Connecting system for trolley rails for transport vehicle

A connecting system for trolley rails at a shunt where tracks for a transport vehicle such as a magnetic levitation type linear motor car are turned off. A first trolley rail is supported on a stationary track girder and a second troley rail is supported on a movable track girder. A movable track girder can be moved from a position where one end thereof is aligned to a first stationary track girder to a position where the end thereof is aligned to a second stationary track girder. A third trolley rail is movably supported in a longitudinal direction thereof on a supporting member which is rotatably supported at one end thereof to a base portion of one end of the first trolley rail. A first slant surface is formed on each of end portions of the first and second trolley rails at an acute angle. Both end portions of the third trolley rail are formed with slant surfaces inclined at obtuse angles with the top peripheral edge of the third trolley rail. As the third trolley rail is inserted between the end portions of the first and second trolley rails, the third trolley rail is guided by the slant surfaces and the third trolley rail is connected with the first and second trolley rails.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a switching system for trolley rails for 
supplying electric power without interruption to transport vehicles, in 
particular railway vehicles driven by a linear motor system and trains 
using a magnetic levitation system, during traveling. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A transport vehicle such as a linear motor car adopting a magnetic 
levitation system or the like travels on a track girder fixed on the 
ground (hereinafter called as stationary track girder) and electric power 
required for the transport vehicle is supplied by contacting collector 
shoes of a current collecting apparatus installed in the transport vehicle 
with trolley rails (also called as third rails) supported on the track 
girders and connected to a power supply. 
A shunt for turning off the transport vehicle from a first stationary track 
girder to a second stationary track girder is operated such that a track 
girder movably arranged on the ground (hereinafter called a movable track 
girder) is applied and the movable track girder is moved from a position 
aligning with the first stationary track girder to a position aligning 
with the second stationary track girder so as to perform a shunt 
operation. Although the movable track girder also has the trolley rail as 
the same position as the position of the trolley rail fixed on the 
stationary track girder, there may occur non-continuous portions of a 
relative large-sized size between the ends of the trolley rails fixed to 
the stationary track girder and the end of the trolley rails fixed to the 
movable track girder as compared with the size of each of the collector 
shoes of the current collecting apparatus contacting with the trolley 
rails. Upon completion of the turning off of the movable track girder, 
there may frequently occur a stepping or a difference in level at the 
sliding surfaces of the trolley rails to which the collector shoes of the 
current collecting apparatus are contracting at the non-continuous 
portions. In this case, sliding of the collector shoes of the current 
collecting apparatus against the trolley rails may not be carried out 
smoothly causing the collector shoe and the trolley rails to be damaged. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a connecting 
system for trolley rails for transport vehicles in which a trolley rail 
for a transport vehicle supported on a movable track girder and a trolley 
rail for a transport vehicle supported on a stationary track girder are 
connected without producing any non-continuous portion. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connecting 
system for trolley rails for transport vehicles in which a trolley rail 
for the transport vehicle supported on a movable track girder and the 
trolley rail for the transport vehicle supported on a stationary track 
girder are connected without producing any stepping or difference in level 
in sliding surfaces against collector shoes of a current collecting device 
installed in the transport vehicle. 
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a 
connecting system for trolley rails for transport vehicles in which the 
connection between trolley rails without producing any non-continuous 
portions as described above and without producing any stepping or 
difference in level in sliding surfaces as described above may easily be 
carried out. 
According to the present invention, the connecting system for trolley rails 
for transport vehicles is comprised of a supporting member movably 
supported in a direction crossing moving direction of a movable track 
girder movable to a position for turning off the transport vehicle to a 
stationary track girder at an end portion of a first trolley rail 
supported on the stationary track girder; a second trolley rail having an 
end thereof and supported on the movable track girder; a third trolley 
rail having a length to be inserted between an end of the first trolley 
rail supported on the stationary track girder and an end of the second 
trolley rail supported on the movable track girder; supporting means for 
supporting the third trolley rail on a supporting member; spring means 
arranged between the third trolley rail and the supporting member; and 
shifting means for moving the supporting member between a connecting 
position where the third trolley rail is connected at both ends to the 
first and second trolley rails and a connection releasing position where 
the third trolley rail is moved away from the first and second trolley 
rails. 
