US3400665A

US3400665A - Continuous transport installation

Info

Publication number: US3400665A
Application number: US475794A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bouladon Gabriel; Zuppiger Paul
Original assignee: Battelle Development Corp
Current assignee: Battelle Development Corp
Priority date: 1964-08-04
Filing date: 1965-07-29
Publication date: 1968-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1985-09-10
Also published as: CH427883A; FR1445280A; GB1083396A; DE1282050B

Description

Sept. 10, 1968 e. BOULADON ET AL 3,400,665

CONTINQOUS TRANSPORT INSTALLATION Filed July 29, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 m6 vm Mm Mv INVENTORS GABRIEL BOULADON 8- BY PAUL ZUPPIGER GRAY, MASE & DUNSON ATTORNEYS 9 'wha G. BOULADON ETAL 3,400,665

CONTINUOUS TRANSPORT INSTALLATION Sept. 10, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1965 INVENTORS GABRIEL BOULADON &

PAUL ZUPPIGER BY GRAY, MASE & DUNSON ATTORNEYS MWZW Sept. 10, 1968 a. BOULADON ET AL 3,400,665

CONTINUOUS TRANSPORT INSTALLATION I Filed July 29, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1. 4 i 29 75 s s5 2 i 3 I 6 NO FIG. 5

l-i -E 42 ll l 43 65 67 l/ 37 [I 46 I 38 FIG. 3 36 I I 39 INVENTORS GABRIEL BOULADON &

PAUL ZUPPIGER BY GRAY, MASE & DUNSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent "ice 3,400,665 CONTINUOUS TRANSPORT INSTALLATION Gabriel Bouladon and Paul Zuppiger, Geneva, Switzerland, assignors to The Battelle Development Corp. Filed July 29, 1965, Ser. No. 475,794 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Sept. 4, 1964, 11,555/64 16 Claims. (Cl. 104-25) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Passengers are carried at constant speed in an endless articulated succession of transport units each having a square C-shaped cross section, suspended from an aerial rail, and propelled by fixedly mounted drive wheels bearing against a longiudinal surface on the lower inner side of the unit. Between stations, the outer sides of the transport units are closed by a portion of an endless flexible wall.

The present invention relates to a transport installation comprising loading and unloading stations and horizontal transport apparatus serving these stations, said transport apparatus including a succession of platform transport units and guide and drive means imparting to said transport units continuous motion along a closed circuit and obliging said transport units successively to pass past these stations.

The transport installation according to the invention is characterized in that the transport units each include a lateral main wall at the bottom of which is secured said platform and at the top of which is secured a ceiling, the assembly forming a rigid C-shaped chassis, in that these transport units are articulated to one another by coupling devices disposed in the plane of the main walls of the transport units to form at least one train, and in that the guide and drive means include a closed loop aerial rail from which are suspended the transport units through the intermediary of suspension devices connected to the coupling devices and include propulsion units spaced along the circuit beneath said rail, said propulsion units successively cooperating with a portion of each transport unit lengthwise thereof and near the lower end of its main wall.

The attached drawings illustrate by way of example one embodiment of the transport installation according to the invention. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a general diagrammatic view of this mbodiment.

FIG. 2 shows in perspective on an enlarged scale and in greater detail a portion of the installation depicted in FIG. 1, the transport apparatus being partly broken away.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of a transport unit, between two other pariially shown units, together with certain adjoining details.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 3, partly broken away.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the transport unit shown in FIG. 3 and shows, partly in section, the guide and drive means.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the driving apparatus visible in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the means for opening and closing the transport units.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a modification of the means in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an elevational cross-section of the modification in FIG. 9

FIG. 11 is an elevational view, partly in section, showing additional apparatus that may be included in the transport installation.

3,400,665 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 The transport installation shown in FIG. I, intended to transport people, comprises several loading and unloading stations, such as A, B, C, D, E, and F, served by a transport apparatus T including a succession of transport units U and including guide and drive means imposing to said transport units continuous motion of, in the present instance, constant speed, along a closed circuit.

