FR2628048A1 - Non-stop urban transport system - has cabins straddling single narrow track moving vertically at stations allowing other cabins to proceed without stopping - Google Patents

Abstract

The urban transport has vertically moving cabins or compartments without a double track but does have a single narrow track on posts, straddled by light cabins of 15-20 people. At the station, the cabin moves vertically freezing the track and allowing other cabins to reach their destination directly. The passengers loaded individually are regrouped by central computers to direct the cabins to their appropriate destinations. There is a journey time saving as it gives access to passenger seats and other cabins by computer control and cuts out intermediate stops.

Description

(d FRENCH REPUBLIC Publication No. 2 628 048 (use only

  for NATIONAL INSTITUTE reproduction orders) OF [INDUSTRIAL O..ZONE u OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY NI national registration 88 02603 PARIS

() Int CI4 B 61 B 3/02.

  A1 PATENT APPLICATION

  Filing date March 2, 1988. Q Applicant (s): GUERRIER Marc Gérard Paul - FR.

() Priority

  (Inventor (s) Marc Gérard Paul Guerrier.

  4 Date of public availability of the

  application: BOPI "Patents" n 36 of September 8, 1989.

  _ References to other national documents appearing

  rented: (r Holder (s) @ Agent (s)

  (Urban transport system with vertically retractable cabins without double track.

  (Urban transport system, characterized by information

  tick which groups travelers according to their places of departure and arrival in order to quickly bring them to their destination, without stopping an intermediate journey thanks to the release of the I-track

by the cabins in the resort.

  The cabins straddle a narrow, high track on poles.

  A cabin has 3 separable parts: the upper part

  lower 1 resting on top of track 3 and comprising the propulsion engine, the driving wheels 6 and the maneuvering winches; the two seat carriers 2 in lateral support against the

  I track by hoops 7 and cylinders in the upper part.

  A station includes a space under the track, open at 00 top. Each end partition is provided with a guide for the descent of the seat carriers 2, a door 14 and a gantry

O 10 above the track.

  Channel clearance is achieved by simultaneous separation

  of the 3 components by means of a winch, the upper part, -

  after locking at the 2 gantry cranes, rises while the 2 seat carriers descend into the station at ground level., <4 Thus the way is clear for the passage of the other cabins.! L

262804

  - 1 - The present invention relates to a single track urban transoort system avoiding intermediate stops between departure and destination stations characterized by a narrow track on poles, overlapped by light cabins of 15 to 20 people (fig 1) which s '' retract vertically without double track in the station, to allow other cabins to reach their destination stations without intermediate stops

  as if the way was completely clear.

  The considerable gain in journey time comes from the fact that at the same time, the cabin on station frees and orends passengers on the ground and that other cabins pass overhead at high speed, the way being free to reach the destination stations. , according to the directives of the central computers which take charge of each traveler and by grouping these according to

  their requirements and their destination, send them the appropriate cabin.

  So travelers do not experience traffic jams and traffic lights or intermediate stops like for buses and trains,

  nor the high prices of tranport by taxi.

  Speed of customer service takes priority over filling

cabins.

  There is no empty traffic in the cabins except to pick up a client. There is no loss of money for the company because there is adjustment, thanks to IT, of the price for the service rendered. A client, at night, pale more expensive; some less frequented stations may be

subject to an additional price.

  The services provided are, in addition to the destination, the following requirements compatible with the fact that the seats are at ground level and that they can be adapted: disabled (wheelchairs) strollers with

  baby, baby strollers, large luggage.

  lA computer terminal is installed at each station and allows

  central computers to support each traveler.

  The monitoring of this system is done by a few operators in a central station with a synoptic where all the information and

  leave all orders, either issued by computers, or taken up manually-

  by operators if there is a failure.

  Completely independent and redundant computers, sensitive to mismatches, ensure the safety of all cabs by almost permanent knowledge of position, speed,

the condition of each cabin.

  The status information is the indication of the correct position of the mechanical interlocks and, at the station, monitoring of the separation and reconstitution movements of each cabin, the assurance of complete release of the track. The almost conversational link system between the cabins and the Deuvent central computers is made by transmission of information by

high speed packages.

  The track is shown according to Figure 4: rail on top for drive wheels (5) - support rail for guide wheel (21) - On the concrete seal (25) is fixed by screwing the support plate (24) ribbed base

  post, which makes the track easily removable and reassemblable.

  Power is supplied by a wiper on a rigid tube

metallic (20).

  The cabins (fig 1) straddling the track are in 3 parts, the upper part (1) rests by its driving wheels (4) on the top of the track

  (fig 4) and carries 2 winches, 2 shutters and 3 hoops on each side.

