Convertible rail-highway mine car

Claim 2

In a convertible rail-highway car having flanged wheels and transversely positioned non-flanged wheels for alternate operation on rails and on ground surfaces, a pair of lever structures pivotally attached at their proximal ends to the car on each side with their proximal ends nearest each other, a non flanged wheel journalled on each lever structure for raising and lowering between upper idle position and lower ground engaging position, force applying mechanism connected between said pair of lever structures for simultaneously raising said structures and wheels to the upper position, a pivoted support member for each lever structure having means to engage and support said lever structure in either upper or lower position thereof when said support member is in a supporting position, each of said support members being movable out of supporting position to enable shifting each said lever structure and wheel between said upper and lower positions and back to said supporting position to support said lever structure in either position, and a pivoted locking member movable to lock each support member in a supporting position.

Claim 3

In a convertible rail-highway car having flanged wheels and transversely positioned non-flanged wheels for alternate operation on rails and on ground surfaces, a pair of lever structures pivotally attached at their proximal ends to the car on each side with their proximal ends nearest each other, a non flanged wheel journalled on each lever structure for raising and lowering between upper idle position and lower ground engaging position, force applying mechanism connected between said pair of lever structures for simultaneously raising said structures and wheels to the upper position, a pivoted support member for each lever structure having means to engage and support said lever structure in either upper or lower position thereof when said support member is in a supporting position, each of said support members being movable out of supporting position to enable shifting each said lever structure and wheel between said upper and lower positions and back to said supporting position to support said lever structure in either position, and a pivoted locking member movable to lock each support member in a supporting position.

Claim 4

In a convertible rail-highway car having flanged wheels and transversely positioned non-flanged wheels for alternate operation on rails and on ground surfaces, a pair of lever structures pivotally attached at their proximal ends to the car on each side with their proximal ends nearest each other, a non flanged wheel journalled on each lever structure for raising and lowering between upper idle position and lower ground engaging position, force applying mechanism connected between said pair of lever structures for simultaneously raising said structures and wheels to the upper position, a pivoted support member for each lever structure having means to engage and support said lever structure in either upper or lower position thereof when said support member is in a supporting position, each of said support members being movable out of supporting position to enable shifting each said lever structure and wheel between said upper and lower positions and back to said supporting position to support said lever structure in either position, and a pivoted locking member movable to lock each support member in a supporting position.

Claim 5

In a convertible rail-highway mine car as claimed in claim 1, in which said pivoted support member is biased to support position and is automatically moved out of supporting position upon raising of said lever structure, said pivoted support member returning to supporting position automatically to engage and support said lever structure in raised position.

Claim 6

In a convertible rail-highway car having flanged wheels and transversely positioned non-flanged wheels for alternate operation on rails and ground surfaces, a pair of lever structures pivotally attached at their proximal ends to the car on one side with their proximal ends nearest each other, a non-flanged wheel journalled on each lever structure intermediate its ends for raising and lowering between upper idle and lower ground engaging positions, pivoted support member for each lever structure pivoted on a horizontal axis for movement into and out of a supporting position and having means to engage and support the distal end of its respective lever structure in either upper or lower position when said pivoted support member is in a supporting position, a pivoted locking member engaging said support member to lock the latter in supporting position to support said lever structure in either raised or lowered position, said pivoting member when released being movable out of engagement with said lever structure for movement of said lever structure and wheel between raised and lowered position, a pivoted latching bar to prevent movement of said locking member out of locking position, each of said lever structures having an arm projecting at an angle from its proximal end, and a force applying mechanism connected between the arms of said lever structures and operable to shift said lever structures and wheels to raised position.

Claim 7

In a convertible rail-highway car having flanged wheels and transversely positioned non-flanged wheels for alternate operation on rails and ground surfaces, a pair of lever structures pivotally attached at their proximal ends to the car on one side with their proximal ends nearest each other, a non-flanged wheel journalled on each lever structure intermediate its ends for raising and lowering between upper idle and lower ground engaging positions, pivoted support member for each lever structure pivoted on a horizontal axis for movement into and out of a supporting position and having means to engage and support the distal end of its respective lever structure in either upper or lower position when said pivoted support member is in a supporting position, a pivoted locking member engaging said support member to lock the latter in supporting position to support said lever structure in either raised or lowered position, said pivoting member when released being movable out of engagement with said lever structure for movement of said lever structure and wheel between raised and lowered position, a pivoted latching bar to prevent movement of said locking member out of locking position, each of said lever structures having an arm projecting at an angle from its proximal end, and a force applying mechanism connected between the arms of said lever structures and operable to shift said lever structures and wheels to raised position.

Claim 8

In a convertible rail-highway mine car as claimed in claim 3, in which each said pivoted support member has a horizontally opening notch in supporting position receiving an element on said lever structure, said latter element rotating said pivoted support member when said lever structure is raised to turn said notch upwardly and allow upward movement of said lever structure.