GB2144692A - Switchpoint for overhead monorail conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

A set of points which may be of left-or-right hand type, trailing or leading, as required, may be assembled from identical sets of components using a support plate 10 which can be inverted and is used to carry guides for a movable frame 5. A chord joining the ends of a movable rail section 4 carried by the frame 5 is perpendicular to the axis of movement of the frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in points for trackway systems In trackway systems, particularly of the suspended type used to transport goods in factories or warehouses, it is known to arrange a set of points at a junction between three rails. Two of the rails may form part of a main line or trackway and the third forms part of a branch line or trackway. The points include a pair of rail sections, one of which may be brought into place to connect a first rail with one of the other two, and a second of the sections may be brought into place to connect the first rail with the third rail. The present proposal is particularly concerned with a trackway system of the suspended monorail type, but it is believed possible to apply the proposal to other types of systems and to systems in which the sections of the trackway are formed by two or more parallel rails.

Depending upon the layout, it is necessary to provide for the construction of a number of different types of points. Thus, assuming that the main line is straight, the branch line may be on the left or right hand side. In the event that current conductors are arranged on one side of the rail, as is the case in certain suspended systems, it is relevant to consider whether the points are leading or trailing points. In accordance with previous proposals, it is necessary to provide parts constructed individually for each of the four possible types of points. A multiplicity of individual components of left-and-right-and variety are required, storage becomes a problem, and installation leads to more expense.

The proposals contained herein overcome the problems by allowing each components to be used regardless of which of the four types of points are to be constructed. The number of individual components is therefore reduced and they can be economically mass produced and stored.

According to one proposal, the axis of movement of the frame supporting the movable rail sections is perpendicularto a chord joining the ends of a curved rail section carried on the frame. Assuming that the curved rail section subtends an arc of 45 , the point's direction of 90" minus 45or2 = 77.5 to the straight rail section and coincides with the angle disecting lines of 45 . This leads to invariably identical ends of the straight rails and the rail sections which can be mounted without modification depending upon the application.

Another independent proposal is for use to be made of a flat metal support plate which is capable of being mounted eitherway up depending upon the type of points to be constructed. Left and right hand points may be constructed simply by inverting the plate. By providing the plate with universal fixing locations for brackets which support the fixed rail, either type of points may be modified to permit approach in either direction.

The frame on which the movable rail sections are carried is conveniently supported and guided by rollers whose support brackets are mounted on the plate, which is apertured to allow the bracket to be fixed to either side. Guide rails along the edges of the frame cooperate with the rollers and may have grooves to receive bolts or similar parts for supporting the bracket on which the rails sections are carried.

A still further independent proposal is to arranged for the load placed on the movable rail sections to be transferred direct to the fixed rails thereby permitting the components used for supporting the movable rail sections to be of less robust construction.

The ends of the fixed rails may have contact surfaces which engage with support surfaces on the cooperating movable rail sections. In this way, the weight of vehicles travelling through the points is transferred directly from the movable rail sections to the fixed rails and not, as in the past, from the points assembly to the support frame of the trackway installation. By avoiding the transmission of force to the support plate, the latter may be of simple and light construction and be relatively easy to produce.

Likewise, the movable frame serves merely to guide the movable rail sections during resetting of the points and is free from stresses produced by the vehicles travelling through the points.

The ends of the fixed rails and movable rail sections are preferably provided with end pieces, one of which has a slot and the other a bearing journal penetrating therein, the meeting surfaces of the slot and journal being specially machined to permit ease of movement of the points.

The support plates may be provided with apertures to permit the fixing of support brackets for the fixed rail, the bases of the brackets having identically arranged apertures. Each set of apertures may consist of a group of arcuate slots, each of which may extend through an arc of about 45" to permit the rail bracket to be rotated at any desired angle beneath the plate. All conceivable rail directions can be taken into account, on site, without finishing operations, and subsequent modifications are also possible.