At the ends of the first and second trolley rails, there is formed first 
slant surface inclined in the longitudinal direction of each of the first 
and second trolley rails, respectively. The third trolley rail is formed 
at their both ends with second slant surfaces inclined in a longitudinal 
direction of the third trolley rail to fit the first slant surfaces formed 
at each ends of the first and second trolley rails. The supporting means 
movably support the third trolley rail in the longitudinal direction of 
the supporting member by a predetermined distance in the longitudinal 
direction of the third trolley rail, and spring means apply a spring force 
against the third trolley rail toward both longitudinal directions. With 
such an arrangement, the third trolley rail is supported by the supporting 
means at a position where the spring forces are balanced in both 
directions and when the external force is acted thereupon in the 
longitudinal directions, the third trolley rail can be moved in the 
longitudinal directions relative to the longitudinal direction of the 
supporting member within a range of the predetermined distance. 
In addition, the first slant surface and the second slant surface are 
formed with guiding means for engaging with each other and guiding the 
third trolley rail in order to side surfaces of the third trolley rail 
which are to be contacted with the collector shoes of the current 
collecting apparatus for the transport vehicle to cause to be in flush 
with side surfaces of the first and second trolley rails where the 
collector shoes of the current collecting apparatus are to be contacted 
therewith. 
In accordance with the present invention, when the movable track girder is 
moved to a position where the transport vehicle is to be turn of to the 
stationary track girder, the supporting member shunted at the connection 
releasing position is brought by the shifting means to the connecting 
position, thereby the third trolley rail supported on the supporting 
member is inserted between the end portions of the first trolley rail 
supported on the stationary track girder and the end portion of the second 
trolley rail supported on the movable track girder, resulting in that the 
second slant surfaces formed at both ends of the third trolley rail are 
abutted against the first slant surfaces formed at the end portions of the 
first and second trolley rails. The supporting means and the spring means 
may adjust the longitudinal positions of the third trolley rails when the 
second slant surfaces formed at both ends of the third trolley rail are 
abutted against the first slant surfaces formed at the end portions of the 
first and second trolley rails. In turn, the guiding means formed at the 
slant surfaces may assure the connection between the first, second and 
third trolley rails and further assure that both side surfaces of the 
first, second and third trolley rails being extended in a same plane and 
no stepping or difference in level being produced at the surface where the 
collector shoes provided in the current collecting apparatus for the 
transport vehicle are to be slidably contacted. 
When the movable track girder is to be moved, the supporting member is 
moved to the connection releasing position in a direction crossing a 
moving direction of the movable track girder by a shifting means and then 
the supporting member is shunted from the moving range of the movable 
track girder together with the third trolley rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate a shunt where a movable track girder 
2 is moved between a first stationary track girder 1aand a second 
stationary track girder 1b. The shunt allows for the turning off of a 
transport vehicle. Reference numeral 4 denotes a trolley rail connected to 
a positive terminal of power supply, reference numeral 5 denotes a trolley 
rail connected to a negative terminal of the power supply and reference 
numerals 7 denote insulators supported on each of the track girders 1a, 1b 
and 2. 
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view for showing an end surface of the 
movable track girder 2. On the movable track girder 2, the trolley rail 4 
is supported by the insulator 7 on a bracket 6 fixed to one side surface 
of a track girder 2a, and the trolley rail 5 is similarly supported at the 
other side surface of the track girder 2a by the bracket 6 and the 
insultor 7. Rails 3 for guiding a transport vehicle 51 are fixed to both 
side edge portions of top surface of the track girder 2a by brackets, 
respectively. In this figure, the transport vehicle 51 is a linear motor 
car levitated by a magnetic retracting force between the rails 3 and 
electromagnets 52 arranged on truck bodies of the transport vehicle 51. To 
one side surface of the track girder 2a is supported a signal line 8 as 
required. 
The manner of supporting the rails 3 and the trolley rails 4 and 5 in the 
stationary track girders 1a and 1b is the same as that in the movable 
track girder 2, therefore a description thereof will be eliminated. A 
connecting system for the trolley rails to be described later has the same 
configuration as to the connection for the trolley rail 4 connected to the 
positive terminal of the power supply as to the connection for the trolley 
rail 5 connected to the negative terminal of the power supply, so that 
only the connection for the trolley rail 4 will be described. 
In FIG. 4, reference numerals 4a and 4b denote a portion of the trolley 
rail 4 connected to the negative terminal of the power supply, 
respectively, wherein reference numeral 4a denotes a first trolley rail 
supported on the stationary track girder 1a and reference numeral 4b 
denotes a second trolley rail supported on the movable track girder 2, 
respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, since the movable track girder 2 is 
moved between one position where it is aligned with the first stationary 
track girder 1a and the other position where it is aligned with the 
second stationary track girder 1b, there may be generated a relative large 
spacing between the first trolley rail 4a and the second trolley rail 4b. 
