US2997965A

US2997965A - Elevated railway

Info

Publication number: US2997965A
Application number: US810294A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alan B Hawes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-05-01
Filing date: 1959-05-01
Publication date: 1961-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1978-08-29

Description

Aug. 29, 1961 A. B. HAWES ELEVATED RAILWAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1959 INVENTOR.

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s s y M. M m a N W Z 0 4 8 8 0/ I? w x W w 8 6 6 6 M United States Patent 2,997,965 ELEVATED RAILWAY Alan B. Hawes, El Segundo, Calif. (8504 Seaview Ave., Wildwood Crest, N.Y.) Filed May 1, 1959, Ser. No. 810,294 2 Claims. (Cl. 104-120) This invention relates generally to elevated railways. More particularly, the invention has reference to a generally improved structure of this type, having some of the characteristics and appearance of a monorail, though being more appropriately placed in the category of multitrack rather than single track railways and associated vehicles, from the standpoint of the mechanical construction and operation thereof.

The broad object of the present invention is to provide a generally improved elevated railway of the character described, including a track structure of an improved, simplified, strong construction, in association with a vehicle mounted upon said structure in such a way as to impart maximum stabilization to the vehicle, during loading and unloading of passengers, and while the vehicle is in actual motion.

. In this connection, it will be understood that the elevated railway structure comprising the present invention might be usable in any of various locations, and might, for example, be used to advantage as an amusement device in a park, exposition, or fair grounds. Then too, the elevated railway construction may be employed advantageously is an urban conveyance, inter-urban railway, etc.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved truck construction for an elevated railway of the character stated, so designed as to provide maximum stability from the standpoint of absorp tion and repulsion of side thrust or other pressures having a lateral component.

Another object is to incorporate the means for stabilizing the vehicle against side thrust directly in the hanger assembly of the truck, so as to provide a compact truck construction, designed particularly for use in elevated railway structures.

A further object of importance is to provide an elevated railway construction wherein the stabilizing means will include a plurality of upper stabilizing Wheels adapted to be disposed in engagement with opposite sides of a center rail, and a plurality of lower stabilizing wheels adapted for disposition in engagement with the inner side surfaces of side rails, whereby on the exertion of side thrust in one direction, the upper stabilizing wheels at one side will cooperate with the lower stabilizing wheels at the opposite side of the center rail in repelling and absorbing the lateral pressure. It follows that on exertion of side thrust in an opposite direction, the other upper stabilizing wheels and the other lower stabilizing wheels will now cooperate to minimize the lateral displacement of the vehicle relative to the trackway.

Another object of importance is to so design the stabilizing Wheels as to incorporate therein shock absorbent means, designed to absorb shocks in generally horizontal directions, whereby the stabilizing wheels are permitted a predetermined amount of lateral displacement while absorbing shocks, to absorb a substantial amount of the later-ally exerted pressures or thrusts, during the normal operation of the stabilizing means in the travel of the vehicle along the elevated railway.

Yet another object of importance is to provide a compact truck assembly wherein there will be additional shock absorbent means cooperating with those on the stabilizing wheels, and designed to absorb shocks exerted in generally vertical directions, concurrently with or inice , dependently of the absorption of the horizontally exerted.

thrusts or pressures.

Another object of importance is to so design the lastmentioned shock absorbent means as to provide for primary and secondary shock absorption in vertical directions, by reason of a resiliently yielding construction of the marginal portions of the main wheels of the vehicle, and a piuralhy of coil springs spaced about the marginal part of the truck, whereby primary absorption in a vertical direction occurs at the location of the main wheels of the vehicle, with further shock absorption taking place at the location of [the several coil springs.

Still another object is to incorporate in the truck construction an improved driving arrangement for the wheels, wherein individual motors for the drive wheels have a, particularly efiective mounting upon. the truck itself, in association with the mounting of the wheel, hangers, main. wheels, and stabilizing wheels.

Still another object of importance is to provide an improved track structure, characterized by its exceptional strength in relation to its weight and size, as well as by its particular ability to cooperate with the stabilizing means of the vehicle itself, in holding the vehicle in a. stable position during the relatively high speed of move.- ment of the vehicle along the track structure.

