Trailer transporting rail-way car

Claim 1

An elongated rail transport vehicle for carrying highway trailer units in an articulated train, comprising: railway wheel truck means including left and right sets of rail engaging wheels, left and right side plate means respectively joining together the wheels of each said set, and means forming a transversely extending beam the ends of which are connected to said left and right side plate means, body means enveloping at least part of said transverse beam, and lift means coupling said body means to said transverse beam and operative to lift said body means relative to said transverse beam from a lowered position to a raised position; means forming a longitudinally extending main beam having one end attached to and carried by one side of said body means, the other end of said main beam including a first coupling means, said main beam and said first coupling means being adapted to handle buff, draft and vertical loads; jack means carried by said main beam and disposed proximate said first coupling means, said jack means being operative to lift said other end of said main beam to a selected elevation; means disposed upon said main beam proximate said jack means and extending upwardly therefrom for engaging a tractor coupling means of a highway trailer unit to be carried by said transport vehicle and for supporting a forward end of such trailer unit; axle support means affixed to and carried by said main beam for engaging, lifting and supporting an axle assembly of a carried trailer unit, said axle support means being disposed low enough when said body means is in said lowered position so as to allow the axle assembly of the trailer unit to pass thereover, and being raised high enough when said body means is in said raised position so as to lift the wheels of the trailer unit off the ground; and second coupling means affixed to the opposite side of said body means and adapted for engagement by a first coupling means of another transport vehicle.