US3593665A - Conveying system - Google Patents

Conveying system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3593665A
US3593665A US887255A US3593665DA US3593665A US 3593665 A US3593665 A US 3593665A US 887255 A US887255 A US 887255A US 3593665D A US3593665D A US 3593665DA US 3593665 A US3593665 A US 3593665A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
vehicle
vehicles
track
junction
inlet
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US887255A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Rene Henri Charles Marty
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3593665A publication Critical patent/US3593665A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B61B1/00—General arrangement of stations, platforms, or sidings; Railway networks; Rail vehicle marshalling systems
    • B61B1/02—General arrangement of stations and platforms including protection devices for the passengers

Definitions

  • Means are furthermore provided for con- [56] References cued trolling without any computer the path followed by the vehi- UNITED STATES PATENTS cles over the complex track in a manner somewhat similar to 2,159,651 5/1939 Brockett /97 that of automatically controlled lifts.
  • the sidings may be associated with control means carried by the vehicles themselves so as toselect the track to be followed as provided by engaging the vehicle along a suitable guiding rail of a known type.
  • junctions between two tracks are easy matter but, in contradistinction, the existence of such junctions requires that two vehicles engaging it when passing out of two tracks leading to said junction may not reach said junction simultaneously or substantially so, since this would lead to a collision.
  • automatic means controlled by a computer or otherwise may be provided for delaying or arresting it when it is about to enter the junction and notice is given of thearrival of another vehicle on the other track leading to said junction.
  • automatic safety means are not completely reliable since they may fail; now, in a properly designed network the probability of two vehicles meeting at a junction is a high oneand no failure can be allowed.
  • My invention has for its primary object to cut out said major drawbacks and to ensure in a network of the type referred to an almostcomplete reliability together with a smooth disposal of the traffic.
  • each vehicle ahead of any junction and at least for one of the tracks leading to the latter, at least one shunt track while each vehicle is provided with means adapted to act on cooperating means carried by the other vehicles mechanically, optically, electronically or otherwise so as to constrain said vehicle to engage said shunt track in the case where it is about to reach the junction practically at the same moment as another vehicle.
  • the vehicle considered may be returned thenafter onto a further point of the track which it was originally to folllow.
  • This arrangement forms what may be termed a single acting branching junction.
  • the vehicles running, over a first track are preferably controlled otherwise than by a computer or by a counter programming their operation so that they may either follow the track originally assignedto them up to the junction point or else be shunted onto the other main track through the agency of a corresponding shunt or connecting track.
  • means may be pro vided for returning automatically the vehicles onto the junction or to any other point of the track they would have followed if they had not been shunted away. This may' be obtained for instance through the agency of comparatively short auxiliary circuit; if a further collision risks being produced thenafter the procedure may be begun over again until the vehicle can actually follow its prescribed path.
  • the number of vehicles should in this case be limited or the number of tracks should be increased so as to cut out any risk of saturation which might lock the vehicles in position and cause them to repeat to an exaggerated extent the shunt movements which have just been described.
  • the arrangements according to my invention include automatic preliminary and final control systems constituted by mechanical, electromechanical or electronic means for instance.
  • the steering of the vehicles leading them onto shunt tracks or else leading them from one track to another, either towards the left or towards the right-hand side, may be constituted by apparatus of the preliminary control type similar to those controlling automatic lifts or else the control means may cooperate with stationary means lying alongside the tracks and similar to those operating along railroads.
  • Calculating apparatus may, furthermore, at any moment transmit orders to a vehicle concerning its progression as well as its shunting to modify its direction on another track in order to lead the vehicle to its destination over the shortest or the speediest track, said calculators including in accordance with my invention, multiple totalizers examples of which will be given hereinafter.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically a simple acting branching junction or track exchanger which allows the vehicles to enter independently the junction while safety means prevent two vehicles reaching at the same moment said junction from impinging against one another.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates diagrammatically a vehicle including means adapted to cooperate with corresponding means on other vehicles which risk meeting the vehicle considered, so that one of the vehicles is shunted onto another track.
  • FIG. 3 is a diagram of a more complicated double-acting track exchanger according to my invention and forming what I term a double-acting branching junction.
  • FIG. 4 is a rear view of a modified vehicle of the type illustrated in FIG. 2 and adapted to be used on a track according to FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a further modification of the vehicle.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a loop-shaped circuit including a main track and a shunt track, said circuit incorporating branching junctions as in the case of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates diagrammatically a counting system carried by the vehicle and adapted to cooperate with stationary means on the track in order to lead automatically the vehicles towards the station at which they are to stop.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a more complex network including a plurality of main circuits with means shunting the vehicles from one elementary circuit onto another.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates a system of multiple totalizers which causes a vehicle starting from any station on the network to reach any other station of the network.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates diagrammatically the association of branching stations with a short circuit over which a vehicle may return onto the track it is normally to follow and off which it had been shunted by reason of another vehicle entering simultaneously the branching junction.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates the indefinite surface over which cab-carrying vehicles running on a single rail towards a branching junction such as that illustrated in FIG. 3, which surface is cut so as to afford a passage for the cab-carrying rods.
