GB2332658A

GB2332658A - Rapid terrestrial passenger transport system

Info

Publication number: GB2332658A
Application number: GB9726906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Joseph Earle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-12-17
Filing date: 1997-12-17
Publication date: 1999-06-30
Also published as: GB9726906D0; WO1999030949A1; EP1037786A1; AU1677099A

Abstract

A passenger transport system where passengers travel in a capsules 2 (individually or in small numbers) and the capsules travel within a tube 1 in which a vacuum or partial vacuum is maintained (the purpose being to avoid air resistance). The capsules have wheels 3,4 and run on tracks 5 within the tube. Capsules are pulled through the tube at a constant speed using a chain 7 or cord arrangement in a continuous loop. Entry/exit stations, along the tube, handle capsule acceleration and deceleration and have the necessary mechanics to permit passenger entry/exit to the capsule whilst avoiding loss of vacuum. An overall automatic control system determines capsule departure times to avoid collisions on tube entry and overload at destination stations.

Description

RAPID TERRESTRIAL PASSENGER TRANSPORT SYSTEM This invention relates to a rapid terrestrial passenger transport system.

The current main methods of passenger transport involve the use of roads or railways.

Using railways the passenger must wait for the train and can only travel when the train is ready. Moreover, the train stops at a variety of intermediate stations which have no interest to the individual passenger wishing to travel on. The passenger would prefer to travel immediately, without any predetermined timetable, or intermediate stops.

On the other hand, roads have the well documented problems of congestion, pollution, parking, accidents and environmental impact.

There is a clear public need for a high speed and environmentally friendly public transport system.

This invention is that of a rapid terrestrial passenger transport system where passengers travel individually (or in small numbers) within capsules through a tube.

A vacuum (or partial vacuum) is maintained in the tube (hereafter known as the vacuum tube). The vacuum provides speed, efficiency and noise benefits by avoiding air resistance. The capsule rides on it's own wheels using a track within the vacuum tube. Rather than the capsule providing its own motive power, the capsule is driven at a constant high speed by attaching to a moving chain, cord or the like (hereafter known as the motive power cord). This is an essential technical feature as the generation of motive power from within the capsule would compromise the requirement for light capsules, all travelling in unison at the same constant speed.

The capsules must be light as they need to accelerate quickly at launch time (and likewise decelerate). Further, individual motive power would be impractical due to the serious consequences if one capsule were to loose power.

The motive power cord runs both in the direction of travel and then back in the opposite direction in a continuous loop. Although not an essential technical feature, vacuum tubes will generally tend to be in pairs to provide both directions of travel; with a common motive power cord travelling in one vacuum tube and returning in the other.

Life support systems within each capsule maintain necessary oxygen levels.

Passengers depart and arrive at specific stations along the vacuum tube. Depending on the specific station or specific implementation of this invention, the capsule either accelerates and decelerates within the vacuum tube or within a second parallel tube provided for that purpose (also evacuated; hereafter known as the launch tube). In the case of a launch tube it need only be short, but providing sufficient length to attain or loose the necessary speed. Acceleration, deceleration and transfer between the vacuum tube and the acceleration tube will be automatic and by some form of mechanics, it's detail not being an essential technical feature of this invention.

Nonetheless, it is essential that the launch of any capsule be timed to coincide with a suitable gap in traffic. Any capsule destined for a station where no launch tube exists will arrive with sufficient tail gap such that deceleration can safely be achieved and the capsule removed from the main track without a collision involving follow on capsules. Such a gap is maintained by automatic control systems which delay the launch of capsules which would otherwise occupy the required gap. This implies the use of a control system which has knowledge of departure, destination, transit and arrival times. Such an automatic control system is a fundamental design feature of the invention, since the vacuum tube will have the capacity to transport a much higher volume of capsules than any one station is likely to be able to accept.

Therefore automatic control of departures, given the target destination, is an essential requirement.

By some form of mechanics the capsule is conveyed to and locked against a passenger access door within the station. Both the station and the capsule contain automatic doors which open together, but only when the capsule is locked in position with the vacuum protected by an air seal. The only place a capsule normally meets common air pressure is at the entry/exit door.

