Abstract:
A railway transport for equipment with a blade includes: a drive motor configured to receive drive power from the equipment; an axle attached to the drive motor such that the drive motor can turn the axle; first railway wheels at ends of the axle that can be driven by the drive motor; and a frame across the axle and having a first end on one side of the axle and a second end on an other side of the axle, wherein the first end of the frame has a configuration to retain the blade of the equipment.

Description:
[0001]    This invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/677,410 filed on Jul. 30, 2012 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/730,023 filed on Nov. 26, 2012, which are both hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The embodiments of the invention relate to railway devices, and more particularly, to a by-gear railway transport. Although embodiments of the invention are suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for railway transport of equipment in which the equipment can be mounted and dismounted on the railway line as well as enable both the equipment and the railway transport to get on the railroad tracks and get off the railroad tracks. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, equipment for constructing or maintaining a rail way or the rail line of a railroad is transported to a job site by either using the rail line itself or a road adjacent to the rail way. However, some rail ways go through areas where there is no road access, much less a road. Thus, use of the rail line itself in a rail way is the most assured way of getting construction/maintenance equipment to a desired site along a rail way. There are generally two types of transportation techniques for moving construction/maintenance equipment along a rail way, either the maintenance/construction equipment is loaded on a railcar or by-rail wheels are on the maintenance/construction equipment. 
         [0006]    The use of railcars blocks the rail line during the work if the railcars are left on the work site. Otherwise, the removal and arrival of the railcars for the maintenance/construction equipment has to be scheduled. Moving empty rail cars after drop-off or before pick-up of maintenance/construction equipment is time consuming and expensive. 
         [0007]    Retrofitting hy-rail wheels to maintenance/construction equipment can be expensive. Such retrofitting requires integrating the hy-rail wheels into the equipment so as permanently attach the hy-rail wheels. Typically, all of the hy-rail wheels are free wheels and the hy-railed equipment is pulled by a railway locomotive. Further, retrofitting drive hy-rail wheels may require major structural modifications to the equipment and reduce the functionality or versatility of the equipment. For example, the equipment has to stay on the railroad track at a worksite. In another example, the equipment is dependent on a railway engine to move up and down the railroad tracks during the work at the worksite. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Accordingly, embodiments of the invention are directed to a hy-gear railway transport that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
         [0009]    An object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a hy-gear railway transport having drive hy-gear that is separable from the equipment to be transported. 
         [0010]    Another object of embodiments of the invention is to provide a hy-gear drive railway transport in which the drive hy-gear can be attached without substantial structural modifications of the equipment to be transported. 
         [0011]    Another object of embodiments of the invention is to provide hy-gear drive railway transport in which the drive hy-gear can be moved off and on the railway line. 
         [0012]    Another object of embodiments of the invention is to provide hy-gear drive railway transport that enables the equipment to be moved off and on the railway line. 
         [0013]    Another object of embodiments of the invention is to provide hy-gear drive railway transport that enables the equipment to be moved down a railway line under its own power. 
         [0014]    Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of embodiments of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the embodiments of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
         [0015]    To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of embodiments of the invention, as embodied and broadly described, a railway transport for equipment with a blade includes: a drive motor configured to receive drive power from the equipment; an axle attached to the drive motor such that the drive motor can turn the axle; first railway wheels at ends of the axle that can be driven by the drive motor; and a frame across the axle and having a first end on one side of the axle and a second end on an other side of the axle, wherein the first end of the frame has a configuration to retain the blade of the equipment. 
         [0016]    In another aspect, a system of railway transport for equipment with a blade has a drive device including: a drive motor configured to receive drive power from the equipment; an axle attached to the drive motor such that the drive motor can turn the axle; first railway wheels at ends of the axle that can be driven by the drive motor; and a frame across the axle and having a first end on one side of the axle and a second end on an other side of the axle, wherein the first end of the first frame has a configuration to retain the blade of the equipment; and a drop-down device including: a second frame having a first end for hinged attachment to the equipment, second railway wheels at a second end of the second frame; and a mechanism for locking the second frame into a position with respect to the equipment in a middle section of the second frame. 