  The 2 lateral parts (2) symmetrical with respect to the track carry the seats (3) and are provided above and below 4 guide wheels (4). The lateral arches (7) articulated on the top of the upper part tighten the seat carriers (2) against the track by pressing on the wheels

guide.

  The station under the track occupies less floor space than a bus stop, and consists of a closed space laterally open to the

  high. The travelers went down to the ground.

  Each seat constitutes a mini-cabin closed for safety.

  A row of mini-cabins and the support constitutes a seat carrier (2).

  The front and rear partitions carry a guidance system (13) for

  seat carriers (2) so that they reach the ground separated in the station.

  The support cables of the seat carriers are thus spread to free the passage of the other cabins, and the travelers have a central corridor

  in the station to access the seats.

  Each station has a high gantry (10) at each end above the track, secured to the front and rear partitions of the station

  for elevation of the upper part of the cabins.

  The release of the track by the cabin, when stopped at the station, is done by separation of the 3 constituent parts of the cabin: the upper part (1) rises by hooking to the 2 tall gantries (10) above the track while the seat carriers (2) descend in the station, movements

  simultaneous (fig 5 c) thanks to the action of the same power winch.

  -3-! It is the same in reverse for the reconstitution of the cabins

against the track.

  The lifting device of the upper part consists of 2

  shutters (9) closed flat on the upper part in rolling position.

  On arrival at the station, they open up to the top gantries (10), which positions the cabin. Then, a cylinder in each of the 2 flaps sends out hanging pistons in the gantry

top (fig 5, b,).

  The elevation of the upper part is done by closing these flaps

  attached to the tall porticoes (fig 5).

  The installation on the track of the upper part is done in reverse.

  This part is always securely held and cannot be positioned incorrectly. The shutters are opened by the action of a low winch

  power acting on one end of the cables and by opening spring.

  The ascent and descent is done by the action of a strong winch

  power acting on the other end of the cables.

  Then after re-entry of the shutter cylinders, the closing is done by the light winch which puts the shutters flat being then locked

mechanically.

  The lowering device of the 2 lateral seat carriers (2) is made up of hinges articulated on the top of the upper part actuated by jacks and of the same high-power winch which also serves to raise

the sun part (1).

  The descent includes, the mechanical unlocking of the hoops, their spacing by cylinder which guides the spacing of the seat carriers to the

  put in good position for the descent in station.

  After the intended travelers have taken their places, the doors of

  each seat be closed, that the driving order be given by the computer

  central erector and by the security computers, there is reconstitution of the cabin against the rail which is done by the action of the high-power winch which ensures the descent of the upper part while the seat carriers move up. Then there is retraction of the shutter jacks and closing of these by the low-power winch while the hoops tighten the holder

against theft.

  Mechanical locks on arches and flaps guarantee safety. The track release and cabin reconstitution times are short because there is simultaneity between, on the one hand, the preliminary elevation movements (opening of the flaps and jacks) and descent (spacing of the arches guiding the carriers). seats) and secondly the movements of raising the upper part and rapid descent of the seat carriers. The rapid urban transport system is discreet because the track on

  posts are poorly visible, width of the order of 0.3 to 0.4 m.

  The cabins are narrow, 1.8 m wide and 2.5 m high, with the passengers seated. Tire wheels and modern manufacturing eliminate everything

vibrational noise.

  The system does not require any infrastructure on the ground or underground, except the sealing of the concrete blocks under the pavement on which will be

  screwed the posts so easily removable.

  This system can pass in narrow streets, without embarrassment, above parked cars, along residence gardens, pleasure parks, stadiums, in the courtyards of administrative buildings upstairs in hospitals, in schoolyard, and even high above houses, bridges ect, on roadsides, rivers, above

SNCF lines.

  Roads or motorways, rivers, SNCF lines can be

crossing out of bridges.

  This system is the only one discreet enough to enter the parks, for example a link between Versailles stations and various points in the chateau park.

  The same is true for animal parks.

  For large events, a quick temporary assembly can be installed. It’s important to note that one way is enough for the round trip,

given the speed of the cabins.

  In rush hour, for example, 10 cabins are dispatched to serve 10 stations, the cabins going furthest ahead. The return can be done

in a different order.

  Tracks in the city are possible thanks to switches, which reduces track lengths while serving all

peripheral districts.

  Aerodynamic front and rear trunks can be added to these

  cabins for long distance and high speed traffic.

