Abstract:
The invention relates to a laying vehicle for laying electric lines ( 8 ) in the grooves ( 6 ) of an inductor ( 4 ), for example a longitudinal stator of a maglev railway. The laying vehicle contains a first, preceding vehicle part ( 11 ) comprising a bending and offset unit ( 14 ) for configuring winding undulations, a second following vehicle part ( 16 ) comprising a pressing station ( 18 ) for pressing limbs ( 8   a ) of the undulations into the grooves ( 6 ), the second vehicle part ( 16 ) being displaceable in relation to the first vehicle part ( 11 ) and a slide ( 15 ) that is coupled in a driven manner to the first vehicle part ( 11 ), for transferring the undulations to the second vehicle part ( 16 ). According to the invention, a delivery unit ( 27 ), which is coupled to the second vehicle part ( 16 ), is located between the slide ( 15 ) and the pressing station ( 18 ), said unit receiving the limbs ( 8   a ) from the slide ( 15 ) and transferring them to the pressing station ( 18 ) at essentially constant intervals.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   The invention described and claimed hereinbelow is also described in German Patent Application DE 10 2004 032 269.4 filed on Jun. 30, 2004. This German Patent Application, whose subject matter is incorporated here by reference, provides the basis for a claim of priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Laying vehicles of this kind are particularly known for magnetic levitation railways, which for example are driven by a long-stator linear motor and which, for this purpose, have an inductor in form of a long-stator that extends over the entire guideway and is provided with grooves. These grooves serve to accommodate a traveling-field winding laid like an meander-shaped undulation and formed from three electrical lines corresponding to the three phases of an electrical three-phase current winding, wherein these three lines are alternately inserted only into every third groove. As these lines are comparably rigid, they are bent like a meander before being inserted into the grooves, thus creating so-called undulations (meanders), which comprise straight limbs coming to rest in these grooves as well as bent winding heads connecting the limbs and being mounted outside the grooves. Since the winding heads belonging to different lines cross over each other, they must also be offset, i.e. be bent transversely to the planes in which the undulations lie. All of this is associated with a plurality of working steps and requires strenuous labor if laid manually, because the grooves of an already mounted long-stator are usually open to the bottom and because the lines, therefore, must be pressed from below into the grooves. 
   For ease of work and far-reaching automation of laying work, a laying vehicle movable along the guideway is known (DE 33 23 691 A1) which is equipped with supply spools for meander-shaped prefabricated and offset lines as well as with a pressing station for automatically pressing (inserting) the limbs of the undulations into the grooves of the long-stator. As the lengths of the windings which can be wound onto the supply spools are comparably small, a laying vehicle is already known that is equipped with a complete bending and offset unit. Thereby, the shaping of the lines can be executed on the laying vehicle and consequently, the length of the lines carried on the supply spools can be substantially increased (e.g. DE 37 37 719 C2). To remedy any deficiencies that might occur, a laying vehicle has also become known which provides a spatial separation of the pressing station from the bending and offset unit as well as transport device in form of an endless circulating transport rope for transporting the preshaped lines from the bending and offset unit to the pressing station (DE 198 33 418 A1). Furthermore, a laying vehicle is known in which the bending and offset unit as well as the pressing station are mounted on a mounting carriage that can be moved to and fro on the laying vehicle (DE 100 11 117 B4). Thereby it is possible for the laying vehicle and the supply spools of the lines to move at constant speed and continuously, respectively, along the guideway, whereas the mounting carriage is kept on standstill relative to the long-stator during those phases in which the undulations are pressed into the grooves (=pressing steps) and is moved between the pressing steps to the next pressing position (=transport steps) at a speed increased in comparison with the laying vehicle. 
   In their practical application, the vehicles described have not proved to be adequately reliable and fast, and moreover they at least partly require substantial constructive cost and expenditure. In practice, therefore, laying vehicles of the species designated hereinabove are nowadays used in which the bending and offset unit is mounted on a preceding vehicle part, while the pressing station is mounted on a succeeding (following) vehicle part. A slide (chute) carried along by the preceding vehicle part serves to transfer the undulations discharged from the bending and offset unit to the pressing station. 