Thus, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, a third trolley rail 
11 is prepared for connecting the end of the first trolley rail 4a with 
the end of the second trolley rail 4b. The third trolley rail 11 has the 
same configuration as the first and the second trolley rails 4a and 4b. 
The third trolley rail 11 is supported on a supporting member 10 pivotally 
supported by a supporting pivot 9 at an end portion of the first trolley 
rail 4a supported on the stationary track girders 1a and 1b. The 
supporting pivot 9 is connected to a base portion of the first trolley 
rail 4a or a fixing member 26 thereof to avoid placing the pivot 9 on a 
side surface near the top portion of the first trolley rail 4a across 
which the collector shoes (not shown) of a current collecting apparatus 
for the transport vehicle slides. On the supporting pivot 9, one 
longitudinal end of the supporting member 10 is rotatably supported. 
The supporting member 10 is constructed such that two plate-like members 
having a length extending from lower portions of free end of the first 
trolley rail 4a supported on stationary track girders 1a and 1b, 
respectively, to lower portions of free end of the second trolley rail 4b 
supported on the movable truck girder 2 are fixed while a spacing being 
held between these members. The third trolley rail 11 is made such that 
both side surfaces near the top peripheral portion for contacting with the 
shoes of the current collecting apparatus for the transport vehicle are 
exposed out of the upper peripheral edges of the two plate-like members 
constituting the supporting member 10 and then either the base portion or 
the fixing member 26 is inserted between the two plate-like members. Pins 
12a are fixed to either one of the supporting member 10 or the third 
trolley rail 11 in a direction of width of the supporting member 10, and 
long holes 12b having longitudinal direction thereof along a longitudinal 
direction of the supporting member 10 are formed in the other one. 
Further, each of the pins 12a is inserted into each of the long holes 12b 
to support the third trolley rail 11 in such a way that the third rail 11 
can be moved in its longitudinal direction in respect to the longitudinal 
direction of the supporting member 10. Within each of the long holes 12b 
are arranged coil springs 13a and 13b of which one ends are abutted 
against one of both longitudinal ends of the long holes 12b and of which 
the other ends are abutted against the pins 12a, respectively. Biasing 
force of the coil springs 13a and 13b for biasing the third trolley rail 
11 is affected to the pins toward both longitudinal directions of the 
supporting member 10. When a large external force is not acted upon the 
third trolley rail 11, the third trolley rail 11 is held at the position 
where the spring force of the coil springs 13a and 13b providing 
two-directional biasing force are balanced. In an embodiment illustrated 
in FIG. 5, the pins 12a are fixed to the supporting member 10 and the long 
holes 12b are formed in the third trolley rail 11. 
While the movable track girder 2 is moving, the supporting pivot 9 
functions for retracting the supporting member 10 and the third trolley 
rail 11 from the moving range of the movable track girder 2 and the second 
trolley rail 4b to cause the supporting member 10 to be moved in a 
direction crossing with the moving direction of the movable track girder 
2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the movable track girder 2 and the 
second trolley rail 4b are moved in the horizontal plane (a plane 
perpendicular to the sheet), the supporting pivot 9 has its center axis in 
the horizontal plane to cause the supporting member to be moved in a 
vertical plane (a plane parallel with the sheet). 
At the end portion of the first trolley rail 4a supported on the stationary 
track girder 1a and the end portion of the second trolley rail 4b 
supported on the movable track girder 2 are formed linear slant surfaces 
4c and 4d inclined in the longitudinal directions of the trolley rails 4a 
and 4b and crossing at a predetermined acute angle .alpha. to top 
peripheral edge of the trolley rails 4a and 4b. At both ends of the third 
trolley rail 11 supported on the supporting member 10 are formed linear 
slant surfaces 11a and 11b crossing at an angle .beta. to top peripheral 
edge of each of the third trolley rail 11 in the longitudinal direction 
thereof in which the angle .beta. is a value subtacted angle .alpha. from 
180.degree.. On each of the slant surfaces 4c and 4d formed at the first 
and second trolley rails 4a and 4b is formed with a linear groove 15 
having its center on center line 53 (FIG. 4) in a direction of width of 
each of the trolley rails 4a and 4b. In turn, on each of the slant 
surfaces 11a and 11b formed at both ends of the third trolley rail 11 is 
formed with a linear projection 14 having its center on the center line 53 
in a direction of width of the third trolley rail 11. Side surfaces in 
parallel with the center line 53 of the projections 14 function to closely 
engage with the side walls of the grooves 15 in parallel with the center 
line so as to cause both side surfaces of the third trolley rail 11 
contacting with the collector shoes of the current collecting apparatus 
for the transport vehicle and both side surfaces of the first and second 
trolley rails 4a and 4b contacting with the collector shoes of the current 
collecting apparatus for the transport vehicle to be present in the same 
plane. 
