EP0015581A2 - Transportation device comprising a plurality of successive load carrying components - Google Patents
Transportation device comprising a plurality of successive load carrying components Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0015581A2 EP0015581A2 EP80101222A EP80101222A EP0015581A2 EP 0015581 A2 EP0015581 A2 EP 0015581A2 EP 80101222 A EP80101222 A EP 80101222A EP 80101222 A EP80101222 A EP 80101222A EP 0015581 A2 EP0015581 A2 EP 0015581A2
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- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- components
- distance
- transportation device
- recited
- cars
- 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.)
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66B—ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
- B66B21/00—Kinds or types of escalators or moving walkways
- B66B21/10—Moving walkways
- B66B21/12—Moving walkways of variable speed type
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B61B13/00—Other railway systems
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61B—RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B61B9/00—Tramway or funicular systems with rigid track and cable traction
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61K—AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RAILWAYS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B61K1/00—Transferring passengers, articles, or freight to and from moving trains; Slipping or coupling vehicles from or to moving trains
Definitions
- the present invention relates to conveying devices of which the components are linked together such that the distance between them varies as well as their speed.
- the stretchable bandconveyoris a bandconveyor made of a successiveion of components sliding into or above each other and linked to .each other by devices varying the distance between them such that the visible length and the speed of the components vary along their course.
- the stretchable train of cars is an endless succession of cars linked to each other by devices varying the distance between them.
- the stretchable and endless train of cars is used in combination with bandconveyors at loading/unloading stations where the speed of the cars and the distance between them is at a minimum and is synchronized over some distance with the speed of the bandconveyors in order to enable people to go from the bandconveyors to the cars and vice versa.
- variable speed bandconveyors are known in the prior art.
- One such device uses components which are longer than they are wide. These components slide along each other, while the relative direction of motion progressively changes from a direction perpendicular to the long side. of the components to a direction parallel to it, and therefore, the speed of the components varies proportionally to the ratio of their length and width.
- Another example of a rotating-type conveying apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Patent 3,485,182.
- components are deiven by a single threaded rod with variable pitch.
- Bandconveyors are also known which operate at constant speeds and go into or out of cars moving at the same speed. Usually, those cars are attached to a cable moving at constant speed, and the distance between them is fixed. These prior art devices do not utilize controllable means for coupling the components and/or cars to achieve variable speed and variable distance operation while maintaining the components aligned, i.e. unrotated, with respect to the closed-loop path followed by the components.
- a transportation system in which a continuous succession of components and/or cars travel in a closed circuit and are linked to each other by devices which control and vary the distance between them.
- the cars are permanently moving, but before each loading/unloading station the distance between the cars is progressively reduced to a minimum by the devices linking them together. After each station, the distance between the cars is progressively increased by the same linking devices up to a maximum distance.
- the action of increasing or reducing the distance between the cars will automatically increase or reduce the speed of the cars proportionally to the distance between the cars (including the car length). Therefore the speed of the cars is at a minimum at the station.
- the loading/unloading platform at the station consists of a bandconveyor moving at a speed which is synchronized with the minimum speed of the cars.
- the linking devices may include arrangements of cables and winches, nuts and threaded rods, articulated rods or electronic distance measurement and servomechanisms as set forth hereinafter.
- the endless train of cars can be started and kept in motion by motors at each station. These motors may also drive the bandconveyors and keep their speed synchronized with the speed of the cars at the stations.
- the power can be transmitted to the cars, e.g., by toothed wheels which engage racks which are fixed to each car. Small motors can be added to each car or some cars to compensate for drag due to the friction and reduce stresses on the linking devices.
- a stretchable bandconveyor may be made of components having linking means permitting the speed of the components to be progressively increased and decreased as described in relation to the train of cars.
- the succession of components are made to slide above or into each other to maintain a solid surface suitable for transport of passengers.
- Such a stretchable bandconveyor can be used separately or in combination with the train of cars.
- Figure lA shows a lateral view of a succession of cars 1 moving from the right to the left.
- Linking devices 2 e.g. cables winded around winches, interconnected the cars to one another.
- the cables are first completely unwound and the distance between the cars and the speed of the cars is a maximum. Between points A and B, the cables are progressively wound and the distance between the cars and therefore their speed is reduced.
- Figure 1B shows the variation of the speed of the cars as a function of their location.
- Figure 2 shows a horizontal view of two trains of cars 1 going in opposite directions between two bandconveyors 4 which enable people to go into or come out of the cars at a station 6.
