Patent ID: 6363860
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A bidirectional assembly for guiding a vehicle along a guide rail (8) and limiting lateral deviation of a guided vehicle axle (2), the bidirectional assembly comprising two pairs of guide wheels (14), each pair of guide wheels (14) being arranged in a V-shaped configurations, located on opposite sides of the axle (2) and being engageable with the guide rail (8), wherein the bidirectional assembly further comprises of the following functional module:a guided sub-assembly (10) composed of a central axle block (7) which is attached to the axle (2) for steering the axle (2) or directional wheels (3, 4) and automatically guiding the guide wheels (14) along the guide rail (8), and a rear portion of the guided sub-assembly (10) being capable shifting transverse about a pivot location formed adjacent a leading pair of the guide wheels (14); a guiding sub-assembly (9) composed of a chassis-frame structure (11) which comprises two opposed extremities extending on opposite sides of the axle (2), each of the two opposed extremities supports one of the two pairs of guide wheels (14) for engaging with the guide rail (8), and the sub-assembly (9) is longitudinally displaceable, relative to the guided assembly (10), between first and second end positions located on opposed sides of the axle (2); a dual interface connection joining each of the two opposed extremities of the chassis-frame structure (11) to the guided sub-assembly (10) in such a way that the two opposed extremities are articulatable and longitudinally displaceable relative to the axle (2); and displacement of the guiding sub-assembly (9) into the first end position allows an autoguided mode with lateral clearance for the axle (2) in a first travel direction of the vehicle and displacement of the guiding sub-assembly (9) into the second end position allows an autoguided mode with lateral clearance for the axle (2) in a second travel direction of the vehicle, and the guiding sub-assembly (9) has a central displacement position located between the first end position and the second end position.