MXPA96004720A - Traffic system that uses a detracc band - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transit system, which comprises: a mobile vehicle, an elongated, flexible, endless traction band, having opposite flat sides and extending along and defining a transit path that has opposite ends, this traction band is coupled to the vehicle to apply a pulling force to the vehicle, sufficient to propel this vehicle along said path, and a plurality of pulse assemblies, distributed at locations spaced periodically along the length of the vehicle. the trajectory, intermediate of the opposite ends and in frictional contact with the opposite sides of the traction band at these locations and applying a frictional impulse force to at least one of the opposite sides, according to the primary force of momentum at the band and the vehicle, to move this traction band and the vehicle along the trajectory

Description

TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT USES A TRACTION BAND TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates, in general, to transit systems based on traction elements and, more particularly, refers to transporters for people and cargo, such as automatic systems for moving people, funiculars, cable cars, aerial rails and apparatuses. similar, in which a vehicle or carrier unit is pulled or pulled along a transit path by an elongated traction element.

PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE Cable hauling or rope driven rail transit systems have been in use for many years. Patents of the United States of America Nos. 255,752, 332,934, 343,293, 404,498, 440,001, 466,880, 482,279, 511,596, 530,720, 536,611 and 546,955, include examples of such systems, which were patented before 1900. In case, A cable or hauling rope was used as a pulling element to pull a vehicle, carrying a passenger or a load, along a transit path. These systems have been widely used in many countries, as indicated by French patent No. 701,740 and British patent No. 14,208. More recent examples of transit systems, which employ a draw pull cord, can be found in the patents of U. U.A., Nos. 3,797,407 and 4,092,929. In the aforementioned transit or transport systems, the vehicle or unit being propelled is generally supported on a track, rail or other supporting surface, as it is propelled by the traction element. However, it will be appreciated that chair lifts, ski lifts, aerial rails and similar systems also employ an elongated hauling rope or traction element to drive a vehicle or passenger carrying unit along a path, usually without the direct support of the vehicle on a track or rail. Typical of chair lifts and overhead rails, in which a twisted wire hauling rope is used as the pulling element, are the systems described in my U.A., U.S. Patent Nos. 4,462,314, 4,848,241 and 4,864,937, among others.

Therefore, considerable technology has been developed in relation to the impulse, grip, guide, repair, replacement and maintenance of metal pulling ropes or traction elements. Despite such efforts, for many years, there are still significant disadvantages resulting from the use of a hauling rope pulling element in a transportation, driving or transit system. A problem, commonly encountered, is the difficulty of efficiently applying power to a hauling rope at different sites at the ends of the system. The torsional transfer is a function of the tension of the rope, the coefficient of friction and the contact angle with which the rope drives the wheels. Thus, in most systems, large, horizontal, vertical or inclined, impulse wheels have been used at opposite ends of a loop-type hauling rope to drive these rope. Likewise, in order to create the necessary tensile force, the tension in the pulling rope must be very high to avoid the skidding of the pulling rope on the driving wheels. Attempts have been made to add intermediate power to the ends, for small diameter pulley wheels, but the transfer of the torsion to the pulling element, the pulling rope, is very inefficient, because the contact is essentially a Point of contact and wear on impulse pulleys, of small diameter, is very high. The use of large diameter drive wheels, in turn, makes it difficult to advance or propel the vehicles or carrier units, passing, around or over the drive unit of the traction element. The funiculars can not pass around these large impulse wheels. In aerial lanes, the problem is often solved by detaching the passenger carrying unit from the hauling rope at the ends. On the elevated chairs, non-detachable, and the like, passengers are usually loaded and unloaded before the unit passes around the end-drive wheels. In rail-based funicular systems, vehicles are often detached from the hauling rope, this hauling rope is lifted from the drive assembly or the system operates as a shuttle between the end terminals containing the drive assemblies. . Yet another problem that can occur when pulling or supporting the rope-type traction elements is that the linear speed of the pulley can not correspond to the linear velocity of the rope at the full contact height. Also, the systems based on traction cables, even those that use rubber-lined pulleys, induce a significant amount of vibrations and noise, as a result of the twisted filament pulling strings passing quickly on the rotating support pulleys. Furthermore, the various couplings of the vehicle to the traction pull rope must be designed to pass over support pulleys, which increase the complexity of the system, as well as the passage of vibrations and noises through the vehicle or carrier unit. passengers While there are considerable problems in relation to conventional transit systems based on traction elements, they also provide substantial advantages. The traction element can ensure very positive control of the position and speed of the vehicle propelled on the transit path. These traction-based systems are very suitable for the automatic or unmanned transport of passengers and cargo and they eliminate the need to have vehicles with independent power systems on board. They can be adapted to a wide variety of applications and can inherently provide relatively low cost systems in their installation and maintenance.