- the cars are linked to each other by linking devices 2 such as cables winded around winches (not shown).
- the cars have sliding doors 8 which are automatically opened and closed at the beginning and the end of the bandconveyors.
- the bandconveyors are endless belts equipped with hand rails 5 and devices 3 which prevent jamming between the station platform and bandconveyor.
- Safety rails 7 prevent people from putting their hands between cars entering into the station when the distance between them is being reduced to a minimum.
- the two rows of cars are separated by a wall 9 to prevent the mixing of the two opposite air flows in order to reduce air drag.
- Figure 3 shows a section of the station wherein bandconveyors 4 are positioned on both sides of cars 1.
- the cars have sliding doors 8, windows 10 and wheels 12 rolling on rails 14.
- Each car 1 has secured thereto a rack 16 driven by a toothed wheel 18 on the same shaft 20 as other wheels 22 which are used in driving bandconveyor 4.
- Shaft 20 is driven by a motor 24 which controls and synchronizes the speed of the cars 1 and bandconveyor 4 within the station 6.
- Dotted lines 26 illustrate the section of a tunnel between stations, while dotted line 28 shows the section of the roof of the station.
- Figure 4 is an elevational view of two cars 1 inside a tunnel which is divided in two parts by a wall 30.
- the right car is seen from the rear side showing a motor 34 driving wheels 36 located under a bench 38.
- Motor 34 is used mainly to compensate for drag due to friction on the cars, since the energy of deceleration is automatically transmitted with very little loss by the winches and cables to accelerate the cars at the preceding station.
- a toothed rack 40 similar to rack 16 in Figure 3, is used to synchronize the speed of car 1 with the speed of the bandconveyor at the station.
- Reinforcements 42 and rails 44 support and guide the cars.
- a platform 46 can be used as a walkway for maintenance or for emergency use.
- the left car is seen from its front end showing a winch 50 with a part of a cable 52 linking the car to the next one.
- Two sets of toothed wheels 54 and 56 linked by a chain 58 are shown.
- Set 54 is on the same shaft as the winch 50, and set 56 is on the same shaft as two other toothed wheels 60 which are driven by a fixed rack 62 placed between the rails before a station.
- a third shaft supports a toothed wheel 64 driving the second shaft and two other toothed wheels 66 driven by fixed racks (not shown) and placed between the rails after each station.
- the appropriate combination of the toothed wheels enables the winch to wind and unwind cable 52 at different speeds. If the fixed racks have in addition a variable path, it is possible to wind and unwind the winch at any desired speed, while using or reproducing a part of the kinetic energy of the car, regardless of the speed of the car. This can provide a relatively constant deceleration or acceleration.
- the winch can be winded and unwinded by a motor placed on each car and started and stopped, for instance, by a reed switch carried by the car and activated by a magnet positioned by the desired trade position.
- Space 70 is provided which can be used to house devices for automatically opening and shutting the sliding doors 8.
- Figures 5A and 5B are other partial view of the same car of Figure 4.
- Figure 5A is a view of the bottom
- Figure 5B is a partial view of a section of the car taken along line BB' of Figures 4 and 5A.
- Figure 5 shows a grooved pulley 72 to guide the cable 52 on the winch 50 and two small toothed wheels 74 guiding the chain 58 on the different toothed wheels 54 and 56.
- Small wheels 74 are set in rods 76 of which one end 78 is articulated with the car, and the other end 80 is free to move and is guided by rails not shown on the figure in order to automatically set the appropriate transmission ratio between the fixed rack 62 and the winch 50.
- the free ends 80 of the rods 76 are linked to the car with a spring 82 which keeps the chains under tension.
- the chain, rods and toothed wheels are, in fact, the various parts of a simple automatic gear-box for -automatically coupling the fixed rack 62 with the mobile winch 50.
- Many other existing devices can be used for the same purpose.
- the fixed end 84 of the cable 52 is linked to the next car by springs 86 in order to keep it constantly under tension. These springs also smooth the shock at the beginning and the end of the deceleration or acceleration and during gear changes.
- the purpose of the different size wheels in the automatic gear box is to wind the winch at a relatively constant speed in order to have a relatively constant acceleration and deceleration.
- the shaft of wheel 60 may be free to move in the direction parallel to the movement of the car and be maintained in a forward biased position by means of springs 90 as shown in Figure 5C.
