Patent ID: 8250990

Claim:
A magnetic levitation railway, comprising: a driveway ( 2 , 3 ) having a reaction rail ( 8 ); and a vehicle ( 1 ) being movably arranged on the driveway in parallel to said reaction rail ( 8 ) and being provided with an eddy-current brake ( 20 ), said eddy-current brake ( 20 ) having at least one brake magnet ( 21 ) destined to cooperate with the reaction rail ( 8 ) and to keep a certain distance to said reaction rail, said at least one brake magnet ( 21 ) having at least one magnet pole provided with a winding ( 25 ), said magnet pole developing apart from a braking force acting in the direction of travel also a normal force acting vertically to the reaction rail ( 8 ) and depending on the travel speed when said winding ( 25 ) is excited, wherein said brake magnet ( 21 ) includes a gliding plate ( 34 ) and movably mounted to the vehicle ( 1 ) and transversely to the reaction rail ( 8 ) in such a manner that said at least one brake magnet ( 21 ) abuts said reaction rail ( 8 ) with said gliding plate ( 34 ) when a normal force exceeds a pre-determined value, wherein a frictional force occurring as soon as the at least one brake magnet ( 21 ) rests against the reaction rail ( 8 ) renders an additional braking effect, and wherein said gliding plate ( 34 ) covers said windings of said brake magnet ( 21 ).