Railways – Trolley transfer – Swing stub
Patent
1988-10-20
1990-07-31
Butler, Douglas C.
Railways
Trolley transfer
Swing stub
104 88, 246415R, 246323, E01B 2526, B61B 300, B61L 502
Patent
active
049442279
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
Field of the Invention
1. Background and Summary of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rail switch system for overhead monorail transportation systems, e.g. for feeding systems where one or more trolleys for a suspended load are moved along a system of carrier rails having one or more associated switches. In a branched distribution system it is customary that separately controlled means for changing over the switches are provided, these means being perfectly well controllable from such a control equipment which should be used anyway for controlling the movements of the trolley or trolleys and optionally for portioning out fodder at the individual feed points.
For the invention it is a fundamental concept, however, that both the control equipment and the control means for the switches can be substantially simplified in such cases, where the sequence of operations in the transportation system itself is strictly regular, such that the switches should not be fully selectively activated but activated in a predetermined way relative to the occurring passage or passages of the trolley. This, by way of example, will normally be the case in feeding systems where a hanging carrier at each feeding sequence is moved from a loading station out along a main rail which communicates with one or more branch rails, along which the carrier has to be moved out and thereafter back again for further travel along the main rail to possible further branches and thereupon back along the main rail to the loading station. Hereby it is a given condition that the first switch, which the carrier will meet after its exit from the loading station, must be activated for exit of the carrier along the branching rail and that the carrier can go back to the main rail to a position behind the switch and from there be restarted for passing the now changed over switch, for further travel along the main rail, by-passing the branch rail. The invention is hereby based on the finding that the necessary changing-over of the switch can be regarded as a function of the actual sequences of operation of the carrier and that the changing-over of the switch, therefore, can be effected by the carrier itself or by suitable actuator members placed in connection with the carrier suspension as these members can cooperate with corresponding activation means on the switch in such a manner that the rail switch by the initial entrance of the carrier--after its preceding reversal along the main rail--is changed-over to correspondence with the branch rail, while by the next entrance of the carrier, viz. upon return of the carrier from the branch, it is activated by the forward-running carrier itself to be changed-over to correspondence with the main rail.
Such a predetermined change-over can be effected by means of simple mechanical engagement means which can be activated by the actual forward running movement of the carrier, i.e. without separately controlled and activated change-over actuators when only a change-over between forward and reverse travel of the carrier can be effected.
In a sense this is quite a simple principle, but in practice it has been extremely difficult to provide a correspondingly simple solution to the associated control problem.
The invention not only provides a solution to the problem, but even a quite simple and economically advantageous solution which is based on the concept that the trolley is provided with mechanically changeable activation means designed to cooperate with abutment portions mounted fixedly on and backwardly protruding from the switch rail in such a manner that the activation means all according to its setting can activate the switch rail to pivot to changing the rail, respectively omit such an activation of the switch rail, all dependent on a forward travel of the trolley towards the switch - or preferably - dependent on a reverse travel of of the trolley after a backwards passage along the switch rail, while in places along the adjoining rail parts abutment members are provided for changing-over of the sa
REFERENCES:
patent: 1392188 (1921-09-01), Arlin et al.
patent: 3503336 (1970-03-01), Heiberg
patent: 4016818 (1977-04-01), Ellzey
ALFA-Laval Agri Scandinavia A/S
Butler Douglas C.
LandOfFree
Rail transportation system with switches does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Rail transportation system with switches, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Rail transportation system with switches will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1393365