While many efforts have been directed to elongate elements of grip, guide and impulse traction, little effort has been directed towards the traction element itself. The primary technological advances in relation to the traction elements have been directed towards the improvement of the tensile strength of the pulling ropes. While it is significant, it is also highly desirable, in terms of safety and structural costs, to employ traction elements that are not under high stress load forces. The solution in improving the transit systems based on traction elements, therefore, does not seem to reside in merely increasing the strength and / or the size of the traction elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved traction element for transit systems, in which vehicles are propelled by pulling or pulling them along a transit path. Another object of the present invention is to provide a traction element and method for a transit system, in which the driving forces can be distributed along the transit path, to increase the redundancy and decrease the tension required by the traction element . A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved transit system, in which a traction element is provided which makes possible a more efficient propulsion of the vehicles or carrier units, which are attached to and are driven by the traction. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for propelling vehicles in a transit system, which does not require the detachment of the traction element to drive or guide the vehicles in a continuous loop system.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a transit system, based on a traction element, which supplies more even, less noisy propulsion elements, a more efficient drive or coupling of the vehicle to the traction element, a system that requires lower maintenance and a suitable system for both shuttle and continuous loop operations. The transit system, traction element and method of the present invention, have other advantageous features and objects, which will become apparent from, and are indicated in more detail in, the following Best Mode Carry out the Invention, and in the accompanying drawings. The transit system of the present invention is comprised, in short, of at least one, and preferably a plurality of, mobile vehicles or carrier units, an elongated, flexible traction band that extends through the trajectory. of transit and is coupled to the vehicle to apply a pulling force to the vehicle, sufficient to propel it along the trajectory, and a coupled stroke assembly to move the traction band along the trajectory. The system further preferably includes a band support assembly, which supports the traction band for movement, while this traction band is oriented in a substantially vertical plane. A guide shoe can be provided in the traction band, so that the support assembly can include guide rollers which maintain the band in a predetermined vertical position along the path, with both the retention and support guide rollers coupled to the shoe mounted on the band. The method of the present invention is, shortly, comprised of the step of applying a pulling force to the transit vehicle, through a flexible traction band, which is preferably oriented in a substantially vertical plane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic, fragmentary representation, in frontal elevation, of a vehicle driven by a traction element and an impulse assembly, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view, amplified, in cross section, of the traction element and drive assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the assembly of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a schematic top plan view of the traction element of Figure 2, shown in a curved position of a transit path.

Figure 5 is a schematic top plan view of a continuous loop transit system, constructed using the traction element of Figure 2.

THE BEST WAY TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION The transit system of the present invention is a transit system based on a traction element, in which a mobile vehicle or carrier unit, generally designated 21, is coupled to an elongate, flexible traction element, generally designated as a traction element. , for the application of a pulling force to a vehicle, sufficient to propel this vehicle along a trajectory, such as the continuous loop path 23 in Figure 5. The transit system includes a pulse assembly, generally designated with 24, and preferably a tension member support assembly, generally designated 26.