         [0017]    In another aspect, a system of railway transport for tracked equipment with a blade has a drive device including: a drive motor configured to receive drive power from the equipment; an axle attached to the drive motor such that the drive motor can turn the axle; first railway wheels at ends of the axle that can be driven by the drive motor; and a frame across the axle and having a first end on one side of the axle and a second end on an other side of the axle, wherein the first end of the first frame has a configuration to retain the blade of the equipment; and a ride device including: a second frame; second railway wheels of second size attached to the second frame; and track platforms at ends of the second frame. 
         [0018]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of embodiments of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of embodiments of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of drive hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a side view of drive hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is front view of drive hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a side view showing the relative positioning of drive hy-gear under the blade assembly of tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is rear view of ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a side view showing the positioning of drive hy-gear under the blade assembly of tracked equipment and ride hy-gear under the tracks of tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is rear view of ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention positioned under the tracks of tracked equipment. 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a side view of drive hy-gear and ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention in which the drive hy-gear is under the blade assembly of the tracked equipment and the ride hy-gear is under the tracks of the tracked equipment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  is a side view showing drop-down hy-gear at the rear of tracked equipment according to another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  is rear view of drop-down hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the base mount on a truck frame of the tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a ride bar locked in the up position by a pin on the truck housing of the tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a ride bar locked in the down position by a pin extending into the truck frame of the tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 15  is an illustration of tracked equipment having drop-down hy-gear locked in the ride position according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 16  is an illustration of tracked equipment having drive hy-gear under the front blade according to embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of drive hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the drive hy-gear  100  includes a blade assembly ride frame  101  that traverses an axle  102 . A drive motor  103  is attached to the axle  102  through a differential  102 ′ so as to provide drive torque to the rail wheels  104   a  and  104   b  at the ends of the axle  102 . Thus, the drive motor  103  initiates the mechanical force to turn the axle  102 , which turn the rail wheels  104   a  and  104   b  to propel the drive hy-gear  100 . The rail wheels  104   a  and  104   b  can have a diameter of twenty-two inches. 
         [0038]    The drive motor  103  can be a hydraulic motor that receives high pressure hydraulic fluid from the equipment as drive power to generate the mechanical movement of the axle  102  to turn the rail wheels  104   a  and  104   b  to propel the drive hy-gear  100 . A hydraulic motor as a drive motor  103  can generate a braking force for the equipment by receiving high pressure hydraulic fluid in an opposite manner than what would continue the drive motion. In the alternative, the drive motor  103  can be an electric motor that receives electricity from the ride-on equipment as drive power to generate the mechanical movement of the axle  102  to turn the rail wheels  104   a  and  104   b  to propel the drive hy-gear  100 . An electric motor as a drive motor  103  can generate a braking force for the equipment by receiving voltage opposite to voltage that would continue the drive motion. 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is a side view of drive hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 3  is front view of drive hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the blade assembly ride frame  101  has a blade support member area  101   a  at one side of the axle  102  for receiving a blade support member of the equipment. Another area  101   b  of the blade assembly ride frame  101  on the other side of the axle  102  has a blade stop lip  101   c  and a blade edge receiving recess  101   d . The blade stop lip  101   c  retains the blade of equipment on the blade assembly ride frame  101  by preventing the blade assembly ride frame  101  from sliding back under the blade of the equipment. The blade edge receiving recess  101   d  retains the blade of the equipment on the blade assembly ride frame  101  by preventing the blade assembly ride frame  101  from sliding under the blade of the tracked equipment. Also, the blade edge receiving recess  101   d  receives the blade of tracked equipment such that blade support member of the equipment can be properly positioned on the blade support member area  101   a.    
         [0040]    In the alternative to the blade stop lip and a blade edge receiving recess of FIG.  2 ., the front of the blade assembly ride frame  101   b  can be shorter such that the blade is past the front edge of blade assembly ride frame  101  to drop the blade down over the front edge of the blade assembly ride frame  101   b . Because the blade can be positioned down past the edge of the blade assembly ride frame  101 , the back of the blade can face the front edge of the blade assembly ride frame. The back edge of the blade support member area  101   a  can abut against the frame of the equipment. Thus, the blade assembly ride frame  101  can be positioned directly between the blade and frame of the equipment. 
