GB1117941A - Improvements in or relating to systems for conveying documents or other material - Google Patents

Abstract

1,117,941. Vehicle routing system; rack propelling gear; elevated railways. J. R. WATSON. [18 Nov., 1963; (4); 22 April, 1964], Nos. 45365/63; 45366/63; 45367/63 and 16639/64. Headings B7H, B7L and B7N. In an arrangement for conveying articles, e.g. documents, on an electrically operated selfpropelled vehicle between stations disposed on an overhead rail system, means are provided (a) at each station for ordering dispatch of a vehicle from a storage siding, for automatically transferring the article to the vehicle and imprinting the destination address on a memory carried by the vehicle on movement of the vehicle past the station, (b) for controlling, in response to the destination information stored on the vehicle, the route taken by the vehicle and (c) at the destination station for automatically transferring the article from the vehicle, for erasing the destination information and inserting the address of a storage siding as the vehicle moves past the station. The track layout includes a number of interconnected main loops, a number of subsidiary loops off each main loop and a number of stations on each subsidiary loop. Track system.-The track comprises a pair of spaced rails 25 connected at spaced points along the track by bridging members 26 and each Vehicle is guided by a pair of rollers 34 disposed on vertical members 33 which pass between the rails and connect the upper drive portion of the vehicle with the load carrying portion disposed below the rails. The drive motor derives its supply from pick up arms 35 which are in contact with conductor rails 27 mounted beneath the vehicle rails 25. The points, Fig. 12, comprise a movable member 93 which is biased by spring 95 to a position which allows movement in the straight through direction C, on operation of solenoid 96 the member is moved to the position shown so that traffic is switched to the diverging line D, in addition on operation of the solenoid the polarity of the supply to the conductor rail on the member 93 and associated rail section 98 is changed over. Vehicle.-Each vehicle, which includes a leading pair of wheels 32 driven via gearing 31 from an electric motor 30, is provided with a pair of wheels 45 disposed below and out of contact with the track 25. On inclines the depth of the track is increased so that wheels 45 now urged by spring 48 into contact with the base of the track increase the friction on the drive wheels 32. On very steep inclines a rack is disposed on the track which engages a pinion 49 mounted on the driven axle of the vehicle. Control.-The address storage arrangement on each vehicle comprises an array of storage elements, each including an input contact 115 and an output contact 116, which are arranged in three rows, the first storing the number of the main loop, the second the number of the subsidiary loop and the third the number of the station on the subsidiary loop. Each destination imparter station includes an array of contacts corresponding to the input contact array and three of these contacts are energized to pass the address information to the vehicle store when a master contact 130 on the vehicle connects with a similar contact on the imparter array. The energized contacts 115 operate an associated solenoid which in turn operates a switch connected in series with the associated output contact 116. The switch remains in its " on " condition until each solenoid in the array is energized in the opposite direction on passing an address cancelling arrangement, Fig. 14b (not shown). The reading apparatus at each address station includes a number of contacts disposed such that they correspond with output contacts 116 with associated closed switches when addressed to the station. The reading apparatus produces an output signal when a circuit is completed via the corresponding contacts and the associated closed switches which automatically arranges transfer of the article from the vehicle to the station, cancellation of the stored address on the vehicle and insertion of the address of the vehicles storage siding.