Abstract:
An elevated transit vehicle ( 12 ) is mounted on vertical wheel supports ( 16 ) which operate in curbways ( 40 ) along public streets ( 24 ). The height of the passenger cab ( 12 ) is great enough to permit conventional passenger cars ( 32 ) to move beneath the transit vehicle. The curbways block movement of passenger vehicles ( 32 ) into the space ( 46 ) between the curbways except at traffic intersections where the curbways terminate. The elevated transit vehicle operates across traffic intersections without the aid of the curbways, and other smaller passenger vehicles ( 32 ) can enter or exit from between the curbways ( 40 ) at these gaps between segments of the curbways. An inter-modal version of the transit vehicle utilizes both the wheel assemblies and a suspended railway ( 74 ) which carries the transit vehicle on rail wheels.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     Applicant claims the benefit of co-pending provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/099,690 filed in the U.S. Patent And Trademark Office on Sep. 10, 1998. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates in general to a vehicle for transporting people, and more particularly relates to an elevated bus-type vehicle utilizing the space above cars and below bridges. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     An ever-increasing amount of motor vehicle traffic has brought congestion to city streets. As population figures continue to increase, public transportation becomes more and more of a necessity. 
     For many years, urban planners have been seeking solutions to traffic problems. Many modem cities are equipped with subway systems, buses and/or elevated train systems. The benefit of using such methods of transportation are to transport a large number of people in one vehicle thus reducing congestion on city streets. 
     Subway systems typically require elaborate planning by city officials. The cost of such systems are often prohibitive. It may also be necessary to obtain a right-of-way or easement to create the underground passage. Subway stations also require a large amount of land that may be difficult to obtain in an already-congested urban area. 
     Traditional buses are employed in virtually all cities. Trouble arises in areas of high traffic congestion due to frequent stops made by buses, continuously delaying passenger vehicles. 
     Some cities use above-ground trains to alleviate public transportation problems. These systems also tend to be very costly and it may be even more difficult to obtain the right-of-way or easement to lay the appropriate tracks. It may be particularly difficult to position train tracks in already congested areas where alleviation of traffic problems is most desired. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved method of transportation in congested urban areas that is cost-effective, does not require an easement or right-of-way and does not add to surface street congestion. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an elevated vehicle capable of traveling above cars on a normal city street. This invention increases the transport capacity and versatility of existing roadways by utilizing the space universally existing between the five foot six inch elevation of most modern automobiles and the fifteen foot clearance which exists on most city streets. 
     The elevated vehicle is capable of moving in highly congested areas making frequent stops without disturbing the existing traffic. The vehicle is elevated, creating a space underneath through which cars can travel. Passengers are loaded and unloaded by an elevated platform mounted above the existing sidewalks so that pedestrian traffic is likewise not impeded. 
     Specially cast curbways are placed on the lane dividers of the street defining the pathway for the vehicle. The curbways are elevated and spaced apart so that a car can travel in the lane formed between the two elevated curbways. The curbways define the pathway of the elevated vehicle, which travels above the cars, providing guidance and a smooth-running surface. Although the wheels of the elevated vehicle reach the ground like a normal bus, elongated wheel support members connecting the cabin of the vehicle to the wheels creates space in which cars may travel. The curbways contain gaps so that a car traveling in the lane between the two elevated curbway structures can exit the lane at predetermined locations. 
     The curbway preferably is pre-cast concrete anchored to the street. The ends of the curbway are tapered so that there is a smooth transition as the elevated vehicle leaves the curbway and engages the street. 
     Each wheel of the elevated vehicle travels in the path created by the two elevated walls of the curbways surrounding the wheel. Sections of the curbway are fashioned so that they may interlock, creating a smooth transition for the elevated vehicle between curbway sections. The curbways must be made of a material capable of supporting the concentrated weight of the elevated vehicle. 
     The elevated vehicle has a cabin for carrying passengers much like a conventional bus or train. The floor of the cabin must be at least six feet above the street level. The roof of the vehicle must be less than fifteen feet above the street level to avoid colliding with bridges and other structures. Thus, the interior height of the cabin is approximately nine feet. 