  - 5 - For stations and airports, this system is of exceptional interest: it is the natural complement to the train and the plane. The cabins can go to the platforms by arriving just a few minutes before the departure time, a time known and taken into account by the central computers. The cabins bring passengers and their luggage there which must convert many people who use the car to the train and thus make the station and airport car parks, which are expensive, largely useless,

ugly, bulky.

  Cities could become quieter, and neighborhoods

pedestrian could expand.

  One can also think of the advantage of such a system in mountainous regions to reach the shortest villages; a single line can take skiers in the village and drive them where they want by the choice of

appropriate cabin.

  -6 - Fig 1: Upper part (1) - 2 seat carriers (2) - seats (3) lateral guide wheels integral with the seat carriers (4) - drive wheels (6)

  - lateral clamps for the seat carriers (7) - lift flaps

  tion of the upper part fitted with cylinders (9) - Top gantries of the front and rear station (10). Fig 2:

  Station: end partitions (11) - door guide groove -

  seats (13) - central aisle end door (14).

  Fig 3: Release of the track by raising the upper part (1) and lowering the seat carriers (2) to the ground. Other cabin passing to

  high speed (17) - support cables for seat carriers (16).

  Fig 4: Track, posts and ground seal, running plate on top of the driving wheels (5) side plate of the guide wheels of the seat carriers (21). Concrete floor sealing (25) - removable ribbed plate

  (24) - ground level (23) - power supply (20).

  Fig 5: a) cabin in taxiing position b) lifting of the flaps and exit of the hooking pins to the high gantries c) upper part in high and locked situation, seat carrier in ground station with access for passengers while the others

cabins pass freely.

Fig 6:

  1 open flap with hanging pins in the top gantry -

the other flap shown closed.

  Spring of. flap lift (31) - flap cylinders (32) - drive wheels (6) - propulsion motor (33) - high power winch (34) - low power winch (35) with drum - drum

  lifting of the upper part (36) - Seat carrier (2).

  Fig 7: seat carrier, cross-sectional view from above of a seat

  seat, necessarily locked when driving.

Fig 8:

straight and curved switch.

7 ?. - 2628048

_7_

Claims (6)

  1) System of urban transport without intermediate stop with retractable cabins vertically without double track characterized by a narrow vnie on posts, overlapped by light cabins from 15 to 20 people, which by vertical movement, in station, clears the way to allow the others cabins to directly reach their destination station. The travelers taken care of individually are grouped together by the central computers in order to send them cabins appropriate to their destination and their requirements. 2) Device according to claim 1 characterized by a gain in travel time due to the fact that, at the same time, there is access to passenger seats and the circulation of other cabins thanks to the organization by   IT which avoids intermediate stops.   3) Device according to claim 1, characterized by a constitution of the cabins in 3 parts (fig 1) which are on the one hand the 2 seat carriers (2) placed on either side of the track and which descend into the station on the ground for passenger access and on the other hand the upper part (1) which rests on top of the track (5 fig 4) by the drive wheels (6) and carries the   hoops (7) for clamping the sleeper seats (8) against the track (21 fig 4).   4) Device according to claim 3 characterized by stations (fig 2) under the track, closed laterally, the front and rear partitions (11) are provided with a guide (13) of the seat carriers so that they reach the floor apart to have a central access corridor to the seats and a   wider space between the support cables.   ) Device according to claim 4 characterized by 2 high gantries secured to the station end partitions above the track to allow by the elevation of the upper part of the cabin clearing the way.   6) Device according to claim 5 characterized by the following simultaneous preliminary actions - the front and rear flaps, articulated above the upper part, locked flat in the rolling situation, open towards the ends until abutting on the 2 high gantries then, by action of   cylinders, lock on them.   - the clamping bars of the seat carriers against the track, locked for safety in a rolling situation, move aside and bring the seat carriers   in good position for the descent to the station. -8 - 2628048   7) Device according to any one of claims 5 and 6   characterized by the action of the high power winch which, simul-   tan.ment, raises the upper part by closing the flaps   attached to the 2 tall porticoes and lets the carriers down   station seats. 8) Device according to claim 7 characterized by the operation of the flaps not attached to the high gantries by a winch de.petite power acting on one end of the cables of the shutters, the other end of these cables serving to   high power winch which by movement of these flaps   chés at the tall porticos ensures the raising and lowering of the upper part. This power winch ensures by others   cables and drums the movements of the seat carriers.   9) Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized by switches comprising 2 sections   independent tracks that replace each other. 2628048 ' At 4 -1 4 - (1, C t \ "0   I i JJ I t vi -rr / I FO-. ZgZ a //. ca Co 6/6 F ', g' - 2628048 COUPE "VL / d of sc vs. $. ((