As shown in FIG. 5, free end portion formed with the slant surfce 4d in the 
second trolley rail 4b supported on the movable track girder 2 lacks the 
base portion or the fixing member 26 thereof described in reference to the 
first trolley rail 4a. The supporting member 10 is moved downward with one 
end thereof with the supporting pivot 9 as a center of rotation by a 
shifting means which is to be described later and then the supporting 
member 10 is held at a position where the end portion of the third trolley 
rail 11 at the side opposing against the movable track girder 2 is lower 
than that of the second trolley rail 4b (this position being defined as a 
connection releasing position). When the movable track girder 2 is moved 
up to a position aligning with the stationary track girder 1a and stopped, 
the supporting member 10 is lifted up by the shifting means around the 
supporting pivot 9. With this lifting movement, the projection 14 formed 
at the slant surface 11a of the end portion of the third trolley rail 11 
opposing against the end portion of the first trolley rail 4a is inserted 
into the groove 15 formed in the slant surface 4c of the first trolley 
rail 4a, and then the projection 14b formed at the slant surface 11b of 
the end portion of the third trolley rail 11 opposing against the end 
portion of the second trolley rail 4b is inserted into the groove 15 
formed in the slant surface 4d of the second trolley rail 4b, resulting in 
that the slant surfaces 11a and 4c are abutted and contacted to each other 
and further the slant surfaces 11b and 4d are also abutted and contacted 
to each other. With such an arrangement, there trolley rails, the first, 
second and third trolley rails 4a, 4b and 11, are connected with each 
other. This state is indicated by a solid line in FIG. 5, wherein a 
position indicated by the solid line in the supporting member 10 is 
defined as a connecting position. 
The trolley rails may generate their extended or retracted states under a 
variation of their temperatures. Accordingly, a distance between one end 
of the first trolley rail 4a and one end of the second trolley rail 4b is 
varied in seasons, and the longitudinal length of the third trolley rail 
11 is also varied in seasons. However, the slant surfaces 4c and 4d formed 
at each of the end portions of the first and second trolley rails 4a and 
4b are inclined against the top peripheral edge of each of the rails at an 
acute angle .alpha. in respect to the top peripheral edge thereof. The 
slant surfaces 11a and 11b formed at both ends of the third trolley rail 
11 are inclined at an obtuse angle .beta. in which the angle .beta. is 
subtracted angle .alpha. from 180.degree. in respect to the top peripheral 
edge of the rail, so that irrespective of the longitudinal extension or 
retraction of the three trolley rails 4a, 4b and 11, the abutting and 
contacting of the slant surface to each other are positively carried out 
and they have no trouble in their connections. Each of the trolley rails 
4a, 4b and 11 has the same cross-sectional shape at the portion to which 
the collector shoes of the current collecting apparatus of the transport 
vehicle are contacted. The projection 14 and the groove 15 are formed 
around the center line of a section at a plane perpendicular to the 
longitudinal direction of each of the trolley rails as the center of 
symmetry, so that both side surfaces of the connecting portions of the 
third rail 11 and the trolley rails 4a and 4b and to which the collector 
shoes of the current collecting apparatus contacted are always located in 
the same plane without having any relation with a variation in temperature 
under an engagement between the projection 14 and the groove 15. And at 
the same time, there is no stepping or difference in level in the 
connecting portions. As a result, the collector shoes of the current 
collecting apparatus can be smoothly contacted with the trolley rails 4a, 
4b and 11. When each of the trolley rails 4a, 4b and 11 is extended due to 
an increased surrounding air temperature, even if the top peripheral 
portion of the third trolley rail 11 is located at a lower position than 
that of the first and second trolley rails 4a and 4 b or when each of the 
trolley rails 4a, 4b and 11 is reduced due to a reduction of a surrounding 
air temperature, the top peripheral portion of the third trolley rail 11 
is located at a higher position than that of the first and second trolley 
rails 4a and 4b, the connecting system for trolley rails for transport 
vehicle in which the collector shoes of the current collecting apparatus 
are to be contacted to both side surfaces of the trolley rails according 
to the present invention may not influence the current collection 
performed by the current collecting apparatus. 
