Railways – Selective delivery
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-29
2003-09-23
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railways
Selective delivery
C014S046000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06622635
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a transportation system and more particularly to a system usable for transportation of people as well as automobiles and other freight loads with very high safety, efficiency, speed and convenience, with capital costs and fuel, labor and other operating costs being minimized and with minimal adverse environmental effects. The system is compatible with existing systems and is readily integrated therewith.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Conventional rail systems have become increasingly costly to construct, maintain and operate with the result that their use for transport of freight and for inter-urban passenger travel has been supplanted to a large degree by use of trucks and automobiles. For public transportation in cities, rail-supported street cars have been replaced by buses which have been used less and less as a result of the increased use of automobiles for personal travel. The resulting truck and automobile traffic over streets and highways is a problem of increasing magnitude.
Many proposals have been made for automated systems which might reduce the problems with the existing system. However, such proposals have not been adopted, partly because of the influence of those who benefit from continued use of the system as it exists, but also because of other factors including the high capital costs involved in construction of an automated system, and uncertainties as to whether an automated system. Many fail to consider practical solutions to the problems because of expectations that the problems will somehow be solved by some exotic technology which does not presently exist but which will somehow be magically produced in the future.
Some believe that high speed rail systems, including magnetic levitation systems will be a solution but it is highly questionable whether the very high costs of such systems is justified. The fact that they must operate on schedules may limit the number of passengers who will wish to use such systems.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention was evolved with the general object of overcoming disadvantages of prior transportation systems and of providing a practical system for general use in transportation of people and freight in urban and inter-urban use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transportation system which is compatible with existing transportation systems.
A further object of the invention is to provide a transportation system which makes practical use of existing technology and which is so constructed as to allow for expansion and for the use of improvements which may reasonably be expected in the future from advancing technology.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a system which is convenient, fast, low in cost and otherwise attractive for travel as a passenger, for travel by automobile and for transport of freight.
The system of this invention uses many of the advantageous features that are disclosed in my aforementioned patents and patent applications. It uses automated carrier vehicles which can carry small passenger cabins, automobile platforms or freight containers and move at high speed along a main path, move off at a divergent Y guideway section to stop along a branch path for loading or unloading and then enter a convergent Y section to reenter the main path.
Important features of the invention relate to a guideway design which provides safe, reliable and efficient support for vehicles and which can be constructed an minimal costs. The design is versatile in that it can carry vehicles of different types, each type having potential advantages over the other, depending upon its application. One type of vehicle may be carried in a protected position with a guideway, being particularly suitable for use severe climatic conditions and\or where noise may be a problem. Another type of vehicle may be carried on top of a guideway and where the climatic conditions are not severe may have cost and other potential advantages. Capital costs of constructing any type of guideway are high and it is important that any type of guideway be usable with more than one type of vehicle.
Further features of the invention relate to vehicles for use with the guideway design of the invention. One feature relates to use of automatic tilting mechanisms by which the load that is carried, whether it be a passenger cabin, an automobile on a platform or pallet or a freight container can be automatically tilted as function of speed and as a function of turn-radius data supplied from wayside monitor and control units. This feature is important for safety, for the comfort of people being carried and for the protection of freight loads being carried. It has the very important additional advantage that no superelevation of tracks is necessary. The tracks can lie in one plane, facilitating the design and layout of guideways, the use of standard components and the lowering of costs of fabrication, installation and servicing.
Additional features relate to a drive system in which an electric motor or other motive power supply unit of a vehicle drives a longitudinally extending drive shaft and is supported on a frame extending between two bogies that can pivot about vertical axes, each bogie including a differential. Coupling shaft assemblies are provided between the opposite ends of the drive shaft and the differentials. Each of the coupling shaft assemblies
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includes U joints at opposite ends and telescoping splined shaft components that allow the bogies to pivot about vertical axes while transmitting drive torques through the differentials to wheels.
This invention contemplates other objects, features and advantages which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Autran Corp.
McCarry, Jr. Robert J.
Morano S. Joseph
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