Convertible rail-highway vehicle

Claim 2

A guide wheel assembly for retaining the rubber tired support wheels of a highway vehicle on railroad tracks, comprising: a frame attachable to the vehicle frame adjacent the support wheels; a pair of widely spaced flanged guide wheels for guiding along the railroad tracks adjacent the vehicle support wheels; means mounting said flanged wheels on the frame for downward and upward movement relative to the track and including an articulated linkage adjacent each of the flanged wheels, each of said articulated linkages having an articulated proximal portion intermediate the distal ends of the linkage and journaling the adjacent flanged wheel thereon, one of the distal ends of said linkage being swingably mounted on the frame, the other distal end of the linkage being swingably and slidably mounted on the frame, whereby to produce raising and lowering of the flanged wheel in response to sliding motion of said last mentioned end relative to the frame.

Claim 3

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 1 and said articulated linkage depending from the frame to locate the flanged guide wheels below the frame, and said articulated linkage being extendible and retractable to permit relative vertical movement between the frame and the flanged wheel without causing sliding of said slidable eNd of the linkage relative to the frame; and a spring on the linkage and continuously pressing the flanged wheel downwardly against the track.

Claim 4

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 1 and including an extensible and retractable operating linkage having one end swingably anchored to the frame and the other end connected to the slidable distal end of the articulated wheel mounting linkage, and said operating linkage including a swingable link alternately swingable in opposite directions to correspondingly and alternately extend and retract said operating linkage and to correspondingly and alternately slide the slidable distal end of the articulated linkage in opposite directions relative to the frame for raising and lowering the flanged guide wheel.

Claim 5

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 3 wherein said operating linkage includes a latching mechanism to releasably restrain the operating linkage in extended and retracted condition, respectively, for alternately retaining the flanged guide wheel in its alternate positions.

Claim 6

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 3 and there being a separate operating linkage associated with each of the articulated linkages, and a shaft extending between the separate operating linkages and interconnecting said swinging links to produce simultaneous raising and lowering of both flanged guide wheels.

Claim 7

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 5 and said shaft mounting the slidable distal ends of said flanged wheel mounting linkages, and said shaft being slidably mounted on said frame adjacent each of the flanged wheels.

Claim 8

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 6 wherein said swingable link is affixed to the shaft to rotate therewith, said swingable link rotating through approximately 180* between its extreme positions whereby widely spaced portions of said swingable link assume similar positions in the extended and retracted conditions of said operating linkage respectively, another of the links of the operating linkage having a single slide with latch means to engage said widely spaced portions of said swingable link for latching the same and retaining the operating linkage in its opposite positions, and a release cable connected to the slide for releasing said latch.

Claim 9

A guide wheel assembly for retaining the rubber tired support wheels of a highway vehicle on railroad tracks, comprising: a frame attachable to the vehicle frame adjacent the support wheels; a pair of widely spaced flanged guide wheels for guiding along the railroad tracks adjacent the vehicle support wheels; swingable linkage means pivoted on the frame and mounting said wheels for guiding along the track and for swinging upwardly from the track; and slidable linkage means mounted on the frame for generally horizontal sliding along the frame and also being connected to the linkage means for producing upward and downward swinging thereof as the slidable linkage is moved along the frame.

Claim 10

A guide wheel assembly for retaining the rubber tired support wheels of a highway vehicle on railroad tracks, comprising: a frame attachable to the vehicle frame adjacent the support wheels; a pair of widely spaced flanged guide wheels for guiding along the railroad tracks adjacent the vehicle support wheels; swingable linkage means pivoted on the frame and mounting said wheels for guiding along the track and for swinging upwardly from the track; and slidable linkage means mounted on the frame for generally horizontal sliding along the frame and also being connected to the linkage means for producing upward and downward swinging thereof as the slidable linkage is moved along the frame.

Claim 11

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 8 and one of said linkage means being extensibly and resiliently yieldable to permit relative vertical movement between the flanged wheels and the frame.

Claim 12

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 8 and also including operating mechanisms extensible and retractable horizontally between the frame and the slidable linkage means and effecting raising and lowering of the flanged guide wheels.

Claim 13

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 9 and said swingable linkage means being resiliently retractable and extendible in a generally upward and downward direction to permit relative vertical movement between the flanged wheels and the frame.

Claim 14

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 10 and said slidable linkage means including a rotary shaft with ends extending through fore and aft oriented slots in the frame, and said operating mechanism including a two part articulated linkage with one part swingably mounted on the frame and the other part affixEd on the shaft for rotation therewith and for moving the shaft along said slots to raise and lower the flanged wheels.

Claim 15

The guide wheel assembly according to claim 12 and including means for rotating said shaft, and a lug on said shaft and located adjacent said slidable linkage means for producing upward swinging thereof for raising the flanged guide wheel off the track.