  • each vehicle may include an arrangement adapted to detect an abnormal operation modifying the speed or the braking action and acting for instance on the feed circuit which may then be short-circuited so that the general circuit breaker opens.
  • detecting means may include mechanical detectors such as small weights carried elastically and closing an electric circuit in the case of abnormal shocks or else the detectors may be connected with a chain which is stretched in the case of a breaking of a predetermined part, these different means producing simultaneously or independently the same action as an alarm or the opening or tentative opening of a door.
  • circuit breaker adapted to connect said track with a supply of DC, assuming the normal feed is with three-phase or one-phase current for synchronous motors. This produces a braking equal for all the vehicles which retain thus at each moment equal speeds and consequently the spacing between is substantially unvarying during the slowing down thus produced when such vehicles are very near each other.
  • the parts guiding the vehicle instead of being constituted by switches on guiding tacks, may include movable parts carried preferably only by the actual vehicles while the guiding rails themselves are not provided with any movable part.
  • Said guiding rails cooperating with parts carried by the vehicle play preferably no sustaining part in contradistinction with railroad rails; such guiding rails may lie, alongside the actual track ensuring the sustaining and running of the vehicles, on the side of the track or else underneath or above the vehicles and they may be constituted for instance by hollow rails inside which may slide shoes provided possibly with rollers and carried by the vehicles so as to engage the inside of said guiding rails.
  • the vehicle is thus constantly guided since it is carried by the actual track which may be a flat track over which the wheels of the vehicle may run.
  • junctions it is possible to cause the vehicle to be shunted off a single track (FIG. 1) onto the right-hand shunt track 2 or onto the left hand shunt track 3.
  • a further duplication of the guiding rails 5 and 6 each of which corresponds to one of the duplicated tracks at the junction.
  • Each vehicle 7 is preferably provided with two guiding parts 8 and 9 adapted to cooperate respectively with the two guiding rails, said guiding parts being fitted so as to be brought into cooperation with the corresponding rails or to be urged away from said rails in accordance with the orders transmitted to them, the movements of the two guiding parts being associated in a manner such that when one of them is engaged in the corresponding guiding rail, the other is spaced away from its guiding rail.
  • FIG. 2 is a rear view of a vehicle provided with the movable guiding parts in accordance with already known systems.
  • the lines I0 drawn as hatchings define the location of the tires 11 (FIG. 2) on the vehicle wheels. Said lines are duplicated and form the lines I2 and 12' corresponding to the two shunt tracks at the junction.
  • the rails 5 and 6 (FIG. 1) or 13 and 13 (FIG. 2) are located laterally with reference to the main tracks I0, 12 and 12 and are constituted as readily apparent by hollow rails or gutters 14 and I4 engaged by the actual guiding parts carried by the vehicles.
  • Said guiding parts 15 and 15 which correspond to the guiding parts 8 and 9 of FIG. I are carried by the vehicle 16 (FIG. 2) and are constituted for instance by shoes carrying rollers and adapted to run within the guiding rails 14 and I4.
  • Said guiding parts are both carried at the opposite ends of a transverse bar 17 adapted to pivot at 18 with reference to the vehicle body between two extreme positions under the action of a symmetrical electromagnetic system I9 to which a preliminary order has been conveyed.
  • Feelers the part played by which will be disclosed hereinafter are also provided in the case of the vehicle running over a track including deflecting guiding means according to my invention.
  • the vehicle moving over the track 1 (FIG. 1) towards the junction 4 is normally guided by its guiding part I5 (FIG. 2) running within the hollow rail 14', illustrated at 6 in FIG. 1.
  • the transverse bar 17 may retain the position illustrated in FIG. 2 or else, under the control provided by one of the electromagnetic systems 19, it rocks so as to assume the position illustrated in interrupted lines in FIG. 2.
  • the vehicle continues being guided by the left-hand guiding rail 6 and moves towards the left.
  • the guiding part 15 (FIG. 2) moves out of the guiding rail l3, 14' whereas the other guiding part engages the opposite rail l3-I4 corresponding to the rail 5 of FIG. I.
  • last-mentioned rail 13 includes a section which is accurately parallel with the track 113 just ahead of the junction.
  • the track exchanger forming a single acting branching junction.
  • the two main tracks l and 2 illustrated diagrammatically by the lines followed by the tires of the vehicle wheels running over them draw nearer each other so as to be spaced by a very small amount and then separate again.
  • the track ll includes two guiding rails 5 and 6 and is connected through the auxiliary track 3 with the track 21 provided with a guiding rail 21 on the side opposed to the track 3.
  • the vehicles running over the track 1 may continue running over said track beyond the junction or else they are shunted at 4 upon rocking of the guiding parts so as to engage the track 21.
  • the vehicles running originally on the track 21 are constrained to continue always on said track 21.
  • Control and preliminary control means release the rocking of the guiding system of FIG. 2 which provides similar possibilities for the vehicles running on the tracks disclosed.
  • the arrangement which has just been described provides safety inasmuch as it prevents any vehicle running towards a junction on one of the main tracks 1 and 21 from impinging at the crossing point against another vehicle.
  • the safety means include the feeler parts illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • the parts 20 shown at 23 on the vehicle 7 of FIG. 1 which extend on each vehicle throughout the length of the latter engage each other from one vehicle to the other as provided, if required, by a rocking of the transverse bar 17 of one of the two vehicles against the control or preliminary control signal which may have sent an order to them through one of the electromechanical systems 19.
  • the guiding part 15 on the vehicle following the track 1 may according to the case be brought into or remain in engagement with the guiding rail 5. Consequently the two vehicles remain respectively on their tracks 1 and 21 without any risk of collision, whatever the original position of the transverse bars on the vehicles may be.
  • the double-acting track exchanger formed by the double branching junction includes two main tracks 24 and 24' illustrated by the lines followed by the vehicle tires which draw nearer one another and then separate.
  • the guiding rails are illustrated at 25 and 26, the left-hand guiding rail being located on the left-hand track and that for the righthand track being located on the right-hand side of the latter.
  • two shunt tracks27and 28 interconnect on the one hand the incoming part of the track 24 with the outgoing part of the track 24' and on the other hand the incoming part of the track 24' with the outgoingpartof the track 24.
