Goods transport systems which are transformable into rail vehicles, and rail bogies for use therewith

Systems for transporting goods such as road vehicles or containers are transformable into rail vehicles. The systems comprise respective decks each equipped at each end with a pair of cylindro-conical vertical bushes which flare downwardly for receiving respective vertical conical pegs carried by an intermediate chassis on a rail bogie, with said conical pegs serving to center the deck and fix it to the bogie.

DESCRIPTION 
The present invention relates to goods transport systems which are easily 
transformable into rail vehicles, and to rail bogies for use therewith. 
The field of the invention is that of vehicle construction and transport 
systems. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Goods transport vehicles are known of the type comprising a deck which is 
provided at its front end with a pivot and with a retractable group or 
"landing leg", and at its rear end with a retractable road axle assembly, 
thus enabling the deck to be used both as a semi-trailer on the road and 
also to be placed on axles or bogies fitted with flanged wheels suitable 
for running on rails, thereby enabling the vehicle to be transformed into 
a rail vehicle and coupled in a train. 
French Pat. No. 1 368 963 (P. Perrot) describes semi-trailers of this type 
which are capable of being placed on two removeable load-carrying bogies, 
and in which each bogie is fitted with an auxiliary chassis carrying a 
standard rail coupling system. 
The deck of the semi-trailer and the front and rear auxiliary chassis are 
assembled together by means of lateral bolts. In addition, the pivot of 
the semi-trailer participates in assembling the semi-trailer to the front 
auxiliary chassis. 
French Pat. No. FR 78/18.875 (publication 2.395.852) (The Bi-Modal 
Corporation) describes dual-purpose rail/road semi-trailers, each of which 
includes, at its rear end, a retractable road axle assembly and a rail 
bogie which is also retractable, and which remains fixed to the 
semi-trailer. The chassis of the semi-trailer is supported by via 
pneumatic springs both when using the road axle assembly and when using 
the rail axle assembly. 
European patent application No. EP-A-0 112 778 (P. Perrot) describes 
transformable vehicles usable for road or rail transport, each comprising 
a load-carrying deck fitted with longitudinal frame members having an 
omega-shaped cross-section. The deck is fitted with a retractable road 
axle assembly and it is suitable for being placed on two removeable rail 
bogies each including an intermediate chassis carrying rail coupling 
devices. 
Each intermediate chassis includes vertically movable blocks fitted with 
wheels over which a plate forming a portion of the deck can run, thereby 
enabling the deck to be displaced transversely for centering purposes. The 
intermediate chassis is fitted with pivoting hooks which hook onto the 
side edges of the deck in order to lock the deck to the bogies. 
In addition, the deck includes transverse wheels which bear against the 
intermediate chassis, thereby allowing the deck to slide in translation 
over the intermediate chassis in the event of a shock. 
French Pat. No. FR 1 598 994 (P. Perrot) describes rail/road semi-trailers, 
each of which include a chassis fitted at its front end with a prop, and 
at its rear end with a road axle assembly that can be raised by means of a 
ram, which chassis can be placed on and bolted to two rail bogies each of 
which is fitted with an auxiliary chassis carrying coupling members. The 
bolts operate transversely. 
French Pat. No. FR 1 358 504 (C. Douheret) describes semi-trailers 
including rear axles carrying rail wheels onto which road wheels can be 
fitted, and having front portions suitable for placing on a rail front 
axle assembly via the coupling pivot of the semi-trailer. 
The chassis and the rail front axle assembly are locked together by means 
of pins. 
Publication No. EP-A-0 143 614 (Trailer Train Limited) describes 
semi-trailers which are fitted with raisable rail axle assemblies. 
The rear end of each semi-trailer includes a box section enabling the 
chassis to be placed on a rail bogie and enabling it to be bolted thereto. 
The front end of the chassis carries a draw-bar which enables it to be 
pivotally coupled to the rear end of the preceding rail vehicle. 
