Convertible rail-highway lateral track set off apparatus

A railroad set-off apparatus includes vertically movable running gears and an auxiliary track extending transversely to the railway carriage on which it is mounted, the auxiliary track having two rails for the running gears, each of the auxiliary track rails consisting of at least two rail sections pivotally connected to each other, one of the rail sections of each auxiliary track rail being pivotal into a vertical position, struts interconnecting the two rails, power drives for pivoting the one rail section and a support for at least one end of the rails. A rack-and-pinion drive is provided for transversely moving the carriage on the running gears along the auxiliary track.

The present invention relates to improvements in a railway carriage, 
particularly a light work car for track maintenance, repair or 
transportation, comprising a set-off apparatus for moving the carriage 
transversely off the track. 
Swiss Pat. No. 323,258, published Sept. 14, 1957, discloses a set-off 
apparatus for a mobile track tamper, which includes an auxiliary track 
extending transversely to the tamper carriage and having two rails for 
running gears, each auxiliary track rail consisting of two rail sections 
one of which is retained by hooks and bolts in a rest position on the 
running gears at the front and rear ends of the carriage while the other 
rail section is pivotal into a vertical position in which it may be 
retained by means of a rail engaging means on the superstructure of the 
carriage. The tamper carriage may be moved transversely off the track by 
lowering the vertically movable running gears until the rail sections 
retained thereon rest on the track. The gauge of the lowered auxiliary 
track rail sections is maintained by fixing them to the track by hooks, 
bolts and the like and the pivotal auxiliary track rail sections are then 
manually lowered into horizontal alignment with the auxiliary track rail 
sections fixed on the track and are positioned on separate supports 
laterally offset from the track. The hooks retaining the auxiliary track 
rail sections on the running gears are then disengaged and the carriage is 
raised sufficiently by the hydraulic motors used to lower the running 
gears to lift the flanged wheels of the undercarriages of the mobile 
tamper above the track plane. The carriage is now able to move 
transversely on the running gears along the auxiliary track and the main 
track is available for the passage of a train by pivoting the auxiliary 
track rail sections on the track into a vertical position. 
This set-off apparatus requires a great number of manual operations and, 
therefore, a relatively long time, particularly in the case of small 
carriages operated by a single person. In addition, the positioning of the 
auxiliary track rail sections on the lateral supports requires survey 
measurements to make certain that the gauge is maintained therebetween, 
which requires more time. Since no drive is provided for the transverse 
movement of the carriage, the carriage must be moved manually or by 
winches. 
Another type of off-set apparatus is disclosed in British Pat. No. 813,450, 
published May 13, 1959. According to this patent, carriage-supporting 
girders and supports therefor are loosely carried on the carriage and, 
when needed, the girders are laid transversely to the track and positioned 
on the supports erected laterally of the track. Vertically adjustable 
auxiliary running gears are mounted on the sides of the carriage and may 
be lowered into engagement with the girders while the carriage is 
sufficiently raised to disengage its flanged wheels from the track, 
whereupon the drives for the running gears are operated to move the 
carriage transversely along the girders. The girders are then removed from 
the track to permit a train to pass. This set-off apparatus operates 
relatively quickly. 
The railroad set-off apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,230, dated May 28, 
1968, includes an auxiliary trackway consisting of three sections which 
are pivoted to each other, a first trackway section being supportable on 
the track rails on which the carriage runs, the following trackway section 
being supportable on an outwardly projecting bracket which carries a rail 
hook element adapted to hook the lower portion of the adjacent rail, and 
the third trackway section being supportable by a support wheel on the 
embankment. The second and third trackway sections form a descending 
trackway on which the carriage is transversely moved on sprocket wheels 
engaging chains running along the auxiliary trackways. This set-off 
apparatus has considerable disadvantages. Thus, the sprocket drive is 
subjected not only to the drive forces transmitted to the sprocket wheels 
but also to the weight of the carriage moving down the trackway, which 
causes rapid wear of the sprocket drive. This is aggravated by the fact 
that the sprocket chains are exposed to dirt and the weather. Furthermore, 
relatively powerful drives are required for the sprocket wheels because 
the off-set carriage must be moved back on the track over a rather steeply 
graded trackway. Furthermore, no means is provided for maintaining the 
gauge of the trackway rails so that the sprocket wheels and chains are 
subjected additionally to lateral strains. 
