US3896737A - Switch for a suspension railroad - Google Patents

Switch for a suspension railroad Download PDF

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Publication number
US3896737A
US3896737A US465751A US46575174A US3896737A US 3896737 A US3896737 A US 3896737A US 465751 A US465751 A US 465751A US 46575174 A US46575174 A US 46575174A US 3896737 A US3896737 A US 3896737A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
roadway
vehicle
switch
switch according
flux system
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
US465751A
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English (en)
Inventor
Jurgen Miericke
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Siemens AG
Siemens Corp
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Siemens Corp
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from DE19732322150 external-priority patent/DE2322150C3/de
Application filed by Siemens Corp filed Critical Siemens Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3896737A publication Critical patent/US3896737A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B61B13/00—Other railway systems
    • B61B13/08—Sliding or levitation systems
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S505/00—Superconductor technology: apparatus, material, process
    • Y10S505/825—Apparatus per se, device per se, or process of making or operating same
    • Y10S505/902—Railway, e.g. rapid transit
    • Y10S505/903—Suspension, e.g. magnetic, electrodynamic
    • Y10S505/906—Switching device, i.e. electrical not railway stock diverting

Definitions

  • the simplest system of this nature is called a normal flux system and comprises a horizontally disposed conducting plate running along the roadbed over which the magnet coil moves with the magnet coil also disposed in a horizontal plane. As the magnet coil appraoches the plate, the repulsion forces become larger causing the separation between the plate and magnet coil to increase and thus hold the magnet coil suspended. In addition to the lifting forces, which oppose the force of gravity of the vehicle, braking forces are also induced due to the ohmic resistance of the conducting plate, which forces have a direction opposite to the travel direction of the vehicle.
  • This system is called a zero flux system and includes superconducting magnet coils mounted on the vehicle and arranged in pairs arranged one above the other vertically. The two coils are excited in mutually opposite directions and are guided above and below an electrically conducting plate which is coupled to the roadbed and disposed generally horizontally. With such an arrangement, particularly if the plate is thin relative to the depth of penetration of the magnetic field into the plate material, low losses result.
  • this system comprises two U-shaped guidance channels of non-magnetic electrically conducting material which are attached to and run along the roadbed each comprising an upper and lower part disposed in planes essentially parallel to the roadbed, i.e., horizontal and a lateral part disposed approximately perpendicular thereto. Pairs of superconducting magnets are mounted on the vehicle, with at least two pairs on each side thereof, and are arranged so that one magnet of each pair is situated between the upper and lower parts of the U-shaped channels and that the second of the pair is vertically above the upper part of the channel.
  • the lower coil in conjunction with the lower part forms a normal flux.
  • the lower part of the guidance channel is provided along with a movable lateral part.
  • a normal flux system is provided to supply the necessary lateral forces.
  • the displaceable lateral parts provide good horizontal guidance through the region of the switch. If a linear motor propulsion motor is used for propelling the vehicle, the armature rails of the linear motor are positioned along the roadway or shifted horizontally with respect to the roadway within the switch or alternatively propulsion in the switch area can be dispensed with and the switch traversed by inertia.
  • the parts which are shifted horizontally need not consist of one piece but can be assembled in a sectional manner which section when setting the switch can then be shifted laterally to different degrees.
  • the movable parts are moved down for straight ahead travel and other side parts moved up for branching off from onto the switch track.
  • the present invention solves this problem by installing in the vehicle mechanically movable means which are capable of reacting with additional fixed means mounted on the roadbed in the area of the switch to thereby provide an additional guidance arrangement operative only within the switched area.
  • the means mounted in a mchanically movable manner on the vehicle comprise an additonal set of superconducting coils and the means mounted on the roadbed additional conducting plates (reaction rails) to cooperate therewith to form a normal flux system.
  • the reation rails within the switch which form part of this separate suspension system are inclined so that they can guide the vehicle upward to a branch track which is vertically above the main track in a separate horizontal plane.
  • This switch permits contactless change fron one roadway to the other while utilizing the electrodynamic principle and is capable of supporting vehicles operating at high speeds. Furthermore, the switch has no moving parts. The parts in the vehicle which must be moved in the switched area are relatively small. As a result, the switch can have a large radius of curvature at the point where it branches off and thus can be traversed at high speeds. As a result, continuous transfer to the branch track is assured without endangering safe guidance of the vehicle.