Still another object is to incorporate in the truck con struction means normally out of contact with the trackv structure, designed to limit the vehicle body against trans verse tilting beyond a predetermined angle of inclination from the vertical.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of, an elevated railway according to the present invention, portions being; broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the track structure per se;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 1, the vehicle body being illustrated fragmentarily and somewhat diagrammatically;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 3, with the vehicle. body again being illustrated somewhat diagrammatically:

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section on the same scale as FIGURE 3, taken substantially on line 55 of FIGURE. 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a still further enlarged transverse. sectional view on line 6-6 of FIGURE 4,

Referring to the drawing in detail, generally designated at 10 is a track structure. The track structure includes a supporting framework extending upwardly from the. ground surface and including a plurality of standards 12 having upper end portions 14 in which a torque bar 16 is embedded or otherwise fixedly secured, said torque bar extending longitudinally and centrally of the track structure.

In place of the sleepers that would ordinarily be provided on a railway, I provide transversely disposed

cross plates

18, 20. Cross plates 18 are fixedly secured to the opposite faces of the upper end portions 14, while the;

cross plates 20 are spaced along the rail assembly, at.

several cross plates, and formed (FIGURE -6) with depending ends 24 engaged in right-angular end recesses 26 of the cross plates.

7 Track structure 10 includes, in addition to the supporting framework 11 described above, a rail assembly generally designated 27.

The rail assembly 27 includes a pair of side rails or tracks 28, which in the illustrated example comprise box girders, fixedly mounted in the recesses 26 in engagement with depending ends 24 of top plates 22. The side rails could, of course, comprise members other than box girders, it being mainly important that the side rails be possessed of the requisite strength, while having flat, relatively wide top surfaces on which the main wheels of the vehicle will be rollably supported.

Rail assembly 27 also includes a stabilizing or center rail disposed midway between the side rails, and rising to a height substantially above that of the side rails. The center rail 30 in the illustrated example is of substantially greater width than the side rails (see FIGURE 3), and is of a cast, one-piece construction. However, it will be understood that as in the case of the side rails, the center rail could be formed in various ways. For example, in one commercial embodiment the center rail 30 might comprise a laminated member, which would be formed of a plurality of wood laminations, that might be covered with fiber glass or the like. Then again, the center rail could be fabricated from steel or aluminum.

In any event, the center rail is fixedly mounted upon the

braced cross plates

18, 20, and fixedly secured to the opposite side surfaces of the center rail, at the top thereof, are fiat, wide, metal strips 32. These can be of electrically conductive material, and in a working embodiment the electric power required for driving the vehicle could be supplied through the strips, or through one of them.

This completes the construction of the track structure, and there will now be described a vehicle, generally designated 34. This includes a body 36, The term body is used in the broadest possible sense, referring not only to the shell of the vehicle, but also to the frame, chassis, etc., that is, all portions of the vehicle with the exception of the trucks to be described hereinafter.

In any event, the body 36 is formed at its underside with a longitudinally and centrally extending channel 38, midway between the opposite sides of the body, and said channel, adjacent the opposite ends thereof, is formed with downwardly opening truck-receiving recesses 40, which deepen the channel sufliciently to accommodate the trucks of the vehicle.

Within each recess 40 (see FIGURES 3 and 4) a flat, circular wear plate 42 is fixedly mounted, and mounted in the recess in contact with the plate is a truck generally designated 44. V

The trucks 44 at opposite ends of the vehicle are identical, so the description of one will sufiice for both.

The truck is swivelled upon a vertically depending swivel pin 46 rigid with and comprising a part of the body 36. In this connection, various mounting arrangements may be provided, that shown being merely illustrative and, in fact, diagrammatic to a degree in showing one type of mounting that could be employed.

In any event, the truck includes a top plate 48, which has a center opening receiving the pin 46, said top plate being swivelled upon the pin. Top plate .8 is formed, inwardly from its periphery, with 21 depending, circular flange or skirt 50, and at the periphery of the top plate, a depending peripheral flange or lip 52 is formed.