  • further guiding rails 29 and. .30 cooperate respectively with the guiding rails 25 and 26 so as to from two branchings at 31 and 32 leading in their turn to the branchings 33 and 34.
  • the optional guiding of the vehicles is performed as follows:
  • the vehicles running on the traclc 24 may either continue progressing on said track or else they are shunted at 32 upon rocking of the transverse bar so as to engage the shunt track 2'2.
  • the vehicles running originally on the track 24 may similarly either continue on said traclt M or else be shunted at the junction 3i onto the shunt track 2% which leads them back onto the track 2st.
  • the same possibilities are thus afforded as for automobiles at a crossing between two one-way roads, that is they may continue straight ahead or else turn into the transverse road, obviously in the direction open to vehicles on the latter.
  • the control and preliminary control signals provided operate the transverse rocking bars illustrated in FIG. 2 or the like means whereby the above possibilities are afforded on the network illustrated in FIG. 3.
  • the double acting arrangement which has just been described includes furthermore means ensuring safety and preventing any vehicle entering the junction from the two main tracks 2d and 2d from impinging against each other.
  • Said safety means include the feeler parts 20 (FIG.
  • the drawback consists thus only in a slight delay ascribable to the passage of the vehicle from one track onto the auxiliary track. If, upon entering the junction with the other track, the vehicle meets again another vehicle running on said other track, the procedure begins over again and of course there is only a very small risk, if the network is not saturated with vehicles, of the vehicle running more than twice or three times over an auxiliary track.
  • the rocking of the transverse bar 17 is provided directly by the operation of the feeler parts 20 and 20 carried by the two vehicles reaching at the same moment a junction over the tracks 24 and 24. It may be of interest, if only for increasing safety, to provide said rocking no longer directly as disclosed but through a detent system such as that provided on fire anns, the detent being set at the moment of the arrival of the vehicle at the junction so that its release may produce a sudden rocking of the transverse bar 17 on each vehicle if required.
  • a detent system such as that provided on fire anns
  • the transverse bar 17 is pivotally secured to a lever 35 carrying at its end parts 36 and 36' engaged by the ends of the springs 37 and 37 engaging throughtheir other ends said bar 17.
  • the parts 36 and 36 are furthermore adapted to cooperate with the rails 38, 38 located respectively almost medially of the main tracks 24 and 24, but with a slight shifting towards the left for the right-hand track and towards the right for the left-hand track; the spring 37 is thus constrained to cooperate with the rail 38 as shown in MG. 4 when the vehi- 5 cle runs on the track 24 and conversely the spring 37 cooperates with the rail 38' in the case of a vehicle travelling over the track 24'.
  • the feeler parts 20 and 20' instead of forming part of the bar 17, are pivotally secured at 40 and 40' to the body of the vehicle and their lower ends form catches 41, 41' adapted to cooperate with notches 42 and 42 provided at the corresponding ends of the bar 17. Return springs 43 and 43' urge the catches 41 and 41 back into their bar engaging positions.
  • the pivotal movement of the bar 17 may be controlled for instance by two electromagnets such as 19. However since one of the catches should be raised against the pressure of the corresponding spring 43, 43, a further electromagnet 39 is fed in parallel with the electromagnet 19.
  • the part 36 on the left-hand end of the lever 35 engages the rail 38 which rises in the direction of progression of the vehicle so that, when the latter is just about to engage said branching junction, the rail 38 act ing on the spring 37' compresses the latter; if no other vehicle reaches the junction at the same moment over the track 24, the levers 35-36 move off the rail 38 at the end of the latter while the guiding member 15 remains engaged in the lefthand guiding rail so that the vehicle may continue progressing without any hindrance along its path on the left-hand track.
  • the modification illustrated in FIG. 5 allows a single catch 41 to be used with a single spring 37.
  • the control member corresponding to the bar 17 may be subjected to a vertical movement; for instance, it is lowered when the vehicle is to be shunted off one main track onto another and raised when it is to remain on the same main track, as provided by a projection engaging an auxiliary guiding rail opening downwardly and located on the right-hand side for the right-hand main track 24 (FIG. 5) and on the left-hand side for the other left-hand main track 24.
  • the feeler parts 20 and 20' are interconnected by a connecting rod 45 so that either of them can control the catch 41, and thus ensure the raising of the guiding parts under the pressure of the spring 37.
  • the guiding parts lying no longer at the same level, each of them is associated with a longitudinal bar 46, 46 adapted to engage cooperating feeler parts 20, 20 carried by a vehicle engaging the same junction.
  • PEG. 6 illustrates a section of the network forming a closed circuit and including in addition to the main track 24 an auxiliary track 24 connected with the main track through the branchingjunctions 47 of the type described hereinabove and which allow the vehicle to be shunted towards the different stations 43. ll thereby provide for the simultaneous running over the network section independently of one another of the vehicles which are sent over thejunctions by preliminary control signals, in a manner similar to the control systems in automatic lifts, towards predetermined stations on the auxiliary track.
  • each station 48 is located on the auxiliary track 24 between two branchingjunctions such as 47. Ahead of each branching junction, the main track is furthermore provided, as well known per se, with control stations 47' ensuring when required the shunting of a vehicle towards the next station as described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 7, through the junction following said control station.
  • Each vehicle is furthermore provided with an arrangement similar to that used for automatic lifts; when the vehicle reaches the control station 47' of which the reference number corresponds to the number recorded by a pusher knob on the vehicle leaving the preceding station, the arrangement is actuated upon passage in front of said control station as will be disclosed hereinafter by a signal which constrains the vehicle to be shunted towards the next desired station.
  • the vehicle When the vehicle has reached the auxiliary track section including last-mentioned station, it is automatically braked so as to stop in front of said station.
  • the automatic braking can be obtained, in the case of a three-phase feed of the main network, by means of a permanent D.O. feed of said section of the auxiliary track.
  • branching junctions 47 such as those described hereinabove prevent with a perfect reliability any collision between vehicles running on the main track 24 and the vehicles running on the auxiliary track 24 even if a control station 49 or the propelling means fail operating correctly.