  • the auxiliary guidance system comprises magnets installed on the roadbed which cooperate with retractable reaction rails on the vehicle. This arrangement offers further advantages with regard to propulsion of the vehicle within the switch region.
  • FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view through a portion of a switch according to the present invention also illustrating the lower portion of a vehicle with respect to the switch.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the roadbed of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through an alternate embodiment of a switch according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view looking in the direction of travel of a switch according to the present invention.
  • the main track right-of-way rests on a roadbed 2 with the branch track located vertically above and resting on a roadbed structure 2a supported in suitable fashion.
  • the point at which the cross section of FIG. 1 is taken is at a point illustrated on FIG. 2. That is, it is at the point of entrance into the switch.
  • Shown associated with the lower main track section is a vehicle 1 which is assumed to be in a suspended state with respect to the roadbed.
  • a vehicle la is shown on the branch track located vertically above the main portion of the track.
  • reaction rail arrangements designated 3 and 4 are provided at the entrance to the switch.
  • the reaction rail arrangement 3 is made up of a horizonal rail 5, a vertical rail 6, another horizontal rail 7 and another vertical rail 8.
  • the arrangement 4 is made up of horizontal rails 9 and 11 and the vertical rails 10 and 12.
  • the reaction rails 5 and 6 and 9 and 10 remain in the plane of the roadbed 2 continuing on as the main portion of track.
  • the rails 11 and 12 and 7 and 8 however, are sloped upwardly to the branch track located above the roadbed 2, i.e., to the branch track on the roadbed 2a.
  • the reaction rails 9 and 10 and 5 and 6 are used for straight ahead travel on the main track and the reaction rails 7 and 8 and 11 and 12 for travel onto the branch track supported thereabove on the roadbed 2a.
  • Suspension of the vehicle when on the main portion of track is obtained through the intereaction of superconducting coils 13 and 14 located on opposite sides of the vehicle, with their respective reaction rails 9 and 10 and 5 and 6 to form a normal flux system.
  • the coils 15 and 16 are mounted on the body so as to be movable in a horizontal direction to the position shown by dotted lines. If it is desired to travel straight through the track, these coils remain in their inward position shown in solid lines and support of the vehicle results from the normal flux system obtained from the interaction between the coils 13 and 14 and their associated reaction rails 5 and 6 and 9 and 10. However, if it is desired to switch to the upper branch track supported on the roadbed 2a, the coils l5 and 16 are extended to the position shown in dotted lines.
  • the coils l5 and 16 which, like the coils 13 and 14, are also preferably superconducting magnet coils will form with the respective reaction rail 7 and 8 and 11 and 12 a separate normal flux system. Since the rails 7 and 8 and 11 and 12 are sloped upwardly, to the vertical branch track above the main track, the vehicle will be guided in that manner until it reaches the required level.
  • the slope or radius of curvature of these rails is selected in accordance with the necessary requirements as to speed and so on. It will be recognized that in order to maintain high speed operation, the slope must be very gradual and thus will extend over a considerable distance.
  • Propulsion of the vehicle may be obtained through the use of a linear motor designated generally as 20, having active windings 21 and 22 mounted within the vehicle.
  • these windings 21 and 22 are shown dashed since they are partially hidden by the magnet coils 26 and 27.
  • the windings 21 and 22 are separated by a predetermined air gap 23.
  • Protruding into the air gap 23 is a reaction rail 24 extending vertically from the roadbed 2.
  • the reaction rail 24 is approximately centrally located between the reaction rail arrangements 3 and 4. This rail which can be made of aluminum for example, provides the armature of the linear motor 20. As illustrated, between each winding 21 and 22 a gap of dimension 25 will exist.
  • the coils 26 and 27 serve to maintain lateral guidance of the vehicle. Again, these will preferably be superconducting magnet coils and as shown are mounted on each side of the rail 24.
  • the rail 24 thus acts as an armature for the linear motor and at the same time can act as the reaction rail cooperating with the coils 26 and 27 to maintain lateral guidance.
  • the lateral guidance system can be controlled so as to properly maintain the gaps 25 between the excitation windings 22 and 21 of the linear motor 20 and the reaction rail 24.
  • additional lateral guidance is obtained from the interaction of the superconducting coils 13 and 14 with the vertical reaction rails 6 and 10.
  • the superconducting coils l5 and 16 interact with the vertical rails 8 and 12 to aid in lateral guidance.
  • FIG. 3 A further embodiment of the present invention is shown on FIG. 3.
  • a vehicle 30 is suspended above a roadbed 2. Only the lower roadway is shown with the portions of the system extending to the upper road broken off. These would, of course, be extended to an upper roadway in the manner shown on FIG. 1.
