GB1340008A - Vehicle switching apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1340008 Vehicle switching apparatus MONOCAB Inc 7 Dec 1971 56824/71 Heading B7L Apparatus for switching a vehicle supported by rollers 25 on an I beam track F to one of two alternative track sections H, H<SP>1</SP> comprises an inverted channel structure 40 bolted to the track sections at their junction and having guiding surfaces 40a, 40b and 40e, 40f which respectively guide a selected pair of guide rollers 38, 39 or 41, 42 of the vehicle to steer the latter on to the track section H<SP>1</SP> or H respectively, the rollers 38, 39 and 41, 42 being mounted at opposite ends of a rocker arm 33 and the desired pair of rollers being elevated into their engagement position by raising the appropriate armature 36 or 37 of a solenoid actuating device 35. The support rollers 25 together with stabilizing rollers 26 are mounted on support arms 27 one of which passes through a slot 31 or 32 in the extended bottom webs of the tracks as the vehicle is switched to the section H or H<SP>1</SP> respectively. Flanges 40c, 40d, 40g, 40h retain the rollers 38, 39, 41, 42 in position on their guiding surfaces. In an alternative embodiment the I- shaped tracks and inverted channel structure 40 are replaced by a single box girder within which the vehicle support carriage runs, guiding runs for a single roller at each end of the rocker arm being defined between flanges on the outer side surfaces of the box girder. Alternatively two switching rollers at each end of the rocker arm may engage one of two inverted T-shaped flanges or simple flanges depending from the bottom of the box girder. In an alternative embodiment the rocker arm may be replaced by shafts rotatable about horizontal axes transverse to the box girder so as to bring the guide rollers selectively into and out of engagement with their co-operating runs.