  • the branching junctions allow the vehicle to follow any desired path over an even intricate network and thereby a suitable preliminary control may lead the vehicles from any point of the network to another.
  • a suitable preliminary control may lead the vehicles from any point of the network to another.
  • This result is obtained by a preliminary control system associated on each vehicle with a number of counters or totalizers of the type used on calculating machines and which cooperate with control stations distributed along the tracks and in particular at the entrance of branching junctions.
  • Said control stations ensure, when required and each time a vehicle passes in front of them, a progression by at least one step of the counter of which the totalizer, when it reaches a predetermined value, actuates the control system carried by the vehicle'so as to direct the latter selectively towards one of the tracks issuing from the branching junction, the vehicle being thus brought stepwise towards the desired destination, a last control signal stopping the vehicle at said destination.
  • control system may be more or less simple.
  • the simpler systems may besimilar to those controlling automatic lifts and furthermore, even in simple cases, it is possible to provide a system satisfying more accurately the problems of railroad traffic and I shall now describe a control system applicable to a single circuit network, as described with reference to FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 7 illustrate such a control system and showing in a highly diagrammatic'manner the apparatus which causes the transverse bar 17 to rock between two positions so as to bring the guiding parts from one guiding rail into the other, 50,51
  • .and 52. designate three cooperating counters ensuring a preliminary control of-the vehicle.
  • the counter 50 carries an indicating number corresponding to the reference number of the station whichis to bereachcd while the second counter 51 .isadjusted so. as to register at the start-with the reference ,number corresponding to the starting station.
  • the successive stationary control stations 49 facing different locations and positioned chiefly ahead of each junction leading to a control station such as 47' actuate said second counter 51 so that it shows when passing in registry with any control station the I may be obtained by the contacting of a brushSS with a livcrail section 56'suitablylocated alongside the desired track.
  • the I number .of successive indicating numbers carried by the second counter shouldbe equal to the number of stations and control stations alongside the loop forming the network while the number of passenger stations maybe less than the number of control stations;
  • the third counter 52 shows automatically and'permanently the difference between the numbers given out by the first counter and the second counter as provided by conventional means of the type incorporated with calculating machines, but, instead of this difference being obtained accurately as in the case of calculating machines, said difference should be advantageously reduced by for instance one-half unit and to this end, if the counter wheels are decimaland include 20 teeth, that is two teeth for each unit, the unit wheel of the third counter is shifted by one tooth rearwardly so thatthe difference given out by it may be reduced by one-half a unit or the second or medial counter may have its unit wheel lead by one tooth corresponding to onehalf unit.
  • the digits recorded on the unit wheel of the counter considered should be shifted back by one-half interval.
  • the corrected difference is gradually reduced to zero, after which the totalizer stops at a point between an indication of zero and, in the case of lO- digit wheels, 999.
  • the treble counter passes in registry with the control station preceding immediately the passenger station to be reached, the last passage from to a maximum such as 999 serves for actuating through the agency of a mechanism known per se a transfer system controlled by the tuates a cam 58 forming paitof a spring-urged switch 59 which acts both on the small electromagnet 39 raising the catch d2 (MG. 4) and on the main electromagnet l9 producing a rocking towards the right-hand side, for instance, of the transverse bar 317.
  • Said rocking brings the guiding part into engagement with the guiding rail leading towards the auxiliary track along which the passenger station to be reached is located, while arrangements which are not illustrated produce a braking of the vehicle to make it stop in front of said station.
  • Said braking may be clamped by a modification in the feed voltage, dependent on the number of vehicles which have already been stopped on the auxiliary track; this is obtained by a control system actuated for instance by a differential axle or vehicle counter which is controlled in its turn by a remote station through detecting means similar to those used along trafficroads.
  • Means controlled for instance by the opening of doors, return the first counter to zero.
  • the passengers boarding the vehicle at said moment set the first counter by means of a wellknown arrangement onto a number corresponding to the sta tion where they are to stop and the procedure begins over again.
  • the preliminary control system which has just been described allows a satisfactory and automatic working of a network such as that illustrated in FIG. 6 Le. a single loop network. In the case of a more complex network it is necessary of course to provide more complex preliminary control systems.
  • FIG. 8 is a diagram of a network covering an urban and suburban area which is comparatively large and includes passenger stations distributed with a sufficient density. A preliminary control system may then bring automatically a passenger from one passenger station to anotheron the same network without any intermediate stopping.
  • the different auxiliary networks are each provided with a number of passenger stations 61,, 61,, 62,, 62
  • the actual shape of the circuits depends obviously in each case to be considered on the shape,
  • said transfer system shunts then the vehisize and nature of the cities to be served so that a suitable number of circuitsand passengers stations may be provided.
  • the vehicles move simultaneously in a single direction over the different circuits, for instance clockwise over the auxiliary circuits and anticlockwise over the primary or main circuit, each station being provided of course with a siding starting from said station as illustrated in F IG. 6.
  • a preliminary control signal causes the vehicle to enter said circuit 60 up to the branching section 70 which leads it onto the circuit 63.
  • the preliminary control signal urges then the vehicle over said circuit 63 until it reaches the passenger station 63,;
  • a third preliminary control signal leads the vehicle towards said station where it stops.
  • the three preliminary control signals essential for the movement which leads the vehicle from 61,, to 63 may be produced by the means illustrated in FIG. 9. Instead of three cooperating counters as in the preceding .case, I may resort to two groups of three counters such as the right-hand group 71 corresponding to the preliminary signal controlling the movement on the primary circuit 60 while the left-hand group 72 corresponds to the preliminary signal controlling the operation on the auxiliary circuits 61, 62.