  • the vehicle again is provided with sets of coils 37 and 38 and 39 and 40 on each side which during normal operation can be used with an appropriate rail to form a zero flux system.
  • the coils 37 and 39 cooperate with reaction rails arrangements 31 and 32 in the manner described above in connection with FIG. 2. That is, the coil 37 cooperates with the horizontal reaction rail 33 and the vertical reaction rail 35 and the coil 39 with the horizontal reaction rail 34 and the vertical reaction rail 36.
  • the coils 37 through 40 will preferably be superconducting magnet coils.
  • horizontally extendable and retractable reaction rails 43 and 44 are provided in the vehicle. Normally, they will be in the retracted position shown with the rail in dotted lines.
  • reaction rails 43 and 44 are retained in the retracted position and guidance of the vehicle through the switch is in the manner described above in connection with FIG. 1 with propulsion provided by the linear propulsion motor 20. If it is desired to branch to the upper roadway, the reaction rails 43 and 44 are extended and the magnet coils 41 and 42 energized. As noted above, the electromagnets 41 and 42 are installed along the desired slope or radius of curvature much in the manner described aboved in connection with the reaction rails of FIGS. 1 and 2. These magnets may be properly operated to provide, as noted above, suspension, guidance and propulsion within the switched area, thus causing the vehicle to be transported from the lower roadbed shown to an upper roadbed such as that illustrated on FIG. 1.
  • the vehicles 1 and 30 will typically be provided with conventional retractable wheels. These may be typical railroad wheels which can cooperate with conventional rails installed on the track or may be designed to roll directly on the roadbed 2.
  • the vehicle be suspended and guided by a zero flux system which exhibits smaller losses than the normal flux system used within the switch. Because of this, a transition at the point where the switch is entered is necessary. That is, the vehicle must be gradually switched over from being guided by a zero flux system to being guided by a normal flux system as described above in connection with FIG. 1. Since the losses for a normal flux system can be up to ten times as large as the losses for a zero flux system, a large amount of adjustment is necessary and the transition cannot be allowed to occur suddenly.
  • reaction members on the roadbed have been disclosed as continuous conducting rails which, in accordance with the electrodynamic propulsion system being used, are non-magnetic, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that these continuous rails can be placed by individual conductor loops used as reaction elements. When employing conductor loops, these loops are generally arranged in tandem at predetermined distances and are shortcircuited. In addition, it will be recognized that combinations of short-circuited conducting loops and continuous rails may also be used.
  • an improved switch for switching a vehicle from the main roadway lying in a first horizontal plane to a branch roadway lying in a horizontal plane vertically displaced from the first plane comprising:
  • a. a first electrodynamic suspension system including first means mounted in the vehicle and second means mounted on the main roadway cooperating with said first means;
  • a second electrodynamic suspension system comprising third means located on the roadway outwardly of said first means, and third means extending from said main roadway to the branch roadway in a different horizontal plane and fourth means in the vehicle for cooperating therewith, said fourth means being mechanically movable between a retractd position where they are clear of said third means on the roadway and an extended position where they are above said third means on the roadway to cooperate therewith.
  • a switch according to claim 2 wherein said third means on the roadbed comprise reaction rails which cooperate with said magnet coils to form a normal flux system.
  • a switch according to claim 3 wherein said vehicle is suspended outside said switch area by zero flux system and further including a transition arrangement between said zero flux system and the normal flux system in said switch area.
  • reaction members of the zero. flux system have a decreasing cross section in the direction of entry into the switch and an increasing cross section in the direction away from the switch.
  • a switch according to claim 1 wherein said third means located on the roadway comprise magnet systems located on each side of said roadway and said fourth means in said vehicle comprise at least two reaction rails, one mounted on each side of said vehicle.
  • reaction rails are made of non-magnetic electrically conducting material.
  • a switch according to claim 10 wherein said vehicle is suspended outside said switch area by zero flux system and further including a transition arrangement between said zero flux system and the normal flux system in said switch area.
  • reaction members of the zero flux system have a decreasing cross section in the direction of entry into the switch and an increasing cross section in the direction away from the switch.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Control Of Vehicles With Linear Motors And Vehicles That Are Magnetically Levitated (AREA)
  • Railway Tracks (AREA)
US465751A 1973-05-02 1974-05-01 Switch for a suspension railroad Expired - Lifetime US3896737A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19732322150 DE2322150C3 (de) 1973-05-02 Weiche mit einer Fahrbahnverzweigung in einer vertikalen Ebene für eine Magnetschwebebahn