- a short rack 62a may be provided in front of rack 62 and biased therefrom by means of a spring 92. Both springs 90 and 92 then help to dissipate the impact shock of wheel 60 with rack 62 or 62a.
- Yet another alternative is to replace the toothed wheel 60 by a rubber wheel and the rack 62 by a concrete beam to permit a frictional drive means.
- Figure 6A is a partial view of the bottom of a bandconveyor made of a succession of alternating components 100 and 102.
- Figure 6B is a cross-sectional view of the bandconveyor taken along line AA' of Figure 6A.
- Each component 102 slides into the component 100 on its left and is linked to the component 100 on its right by an articulation 103 in order to enable the bandconveyor to be bent.
- Each element 102 is also linked to its left element 100 by a threaded rod 104 of which one end is attached to the component 102, and the other end slides inside a nut 105 linked to the component 100.
- the nut 105 is screwed onto or off of the threaded rod 104 by means of gear wheels 106 and 107 driven by a fixed rack 108.
- the turning of the nut 105 on the threaded rod 104 decreases or increases the distance between the consecutive components 100 and 102 and makes the corresponding components 102 slide into or out of the component 100.
- the bandconveyor is made of an endless succession of such components 100 and 102 and the speed of these components varies along their course proportionally to the distance beween them.
- Fixed racks 108 are positioned in appropriate places along the path of the bandconveyor to achieve the desired speed of the components and corresponding distance therebetween.
- Figure 7 is a sectional view of Figure 6B along line BB' thereof.
- a hand rail 109 is made of telescoping elements which are fixed on the corresponding components 100 and 102'.
- Car 1 such as described in Figure 3 is also illustrated along with a device for synchronizing the speed of the car with the speed of the bandconveyor.
- This synchronizing device comprises racks 111 placed under and fixed to the cars and bandconveyor components and gear wheels 112 and 113 located in the stations.
- Racks 111 are similar to racks 16 of Figure 3 and 40 of Figure 4.
- Figures 8A and 8B are similar to Figures 6A and 6B except that the threaded rods 104, the nuts 105, the gear wheels 106 and 107 and the fixed rack 108 are replaced by articulated rods 204 with wheels 205 as shown, with wheels 205 guided by fixed rails 206, having a variable gap.
- the gap determines the distance beween the consecutive components 100 and 102.
- the bandconveyor can be made of more than two alternating components, one sliding into the other, if it is desired to increase the distance between the consecutive components and therefore their speed by a factor larger than two.
- the bandconveyor can be made of components sliding above each other.
- the cars 1 may also be provided with a device for automatically opening the car doors when the cars arrive at the station.
- a device for automatically opening the car doors when the cars arrive at the station.
- a device is illustrated in Figures 9A and 9B.
- doors 310 are shown in their closed position, whereas in Figure 9B, the doors 310 are open.
- Cars 311 and 312 are illustrated together with levers 301, 302, 303 and 304 and springs 307, 308 and 309.
- lever 301 is pushed in thereby moving lever 302 around an axis 305.
- lever 303 causes lever 303 to move lever 304 around its axis 306.
- levers 302 and 304 are linked to springs 308 and 309 to stretch springs 308 for opening the doors ( Figure 9B) , and to stretch springs 309 to close the doors ( Figure 9A) .
- Spring 307 biases lever 301 in the extended position ( Figure 9A) when the cars are apart.
- Lever 313 may be utilized to lock the doors, and thereby prevent their opening, until the cars are sufficiently close together to insure speed synchronization with the bandconveyor. Any number of mechanisms may be employed for this purpose such as a single lever and lifter arrangement.
- Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of means for controlling the distance and speed of cars 401 without mechanically interconnecting the cars.
- the system comprises a motor 402 contained within each car 401 for powering same.
- a servomechanism 404 is also provided which is connected to sense the speed of rotation of the car wheels 403 and compare same with a reference signal from reference source 405 and to provide an output control signal p to motor 402.
- Reference source 405 provides a reference signal Vo when the cars are far apart and away from the station. At a specified point before a station, reference source 405 provides a signal V x which gradually reduces to a value V 1 representative of the minimum speed of cars 401 within the station.
- the output signal p to motor 402 enables the motor to drive the cars to match the desired speed V x .
- Elements 406 and 407 are utiilzed for measuring the distance between the cars 401.
- Element 406 for example, may be a sonar or radar transceiver which emits signals which are reflected by mirror 407 and received on the transceiver.
- a laser beam may be utilized wherein a measure of the beam divergence angle A is proportional to the distance between cars as shown by elements 408 and 409 in Figure 10.