The guide and drive means, which are visible in FIGS. 2 and 5, include an endless aerial rail 1 carried by Spaced columns, such as 2 (FIG. 2), resting on the ground. This rail, which forms the closed circuit, has, as shown in FIG. 1, two return sections 1A and 1B forming terminal loops, and two intermediate sections consisting of closely set parallel portions lCa and 1Da disposed side by side and rigidly connected to one another, of crossing portions 1Cb and 1D!) passing one beneath the other, and of spaced parallel portions ICC and 1Dc. As shown in FIG. 5, the rail is of substantially I-shaped cross-section (capital gamma) with a leg 3, an arm 4 at the top of leg 3, a horizontal flange 5 at the bottom of leg 3, and a vertical flange 6 at the end of arm 4, these

flanges

5 and 6 being turned towards one another to form therebetween substantially a right angle. Thus, the rigidly connected rail portions IQ: and lDa have a common crosssection substantially in the form of a two-legged T (FIG. 2). Moreover, the guide and drive means also include propulsion units, such as P, which will be described below.

The transport units U each comprise, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a lateral main wall 10 at the bottom of which is secured a platform 11 and at the top of which is secured a ceiling 12, the assembly forming a rigid C- shaped chassis. The transport units are articulated to one another by coupling devices K disposed in the plane of the main Walls to form, in the present embodiment, a sin- .gle endless train. Each of these coupling devices, linking two adjacent transport units, includes a connecting bar 14 at the ends of which are fixedly mounted

balls

15 and 16 inserted into sockets formed in the lower and contiguous corners of the main walls 10 of these two adjacent transport units to form ball and socket joints so that the train may be folded, to a certain extent, both in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane.

To enable folding of the train in both the horizontal and the vertical planes, the main wall 10, the platform 11 and the ceiling 12 of each transport unit have the shape of an isosceles trapezium, the larger base of the main wall being constituted by the bottom edge thereof and the larger bases of the platform and of the ceiling being constituted by the edges thereof that are rigidly secured to the main wall. Whereas the larger base of the ceilings 12 has the same length as that of the small base of main walls 10, the larger base of platforms 11 has a length slightly greater than that of the larger base of the main walls in order to reduce to a minimum the space between the platforms. The spaces between the main walls 10, the platforms 11 and the ceilings 12 are filled by extensible member which, in the case of the spaces between-the main walls 10 and the ceilings 12, consist of bellows 17, and which, in the case of the spaces between the platforms 11, consist of one or more carpets 18 of elastic material extending over the entire length of the train. As shown in FIG. 5, the platform 11 of each transport unit comprises a raised portion 11a, covered by the carpet 18, above which are provided seats 19 secured to the main wall 10 and having handles 20 which standing passengers may hold on to.

The transport units are suspended from the aerial rail 1 via suspension devices L connected to the coupling devices K. Each suspension device L includes a vertical rod 25 the lower end of which is rigid with the middle portion ofthe connecting bar 14 of the coupling device K to which the suspension device is connected. The upper portion of rod 25 forms a stirrup 25a in which is mounted a vertical supporting wheel 26 resting on a horizontal rolling surface 27 formed by the upper faceof-rail flange 5. The suspension device includes moreover a horizontal retaining wheel 28 mounted on the upper end .of rod 25 and bearing against a vertical rolling surface 29 formed by the inner face of rail flange 6, these

surfaces

27 and 29 being thus protected by rail arm 4.

In order that the wheels 26 may be located-below the level of ceilings 12, each main wall has an inclined portion 10a, this arrangement enabling the height of the rail 1 to be reduced in relation to the ground S, which arrangement is particularly. advantageous when the trans port apparatus is required to pass through tunnels, such as M (FIG. 2). Each suspension device L includes also two

retaining bars

30 and 31 articulated at one end on the upper end of rod underneath horizontal wheel 28 and at the opposite end of the contiguous ends of the inner edges of the ceilings of the two adjacent transport units. The articulationsof bars and 31 have sufiicient play to allow folding of the train in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane. These bars preferably form an acute angle therebetween. As shown in FIG. 5, the axis of rotation of the horizontal retaining wheel 28 and the vertical supporting wheel 26 are contained substantially in the same vertical plane as that containing the coupling device K and the vertical portion of the main walls 10 of the transport units connected by this coupling device.

The propulsion units P of the guide and drive means each include an electric motor 35 having a casing rotatably mounted through the intermediary of

roller bearings

36 and 37 in a fixed support 38 formed, in the present instance, by the orifice of a pit 39 in which is housed the motor 35. The rotor of motor 35 drives a horizontal driving wheel 40 provided with a tire of a material having a high coeflicient of friction, such as rubber, and acting on a bearing surface consisting of a smooth friction surface 42 formed by the inner face of a flange 43 disposed underneath the lower end of each main wall 10 with which it is rigid, this flange 43 extend ing over the entire length of each transport unit.

