US3587472A - Method and means of destination sorting of rail passengers - Google Patents

Abstract

METHOD AND MEANS OF DESTINATION SORTING PASSENGERS AT A SUBURBAN PARKING AREA FOR RAPID TRANSIT TO DOWNTOWN SUBWAY STATIONS. HYDRAULIC TOTALIZING COUNTING MEANS ACTIVATING A BANK SIGNALS RESPONSIVE TO NUMBER OF PASSENGERS AND REMAINING TRAIN SPACE, BEING PLACED AT PARKING BAY ENTRANCES AND ADJACENT DEPARTURE PLATFORMS. TOTALIZING BY TURNSTILES BEFORE PASSENGERS REACH PLATFORMS. LOOP RAIL LINE CONFIGURATION, CARS COUPLED AND UNCOUPLED AT SPEED PROVIDING NONSTOP TRANSIT OF SORTED PASSENGERS TO PARTICULAR DESTINATIONS WITH ONLY ONE TRAIN.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Ernest E. Bissett 3616 Ontario Street, Vancouver 10, British Columbia, Canada [21] Appl. No. 830,461 [22] Filed June 4, I969 {45] Patented June 28, 1971 [54] METHOD AND MEANS OF DESTINATION SORTING 0F RAIL PASSENGERS 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 104/27, 104/1, 104/28 [5 1] Int. Cl B61!) 1/00 [50] Field of Search 104/18, 19. 20, 27, 28

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 828,340 8/1906 Rice 104/20 1,353,423 9/1920 Samuelsonetalm 3,037,462 6/1962 Barry...

Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assislant Examiner-D. W Keen Attorney-Lyle G. Trorey ABSTRACT: Method and means of destination sorting of passengers at a suburban parking area for rapid transit to downtown subway stations. Hydraulic totalizing counting means activating a bank of signals responsive to number of passengers and remaining train space, being placed at parking bay entrances and adjacent departure platforms. Totalizing by turnstiles before passengers reach platforms. Loop rail line configuration, cars coupled and uncoupled at speed providing nonstop transit of sorted passengers to particular destinations with only one train.

PATENTED JUN28 1971 SHEET 1 [1F 4 Ernest E. Bissctt,

Ly 1.0 G. L'OFGY Agent METHOD AND MEANS OF DESTINATION SORTING OF RAIL PASSENGERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and means of materials handling, being adapted for rapid movement of people to and from congested urban centers BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In major population centers there is a traffic congestion problem, due in-major part to a large and increasing number of private automobiles each often carrying but one person. As a result traffic congestion, both within the center and upon highways and freeways upon which these automobiles travel to and from the center, is such as (according to some authorities) to threaten the very existence of major cities.

Attempts have been made to improve matters by construction of systems of freeways. The cost per passenger mile of such systems is high, right of way requirement takes much land, and can grossly depreciate urban property values and create slums. It is admitted by many authorities and, indeed scarcely is open to serious doubt, that such systems are mere placebos having, at best, but short-term benefit at a true direct and indirect cost which is so high that it is a matter of difficulty even to estimate. Experience of some cities, notably San Francisco, and the opinion of many authorities, indicate solution lies in improved public transportation. Dr. Peter Goldberg in a special lecture given at Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada) in Feb. 1969 (as reported) warned that cities face a disastrous future, stating that their mushroom growth provides frightening data. .Ian. 9, I967 Newsweek has, at page 43, an article The Agony of Getting Anywhere in which Senator Clairborne Pell is quoted as saying that our society is fast becoming immobile-a statement which scarcely will be questioned by informed students of urban vehicular traffic. The article reports examples of the problem above, and steps being taken to improve public transportation.