   A problem not yet solved satisfactorily with any of the laying vehicles described herein-above lies in that the distances of the undulation limbs to be inserted into the grooves fail to remain exactly constant on their way from the bending and offset unit to the pressing station, particularly if circulating transport ropes or mounting carriages moving to and fro are provided on the laying vehicle or if the laying vehicle comprises vehicle parts that are movable relative to each other. Therefore, with the laying vehicles of the species designated hereinabove, plates or other fixing means serving as spacers are utilized into which the undulation limbs are laid when they leave the bending and offset unit. On the one hand this produces a disadvantage in that these fixing means must be manually removed from the undulations when they reach the pressing station and that the undulation limbs then must also be laid manually onto the pressing element of the pressing station which calls for additional manpower. On the other hand, during the pressing steps, only one undulation limb at a time can be pressed into the pertinent groove of the long-stator, thus limiting the laying speed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The technical problem of the present invention, therefore, is to configure the vehicle of the species designated hereinabove in such a manner that the undulation limbs are automatically transferred with the required, essentially constant spacings to the pressing station and that such a transfer is even possible if a pressing station comprising more than one pressing element is provided for increasing the laying speed. 
   The invention is explained in greater detail hereinafter by the example of a magnetic levitation railway comprising a long-stator linear motor and based on the drawings enclosed hereto which are drawn in different scales, where: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic cross-section through a guideway of a magnetic levitation railway and a laying vehicle according to the present invention that is supported by this guideway; 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic, partly broken-off side view of a partial section of a long-stator of said guideway according to  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic side view of an actually known laying vehicle for insertion of an electrical line into the grooves of the long-stator according to  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  show in a side view and in a partly broken-off top view inventive details of a laying vehicle which in all other respects is mainly configured similarly to the one shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  shows a longitudinal section through an inventive conveying unit of the laying vehicle according to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  shows a top view on the conveying unit according to  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  shows a schematic cross-section through one of four pressing mechanisms of a pressing station of the device according to  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7 , and 
       FIG. 9  to  FIG. 13  in schematic side views show various process steps during insertion of a line into the grooves of the long-stator according to  FIG. 2  by the aid of a laying vehicle according to  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   According to  FIG. 1 , a guideway for magnetic levitation railways comprises a plurality of carriers (supports)  1  which are arranged one behind the other in the direction of a preselected route and which have cover plates  3  provided with gliding strips  2  at their upper sides. Magnetic levitation vehicles not shown here are provided with gliding skids at their undersides, by way of which they can be set-down onto the gliding strips  2  or on which they may even glide in case of emergency. Fastened to the underside of the cover plate  3  is at least one long-stator  4 , which is composed of a plurality of sheet packs arranged one behind the other in the direction of the guideway and which together with carrying magnets fastened to the magnetic levitation vehicles form a linear motor. Moreover, lateral guide rails  5  are also fastened to the longitudinal sides of the carriers  1  to serve for track guidance of the magnetic levitation vehicles. 
   In accordance with  FIG. 2 , the long-stator or inductor  4  comprises grooves  6  that are open to the bottom and extend transversely to the direction of travel (arrow v), said grooves being provided with a cross-sectional constriction in a lower part. Arranged in every third groove  6  is an electrical line  7  which is bent to so-called undulations (meanders) in such a manner that it has straight winding limbs  7   a  coming to rest in the grooves  6  as well as bent winding heads  7   b  connecting the limbs and lying outside the grooves  6 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 7  and explained further below in detail. On the whole, three lines  7 ,  8  and  9  ( FIG. 2 ) of this type are provided, the limbs  7   a ,  8   a  and  9   a  of which lie in assigned grooves  6  in alternating succession as shown on  FIG. 2  and which form the three phases of an alternating current winding of the long-stator linear motor. To prevent the winding heads  7   b ,  8   b  and  9   b  of the three lines  7 ,  8  and  9  from hitting against each other at the crossover points, at least the winding heads  8   b  and  9   b  are offset in a characteristic manner, as clearly shown on  FIG. 2 , i.e. they are bent out towards the top from the plane of the undulations. 