The present invention relates not only to dual-purpose rail/road vehicles 
of the type described in the above documents which may be used either as 
road semi-trailers or else as articulated or non-articulated rail 
vehicles, but also to decks which are incorporated in multi-mode goods 
transport systems, e.g. containers suitable for transport by ship, by air, 
or on road vehicles, and which may be transformed into articulated or 
non-articulated rail vehicles. 
For reasons of simplicity, the term "container" is used below in a general 
sense to designate not only decks which are fitted with a closed box 
structure, but also decks for carrying tanks or hoppers for transporting 
powder materials, or bare decks, or decks fitted with side boards. 
Multi-mode goods transport system capable of being transformed into rail 
vehicles are very practical since they enable a consignment of goods to be 
transported both by rail and then by some other mode of transport, e.g. 
road, ship, or by air, without having to trans-ship the goods 
individually. 
Multi-mode transport systems capable of being transformed into rail 
vehicles present practical implementation problems where the deck is 
placed on rail bogies. It is necessary for the deck to center itself 
automatically relative to the bogies without requiring large forces to be 
applied. It is also necessary for the mechanical connection between the 
deck of the system and the intermediate chassis of the bogie to be capable 
of withstanding large traction and compression forces whenever the deck is 
used as a rail vehicle incorporated in a train. 
An object of the present invention is to provide goods transport systems 
capable of being transformed into rail vehicles and including improved 
means for centering and the deck of the transport system relative to the 
intermediate chassis fitted to rail bogies, and for mechanically 
connecting it thereto. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide goods transport 
systems capable of being transformed both into normal rail vehicles which 
are coupled to one another by couplings, and into articulated rail 
vehicles, thereby enabling a single deck to be incorporated in a multiple 
unit of articulated vehicles and then in a normal train. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a goods transport system capable of being 
transformed into a railway vehicle, the system comprising a deck including 
main longitudinal beams and two side longitudinal beams capable of being 
placed on two removeable rail bogies each of which is equipped with an 
intermediate chassis carrying centering and fixing means for said deck, 
wherein each intermediate chassis includes a pair of upwardly tapering 
conical vertical pegs projecting above the top face of said intermediate 
chassis serving as a bearing plane for said deck, and said deck includes, 
in the vicinity of each of its two ends, a pair of vertical hollow 
cylindro-conical bushes which flare downwardly and which are intended to 
receive corresponding ones of said conical pegs. 
In one embodiment, said cylindro-conical hollow bushes are connected to 
said deck by means of a resilient member whose dimensions and whose 
stiffness are designed so that the load of the deck compresses said 
resilient member sufficiently for the deck to bear directly against the 
top face of an intermediate chassis when the conical pegs carried by said 
intermediate chassis are engaged in said hollow bushes. 
Advantageously, said intermediate chassis includes two pairs of side guide 
ramps which ramps slope down inwardly and extend over the top face of said 
intermediate chassis, with the ramps being intended to provide lateral 
guidance and to center the deck while it is being placed on said 
intermediate chassis. 
Advantageously, each intermediate chassis includes cross-beams and a pair 
of longitudinal guide ramps which are fixed to one of said cross-beams, 
which ramps slope down forwardly for ramps on the rear intermediate 
chassis and rearwardly for ramps on the front intermediate chassis and 
extend above the bearing plane of the deck on said intermediate chassis, 
with the ramps being intended to guide said deck longitudinally and to 
center it while it is being placed on said intermediate chassis. 
In an embodiment, each intermediate chassis includes two pairs of locking 
bolts, with each bolt including a transverse wedge-shaped latch which 
co-operates with an inclined ramp fixed to one of said main longitudinal 
beams of said deck, and with the four slides being operated simultaneously 
from a handwheel by means of a motion transmission system controlled by 
the handwheel. 
In an embodiment, a system of the invention includes rail bogies which are 
common to two successive decks enabling rail vehicles to be formed which 
are articulated to one another, wherein each of said bogies common to two 
decks includes two intermediate chassis which are articulated to each 
other about a vertical axis coinciding with the pivot axis to said bogie 
with each of said intermediate chassis carrying a pair of conical vertical 
pegs which engage in a pair of cylindro-conical bushes carried by each of 
said decks. 