- the output of element 406 is proportional to the instantaneous value of the distance between adjacent cars.
- This signal is fed to servomechanism 410 to be compared with a signal L x from distance reference source 411.
- the signal L x is representative of the theoretical value of the distance between cars.
- L x varies from a maximum of L o (cars far apart- away from station) to a minimum of L l (cars close- together-inside station).
- An error signal, E, from servomechansim 410 serves as an addition correction signal for servomechanism 404.
- Reference sources 405 and 411 may be activated to change the reference signal from V o to V x and L o to L x respectively by a mechanical or electrical tripping device positioned adjacent the car path.
- the electrical tripping device may, for example, be a reed switch carried by the cars and activated by a magnet positioned adjacent the desired track position.
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to conveying devices of which the components are linked together such that the distance between them varies as well as their speed.
- The stretchable bandconveyoris a bandconveyor made of a succesion of components sliding into or above each other and linked to .each other by devices varying the distance between them such that the visible length and the speed of the components vary along their course.
- The stretchable train of cars is an endless succession of cars linked to each other by devices varying the distance between them.
- The stretchable and endless train of cars is used in combination with bandconveyors at loading/unloading stations where the speed of the cars and the distance between them is at a minimum and is synchronized over some distance with the speed of the bandconveyors in order to enable people to go from the bandconveyors to the cars and vice versa.
- Several variable speed bandconveyors are known in the prior art. One such device uses components which are longer than they are wide. These components slide along each other, while the relative direction of motion progressively changes from a direction perpendicular to the long side. of the components to a direction parallel to it, and therefore, the speed of the components varies proportionally to the ratio of their length and width. Another example of a rotating-type conveying apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Patent 3,485,182. In another existing device components are deiven by a single threaded rod with variable pitch.
- Bandconveyors are also known which operate at constant speeds and go into or out of cars moving at the same speed. Usually, those cars are attached to a cable moving at constant speed, and the distance between them is fixed. These prior art devices do not utilize controllable means for coupling the components and/or cars to achieve variable speed and variable distance operation while maintaining the components aligned, i.e. unrotated, with respect to the closed-loop path followed by the components.
- In accordance with the invention a transportation system is provided in which a continuous succession of components and/or cars travel in a closed circuit and are linked to each other by devices which control and vary the distance between them.
- The cars are permanently moving, but before each loading/unloading station the distance between the cars is progressively reduced to a minimum by the devices linking them together. After each station, the distance between the cars is progressively increased by the same linking devices up to a maximum distance.
- The action of increasing or reducing the distance between the cars will automatically increase or reduce the speed of the cars proportionally to the distance between the cars (including the car length). Therefore the speed of the cars is at a minimum at the station. The loading/unloading platform at the station consists of a bandconveyor moving at a speed which is synchronized with the minimum speed of the cars.
- The linking devices may include arrangements of cables and winches, nuts and threaded rods, articulated rods or electronic distance measurement and servomechanisms as set forth hereinafter.
- The endless train of cars can be started and kept in motion by motors at each station. These motors may also drive the bandconveyors and keep their speed synchronized with the speed of the cars at the stations. The power can be transmitted to the cars, e.g., by toothed wheels which engage racks which are fixed to each car. Small motors can be added to each car or some cars to compensate for drag due to the friction and reduce stresses on the linking devices.
- To increase the capacity of the system, without increasing the width of the cars it is necessary to increase their minimum speed or the speed of the bandconveyors. In the latter case a stretchable bandconveyor may be made of components having linking means permitting the speed of the components to be progressively increased and decreased as described in relation to the train of cars. The succession of components are made to slide above or into each other to maintain a solid surface suitable for transport of passengers.
- Such a stretchable bandconveyor can be used separately or in combination with the train of cars.
-
- Figure lA shows a schematic side view of a succession of cars before, within and after a station.
- Figure 1B shows a speed diagram showing the variations of the speed of the cars as a function of their location.
- Figure 2 shows a horizontal view of a station having two trains of cars going in opposite directions and two corresponding bandconveyors used as loading/unloading platforms.
- Figure 3 shows a section of the station of Figure 2.
- Figure 4 shows an elevational view of the front and the rear of a car utilizing cables and winches driven by a set of gear-wheels.
- Figure 5A shows a partial view of the bottom of the car shown in Figure 4.
- Figure 5B shows a partial section of the car of Figure 5A taken along the line BB' thereof.