To reduce to a minmum the spaces between adjacent flanges, which spaces are required to enable folding of the train, these flanges are disposed as closely as possible to the ball and

socket joints

15 and 16 of the coupling devices K. The outer face of each flange 43 forms a smooth friction surface 44 with which cooperates a reaction roller 45 rotatably mounted on a member 46 rigid with the casing of motor 35. Thus, when the rotor of motor 35 drives driving wheel 40, the reaction exerted on the casing of motor 35 tends to drive the latter in the opposite direction thereby enabling roller 45 to press flange 43 against the driving wheel 40 and hence to increase the adherence between the latter and the flange (see FIG. 7).

Along the closely set portions IQ: and 1Da of rail 1, the propulsion units P serve to drive both the transport units traveling along section lCa and the transport units traveling in the opposite direction along section 1Da. To this end, these common propulsion units comprise moreover a second reaction roller 47 rotatably mounted on an extension of member 46 and bearing against the outer face of the flanges of the transport units traveling along section lDa.

The guide and drive means moreover preferably comprise bearing points other than 'those provided by the driving wheels 40 of the propulsion units P. These bearing points (not shown) may be formed by horizontal wheels or rollers freely rotatable on fixed vertical axes disposed between the propulsion units and cooperating with the inner faces 42 of flanges 43. According to a modified constructional form, shown in FIG. 11, the transport units are each provided with a horizontal roller 85 mounted in the center of the main wall 10 and coop- Cit Ill

crating with a fixed bearing rail 86 disposed at a level slightly higher than that of the driving wheels 40. In order that the bearing rail 86 should not interfere with the drive of the transport units by the driving wheels 40, the lower portion of the bearing rail 86 is interrupted, as indicated at 87, in the region of the driving wheels 40.

The closure of the outer sides of the transport units traveling between two consecutive loading and unloading stations is ensured by-flexible endless walls 50.

As shown in FIG. 1, the loading and unloading stations in the present embodiment are arranged in register in pairs, either face to face, as in the case of stations A, B, and C, D, or back to back, as in the case of stations E, F. This arrangement of the stations makes it possible to use the flexible walls 50 not only for the closure of transport units traveling in one direction between two consecutive stations along rail section 1C, but also for the closure of the transport units traveling in the opposite direction between the two corresponding consecutive stations along rail section 1D. The flexible walls 50 thus consist, at any instant, of two

operative portions

50a and 50b secured by their edges to the outer edges of ceilings 12 and of platforms 11 of the transport units and thus moving with them, and of two inoperative portions 50c and. 50a forming end loops extending around, and in the present instance beneath, the transport units traveling in opposite directions to connect the

operative portions

50a and 50b.

The means for securing the edges of an operative flexible wall portion to the outer edges of the ceilings 12 and of the platforms 11 of the transport units at the exit of a loading and unloading station and for releasing the edges of this operative portion from the outer edges of the ceilings 12 and of the platforms 11 at the entry of the next station may assume different forms. One of these forms, depicted in FIG. 8, consists of sliding clasp fasteners. To this end, an endless strip 51 provided with hooking members 52 is secured to the outer edges of the ceilings 12 and extends over the entire length of the train. Similarly, an endless strip 53 provided with hooking members 54 is secured to the outer edges of the platforms 1-1 and also extends over the entire length of the train. These strips respectively cooperate with an endless strip 55 provided with hooking members 56 and secured to the upper edge of each flexible wall 50 and with an endless strip 57 provided with hooking members 53 and secured to the lower edge of each flexible wall 50.

The hooking and unhooking of

members

52 and 56, on the one hand, and of members 54 and 58, on the other hand, are respectively carried out by fixed sliding clasps 60 and 61 and by fixed sliding

clasps

62 and 63; clasps 60 and 62 being located at the exit of a station and clasps 61 and 63 being located at the entry of the next station in a position which is reversed in relation to that of clasps 60 and 62.

Strips

51 and 53 are provided along their inner faces with projecting portions (not shown) lodged in

grooves

64 and 65 respectively formed along the outer edges of ceilings 12 and of platforms 11 of each transport unit (FIGS. 3, 5). These

grooves

64 and 65 enable the projecting portions of

strips

51 and 53 to slide therein but not to become laterally disengaged therefrom. However, in order to localize any sliding movement of

strips

51 and 53 along the train, anchoring points 66 and 67 are provided on each transport unit.