         [0041]    The blade assembly ride frame  101  can include a brake system  105  having a brake cylinder  106 , brake bracket  107 , brake arm  108  and a brake shoe  109 . The brake cylinder  106  receives high pressure hydraulic fluid from the equipment to generate braking force. In the alternative, the brake cylinder  106  can be an electric solenoid that receives electricity from the equipment to generate braking force. As shown in  FIG. 3 , respective braking systems  105  can be implemented for each wheel  104   a  and  104   b  on the axle  102 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a side view showing the relative positioning of drive hy-gear under the blade assembly of tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. The blade assembly  200  of the tracked excavator  201  includes a blade  202 , blade support members  204  and a hydraulic cylinder  203 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the drive hy-gear  100  can be positioned under the raised blade assembly  200  of a tracked excavator  201  in front of the tracks  205 . More specifically, referring to  FIG. 2 , the bottom blade edge of the blade  202  can be placed in the blade edge receiving recess  101   d  of the blade assembly ride frame  101  while blade support members  203  reside upon the blade support member receiving area  101   a  of the blade assembly ride frame  101 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 6  is rear view of ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a ride hy-gear  300  has track platforms  301   a  and  301   b  at opposite ends of a ride frame  302 . The track platforms  301   a  and  301   b  each have inner lips  303   a  and  303   b  and outer raised edges  304   a  and  304   b . The width W of the track platforms  304   a  and  304   b  can be about the same as the length across three track pads of the tracks of a tracked excavator. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the width G between the inner lips  303   a  and  303   b  is less than the gauge between the tracks of tracked equipment. Railway wheels  305  are positioned within the ride frame  302 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 7  is a side view showing the positioning of drive hy-gear under the blade assembly of tracked equipment and ride hy-gear under the tracks of tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the ride hy-gear  300  is positioned under the tracks  205  of an excavator  201  just in front of the drive sprocket  206  for the tracked excavator  201 . The drive hy-gear  100  is positioned under the raised blade assembly  200  of the tracked excavator  201 . 
         [0045]    The boom  207  of the tracked excavator  201  can be used to mount the tracked excavator  201  on both the ride hy-gear  300  and the drive hy-gear  100  while on a railway line. The boom  207  of the tracked excavator  201  can also be used to dismount the tracked excavator  201  from both the ride hy-gear  300  and the drive hy-gear while  100  on the railway line. Further, the boom  207  of the tracked excavator  201  can be used to remove both the ride hy-gear  300  and the drive hy-gear  100  from the railway line. Lastly, the boom  207  of the tracked excavator  201  can be used to place both the ride hy-gear  300  and the drive hy-gear  100  on a railway line. 
         [0046]      FIG. 8  is rear view of ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention positioned under the tracks of tracked equipment. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the ride hy-gear  300  is positioned under the tracked excavator  201 . The inner lips  303   a  and  303   b  are just inside the tracks  205  of the tracked excavator  201  such that ride hy-gear is aligned perpendicularly between the tracks  205  of the tracked excavator  201 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 9  is a side view of drive hy-gear and ride hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention in which the drive hy-gear is under the blade assembly of the tracked equipment and the ride hy-gear is under the tracks of the tracked equipment. Drive hoses  208  can be connected to a diverter valve off of the hydraulic lines for the tracks  205  such that the hydraulics controls for the tracks of the tracked excavator  201  become hydraulic controls for the drive motor of the drive hy-gear  100 . By connecting the drive hoses  208  into the diverter valve off of the hydraulic lines for the tracks  205 , the tracks  205  will no longer receive hydraulic pressure to track. Brake hoses  209  can be connected to a diverter valve on the hydraulics for the blade assembly  200  of the tracked excavator  201  such that the hydraulic controls for the blade assembly  200  become the hydraulic controls for the brakes  105  of the drive hy-gear  100 . By connecting the brake hoses  209  into the diverter valve off of the hydraulic lines for the blade assembly  200 , the blade assembly  200  will no longer receive hydraulic pressure to move the blade  202  up and down. 
