System for moving vehicles along two tracks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9676396-B2
Application number	US-201113274885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2011
Priority date	Oct 18, 2010
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A system for moving vehicles along two tracks that are in each case formed by two guides, in particular rails. The vehicles are moved by endless conveying cables to which the vehicles may be coupled. The two tracks have a switch in the regions of the end stations and where appropriate along the course, by way of which they are brought together. The switch has four guides which are located next to one another. The middle two guides, which are rigidly connected to one another, are pivotal about a first axis and the outer two guides, which are connected to one another in an articulated manner, are pivotal about two further axes that are spaced from one another. The switch that is formed by the four guides can thus be pivoted out of a first position into a second position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for moving vehicles, comprising:
a plurality of tracks each formed by two guides for supporting the vehicles;
at least two conveying cables extending along said tracks below a level of said guides for coupling the vehicles thereto and moving the vehicles along said tracks;
at least one switch disposed in said tracks at terminal stations or along a course of said tracks, said switch having four guides disposed next to one another, said four guides including two middle guides rigidly connected to one another and pivotally mounted about a first axis, and including two outer guides, connected to one another in an articulated manner, and pivotally mounted about two mutually spaced-apart further axes, wherein said switch that is formed by said four guides is pivotal out of a first position into a second position.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said guides of said tracks are rails.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said conveying cables are endlessly circulating conveying cables.

4. The system according to claim 1 , which further comprises a servo lever connected to said two inner guides of said switch, and pivotally mounted at an end outside said two guides about a fixed axis, and a servo piston articulated to said servo lever and configured to move said two inner guides into one of the two pivotal positions thereof.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein said two outer guides on the outside of said switch are connected to one another in an articulated manner by way of a transverse strut, and which comprises a further servo piston for pivoting said two outer guides about further axes each arranged to the side and outside.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said further servo piston is articulated to said strut connecting said two outer guides in an articulated manner.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said guides of said switch are each configured with at least one movable support that is movable along a curved path.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said guides are each constructed to have at least one support with which a counter-bearing is associated in first and second positions of said switch.

Assignees

• Fischer Florian
• Wohlgenannt Bernhard
• Innova Patent Gmbh

Inventors

• Fischer Florian
• Wohlgenannt Bernhard

Classifications

• B61B9/00 Primary

  Tramway or funicular systems with rigid track and cable traction (haulage clips B61B12/12) · CPC title

• E01B25/15

  Switches; Crossings · CPC title