A second manner of ensuring the closure and the open-.

ing of. the transport units, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, consists in providing the edges of the flexible walls 50 with elasticbeads 55' which are pressed into

grooves

64 and 65 upon leaving a station and which are then extracted therefrom upon entering the next station, the inserting and the extraction of the beads being carried out by means of rollers and 81 rotating on fixed axes.

Along the terminal loops 1A and 1B of rail 1, the closure of the transport units is also ensured by flexible walls 59 similar to walls 50, the means for securing these walls to the transport units and for detaching them therefrom being the same as for Walls 50. In this case, each flexible wall 59 comprises only one operative portion extending around the loop and only one inoperative portion connecting the ends of this single operative portion.

The installation illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises moreover transfer apparatuses N to enable passengers to board the transport units of the transport apparatus T, or to leave the latter, at the stations, the transport units U being assumed to travel at a relatively high constant speed.

Each transfer apparatus N comprises a succession of vehicles 70 having a platform 71, and guide and drive means imposing to these vehicles continuous motion of variable speed along a closed circuit. These vehicles, of oblong shape, appear sideways at the end of a boarding stage 72 where they travel at low speed. When the vehicles have moved away from stage 72, they are'caused to slide relatively to one another to pass from a side to side position to an end to end position While maintaining constant orientation. When passing from the side to side position to the end to end position the speed of the vehicles is increased to reach that of the transport units U of the transport apparatus T thusenabling passengers to pass from the vehicles '70 to the units U or vice versa without difficulty. The speed of the vehicles is then decreased by causing the latter to pass by relative sliding from their end to end position to their side to side position. In this latter position, the vehicles are brought to a landing stage 73 '(FIG. 1) to then disappear. Such transfer apparatuses serving at the same time two registering stations, are described and illustrated in United States Patent 3,236,191 (application Ser. No. 326,523, filed Nov. 27, 1963). See in particular FIGS. 15 and 16 of this patent. In this patent, the variable speed drive of the vehicles is obtained by means of varying pitch screws. This drive can also be achieved by the variable speed load moving means described and illustrated in United States Patent 3,292,769 (application Ser. No. 368,551, filed May 19, 1964).

To illuminate the interior of the transport units, the ceilings thereof are each formed with a transparent portion 75 (FIG. 4), the illumination being achieved, in a tunnel, by incandescent tubes arranged end to end and secured to the roof of the tunnel. Moreover, the flexible wall also includes a transparent endless band 76 (FIG. 8).

The installation illustrated in the drawings and described hereinbefore may be modified in various Ways. For example, the transport units, instead of constituting a single endless train, can constitute several separate trains. In this case, the transfer apparatus, when provided, operates either discontinuously and in synchronism with the passage of the transport apparatus trains, or continuously but with barriers or gates provided at the entry of the transfer apparatus and the opening and closure of which are controlled by the passage of the transport apparatus trains. Furthermore, the supports 38 for the motors 35 of propulsion units P, instead of being formed by the orifices of pits 39, can be formed by members directly secured to columns 2.

While the forms of the invention disclosed herein constitute presently preferred embodiments, it is not intended to describe or mention all of the possible equivalent forms or ramifications of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure herein is illustrative rather than limiting and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A transport installation comprising loading and unloading stations and horizontal transport apparatus serving these stations, said transport apparatus including a succession of platform transport units and guide and drive means imposing to said transport units continuous motion along a closed circuit and obliging said transport units successively to pass past these stations, each transport unit including a lateral main wall at the bottom of which is secured said platform and at the top of which is secured a ceiling, the assembly forming a rigid C-shaped chassis, the transport units being articulated to one another by coupling devices disposed in the plane of the main walls of the transport units to form at least one train, and the guide and drive means including a closed loop aerial rail from which are suspended the transport units through the intermediary of suspension devices connected to the coupling devices, and propulsion units spaced along the circuit beneath said rail, said propulsion units successively cooperating with a portion of each transport unit near the lower end of its main wall;

wherein each propulsion unit includes a horizontal driving wheel, and said cooperating portion of each transi port unit provides a smooth friction surface successively coming into bearing relationship against the driving wheel of each propulsion unit; and

wherein said cooperating portion of each transport unit is formed by a flange disposed beneath the lower end of the main wall in the direction of movement of the transport unit and rigid therewith, one of the faces of said flange constituting said smooth friction surface, and each propulsion unit includes a motor the rotor of which drives said driving wheel and the stator of which is rotatably mounted in a fixed support, and includes at least one horizontal reaction roller carried by a member rigid with the stator, said reaction roller cooperating with a smooth surface constituted by the other face of the flange to press said flange against the driving wheel.

