Patent ID: 7584703

Claim:
An overhead crane track comprising: a carriage including load attachment means, runner wheels, power feed means and drive means; and a profile member having a cross-section with a c-shaped configuration defining a through slot to accommodate the load attachment means of said carriage, a first chamber to accommodate the power feed means and a part of the drives means of said carriage and a second chamber to accommodate the runner wheels of said carriage, wherein said through slot includes an internal surface and a groove passage provided at said internal surface, wherein said groove passage in said through slot accommodates a magnetic strip, wherein said carriage comprises a reading head and said reading head is configured to measure incremental travel distance by said magnetic strip, wherein said drive means comprises a toothed drive including a drive bar and wherein said toothed drive comprises a drive pinion and said drive pinion is mounted pivotably in such a way that it can be moved selectively into and out of engagement with the drive bar.