Patent GB-799747-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in supporting structures for mono-rail systems
IPC: B60L15/00
Filed: 1956-08-10
Abstract: 799,747. Locomotives. ALWEG-FORSCHUNG GES. Aug. 10, 1956 [Aug. 16, 1955], No. 24551/56. Class 79(1) [Also in Group XXX] In a saddle type mono rail system the breadth of the supporting structure between the track surfaces for the lateral guide wheels varies along predetermined stretches of the track to release controls on the vehicle without the vehicle driver's assistance. The lateral guide wheels 10 are mounted on levers 11 pivoted about pins 12 located on the yoke shaped frames 13. The rear arms 17 of the lever 11 bear against springs 14, Fig. 1, and as the wheels 10 ride over the widened sections 16 of the supporting structure the arms 17 engage elements 18 which may embody supplementary springs, serve as switch contacts or may be combined with or embody mechanically, pneumatically or hydraulically acting shock absorber elements. In the arrangement shown, Fig. 3, the springs 14 of Fig. 1 are replaced by bellows 14 and the arms 17 of the levers 11 act through a rod 26 on a piston 19 in a cylinder 18. When the side wheels 10 ride on the widened part 16 of the supporting structure the piston 19 is forced into the cylinder 18 to close the channels 23 leading via chambers 20 to the bellows 14 so that the chambers 20 filled with compressed air, are now no longer in communication with the larger chamber 21 through a pipe connection 24. A relief valve 25 prevents excessive build up of pressure as the bellows 14 are further compressed by the levers 11. The arms 17 of the levers 11 are forked as shown in Fig. 4 or may be interconnected by a connecting rod which bears on the rod 26 so that the piston 19 will only close the channel 23 when both levers are deflected through a definite angle. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5-7 the double flanged supporting wheels 28 are driven by an electric motor 29 through a bevel gear drive 30, 31 arranged to pivot about the motor shaft. The side wheels 10 may be coupled with a drive 33 through magnetically controlled couplings 32 when contacts 34, 35 are closed by the widening of the supporting structure. The contacts 34, 35 are effective only when both pairs of levers on both sides of the structure ride over the widened section but remain unaffected if the width is increased on one side only or if the levers 11 are deflected in succession. To this effect the contact 35 is located on a balance arm 36 urged by springs 37 into contact with transmission rods 38, 39. The lower side wheels actuate contacts 40, 41 which produce control effects such as starting, braking or other safety actions only when the contacts on both sides of the beam are closed simultaneously. Various kinds of controls can be effected according to whether only the upper or lower or all contact groups are operated. Fig. 8 shows the vehicle negotiating a right hand curve and the supporting structure is widened at 16 along the upper wheel side track to compensate the centrifugal forces and to increase the spring resistance of the upper side wheels on the inside of the track. The beam structure is also widened at 16<SP>1</SP> on the outer side of the curve for the lower wheels and the increase in width tilts the vehicle against the action of the centrifugal force Since the supporting structure is only increased in width on one side only one pair of controls 34, 35 or 40, 41 will be closed and the control relays 42, 43 will not be operated. The control relays 42 or 43 will only be operated if both sets of contacts 34, 35 or 40, 41 are closed. The members widening the supporting structure may be attached thereto or formed integrally therewith. The vehicle may only be provided with two side wheels on each side of the vehicle.