I have devised a method, and means employing the method, which reduces travelling time, is economical in right of way demand per passenger miles, and reduces true direct and in direct cost.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION The method provides sorting of passengers into bays of a suburban parking lot, each bay containing vehicles passengers of which are for a particular downtown destination. Transit is by train, and passengers leaving a parking bay proceed to a departure platform of a loop line, and in doing so pass a turnstile. The turnstile, as it turns, keeps a running total of the number of passengers.

Positive displacement hydraulic means operatively connected to the turnstile activate a hydraulic accumulator, a piston rod of which is urged outwards by a discrete amount at each rotation of the turnstile. The piston rod carries an electrical contact cooperating with a commutator rod, conducting segments of which successively energize signals of a signal bank.

A turnstile, hence a signal bank, is provided for each departure destination. At least one signal bank is placed near a vehicular entrance of each bay, the bank being associated with a platform adjacent an exit gate of the baywith a duplicate bank near the platform. Thus the vehicles select a required bay, and the passengers in proceeding to the platform activate the signals, sorting and counting themselves, with totalizing to activate a signal, usually a red light, as that total approaches destination capacity.

The loop extends around a periphery of the parking area, and continues to a second loop of downtown subway stations, the line returning to the parking area in a generally hourglass shape-hereinafter a loop configuration.

A train is considered as having at least two cars, with coupling means adapted for coupling and uncoupling both at rest and while in travelling at speed. With sorted passengers in a last car of a two-car train being destined for a first-reached downtown station, as that station is approached the last car is uncoupled and stops for unloading and loading-the first car continuing on at unreduced speed.

The last car then accelerates to overtake and recouple to the first car. Thus both destinations are reached nonstop with material saving in travelling time. The method is, as can be seen, capable of extension to carrying destination-sorted passengers nonstop to plurality of destinations.

Exemplification of method and means is given below illustrated by drawings, it being understood that the invention is capable of expression in method and by means other than those particularly described. 7

FIG. I is a generalized representation of an endless loop configuration, and ancillary structure, according to the present invention,

FIG. 2, at larger scale, is a plan view showing destinationsorting waiting rooms and parking bays,

FIG. 3, at still larger scale, shows sorting waiting rooms,

FIG. 4 shows turnstiles and counting means,

FIG. 5 is a diagram of signal bank electrical connection,

FIG. 5-A is a three-signal bank.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Description of FIG. 1

FIG. 1 is a generalized representation of an endless loop configuration, and ancillary facilities, according to the present invention.

A suburban terminal generally 10 has access from a highway 11 via an entrance service road 12 (having nonparking space provision at 12.1) to a parking area 13 through a grade separation 14. A second grade separation 15 provides access to an exit service road 16 joining the highway. Flow of traffic is indicated by unreferenced arrows.

A suburban terminal loop rail line 17 extends peripherally around the parking area, the parking area having preset time departure parking bays 18 through 22, each bay having associated therewith a departure and arrival platform, or station, 18.1 through 22.1 respectively. A downtown district is designated 23, having subway stations 24 to 28 as shown, with a loop subway line 29 running between the stations and ends of the loop joining'a main line 30. The main line extends to ends of the suburban terminal loop 17 as shown.

The line 17 of the suburban terminal has been called a loop, and the line 29 is also called a loop. The generally circular configuration of the loop 17 as shown provides good land utilization, where topography and land availability permit. The loop can have such other shape as may be dictated by circumstances, and can indeed be a straight line. Similarly, as is well known, population density, and economic considerations generally, determine siting and spacing of the downtown subway stations 24-28. In turn, this determines the shape of the loop 29. The line 30 extending from the suburban terminal to the urban area is shown as being double tracked, this connection can, where traffic density permits, obviously be single track with passing facilities. Terms such as loop, loop configuration, and endless loop, and hereinafter used in a meaning which includes all possibilities outlined above and equivalents thereto.