   A laying vehicle which will be deposited on the guideway after the latter has been constructed, can be moved by driving means, not shown, e.g. in the direction of arrow v and serves for a far-reaching automation of the laying of lines  7 ,  8 , and  9 . Since laying of the three lines  7 ,  8 , and  9  ( FIG. 2 ) is carried out consecutively and basically in the same manner, only the laying of line  8  is explained in further detail as set forth below. 
   The laying vehicle comprises a first vehicle part  11  preceding in the direction of arrow v and preferably located above the cover plate  3 , said vehicle part being provided with rotatably mounted wheels  12  which roll of on the gliding strips  2  ( FIG. 1 ). As shown schematically in  FIG. 3 , the vehicle part  11  carries a bending and offset unit  14 , in which the line  8  unreeled from a supply (reservoir) spool is bent to adopt the meander shape depicted in  FIG. 7  and offset according to  FIG. 2 . For example, the supply coil is accommodated on a non-shown vehicle part preceding the vehicle part  11  which is coupled to a traction machine provided with a drive motor and which trails the first vehicle part  11 . The line  8  which has been shaped to meanderlike undulations, of which only a few of the limbs  8   a  are shown in  FIG. 3 , is discharged at a rear end of the bending and offset unit  14  and deposited on a slide  15  carried along with said vehicle part  11 , and having its front end, for example, fastened to the rear end of the bending and offset unit  14 . 
   Furthermore, the laying vehicle comprises a second vehicle part  16  following said first vehicle part  11 , said vehicle part  16  being preferably located beneath the cover plate  3 , but provided with rotatably mounted wheels  17  which also roll-off on the gliding strips  2 . The second vehicle part  16  carries a pressing station  18  which is arranged beneath the cover plate  3  and according to  FIG. 3  serves the purpose of pressing the limbs  8   a  of the undulations of line  8  supplied by means of the slide  15  from the bottom into the grooves  6  of said long-stator  4 . For this purpose, the line  8  is provided with an elastically deformable sheath to enable it to pass the cross-sectional constrictions of grooves  6  as shown on  FIG. 2  and then snap into place elastically behind them, so that there is no need for any additional fixing means. Regardless thereof, the grooves  6  can be provided with appropriately shaped metal sleeves in an actually known manner and in a preceding working step, said metal sleeves serving, for example, to connect the outer sheath surfaces of lines  7 ,  8 , and  9  to earth. 
   As is particularly shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 , the guideway of a magnetic levitation railway is mostly provided with one long-stator  4  each at both of its longitudinal sides. To be able to insert one line  8  each at the same time into the grooves  6  of both long-stators  4 , the second vehicle part  16  is provided with two cross beams  19  arranged above the cover plate  3  and supported on the rotary wheels  17 , wherein a side part  20  each is fastened to the lateral ends of said cross beams and extends in downward direction, said side parts together with said cross beams  19  forming a U-shaped frame which embraces the cover plate  3  and is open towards the bottom, as is particularly shown in  FIG. 1 . Rotatably mounted to the insides of said side parts  20  are guide rollers  21  which in mounted status of the second vehicle part  16  roll-off from the outside at the lateral guide rails  5  of said guideway and serve for track-guiding of the second vehicle part  16 . Moreover, inwardly protruding support plates  22  are fastened to the bottom ends of each side part  20 , and on each support plate a pressing station  18  is mounted for the right and left side of the guideway, respectively. It is self-evident that in this case the first vehicle part  11  can be provided with two bending and offset units  14 , each having coupled thereto a slide  15  and being assigned to one of the pressing stations  18  in order to be able to lay the lines simultaneously on both sides of the guideway. Alternately, however, it is also possible to provide only one bending and offset unit and to switch it over, for example, by means of a switch, selectively to one of two pressing stations each provided for the right and left side of the guideway, respectively. Other procedures for laying the lines on the right and left side of the guideway are of course also possible. 
   Besides, axles  23  ( FIG. 5 ) for the wheels  17  are mounted on the side parts  20  in a manner not shown here specifically, while a driving means  24  ( FIG. 4 ), e.g. an electric motor with a gear, serves for driving at least one wheel  17 . Protective covers  25  ( FIGS. 1 and 5 ) can also be provided, if required. 
