US3012517A

US3012517A - Rail transportation switching system

Info

Publication number: US3012517A
Application number: US770558A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gale Winsor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-29
Filing date: 1958-10-29
Publication date: 1961-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 1978-12-12

Description

Dec. 12, 1961 w. GALE RAIL TRANSPORTATION SWITCHING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 29, 1958 M r I .n w

Dec. 12, 1961 w. GALE 3,012,517

RAIL TRANSPORTATION SWITCHING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR. M27? 50: fczze l i .5 BY VMZM,W #M

United States Patent 3,012,517 RAIL TRANSPORTATION SWITCHING SYSTEM Winsor Gale, Barretts Mill Road, Concord, Mass. Filed Oct. 2.9, 1958, Ser. No. 770,558 11 Claims. (Cl. 10428) This invention relates to rail transportation and more particularly to switching systems for rail mounted conveyances.

In recent years, and especially in connection with the search by city planners for a solution to the problem of traflic-clogged city streets, there has been considerable experimentation with rapid transit systems using large numbers of cars, each car being designed to carry only a few passengers at a time. Such a system would have among its advantages those of efiiciency, speed, low maintenance cost and attractiveness to passengers.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a structure for switching the cars of such a system from one set of rails to another. It is another object of my invention to provide a structure whereby the cars of such a system can, at the discretion of their passengers, stop at stations or pass around them. It is an additional object of my invention to provide a structure whereby rapidly moving cars in a transportation system can be selected from this rapidly moving stream of traffic and diverted to a station for loading and unloading.

In the accomplishment of these and other objects of my invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, I employ a track layout in which the main tracks, as they approach a station, are parallel to and vertically increasingly separated from, a second set of wider gauge tracks, the two rails of the second set being positioned outside of the rails forming the main track. While the main track proceeds to the station, the second setof rails by-passes the station and then returns to the same horizontal plane as the main track. The cars which I employ in my transportation system have a first set of wheels of a gauge suitable for riding the main track and a second set of wheels coaxial with, and normally positioned adjacent to the outer surface of their first set. Connected with this second set of Wheels are means for retractably extending them in a lateral direction, which means are operable from inside the car by its passengers.

In passing over my system cars normally stop at each station. If, however, no passenger desires to stop at a particular station one of the passengers actuates a handle causing the second set of wheels to extend laterally such that when the car passes the switching point it is carried around the station on its second set of wheels thereafter returning to the main track. When passengers do not elect to pass around a station a car may pass to and through a station either completely on track or on a system combining track and conveyor belts.

These and other objects and features of my invention will best be understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the switching system of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same system.

FIG. 3 is'a schematic plan view of a possible track and conveyor belt layout used to carry cars to and through stations. i I

FIG. 4 is a top view of the mechanism of my invention used to extendlaterally'a second set of wheels on the cars used in my rail'trarlsportation switching system.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the same mechanism showing the handle and linkage used toactuate the second set of wheels.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention herein shown, I employ a car indicated generally at 12 adapted to ride on a set of main track rails 11 which extend generally in a level path and descend at a switching point 18 to a station 13 while a second set of wider gauge rails 14 continue on this level path of track rails 11. Soon after the main track rails 11 begin their descent they overlay a conveyor belt 15, at which point they terminate. The system continues in the station area by means of progressively decelerating and accelerating conveyor belts 15, 16 and 17 through the station 13 and back to a point 19 where main track rails 11 again rise to the level of the second set of wider gauge rails 14 and from that point continue on to other stations having similar switching points. FIG. 3 shows schematically a possible station layout.

In the preferred embodiment of the car 12 designed for use in my system I employ the mechanism shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 operated by actuating rails 29 which paral' 'lel the second set of wider gauge rails 14 at each switching point. In operation, should no passenger desire to stop at a station. One of their number actuates a handle, suggested schematically at 21. The handle 21 is disposed in the car 12 in such fashion that movement of the handle 21 will actuate pawls 23 hereinafter described.