Publications (1)

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US3896737A true US3896737A (en) 1975-07-29

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US465751A Expired - Lifetime US3896737A (en) 1973-05-02 1974-05-01 Switch for a suspension railroad

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US (1) US3896737A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5014005A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2227982B3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4913059A (en) * 1988-02-25 1990-04-03 Railway Technical Research Institute Levitation, propulsion and guidance mechanism for inductive repulsion-type magnetically levitated railway
US5845581A (en) * 1996-05-07 1998-12-08 Svensson; Einar Monorail system
US6182576B1 (en) 1996-05-07 2001-02-06 Einar Svensson Monorail system
US6363857B1 (en) 2000-06-07 2002-04-02 John Kauffman Transportation system
US6450103B2 (en) 1996-05-07 2002-09-17 Einar Svensson Monorail system
US20210316616A1 (en) * 2018-08-20 2021-10-14 Hyper Poland Electro S.A. Magnetic levitation railway system

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5251620A (en) * 1975-10-23 1977-04-25 Tech Res & Dev Inst Of Japan Def Agency Device for suspending vehicle
JPS5326021A (en) * 1976-08-19 1978-03-10 Honda Motor Co Ltd Adjustable suspension for vehicle
JPS5830815A (ja) * 1981-08-13 1983-02-23 Tokico Ltd 車両用懸架機構
JPS5938107A (ja) * 1982-08-30 1984-03-01 Komatsu Ltd 車輌用サスペンシヨンのレベリング装置
JPS5935105U (ja) * 1982-08-30 1984-03-05 三菱自動車工業株式会社 車両のサスペンシヨン装置
JPS5935204U (ja) * 1982-08-31 1984-03-05 マツダ株式会社 車両の姿勢制御装置
JPS59120508A (ja) * 1982-12-27 1984-07-12 Nippon Denso Co Ltd シヨツクアブソ−バ制御装置
JPS59190016A (ja) * 1983-04-12 1984-10-27 Seishi Katou 自動車の重心移動装置
JPS59160614A (ja) * 1984-02-27 1984-09-11 Nissan Motor Co Ltd 車両用サスペンシヨン
JPS61218412A (ja) * 1985-03-23 1986-09-27 Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd 車体姿勢制御装置
JPS61218413A (ja) * 1985-03-23 1986-09-27 Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd 車体姿勢制御装置
JPS61263814A (ja) * 1985-05-16 1986-11-21 Mitsubishi Motors Corp 電子制御サスペンシヨン装置
JPS62184912A (ja) * 1986-02-12 1987-08-13 Kayaba Ind Co Ltd 車両の後輪制御装置

Citations (5)

* 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
US3712238A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-01-23 Ford Motor Co Vehicle switching device
US3738281A (en) * 1971-05-06 1973-06-12 Rohr Industries Inc Emergency support and decelerating mechanism for magnetically supported vehicle
US3763788A (en) * 1971-08-17 1973-10-09 Rohr Corp Magnetic switching of vehicles
US3777667A (en) * 1968-08-21 1973-12-11 F Perrott Transportation means

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3777667A (en) * 1968-08-21 1973-12-11 F Perrott Transportation means
US3680488A (en) * 1970-09-16 1972-08-01 Transportation Technology Transportation system having inertial switch system
US3738281A (en) * 1971-05-06 1973-06-12 Rohr Industries Inc Emergency support and decelerating mechanism for magnetically supported vehicle
US3763788A (en) * 1971-08-17 1973-10-09 Rohr Corp Magnetic switching of vehicles
US3712238A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-01-23 Ford Motor Co Vehicle switching device

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4913059A (en) * 1988-02-25 1990-04-03 Railway Technical Research Institute Levitation, propulsion and guidance mechanism for inductive repulsion-type magnetically levitated railway
US5845581A (en) * 1996-05-07 1998-12-08 Svensson; Einar Monorail system
US6182576B1 (en) 1996-05-07 2001-02-06 Einar Svensson Monorail system
US6450103B2 (en) 1996-05-07 2002-09-17 Einar Svensson Monorail system
US6363857B1 (en) 2000-06-07 2002-04-02 John Kauffman Transportation system
US20210316616A1 (en) * 2018-08-20 2021-10-14 Hyper Poland Electro S.A. Magnetic levitation railway system
US12351036B2 (en) * 2018-08-20 2025-07-08 Hyper Poland Electro S.A. Magnetic levitation railway system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5014005A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-02-14
FR2227982A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-11-29
DE2322150B2 (de) 1977-05-26
DE2322150A1 (de) 1974-11-14
FR2227982B3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1977-03-04

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