   The components of the laying vehicle described above are known and need not be explained or outlined more precisely to those skilled in the art. 
   Laying of the line  8  by using the laying vehicle substantially is carried out as follows: 
   By the aid of a traction vehicle or the like, the first vehicle part  11  is preferably moved continuously and at a constant speed v 1  in the direction of arrow v. During this procedure, the line  8  is continuously unreeled from a supply spool, bent to take the shape of meanderlike undulations and offset, if required, which is not necessary, for example, when line  7  ( FIG. 2 ) is laid. The line  7  is merely slightly pressed upwards at the outer sides of the meander, thus representing a procedure that can not be designated as an offset. Afterwards, the undulation-like bent line  8  is discontinuously deposited on the slide  15  at the rear end of the bending and offset unit  14  at a speed v 2 , which is directed oppositely to arrow v, but by its amount on average it is as great as v 1 . This means that to an external observer it looks as if the limbs  8   a  shown in  FIG. 3  are basically on a standstill in the direction of arrow v, all the more so since the line  8  on the side remote from the vehicle part  11 , i.e. on the extreme left side in  FIG. 3 , is held by the limbs  8   a  that have already been fixed in the grooves. However, when the vehicle part  11  is further transported, the limbs  8   a  slide-off gradually by gravity along the slide  14  also being moved and being inclined obliquely backwards. 
   The second vehicle part  16  is cyclically stopped and moved to follow the first vehicle part  11 , respectively. With the vehicle part  16  being on standstill, a pressing step is carried-out, i.e. a limb  8   a  conveyed via slide  15  into the pressing station  18  is pressed into the assigned groove  6 . After this pressing step, the driving means  24  ( FIG. 4 ) is switched-on. Thereby, the vehicle part  16  is moved in the direction of arrow v, but at a speed v 3  which is noticeably faster than the speed v 1 . On the one hand this serves the purpose of restoring the distance between the two vehicle parts  11  and  16 , which has been increased during the standstill phase, back to a preselected measure. On the other hand, by way of a speeded-up movement of the vehicle part  16 , it is achieved that the next limb  8   a  of undulation  8  to be laid is conveyed from the slide  15  to a not precisely shown take-up plate of the pressing station  18  until it reaches a position from which it is captured by the not shown pressing body during the next pressing step and pressed into the next groove assigned to line  8 . It is clear that the mean moving speed of the second vehicle part  16 , which has been calculated from the sums of standstill phases and moving phases at speed v 3 , is preferably identical to the moving speed v 1  of the first vehicle part  11 . 
   A serious problem arising with the laying vehicle as described before lies in that on the one hand the undulations are discontinuously discharged from the bending and offset unit  14  and on the other hand the distances between the two vehicle parts  11  and  16  constantly vary slightly. Hence, the portions of line undulations located between the two vehicle parts  11 ,  16  are alternately subjected to tensile and thrust stresses. Consequently, the undulations suffer deformation and the distances between the limbs  8   a  of the undulations vary constantly. Therefore, it cannot be ensured that the limbs  8   a  will exactly lie within the effective range of the relevant pressing element after a transport step of the second vehicle part  16 . A faulty laying of limbs  8   a , therefore, cannot be avoided in a fully automatic operation. 
   For avoidance of this problem, it is proposed by the present invention to provide a conveying unit (delivery unit)  27  schematically indicated in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7  in an area arranged between an end section  15   a  (e.g.  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 ) of each slide  15  assigned to the pressing station  18  and the relevant pressing station  18  itself. This conveying unit  27  serves for taking-up the limbs  8   a  gliding along said slide  15  and being delivered at the end section  15   a  thereof and to transport these limbs at basically constant intervals to the pressing station  18 . To this effect each conveying unit  27  preferably comprises an endless conveyor belt  28  arranged in parallel to arrow v, which for example is held and guided by two guide pulleys  29 , at least one guide pulley  29  being rotatable by a driving means  30 , e.g. an electric gear motor, in order to set the conveyor belt  28  into motion around a revolving path. The conveyor belt  28  is provided with an upper strand  28   a  and a lower strand  28   b  ( FIG. 6 ), with the upper strand  28   a  moving opposite to arrow v when the driving means  30  is switched on, while the lower strand  28   b  moves in the direction of arrow v. 