One method of actuating the pawls 23 is shown in FIG. 5 wherein the handle 21 is mounted for movement transverse to the car 12 and rails 11. Curved slots 21a are provided through the handle 21 to engage upstanding pins 215 positioned in suitable extension members 21c attached to the end of linkage rods 22. The curved slots 21a are positioned such that movement of the handle 21 causes axial movement of the linkage rods 22. The other ends of the linkage rods 22 are connected to pawls 23 pivoted on arms 24 carrying roller ends 25 positioned to engage actuating rails 20. As the roller ends 25 of actuating arms 24 contact the actuating rails 20, arms 24 are pivoted inwardly causing pawls 23 to exert pressure at notches 27 on forward bell cranks 28 causing them to rotate on pivots 26. Arms 29 of the said forward bell cranks 28 are connected to arms 30 of rear bell cranks 31 by means of connecting rods 33 so that rotation of forward bell cranks 28 as described above causes parallel movement of the rear bell cranks 31. Arms 32 of forward bell cranks 28 and arms 34 of rear bell cranks 31 are slidably connected to collars 35 attached to axles 36 of second set of wheels 37. Collars 35 are keyed on to axles 36 so as to prevent any lateral motion of axles 36 without corresponding lateral motion of collars 35. Thus as both forward and rear bell cranks 28 and 31 rotate as above described, linkage 38 permits collars 35 to move laterally outward thus moving axles 36 and second set of wheels 37 laterally outward into position for engaging second set of rails 14 which carry the car around that station.

Actuating rail 20 continues until outer flanges 43 of second set of wheels 37 engage the outer edges of second set of rails 14. When the main set of tracks Home again rise and run parallel between second set of rails 14, second set of wheels 37, by means of springs 40, return to a position adjacent to the first set of wheels'39. This position is shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 4. Spring means 41 anchored to the frame of the car, return actuating arms 24 to their original position and springs 42 return pawls 23 to positions such-that they will not contact notches 27 unless a passenger actuates handle 21. I p

It .will be apparent to those skilled in the art that pawls 23 may be actuated by direct mechanical means as suggested by handle 21 and linkage 22 or by any suit able electrical or hydraulic means. t

In another embodiment of my invention I locate my transfer rail above the cars as they pass through the switching points. Positioned on the top of each car are a second set of driving wheels which at the will of any passenger, can be caused to raise up and thereby engage the transfer rails. As a car, with its wheels engaging the transfer rails, passes through a switching point either the transfer rails rise or the main track lowers sutficiently to permit the car to run in the desired direction on the transfer rails.

Certain minor variations of this preferred embodiment of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For instance, it may be thought desirable for the stations to be located along the wider gauge set of rails while the main set of tracks act as the through line. Therefore, it is not my intention to confine the invention to the precise form herein shown, but rather to limit it in terms of the appended claims.

Having thus described and disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Mechanism for switching a rail-mounted car from a main set of rails to a second set of rails at a predetermined switching point comprising a set of flanged wheels capable of being caused to extend laterally from the sides of said car as it approaches said predetermined switching point, said set of wheels at said switching point engaging said second set of rails; said second set of rails being of a wider gauge than said main set of rails and each rail of said second set being outside said main set, said main set descending below the level of said second set in such a manner as to leave said car running along said second wider gauge set, of rails on said laterally extended second set of Wheels.

2. Mechanism for switching a rail mounted car from a main set of rails to a second set of rails at a predetermined switching point comprising a set of flanged transfer wheels capable of being caused to extend laterally from the sides of said car as it approaches said predetermined switching point, said transfer wheels at said switching point engaging said second set of rails; said second set of rails being of a wider gauge than said main set of rails and said second wider gauge rails running on either outer side of said main set; said second set ascending above the level of said main set in such a manner as to leave said car running along said second wider gauge set of rails on said laterally extended transfer wheels.

3. A switching structure for transferring rail mounted cars comprising a first set of rails, a switching point, a second set of rails originally positioned parallel to said first set of raiis at said switching point, then diverging vertically from said first set of rails, then running wherever said car is to be transferred, cars designed for running on a first set of driving wheels on said first set of rails, a second set of driving wheels positioned on said cars, means for causing said second set of driving wheels. to engage said second set of rails at said switching point whereby said cars are carried away from said first set of rails on said second set of rails.

4. A structure for transferring rail mounted cars from a first set of rails to a second set of rails comprising a set of transfer Wheels on said car, said second set of rails originally positioned parallel to saidfirstset of rails, then diverging vertically from said first setof rails, then running wherever said car is to be transferred, and means operative when, said car is in motion for positioning said set of transfer wheels to engage said second set of rails to transfer said car from said first set of rails to said second set of rails.

