Patent GB-1117681-A (GB)
Title: Automatically controlled passenger vehicle system
IPC: B60L13/00
Filed: 1965-06-22
Abstract: 1,117,681. Railway system and control. TELETRANS CORP. 22 June, 1965 [22 July, 1964], No. 26353/65. Headings B7L and B7N. In a passenger transport system, in which vehicles carrying two passengers run on a rail system which is enclosed in a conduit running above, on or below ground level, the main line is a constant speed loop and stations are constructed on passing sidings to which suitably addressed vehicles are diverted from the main loop and from which vehicles are accelerated to join the main loop. Computer means are provided for controlling the progress of the vehicles. The conduit 10, Fig. 13, is formed with insulated walls 90 which are provided with windows and when elevated may be supported above roadways, &c., on e.g. concrete arches, Figs. 3 and 4 (not shown). Cross members 92 bolted to the base of the conduit support the track 20, 22 and a walkway 106. Each track rail is C-shaped in section and includes an upstanding portion 30 on which the vehicle wheels run and a turned over upper portion 26 which co-operates with an extension 166 of each axle to prevent the vehicle leaving the track. On approach to a junction, Figs. 10 and 11, a vehicle which has to be diverted from the main loop receives a signal from the computer and as a result a pillar 246 supporting a cam follower wheel 60 and positioned to one side of the vehicle on the cross centre line thereof is raised to an operative position. At the junction a curved cam rail 62 is provided vertically spaced from the rails 20, 22, the web and upper portion of the rail 20 is cut away over a length 66 and the rail 22 is interrupted to accept a rail 78 of the siding track. The wheeled cam follower 60 of the vehicle entering the junction engages cam rail 62 and tilts the vehicle slightly so that the outer vehicle wheels leave the rail 20 at the cut away portion 66 and the vehicle is supported by the inner wheels on rail 78 and the cam wheel on rail 62 until the outer wheels engage the second rail 80 of the siding track. A portion of the upper part of rail 22 is cut away to allow the outer wheels to clear this rail. The vehicles may be driven by compressed air or by linear induction motor; in the first arrangement, Figs. 5-9 (not shown), the rear axle of each vehicle is made of large diameter and compresses a flexible tube positioned between the tracks and connected to the input and output of an air pump to form a closed circuit. The pressure of air in the tube to the rear of the axle drives the vehicle. In the second arrangement, Fig. 12, a slotted stator 190 carrying a 3-phase winding 196 is positioned between the rails and the front and rear wheel assemblies of each vehicle carry an armature 176 which are connected by ball joints 182 to a connecting armature 184. The windings are cooled by air drawn in from outside the conduit via a duct 198 and discharged via exit 204. In the linear drive motor arrangement the vehicle is supported on front and rear subassemblies 134, 136 each of which includes a U-shaped frame 146 connected to the vehicle body by a pivot pin 148 and supporting a pair of axles 160. The wheels are formed with double flanges and a rubber tread. Ticket purchasing machines are provided at each station and supply tickets punched in accordance with the destination of the traveller. These tickets when inserted in a punch card reading apparatus in each train vehicle energize a series of lights on a vehicle panel which are read by photo-electric means on a panel positioned on the track and the information passed to a central computer. When the computer decides that the main loop is free to accept the vehicle the same series of lights on the track panel are energized and read by photo-electric means on the train whereby the cam follower 60 is raised and the vehicle moves from the siding and accelerates to the constant loop speed before joining the loop. On entering the loop the cam follower is engaged by an overhead mechanism, Figs. 39-41 (not shown), whereby the follower is lowered to its retracted position. As the vehicle approaches its destination a trackside panel is energized by the computer to display the same series of lights and the photo-electric apparatus on the train on reading the display raises the cam follower and the vehicle is diverted from the main track to its destination siding.