Instead of using a pull cord or twisted wire cable such as the elongate traction element 23, the improved transit system of the present invention employs a stretchable, flexible, stretchable traction band 22. The traction strip 22, of the belt type, has many important advantages over the use of an elongated cylindrical traction element, such as metal traction ropes or twisted wires. One of the most important advantages is that the drive of the belt or traction belt 22 by the drive assembly 24 can be achieved much more efficiently with smaller diameter drive wheels, than is possible when driving a rope of pulled or cylindrical cable. A traction band, unlike a cylindrical traction rope, can be efficiently driven by compressing this band between the opposing pulleys. The compression of a steel rope between two pulleys tends to result in the rope coming into contact over a very small area, and the pulleys, in contact with the rope, have a linear velocity that increases as the radial distance increases with the which the rope makes contact with the pulleys. The result is the misalignment of the speed of the pulley and rope, which greatly increases the wear of the pulley. A band can be compressed or tightened between opposing driving wheels and with a much larger area in contact and driven, as in a flat belt drive, at the same speed as the driving wheels. Thus, the transfer of torsion to a web tensioning element does not have to be dependent on the contact angle, the frictional force and the tensile element tension, which are the parameters that normally control the torsion transfer to a pulled rope wound around a driving wheel. Also, a traction band can be driven with much less vibration, since it is much smoother, and the noise level is reduced when this traction band is used. Furthermore, the traction belts can be of a significantly lower weight than the metallic pull ropes, they can be driven at a lower tension force, they have less buckling between the supports, they can be used in continuous loop transit trajectories, without detachment of the vehicle.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the traction element 22 of the present invention will be described in more detail. How it looks, the band 22 is preferably formed with a central skeleton 31, which usually comprises natural or synthetic rubber, which may have textile or metal fabrics or cords buried in the skeleton as reinforcement elements. As shown, a plurality of cords 32 extend longitudinally within the skeleton 31 and more preferably are provided as metal or steel cords. The steel reinforcing cords are useful in ensuring that the band 22 has sufficient strength to the tension, but, because the use of a band allows the operation of the system with low tension forces, as described in more detail more Further, the primary advantage of using steel cords can be that they increase the band's resistance to vandalism. A wear or friction layer 33 can be provided on each side of the skeleton 31 of the strip, to create the desired coefficient of friction, compressibility and wear life for the band 22. In the preferred embodiment, the assembly 24 of impulse is comprised of at least one, and preferably a pair of opposing driving wheels, 36 and 37, which frictionally engage, and preferably a band 22 squeezed intermediate the upper edge 38 and the lower edge 39 of the band. By selecting the materials and surface configuration of the driving wheels 36 and 37, as well as the wear traction surfaces 33 and the skeleton 31, a wide range of resilient compressibility and friction coefficients can be achieved. Thus, the wear layers 33 may have grooves or a pattern of ribs, to increase the friction and may be of a relatively soft hardness. The drive wheels 36 and 37 may also have protuberances or be covered with a natural or synthetic rubber. However, in the preferred form, the drive wheels 36 and 37 are metallic, such as anodized aluminum or stainless steel, for low maintenance. They are smooth or with protuberances to cooperate with the friction surfaces 33 in the band 22, however, the tension forces required to drive the vehicle are not so high as to require extremely high friction coefficients between the wheels. of impulse and the band. It is preferred, in terms of noise generation, to use a band as smooth as possible, and the drive wheels are preferably not covered with a rubber or other coating. It is better to wear the strip over its entire length, instead of wearing a coating on a small diameter impulse wheel.

Unlike the cylindrical traction element, or pulling rope-based pulling systems, the drive wheels, 36 and 37, squeeze and contact the web 22 in a linear contact of a flat web pulse. The linear speed of each wheel, 36 and 37, can be the same as that of the band 22 over the entire width of the band that is in contact with the driving wheels. This allows the correspondence of the impulse wheel and the speed of the belt, thus minimizing wear and creating a much more efficient torsional transfer from still relatively small diameter wheels, 36 and 37, to the traction belt. 22. As illustrated schematically, the drive wheels, 35 and 37, are coupled by the shafts, 41 and 42, to pulse motors, 43 and 44. These motors may be mounted prior to movement, for example, by drive elements. roller 46 on a support surface 4, 7 and spring-oriented in mutually 48, for compressing the tension band 22, - positioned between them. The skeleton 31 of the band can be designed in a resiliently compressible manner, so as to cooperate with the orientation of the springs 48 in a manner that further increases the efficient transfer of torque from the drive wheels, 36 and 37, to the band traction 22.

In a typical embodiment, the band 22 can have a width dimension of 17.78 cm. , the impulse wheels, 36 and 37, can be 30.48 cm. in diameter and be driven by 44 HP 5 motors. The pairs of the driving wheels may be spaced along the path 23 at intervals of approximately 30.48 to 45.72 meters in the section of the level track. In the preferred form of the transit system of the present invention, the traction web 22 is oriented in a substantially or nearly vertical plane, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Thus, the impulse and guide assemblies for the web 22 of traction preferably orientate the traction band, so that the opposite sides 33 are substantially in a vertical plane, with the edges, 38 and 39, oriented in substantially horizontal planes. Therefore, the web 22 will have width dimensions, W, which extend vertically, a thickness dimension, T, which extends horizontally, and a length dimension, L, which extends over the length of the path 23. traffic. This geometry supplies the traction element 22 with very substantial advantages over the traction cylindrical pulling cords, and the orientation of the web in an almost vertical plane causes gravity to work with the geometry, as discussed below.

