GB1440140A - Transportation system - Google Patents

Abstract

1440140 Railway systems GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO 23 Oct 1973 [17 Nov 1972] 49239/73 Heading B7L A transportation system comprises variable speed vehicles 1 connected together in an endless train 2 by flexible wire cables 7 and driven along a continuous track 3 by means of a high speed belt 4 forming part of the track 3, wherein each vehicle 1 has a take-up means 8 mounted under its floor, actuatable by an arm 9 and roller 12 which engages a cam rail 13 along the track 3 for changing the length of the cable 7 between adjacent vehicles whereby accleration, deceleration and different speeds of the vehicles 1 can be obtained at predetermined portions of the track as shown in Fig. 1. At curved track portions 15 the cables 7 pass around guide rollers 16. At the load-unload zone passengers may step to or from a slow moving conveyer 14. The vehicles 1 have wheels 27 engaging in track channels 26 which terminate at the ends of the high speed belt 4. On the latter the vehicles are supported by feet 33 so that the train is driven by the belt and the vehicles not on the belt are driven by the connecting cables 7. As shown in Fig. 7, the take-up means comprises a reel 34 on which the respective cable 7 is wound and the reel 34 is mounted on a shaft 35 on the vehicle. A gear 36 on the shaft meshes with a gear 37 secured to a further gear 39 on a shaft 38 and the gear 39 meshes with a segment rack 44 on the end of the arm 9 which is pivoted to the vehicle 1 at 43. Clearly as the roller 12 on the arm 9 is moved by the cam rail 13, the reel will be rotated to takeup and shorten the cable 7. In another further embodiment Figs. 8 and 9 (not shown) the takeup means comprises a drum, formed of two frusto-conical portions having a common base portion, drivably connected to a vehicle wheel through a clutch operable by an arm and roller engaging a cam rail.