Description of FIG. 2

A two-car train section is designated 31, 32, the cars being interconnected by releasable coupling means later described. Numerals 33, 34, designate unconnected cars. Vehicular entrance to the bay 19 is through a vehicle access gate 35, entrance to the bay 20 being through a similar gate 36, each bay having an access gate. The bay 19 is provided with pedestrian exit and entrance gates 37 and 37.1 respectively, and the bay 20 has similar pedestrian gates 38, 38.1, as do the remaining parking bays. A ticket sales booth 39 is shown adjacent the pedestrian gate 37 of the bay 19. The booth is movable so that it can. for instance, be placed as shown in broken outline at 40 adjacent pedestrian gate 38 of the parking bay 20.

Each departure and arrival platform has a plurality of waiting rooms. In FIG. 2, waiting rooms of the platform 19.1 are designated 41, 42, 43, and 44. Access to each waiting room is through an access turnstile, the turnstile of waiting room 41 being designated 41.1. Each waiting room has an access turnstile, remaining turnstiles being designated respectively 42.1, 43.1, 44.1.

The waiting rooms above are on a side of the platform adjacent a parking bay, opposite each waiting room aforesaid is a further waiting room, the further opposite waiting rooms being particularly for passengers arriving by bus, and by nonparking vehicles. The said opposite waiting rooms are shown in FIG. 2 with the waiting room opposite 41 being designated 41-L and having a turnstile designated 41.1-L, nonparking vehicles loading and unloading at 12.1.

The waiting rooms are for passengers to particular downtown designations namely a subway station aforesaid, for instance passengers for the destination station 26 use waiting rooms 41 and 41-L, those for destination 25 use waiting room 42, and so on. The number of waiting rooms (counting a waiting room and its opposite waiting room as one) can be equal to, greater than, or less than, the number of downtown destinations. Further, the arrangement is flexible and can be altered in accordance with daily, or even hourly, requirements. For instance, if the tube station 25 is central to a factory district, a peak early morning load could require several waiting rooms, with but few passengers departing for other destinations at this time. 45 designates a passenger-sorting concourse.

Description of FIGS. 4, 5, S-A, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 FIG. 4 shows hydraulic counting means activated by the turnstiles.

Turnstiles 43.1 and 43.1-L of the waiting rooms 43 and 43-L are shown in FIG. 4. A positive displacement hydraulic pump 51 is operatively connected to an accumulator cylinder 52 having a piston 53 and a piston rod 54, the pump being supplied from a tank as later explained. A hydraulic line 51.1 extends from the pump 51 to the cylinder 52, with a hydraulic line 51.1-L extending from a pump 51-1.. of the turnstile 43.1-L to the said cylinder as shown. Each time a turnstile is rotated by a passenger entering the waiting room, the piston rod 54 is urged a discrete distance, outward, thus total outward extension of the piston rod is proportional to total number of passengers who have entered these two waiting rooms.

A contact 55 is secured to an outer end of the piston rod 54. Referring now to FIG. 5, the contact is in sliding electrical connection with a commutator rod 57 having conducting segments 57.1 through 57.4 spaced by insulating segments as shown. A bank of signals 58 has individual electrically activated signal means 58. 1 through 58.4 and a similar bank 59 has individual signals 59.1 through 59.4. The individual signal means 58.1-59.1, 58.2-59.2, and so on, are lights and are connected in parallel to a common return' to a terminal 60 of an electrical supply source (not shown), a second terminal 61 of the supply source being connected to the contact 55. With the piston rod 54 in the position shown in FIG. 5, the contact 55 is connected to the commutator segment 57.3, thus the lights 58.3 and 59.3 are activated. As later particularized, an additional signal light bank is connected in parallel with the banks 58 and 59 as indicated in FIG. 5, lights in the same circuit as 58.3 and 59.3 are activated therewith.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a discharge valve 62 is provided at a lower end of the cylinder 52 so that, when the valve is opened, hydraulic fluid discharges from the cylinder and enters a supply tank 63. Hydraulic lines 64 extend from the supply tank to the positive displacement hydraulic pumps 51 and 51-L. Compression spring means 65 are provided so that when the valve 62 is opened the piston is urged downward fully to retract the piston rod. The valve 62 can be a solenoid valve remotely controlled through a two conductor line 67 by a switch S-l ofa control panel 68 at a central remote location.