As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the large width dimension, W, makes it possible for the upper edge 38 of the pulling rope to have a coupling assembly, generally designed at 51, mounted there for coupling the vehicle 21 to the traction band. The lower edge 39 of the band 22 may have a guide shoe 52 engaged for the guided vertical positioning of the band 22, in a manner which will be described in more detail later. Intermediate edges 38 and 39, the drive wheels 36 contact and drive the web 22 over the substantial bandwidth (vertical distance in Figures 2 and 3). Therefore, as can be seen, the tension band 22 can pass between the drive rollers, 36 and 37 and / or the auxiliary rollers, oriented horizontally (not shown) without detachment of the vehicle and without the grip assembly 51. of the vehicle pass between the drive wheels. Also, the guide shoe 52 can pass beyond the drive wheels 36 and 37 without preventing its operation or inducing vibration, jolts or the like. This use of the substantial width dimension, W, of the band 22 for coupling, driving and guiding the traction band, makes possible the construction of the transit systems, as shown in Figure 5, in which the vehicles 21 can be easily driven in continuous loops 23, without release structures, lifting structures of the traction element, impulse wheel retraction structures or other special guiding techniques, which seek to accommodate the passage of the vehicle along the transit path .

Traction band 22 is also preferably moderately flexible to accommodate both horizontal and vertical curves, but it is also sufficiently rigid so that it does not warp or can be easily supported by impulse or auxiliary wheels, when It is in a vertical orientation. As shown in the drawing, the wheels, 36 and 37, are coupled to motors. However, it will be understood that the auxiliary wheels, similarly oriented, can also be placed along the path 23, as necessary, to maintain the band 22 in a vertical orientation without buckling. One of the problems that occur with wire hauling cords, is that the weight per linear meter can be greater than 5,953 kilograms. Therefore, the sinking of the pulling rope, intermediate to the supporting pulleys, is a constant problem, which is usually compensated for by the addition of auxiliary, intermediate support pulleys. Traction web 22 of the present invention, however, may have a weight between 2,232 and 2,976 kilograms per linear meter, or half the weight of a pull cord. Also, the orientation of the band 22 in a vertical plane, inherently supplies the traction band with high resistance to vertical subsidence. Gravity does not cause extreme collapse, which can occur when cylindrical tensile elements are used. The wheels that support the traction band in the present system need only prevent buckling and can be placed, as required, when the traction band 22 of the present invention is used. However, it is an important feature of the present invention that the tension band 22 is inherently well suited and provides a position along the width of the belt, where a guide, frame or shoe adaptation can be secured for control , with gravity, of the vertical position of band 22, oriented vertically. One form of the guide shoe 52 and the guide assembly 26 is shown in Figures 1 to 3. The guide shoe 52 is preferably provided by a shoe element, generally triangular, extruded, extending longitudinally, which has a base or guide surfaces facing downwards, 56, and two guide surfaces inclined downwards and outwards, 57 and 58, on the opposite sides of the band 22. The shoe 52 can be formed as an element extruded thermoplastic or rubber, which is adhesively secured or vulcanized to the edge 39 of the band 22. If desired or necessary, belts or other fasteners can be used in combination with the adhesives and / or vulcanizers, to secure the shoe 52 to band 33.

It is possible to guide the band 22 by directly moving the edges of the band 38 and 39, but the provision of the guide shoe 52 ensures smoother, and, if desired, smoother, opposite guide surfaces, 56, 57 and 58 .