     Preferably, it is necessary to exclude vehicles over six feet high from the lane defining the pathway for the elevated vehicle. This can be done by providing a clearance bar at a height of six feet at every point where a car may enter such a lane. Cars and other vehicles standing above six feet high are forced to use an alternate lane. Usually the curbways terminate at a street intersection and resume on the opposite side of the intersection. 
     The elevated vehicle preferably may be powered by any type of existing internal combustion engine. It may be preferable to power the elevated vehicle electrically, using a battery-powered source with opportunity charging units located along the predefined path of the elevated vehicle. It may be beneficial to locate the charging stations at the elevated platforms at which the elevated vehicle will stop to load and unload passengers. The elevated vehicle is equipped with standard braking equipment. 
     The elevated vehicle preferably may be equipped with a all-wheel steering system as is currently available, generally as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,915. This allows the wheels of the elevated vehicle to follow the curbway around curves and corners. In one embodiment of the present invention, the elevated vehicle is steered by a vehicle operator such that each wheel is maintained inside the curbway. In such an instance where there is no curb, such as at an intersection, the operator steers the vehicle normally until the elevated vehicle engages the next set of curbways. In another embodiment, the wheels of the elevated vehicle may actually engage the curbway. The curbway would thus act as a guide for the elevated vehicle. In such a configuration, the vehicle only needs to be steered in those situations where there is no curbway. It is also possible to provide the elevated vehicle with a Global Positioning System (GPS) system of automatic handling which may eliminate the need for a vehicle operator. 
     The elevated vehicle may be equipped with numerous video cameras and monitors in order to check vehicle clearance underneath and proper negotiation of intersections. As the elevated vehicle negotiates a turn, it is necessary to determine that there are no cars underneath the elevated vehicle. A camera underneath the vehicle preferably may be used to indicate to the operator that the area underneath the vehicle is clear. A physical barrier may be lowered from the rear of the elevated vehicle so that no car is able to enter the space under the elevated vehicle as the vehicle makes the turn. Once the elevated vehicle has completed the turn and is proceeding in the appropriate path defined by the curbways, the barrier may be retracted and cars may freely travel beneath the elevated vehicle. 
     The four-wheel steering of the elevated vehicle enables it to approach an elevated platform and come to a stop with a minimal gap between the platform and the vehicle. This facilitates passenger entry and exit of the elevated vehicle. 
     The wheels of the elevated vehicle may use tires such as that typical of a city bus. It is necessary to provide an extended wheel structure connecting the wheel to the elevated vehicle in order to create the required clearance for cars to pass underneath the elevated vehicle. The wheel is attached to the elevated vehicle using an elongated member or structure similar to the tilting landing gear used by aircraft or similar to telescopic wheel supports utilized by the elevated vehicle of U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,915. The elevated vehicle typically has four wheels, each wheel connected to the elevated vehicle by a similar elongated member that can be used to change the elevation of the vehicle. 
     In another alternate embodiment of the present invention, an advanced model of the elevated vehicle is capable of operating on public roads with the wheels supports in the retracted position so that the vehicle is lowered to “ground clearance.” In this configuration it is capable of operating more like and substituting for a standard bus. 