Claim 16

A guide wheel assembly for retaining the rubber tired support wheels of a highway vehicle on railroad tracks, comprising: rigid frame means for attachment to the vehicle frame adjacent the support wheels; a pair of widely spaced flanged guide wheels for guiding along the railroad tracks adjacent the vehicle support wheels; sub-frame means pivoted on said rigid frame means and mounting said guide wheels for upward and downward movement to permit alternate raising of the guide wheels off the tracks and lowering the guide wheels to the tracks, said sub-frame means including a pair of individually movable sub-frames, each having a sub-axle mounting a respective guide wheel and each sub-frame extending generally horizontally from the guide wheel to permit the guide wheel to move up and down to follow the undulations in the track; spring means bearing against the sub-frame means and continuously urging the guide wheels downwardly against the track while allowing upward movement of an individual wheel to follow the track undulations without lifting the other wheel, said spring means including a coil compression spring encompassing a guide rod, one end of the rod and the corresponding end of the spring being connected to a bearing anchored on the sub-frame means adjacent the flanged wheel, a slide bearing pivotally mounted on the frame and slidably receiving said rod therethrough, the spring also being anchored against said slide bearing whereby to restrain upward movement of the flanged guide wheel and maintain a downward pressure on the flanged wheel; and operating means connected between the rigid frame means and the sub-frame means to lift the guide wheels off the tracks for highway travel.

Claim 17

A guide wheel assembly for retaining the rubber tired support wheels of a highway vehicle on railroad tracks, comprising: rigid frame means for attachment to the vehicle frame adjacent the support wheels; a pair of widely spaced flanged guide wheels for guiding along the railroad tracks adjacent the vehicle support wheels; sub-frame means pivoted on said rigid frame means and mounting said guide wheels for upward and downward movement to permit alternate raising of the guide wheels off the tracks and lowering the guide wheels to the tracks, said sub-frame means including a pair of individually movable sub-frames, each having a sub-axle mounting a respective guide wheel and each sub-frame extending generally horizontally from the guide wheel to permit the guide wheel to move up and down to follow the undulations in the track; spring means bearing against the sub-frame means and continuously urging the guide wheels downwardly against the track while allowing upward movement of an individual wheel to follow the track undulations without lifting the other wheel, said spring means including a coil compression spring encompassing a guide rod, one end of the rod and the corresponding end of the spring being connected to a bearing anchored on the sub-frame means adjacent the flanged wheel, a slide bearing pivotally mounted on the frame and slidably receiving said rod therethrough, the spring also being anchored against said slide bearing whereby to restrain upward movement of the flanged guide wheel and maintain a downward pressure on the flanged wheel; and operating means connected between the rigid frame means and the sub-frame means to lift the guide wheels off the tracks for highway travel.

Claim 18

A guide wheel assembly for retaining the rubber tired support wheels of a highway vehicle on railroad tracks, comprising: a frame having elongate portions to be secured adjacent opposite sides of the vehicle and adjacent the support wheels, said elongate portions having elongate slots therein; a pair of widely spaced flanged guide wheels to be disposed adjacent the support wheels of the vehicle for guiding the support wheels along the tracks; a pair of two-part articulated wheel mounting linkages, each of said linkages having a proximal portion intermediate the distal ends and journaling a corresponding flanged wheel thereon, one part of each of said linkages being swingably connected to the frame and being resiliently retractable and extensible to prevent limited upward and downward movement of the flanged guide wheel relative to the frame for following undulations in the track, the other part of each of said linkages having the slidable distal end disposed adjacent the slot in the frame, a shaft extending between frames and through the slots thereof and being connected to said slidable distal ends of the two-part articulated wheel mounting linkage, said shaft being rotatable with respect to said linkages and having means thereon for revolving the shaft; a two-part articulated operating linkage having one part affixed to said shaft for rotating therewith and having the other part anchored to the frame whereby to cause sliding movement of the shaft as the shaft is rotated and thereby raise and lower the flanged wheels simultaneously; a latching mechanism on one of the parts of the operating linkage and engaging and restraining the other part of the operating linkage in alternate positions of the other part of the operating linkage; and a release cable connected to said latching mechanism for releasing the operating linkage in order to raise and lOwer the flange wheels.

Claim 19

A guide wheel assembly for retaining the rubber tired support wheels of a highway vehicle on railroad tracks, comprising: a frame having elongate portions to be secured adjacent opposite sides of the vehicle and adjacent the support wheels, said elongate portions having elongate slots therein; a pair of widely spaced flanged guide wheels to be disposed adjacent the support wheels of the vehicle for guiding the support wheels along the tracks; a pair of two-part articulated wheel mounting linkages, each of said linkages having a proximal portion intermediate the distal ends and journaling a corresponding flanged wheel thereon, one part of each of said linkages being swingably connected to the frame and being resiliently retractable and extensible to prevent limited upward and downward movement of the flanged guide wheel relative to the frame for following undulations in the track, the other part of each of said linkages having the slidable distal end disposed adjacent the slot in the frame, a shaft extending between frames and through the slots thereof and being connected to said slidable distal ends of the two-part articulated wheel mounting linkage, said shaft being rotatable with respect to said linkages and having means thereon for revolving the shaft; a two-part articulated operating linkage having one part affixed to said shaft for rotating therewith and having the other part anchored to the frame whereby to cause sliding movement of the shaft as the shaft is rotated and thereby raise and lower the flanged wheels simultaneously; a latching mechanism on one of the parts of the operating linkage and engaging and restraining the other part of the operating linkage in alternate positions of the other part of the operating linkage; and a release cable connected to said latching mechanism for releasing the operating linkage in order to raise and lOwer the flange wheels.