Railways – Monorail
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-06
2003-02-25
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railways
Monorail
C105S141000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06523480
ABSTRACT:
The invention concerns a transport system of the dual-mode type comprising dual-mode vehicles and a monorail, said dual-mode vehicles being capable of running both on an ordinary roadway and as rail vehicles on the monorail. The monorail has a substantially triangular cross-sectional profile with one apex of the triangle facing upwards, and each of the vehicles has a downwards-facing, through-going indentation extending in the longitudinal direction with a cross-sectional profile which corresponds substantially to the cross-sectional profile of the monorail. Each vehicle has drive-wheels for running on the roadway and drive- and support-wheels for running on the monorail.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
From international patent application no. PCT/DK91/00146 (WO 91/18777) a transport system of the kind described in the introduction is known, where dual-mode vehicles can run on the substantially triangular rail individually or as coupled together units, and also as individual vehicles on an ordinary roadway.
With this reference, everything otherwise disclosed in the above-mentioned application forms part of the present application.
The main component in this known transport system, which transport system is also referred to as the RUF system, is the vehicle
1
, which is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
of the drawing, running either on a rail
2
with a substantially triangular cross-sectional profile
7
, or on a roadway
10
, in that each vehicle has ordinary drive-wheels
8
for this purpose.
Each vehicle has a front end and a rear end which are configured so that two or more vehicles can be expediently coupled together during running on the rail, and in such a manner that the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicles are taken into consideration, both individually as well as when coupled together. For example, the vehicles shown in the above-mentioned international patent application are configured in such a way that the front end has two substantially plane surfaces
3
and
4
which meet along a horizontal line
5
, and where the rear end has two substantially plane surfaces
3
′ and
4
′ which similarly meet along a horizontal line as shown and, moreover, as explained in the above-mentioned international application. Several vehicles can hereby be expediently coupled together during running on the rail, as shown in FIG.
1
.
In
FIG. 2
it is seen how the dual-mode vehicle
1
is transferred from running on the rail
2
out to the roadway
10
as an independent electric vehicle on wheels
8
, in that the vehicle can thus be supplied with current from batteries carried by the vehicle.
The vehicle also has a downwards-facing, through-going indentation
6
in the longitudinal direction which has a cross-sectional profile corresponding substantially to the cross-sectional profile
7
of the rail.
With the prior art, the monorail is provided with a special braking-rail
9
at the top of the monorail
2
, such as shown in
FIG. 1
, in that a braking arrangement with brake shoes (not shown) can be pressed towards this braking-rail
9
. Furthermore, the vehicle of the known configuration has a driving-wheel (not shown) which generates the driving power for rail running, in that it is placed in such a manner that it transfers the propelling force to a substantially horizontal surface on top of the monorail
2
. The vehicle of the known configuration also has wheels (not shown) which support the vehicle on the rail
2
, in that these support wheels run on inclined side surfaces of the triangular monorail
2
, and are thus arranged with their axes of rotation at an angle in relation to the horizontal.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to achieve an increase in the driving force which is transferred from the vehicle to the monorail when the vehicle is running on the rail.
As disclosed in the characterising portion of claim
1
, this is achieved in that the vehicle has at least two drive-wheels for rail running, said drive-wheels being arranged with the axis of rotation substantially vertical, and such that for running on the rail at least one drive-wheel is placed on each side of a substantially vertical surface of the monorail.
At least two drive-wheels can hereby be pressed towards each other and together around the substantially vertical surfaces of the monorail, so that the friction between drive-wheel and the rail can be increased in comparison with the prior art. With the prior art, where the drive-wheel is arranged in a vertical plane so that it presses vertically down against the monorail, the friction will actually be limited, in that the friction is defined by the force of gravity. With the invention, it will be possible to increase the friction, and herewith the force which is transferred, by increasing the force with which the drive-wheels are pressed against the monorail and towards each other, and it will also be possible to adjust the pressure in accordance with the actual need. The pressure against the monorail can thus be increased when the vehicle is running upwards, accelerating and/or running with heavy loads. Correspondingly, the pressure can be reduced in stable running situations, i.e. at constant high speed and with level running, also when running downwards and/or when the speed is reduced. The friction losses are hereby minimised, in that energy is not wasted by unnecessarily high friction.
Moreover, with the invention it is possible for use to be made of substantially vertical surfaces of the monorail for propelling the vehicle, and such that problems will not arise with operational disturbances such as loss of friction in the event of ice formations and snowfall, and layers of water will not be able to lie on the drive surfaces in rainy weather.
Finally, with the invention the rail drive-wheels can be used to brake the vehicle when running on the rail, in that also here it is utilised that the friction and herewith the braking power can be adjusted. Moreover, this can be utilised with regenerative running, where electrical energy is generated in the vehicle when it is braked, in that this regenerative braking-down can be optimised by means of the adjustable friction.
It can be expedient that the substantially vertical drive surfaces, as disclosed in claim
2
, be comprised of a driving rail which is placed on top of the monorail.
Moreover, as disclosed in claim
3
, the vehicle can have a set of support wheels which are arranged with their axes of rotation substantially horizontal or at an acute angle in relation to the horizontal, and where the monorail has corresponding support surfaces. The vehicle will hereby be supported more effectively on the monorail than with the known arrangement, where the support wheels are arranged with their axes at an angle of around 45°-60° in relation to the horizontal. When the support surfaces are arranged in a slightly sloping manner, it is achieved that rainwater and the like can run off, and moreover a correcting effect on the vehicle is achieved, so that this is positioned correctly in relation to the centre of the monorail.
Furthermore, as disclosed in claim
3
, the angle in relation to the horizontal can be varied along the monorail, so that the correcting or “self-centring” effect along the rail is varied. For example, this can be utilised in such a manner that at the beginning of a monorail, where the vehicles run up on the rail, the angle is relatively great, so that there is a great correcting effect, in that at this point it is necessary to get the vehicle positioned correctly in relation to the rail relatively quickly before the vehicle picks up speed. In connection herewith, the angle of the axes of rotation for the support wheels in relation to the horizontal can be made greater than during normal operation, when a vehicle begins to run up on a rail and during the first part of the running on the rail, so that the angle of the support surfaces and the angle of the support wheels match each other, whereby the self-correcting effect is increased. For example, this can be
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
McCarry, Jr. Robert J.
Morano S. Joseph
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