It should be noted that the above-described set-off apparatus embodiments 
are all designed for heavy vehicles, such as track tampers, track liners 
and like track working machines. Track maintenance work requiring the use 
of such mobile machines is usually quite extensive, because their use 
would otherwise be uneconomical, and the work normally extends over a 
considerable period of time. Such work is carefully planned and if it is 
not possible to halt train traffic completely along a track section 
subjected to rehabilitation work, trains are usually moved over adjacent 
tracks or other measures are taken to provide long intervals between 
trains. Therefore, set-off apparatus on such mobile machines is used quite 
rarely so that the time required for assembly and disassembly is rather 
insignificant in relation to the total maintenance work time even if the 
off-set apparatus is quite cumbersome. 
A totally different situation prevails in the use of light carriages used 
for such maintenance or repair work on railroads as signal or safety 
devices, guide rails and power lines, or the transport of work crews with 
ladders and tools. Since such work usually is not extensive, it does not 
justify re-scheduling of train traffic. Therefore, this type of work often 
encounters frequent passage of trains and the carriages must be quite 
frequently set off the track to permit such passage. Therefore, it becomes 
essential to reduce the time for assembly and disassembly of the set-off 
apparatus to a minimum to accommodate the work to the short intervals 
between trains, and it becomes a decisive consideration in determining 
whether sufficient work time is available between trains to make the use 
of the carriage economical for the contemplated work. 
In addition to the time element in setting up and dismantling the set-off 
apparatus, another consideration is the limited availability of space on 
small work cars, which makes it uneconomical to carry along girders and 
supports, such as proposed in the above-mentioned British patent. This 
would substantially reduce the space available for tools or personnel to 
be transported by the small car. 
It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a railway 
carriage, particularly of the indicated light-car type, with a set-off 
apparatus which enables even a single operator to move the carriage 
speedily transversely off and on track, which apparatus is simple, robust 
and efficient. Furthermore, the set-off apparatus of the invention 
requires little exertion by the operator, nor is the operator subjected to 
any danger in setting up the auxiliary track. 
The above and other objects are accomplished according to the invention 
with a set-off apparatus which includes vertically movable running gears, 
and an auxiliary track extending transversely to the carriage and having 
two rails for the running gears, each of the auxiliary track rails 
consisting of at least two rail sections pivotally connected to each 
other, one of the rail sections of each auxiliary track rail being pivotal 
into a vertical position, struts interconnecting the two rails, power 
drive means for pivoting the one rail section, and a support for at least 
one end of the rails. The apparatus also includes a drive for transversely 
moving the carriage on the running gears along the auxiliary track, the 
drive comprising force-transmitting means including an element on the 
carriage engaging an element on the auxiliary track. 
Providing struts interconnecting the two auxiliary track rails and a 
support for at least one end of the rails produces in an unexpectedly 
simple manner an off-set apparatus with a stable set-up section whose 
other section may be rapidly pivoted from a substantially vertical rest 
position into a horizontal operating position. The interconnecting struts 
maintain the auxiliary track at gauge throughout its length and no 
time-consuming fixing and measuring is required, nor is there any need for 
special supports to be emplaced, causing an additional loss of time. Since 
the power drive is provided for pivoting the auxiliary track section 
between its rest and operating positions, further time and effort is 
saved. In addition, the set-off operation is additionally facilitated by 
the drive for transversely moving the carriage, relatively little power 
being required for this drive since the auxiliary track extends 
substantially horizontally.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown railway carriage 1 comprising 
set-off apparatus 15 for moving the carriage transversely off the track 
consisting of rails 4 fastened to ties 5. The carriage has frame 2 
supported on undercarriages 3 whose flanged wheels run on the track rails. 
The carriage is self-propelled, drive 6 being connected to one of the 
undercarriages for moving the carriage along the track. 