A first result of the invention is to provide dual-purpose rail/road 
semi-trailers in the event of the deck being equipped with a pivot for 
coupling to a road tractor, with hydraulic props and with a road axle 
assembly which can be raised by means of a ram or which is removeable. 
A second result of the invention is to provide multi-mode goods transport 
systems such as containers capable of being transported by road, by ship, 
by cargo aircraft, or on flat rail trucks or cars and capable of being 
transformed into normal or mutually articulated rail vehicles. 
A third result of the invention is to provide dual-purpose rail/road 
vehicles in which the deck is capable of being placed either on two 
removeable road axle assemblies and of being fitted with a draw bar, or 
else on being placed on two bogies for constituting a normal or an 
articulated rail vehicle. 
Another result of the invention is to provide novel rail bogies each 
equipped with a single intermediate chassis provided with rail coupling 
means and equipped with a pair of conical pegs, with two pairs of lateral 
guide ramps, with one pair of longitudinal guide ramps, and with bolts, 
said bogies enabling a road vehicle or a container to be transformed into 
a normal rail vehicle. 
Another result of the invention is to provide novel rail bogies each 
equipped with two intermediate chassis which are articulated to each other 
about a vertical axis coinciding with the pivot axis of the bogie, with 
each intermediate chassis being equipped with a pair of conical pegs, two 
pairs of lateral guide ramps, one pair of longitudinal guide ramps, and 
bolts, which bogies are suitable for transforming two transport systems 
such as two containers or two road semi-trailers equipped with axle 
assemblies that are raiseable or removeable into two mutually articulated 
rail vehicles bearing on a common bogie. 
The conical pegs on the intermediate chassis of the rail bogies and the 
conical bushes fitted to the decks of the systems in accordance with the 
invention constitute means for providing accurate centering and mechanical 
connection between the deck and each of the rail bogies. 
For a dual-purpose rail/road semi-trailer fitted with a road axle assembly 
capable of being raised by rams, and hydraulic or mechanical props, the 
conical pegs and the lateral and longitudinal guide ramps fitted to the 
auxiliary chassis allow the deck to be centered automatically relative to 
the bogies without requiring the use of any handling equipment other than 
the props and the rams for raising the axle assembly as already carried by 
the deck. 
The conical pegs can readily be dimensioned so as to easily withstand the 
traction and compression forces to which a rail vehicle in accordance with 
the invention is subjected when incorporated in a train, and after having 
tests performed thereon, rail vehicles in accordance with the invention 
have been approved for use on French railways (SNCF). 
The resilient connections interposed between the cylindro-conical bushes 
receiving the conical pegs and the framework of the deck serve to absorb 
the shock of the deck being lowered onto the intermediate chassis. 
The stiffness of these resilient connections is such as to enable the 
connections to deform sufficiently under the effect of the weight of the 
deck to enable the deck to bear directly on the intermediate chassis so 
that the weight of the load is not exerted on the conical pegs which only 
need to withstand forces situated in a horizontal plane. 
The bolts fitted to the intermediate chassis serve to fasten the deck to 
each intermediate chassis in order to prevent any risk of the deck moving 
upwards during rail travel. 
The mechanical connection and centering means between each deck and an 
intermediate chassis of a rail bogie serve, in particular, to transform a 
single deck either into a normal rail vehicle fitted with two bogies each 
carrying coupling members for coupling to other vehicles, or else into an 
articulated rail vehicle with each end of the deck being placed on a bogie 
which is common to two successive rail vehicles, or else into the first or 
the last vehicle in a multiple unit of articulated rail vehicles by 
placing one end of the deck on a bogie carrying coupling members and 
placing the other end of the deck on a bogie which is common to two 
successive decks. 
This means that a single system of the invention can be incorporated 
successively in a multiple unit of articulated vehicles and then in a 
train of normal vehicles after passing through a marshalling yard.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams of a dual-purpose vehicle in accordance with the 
invention capable of being used either as a road semi-trailer (FIG. 1), or 
else as a rail vehicle (FIG. 2). 
This vehicle comprises a deck 1 which may be a simple flat deck as shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2, but which may also, naturally, carry a body, a container, a 
tank, etc. . . . 