  • the indicating number for the branching junctions associated with the primary or main circuit is the same for all said junctions; in the present case it may be' selected as equal to zero.
  • the number of indications corresponding to the number of units contained in the counters of the left-hand group, including zero as a first indication, should be equal to or larger than the number of passenger stations on the auxiliary circuit provided with the highest number of such stations.
  • the control stations actuating the counters are provided so as to make the position of the vehicle on said circuit match the indication carried by its counter.
  • the primary or main circuit 60 is also provided with control stations which may be located otherwise than in the preceding case; a second brush 55 carried by each of the vehicles is then shifted by a corresponding amount and, upon passage of the vehicle in registry with it, the contact of the brush with said control station produces a pulse which causes the unitwheel to progress by one step in the medial counter of the right-hand group instead of the left-hand group.
  • each medial counter of the left-hand group 72 is as sociated with a distributor 73 controlled by the last wheel 74 of said counter when it reaches a position between and 9; this causes the stepwise progression to be shifted off the lefthand medial counter onto the right-hand medial counter.
  • the total number of control stations is equal to the capacity of the counters of the left-hand group 71.
  • the passengers entering the vehicle at the station 61 produce, for instance on a dial of the telephone type, the indication relating to the desired destination 63
  • the part 63 of said indication referring to the station on the auxiliary circuit is recorded on the upper lefthand counter 72 while the index 3 which is the reference number of the auxiliary circuit is recorded on the upper righthand counter 71,.
  • the medial counters 72 and 71 show the indication referring to the station 61
  • the vehicle starts then and the lower counters show the difference between the indications given by the upper and medial counters.
  • the right-hand counters corresponding to the movement over the circuit 60 remain unchanged as long as the vehicle remains on the circuit 61.
  • the medial counter of the left-hand group 72 shows rising indications until it reaches a zero value immediately after the digit 9 has appeared on all the wheels when the vehicle has reached the branching junction 70 which ensures a connection with the circuit 60.
  • the counter when it passes from 999 to 000 releases a signal which causes the vehicle to be shunted off the circuit 61 onto the circuit 60 over the branching junction 70 and to turn towards the left in the case illustrated. From this moment onwards, the vehicle moves over the circuit 60 and the left-hand counters 72 remain unvarying while the righthand group 71 is operative.
  • the indications on the latter correspond to the auxiliary circuit serving the destination station and to the indication corresponding to the junction 70,.
  • the third counter 71 shows therefore the difference, except for a fraction of a unit, between said two indications. Said difference decreases as the vehicle progresses until it reaches a zero value when the vehicle reaches the branching junction 70:, between the circuits 60 and 63. The vehicle passes then over the circuit 63 and turns to the right in the example illustrated and now the left-hand group of counters 72 starts operating. From this moment onwards, the counter '72 at the lower end of the left-hand group shows the difference between the indications corresponding to the station 63, and an indication near zero carried by the medial counter. Said passage through zero produces through a controlling mechanism the shunting of the vehicle towards the left-hand side, in the case illustrated over the auxiliary track 63 towards the station 63 which leads to a braking of the vehicle ahead of the latter.
  • the electromagnet controlling the left-hand turn G should be fed by the medial counter on the left-hand side 72 which rises during the transfer operation and which is inserted in parallel with a series of two switches $9, 7% which are then raised while the electromagnets (D) 19, 39 controlling the right-hand turn should be fed by the three same switches which are lowered when no transfer is being made, the switch 73 of the medial left-hand counter 72 being inserted in series with the two parallel switches 59 and 79 for the lower counters.
  • each vehicle passing off one of the secondary loop circuits onto another secondary loop circuit has to pass through two switching junctions connecting the secondary loops considered with the main loop.
  • vehicles running respectively over the main loop and over one of the secondary loops may reach at the same moment such a branching junction so that the vehicle following the first-mentioned vehicle on the main track is constrained to remain on the latter while the vehicle following the auxiliary track is constrained to remain on it whereas in fact the vehicle following the main track should according to thc preliminary control signal enter the secondary track while the vehicle following the secondary track should similarly enter the main track.
  • the left-hand vehicle following the main track instead of passing directly through the branching junction 82 onto the secondary track 81 continues running over the main track up to the branching junction 84 so as to engage the supplementary circuit 83 which returns it to the branching junction 85 where it returns onto the desired auxiliary track.
  • the vehicle running on the auxiliary track is constrained to follow it beyond the branching junction 82 and is shunted by the next branching junction 87 onto the supplementary circuit le ading it through the branching junction 88 onto the main track, suitable control means being provided for this purpose on each vehicle. It is apparent that this causes the vehicle to follow an only slightly longer path.
  • the vehicles meet at the branching junctions 85 and 88 other vehicles they may continue over the closed circuits 83', 83 and 86, 86, which latter are constituted by supplementary circuits and their extensions, so as to finally return onto the desired track. Since the density of traffic on the main and secondary tracks is generally not very high, this can occur only seldom when a same vehicle meets in succession two other vehicles.
  • single-rail transportation networks which may include a single runway on which a cab is suspended underneath a raceway through a support extending to one side of the rail or else to the case of a single rail provided with two symmetrical tracks for a fourwheeled vehicle including say cab-sustaining rods extending between the two tracks which are located substantially in a common plane.
  • each main track 24 or 24' forms with the two shunt tracks 27 and 28 crossing each other a curvilinear triangle having its center at 95 or 96.
  • the suspension rods require passageways or slots passing through the wheel-carrying plane which is that illustrated in FIG. 3, said slots forming in said plane two curvilinear trian gles as illustrated in FIG. 11. Since said triangles carry fractions of the tracks it is necessary to support them from above or from below at their center 95 or 96.