- Figure 5C shows a modification of the embodiment of Figures 5A and 5B using a shock absorbing device.
- Figure 6A shows a partial view of the bottom of an embodiment of a stretchable bandconveyor.
- Figure 6B shows a sectional view of the bandconveyor of Figure 6A taken along line AA' thereof.
- Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the bandconveyor of Figure 6A taken along line BB' thereof.
- Figure 8A shows a partial view of the bottom of another embodiment of a stretchable bandconveyor.
- Figure 8B shows a sectional view of the bandconveyor of Figure 8A taken along line AA' thereof.
- Figures 9A and 9B illustrate an arrangement of levers and springs for automatically opening and closing the car doors at a station.
- Figure 10 illustrates a measuring apparatus and an electronic servomechanism for controlling the distance and speed of the train of cars.
- Figure lA shows a lateral view of a succession of cars 1 moving from the right to the left. Linking
devices 2, e.g. cables winded around winches, interconnected the cars to one another. - Starting from point A on the right, the cables are first completely unwound and the distance between the cars and the speed of the cars is a maximum. Between points A and B, the cables are progressively wound and the distance between the cars and therefore their speed is reduced.
- Between points B and C is a station where the cars are loaded and unloaded. In the station the cables are completely wound up such that the cars are adjacent each other and move at the same speed which is synchronized with the speed of a bandconveyor (not shown) which moves along the cars to enable people to go into or get out of the cars.
- After point C the cables are progressively unwound again and the distance between the cars and therefore their speed is progressively increased.
- Figure 1B shows the variation of the speed of the cars as a function of their location.
- Figure 2 shows a horizontal view of two trains of cars 1 going in opposite directions between two
bandconveyors 4 which enable people to go into or come out of the cars at astation 6. The cars are linked to each other by linkingdevices 2 such as cables winded around winches (not shown). - The cars have sliding
doors 8 which are automatically opened and closed at the beginning and the end of the bandconveyors. The bandconveyors are endless belts equipped withhand rails 5 and devices 3 which prevent jamming between the station platform and bandconveyor. Safety rails 7 prevent people from putting their hands between cars entering into the station when the distance between them is being reduced to a minimum. - The two rows of cars are separated by a wall 9 to prevent the mixing of the two opposite air flows in order to reduce air drag.
- Figure 3 shows a section of the station wherein
bandconveyors 4 are positioned on both sides of cars 1. The cars have slidingdoors 8,windows 10 andwheels 12 rolling on rails 14. - Each car 1 has secured thereto a
rack 16 driven by atoothed wheel 18 on thesame shaft 20 asother wheels 22 which are used in drivingbandconveyor 4.Shaft 20 is driven by amotor 24 which controls and synchronizes the speed of the cars 1 andbandconveyor 4 within thestation 6. -
Dotted lines 26 illustrate the section of a tunnel between stations, while dottedline 28 shows the section of the roof of the station. - Figure 4 is an elevational view of two cars 1 inside a tunnel which is divided in two parts by a
wall 30. The right car is seen from the rear side showing amotor 34driving wheels 36 located under abench 38.Motor 34 is used mainly to compensate for drag due to friction on the cars, since the energy of deceleration is automatically transmitted with very little loss by the winches and cables to accelerate the cars at the preceding station. Atoothed rack 40, similar torack 16 in Figure 3, is used to synchronize the speed of car 1 with the speed of the bandconveyor at the station.Reinforcements 42 and rails 44 support and guide the cars. Aplatform 46 can be used as a walkway for maintenance or for emergency use. - The left car is seen from its front end showing a
winch 50 with a part of acable 52 linking the car to the next one. Two sets oftoothed wheels chain 58 are shown.Set 54 is on the same shaft as thewinch 50, and set 56 is on the same shaft as two othertoothed wheels 60 which are driven by a fixedrack 62 placed between the rails before a station. A third shaft supports atoothed wheel 64 driving the second shaft and two othertoothed wheels 66 driven by fixed racks (not shown) and placed between the rails after each station. - The appropriate combination of the toothed wheels enables the winch to wind and unwind
cable 52 at different speeds. If the fixed racks have in addition a variable path, it is possible to wind and unwind the winch at any desired speed, while using or reproducing a part of the kinetic energy of the car, regardless of the speed of the car. This can provide a relatively constant deceleration or acceleration. - As an alternate solution, the winch can be winded and unwinded by a motor placed on each car and started and stopped, for instance, by a reed switch carried by the car and activated by a magnet positioned by the desired trade position.