Each turnstile a pair has hydraulic and electrical connections as FIGS. 4 and 5, and electrical connections to additional signal banks as later described.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 the waiting room pair 43, 43-L, has signal banks as follows: the bank 58 adjacent the turnstile 43.1, the bank 59 adjacent the turnstile 43.1-L, and a bank 69 visible from the gate 35. As shown in FIG. 5 each bank has four lights, 58.1, 58.2, 58.3, 58.4 of the bank 58; 59.1-59.4 of the bank 59; the bank 69 also having four lights. When the piston rod 54 is fully retracted, as when the valve 62 has been opened with departure of a section, lights 58.4, 59.4, and a corresponding light of a bank 69, are all on being in the same circuit and all being energized when the contact 55 is in electrical connection with the commutator segment 57.4. These lights remain on until entering passengers have turned the turnstiles a sufficient number of times to cause the contact 55 to have passed the commutator segment 57.4, when the lights go off. As drawn the light 58.4 and all lights in the same circuit go on before the 59.3 light, and associated lights, go off, as later is explained. This is deliberate having certain advantages.

The light 58.4 and all lights in the same circuit are green, the light 58.3 and lights in the same circuit are blue, lights in the circuit of 58.2 are amber, and those ofthe 58.1 circuit red. The contact 55 has a depth measured parallel to the piston rod designated D in FIG. 5 only, and each commutator segment is spaced by an insulating segment. The insulating segment spacing the commutator segments 57.1 and 57.2 is designated 70 in FIG. 5 only, and has a depth d as shown. With D greater than d by an amount equal to the piston motion resulting from, say, 10 passengers entering, then the amber light has a ten passenger delay so that both signal means remain energized during outward extension of the piston rod for a distance equal to the excess aforesaid, which distance is equal to the sum of the number of times the rod is urged outwards by discrete distances to total the said excess. The segment 57.1 is shown much shorter than the segment 57.2, 57.3, 57.4 (but of depth greater than D) so that when the amber goes off-the red being on-the number passengers in the waiting room is equal to departure capacity including standing room.

By varying the depth of the insulating segments and the depth of the conducting segments, particular colors can be made to indicate remaining passenger space.

A four-light bank has been described and illustrated. Good control can be effected by a three-light bank-green amber red-with such delay as is deemed to be desirable. At least one signal means responsive to number of passengers and related to car capacity is required, the response indicating availability of passenger space. A three-light signal bank is shown in FIG. S-A designated 58-A and having lights 58.1-A, 58.2-A, 58.3-A. The four conducting segment commutator 57 can be used with the lower segments 57.3 and 57.4 bridged as shown in broken outline at C FIG. 5.

Manual override control of all the signal banks above is provided by a switch S-2 of the control panel 68, as shown in FIG. 5 only. If, as departure time approaches, there are fewer passengers in a waiting room than required to activate the red signal, switch S-2 is opened (or S-2 can be a time switch) a short time before departure-the short time being sufficient for loading of tardy passengers.

Illuminated signs can be substituted for the colored lights the signs themselves conveying suitable information and, if desired, displaying the information in colored characters. These and other equivalent means to display information related to available passenger space can be used in substitution for the particular means herein described and illustrated.

Each remaining waiting room pair 41, 41-L; 42, 42-1., 44, 44-L associated with the bay 19 has signal banks as described for the pair 43, 43-L. These are shown at 69, 82, 83, 84 visible from the gate 35 of the parking bay 19; 85, 86, 87 associated respectively with the waiting rooms 44, 43, 42, 41; and 88, 89, 90, and 59 associated with the respective opposite waiting rooms.