         [0048]      FIG. 10  is a side view showing drop-down hy-gear at the rear of the equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 10 , a drop-down hy-gear  400  extends down at an angle from the rear of the tracked excavator  201 . The drive hy-gear  100  is positioned under the blade support members  204  and the blade  202  of the blade assembly  200 . 
         [0049]    To deploy the drop-down hy-gear  400 , the rear of the tracked equipment is raised and the drop-down ride hy-gear is locked in place with pins. The raising of the rear of the tracked equipment can be done with jacks or the equipment can be self-lifting, such as in the case of a tracked excavator  201  that can lift itself with the boom  207 . Further, the front of the tracked equipment is raised such that the drive hy-gear  100  can be positioned under the blade support members  204  and the blade  202 . The raising of the front of the tracked equipment can be done with jacks or the equipment can be self-lifting, such as in the case of a tracked excavator  201  that can lift itself with the boom  207 . 
         [0050]    Although a tracked excavator  201  is shown in  FIG. 10 , wheeled excavator with a blade can also be moved on a railway using drive hy-gear and drop-down hy-gear of embodiments of the invention. Other tracked equipment with a blade, such as a crane, can be moved on a railroad tracks using drive hy-gear of embodiments of the invention. Further, equipment with a front loader can be moved on a railroad tracks using drive hy-gear of embodiments of the invention by positioning the drive hy-gear under the front bucket of the loader. 
         [0051]      FIG. 11  is rear view of drop-down hy-gear according to an embodiment of the invention. The drop-down hy-gear  400  has a frame of two ride bars  401   a  and  401   b  with an axle  404  across the ride bars  401   a  and  401   b . The front ends of the ride bars  401   a  and  401   b  are hingedly attached to frame pins  210   a  and  210   b . The ride bars  401   a  and  401   b  can be box beams. The frame pins  210   a  and  210   b  are mounted opposite to one another and attached to the truck frame (not shown) of the tracked excavator  201 . Sliding lock pins  402   a  and  402   b  are slidable through the ride bars  401   a  and  401   b , respectively, in middle sections of the ride bars. The sliding lock pins  402   a  and  402   b  slide into the truck frame (not shown) to lock the drop-down hy-gear in the down position or above the truck frame (not shown) to lock the drop-down hy-gear in the up position. Axle blocks  403   a  and  403   b  at the rear ends of the ride bars  401   a  and  401   b  attach an axle  404  to ride bars  401   a  and  401   b , respectively. Railway wheels  405   a  and  405   b  are respectively attached at the ends of the axle  404 . The railway wheels  405   a  and  405   b  can have a diameter of sixteen inches and turn freely on the axle  404 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the base mount on a truck frame of tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 12 , the frame pin  210   b  is attached through a base  211  to the truck frame  212 . The frame pin  210   b  is slid into a center hole in the base  211  and welded into the base  211 . The larger welding perimeter for of the base  211  provides for stronger attachment of the base  211  to the truck frame  212 . A hole  213  is formed near the end of the truck frame  212  has a lip  214 . The hole  213  is for receiving sliding lock pin  402   b  to lock the ride bar  401   b  in the down position. The lip  214  is for catching a portion of the sliding lock pin  402   b  sticking out from the ride bar  401  as the ride bar  401   b  is lowered such that the sliding lock pin  402   b  can align with the hole  213  by being caught by the lip  214 . Then, after the sliding lock pin  402   b  is aligned with the hole  213  by being caught by the lip  214 , the sliding lock pin  402   b  can be just slid into the hole  213 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a ride bar locked in the up position by a pin on the truck housing of the tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the ride bar  401   b  is locked in the up position by the sliding lock pin  402   b  being slid through the ride bar  401   b  such that the sliding lock pin  402   b  is on top of the truck frame  212 . More specifically, the sliding lock pin  402   b  rests on top of the truck frame  212  underneath the tracks  205 . Both of the ride bars  401   a  and  401   b  can be locked in the up position using sliding lock pins  401   a  and  402   b , respectively, such that the drop-down by-gear  400  is locked in a store position. 