The deck 1 includes a pivot 2 at its front end for coupling it to a tractor 
in order to constitute an articulated road vehicle, and two hydraulic or 
mechanical props 3 which support the front portion when disconnected from 
a tractor. At its rear end it includes a road axle assembly 4 of any 
conventional type suitable for the load to be carried, e.g. an assembly of 
three axles as shown in FIG. 1. 
The road axle assembly 4 is mounted on an auxiliary chassis 5 which is 
connected to the chassis of the deck 1 by articulated links 6. An inclined 
ram 7 serves to raise the auxiliary chassis 5 in order to move the road 
axle assembly into a retracted position as shown in FIG. 2. 
FIG. 2 shows a vehicle in accordance with the invention transformed into a 
normal rail vehicle. This transformation is obtained by placing the deck 1 
on two removeable rail bogies 8.sub.1 and 8.sub.2. Each bogie is equipped 
with an intermediate chassis 9.sub.1 or 9.sub.2 which is fixed to the 
pivot box of the bogie and which carries equipment specific to rail 
operation, in particular buffers 10, coupling hooks 11, and connectors for 
bracking devices, etc. . . . 
Dual-purpose rail/road vehicles are already known. 
It is recalled that they enable a road vehicle to be transformed into a 
rail vehicle without transferring its load and without requiring any 
handling equipment to be used other than the props 3 and the ram 7, merely 
by placing the deck of the vehicle on the two removeable rail bogies which 
remain on the railway and which are engaged beneath the deck of the 
vehicle and are fixed thereto by retracting its road axle assembly. 
Conversely, they enable a rail vehicle to be transformed into a road 
vehicle by lowering the road axle assembly and withdrawing the two 
removeable bogies. 
One of the problems posed by this type of vehicle is the problem of the 
means for centering the deck relative to the bogies, which means must be 
capable of obtaining and maintaining good centering without requiring 
forces to be exerted to displace the deck relative to the bogies. 
Another problem lies in the mechanical connection means between the 
intermediate chassis 9.sub.1 and 9.sub.2 and the deck 1, since these 
connection means must be capable of withstanding major traction and 
compression forces when the vehicle is used as a rail vehicle and is 
incorporated in a train. 
Each auxiliary chassis of a vehicle in accordance with the invention 
includes, on each side, two lateral guide devices 14.sub.1 and 14.sub.2. 
It also includes longitudinal guide devices 15. These devices in the form 
of ramps sloping down in an inwards direction guide the deck as it is 
moved down so as to center it approximately relative to the intermediate 
chassis. 
FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a larger scale of a bogie 8 and of the 
intermediate chassis 9 associated therewith. 
The bogie 8 is a bogie as standardized by the International Union of 
Railways (U.I.C.). 
It comprises a pivot box 8a on which the intermediate chassis 9 is fixed in 
such a manner as to enable the chassis and the bogie to pivot relative to 
each other about a vertical axis z-z1. 
The chassis 9 includes longitudinal beams 12 which are interconnected by 
cross beams. At one of its ends, it carries members specific to railways, 
in particular two buffers 10 and a coupling hook 11 together with a 
shackle 11a. 
The intermediate chassis 9 includes a portion 13 which is raised above the 
bearing plane of the deck. This raised portion is level with the deck 1 
when the deck is supported by two bogies. 
the invention chassis 9 includes lateral devices for transverse guidance, 
e.g. two devices 14.sub.1 and 14.sub.2 situated on either side of the 
chassis, and devices for longitudinal guidance 15 which are described in 
greater detail below. 
FIG. 4 is a half view of the intermediate chassis 9 as seen from above. 
FIG. 5 is a vertical section on V--V of FIG. 4. 
It can be seen in these figures that the intermediate chassis comprises a 
framework including two central longitudinal beams 12.sub.1 and two 
lateral longitudinal beams 12.sub.2 which are interconnected by cross 
beams. The framework includes, in particular, a box section cross beam 16 
comprising two horizontal transverse plates 16.sub.1 and 16.sub.2 which 
are interconnected by two vertical plates 17.sub.1 and 17.sub.2. The box 
beam 16 is symmetrical about a transverse vertical plane TT'. 