   The conveyor belt  28  is provided with take-up pockets  31  which are open towards the outside and which serve for taking-up one limb  8   a  each of the meander and which are mounted at certain distances to each other in the direction of movement, said distances matching exactly the distances of the grooves  6  of the long-stator  4 . The width of these take-up pockets  31  measured in the direction of arrow v expediently is only by a necessary play greater than corresponds to the diameters of the limbs  8   a  so that the limbs  8   a  cannot make any substantial movements relative to the conveyor belt  28 . Moreover, the arrangement pursuant to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  has been so chosen that the limbs  8   a  coming from the slide  15  to a large extent fall automatically into the take-up pockets  31 . 
   According to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the conveying unit  27  is mounted to a support  32 , one end of which is pivotally mounted by means of a bearing pin  33  in a bearing body  34  which is firmly connected to the second vehicle part  16 . From there, the support  32  extends in the direction of the first vehicle part  11  substantially horizontally at least up to the end section  15   a  of the slide  15 . The arrangement is of such a kind that a support portion carrying the front guide pulley  29  and facing the first vehicle part  11  projects under the end section  15   a  of the slide  15  with a slight play as clearly shown on  FIG. 6  and is movably supported relatively to the end section  15   a  in the direction of arrow v. This support portion is preferably extended by a guiding rod  35  fastened to the support  32  and extending in the direction of the first vehicle part  11 , said rod resting on a support roller  36  which is rotatably mounted to at least one rail  37  connected to and protruding downwardly from the slide  15 . The guiding rod  35  can be moved to and fro on the support roller  36  in the direction of arrow v, and therefore, the bearing pin  33  can be designated as a fixed bearing, while the support roller  36  can be designated as a loose bearing of the conveyor unit  27 . 
   As particularly shown in  FIG. 3 , a front end portion of the slide  15  is fastened to the bending and offset unit  14  and arranged above the cover plate  3  or gliding strip  2 , respectively. From there, the slide  15  is bent in S-shape downwards and towards the rear so that its end section  15   a  lies beneath the long-stator  4 , but above the assigned support end of the support  32 . Accordingly, the conveying unit  27  is preferably arranged in a slightly oblique configuration from the outside towards the inside, because the slide  15  laterally passes the long-stator  4 , whereas the line  8  must be located exactly beneath the long-stator  4  at the point where it is pressed into the grooves  6  (see also  FIG. 1 ). 
   Besides, at least on both sides of the end section  15   a  of the slide  15  and of the conveying unit  27 , lateral guides  38 ,  39  and covers  40  may be provided which prevent lateral slippage of the undulations and ensure a proper transfer of the undulations from the slide  15  to the conveying unit  27  and, respectively, from the conveyor unit to the pressing station  18 . 
   To enhance the laying speed, the pressing station  18  is so configured that it can press more than one limb  8   a  of the line undulations per pressing step into the relevant grooves  6  of the long-stator  4 . As shown in the embodiment, four limbs  8   a  can be inserted per pressing step into four associated grooves  6 . According to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 8 , the pressing station  18  comprises a receiving plate  41  onto which the undulations coming from the conveying unit  27  are pushed on in opposite direction to arrow v. The receiving plate  41  is located beneath the long-stator  4  and in parallel to its underside. Beneath openings  42  in the receiving plate  41 , four pressing elements  43  are mounted, whereof only one is shown in  FIG. 8 , and which are spaced in the direction of arrow v. The pressing elements  43  are fastened to the ends of piston rods  44 , which for example can be moved up and down by the aid of pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders  45  and vertically to the basically planar surface of the receiving plate  41 . Centering plates  46  are provided on both sides of each opening  42  and can swivel around axes  47  arranged in parallel to the grooves  6  in a rack or the like of the pressing station  18 . Usually, the centering plates  46  are located in a position as shown by a solid-drawn line, where they terminate basically flush to the surface of the receiving plate  41  and leave a gap  48  in between, the width of which basically corresponds to the width of the limbs  8   a  of the undulations. Proceeding from this position, the centering plates  46  can be swung by the aid of automatically working swiveling devices not shown here, e.g. also configured as pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder/piston arrangements, around the axes  47  by approximately 90° to the top into a position  46   a  shown in  FIG. 8  by a dotted line and as indicated by double arrows w. In this position  46   a , the distance between centering plates  46  standing opposite to each other and vertically arranged is basically equivalent to the thickness of the limbs  8   a , while the center distance of each pair of centering plates  46  corresponds to the center distance of the grooves  6 . 