-
Space 70 is provided which can be used to house devices for automatically opening and shutting the slidingdoors 8. - Figures 5A and 5B are other partial view of the same car of Figure 4. Figure 5A is a view of the bottom, and Figure 5B is a partial view of a section of the car taken along line BB' of Figures 4 and 5A.
- In addition to the elements shown on Figure 4, Figure 5 shows a grooved
pulley 72 to guide thecable 52 on thewinch 50 and two smalltoothed wheels 74 guiding thechain 58 on the differenttoothed wheels Small wheels 74 are set inrods 76 of which oneend 78 is articulated with the car, and theother end 80 is free to move and is guided by rails not shown on the figure in order to automatically set the appropriate transmission ratio between the fixedrack 62 and thewinch 50. The free ends 80 of therods 76 are linked to the car with aspring 82 which keeps the chains under tension. - The chain, rods and toothed wheels are, in fact, the various parts of a simple automatic gear-box for -automatically coupling the fixed
rack 62 with themobile winch 50. Many other existing devices can be used for the same purpose. - The
fixed end 84 of thecable 52 is linked to the next car bysprings 86 in order to keep it constantly under tension. These springs also smooth the shock at the beginning and the end of the deceleration or acceleration and during gear changes. - The purpose of the different size wheels in the automatic gear box is to wind the winch at a relatively constant speed in order to have a relatively constant acceleration and deceleration.
- It may also be desirable to reduce the shock produced by contact of the
large wheel 60 with therack 62. To this end, the shaft ofwheel 60 may be free to move in the direction parallel to the movement of the car and be maintained in a forward biased position by means ofsprings 90 as shown in Figure 5C. Additionally, ashort rack 62a may be provided in front ofrack 62 and biased therefrom by means of aspring 92. Both springs 90 and 92 then help to dissipate the impact shock ofwheel 60 withrack - Yet another alternative is to replace the
toothed wheel 60 by a rubber wheel and therack 62 by a concrete beam to permit a frictional drive means. - Figure 6A is a partial view of the bottom of a bandconveyor made of a succession of alternating
components component 102 slides into thecomponent 100 on its left and is linked to thecomponent 100 on its right by anarticulation 103 in order to enable the bandconveyor to be bent. Eachelement 102 is also linked to itsleft element 100 by a threadedrod 104 of which one end is attached to thecomponent 102, and the other end slides inside anut 105 linked to thecomponent 100. Thenut 105 is screwed onto or off of the threadedrod 104 by means ofgear wheels rack 108. The turning of thenut 105 on the threadedrod 104 decreases or increases the distance between theconsecutive components corresponding components 102 slide into or out of thecomponent 100. - The bandconveyor is made of an endless succession of
such components Fixed racks 108 are positioned in appropriate places along the path of the bandconveyor to achieve the desired speed of the components and corresponding distance therebetween. - Figure 7 is a sectional view of Figure 6B along line BB' thereof. A
hand rail 109 is made of telescoping elements which are fixed on the correspondingcomponents 100 and 102'. Car 1 such as described in Figure 3 is also illustrated along with a device for synchronizing the speed of the car with the speed of the bandconveyor. This synchronizing device comprises racks 111 placed under and fixed to the cars and bandconveyor components andgear wheels 112 and 113 located in the stations. Racks 111 are similar toracks 16 of Figure 3 and 40 of Figure 4. - Figures 8A and 8B are similar to Figures 6A and 6B except that the threaded
rods 104, thenuts 105, thegear wheels rack 108 are replaced by articulatedrods 204 withwheels 205 as shown, withwheels 205 guided by fixedrails 206, having a variable gap. The gap determines the distance beween theconsecutive components - The bandconveyor can be made of more than two alternating components, one sliding into the other, if it is desired to increase the distance between the consecutive components and therefore their speed by a factor larger than two. As an alternate solution, the bandconveyor can be made of components sliding above each other.
- It is understood that the embodiments described for controlling the speed and distance of the train of cars are also applicable for controlling the speed and distance of the bandconveyor components and vise-versa.