To enable carriage 1 to be moved off-track, a pair of wheels 7 with 
pneumatic tires are mounted at one end of carriage frame 2. The wheels may 
be pivoted between a rest or retracted position and an operating position 
about horizontal axis 8 extending transversely to the carriage, the 
retracted position being shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 while the operating 
position of wheels 7 is shown in FIG. 4. The wheels may be locked in each 
position. Another auxiliary wheel 9 with a pneumatic tire is mounted at 
the opposite end of carriage frame 2 centrally between the two sides of 
the carriage frame. Wheel 9 is pivotal about vertical axis 10 for guidance 
of the carriage in a desired direction when the wheel is moved from its 
retracted position into an operating position by turning crank 11 which is 
provided for vertical adjustment of the wheel in relation to carriage 
frame 2. 
Two operator's seats 12 and power plant 13 for drive 6 and the hydraulic 
motors are mounted on carriage frame 2. As indicated in broken lines in 
FIGS. 1 and 2, collapsible ladder 14 may be carried on the carriage frame 
to enable the carriage to be used for maintenance or repair work on 
overhead power lines, for example. Obviously, this type of work car may 
carry tools or equipment for any desired work to be done on or along the 
track. 
Set-off apparatus 15 enables the carriage to be temporarily moved 
transversely off the track in either lateral direction, depending on the 
prevailing operating and topical conditions, to enable trains to pass the 
work site. This apparatus includes vertically movable auxiliary running 
gears 25 and an auxiliary track extending transversely to carriage 1. The 
auxiliary track has two rails 16 for the running gears. Each auxiliary 
track rail consists of two rail sections 19, 20 pivotally connected at 18 
to each other, rail section 20 of each auxiliary track rail being pivotal 
into a vertical position, as shown in FIG. 2. Struts 17 interconnect rails 
16 and power drive means illustrated as hydraulic motors 21 interconnect 
the rail sections for pivoting rail section 20. Supports 22 are arranged 
at each end of auxiliary track rails 16, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. If 
desired, a single hydraulic pivoting motor may be provided in association 
with one of the auxiliary track rails but possible stresses will be 
avoided if each rail is equipped with its own motor and the two motors are 
operated in unison. In the illustrated embodiment, support jacks 22 are 
arranged on each rail section end for most effective support of the 
extended auxiliary track, hydraulic jacks being very useful to provide 
ready vertical adjustment of the supports. As shown in broken lines in 
FIG. 2, supports 22 are angularly adjustable on rail sections 19 and 20 
into two positions about 90.degree. apart (indicated by arcuate arrows) 
and suitable clamping or blocking means are provided for fixing the 
supports in each adjusted angular position. Since such means are entirely 
conventional, they are not shown in the schematic drawing figures so as to 
limit the illustration to the essential structures and not to obstruct the 
views thereof. In this manner, the supports can be repositioned so that 
they will not project beyond the lateral boundaries of operative track 
gauge 23 even if carriage 1 is relatively wide. FIG. 3 shows pivoting axis 
22' about which supports 22 are angularly adjustable, the jack on the left 
side being shown in the rest position while the jack on the right side has 
been angularly adjusted about pivot 22' into the operating position. 
Using vertically adjustable supports has the advantage that the auxiliary 
track may be properly supported in a horizontal position even if the 
topography is poor and hydraulic jacks are particularly useful for this 
purpose since they may be very rapidly adjusted. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the auxiliary track rails according to a preferred 
feature of this invention are U-shaped and have two legs extending 
horizontally in an operating position of auxiliary track rails 16. The 
running gears are rollers 25 engaging the legs substantially without play 
and running in the U-shaped track rails. A carrier body shown as cradle 24 
supports the rollers and power drive 29 illustrated as a hydraulic motor 
connects the cradle to carriage 1 for vertical adjustment of the cradle. 
The preferred drive for transversely moving carriage 1 on running gears 25 
along auxiliary track 16, 16 is illustrated as a rack-and-pinion drive, at 
least one of track rails 16 being equipped along its entire length with 
rack 26 meshing with pinion 27 journaled on cradle 24. The pinion is 
driven by hydraulic motor 28 connected thereto and rotatable in either 
direction. As shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, a like rack-and-pinion 
drive may be provided at the other auxiliary track rail. Since running 
gear rollers 25 are tightly engaged in the auxiliary track rails, they are 
vertically moved by motor 29 with cradle 24. 