   The operating mode depicted in  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 13  of the laying vehicle according to the present invention is, based on the operating mode of the prior art laying vehicle as described hereinabove with respect to  FIG. 3 , substantially as follows: 
   In a first phase of the laying procedure ( FIG. 9 ), the conveying unit  27  is located beneath the slide  15  to a large extent so that its end section  15   a  has the shortest distance to the pressing station  18 . The first vehicle part  11  and, along with it, the slide  15  are continuously moved at a speed v 1 , and the meanderlike undulations are discontinuously discharged from the bending and offset unit  14  at a mean speed v 2 =−v 1 , with the undulations gradually slipping along the slide  15  in the direction of its end section  15   a  due to the tensile effect of limbs  8   a   1  that have already been inserted into the grooves  6 . However, to an external observer, the discharged undulations basically are on standstill. The second vehicle part  16  and, along with it, also the conveying unit  27 , are on standstill as indicated in  FIG. 9  by the data v 3 =0 and ω=0, with the value ω representing the angular velocity of the guide pulleys  29 . 
   After a certain period of time, the first vehicle part  11  has moved forward by a preselected distance in the direction of the arrow v. Therefore, the slide  15  now is in an advanced state as compared with  FIG. 9 , which can be recognized in  FIG. 10 , for example, by the relative position of the support roller  36  which has moved to the right together with the slide  15 . 
   The second vehicle part  16  and the conveying unit  27  still are on standstill (v 3 =0 and ω=0). In difference to  FIG. 9 , however, the centering plates  46  have been swung into the dotted centering position  46   a  shown in  FIG. 8  in order to thus arrange four limbs  8   a   2  lying on the receiving plate  41  exactly in position beneath four associated grooves  6  lying above them. 
     FIG. 11  shows a third phase of the laying procedure. It differs from the phase shown in  FIG. 10  in that now the piston rods  44  of the cylinder/piston arrangements ( FIG. 8 ) arranged under the limbs  8   a   2  have been extended, thus pressing the limbs  8   a   2  by means of the pressing elements  43  into the assigned grooves  6 . The second vehicle part  16  and the conveying unit  27  still are on standstill (v 3 =0 and ω=0). 
   In a next laying phase, as can be seen in  FIG. 12 , the pressing elements  43  are again retracted and the centering plates  46  are folded-in so that the receiving plate  41  attains a basically planar surface, except for the gaps  48  ( FIG. 8 ). Accordingly, the voids created by the gaps  48  are preferably filled by the upper surfaces of the pressing elements  43 . The pressing step described on the basis of  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 11  has now been completed and finalized. 
   Since the second vehicle part  16  and the conveying unit  27  still are on standstill, the first vehicle part  11  has moved ahead by a certain distance a during the pressing step (see  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 12 ). The end section  5   a  of the slide  15  now has attained its largest distance from the pressing station  18 , so that it just lies above the front end of the conveying unit  27 . Therefore, the driving means  24  for the vehicle part  16  is switched-on now in order to push it forward at an increased speed v 3 &gt;v 1  in the direction of arrow v until the distance between the two vehicle parts  11  and  16  according to  FIG. 9  is restored, as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
   During the transport step described on the basis of  FIG. 12 , also the conveyor belt  28  is set to move in rotation. To this effect, the driving means  30  is switched-on in order to set the guide pulleys  29 —counter-clockwise as shown in FIG.  12 —in rotation at a preselected angular velocity ω. This angular velocity ω is basically so rated that the upper strand  28   a  of the transport belt  28  moves opposite to the direction of arrow v at a speed of v 4  which by its amount is equal to the speed v 3 . The upper strand  28   a  and the receiving plate  41  thus move in opposite directions during this transport step. When the distance of both vehicle parts  11  and  16  as shown in  FIG. 9  is reached, the driving means  24  for the vehicle part  16  and the driving means  30  for the conveyor belt  28  are switched-off again so that the next method step as described on the basis of  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 13  can be initiated. 