2. A transport installation according to claim 1, wherein the rail includes at least two closely set portions, disposed side by side, and the propulsion units disposed beneath these portions are common thereto and capable of driving, through said driving wheel, both in one direction, the transport units traveling along one of said portions, and in the opposite direction, the units traveling along the other of said portions.

3. A transport installation comprising loading and unloading stations and horizontal transport apparatus serving these stations, said transport apparatus including a succession of platform transport units and guide and drive means imposing to said transport units continuous motion along a closed circuit and obliging said transport units successively to pass past these stations, each transport unit including a lateral main wall at the bottom of which is secured said platform and at the top of which is secured a ceiling, the assembly forming a rigid C-shaped chassis, the transport units being articulated to one another by couling devices disposed in the plane of the main walls of the transport units to form at least one train, and the guide and drive including a closed loop aerial rail from which are suspended the transport units through the intermediary of suspension devices connected to the coupling devices, and propulsion units spaced along the circuit beneath said rail, said propulsion units successively coop crating with a portion of each transport unit near the lower end of its main wall;

wherein each coupling device connecting two adjacent transport units includes a linking member connected to the lower and contiguous portions of the main walls of said two units through ball and socket joints; and

wherein the suspension device connected to said coupling device includes a vertical rod the lower end of which is rigid with the middle portion of said linking member, a vertical supporting wheel resting on the aerial rail and mounted on the upper portion of the rod, and two retaining members which are articulated at one end on the rod and are articulated at the other end on the upper and contiguous portions of said transport units so as to form therebetween an acute angle.

4. A transport installation according to claim 3, Wherein the articulations of the retaining members have sufficient play to allow folding of the train in a horizontal plane and in vertical plane.

5. A transport installation according to claim 3, wherein said suspension device further includes a horizontal retaining wheel mounted on the upper end of the rod, the axis of rotation of said horizontal retaining wheel, the vertical supporting wheel and the ball and socket joints of the coupling device to which is connected said suspension device being contained in a common vertical plane, and the aerial rail providing a horizontal rolling surface on which rests said vertical wheel and a vertical rolling surface against which bears said retaining wheel.

6. A transport installation according to claim 5, wherein the rail has a substantially r-shaped cross-section (capi tal gamma) with a substantially vertical leg, a horizontal arm at the top of the leg, a horizontal flange at the bottom of the leg and a vertical flange at the end of the arm, said flanges being turned towards one another to form therebetween substantially a right angle, the upper face of the horizontal flange constituting said horizontal rolling surface and the inner face of the vertical flange constituting said vertical rolling surface.

7. A transport installation according to claim 6, comprising a pair of closely set rail portions, disposed side by side, rigid with one another and having a common cross-section substantially in the form of a two-legged T.

8. A transport installation according to claim 5, wherein each main wall has an inclined portion at its upper end, providing space wherein the supporting wheel and the retaining wheel may be located below the level of the ceiling and thus enabling the height of the rail to be minimized in relation to the ground.

9. A transport installation comprising loading and unloading stations and horizontal transport apparatus serving these stations, said transport apparatus including a succession of platform transport units and guide and drive means imposing to said transport units continuous motion along a closed circuit and obliging said transport units successively to pass past these stations, each transport unit including a lateral main wall at the bottom of which is secured said platform and at the top of which is secured a ceiling, the assembly forming a rigid C-shaped chassis, the transport units being articulated to one another by coupling devices disposed in the plane of the main walls of the transport units to form at least one train, and the guide and drive means including a closed loop aerial rail from which are suspended the transport units through the intermediary of suspension devices connected to the coupling devices, and propulsion units spaced along the circuit beneath said rail, said propulsion units successively cooperating with a portion of each transport unit near the lower end of its main wall;

wherein said train is a single endless train traveling at constant speed, and the outer sides of the transport units traveling between two consecutive stations are closed by a portion of an endless flexible wall, said portion being secured to the outer edges of the ceilings and of the platforms of said transport units at the exit of the first of said two stations and detached from said edges at the entry of the second of said two stations.

