GB1328571A - Load carrier and a track therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

1328571 Elevated railways J M JACOBS Jnr and N S STAFFORD 25 Sept 1970 [29 Sept 1969] 45915/70 Heading B7L A transportation system comprises a load carrier 20 (Figs. 3, 4) having at least two pairs of upper spaced apart guide wheels 33, 35, two pairs of lower spaced apart guide wheels 37, 39 and two support wheels 38, which are preferably driven by electric motors 96, the carrier moving in use along a guide beam 30 in cantilever fashion as shown in Fig. 3, and having hooks 81 (Fig. 4) thereon for supporting a load thereon, a switch section (Fig. 12) being provided for connecting a first guide beam 130 with either of two spaced guide beams 131, 132, the switching of a load carrier being effected by providing for axial movement of the support wheels 38 relative to the load carrier body by mechanism shown in Fig. 9 to direct the wheels 38 on to running surfaces appropriate to either the guide beam 131 or 132. The beam 30 in Fig. 3 is shaped to accomodate a load carrier on both sides thereof and Figs. 12a to 12i show sections through the track at corresponding section lines a-a to i-i of the switch depicted in Fig. 12. Thus, Fig. 12a, shows a section through the guide beam 130 and Fig. 12i through the two guide beams 131, 132 spaced vertically one above the other. As a local carrier enters the switch along guide beam 130 its support wheels run along horizontal surface 143. From Figs. 12b and 12c it is seen that the surface 143 widens to form a surface 146 and a further guide surface 150 is provided for the upper guide wheels 33 of the load carrier. If it is desired for the carrier to pass to the guide beam 131 then its support wheels are moved axially by operation of an hydraulic cylinder 105 (Fig. 9) acting through bell cranks 107, the drive to the wheels from gear housings 70 being maintained by splines 69. In this way the wheels 38 are moved to run on the surface 146 and as this surface separates from the surface 143 and rises (Figs. 12d and 12e) the load carrier is raised, the surface 150 maintaining its position on the track until the guide wheels 35 contact surface 148 (Figs. 12f and 12g) and the guide surfaces for each guide beam separate from each other (Fig. 12h). Arrangements are also described in the Specification using principles similar to those described above for switching between horizontally aligned guide beams and between upper and lower parallel guide beams. In a further embodiment of the invention the support wheels 38 run along a horizontal surface adjacent the upper guide wheels 33, 35 and the guide beams are modified accordingly.