GB1360647A - Transportation system - Google Patents

Abstract

1360647 Transportation system F RODOT 20 Dec 1971 [29 Jan 1971 7 Dec 1971] 59166/71 Heading B7L A transportation system comprises a channel C containing water caused to flow by ejecting fluid under pressure into the channel by slotted tubes as 4 and drawing in water by slotted tubes 5, and a vehicle having blades which are subjected to the thrust of the water thereby propelling the vehicle along tracks as la parallel to and straddling the channel on wheels 2. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, there are two blades 3a and 3b pivotable on horizontal transverse shafts 9a and 9b interconnected by a chain 37 so that when the front blade 3b is raised by a ramp Cr as before a station the rear blade is also raised to reduce the vehicle speed and they are held in the raised position by a solenoid device 32 to 35. An escapment device produces a gradual lowering to avoid water overflowing upstream, In the embodiment of Fig. 6, the blades 3 are pivotable about vertical axes and shoes 12 are urged by springs 13 against ramps 14 to give additional braking. In a modification a four-bladed turnstile on the vehicle engages retractable fingers on the channel wall to produce a 90 degree rotation of the blade 3 before and after a station. In the underground system of Fig. 6, the tunnels are or concrete and the channels are widened to extend under platforms 8 to reduce the speed of the vehicle. Alternatively the channel of a surface system may be deepened at a station for the same purpose.