     In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the elevated vehicle is equipped for inter-modal operation. In this embodiment, the elevated vehicle engages a suspended rail above the vehicle. Couplings extending from the top of the elevated vehicle engage the overhead rail. In such a configuration, the wheels of the elevated vehicle are retracted in a manner as described above and the vehicle is powered in the same manner as an overhead-powered trolley. In this configuration, the rail may be raised at street intersections so that the elevated vehicle may move freely through each intersection and be unobstructed by cars and trucks underneath. The wheels can be made to pivot in a manner such that they remain parallel to the sides of the elevated vehicle when they are raised and do not interfere with any cars that may be underneath the elevated vehicle at such time. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the elevated transit vehicle. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of two elevated transit vehicles on a public street with other passenger vehicles. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic front elevational view of the elevated transit vehicle showing how the vehicle can pass over other smaller passenger vehicles or how the other passenger vehicles pass beneath the vehicle. 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a pair of parallel curbways, another passenger vehicle between the curbways, and a height barrier over the curbways. 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view illustrating the retractable wheel structures and the elevated rail support for the vehicle. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic of two adjacent segments of curbways, and a traffic control arm that controls the movement of vehicles into the curbways. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates the elevated transit vehicle  10  which can be considered a bus having an elongated passenger cab  12  mounted on wheels  18 . Typically, the elevated vehicle will have four wheel assemblies  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  and  14   d  which support the passenger cab  12  at the comers of the passenger cab. Each wheel assembly includes a vertical wheel support  16  mounted to the lower portion of the passenger cab  12  on the superstructure of the passenger cab (not shown), and a steerable wheel  18  is mounted at the lower end of the vertical wheel support  16 . The wheels  18  are steerable and are driven in a conventional manner, generally as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,286,915 and 4,828,062. Additionally, the wheel assemblies can be movable with respect to the elongated passenger cab  12 , as indicated in FIG. 5, whereupon the wheel supports  116  can be tilted upwardly from a vertical latitude to a more horizontal attitude, generally like a conventional aircraft landing gear, generally of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,396,170, 4,524,929, and 4,637,574. Also, folding landing gear can be utilized, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,022,609 and 5,263,664. Also, the wheels can be powered generally as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,775. As an alternative to tilting the vertical wheel supports  116 , the wheel supports can be constantly oriented in a vertical attitude and retracted and distended telescopically, generally as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,915. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, the passenger cab  12  is constructed in a conventional manner in that it includes entrance and exit doors  20  and  22  for the ingress and egress of passengers. Since the vehicle is elevated from the street  24 , the passengers will utilize an elevated passenger platform  26  which also functions as a docking station. The passenger platform will have stairs or an escalator or ramp  28  to facilitate the vertical movement of the passengers to the height of the elevated passenger platform  26 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 2, the vertical wheel supports  16 , when in their downward, distended configuration, maintain the bottom surface  30  of the passenger cab  12  elevated above the public street  24  a distance sufficient to permit the vehicle to pass over other passenger vehicles of conventional size. Typically, other passenger vehicles will be approximately 5 feet to 6-½ feet high. For example, the small passenger vehicle  32  may be 5 feet high, whereas a higher sports utility vehicle or pickup truck  34  may be 6-½ feet high. Therefore, the height of the lower surface  30  of the passenger cab  12  is typically to be placed at 78 inches from street level, which is the typical height of a garage door opening of a family residence. 
     Usually, the wheels  18  of the elevated transit vehicle  10  will operate along curbways or guardways  40  which are placed along the public street  24 . The curbways are formed in segments of cast concrete and are placed end-to-end with interlocking ends  42  (FIG. 6) assuring that the curbways will always be in proper alignment. The segments of curbways are placed parallel to each other to form a way  46  for the elevated transit vehicle, generally as illustrated in FIG.  6  and connected to the public street by spikes  43  or other conventional connectors. 
     The curbways  40  are approximately U-shaped in cross-section, and each includes a base wall  48  and a pair of spaced, parallel sidewalls  50  and  52 . The spacing of the sidewalls  50  and  52  is adequate to receive the wheels  18  of the elevated transit vehicle. The height of the sidewalls  50  and  52  is sufficient to guide the wheels  18  of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling along the curbways. 
     The curbways  40  will be placed on or at street level  24 , so that the sidewalls  50  and  52  project above the street level and therefore tend to curb or deflect the wheels of other passenger vehicles from entering the way  46  defined between the curbways  40 . This eliminates the presence of other passenger vehicles, such as vehicles  32  or  34 , from entering the curbways from a lateral direction. However, as illustrated in FIG. 6, vehicles can enter the way  46  between curbways  40  at the gaps  44  between the segments of the curbways. For example, FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate other passenger vehicles  32  positioned between curbways  40 . It will be noted that the vertical wheel supports  16  are positioned far enough apart, preferably more than 9 feet, so as to straddle the passenger vehicles  32 , and the elevation of the bottom surface  30  of the passenger cab  12  is high enough to pass over the top of the vehicle  32 . Likewise, if the elevated transit vehicle  10  is stationary, a passenger vehicle  32  can pass beneath it without being obstructed. 