Each parking bay and its associated waiting rooms have signal light banks as described with reference to those associated with the bay 19. Each separate bank designates a particular waiting room (pair) as explained, the waiting room being for a particular destination, the bank being clearly marked e.g. as indicated in FIG. 5 only, the bank 59 having an illuminated sign 91 marked 24, indicating destination 24 departures.

Alternative Signal Bank Arrangement As above described, each parking bay has signal banks visible from its entrance gate and referring only to the platforms opposite its exit gate. That is to say as shown in FIG. 2 the bay 19 has only the banks 69, 82, 83, 84 associated with the waiting rooms 41 through 44. Additionalsignal banks associated with waiting rooms of the adjacent bay 20, or of the adjacent bay 18, or of both, can be provided for the bay 19. As well, each said adjacent bay can itself have signal banks of its adjacent bays. 'ln this way more flexible utilization of parking area can be effected with but little additional walking distance on the passenger-sorting concourse being required. The method and structure require that each parking bay have a signal of at least immediately adjacent waiting rooms.

OPERATION I form. He also knows that there will be space in this train or car so that he can board it, individual lights being constructed and arranged, and having delay, to effect the foregoing.

After parking he walks a relatively short distance through the exit gate 37 past the sales booth 39 where, if necessary, he can buy tokens. He is now on the sorting concourse 45 and, by reference to signal banks such as 58 provided for each waiting room, he can tell which waiting room to enter in order to reach his destination. For instance, if he wishes to travel to destination 24 FIG. 1 he enters waiting room 43. Car 32 will either be at the platform or will next arrive. He then enters car 32 with the assurance that there will be space available in the car. He enters the car through an entrance designated 71. FIG. 3, and it is to be noted that passengers leaving the car disembark through different car exits 71.1. Thus passengers enter and leave the car without mutual interference.

For bus passengers and passengers from nonparking vehicles, the procedure is similar and, therefore, is not described in detail. It is to be noted however drivers of these vehicles know where to stop because the signals 59, 88, 89, 90 FIG. 2 are visible from the nonparking space 12.] provided for loading and unloading.

Car Coupling Means The method and means above described provide that automobiles are parked, and that passengers are sorted and loaded according to destination. Thus a particular car has passengers only for one destinationit being understood however that some circumstances might make it desirable for a particular car to contain passengers destined for adjacent statrons.

So that individual cars and sections can be controlled to reach the required destination substantially nonstop, it is important that the cars be provided with coupling means such that they can be connected and disconnected both while stationary and while in motion. A rail car coupling particularly adapted to effect the foregoing is described in a U.S. Pat. issued to the present inventor June 17, 1969 in a Rail Car Coupling, No. 3,450,271. While this coupling is particularly adapted for the present purpose, other couplings can be used. Any coupling means providing ready coupling and uncoupling between cars at rest or in motion can be substituted.

Referring to FIG. 1, consider a train of two or more sections travelling in an endless loop system as there illustrated, travel being in a direction indicated by arrows 93. In FIG. 3 the cars 32, 33, and 34 are coupled forming a train 94, car 32 is destined for the urban area station 24. Upon approaching that destination car 32 is uncoupled, decelerates, and stops at the subway station 24 for unloading and loading. Unloading and loading being completed, car 32 accelerates to a speed greater than that of car 33, and continues at that speed. Upon reaching car 33 it recouples. It will be seen that, depending upon the spacing between the adjacent stations 24 and 25 and speeds, this could be designed to be reached just after car 33 has pulled out from station 25 and reached its normal speed. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that, considering any single car, with optimum conditions it can be nonstop from the suburban terminal to the destination.

lclaim:

l. A method of sorting passengers according to particular destination prior to dispatch by train, the method. including steps of;

a. providing a suburban parking area for passenger-carrying vehicles, the parking area having departure bays each bay being for passengers for one particular urban destination,

b. providing a loop line with a departure and arrival platform associated with each departure bay, the platform being for passengers for the particular destination, with the passengers for that destination proceeding from the bay to the associated platform,