- The cars 1 may also be provided with a device for automatically opening the car doors when the cars arrive at the station. Such a device is illustrated in Figures 9A and 9B. In Figure 9A,
doors 310 are shown in their closed position, whereas in Figure 9B, thedoors 310 are open.Cars levers cars lever 301 is pushed in thereby movinglever 302 around anaxis 305. This in turn causeslever 303 to movelever 304 around itsaxis 306. The ends oflevers springs springs 308 for opening the doors (Figure 9B) , and to stretchsprings 309 to close the doors (Figure 9A) .Spring 307biases lever 301 in the extended position (Figure 9A) when the cars are apart. -
Lever 313 may be utilized to lock the doors, and thereby prevent their opening, until the cars are sufficiently close together to insure speed synchronization with the bandconveyor. Any number of mechanisms may be employed for this purpose such as a single lever and lifter arrangement. - Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of means for controlling the distance and speed of
cars 401 without mechanically interconnecting the cars. The system comprises amotor 402 contained within eachcar 401 for powering same. Aservomechanism 404 is also provided which is connected to sense the speed of rotation of thecar wheels 403 and compare same with a reference signal fromreference source 405 and to provide an output control signal p tomotor 402.Reference source 405 provides a reference signal Vo when the cars are far apart and away from the station. At a specified point before a station,reference source 405 provides a signal Vx which gradually reduces to a value V1 representative of the minimum speed ofcars 401 within the station. The output signal p tomotor 402 enables the motor to drive the cars to match the desired speed Vx. -
Elements cars 401.Element 406, for example, may be a sonar or radar transceiver which emits signals which are reflected bymirror 407 and received on the transceiver. Alternately, a laser beam may be utilized wherein a measure of the beam divergence angle A is proportional to the distance between cars as shown byelements element 406 is proportional to the instantaneous value of the distance between adjacent cars. This signal is fed toservomechanism 410 to be compared with a signal Lx fromdistance reference source 411. The signal Lx is representative of the theoretical value of the distance between cars. Lx varies from a maximum of Lo (cars far apart- away from station) to a minimum of Ll (cars close- together-inside station).. An error signal, E, fromservomechansim 410 serves as an addition correction signal forservomechanism 404. -
Reference sources
Claims (18)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US1977679A | 1979-03-12 | 1979-03-12 | |
US19776 | 1979-03-12 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0015581A2 true EP0015581A2 (en) | 1980-09-17 |
EP0015581A3 EP0015581A3 (en) | 1980-10-01 |
EP0015581B1 EP0015581B1 (en) | 1984-03-21 |
Family
ID=21794976
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19800101222 Expired EP0015581B1 (en) | 1979-03-12 | 1980-03-11 | Transportation device comprising a plurality of successive load carrying components |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0015581B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPS55164553A (en) |
DE (1) | DE3067086D1 (en) |
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4413568A (en) * | 1979-04-04 | 1983-11-08 | Soule Fer Et Froid S.A. | Method of automatically operating a semi-continuous passenger transport system using passive vehicles, and means for implementing same |
EP0108202A1 (en) * | 1982-08-17 | 1984-05-16 | Axel De Broqueville | Transportation system utilizing a stretchable train of cars and stretchable bandconveyors |
US4712486A (en) * | 1985-06-14 | 1987-12-15 | Pomagalski S.A. | Aerial ropeway transport installation with the rope stopping to detach the cars in the terminal |
WO1991017075A1 (en) * | 1990-05-08 | 1991-11-14 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Transport system |
EP0931753A1 (en) * | 1998-01-23 | 1999-07-28 | Nkk Corporation | Variable-speed passenger conveyor and handrail device therefor |
US6138816A (en) * | 1998-06-19 | 2000-10-31 | Nkk Corporation | Variable-speed passenger conveyer and handrail device thereof |
WO2004063594A1 (en) * | 2003-01-15 | 2004-07-29 | Garcia Perez Jose Ramon | Rigid or flexible variable-length link |
WO2008141346A1 (en) * | 2007-05-22 | 2008-11-27 | Alexander Lechner | Transport system |
FR2959730A1 (en) * | 2010-05-10 | 2011-11-11 | Coroller Yves Le | Endless band integrated device for transporting e.g. materials, has endless band comprising sections, where one length of each section passing in one zone is greater than another length of each section passing in another zone |