     There are times when it is desirable from a safety standpoint and an operational standpoint to make sure that there are no other passenger vehicles present in the space  56  beneath the passenger cab  12 . In order to control this, a barrier gate  58  can be placed at the entrance  60  of a pair of curbways  40  so as to block oncoming movement of other passenger vehicles. The gate can be opened as indicated by arrow  62  by conventional electronic signal or other gate operation means, so as to admit the elevated transit vehicle to the curbways. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the barrier  58  can be placed at a height above the anticipated height of the passenger vehicle  32 , so as to selectively admit the passenger vehicles  32  while barring the admission of taller vehicles, such as industrial trucks. 
     Likewise, there are times when there will be other passenger vehicles  32  present in or moving along the way  46  between curbways  40  and it is undesirable to have those vehicles present in the space  56  beneath the elevated transit vehicle. This is particularly true when the elevated transit vehicle is moving between segments of curbways  40 , through a gap  44  (FIG.  6 ), where the curbways are not present to control the ingress or egress of other passenger vehicles to the way  46 . In order to avoid the presence of passenger vehicles beneath the elevated transit vehicle, a barrier bar  64  (FIG. 5) is mounted to the rear of the passenger cab  12 , and is movable as indicated by arrow  66  between a lowered position  68  which blocks the movement of a passenger vehicle from entering the space  56  from behind the transit vehicle, to a raised position  70  where it does not block the movement of passenger vehicles. 
     Also, a video camera  71  is mounted beneath the passenger cab  12  and projects an image of the space  56  to a monitor (not shown) in the passenger cab to inform the driver of other vehicles beneath the elevated transit vehicle. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1,  2  and  5 , rail wheels  72  are mounted on the superstructure (not shown) of the passenger cab  12  and protrude upwardly from the passenger cab for the purpose of engaging suspended railways  74 . The rail wheels are positioned at the sides of the passenger cab, fore and aft, so as to balance the cab as it moves along the railways  74 . The rail wheels  72  are driven so as to propel the passenger cab along the railways. 
     As the passenger cab  12  is suspended on and moved along the railways  74 , the vertical wheel supports  16  can be retracted so as to disengage from the street  40 , if desired, as indicated by the arrows  75  of FIG.  5 . Typically, the transit vehicle will be moved on its steerable wheels  18  until its rail wheels engage the railways at an open end of the railways, and when the rail wheels make proper engagement with the railways, the wheel assemblies can be retracted, either by tilting as illustrated in FIG. 5, or by telescopic retraction, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,915. With this arrangement, the transit vehicle can pass through intersections or otherwise be transported in an elevated situation completely removed from the street  24  and the curbways  40 . 
     When the vehicle  10  is to land on the public street  24 , the wheel supports  16  will be moved back to their distended positions as illustrated in FIG. 5 for engagement with the street, and the rail wheels  72  will run off the ends of the suspended railway  74 . 
     The rail wheels  72  are driven on the suspended railways in the same manner as an industrial overhead powered trolley. Typically, the drive system for the elevated transit vehicle is by electric motor, powered by an on-board battery. The battery can be recharged from time to time, typically at one of the docking stations  26 . 
     An advantage of the inter-modal configuration of the elevated vehicle as shown in FIG. 5 is that the suspended railways can be suspended high over street intersections or s other areas where it is desirable not to have the transit vehicle travel at street level. This allows the elevated transit vehicle to travel through the intersections clearing not only the cars but also traffic signals, signs and other conventional obstructions. The elevated vehicle could thus travel through an intersection regardless of the traffic conditions without hazard to or from other passenger vehicles or even taller vehicles underneath. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of the disclosed embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.