The guide assembly 26 can advantageously include a first roller element 61, which is preferably an auxiliary roller, and which is brought into contact, facing downward, with the base guide surface 56. The guide roller 61, the orientation vertical of the cross section of the elongated band, and the horizontal impulse rollers, 36 and 37, like the similar horizontal auxiliary rollers, limit the downward sag and buckling of the band 22, as this band is advanced along of the transit path. The rollers 61 are placed periodically along the transit path, to assist in the control of the collapse or to produce a convex curve upwards in the band. Additionally, it is preferable that the band guide assembly 26 includes at least one auxiliary retention roller, and preferably two rollers, 52 and 63, which contact the guide surfaces 57 and 58, respectively, of the shoe. 52 As shown in the drawing, the surfaces 57 and 58 and the guide rollers 62 and 63 are mounted at angles of approximately 45 ° - to the vertical and oppose each other, to effect the application of a holding force, which is balanced laterally on either side of the band 33. The rollers 62 and 63, therefore, ensure that in the vertical curves, concave upwards, the valley sections of the transit path, in which the belt does not sink sufficiently under its own weight, the vertical position of the band can, however, be controlled by the guide rollers 62 and 63, in combination with the support roller 61.

While it is preferred to supply the guide rollers 61-63 as auxiliary rollers, it will be understood that there may be cases where the belt drive can be achieved by driving the shoe 52 through the driven rollers 61-63. Since the contact areas that will be involved are much smaller than the dimension of the substantial width, W, available on the opposite sides 33 of the band 22, it is more preferable to effect the impulse through the frictional contact of the opposite sides of the web. traction band 22 by the drive rolls, 36 and 37.

An additional substantial advantage of the vertically oriented traction band 22 is that the friction surfaces 33 in contact with water and moisture will tend to come out more quickly from the traction band, so the loss of friction, due to the humidity is reduced to a minimum. Another advantage is that the traction band can be used to drive the vehicle 21 from above or below it, so as to minimize the impressions marks in the transit path. It will be understood, however, that the band 22 can be oriented in different planes of the vertical plane, while still achieving many of the aforementioned advantages in relation to the use of a band as the traction element. One of the substantial advantages of using a traction band in the transit system of the present invention is that the tension in the band can be greatly reduced over the stresses typically employed in transit systems based on pulling cords. A typical passenger transport vehicle, capable of carrying 20 passengers, can be propelled on level rails using a forward tension force of the vehicle, which is only 680 to 907 kilograms more than the tension force behind the vehicle. This allows a distributed pulse system in which pairs of drive wheels 36 and 37 are placed virtually at any desired spacing along the transit path 23, in order to ensure that this relatively low pulling force is present at all times. According to a pair of driving wheels, 36 and 37, applies a pulling force of 907 kilograms in excess of the force behind the vehicle, these same drive wheels, in effect, produce a clearance or reduce the tension upstream of the wheels of impulse. The next pair of driving wheels, therefore, will have to overcome a relatively low tension force behind the vehicle, as they pass beyond the first pair of driving wheels. Thus, if the tension in the traction band 22 behind the vehicle is 227 kilograms or less, the driving wheels 36 and 37 need only create a pulling force of 1134 kilograms on the front of the vehicle to propel the same. As the vehicle passes beyond the drive wheels 36 and 37, the next pair of drive wheels will take the pulling force and the last pair will cause the drive belt to loosen behind the vehicle. No single pair of drive wheels is required to drive all vehicles. The 22 bands, commercially available, in widths of 17.78 cm. , have a voltage classification of 2722 to 3175 kilograms, achieve a voltage difference between the front and rear of the vehicle in the order of 680 to 907 kilograms, can be accommodated within the rated voltage resistance of such bands. In areas where there are few hills, for example, the portion of the transit path 23, designated by the number 7 in Figure 5, the drive wheels 36 and 37 may be spaced at narrower intervals and apply a somewhat twisting higher to achieve higher voltage differentials to pull the vehicle 21 up a hill. Conversely, in hillside portions, the drive wheels may be spaced at larger intervals.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 3, a technique for coupling the traction strip 22 to the vehicle 21 will be described in greater detail. In Figure 1, the vehicle 21 is illustrated as including a lower carriage 81 having an axle 82 on which the support wheels 83 are mounted vehicle. It will be understood that axle halves and other independent wheel suspension assemblies can be used. The illustrated vehicle is designed to travel along a rail or track 84, but it will be understood that the draw band system of the present invention can also be used with vehicles that are not supported on rails 84 or still supported from the ground . Extending downwardly from the lower carriage 81 is a fastener assembly 86, which includes clamp elements 88 and 89 that can be placed together, for example, by the fastener 87, around a coupling assembly 51 of the tension band. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the grip assembly 51 is comprised of a plurality of U-shaped strips 91, elbow-to-elbow, extending around a flexing element 92, and engaging close to the edge. upper 38 of the band 22, for example, by the fasteners 93. The plurality of bands 91 side by side, provides redundancy and allows the tensile force induced in the band 22 by the drive rolls 36 and 37, to be transferred further. uniformly to vehicle 21 without undue stress concentrations. In the preferred form, the belt 91 and the grip assembly 51, extend along the length of the belt 22, which is comparable to or greater than the overall length of the vehicle 21 that engages the belt. Each of the strips 91 will have a dimension, along the band 22, smaller than the widthwise dimension, W, of the band, in order to allow lateral flexing.

