Stephen C Spata

US Patent:

61019534, Aug 15, 2000

Filed:

Nov 24, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/976743

Inventors:

Stephen Christopher Spata - Berkley MI

International Classification:

B61C 1100

US Classification:

1052152

Abstract:

An apparatus for facilitating the travel of a motor vehicle, designed for roadway travel, upon railways has the capacity to be towed to the rail site by the motor vehicle. The apparatus has a platform having at least one rotatable axle of roadway tires attached thereto. In the deployed position, the roadway wheels allow the apparatus to be towed similarly to a trailer. When the apparatus is properly positioned over a railroad crossing, the rotatable wheels are drawn back to a retraced position, the apparatus is lowered so that rail wheels, mounted to the platform, engage the rails exactly as other rail vehicles. A removable ramp allows the motor vehicle to mount the platform. The wheels of the motor vehicle engage either one or two sets of rollers disposed upon the platform. After the motor vehicle is properly secured, the motor vehicle can be engaged to drive the rollers, with the power delivered to the rollers being transmitted to the train wheels to supply the necessary locomotion. To accommodate various motor vehicles of differing offsets between the driven axles, the distance between the two sets of rollers may be adjusted, and each may receive rotational power from one axle of the vehicle and transmit that energy to one of the sets of train wheels of the apparatus to propel the apparatus down the railways, and thus either end of the apparatus may serve as the forward end of the apparatus when it is upon a railway.