Commonly stations provide queuing of capsules in a storage area such that the station can accept a flow of incoming capsules and, if necessary, stack them up awaiting use of the entry/exit doors. The storage area is also evacuated and also contains empty capsules awaiting new passenger departures. Capsules are manipulated within the storage area using automatic handling mechanics. Provision of a station storage area permits the control system to dispatch more capsules bound for that station. Typically, the control system will only dispatch to a station, as many capsules as that station can safely handle. A capsule storage area significantly increases the number of capsules a station can safely handle.

The automatic control system may also dispatch empty capsules under some circumstances. One reason is to manage the volume of empty capsules in the storage area at each station. The number in storage must not be excessive so as to consume the storage space which otherwise allows for a larger number of capsules, bound for the station, to begin their journey elsewhere. On the other hand, too few empty capsules obviously restricts the flow of departing passengers. Another reason that the automatic control system might dispatch empty capsules is for mechanical considerations, specific to the particular implementation of the invention. For example, sagging in the motive power cord due to gravity might be a problem which could be addressed by providing a maximum inter-capsule gap limit. Such a limit being maintained by the use of empty capsules. Further, equalising the load around the system might also be a consideration for which empty capsules could be used.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of an example with reference to the accompanying drawing figure 1, which shows a vacuum tube cut out in cross section. Label 1 indicates the vacuum tube from which most of the air has been evacuated. This vacuum tube is one of a pair, providing for both directions of travel. For clarity and simplicity only one tube from the pair is show in the drawing.

The cut out section reveals a particular capsule 2 in cross section. Front wheels 3 and rear wheels 4, provide for movement along the vacuum tube. Although not obvious in cross section, wheels 3 are a pair of wheels on an axle supporting the front of the capsule (passengers' head end); likewise wheels 4 being a pair to support the rear.

Wheels 3 and 4 run on tracks 5 (also a pair). Supports 6 provide flat and level support of the vacuum tube. The motive power cord consists of chain 7, with automatic attachment mechanism 8 transferring motion to the capsule. Where as the mechanism 8 is shown in simple form, in reality, a fairly complex mechanism would be necessary (the precise operation of the mechanism not being an essential technical detail of the invention). The life support system 9 provide a constant delivery of oxygen for the passenger. The capsule door is on the top of the capsule when horizontal, above the passenger in the drawing, but not shown. When the capsule arrives at the target station it will turned vertically to allow for the passenger to step out.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A passenger transport system where the passenger or passengers travel within a capsule (an enclosure) and the capsule travels within a vacuum or partial vacuum to minimise air resistance.
2. A passenger transport system as claimed in Claim 1, where the capsule rides on wheels.
3. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where the capsule rides on wheels on a track.
4. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where the capsule rides within a tube within which a vacuum (or partial vacuum) is maintained.
5. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where the capsule receives motive power from a chain or cord.
6. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where, save during initial acceleration and final deceleration, all capsules travelling at any one time on the same route travel at the same speed using common motive power.
7. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where control of departure time is handled by an automatic control system, taking into account the target destination of the capsule, and station capacity there at.
8. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where capsule launch time is controlled by an automatic control system, such that the capsule launches to meet a suitable gap in the flow of capsules.
9. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where capsule acceleration is achieved within a secondary parallel launch tube prior to the capsule joining the main vacuum tube.
10. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where capsule deceleration is achieved after leaving the main vacuum tube and within a secondary parallel tube prior to halting at the destination.
11. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where capsule acceleration is achieved within the main vacuum tube, at a suitable gap in the flow of capsules.
12. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where capsule deceleration is achieved within the main vacuum tube. A suitable gap behind the capsule having been pre-planned to allow for deceleration and removal of the capsule without interference to any following capsule.
13. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where the passenger (or passengers) lie horizontal during transport, but are re-orientated vertically for entry/exit.
14. A passenger transport system as claimed in any preceding claim, where an evacuated storage area exists for capsules (either locally at a station or not, and whether capsules contain passengers or not).
15. A passenger transport system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.