The support plate may carry on operating motor which is connected to the movable frame by a crank mechanism. The crank mechanism may have an articulation and an adjusting device provided with a damping spring to compensate any constraint between the crank mechanism and a stop which is provided on the frame.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a set of points arranged in one configuration, Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the geometry of the points, Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 111-Ill in Figure 1, drawn to an enlarged scale, Figure 4to 7 show various configurations in which the points proposed herein may be arranged, wherein:: Figure 4 shows the points in the "right hand approach" position for travel from the branch line onto the main line, Figure 5 shows the points in the "left hand approach" position for travel from the branch line onto the main line, Figure 6 shows the points in the "right hand outward" position for travel from the main line onto the branch line, and Figure 7 shows the points in the "left hand outward" position from travel from the main line onto the branch line, Figure 8 is a view from the end of the support frame showing the suspension arrangement, Figure 9 shows in side elevation the detail C from Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, Figure 10 is a side view showing the detail B from Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, Figure 11 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, and, Figure 12 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow B in Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, a trackway system has three rails which meet at a junction, and a set of points which allows one of the rails to be connected to either of the others. Specifically a suspended mono-rail system has a main line formed at the location illustrated buy a straight section of track consisting of lengths of rail 1, and a branch line formed by a curved section of track including the length of rail 2. By appropriately setting the set of points, vehicles may travel from one straight length of rail 1 to the other, or from the length of rail 1 shown uppermost in Figure 1 to the length of rail 2, or vice versa. As viewed in Figure 1, the points are setfortravel onto or from the branch line by the interposition of a curved section of rail 4 between the uppermost length 1 and the length 2.The points may be reset by interposing the straight section 3 between the two lengths 1.

In the region of the points shown in the drawings, the rails 1 and 2 are suspended on C-shaped brackets 14 shown in Figure 12, held in position by a plate 10 provide at three of its corners with mounting locations for the brackets 14. As will be described hereinafter, the plate 10 is adapted to be inverted in order to relocate the bracket mounting locations and so change the configuration of the points. The rail sections 3 and 4 are suspended by C-shaped brack ets 9 from a support frame 5 assembled from parallel guide rails 6 joined at their ends by cross beams 7 to form a parallelogram. The frame 5 is movable in the direction parallel to the rail 6 in order to reset the points as described above.

A central cross beam 8 is provided on the frame between the lengths of rail 3 and 4 to prevent vehicles entering the points when the latter are being reset.

The guide rails 6 of the frame are supported and guide for movement by rollers 11 and 12 mounted beneath the plate 10 as shown in detail in Figures 9 and 10 Each guide rail is in the form of a channel receiving the support rollers 11 which bear on the upper internal face of the rail. The shaft of each roller 6a is supported in a bearing bracket 13 bolted to the plate 10. The channel in the rail opens by way of a slot in the side wall of the rail to prevent escape of the rollers. Each guide roller 12 bears against the side wall of the rail above the slot. The roller 12 is supported on a bolt 27 passing through a hole in the plate 10, the roller being located by a nut 28 and spacer sleeve 13.The brackets 9 are fixed to the guide rail 6 by a bolt 38 which cooperates with a groove 6c in the rear face of the rail, to enable the bracket 9 or central cross beam to be moved relative to the guide rail, see Figure 8. As also shown in the Figure, the ends of the rails have bearing surfaces 30 on noses which project into the ends of the rails 3,4 when the rails register with one another, for cooperation with bearing surfaces 31.

Mounted on the underside of the plate 10 is an electric motor 20 connected by a crank mechanism 21 to a hinge pin 24 mounted in the cross beam 7, as shown in Figure 3. The crank mechanism 21 has an articulation 22, an adjusting device 23 and a spring 16. Operation of the motor results in displacement of the frame 5.

As mentioned above plate 10 has three mounting locations for the ends of the three fixed rails 1 and 2.

At each location the plate is pierced buy a bore 17 for receiving an eccentric bolt 18 which locates the rail bracket 14 accurately and whose position is secured by a clamping pin 19. The position of the bracket below the plate is determined by the effective length of the bolt. Angular adjustment of the bracket about the bolt 18 is made possible by providing four arcuate slots 15, each of which extends through an arc of substantially 45" concentric with the bore 17.

