GB1417605A - City and or district transport system - Google Patents

Abstract

1417605 Transport systems R BALDELLI 22 Feb 1973 [23 Feb 1972] 8817/73 Heading B7L A transport system, particularly for city and district transport of passengers, comprises a continuous main travel track C, Fig. 8, running between two terminal stations; halt track sections F associated with intermediate stations and connected to the main track C by shunting track sections having rails 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP>; and selfpropelled cars, Fig. 2, movable along the various sections of track, each car having first rolling means comprising support wheels 9, 10 and guide wheels 11, 12 to run along the main track C and halt sections F, and second rolling means comprising wheels 15, 16 to run along the shunting rails 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP>, the wheels 15 and 16 being retracted to the position shown dotted on Fig. 2 when the car is on the main track. As shown on Fig. 1, the main track C and halt sections F comprise L-shaped main rails 1, 2 of which the horizontal limbs A receive the wheels 9, 10 and the vertical limbs B receive the wheels 11, 12, and upper secondary rails 3, 4 which continue as rails 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP> in the shunting sections. The wheels 15, 16 run on the top horizontal surfaces of the rails 3, 4, 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP> when extended (preferably by hydraulic control means) and the cars also have upper guide wheels 13, 14 which can run on vertical limbs of the rails 3, 4, 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP>. The rails 3, 4, 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP> are above the centre of gravity of each car to enhance stability. In order to direct a car into an intermediate station, its wheels 15, 16 are extended prior to a junction with a shunting section, so that the car follows the rails 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP> which are upwardly inclined relative to the path of the track C and thus lift the first rolling means clear of this track. If the shunting rails are sloping upwardly of horizontal, the wheels 15, 16 must have their own drive means (separate from the motor M for wheels 9, 10), but if the rails 3<SP>1</SP>, 4<SP>1</SP> follow a slightly descending (or flat) path, as in Fig. 8, the car proceeds due to its own momentum. In each halt section F, various service tracks may be provided which are interconnected by movable switching devices, Figs. 9 and 10 (not shown). The tracks of the system may be mounted on columns 6 as in Fig. 1, or may be ground based.