         [0054]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a ride bar locked in the down position by a pin extending into the truck frame of the tracked equipment according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 13 , the ride bar  401   b  is locked in the down position by the sliding lock pin  402   b  sliding through the ride bar  401   b  such that the sliding lock pin  402   b  slides into the hole  213 , shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , of the truck frame  212 . Both of the ride bars  401   a  and  401   b  can be locked in the down position using sliding lock pins  401   a  and  402   b , respectively, such that the drop-down hy-gear  400  is locked in a ride position. 
         [0055]      FIG. 15  is an illustration of tracked equipment having drop-down hy-gear locked in the ride position according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 15 , the railway wheels  405   a  and  405   b  of the drop-down hy-gear  400  are positioned to be lower than the tracks  205  of the tracked excavator  201  just behind the drive sprockets  206  for the tracked excavator  201 . Thus, the drop-down hy-gear  400  locked in the ride position keeps the rear of the tracked excavator  201  off of the railroad tracks  500 . 
         [0056]    To deploy the drop-down hy-gear  400 , the boom  207  of the tracked excavator  201  is first used to slightly lift the drop-down hy-gear such that the sliding lock pins  401   a  and  402   b  can be moved from their locked up position. Then, the boom  207  is repositioned to be used in lifting the tracked excavator  201  while on the railway line such that the drop-down ride hy-gear drops into pinning position the sliding lock pins  401   a  and  402   b  catching onto the lips  214 . While the rear of the tracked excavator  201  is lifted up and the drop-down hy-gear  400  is hanging in the ride position by the sliding lock pins  401   a  and  402   b  resting on the lips  214 , the sliding lock pins  401   a  and  402   b  are slid into the holes  213  in the truck frame  212  to lock the drop-down hy-gear  400  in the ride position. Then, after the drop-down hy-gear  400  is pinned in the ride position, the tracked excavator  201  lowers itself such that the railway wheels  405   a  and  405   b  of the drop-down hy-gear  400  are positioned onto the railroad tracks  500 . Drop-down hy-gear locked in the ride positioned suspends the rear of the tracked excavator  201  over the railroad tracks  500 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 16  is an illustration of tracked equipment having drive hy-gear under the front blade according to embodiments of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 16 , the railway wheels  104   a  and  104   b  of the drive hy-gear  100  are below the blade assembly  200  of the tracked excavator  201  between the blade and the tracks  205  of the tracked excavator  201 . The railway wheels  104   a  and  104   b  of the drive hy-gear  100  positioned to be lower than the tracks  205  of the tracked excavator  201 . Thus, the drive hy-gear  100  under the blade assembly  200  keeps the front of the tracked excavator  201  off of the railroad tracks  500 . 
         [0058]    The loop  215  on the drive hy-gear  100  at the front of the frame is used with the boom  207  of the tracked excavator  201  to position the drive hy-gear  100  off of the railroad tracks  500  or to position the drive hy-gear  100  on the railroad tracks  500 . To mount the drive hy-gear  100 , the boom  207  of the tracked excavator  201  is first used to lift up the front of the tracked excavator  201  and then the tracked excavator  201  tracks to position the blade assembly  200  over drive hy-gear  100 . Then, the boom  207  is used to lower the blade assembly  200  onto the drive hy-gear  100 . Thus, the drive hy-gear positioned under the blade  200  suspends the front of the tracked excavator  201  over the railroad tracks  500 . Then, the drive hoses and brake hoses of the drive hy-gear  100  are hooked up to the tracked excavator  201 . The drive hy-gear  100  together with one of the ride-on hy-gear and drop-down hy-gear in ride position enables the tracked excavator  201  to traverse the railway tracks  500  with hydraulic power from the excavator  201 . 
         [0059]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the drive hy-gear and ride hy-gear railway devices of embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that embodiments of the invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.