' A main plate 54 of the truck is disposed in underlying relation to the top plate 48, and is formed with an upwardly projecting, circular flange 56 loosely telescoped within the flange 50 to permit relative vertical movement of the

plates

48, 54. V

Exteriorly of the flange 56, the mounting plate 54 is formed with upwardly opening, shallow spring seats 58, which are in confronting relation to and are aligned ver- "aaames I r,-

plates

48, 54 about the pin 46, relative to the fixed mounting or wear plate 42, but such travel is nevertheless essential, to permit the traversing of curves provided in the truck structure.

Further, the truck must be permitted a certain amount of transverse tilting movement relative to the body, and vice versa. Thus, the body tilts transversely in some circumstances, during the loading or unloading of the vehicle, or while the vehicle is in motion. As a result, the

pin 46 tends to move out of the vertical, and must have a certain freedom of movement in a lateral direction in the opening provided therefor within the plate 54. A spring means can surround the lower end portion of the pin 46, being interposed between the pin 46 and the plate 54, to permit the side to side movement of the pin 46 as the body of the vehicle moves between vertical and tilted positions.

On opposite sides of the main plate 54, means are provided for the mounting of electric motors. Referring to FIGURE 5, at each side there is an elongated inner motor mounting plate 62, and outer motor mounting plates 64 spaced outwardly from the respective end portions of the plate 62. Fixedly mounted upon and between plate 62 and each plate 64 is an electric motor generally designated 66, and integral with each plate 62 is a depending, elon-' gated stop arm 68 terminating at its lower end with a lat erally inwardly projecting finger 70. Each arm 68 and its associated finger 70 are normally spaced wholly out of contact with the track structure, with finger 70 extending below the adjacent side rail 28.

Each motor 66 includes a casing 72 (FIGURE 6) bolted or otherwise fixedly secured to the motor mounting plates '62, 64, and mounted within the casing 72 is a stator 74, extending about a rotor 76, rotatable with a motor shaft 78 extending laterally inwardly toward the center rail 30. Splined upon or otherwise secured to the shaft 78 for rotation therewith is a main wheel 80, having a rubber tire 82. Tire 82 comprises a shock-absorbent means ex tending circumferentially of the main wheel, and resiliently yielding in a generally vertical direction to absorb shocks occurring in said direction.

The main wheels are rollably supported upon the side rails 28, there being two main wheels at each side of the truck as shown in FIGURE 5.

The inner ends of the several shafts '78 are extended into roller bearings 84, mounted in laterally outwardly opening recesses provided in elongated wheel hangers 85, each of which is formed at its opposite ends with depending extensions 86.

Each wheel hanger is disposed between the center rail 30 and the adjacent side rail 28, and extends in general parallelism with the center and side rails. Each wheel hanger (see FIGURE 4) is of elongated formation, with the elongation occurring in a horizontal direction. The main Wheels are mounted upon the opposite end of each hanger 85-, and the depending extensions 86 (see FIGURE 4) are disposed in close proximity to the respective main wheels.

In the opposite end portions of each hanger 85, there are mounted vertically disposed upper stabilizing wheel axles. The upper ends of the wheel axles 88 are engaged in openings provided in the main plate 54.

Shouldered spacer sleeves 90 are positioned in engagement with the underside of the main plate 54, with the axles 88 extending therethrough, and abutting the lower ends of the spacer sleeves 91 are ball bearings 92, through which the axles extend.

Horizontally disposed upper, inner stabilizing wheels 94 are mounted upon the respective axles 88, and are provided with rubber tires 96 hearing against the respective strips 32.

Thus, the stabilizing wheels 94 are mounted for rm tation in horizontal planes above the horizontal plane of the axles of the main wheels 80, and it will also be noted that the upper stabilizing wheels, due to the provision of the rubber tires thereon, are provided with circumferentially extending shock-absorbent means, adapted to absorb shocks exerted in a lateral direction, with said wheels being disposed in engagement with opposite sides of the center rail.