The top face of the top plate 16.sub.1 lies in the same plane as the top 
faces of the longitudinal beams and of the cross beams, and this plane 
serves as a bearing surface for the deck 1. 
In the middle of its bottom face, the box beam 16 carries a ring 18 which 
is fixed on the pivot 8a of the bogie. 
It includes two vertical hollow cylindrical pieces 19 which are fixed 
beneath the two plates 16.sub.1 and 16.sub.2 symmetrically on either side 
of the middle of the box beam and whose axes lie in the plane TT'. Each of 
these pieces is open at its top end is extended downwardly by a 
counterbore. Each is intended to receive a cylindro-conical centering peg. 
Two transverse guide members 14.sub.1 are to be found at the two ends of 
the transverse box member 16. Two other transverse guide members 14.sub.2 
are situated between the cross box member 16 and the end of the chassis 
which carries the rail coupling members. 
FIGS. 4 and 5 show one of the two longitudinal guide members 15, with the 
other member being symmetrical about a central longitudinal plane. 
FIG. 5 shows that the members 15 include a folded plate 20 which is welded 
at the front of a cross beam 21 and which forms an inclined ramp going 
down towards the end of the auxiliary chassis which is opposite from its 
end carrying the buffers and the rail coupling devices, i.e. it slopes 
forwardly for the chassis placed at the rear of the deck and rearwardly 
for the chassis placed at the front of the deck. 
FIG. 5 shows that the lateral guide devices 14.sub.1 and 14.sub.2 and the 
longitudinal guide device 15 extend above the bearing plane for the deck 
on the auxiliary chassis as constituted by the top face of the plate 
16.sub.1. 
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the two ends of the deck 1. This deck includes a 
framework which is symmetrical about the longitudinal vertical plane 
including the axis y-y1. In the middle portion of the deck, this frame 
comprises two main longitudinal beams 22 and two lateral longitudinal 
beams 23 which are interconnected by standard I-section spacers 24. 
The central portions of the two main longitudinal beams are I-section 
members. At each end of the deck, these beams are extended by two 
box-section beams comprising two thick horizontal planes 25a and 25b which 
are interconnected by two vertical planes 26 as can be seen in FIG. 7, 
which is a cross-section on VII--VII of FIG. 6. Each of the box-section 
beams carries a vertical cylinder 25 which houses a downwardly flaring 
female conical bush. 
FIG. 8 is a section on a larger scale on VIII--VIII of FIG. 6 showing a 
portion of the deck 1 placed on the plate 16.sub.1 of the intermediate 
chassis. 
FIG. 8 shows a cylinder 27 which is welded to the two plates 25a and 25b 
and to the two plates 26 lying outside the plane of section VIII--VIII. 
The top end of the cylinder 27 is closed by a welded plate 29. The cylinder 
27 contains a spring or a stack of spring washers 30 or any other 
equivalent resilient member, e.g. a ring or a buffer made of elastomer 
material. It also contains a vertical axis bushing 31 which delimits a 
cylindro-conical female cavity and which is kept centered in the cylinder 
27 by a ring 32 so as to be capable of sliding freely inside the cylinder 
27. The bush 31 and the ring 32 are kept in place inside the cylinder by 
screws 33. The bottom end of the cylinder 25 is in the same plane as the 
bottom face of the bottom plate 25b. 
FIG. 8 also shows a section through the top portion of one of the two 
hollow pieces 19 of an intermediate chassis. It can be seen that this 
piece contains a conical vertical peg 34 which is fixed by a nut 35, which 
tapers upwardly, and which penetrates into the female cavity of the bush 
31. 
The two conical pegs 34 carried by each intermediate chassis 9.sub.1 and 
9.sub.2 penetrate into the female cavities of the bushes 31 when the deck 
is lowered onto the bogies, and by virtue of their one-shapes they are 
capable of taking up offsets of a few centimeters in order to center the 
deck and the bogies relative to one another accurately, both in the 
transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction after they have 
been approximately centered by the inclined ramps 14 and 15 carried by the 
intermediate chassis. 