As shown in FIG. 6, the shifting means 16 is comprised of a driving 
cylinder 17 fixed to an end surface of a track girder 1c at the 
longitudinal end of the stationary track girder 1a through a bracket, a 
piston rod positively driven in an upward or downward direction with a 
hydraulic pressure supplied to the driving cylinder 17, linkage levers 19 
connected to a piston rod 18 through a connecting lever 20, and swing arms 
22 of which one end is rotatably connected to the lower end of the linkage 
lever 19 and the central portion of which is rotatably supported by a 
fulerum 21 supported on a bracket fixed to the track girder 1c. As shown 
in FIG. 5, a bracket 23 having an elliptical through-hole 25 is fixed to 
the bottom peripheral edge of the supporting member 10, and the other end 
of the swing arm 22 is loosely inserted into the through hole 25. When the 
position rod 18 of the shifting means 16 is moved downwardly with 
hydraulic oil supplied to the driving cylinder 17, the supporting members 
10 are caused to be lifted up and further the supporting members 10 is 
caused to move to the connecting position. When the piston rod 18 of the 
shifting means is moved to upwardly, the supporting members 10 is caused 
to be lowered and further the supporting members 10 is caused to move to 
the connection releasing position. 
The shifting means 16 is provided with insulators 24 at required locations 
so as to prevent an electrical leakage from the third trolley rails 11. To 
the supporting member 10 a canti-levered plate-like spring seat 28 is 
fixed through a bracket. A compression spring 27 is placed between the 
free end of the spring seat 28 and the bottom peripheral edge of the first 
trolley rail 4a to bias the supporting member 10 to be held at its 
connecting position. Even if the driving cylinder 17 in the shifting means 
16 is suffered with leakage of hydraulic oil, the connected states of the 
first, second and third trolley rails 4a, 4b and 11 are kept under the 
presence of the spring 27 and thus the connection of these trolley rails 
may not be damaged. 
In FIG. 6, it is shown that a pair of shifting means 16 and 16 are operated 
by a single driving cylinder 17. As described in detail, one of the pair 
of shifting means 16 and 16 is a shifting means for the supporting members 
10 for use in connecting the trolley rails 4a and 4b connected to the 
positive terminal of the power supply with the third trolley rail 11. The 
other shifting means 16 is a sifting means for a supporting member for use 
in connecting the trolley rail 5 connected to the negative terminal of the 
power supply with a third trolley rail of which description is eliminated. 
Connection of the trolley rail 5 for the negative terminal with the third 
trolley rail by using the supporting member is similarly carried out by 
the method described in reference to the connection of the trolley rails 
4a and 4b for the positive terminal. 
In the aforesaid embodiment, the shifting means 16 are arranged at the end 
surface of the track girder 1c at the longitudinal end of the stationary 
track girder 1a. However, the shifting means 16 may have the same result 
as that of the aforesaid embodiment described above in case where they are 
arranged at the end surface of the track girder 2a in the movable track 
girder 2. In this case, after the movable track girder 2 is aligned with 
the stationary track girder 1a and stopped, connection of the ends of the 
swing levers 22 to the brackets 23 of the supporting members 10 is carried 
out. Further, the driving cylinder 17 can be also utilized as a driving 
cylinder arranged for moving other devices such as the rail 3 of the 
movable track girder 2. 
In the aforesaid embodiment, the supporting member 10 is illustrated as one 
to be supported at the base portion of the first trolley rail 4a by the 
supporting pivot 9. However, the same effect as that of the aforesaid 
embodiment can be attained in a case where the third trolley rail 11 is 
supported at the base portion of the first trolley rail 4a by the linkage 
mechanism so as to cause them to be moved keeping the longitudinal 
direction thereof in parallel with the first trolley rail 4a. 
In the aforeseid embodiment, the projection 14 is provided at each of both 
ends of the third trolley rail 11 and the groove 15 is formed at each of 
the end portions of the first and second trolley rails 4a and 4b. However, 
the same result as that of the aforesaid embodiment can be attained in a 
case where the groove 15 is arranged at each of both ends of the third 
trolley rail 11 and the projection 14 is arranged at each of the end 
portions of the first and second trolley rails 4a and 4b, respectively. 
Further, the same result as that of the aforesaid embodiment can be 
attained in a case where the projection 14 is arranged at one end of each 
of the third trolley rail 11, the groove 15 is provided at the other end 
of each of the third trolley rail 11, and the opposing end portions of the 
first and second trolley rails 4a and 4b are provided with either grooves 
15 or projections 14 engaging with the former projection 14 or the former 
groove 15. 
In addition, in the present invention, the same result as that of the 
aforesaid embodiment can be attained in a case where the slant surfaces 
formed at both ends of the third trolley rail are of the same projections 
or grooves having triangular, circular and elliptical sections with the 
center line in the section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of 
the trolley rails or the line in parallel with the center line being an 
appendix point and the end portions of the opposing first and second 
trolley rails are formed with either the projections of grooves engaged 
with the former projections or grooves.