The associated bracket 14 has a base with a bore and identical slots 14c. Referring to Figure 12, the plate 10 is fixed by means of claws 25a and clamping plates 25 on a beam 26 which may be part of a roof support structure of the type found in a typical factory, and which serves to support the transportation system. The foot 14a of the bracket 14 is fixed on the clamping plate 25 by means of bolts 39 which pass through the slots and bores in the clamping plate, the plate 10 resting on the foot 14a. The fixed rails are therefore located by the plate 10 but do not apply any load to it. Bythis means, the rail may be adjusted in all directions. The relative positions of the brackets 14 is determined at three points as shown in Figure 1 by the eccentric bolt 18.For this, the invertible plate 10 has three bores 19a, the centres of which lie on the arc of a circle, as diagrammatically illustrated in the inset view at the bottom left hand corner of Figure 1. Position I pertains to travel with a left hand curve as shown in Figures 5 and 7, position II pertains to straight on travel, and position Ill pertains to a right hand curve as shown in Figures 4 and 6.

Referring to Figure 2, the planes in which the sections 3 and 4 lie intersect the rails 6 at the points 3a and 4a which are so located that the sections may be used after simply rotating the planes in which they lie about the centre line of the frame to form points of the types shown in Figures 4 to 7. A line 4b drawn between the points 4a where the rail section 4 intersects the guide rails 6 is perpendicular to these guide rails. Accordingly, the plate 10 may be used either way up to form the configuration shown in Figures 4 to 7. The difference between the arrange ment shown in Figure 4 and 6 is the position of the bracket 14forthe branch rail 2 and the straight rail 1, as the bow of the bracket 14 must be to the left of the rail whereas the contact lines 37 for the current collectors must be to the right of the rail, as also shown in Figures 11 and 12. There is a similar difference between the arrangements shown in Figures 5 and 7.

Claims (15)

1. A set Of points of the type in which rail sections are carried on a frame which is displaced to change the setting of the points, the frame having guides which are substantially perpendicularto a chord drawn between the ends of a curved rail section mounted on the frame.

2. A set of points according to claim 1, wherein the movable frame is guided for movement relative to an invertible support plate.

3. A set of points according to claim 2, wherein the support plate carries rollers which rotate about respective vertical and horizontal axes and serve to support and guide the guides of the frame.

4. A set of points according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the guides of the frame have grooves for receiving bolts or other movable parts.

5. A set of points according to any preceding claim, wherein fixed lengths of rail relative to which the frame is movable have contact surfaces engaging support surfaces of the movable rail sections.

6. A set of points according to claim 5, wherein the rail sections have end pieces for the contact and support surfaces.

7. A set of points according to any preceding claim, wherein the invertible plate has openings for locating rail support brackets.

8. A set of points according to claim 7, wherein the rail support brackets have arcuate slots alignable substantially with arcuate slots in the invertible plate.

9. A set of points according to claim 8, in which the slots in the base plate and the invertible plate are spaced apart by the effective length of an eccentric bolt.

10. A set of points according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the arcuate slots each extend through an arc of substantially 45 .

11. A set of points according to any preceding claim, wherein the invertible plate supports an operating motor.

12. A set of points according to claim 11 wherein the operating motor displaces the movable frame by means of a crank mechanism.

13. A set of points as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings.

14. A trackway system including a junction at which three rails have their ends mounted on a support plate, a set of points being located at the junction to connect either of two rails with the third, the set of points including a pair of rail sections mounted on a frame guided for movement relative to the support plate so as to interpose one of the rail sections between a selected pair of the three fixed rails, the plate having mounting locations for the ends of the fixed rails and being invertible in order to modify the configuration of the points.

15. A set of points for a suspended railway system in which movable rail sections are carried on a frame which is displaced to reset the points, the ends of the rail sections cooperating with fixed rails so the loads on the points are transmitted to the fixed rails.