  • contact-pieces may be replaced by or associated with electric contact-pieces or beams of radiations such as infrared radiations impinging on photocells controlling electromagnets or electric motors actingfmally on the different parts in the manner disclosed in the present specification.
  • a conveying system comprising a track network including a plurality of track sections, branchingjunctions connecting at least one track section with at least one other track section and a plurality of small-sized light vehicles adapted to run over a succession of track sections along a predetermined path, a left-hand and a right-hand guiding rail extending along each track section, two guiding parts carried by each vehicle, a mechanism on each vehicle adapted to engage fully and selectively one of the guiding parts of the vehicle in the guiding rail accompanying one side of the track on which the vehicle is running, a feeler carried longitudinally by each lateral surface of each vehicle and adapted, upon engagement with a feeler carried by another vehicle entering a junction simultaneously with the vehicle carrying the feeler considered, to actuate said mechanism and ensure engagement of one guiding part of the vehicle with the cooperating rail lying on the off side with reference to said other vehicle.
  • each vehicle includes a controlling part, the system including furthermore stationary controlling pans distributed at predetermined points of different fractions of the network, an electric circuit feeding energy to the vehicles on each fraction and adapted to be deenergized by the cooperation between any vehicle controlling part and stationary controlling part to thereby brake and stop the vehicles on said network fraction.
  • each vehicle driven by an asynchronous motor, includes a controlling part, the system including furthermore stationary controlling parts distributed at predetermined points of different fractions of the network, a three-phase circuit feeding the motors on the vehicles running over the network and adapted upon cooperation between the controlling part on any vehicle and a stationary controlling part to feed a single-phase current into the motors to brake them and stop all the vehicles on the network fraction considered.
  • each of a number of branching junctions connects two inlet track sections, the ends of which leading to the junction are near each other, with two outlet track sections, the ends of which adjaccnt the junction are near each other, each inlet section being substantially aligned with the corresponding outlet section, at least one auxiliary track connecting one inlet section with the outlet section other than that aligned with said inlet section, the engagement between the cooperating feelers on the vehicles running simultaneously on the two inlet sections acting on the vehicle mechanisms to constrain the guiding parts on both vehicles to engage the off side guiding rails thereby to lead the vehicles each over aligned inlet and outlet track sections.
  • each of a number of branching junctions connects two inlet track sections, the ends of which leading to the junction are near each other, with the outlet track sections, the ends of which adjacent the junction are near each other, each inlet section being substantially aligned with the corresponding outlet section, at lemt one auxiliary track connecting one inlet section with the outlet section other than that aligned with said inlet section, engagement between the cooperating feelers on the vehicles running simultaneously on the two inlet sections acting on the vehicle mechanisms to constrain the guiding parts on both vehicles to engage the offside guiding rails thereby to lead the vehicles each over aligned inlet and outlet track sections, a counter system carried by each vehicle, means controlled by the latter and controlling the vehicle mechanism to constrain the vehicle to follow stepwise a prescribed path along the track sections of the network in accordance with a predetermined program, stationary means distributed throughout the network and controlling the counter systems of the vehicles passing in registry with them to count down said counter systems until the latter become operative in conformity with said predetermined program, the feel
  • each of a number of branchingjunctions connects two inlet track sections, the ends of which leading to the junction are near each other, with the outlet track sections, the ends of which adjaccnt the junction are near each other, each inlet section being substantially aligned with the corresponding outlet section, at least one auxiliary track connecting one inlet section with the outlet section other than that aligned with said inlet section, the engagement between the cooperating feelers on the vehicles running simultaneously on the two inlet sections acting on the vehicle mechanism to constrain the guiding parts on both vehicles to engage the off side guiding rails thereby to lead the vehicles each over aligned inlet and outlet track sections, an auxiliary track circuit connecting beyond each of a number of junctions the two outlet sections of said junction, auxiliary junctions between the outlet sections of each of said junctions and the corresponding auxiliary track circuit, stationary control stations distributed along the track sections of the network and means whereby each stationary control station is adapted to control the mechanisms of the vehicles passing in registry with said station to make said vehicle move over
  • a conveying system as claimed in claim It comprising furthermore electric motors driving the vehicles and means distributed along the track sections and adapted to control selectively on the vehicles passing in front of them the operation of the motors and mechanisms thereof to make the vehi clcs move along a prescribed path and stop at predetermined points.
  • each of a number of branching junctions connects two inlet track sections, the ends of which leading to the junction are near each other, with two outlet track sections, the ends of which adjacent the junction are near each other, each inlet section being substantially aligned with the corresponding outlet section, at least one auxiliary track connecting one inlet section with the outlet section other than that aligned with said inlet section, the engagement between the cooperating feelers on the vehicles running simultaneously on the two inlet sections 7 acting on the vehicle mechanism to constrain the guiding parts on both vehicles to engage the offside guiding rails thereby to lead the vehicles each over aligned inlet and outlet track sections, stationary control stations distributed along the track sections of the network and means whereby each stationary control station is adapted to control the mechanisms of the vehicles passing in registry with said station to make said vehicle move over the different junctions, and auxiliary tracks according to a predetermined program.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)
  • Railway Tracks (AREA)
  • Platform Screen Doors And Railroad Systems (AREA)
  • Traffic Control Systems (AREA)
  • Train Traffic Observation, Control, And Security (AREA)
US887255A 1968-12-30 1969-12-22 Conveying system Expired - Lifetime US3593665A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR181734 1968-12-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3593665A true US3593665A (en) 1971-07-20