As shown in the drawing, the bending element 92 is a wire or rope cord that can have rubber inserts in the valleys between the cords, but it will be understood that the bending member 92 can also be a rod or bar. It is preferable that the bending element 92 has a flexibility transversely of its longitudinal axis, which is less than the flexibility of the band 22 about a central longitudinal axis. As can be seen in Figure 4, the tendency for the flexible traction band 22, between pairs of pulleys, 36, 37 and 36a, 37a, to assume a straight line path between the last points of contact, 96 and 96a, with the respective drive wheels. This is particularly true in a system of the traction element which is at a low voltage and for drive wheels that are separated by any significant distance. However, the bending element 92, being more rigid than the band 22 and extending over a substantial length of the band 22, for example, the length of the vehicle, will tend to assume the arched position, shown in Figure 4, for a horizontal curve. This arched bending of the element 92, which is accommodated by multiple strips 91, will tend to cause the web 22 to conform to the arc of the stiffer bending element 92. This, in turn, will tend to soften the passage of the vehicle over several driving and guiding rollers, during both horizontal and vertical curves. Thus, the grip assembly 51 of the vehicle, preferably, but not necessarily, will include a flexing element 92, which is effective in further softening the mounting on the vehicle in curved transit paths. Obviously, for straight-type shuttle applications, a bending element 92 is not required. The connection between the coupling assembly 51 and the lower carriage 81 of the vehicle need not be provided by a set of clamps 88 and 89 for each Sash 91 of the grip assembly. Instead, and as shown in Figure 4, the clamp assembly 86 can be provided, for example, by two or three clamps proximate to each vehicle carriage.