0. providing at least one signal for each bay, the signal being responsive to number of passengers proceeding as aforesaid to the associated platform, the signal being related to train capacity so as to indicate availability of train space,

constructed and arranged for a vehicle to enter a bay the signal of which indicates availability of space, so that passengers disembarking from the vehicles entering the bay aforesaid, and proceeding to the associated platform, are sorted according to the particular destination, and in proceeding to the platform activate the signal to respond as aforesaid.

2. A method according to claim 1, the sorted passengers being dispatched by a train having at least a first car and a last car, each car being destined for one particular urban destination station, and

d. providing loop configuration including the loop line aforesaid, the loop configuration being continuous and having a line extending between the urban stations,

e. loading the sorted passengers into the cars of the train, the loading being according to destination, with the last car being loaded with passengers sorted for a firstreached urban destination, the first car being loaded with passengers sorted for a subsequently reached urban destination,

f. coupling the cars of the train and causing the coupled cars to proceed at a normal speed towards the destinations,

g. when the first urban destination is being approached, un-

coupling the last car, causing it to decelerate, to stop at the station, and to unload, with the first car continuing at undiminished normal speed,

h. then causing the last car to proceed accelerating to a speed in excess of normal so as to overtake the first car and recouple, the recoupled train proceeding at normal speed to the subsequently reached destination.

3. Structure and apparatus for sorting passengers according to particular destination, including in combination:

a. vehicle-parking means including a parking area having parking bays, each bay being for passengers for one particular urban destination,

b. a loop line, the loop line having a train departure and arrival platform associated with each departure bay, the platform being for passengers for one destination,

c. at least one turnstile-activated signal means being provided for each bay, the signal means being responsive to number of passengers and related to train capacity, so as to indicate availability of train space, being adapted for a vehicle to enter a bay the signal of which indicates availability of space, and adapted for passengers disembarking from the bay aforesaid and proceeding to the platform pass through the turnstile and activate the signal to respond as aforesaid.

4. Passenger sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the signal response is effected by a combination of means including the following:

1. a turnstile (43.1) turned by each passenger proceeding to the platform,

2. a positive displacement hydraulic pump (51) operatively connected with the turnstile,

3. an accumulator cylinder (52) having a piston (53) and a piston rod (54) the cylinder being operatively connected to the positive displacement pump by a hydraulic line (51.1), adapted so that at each rotation of the turnstile the piston rod is urged outwards by a discrete distance,

4. a contact (55) secured to an outer end of the piston rod, the contact being in sliding electrical connection with a commutator rod (57) having at least one conducting segment (e.g. 57.3),

5. a signal means (58.3) electrically connected to the seg ment so that the signal is energized when the contact is electrically connected to the conducting segment.

5. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 4 and a discharge valve (62) at a lower end of the cylinder for discharge of fluid in the cylinder so as to retract the rod, the valve being a solenoid valve adapted for remote control.

6. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 5, and compression spring means effecting positive retraction of the rod with discharge of fluid as aforesaid.

7. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 5, the commutator having at least two conducting segments spaced by an insulating segment with a signal means as aforesaid electrically connected to each conducting segment; the contact (55) having a depth (D) in excess of that ofthe insulating segment (d) so that both signal means remain energized during outward extension of the piston rod for a distance equal to the excess aforesaid, which distance is equal to the sum of the number of times the rod is urged outwards by discrete distances to total the said excess.

8. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 4, and remote manual override means to energize the signal means at will.

9. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 7, and remote override means to energize at least one signal at will.

10. Passenger-sorting structure and apparatus as set forth in claim 9, the commutator having a plurality of segments, and a signal bank having an equal plurality of signals, with each signal being connected as aforesaid to one of the plurality of segments.

Images