Family

ID=8659363

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US887255A Expired - Lifetime US3593665A (en) 1968-12-30 1969-12-22 Conveying system

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3593665A (de)
JP (1) JPS5122248B1 (de)
DE (1) DE1965593C2 (de)
FR (1) FR1604186A (de)
GB (1) GB1293919A (de)

Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3680488A (en) * 1970-09-16 1972-08-01 Transportation Technology Transportation system having inertial switch system
US3712239A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-01-23 Ford Motor Co Steering mechanism
US3712238A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-01-23 Ford Motor Co Vehicle switching device
US3760738A (en) * 1970-07-06 1973-09-25 Ltv Aerospace Corp Transportation installation, particularly for passengers
US3783793A (en) * 1971-03-22 1974-01-08 Aitken I Edington Track system having non-load bearing track switch
US3788233A (en) * 1971-08-05 1974-01-29 Ford Motor Co Guided transportation system
US3793963A (en) * 1972-04-19 1974-02-26 Transportation Technology Transportation system and vehicle therefore
US3811383A (en) * 1972-11-14 1974-05-21 Rexnord Inc Car switching system
US3828685A (en) * 1971-09-29 1974-08-13 Hitachi Ltd Route control system for guided vehicles and the like
US3830163A (en) * 1972-11-29 1974-08-20 Monocab Inc Monorail vehicle switching arrangement
US3841225A (en) * 1970-02-02 1974-10-15 Docutel Corp Inertia switching
US3841224A (en) * 1971-10-09 1974-10-15 Krupp Gmbh Vehicle controlled switch system
US3844224A (en) * 1971-08-19 1974-10-29 Japan Soc Promotion Mach Ind Guiding system for a computer controlled vehicle
US3845719A (en) * 1971-05-21 1974-11-05 Secretary Environment Brit Guidance apparatus for track following vehicles
US3854412A (en) * 1972-08-25 1974-12-17 Siemens Ag Switch for use in a magnetic suspension railroad
US4041876A (en) * 1974-09-13 1977-08-16 Transports-Recherches-Etudes Et Groupement D'interet Economique (Tregie) Vehicle guiding system
US4068598A (en) * 1975-04-23 1978-01-17 Automatisme & Technique Element of vehicle running on railway tracks
US4083309A (en) * 1975-10-17 1978-04-11 Automatisme Et Technique Continuous transport systems
US4285278A (en) * 1980-07-21 1981-08-25 Bruce Mitchell Rapid transit system
US4290367A (en) * 1978-04-29 1981-09-22 Waggonfabrik Uerdingen A.G. Overhead conveyor
US4522128A (en) * 1983-01-10 1985-06-11 Regents Of The University Of Minnesota Switch mechanism
US4881468A (en) * 1986-02-19 1989-11-21 Veit Gmbh & Co. Suspension conveyor system
US5016542A (en) * 1989-12-18 1991-05-21 Bruce Mitchell Transit system
US5671680A (en) * 1996-06-03 1997-09-30 Delgreco; Anthony Armand Guidance device for a track-following vehicle and method of guiding a track-following vehicle
CN101435178A (zh) * 2009-01-07 2009-05-20 田耕 扭环线型的城市轨道交通线路

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH546164A (fr) * 1971-04-07 1974-02-28 Pomagalski Sa Installation de transport a vehicules independants.
FR2692540B1 (fr) * 1992-06-22 1994-09-09 Aerospatiale Réseau pour la circulation de véhicules automatiques.
JP3682547B2 (ja) * 2001-07-16 2005-08-10 村田機械株式会社 無人搬送車システム
DE102015001441B4 (de) * 2015-02-09 2020-02-27 Sew-Eurodrive Gmbh & Co Kg Schienentransportsystem, aufweisend eine Tragschienen aufweisende Schienenstrecke und darauf bewegbares Fahrzeug
CN110143206B (zh) * 2019-04-29 2024-01-12 江苏飞梭智行设备有限公司 一种用于轨道机车的联动装置及轨道机车

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2159651A (en) * 1938-06-27 1939-05-23 Thomas K Brockett Safety car bumper apparatus
US2517860A (en) * 1946-10-22 1950-08-08 Robert H Forgy Device for protecting the occupants and contents of vehicles
US3242876A (en) * 1964-01-02 1966-03-29 Lloyd E Berggren Pneumatic propulsion transportation system
US3263625A (en) * 1961-11-29 1966-08-02 Itt Electrical control systems for point-to-point transit systems
US3363584A (en) * 1964-07-23 1968-01-16 Alden Self Transit Syst Vehicle control mechanisms

