of the fifth wheel connection; whereby on rearward movement of the truck in controlled jackknifed relationship afforded by the fifth wheel pivot the container is pushed farther onto the bolster and simultaneously the bolster is caused to rotate on its pivot with the container in a direction toward alignment of the container longitudinally with the railcar.

Claim 8

Load transfer device as in claim 4 wherein: means are provided to project said container further onto the bolster in position such that the bolster is located substantially centrally of the container and the container thereby mounted for pivotal swinging movement in a direction to align the container with the railcar for support thereon.