Due to this arrangement, the wheels 94 resiliently, yieldably oppose lateral thrusts exerted thereon, tending to displace the vehicle laterally.

Lower ball bearings 98 are also provided upon the axes 88, with each wheel 94 being freely rotatable upon the vertically spaced

bearings

92, 98 of an associated axle 88.

Extending downwardly from the lower end of each extension 86 is a vertical spindle or stub shaft 100, on which is mounted a bearing 102 spaced upwardly from a bearing 104 carried by the shaft.

Mounted upon the several stub shafts, and freely rotatable upon the

bearings

102, 104 thereof, are lower, outer stabilizing wheels 106. These rotate on vertical axes, which axes are spaced laterally outwardly from the adjacent sides of the center rail a greater distance than are the axes defined by the axles 88.

It is also to be noted that the lower or outer stabilizing wheels 106 are spaced downwardly a substantial distance from the upper wheels, and are below the axes of rotation of the main wheels. Thus, stabilizing action against lateral thrusts is provided both above and below the main wheels, in a manner designed to obtain a particularly effective stabilizing action during the use of the vehicle.

Mounted upon the wheels 106 are rubber tires 108, comprising shock-absorbent means extending circumferentially of the lower stabilizing wheels to resist lateral thrusts in a resiliently yielding fashion. The rubber tires are in engagement with the inner sides of the side rails, and therefore it is seen that each upper stabilizing wheel cooperates with a transversely aligned lower stabilizing wheel disposed at the opposite side of the center rail, in resisting lateral thrusts in one direction.

The result is that the vehicle is stabilized against lateral or side thrust at the location both of the center rail and the side rails. This stabilizing action, further, occurs at vertically spaced points, and the countering of the side thrust at vertically spaced locations disposed above and below the horizontal plane of the axes of the main wheels, taken in conjunction with the use of both of the center and the side rails as abutments taking the force of the side thrusts, serves to impart to the vehicle a particularly efiective stabilizing action.

It will thus be seen that the invention includes a generally improved track structure, designed to cooperate in a particularly effective manner with a complementarily constructed vehicle truck. In appearance, the vehicle resembles a monorail, as will be noted from FIGURE 1, since the sides of the vehicle body completely conceal the trucks. Nevertheless, the vehicle is in actuality a double-track piece of equipment.

The stabilizing action, wherein there is a resiliently yielding means countering side thrusts, which means operates at vertically spaced points, as well as locations spaced longitudinally of each truck, provides another feature of considerable importance.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative ot the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway comprising a track structure and a vehicle, said track structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced side rails and a center rail spaced between the side rails, said center rail having sides spaced above the side rails, said side rails having inner surfaces and top surfaces, said vehicle comprising a body having an underside, trucks vertically pivoted to and supportably underlying the body, said trucks comprising main horizontal axis wheels running upon the top surfaces of the side rails, upper guide vertical axis wheels running against the sides of the center rail, and lower vertical axis guide wheels running against the inner sides of the side rails.

2. A railway comprising a track structure and a vehicle, said track structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced side rails and a center rail spaced between the side rails, said center rail having sides spaced above the side rails, said side rails having inner surfaces and top surfaces, said vehicle comprising a body having an underside, trucks vertically pivoted to and supportably underlying the body, said trncks comprising main horizontal axis wheels running upon the top surfaces of the side rails, upper guide vertical axis wheels running against the sides of the center rail, and lower vertical axis guide wheels running against the inner sides of the side rails, said trucks having main horizontal top plates located above said wheels, means pivoting said main plates to the vehicle body, and spring means fixed to and positioned between said main top plates and the underside of the vehicle body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 600,371 -May Mar. 8, 1898 628,174 Beecher July 4, 1899 750,247 Beecher J an. 26, 1904 867,007 Boyes Sept. 24, 1907 1,541,281 Ricker June 9, 1925 1,801,141 Connors Apr. 14, 1931 2,756,689 Hinsken et al July 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,147,820 France June 11, 1957 496,071 Italy June 30, 1954