Abstract:
Rail for self-propelled electric trucks, with the rail ( 2 ) having a base part ( 6 ) and C-shaped side flanks ( 8, 10 ) which engage over side wheels ( 12 ) of the truck ( 4 ). In order to improve the rail, each C-shaped side flank ( 8, 10 ) has a central running area ( 14 ), which is offset outwards, for side guide rollers ( 16 ) of the truck ( 4 ) and upper and lower supporting services ( 18, 20 ) which run at an angle to the wheel ( 12 ) for the side wheels ( 12 ), with the running area ( 14 ) and the supporting areas ( 18, 20 ) being used alternately.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority of PCT application PCT/EP2005/012538 having a priority date of Nov. 23, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention concerns a rail for a self-propelled electric trolley. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Rails of the type mentioned above are known from many examples. 
         [0004]    CH 515 819 describes such a rail in which the C-shaped sides of the rails engage the side wheels of the trolley. The wheels in turn run on the upper or lower edges of the C-shaped sides. For lateral support, radially projecting support rims, which function in concert with the side parts of the sides of the rail, are provided along the circumferential running surfaces of the trolley wheels on the side facing away from the sides. Because they can be easily damaged, the support rims make the trolley wheels relatively complicated and vulnerable. The support rims may also cause damage to a surface on which the trolley is placed outside the rail. Finally, the rail is also relatively complicated, because it requires a ledge on which the support rims can be supported laterally to be present between the sides and the base part of the rail. In overhead suspension operation, the support rim exerts force on the outer edge of the sides, making it necessary for these parts to be of thick construction to prevent bending. They therefore require a relatively high amount of material and are thus costly. 
         [0005]    WO95/14599 presents an improved rail in which the C-shaped sides connect evenly to the base part and no ledges are necessary. For the trolley wheels, the support rims are replaced by lateral guide wheels within the wheels, which abut the center of the sides. Because the guide wheels engage the center of the sides, less supporting force needs to be exerted by the sides and the rails can therefore be of lighter construction as a result of the supporting forces acting at a lower level. However, this rail may only be used by trolleys with lateral guide rollers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The object of the invention is to create a novel type of rail, which allows mixed operation of trolleys with and without lateral guiding rollers. 
         [0007]    If each C-shaped side features a central, outwardly displaced running area for the lateral guide rollers of the trolley and upper and lower support surfaces for the side wheel inclined towards the wheel, where the running areas and the support surfaces areas are used in alternation, then the rail can be used by both trolleys with simple wheels without support rims and by trolleys with lateral guide rollers. The simple wheels rest on the lower support surfaces when the trolley is driven on a normal level, or on the upper support surfaces when the trolley is driven suspended overhead. On trolleys with lateral guide rollers, these rollers abut the middle running area of the C-shaped sides of the rails. The novel rail thus facilitates mixed operation by both types of vehicles. 
         [0008]    The special profiling of the C-shaped sides of the rails reduces the bending of the sides when overhead suspension is employed. Less material is required to construct the rail, while at the same time the trolley can be loaded more heavily. The space gained through the upper guide bevel of the side can be used for integrating the assembly grooves. 
         [0009]    Advantageous configurations of the rails are detailed in the following exemplary embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail with reference to the drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  A rail with a trolley without lateral guide rollers, frontal view; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  A rail with a trolley with lateral guide rollers, frontal view 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  The rail shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  without trolley; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  Diagrammatic illustration of the rail shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  Side view of the connection between two rail segments; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  Side view of the connection between two rail segments with expansion joint; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  The rail shown in  FIG. 3  only with power rails; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  The rail shown in  FIG. 7  in section VIII-VIII from  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  The rail shown in  FIG. 7  in section IX-IX from  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  Diagrammatic illustration of a concave rail segment; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  Diagrammatic illustration of a convex rail segment; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  Diagrammatic illustration of a laterally curved rail segment; 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  A base segment part for connecting the sides of the rail shown in  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a cross section of a segment of a conveyor system that features rails  2  in which a self-propelled trolley  4  is arranged. One such rail  2  features a base part  6  and C-shaped sides  8 ,  10 , which enclose the side wheels  12  of the trolley  4 . The C-shaped sides  8 ,  10  each feature a central, outwardly displaced running area  14  for the lateral guide rollers  16  of the trolley, as well as upper and lower support surfaces  18 ,  20 , each inclined towards the wheel  12 . One and the same rail is thus suited for trolleys  4  that feature lateral guide rollers  16 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and for trolleys  4  without lateral guide rollers, but on which the wheels  12  simply abut the support surfaces  18 ,  20 . 
         [0025]    The wheels  12  and the guide rollers  16  are generally non-powered wheels or rollers without any drive function. Drive is provided on the one hand by a frictional wheel  22  functioning in concert with a corresponding frictional surface  24  of the rail  2 , and/or a cog  26  functioning together with a cog rail  28  of the rail  2 . Sliding contacts  30 ,  32 ,  34  function together with power rails  36 ,  38 ,  40  in the rail and serve to transmit current on the one hand and provide switching and control functions on the other hand. 
         [0026]    The details of the rail and its function are illustrated in greater detail in  FIGS. 3 through 13  and are further described below. 
         [0027]    In the respective upper portion of the C-shaped sides  8 ,  10 , the rail  2  features dovetailed assembly grooves  42 ,  44 , which accommodate the clampable connection strips  46  for connecting adjoining rail segments  2   a ,  2   b  to one another. Additional assembly grooves  48 ,  50  for accommodating connection strips  46  are arranged on the bottom side of the base part  6  of the rail  2 . To provide a secure connection between adjoining rail sections  2   a ,  2   b , the connection strips  46  feature clamping screws  52  for each rail section  2   a ,  2   b  as  FIG. 5  illustrates. To create an expansion joint  54  between segments  2   a ,  2   b , the connection strips  46  are fastened to only one rail segment  2   b  by means of clamping screws  52 , while the connection strip  46  is displaceably arranged in the other rail segment  2   a  as  FIG. 6  shows. 
         [0028]    The power rails  36 ,  38 ,  40  are fastened with the aid of sliders  56 , which feature a block part  58  with molded feet  60 ,  62 , which engage the dovetailed assembly grooves  64  of the rails  2 . Driven dowel pins  66  between the feet  60 ,  62  prevent the sliders  56  from separating from the base part  6 . In  FIGS. 7 and 9 , the dowel pins  66  are shown prior to being driven into the opening  68  between the feet  60 ,  62 . Recesses  70  for accommodating the power rails  36 ,  38 ,  40  are arranged in the block part  58 . Lateral to the block part  58  are snap-in pins  72 , which feature snap-in hooks  74 ,  76  oriented away from one another, which function together with facing snap-in strips  78 ,  80  of the hollow power rails  36 ,  38 ,  40 . To facilitate connection to a power supply, the heads  82  of contact screws  84  extending through the block part  58  of the slider  56  and the base part  6  of the rail  2  to the opposite side thereof are arranged in the power rails  36 ,  38 ,  40 . As  FIGS. 1 through 3  reflect, the contact screws  84  are secured by means of a first nut  86 , while a second nut  88  serves for clamping the power supply connection  90 . 
         [0029]    Arranged on the bottom side of the base part  6  is an additional dovetailed assembly groove  92  for the purpose of fastening cable clips  94 . The latter features clipping feet  96 ,  98 , which engage the assembly groove  92  and between which a dowel pin  100  is arranged to prevent the feet from separating from the assembly groove  92 . The cable clips  94  arranged at specific intervals on the bottom side of the base part  6  serve to hold all types of lines such as power supply lines and control lines. The bottom side of the base part  6  can also ultimately be covered with a cover  102  that features side fastening strips  104 ,  106  that engage corresponding insert grooves  108 ,  110  on the bottom side of the base part. 
         [0030]    An additional dovetailed assembly groove  112  for securing the cog rail  28  is arranged on the top side of the base part  6 . 
         [0031]    A rail of this kind can be bent to form an inside curve as shown in  FIG. 10  or an outside curve as shown in  FIG. 11 . For this purpose, the rail can be bent as a whole unit in the manner shown. 
         [0032]    To form an inside or outside curve as shown in  FIG. 12 , the C-shaped sides  8   a  and  10   a  must be individually bent according to the desired curvature radius and then connected to one another using the base segment parts  6   a.    
         [0033]    The new rail is suited not only for mixed operation by trolleys with and without lateral guide rollers, but, thanks to the assembly grooves and the insert-and-clip connections, can be employed universally, is easy to retrofit, and can be assembled quickly and easily. Rails can be removed and later reused in a simple manner. No complicated tools are required. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Reference number list 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                  2 
                 Rail 
               