The weight of the deck and its load bears on the resilient member 30 while 
the deck is being lowered. The resilient member is calibrated so that it 
deforms sufficiently to ensure that the bottom faces of the plates 25b 
come directly into contact with the top faces of the plates 16.sub.1 of 
the intermediate chassis, so that the pegs 34 do not have to withstand 
large vertical forces. 
However, the pegs 34 are used for providing the mechanical connection 
between the deck and the intermediate chassis carrying the coupling 
devices, and these pegs are designed to withstand large horizontal forces. 
FIG. 9 is a section on IX--IX of FIGS. 4 and 5. 
This figure gives a front view of one of the longitudinal guides 15. It 
also shows one of the transverse guides 14.sub.1 in vertical section and 
in association with a bolt for locking the deck on the intermediate 
chassis. 
FIG. 9 shows a lateral longitudinal beam 36 of the intermediate chassis 
having a mechanical piece 37 fixed on the outside thereof including two 
parallel flats 38 connected to a spacer 39. Each of the two flats 38 has 
an inclined inside face 38a, thereby constituting ramps which slope 
towards the inside and suitable for having the lateral longitudinal beams 
23 of the deck slide therealong. 
The guide devices 15, 14.sub.1, and 14.sub.2 have the effect of providing 
approximate deck centering and of brining the conical pegs 34 
substantially into alignment with the bushings 31 carried by the deck when 
the deck is lowered onto the bogies. 
The mechanical piece 37 includes a link 40 which pivots about a hinge 41. 
The end of the link 40 carries a wedge-shaped key 42 which passes through 
two openings 43 cut out in two flats 44.sub.1 and 44.sub.2 between which 
the vertical web of the beam 23 of the deck is received at a point where 
the bottom horizontal flange thereof is removed. The beam 23 also includes 
an opening 23.sub.1 which comes into alignment with the two openings 43. 
The opening 23.sub.1 has a chamfered bottom edge with the chamfer being at 
the same angle as the angle of the tapering key 42 such that when the key 
is engaged through the two openings 43 and through the opening 23.sub.1, 
its top edge presses against the two flats 44.sub.1 and 44.sub.2 and its 
bottom edge presses against the chamfered edge formed in the beam 23, 
thereby locking the beam to the intermediate chassis. 
FIG. 9 shows that the link 40 is connected to a rod 45.sub.1 which forms 
part of a rod and lever linkage shown in part in FIG. 4. It can be seen in 
this figure that two rods 45.sub.1 and 45.sub.2 are connected to a lever 
46 which is itself connected to an operating rod 47.sub.1. 
A second operating rod 47.sub.2 can be seen which is connected to a second 
lever (not shown) which is symmetrical about the longitudinal midplane and 
which controls two rods for operating two keys fitted in the side bolts 
situated on the other side of the intermediate chassis. 
The facing ends of the two rods 47.sub.1 and 47.sub.2 have 
oppositely-handed threads which are screwed into a nut 48 which is fixed 
to a sprocket wheel 49 operated by an endless chain 50 by means of an 
operating rod 51 leading to a handwheel (not shown) for simultaneously 
locking or unlocking the four keys 42 of the four side locks. 
FIGS. 10 and 11 show a system in accordance with the invention comprising a 
deck 1 carrying a box defining a closed volume, for example. It is 
specified that this example is not limited and that the deck 1 could be 
bare or it could carry other equipment such as a tank, or a hopper, or 
side plates. 
FIG. 10 shows the device transformed into a normal rail vehicle. This 
transformation is obtained by placing the deck 1 on two rail bogies 
8.sub.1 and 8.sub.2 each of which is equipped with an intermediate chassis 
9.sub.1 or 9.sub.2 carrying buffers 10 and coupling members 11. After 
being placed thereon, the deck is fixed in place. The bogies, their 
intermediate chassis, and the deck are identical to those shown in FIGS. 3 
and 8 and corresponding portions are given the same references. 
The system shown in FIG. 10 differs from that shown in FIG. 2 in that it 
does not include a raiseable road axle assembly nor does it include any 
props or pivot for coupling to a road tractor, which has the advantage of 
reducing the dead weight of the system. 