   The transport step according to  FIG. 12  entails two movements. On the one hand, the pressing station  18  is moved closer to the bending and offset unit  14 , whereby the next limbs, i.e. four limbs  8   a   3  in this case, are drawn onto the receiving plate  41  as shown by a comparison between  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13 . At the same time, the conveying unit  27  is pushed forward, whereby it glides on the support roller  36  and can execute slight tilting movements, if any, around the bearing pin  33  ( FIG. 6 ). On the other hand, limbs  8   a   3  still lying in the take-up pockets  31  as well as succeeding limbs  8   a   4  of the meanderlike undulations are kept in an idle position relative to the long-stator  4 . Since the upper strand  28   a  of the transport belt  28  moves in opposite direction to the arrow v at the same speed as the conveying unit  27  and together therewith the second vehicle part  16  is moved in the direction of arrow v, the limbs  8   a   3  and  8   a   4  and, together with them, the undulations are not carried along in the direction of arrow v. The distances of limbs  8   a   3 ,  8   a   4  are rather kept idle and exactly at the desired measure, i.e. the conveying unit  27  compensates any imbalance and variation in distance that have hitherto been inevitable in the area of slide  15  and at the transition from the slide  15  to the receiving plate  41  due to the different velocities of vehicle parts  11 ,  16 . Even if the limbs  8   a   3  and  8   a   4 , respectively, fail to immediately fall exactly into the take-up pockets  31  when transferred from the slide  15  to the conveyor belt  28 , this will be achieved latest immediately when the driving means  30  has been switched on. This is particularly accomplished, if the take-up pockets  31  are provided with appropriate take-up edges or the like at their ends lying at the rear in the direction of movement. Therefore, on the whole, the conveying unit  27  serves to avoid variations in distance between individual limbs  8   a  at a point located immediately in front of the pressing station  18 , whereby it is ensured that the limbs  8   a  as shown on  FIG. 10  for the limbs  8   a   2  will always come to rest on the receiving plate exactly at points where the pressing elements  43  are located. 
   The invention is not limited to the described embodiment currently considered the best. In particular, this applies to the type of driving means used, as well as to the number of limbs  8   a  simultaneously to be laid into the grooves, and to the configuration of the pressing station  18  as well as the conveying unit  27 . For example, the conveyor belt  28 , in particular, could be replaced with a conveyor chain or any other flexible transport track equipped with carriers forming the take-ups  31 . Furthermore, it could be expedient to couple a third vehicle part  50  according to  FIGS. 3 and 9  to the first vehicle part  11 , which is also movably mounted on the gliding strips  2  by wheels  51  and which, for example, can transport other equipment items, for instance a service platform or the like arranged in the area of the pressing station. Accordingly, the wheels  51  are arranged at such large distances that a space is created between them in which the wheels  17  of the vehicle part  16  can move faultlessly during the pressing and transport steps, as shown on  FIG. 9  to  FIG. 13 . Alternatively, the two vehicle parts  11  and  50  could also form a single, coherent car box, between the wheels  12 ,  51  of which the vehicle  16  is movably supported. Furthermore, it is clear that the laying vehicle described hereinabove is provided with the required measuring and control instruments, which however are not described in detail, and which are also carried along on the laying vehicle to particularly serve for ensuring a precise positioning of the limbs  8   a  of the meanders beneath the grooves  6 . Moreover, the laying vehicle described hereinabove is of course suitable for laying the lines of inductors which serve to drive vehicles other than magnetic levitation vehicles. Finally it is self-explanatory that the different features can also be applied in combinations other than those described and shown hereinabove.