               
                   
                  2a, 2b 
                 Rail segment 
               
               
                   
                  4 
                 Trolley 
               
               
                   
                  6 
                 Base part 
               
               
                   
                  6a 
                 Base segment part 
               
               
                   
                  8, 8a 
                 C-shaped side 
               
               
                   
                  10, 10a 
                 C-shaped side 
               
               
                   
                  12 
                 Wheel 
               
               
                   
                  14 
                 Running area 
               
               
                   
                  16 
                 Guide roller 
               
               
                   
                  18, 20 
                 Support surface 
               
               
                   
                  22 
                 Frictional wheel 
               
               
                   
                  24 
                 Frictional surface 
               
               
                   
                  26 
                 Cog 
               
               
                   
                  28 
                 Cog rail 
               
               
                   
                  30, 32, 34 
                 Sliding contact 
               
               
                   
                  36, 38, 40 
                 Power rail 
               
               
                   
                  42 
                 Assembly groove on 8 
               
               
                   
                  44 
                 Assembly groove on 10 
               
               
                   
                  46 
                 Connection strip 
               
               
                   
                  48 
                 Assembly groove on 6 
               
               
                   
                  50 
                 Assembly groove on 6 
               
               
                   
                  52 
                 Clamping screw 
               
               
                   
                  54 
                 Expansion joint 
               
               
                   
                  56 
                 Slider 
               
               
                   
                  58 
                 Block part 
               
               
                   
                  60, 62 
                 Foot 
               
               
                   
                  64 
                 Assembly groove 
               
               
                   
                  66 
                 Dowel pin 
               
               
                   
                  68 
                 Opening 
               
               
                   
                  70 
                 Recess 
               
               
                   
                  72 
                 Snap-in pin 
               
               
                   
                  74, 76 
                 Snap-in hook 
               
               
                   
                  78, 80 
                 Snap-in strip 
               
               
                   
                  82 
                 Head 
               
               
                   
                  84 
                 Contact screw 
               
               
                   
                  86 
                 First nut 
               
               
                   
                  88 
                 Second nut 
               
               
                   
                  90 
                 Power supply connection 
               
               
                   
                  92 
                 Assembly groove 
               
               
                   
                  94 
                 Cable clip 
               
               
                   
                  96, 98 
                 Foot 
               
               
                   
                 100 
                 Dowel pin 
               
               
                   
                 102 
                 Cover 
               
               
                   
                 104, 106 
                 Fastening strip 
               
               
                   
                 108, 110 
                 Insert groove 
               
               
                   
                 112 
                 Assembly groove for 28