FIG. 11 shows the system for FIG. 10 after the deck 1 has been separated 
from one of the two rail bogies. This operation requires the use of a 
crane or other hoisting device in order to raise the deck 1 and the goods 
contained in its box 1a. This provides a multi-mode goods transport system 
in which the goods contained in the box 1 do not require individual 
trans-shipment, said system constituting a container which is 
transportable by ship, by air, or by ground vehicle, or even by being 
placed on a railway flat truck or car. 
FIG. 12 shows another possible transformation of the system shown in FIG. 
10. After it has been separated from the two rail bogies, the deck 1 is 
placed by hoisting means onto a removeable road axle assembly 54, and is 
fixed thereto, and it is also fitted with two hydraulic or mechanical 
props 53 and with a pivot 52 for coupling it to a road tractor, thereby 
transforming it into a road semi-trailer. 
In another variant (not shown) each end of the deck 1 may be placed and 
fixed on a removeable road axle assembly and the deck may be provided with 
a draw-bar so as to provide a road trailer. 
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a train comprising a first 
multiple unit of three vehicles 55.sub.1, 55.sub.2, and 55.sub.3 which are 
articulated to one another and a second multiple unit of two rail vehicles 
55.sub.4 and 55.sub.5 which are articulated to each other, with the two 
multiple units being interconnected by a normal coupling 56. Naturally the 
number of articulated vehicles constituting each multiple unit and the 
number of multiple units in a train are arbitrary. 
FIG. 13 shows an embodiment in which each rail vehicle includes a raiseable 
road axle assembly 57.sub.1, 57.sub.2, 57.sub.3, 57.sub.4, or 57.sub.5 so 
as to enable it to be transformed directly into a road semi-trailer. This 
example is not limiting, and each rail vehicle could include a deck 
without a raiseable road axle assembly and it could be transformable into 
a multi-mode container or into a road vehicle by adding an appropriate 
number of removeable road axle assemblies. 
The novel feature of the transport systems shown in FIG. 13 lies in the 
fact that they are transformable into rail vehicles which are articulated 
to one another by means of special rail bogies 58 which are placed between 
two successive rail vehicles and which are common to each of the vehicles. 
FIG. 13 shows that both ends of a deck, e.g. the deck of vehicle 55.sub.2, 
may be placed on respective common bogies 58.sub.1 and 58.sub.2. It can 
also be seen that first and last rail vehicles of such a multiple unit, 
e.g. vehicles 55.sub.1, 55.sub.3, 55.sub.4, and 55.sub.5 can be obtained 
by placing one end of a deck on a bogie 58 which is common to two vehicles 
and by placing the other end of the deck on a normal bogie 59 which is 
fitted with an intermediate chassis carrying coupling members 56 for 
coupling the vehicle to another multiple unit or to a normal rail vehicle. 
It is also possible to place both ends of the deck on two normal bogies 59 
in order to obtain a conventional rail vehicle. 
FIG. 14 is an elevation view of a bogie 58 which is common to two 
successive rail vehicles. The bottom portion of the bogie corresponds to 
international rail standards. 
It has two axles provided with rail wheels and a central pivot articulated 
about a vertical axis z-z1. 
The bogie 58 includes two intermediate chassis 61 and 62 which are hinged 
to each other about a vertical axis z-z1 coinciding with the pivot axis of 
the bogie. FIG. 15 is an elevation view of the two intermediate chassis 61 
and 62 showing how they are assembled together and FIG. 16 is a 
cross-section through FIG. 15 on a plane including the pivot axis z-z1. 
One of the intermediate chassis, e.g. the front chassis 61 includes a cross 
beam 63 at its rear end which extends over the entire width of the 
chassis. 
The middle of the cross beam 63 includes a hollow spherical socket 63a 
which rests in a spherical cup 64 forming a portion of the pivot of the 
bogie 58. 