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE473106C (de) * 1929-03-09 Alder & Lindner Vorrichtung zum Lenken von Fahrzeugen fuer Strassenbahnen u. dgl. ueber Weichen mit festen Zungen
DE18440C (de) * F. C. WULFERT in Berlin Weiche für Pferdeeisenbahnen
US1352969A (en) * 1920-05-29 1920-09-14 Kalix John Carrier
GB183611A (en) * 1921-05-06 1922-08-03 Matthew Harkness Loughridge Improvements in or relating to electrical operation of railway and like switch points from the vehicles
CH382836A (de) * 1960-04-22 1964-10-15 Fey Eduard Elektrische Programmwahleinrichtung zum Auslösen von Steuerfunktionen
GB1117681A (en) * 1964-07-22 1968-06-19 Teletrans Corp Automatically controlled passenger vehicle system

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2159651A (en) * 1938-06-27 1939-05-23 Thomas K Brockett Safety car bumper apparatus
US2517860A (en) * 1946-10-22 1950-08-08 Robert H Forgy Device for protecting the occupants and contents of vehicles
US3263625A (en) * 1961-11-29 1966-08-02 Itt Electrical control systems for point-to-point transit systems
US3242876A (en) * 1964-01-02 1966-03-29 Lloyd E Berggren Pneumatic propulsion transportation system
US3363584A (en) * 1964-07-23 1968-01-16 Alden Self Transit Syst Vehicle control mechanisms

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3841225A (en) * 1970-02-02 1974-10-15 Docutel Corp Inertia switching
US3760738A (en) * 1970-07-06 1973-09-25 Ltv Aerospace Corp Transportation installation, particularly for passengers
US3680488A (en) * 1970-09-16 1972-08-01 Transportation Technology Transportation system having inertial switch system
US3783793A (en) * 1971-03-22 1974-01-08 Aitken I Edington Track system having non-load bearing track switch
US3845719A (en) * 1971-05-21 1974-11-05 Secretary Environment Brit Guidance apparatus for track following vehicles
US3788233A (en) * 1971-08-05 1974-01-29 Ford Motor Co Guided transportation system
US3844224A (en) * 1971-08-19 1974-10-29 Japan Soc Promotion Mach Ind Guiding system for a computer controlled vehicle
US3828685A (en) * 1971-09-29 1974-08-13 Hitachi Ltd Route control system for guided vehicles and the like
US3712239A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-01-23 Ford Motor Co Steering mechanism
US3712238A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-01-23 Ford Motor Co Vehicle switching device
US3841224A (en) * 1971-10-09 1974-10-15 Krupp Gmbh Vehicle controlled switch system
US3793963A (en) * 1972-04-19 1974-02-26 Transportation Technology Transportation system and vehicle therefore
US3854412A (en) * 1972-08-25 1974-12-17 Siemens Ag Switch for use in a magnetic suspension railroad
US3811383A (en) * 1972-11-14 1974-05-21 Rexnord Inc Car switching system
US3830163A (en) * 1972-11-29 1974-08-20 Monocab Inc Monorail vehicle switching arrangement
US4041876A (en) * 1974-09-13 1977-08-16 Transports-Recherches-Etudes Et Groupement D'interet Economique (Tregie) Vehicle guiding system
US4068598A (en) * 1975-04-23 1978-01-17 Automatisme & Technique Element of vehicle running on railway tracks
US4083309A (en) * 1975-10-17 1978-04-11 Automatisme Et Technique Continuous transport systems
US4290367A (en) * 1978-04-29 1981-09-22 Waggonfabrik Uerdingen A.G. Overhead conveyor
US4285278A (en) * 1980-07-21 1981-08-25 Bruce Mitchell Rapid transit system
US4522128A (en) * 1983-01-10 1985-06-11 Regents Of The University Of Minnesota Switch mechanism
US4881468A (en) * 1986-02-19 1989-11-21 Veit Gmbh & Co. Suspension conveyor system
US5016542A (en) * 1989-12-18 1991-05-21 Bruce Mitchell Transit system
US5671680A (en) * 1996-06-03 1997-09-30 Delgreco; Anthony Armand Guidance device for a track-following vehicle and method of guiding a track-following vehicle
CN101435178A (zh) * 2009-01-07 2009-05-20 田耕 扭环线型的城市轨道交通线路
CN101435178B (zh) * 2009-01-07 2012-10-31 田耕 扭环线型的城市轨道交通线路

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1293919A (en) 1972-10-25
DE1965593C2 (de) 1982-04-08
DE1965593A1 (de) 1970-07-30
FR1604186A (de) 1971-07-26
JPS5122248B1 (de) 1976-07-08

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3593665A (en) Conveying system
US3811383A (en) Car switching system
US3037462A (en) Railway control system for coincident local and express service
US3736420A (en) Switch control arrangement for railroad classification yards
US3901160A (en) Short headway switching system
US2719218A (en) Apparatus for the control of highway crossing signals
US3154024A (en) Toy trackway system
RU2019136290A (ru) Способ организации движения транспорта
US2657642A (en) Passenger transit system
US3219816A (en) Electric rail switch and control system
US1835234A (en) Wheel counting apparatus
US2964617A (en) Railway car counting system
US3175082A (en) Railway car retarder speed control apparatus
US2076955A (en) Combined car retarder and switch control system for car retarder yards
US3234378A (en) Railroad car retarder system
US2096404A (en) Signaling system
US1875839A (en) Railway traffic controlling apparatus
US3892377A (en) Train detection and control system
US2117128A (en) Railway traffic controlling apparatus
US1659608A (en) Means for goordinating surface transportation on city streets
US2880308A (en) Railway switch control apparatus
US1864361A (en) Railway car retarder
US1580214A (en) Means for facilitating surface transportation
US3054889A (en) Railway signaling apparatus
US2151709A (en) Automatic railway switching system