GB1026415A - Improvements in or relating to transportation systems - Google Patents

Abstract

1,026,415. Guiding vehicles; vehicle magnetic couplings. ALDEN SELF-TRANSIT SYSTEMS CORPORATION. Aug. 9, 1963 [Aug. 13, 1962], No. 31593/63. Headings B7B, B7H, B7L and B7T. A transportation system has two guide tracks 54, Fig. 6, in which runs the wheels 12 of a vehicle; each front wheel brake drum 82 carries a cylinder in which slides pistons 86, 88 carrying a guide 100 and a switch element 94 cooperating with contacts 90, 92 to indicate the position of guide 100. Fluid is admitted to below both pistons through ports 104, 108 to raise guide 100 against guide element 120 on track 54, the normal steering being disconnected by a clutch. Whilst travelling along the track the vehicle is propelled by an electric motor controlled from a conductor 122 on track 54 which is engaged by a slider attached to the rear mudguard, Fig. 8, not shown, or to guide 100, Fig. 9, not shown. The vehicle is normally driven by an I.C. engine. To accommodate the top flanges 116 of tracks 54 the vehicle is formed with channels 50, Fig. 3. A train of vehicles connected together by magnets in their bumpers have their left-hand guides 100 engaging track 54, Fig. 4; should any vehicle, e.g. 276, 273, wish to leave the track then a block signal at the track side passes a signal to the appropriate vehicle to lower the left guide 100 and raise the right guide 100 to follow the other track 54, the magnetic couplers being actuated to repel the vehicle immediately in front and behind the vehicle leaving the train. The cars may be kept spaced apart in the train by sensing devices. In Fig. 11, the guides 150, 152 are carried on shaft 154 which is rotated through a rack and pinion mechanism 156, 158 to engage one of the guides with one of the guide elements 118. In Figs. 12, 13 sets of rollers 172-174 and 166-168 constitute the guides and are carried on links 176, 170 respectively. The rollers are mounted for vertical movement into and out of engagement with guide elements 190, 192 on a parallelogram linkage 177, 178, 180, 181 tiltable about shaft 183 and supported by flanges 184; the guiding rollers are connected to the normal steering linkage 162 by bar 163 and link 164. The guide 100 may be mounted to be moved downwardly to engage a channel guide rail which carries the electric conductor, Fig. 15, not shown; whilst each guide in Fig. 16 comprises two parts 230, 232 on arms 234, 236 which are pivoted by cylinder 240 to engage the parts 230, 232 with guide rail 246. Fig. 17, not shown, gives a track lay-out with entrance and exit spurs. A control circuit controls each vehicle from signals over the conductors 122, Fig. 18, not shown.