Hydraulic load-shifting device for drawbar

Abstract

A railcar moving vehicle having a load-shifting device for shifting a portion of the weight of a railcar to the railcar moving vehicle. The railcar moving vehicle has a frame, an engine, and at least one pair of drive wheels disposed toward the rearward portion of the frame and configured to ride on railroad track. The load-shifting device is connected to the vehicle frame rearward of the drive wheels, and includes a rearward facing coupler which is configured to transmit vertical and horizontal forces to a coupled railcar. The coupler is moveable by means of the load shifting device between a first lowered position for coupling with a standard railcar coupler, and a second position above and forward of the first position, thereby imposing a portion of the weight of the railcar upon the frame of the railcar moving vehicle, and moving the bearing point of the weight closer to above the drive wheels. In the preferred embodiment, the lifting means is hydraulically powered and moves the coupler from the first position to the second position in a substantially linear, diagonally upward motion at an angle of approximately 45°. The railcar moving vehicle is preferably a modified semi tractor having a standard fifth wheel connector for connection to a standard highway trailer, and is provided with means for selectively installing rubber tired wheels to allow operation of the vehicle as a trailer moving vehicle on roadways.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A load-shifting device for shifting a portion of the weight of a railcar to a railcar moving vehicle having a frame, an engine, and at least one pair of drive wheels configured to ride on railroad tracks and powered by said engine, said frame having a rearward portion and said drive wheels being disposed toward the rearward portion of the frame, said load-shifting device comprising: 
 a rearward facing coupler for coupling to the end of a railcar, said coupler disposed rearward of the drive wheels and configured to transmit vertical and horizontal forces to a coupled railcar, and said coupler having a first position for coupling with a standard railcar coupler, and at least one second position above and forward of said first position; and    lifting means affixed to said coupler and connected to the rearward portion of the frame of the railcar moving vehicle, said lifting means configured to move the coupler from said first position to said at least one second position while coupled to a railcar, so as to lift the end of the railcar and thereby impose a portion of the weight of the railcar upon the frame of the railcar moving vehicle, and to move the bearing point of said weight closer to above said drive wheels.    
     
     
         2 . The device as described in  claim 1  wherein the lifting means is comprised of a mechanism selected from the group comprising hydraulically powered mechanisms, electromechanical devices, and pneumatic mechanisms.  
     
     
         3 . The device as described in  claim 2  wherein the lifting means moves said coupler from said first position to said at least one second position in a substantially linear, diagonally upward motion.  
     
     
         4 . The device as described in  claim 3  wherein the diagonally upward motion is at an angle of approximately 45°.  
     
     
         5 . The device as described in  claim 1  wherein the railcar moving vehicle is a modified semi tractor having a standard fifth wheel connector for connection to a standard highway trailer.  
     
     
         6 . The device as described in  claim 5  further comprising means for selectively installing rubber tired wheels to allow operation of the vehicle as a trailer moving vehicle on roadways.  
     
     
         7 . A railcar moving vehicle comprising: 
 a modified semi tractor configured to ride on railroad track, said modified semi tractor having a frame, an engine, and at least one pair of drive wheels powered by said engine, said frame having a rearward portion and said drive wheels being disposed toward the rearward portion of said frame;    a hydraulic load-shifting device for shifting a portion of the weight of a railcar to the railcar moving vehicle, said load-shifting device comprising: 
 a rearward facing coupler for coupling to the end of a railcar, said coupler being disposed rearward of the drive wheels and configured to transmit vertical and horizontal forces to the coupled railcar, said coupler having a first position for coupling with a standard railcar coupler, and at least one second position above and forward of said first position;  
 a drawbar rigidly connected at one end to said coupler and movably connected at the other end to the rearward portion of the frame of said railcar moving vehicle for transmitting the forces experienced by the coupler to the railcar moving vehicle; and  
 hydraulic lifting means affixed to said drawbar and the rearward portion of the frame of the railcar moving vehicle, said lifting means configured to move the coupler from said first position to said at least one second position in a substantially linear, diagonally upward motion, while coupled to a railcar, so as to impose a portion of the weight of the railcar upon the frame of the railcar moving vehicle, and to move the bearing point of said weight closer to above said drive wheels.  
   
     
     
         8 . The railcar moving vehicle as described in  claim 7  further comprising 
 a standard fifth wheel connector disposed on the rearward portion of the frame of said vehicle for connection to a standard highway trailer; and  
 means for selectively installing rubber tired wheels to allow operation of the vehicle as a trailer moving vehicle on roadways.  
 
     
     
         9 . The railcar moving vehicle as described in  claim 8  wherein: 
 said at least one pair of drive wheels configured to ride on railroad track comprise steel railroad wheels, said drive wheels each being attached to said modified semi tractor in the position normally occupied by the interior wheel of a dual truck wheel set; and  
 said means for selectively installing rubber tired wheels comprises means for selectively concentrically attaching rubber tired wheels to the exterior of said drive wheels, such that the rubber tired wheels occupy the position normally occupied by the exterior wheel of a dual truck wheel set, said rubber tired wheels having a diameter larger than the diameter of said drive wheels, such that operation of the railcar moving vehicle on highways does not require the removal of said railroad drive wheels.  
 
     
     
         10 . The railcar moving vehicle as described in  claim 8  wherein the lifting means is configured to move the drawbar from said first position to said at least one second position while coupled to a rail car without allowing any substantial rotation of the drawbar relative to the frame of the railcar moving vehicle.  
     
     
         11 . The railcar moving vehicle as described in  claim 8  wherein the lifting means is configured to move the drawbar from said first position to said at least one second position while allowing slight rotation of the drawbar relative to the frame of the railcar moving vehicle so as to maintain substantial alignment of the drawbar and coupler with respect to the railcar throughout the process of lifting the railcar.  
     
     
         12 . The railcar moving vehicle as described in  claim 8  wherein the diagonally upward motion is at an angle of approximately 45°.  
     
     
         13 . A method of shifting a portion of the weight of a railcar to a railcar moving vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a railcar moving vehicle having a frame, an engine, a drawbar, a rearward facing coupler for coupling to the end of a railcar, hydraulic lifting means for moving said drawbar, and at least one pair of drive wheels configured to ride on railroad track and powered by said engine, said frame having a rearward portion and said drive wheels being disposed toward the rearward portion of the frame, said coupler being disposed rearward of the drive wheels and configured to transmit vertical and horizontal forces to a coupled railcar, and said drawbar being rigidly connected at one end to said coupler and movably connected at the other end to the rearward portion of the frame of said railcar moving vehicle for transmitting the forces experienced by the coupler to the railcar moving vehicle, said drawbar being movable by the lifting means from a first position for allowing coupling by the coupler to a standard railcar, to at least one second position above and forward of said first position;    b) coupling the railcar moving vehicle to a railcar by means of said coupler; and    c) lifting the coupler by the lifting means so as to move the coupler from said first position to said at least one second position while coupled to the railcar in a substantially linear, diagonally upward motion, without axial rotation of the coupler, so as to lift the end of the railcar and impose a portion of the weight of the railcar upon the frame of the railcar moving vehicle, and to move the bearing point of said weight closer to above said drive wheels.    
     
     
         14 . The method described in  claim 13  comprising the more specific step of moving the drawbar from said first position while allowing slight rotation of the drawbar relative to the frame of the railcar moving vehicle so as to maintain substantial alignment of the drawbar and coupler with respect to the railcar throughout the process of lifting the end of the railcar.