Referring now to Figure 5, a continuous loop transit path 23 is shown, in which stations 96-99 are placed equidistant from one another along path 23. As will be appreciated, the transit or transport system of The present invention can take many other forms, including shuttle loop trajectories, outward and reverse loops, and simple shuttle systems. Station spacing preferably causes each train of vehicles 21 to stop simultaneously at a station, but it will be possible to simply keep the vehicle doors closed if a train stops outside a station. As will also be seen, a single drive wheel can be employed within curved areas of the path, but conventional factors of tension, contact angle and coefficient of friction determine the transfer of torsion. However, the present impulse band will have the advantage of wide contact on the pulling cords. As will be evident from the above description of the apparatus of the present invention, the method of driving a vehicle 21 in a transit system of the present invention, is comprised of the step of applying a pulling force to the vehicle, sufficient to propel this vehicle. along the transit path 23 through an elongated, flexible traction band coupled to the vehicle. Also, during the step of applying the pulling force, the pull band 22 is preferably supported in an almost vertical orientation and the opposite sides 33 of the pull band 22 are driven by frictional engagement with the opposing drive wheels, 36. and 37. The traction band provides a widthwise dimension, which makes it possible to link, drive and guide the band at predetermined locations, side by side, which do not interfere with each other so that the pulse of the band can be efficiently achieve by smaller diameter impulse wheels at virtually any location along the transit path 23.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS 1. A transit system, which comprises: a mobile vehicle; an elongated, flexible, endless traction band, having opposite flat sides and extending along and defining a transit path having opposite ends, this traction band is coupled to the vehicle to apply a pulling force to the vehicle, sufficient to propel this vehicle along said trajectory; and a plurality of impulse assemblies, distributed at locations spaced periodically along the path, intermediate the opposite ends and in frictional contact with the opposite sides of the tensile belt at these locations and applying a frictional impulse force. at least one of the opposite sides, according to the primary driving force of the belt and the vehicle, to move this traction band and the vehicle along the trajectory.
2. 2. The transit system, as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is coupled to the traction band, close to one of its edges and the impulse assembly frictionally displaces this traction band, by the contact of the opposite sides of the traction band in a position laterally of the vehicle coupling to this traction band.
3. 3. The transit system, as defined in claim 2, and a support assembly, which supports the traction band for movement along the path in an almost vertical orientation and which guides the traction band against the displacement in a vertical direction parallel to the opposite sides of the band.
4. The transit system, as defined in claim 3, wherein the traction band is provided with a guide shoe, extending longitudinally, close to an edge of the traction band, opposite the edge having the traction band. coupled vehicle and the support assembly is coupled to the guide shoe, to guide the traction band.
5. The transit system, as defined in claim 4, wherein the guide shoe is formed with a substantially triangular cross section, which provides a base guide surface, and two sloping guide surfaces, which face opposite, placed on the opposite sides of the band.
6. 6. The transit system, as defined in claim 5, in which the support assembly includes a plurality of first guide rollers, placed in spaced relation along the path and which are brought into rolling contact with the base guide surface, close to one edge of the pull band, and a plurality of second guide rollers, placed in a spaced relationship along the path and in rolling contact with the two inclined guide surfaces.
7. The transit system, as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive assemblies are provided by a pair of drive wheels, resiliently oriented with respect to each other on opposite sides of the drive belt.
8. The transit system, as defined in claim 1, wherein the traction web is provided by a flexible rubber impregnated web having a plurality of longitudinally extending metal reinforcement cords.
9. The transit system, as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is coupled to an edge of the pull band, by a coupling assembly, extending longitudinally, this coupling assembly is resiliently flexible, transverse at its longitudinal axis, with a resistance to transverse bending greater than the resistance of the traction band to this transverse flexure.
10. The transit system, as defined in claim 9, wherein the coupling assembly is provided by a plurality of strips, side by side, each having a dimension along the traction band less than the length of the traction band. dimension across the width of this traction band, these strips are coupled to the band and encircle and grip radially to the inside a resiliently flexible elongate flexing element, which extends along the edge of the traction band.
11. The transit system, as defined in claim 10, wherein the coupling assembly includes a sufficient number of belts, to extend along the traction band, a distance at least equal to the length of the vehicle.
12. The transit system, as defined in claim 11, wherein the coupling assembly further includes at least one fastener assembly, which extends between and engages the flexible element to the vehicle.
13. 13. A transit system for the transport of passengers, which comprises: a traction belt, resiliently compressible, flexible and elongated, endless, having opposite flat sides, extending along a transit path; a band support assembly, which supports the traction band for movement along the path, with this band oriented with its opposite sides in an almost vertical plane; a vehicle, formed for the transport of a load and coupled to the traction band for its propulsion by it; and a plurality of spaced pulse assemblies, positioned intermediate the opposite ends of the path and frictionally contacting the opposite sides, to drive the pull band along the path.
14. The transit system, as defined in claim 13, wherein the plurality of drive assemblies is provided by a plurality of drive wheels, mounted on opposite sides of the drive belt, at intervals spaced along of this trajectory, these pairs of drive wheels are movably mounted and oriented to each other and in frictional contact with the opposite sides of the belt.
15. 15. The transit system, as defined in claim 14, wherein the traction band is coupled to a lower side of the vehicle, along an upper edge of this traction band and the driving wheels are placed on the lower side of the vehicle. contact with the sides of the traction belt, under the coupling of the vehicle to this traction band.
16. The transit system, as defined in claim 15, and a plurality of web-supporting rollers, placed in and contacting the web at intervals over its length, along surfaces, extending horizontally, for the controlled guidance of the vertical position of the band along the trajectory.
17. The transit system, as defined in claim 16, wherein the rollers supporting the belt include rollers that apply guiding forces to the belt in both up and down directions.
18. 18. The transit system, as defined in claim 13, wherein the plurality of pulse assemblies are formed to drive the vehicle completely around a continuous loop transit path.
19. 19. A method for propelling a vehicle in a transit system, including an endless traction element, coupled to the vehicle and supported for movement along a path, this method comprises the steps of: supplying the traction element as an endless traction band; coupling the vehicle to the traction band, in a predetermined coupling position along the width dimension of the traction band; and driving the web along the path, by frictional contact and displacement of the pull band in a pulse position, adjacent laterally to the coupling position, and a plurality of locations spaced along the path. The method, as defined in claim 19, wherein the pulse stage is achieved while the pull band is oriented with the opposite sides in a substantially vertical plane.