A rack-and-pinion drive provides a particularly robust and trouble-free 
force-transmitting drive assuring a lateral movement of the carriage under 
relatively low power more effectively than a mere frictional engagement of 
driving and driven drive elements. It also enables the auxiliary track to 
be moved laterally when the running gears are retracted. This makes it 
possible to do with only two relatively short auxiliary track rail 
sections which are pivotal in relation to each other since it is possible 
to move the pivots of the two rail sections into an operating position 
outside the effective track gauge 23 when set-off apparatus 15 is in the 
rest position so that the track gauge is free of encumbrance after the 
carriage has been transversely moved and one auxiliary track rail section 
has been pivoted into its vertical position. 
Mounting running gear rollers 25 substantially without play between the 
legs of the U-shaped rails 16 makes it possible to move the rails and 
running gears together by motor 29, without requiring hooks or bolts for 
fixing the auxiliary track rails, all movements being effected simply and 
efficiently by hydraulic motors. Also, since the entire set-off apparatus 
is mounted on the carriage frame between its undercarriages, carriage 1 
may be equipped with end couplings enabling it to be used as a standard 
car in a train and with auxiliary wheels with pneumatic tires for 
alternative movement over roads. 
Such an alternative use is shown in FIG. 4. As illustrated in this figure, 
carriage 1 is coupled as a trailer to tractor 30 which moves the carriage 
over a road to a designated working site. In this transport position, 
wheels 7 are downwardly pivoted to engage the road surface and support the 
rear end of carriage 1 while undercarriages 3 are off the ground. The 
carriage may be removed from the track at a crossing, for example, very 
rapidly and simply. Motor 29 is operated to lower cradle 24 with auxiliary 
track rails 16 and further to raise the carriage sufficiently above the 
plane of the crossing that wheels 7 may be pivoted 90.degree. from their 
rest or retracted position into the operating position. Crank 11 is then 
turned to lower auxiliary front wheel 9 until its pneumatic tire contacts 
the plane of the crossing. After cradle 24 and rails 16 are raised again 
by motor 29, carriage 1 may be pulled off the track, wheel 9 operating as 
a guide wheel enabling the carriage to be guided in any direction, due to 
its pivoting about axis 10. After the carriage is coupled to tractor 30, 
front wheel 9 is retracted again and the carriage is moved over the road 
like a single-axle trailer. When the carriage arrives at its destination, 
it may be moved onto the track in the same manner and in reverse order. 
The operation of set-off apparatus 15 will be more fully explained in 
connection with FIG. 5. 
Drive 6 is operated to move carriage 1 along the track to a working site. 
When it is desired to move the carriage temporarily off the track, motor 
28 is actuated, in the raised position of the cradle, to operate 
rack-and-pinion drive 26, 27 and to move auxiliary track rails 16 so far 
to the side of the main track to which the carriage is to be moved that 
pivot 18 between rail sections 19 and 20 is positioned outside the lateral 
boundary of operative track gauge 23, as shown in full lines in FIG. 5. 
Motor 29 is then operated to lower cradle 24 and the auxiliary track 
carried thereby until jacks 22 engage the ballast bed or ground. Once the 
auxiliary track section 19 is supported, pivoting drive 21 is operated to 
pivot auxiliary track section 20 from its vertical rest position into its 
horizontal operating position. The various jacks 22 are then vertically 
adjusted until both auxiliary track sections are leveled in a horizontal 
plane. Motor 29 is then operated again until the wheels of undercarriages 
3, 3 are above the running surfaces of main track rails 44, in which 
position carriage 1 can be moved transversely to the lateral position 
shown in broken lines by operation of rack-and-pinion drive 26, 27, 28. At 
this point, motor 21 is operated to pivot auxiliary track section 19, 
which projects into operative track gauge 23, into a vertical rest 
position, thus freeing the main track. After the train has passed over the 
main track, carriage 1 is returned thereto in the same manner in reversed 
order of steps. 
Since supports 22 are provided at each end of auxiliary track sections 19 
and 20, carriage 1 may be set off to either side of the main track in the 
identical manner, i.e. it may be moved to the left, as seen in FIG. 5, in 
the manner described hereinabove. 
While the set-off apparatus has been described in connection with a 
relatively small work car, larger track-bound carriages of generally light 
construction may also be equipped with this apparatus, including crane 
carriages, work crew transportation cars, measuring bogies and various 
other types of track work cars. All such carriages desirably should be 
temporarily removable from a main track in a speedy and dependable manner.