Springs 65 are fixed to the ends of the cross beam 63 and bear against the 
bogie 58 in order to limit the transverse inclination of the intermediate 
chassis 61. By virtue of the spherical socket, the intermediate chassis 61 
is free to pivot relative to the bogie within the limits on lateral 
inclination imposed by the springs 65. 
The second intermediate chassis 62 e.g. the rear chassis, includes a cross 
beam 66 at its front end which extends over the entire width of the 
chassis and which is situated above the top face of said chassis to which 
it is connected by gusset plates 67. The middle of the cross beam 66 
includes a vertical length of shaft about the axis z-z1 with a ball 
portion 69 mounted at the end thereof having a spherical outside surface 
which is engaged in the hollow socket 63a of the first chassis 61. 
The two ends of the cross beam 66 carry abutments 70 which bear against the 
cross-beam 63 of the first chassis. The bottom portions of the abutments 
70 are semi-cylindrical in shape about a transverse axis so as to allow 
the second chassis to pivot relative to the first chassis both about the 
vertical axis z-z1 by virtue of the ball-and-socket connection 69-63a, and 
about a transverse horizontal axis constituted by the contacting generator 
lines of the two semi-cylindrical abutments 70. 
FIGS. 14 and 15 show that each of the intermediate chassis 61 and 62 
includes a pair of vertical conical pegs 71 or 72 with each pair 
comprising two pegs situated in the same transverse plane. 
Each pair of conical pegs co-operates with a pair of cylindro-conical 
bushes situated beneath the deck of a system in accordance with the 
invention. 
Each intermediate chassis includes a pair of ramps 73 and 74 on each of its 
sides, which ramps slope down in an inwards direction and serve to provide 
transverse guidance of a deck as it is being lowered onto the intermediate 
chassis. 
Finally, each intermediate chassis includes corresponding longitudinal 
guide ramps 75 or 76 at its end. 
The pairs of conical pegs 71 and 72, the cylindro-conical bushes in the 
deck, the lateral guide ramps 73 and 74, and the longitudinal guide ramps 
75 and 76 ar all identical to those described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 
8 and they perform the same functions. The only difference lies in the 
fact that the common bogies have two intermediate chassis which are 
articulated relative to each other whereas the normal bogies have only one 
intermediate chassis each. 
Decks in accordance with the invention can be placed equally well on two 
normal bogies, or on two common bogies, or on one normal bogie and on one 
common bogie, thereby providing a high degree of flexibility in making up 
trains and in shunting vehicles. So long as marshalling yards are provided 
with normal bogies and with common bogies, it is possible to extract a 
vehicle from a multiple unit of articulated vehicles, and replace the 
common bogies by normal bogies and incorporate the vehicle in a 
conventional train. Conversely, a vehicle can be taken from a conventional 
train, and fitted with one or two common bogies and interposed in a 
multiple unit of articulated vehicles. 
The intermediate chassis of the common bogies also include devices for 
locking a deck onto each of said intermediate chassis. These devices are 
not shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. 
FIG. 17 shows another embodiment of a device for locking a deck to an 
intermediate chassis and performing the same function as the device shown 
in FIG. 9. FIG. 17 is a transverse half-section showing a main 
longitudinal beam 12.sub.1 and a side longitudinal beam 12.sub.2 of an 
intermediate chassis 61 with the longitudinal a beans being interconnected 
by cross-beams 77. The side longitudinal beam 12.sub.2 carries a pair of 
lateral guide ramps 73. 
FIG. 17 also shows a central longitudinal beam 22 of I-section and a side 
longitudinal beam 23 of the deck of the vehicle which are interconnected 
by cross-beams 24. 
The intermediate chassis 56 includes two pairs of bolts 78 which are 
disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal mid-plane y-y1. Each bolt 78 
includes a housing 79 which is fixed to the chassis and in which a slider 
80 is free to move, with the slider being extended by a wedge-shaped latch 
80a which extends from said housing. 
The main longitudinal beam 22 of the deck carries inclined ramps 81 and 
each latch bears against one of the inclined ramps, thereby locking the 
deck to the intermediate chassis in the vertical direction. 
The four sliders 80 are operated by a linkage 82 having levers which are 
moved simultaneously by means of a handwheel 83.