AU2015271671B2 (en) * | 2014-06-02 | 2017-10-19 | Innova Patent Gmbh | Cable car system for transporting people |
Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CH397999A (en) * | 1961-11-10 | 1965-08-31 | Inventio Ag | Conveyor device for people and things |
US3462002A (en) * | 1966-07-06 | 1969-08-19 | Battelle Development Corp | Varying-pitch chain-like arrangement to drive loads at variable speed |
GB1176444A (en) * | 1967-05-10 | 1970-01-01 | Battelle Development Corp | Endless Passenger Transport System |
US3734433A (en) * | 1967-10-19 | 1973-05-22 | R Metzner | Automatically controlled transportation system |
US3834520A (en) * | 1972-06-30 | 1974-09-10 | Patin Pierre | Variable speed drive system |
US3881423A (en) * | 1972-11-17 | 1975-05-06 | Goodyear Tire & Rubber | Variable speed vehicle |
FR2272873A1 (en) * | 1974-05-30 | 1975-12-26 | Poma 2000 Sa | Passenger transport rail installation - has guard rails on doors of vehicles bridging vehicle gaps at stations |
US4053044A (en) * | 1974-06-14 | 1977-10-11 | Pierre Patin | System for continuous entrainment at variable speed |
FR2345329A1 (en) * | 1976-03-22 | 1977-10-21 | Savec | Looped conveyor with flexibly joined vehicles - has support rail with varied speed over different parts and vehicle mounted linear motor drive |
-
1980
- 1980-03-11 EP EP19800101222 patent/EP0015581B1/en not_active Expired
- 1980-03-11 DE DE8080101222T patent/DE3067086D1/en not_active Expired
- 1980-03-12 JP JP3147580A patent/JPS55164553A/en active Pending
Patent Citations (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CH397999A (en) * | 1961-11-10 | 1965-08-31 | Inventio Ag | Conveyor device for people and things |
US3462002A (en) * | 1966-07-06 | 1969-08-19 | Battelle Development Corp | Varying-pitch chain-like arrangement to drive loads at variable speed |
GB1176444A (en) * | 1967-05-10 | 1970-01-01 | Battelle Development Corp | Endless Passenger Transport System |
US3734433A (en) * | 1967-10-19 | 1973-05-22 | R Metzner | Automatically controlled transportation system |
US3834520A (en) * | 1972-06-30 | 1974-09-10 | Patin Pierre | Variable speed drive system |
US3881423A (en) * | 1972-11-17 | 1975-05-06 | Goodyear Tire & Rubber | Variable speed vehicle |
FR2272873A1 (en) * | 1974-05-30 | 1975-12-26 | Poma 2000 Sa | Passenger transport rail installation - has guard rails on doors of vehicles bridging vehicle gaps at stations |
US4053044A (en) * | 1974-06-14 | 1977-10-11 | Pierre Patin | System for continuous entrainment at variable speed |
FR2345329A1 (en) * | 1976-03-22 | 1977-10-21 | Savec | Looped conveyor with flexibly joined vehicles - has support rail with varied speed over different parts and vehicle mounted linear motor drive |
Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4413568A (en) * | 1979-04-04 | 1983-11-08 | Soule Fer Et Froid S.A. | Method of automatically operating a semi-continuous passenger transport system using passive vehicles, and means for implementing same |
EP0108202A1 (en) * | 1982-08-17 | 1984-05-16 | Axel De Broqueville | Transportation system utilizing a stretchable train of cars and stretchable bandconveyors |
US4712486A (en) * | 1985-06-14 | 1987-12-15 | Pomagalski S.A. | Aerial ropeway transport installation with the rope stopping to detach the cars in the terminal |
WO1991017075A1 (en) * | 1990-05-08 | 1991-11-14 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Transport system |
EP0931753A1 (en) * | 1998-01-23 | 1999-07-28 | Nkk Corporation | Variable-speed passenger conveyor and handrail device therefor |
US6138816A (en) * | 1998-06-19 | 2000-10-31 | Nkk Corporation | Variable-speed passenger conveyer and handrail device thereof |
WO2004063594A1 (en) * | 2003-01-15 | 2004-07-29 | Garcia Perez Jose Ramon | Rigid or flexible variable-length link |
WO2008141346A1 (en) * | 2007-05-22 | 2008-11-27 | Alexander Lechner | Transport system |
FR2959730A1 (en) * | 2010-05-10 | 2011-11-11 | Coroller Yves Le | Endless band integrated device for transporting e.g. materials, has endless band comprising sections, where one length of each section passing in one zone is greater than another length of each section passing in another zone |
AU2015271671B2 (en) * | 2014-06-02 | 2017-10-19 | Innova Patent Gmbh | Cable car system for transporting people |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0015581B1 (en) | 1984-03-21 |
DE3067086D1 (en) | 1984-04-26 |
JPS55164553A (en) | 1980-12-22 |
EP0015581A3 (en) | 1980-10-01 |
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