5. The switching structure defined in claim 4 further characterized by said means for causing said transfer wheels to engage said, second set of rails comprising mechanism for causing said transfer wheels to extend outwardly from the sides of said, cars such that said transfer wheels releasably engage, said second set of rails running parallel to and outside said first set of rails.

6. A device for transferring rail mounted cars from a first set of rails to a second set of rails said first set of rails being spaced longitudinally of said second set of rails comprising a set of transfer wheels which releasably engage a set of transfer rails, said set of transfer rails being of a wider gauge than said first and second sets and originally positioned parallel to said first set of rails, then diverging vertically from said first set of rails, then running to said second set of rails, then converging vertically with said second set of rails to parallel said said second set of rails.

7. A mechanism for transferring a rail mounted car off a first set of main rails and onto a second set of main rails said first set of main rails being spaced longitudinally of said second set of main rails comprising a set of transfer rails of a wider gauge than that of said main sets and originally positioned parallel to said first main set of rails, then diverging vertically from said first main set of rails, then running to and converging with said second set of main rails, a set of transfer wheels attached to said car, means for releasably extending said transfer wheels laterally to a distance such that said wheels are in a position to engage said wider gauge transfer rails whereby said car may be switched from said first set of main rails to said transfer rails and then to said second set of main rails.

8. In a transportation system, switching apparatus whereby a car may by-pass a station adjacent a main set of rails comprising self-propelled cars, driving wheels on said cars to transport said cars on said main rails, transfer wheels on said cars, transfer rails on which said transfer wheels transport said cars, said transfer rails originally positioned parallel to said main rails prior to said station, then diverging vertically from said main rails, then converging with said main rails subsequent to said station to lift said cars and said driving wheels of said cars out of contact with said main rails whereby said cars are placed upon, removed from, and shifted from one portion to another of said main rails to by-pass said station, means for causing said transfer wheels to engage or not to engage with said transfer rails, and conveyor belts positioned on path of said transfer rails to accelerate and decelerate said cars by lifting said cars and said transfer wheels on said cars out of contact with said transfer rails.

9. In a transportation system, switching apparatus whereby a car may by-pass a station adjacent a main set of rails comprising self-propelled cars; driving wheels on said cars; transfer wheels on said cars, main rails on which the driving wheels transport said cars; transfer rails on which said transfer wheels transport said cars, said transfer rails originally positioned parallel to said main rails prior to said station then diverging vertically from said main rails, then converging with said main rails subsequent to said station to lift said cars and said driving wheels of said cars out of contact with said main rails, whereby said cars are placed upon, removed from, and shifted from one portion to another of said main rails to by-pass said station; means for causing said transfer wheels to take an engaging position in which they will engage with said transfer rails and a non-engaging position in which they will avoid engaging with said transfer rails; and controllable means for actuating said transfer wheels into and out of each said engaging and said non-engaging position.

10. In a transportation system, switching apparatus whereby'a car may by-pass a station adjacent a main set of rails comprising self-propelled cars; driving wheels on said cars; transfer wheels on said cars; main rails on which said driving wheels transport said cars; transfer rails on which said, transfer wheels transport said cars, said transfer rails originally positioned parallel to said main rails prior to, said station then diverging vertically from said main rails, then converging with said main rails subse- 5 quent to said station to lift said cars and said driving wheels of said cars out of contact with said main rails whereby said cars are placed upon, removed from, and shifted from one portion to another of said main rails to by-pass said station; means for causing said transfer wheels to take an engaging position in which they are engaged with said transfer rails and a non-engaging position in which they will avoid engaging with said transfer rails; actuating rails on path of said car of said transfer rails; controllable means on said transfer wheels whereby contact with said actuating rails will cause said transfer wheels to take either an engaging or a non-engaging position.

11. In a rail transportation system a switching system comprising controllable means for switching at a predetermined point individual cars from a main set of rails for loading or unloading as desired to conveyor belt means for carrying said cars away from and back to said main set of rails; and controllable means on said cars for passing References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 9,329 'McElfatrick Oct. 12, 1852 210,051 Post Nov. 19, 1878 765,211 Thompson July 19, 1904 898,008 Sayer Sept. 8, 1908 929,440 Ilifi' July 27, 1909 1,656,589 Kruckenberg et al Jan. 17, 1928 1,805,266 Traver May 12, 1931 2,197,375 Dafnis Apr. 16, 1940 2,720,324 Cosentino Oct. 11, 1955 2,832,298 Ambli Apr. 29, 1958