10. A transport installation according to claim 9, wherein a first endless strip provided with hooking members is secured to the outer edges of the ceilings and extends over the entire length of the train, and a second endless strip provided with hooking members is secured to the outer edges of the platforms and also extends over the entire length of the train, these strips respectively cooperating with a third endless strip provided with hooking members and secured to the upper edge of the flexible wall and with a fourth endless strip provided with hooking members and secured to the lower edge of the flexible wall, the hooking and unhooking of the hooking members being respectively carried out by a first pair of fixed sliding clasps located at the exit of one station and by a second pair of fixed sliding clasps located at the entry of the next station in a position that is reversed in relation to that of the first pair of clasps, the first and second strips being provided along their inner faces with projecting portions lodged in grooves respectively formed along the outer edges of the ceilings and of the platforms of each transport unit, the grooves enabling the projecting portions of the strips to slide therein but not to become laterally disengaged therefrom, and anchoring points being provided on each transport unit to localize any sliding movements of the strips along the train..

11. A transport installation according to claim 9, wherein at least one opening extends along the outer edge of the ceiling and along the outer edge of the platform of each transport unit, each Opening communicating with a groove parallel therewith and expanded in height behind the opening, at least one elastic bead extending along the upper edge and along the lower edge of the flexible wall and shaped to fit snugly in an adjacent said groove, means for pressing each bead into the adjacent groove upon leaving said first station, and means for extracting each bead from its groove upon entering said second station.

12. A transport installation according to claim 11, wherein said pressing means and said extracting means comprise rollers rotatable on fixed axes.

13. A transport installation comprising loading and unloading stations and horizontal transport apparatus serving these stations, said transport apparatus including a succession of platform transport units and guide and drive means imposing to said transport units continuous motion along a closed circuit and obliging said transport units successively to pass past these stations, each transport unit including a lateral main wall at the bottom of which is secured said platform and at the top of which is secured a ceiling, the assembly forming a rigid C-shaped chassis, the transport units being articulated to one another by coupling devices disposed in the plane of the main walls of the transport units to form at least one train, and the guide and drive means including a closed loop aerial rail from which are suspended the transport units through the intermediary of suspension devices connected to the coupling devices, and propulsion units spaced along the circuit beneath said rail, said propulsion units successively cooperating with a portion of each transport unit near the lower end of its main wall;

wherein the rail includes two return sections forming tenminal loops, and two intermediate sections along which the loading and unloading stations are arranged in register in pairs, said train being a single endless train traveling at constant speed, the outer sides of the transport units traveling along one of said intermediate sections from a first station towards the next station being closed by a first portion of an endless flexible wall, said first portion being secured to the outer edges of the ceilings and of the platforms of the transport units traveling along said first intermediate portion at the exit of said first station and detached at the entry of the next station, and the outer sides of the transport units traveling in the opposite direction along the other of said two intermediate sections from a third station, in register with said next station of said first intermediate section, towards a fourth station in register with said first station being closed by a second portion of said endless flexible wall, said second portion being secured to the outer edges of the ceilings and of the platforms of the transport units traveling along the second intermediate section and detached at the entry of said fourth station, said wall defining two end loops connecting the adjacent ends of said wall portions. 7

14. A transport installation according to claim 13, wherein the outer sides of the transport units traveling along each return section are closed by a flexible wall comprising an operative portion extending around the terminal loop and secured to the outer edges of the ceilings and of the platforms and an inoperative portion con meeting the ends of the operative portion.

15. A transport installation according to claim 3, wherein the ceiling and the platform of each transport unit have the shape of an isosceles trapezium with its large base on the inner side of the transport unit and the spaces between the main walls, the ceilings and the platforms of the transport units are filled -by extensible members.

16. A transport installation according to claim 15, wherein the main wall of each transport unit has the shape of an isosceles trapezium with its large base at the bottom, the large base and the small base of the trapezoidal ceiling of each transport unit being smaller than the large base and the small base of the trapezoidal platform of each transport unit, the large base of the ceiling having substantially the same length as that of the small base of the main wall and the large base of the platform References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 116,059 6/1871 Humphreys 104-118 1,632,569 6/ 1927 Taylor 104167 2,865,306 12/1958 Bock 1058 2,905,100 9/ 1959 Kendall 104--25 3,136,266 6/ 1964 Seidman 104-25 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

D. F. WORTH, Assistant Examiner.