Patent ID: 7739960

Claim:
A single-rail lower-flange running gear for hoisting machines, said running gear comprising: a plurality of wheels running along a rail; a right side shield and a left side shield, wherein said plurality of wheels is mounted on said right side shield and said left side shield, wherein at least two of said plurality of wheels are driven wheels arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the running gear and are adapted to be jointly driven by an electric motor; at least two shafts joined to said driven wheels, said at least two shafts being oriented coaxially to the axis of rotation of said driven wheels and being drivable by said electric motor, wherein at least one of said right side shield and said left side shield includes hollow projecting hubs on an inner side, wherein each of said at least two driven wheels is supported on an outer circumference of a respective one of said hollow projecting hubs, and wherein said at least two shafts are positioned through said hollow projecting hubs and through said at least one of said right side shield and said left side shield; wherein the other of said right side shield and said left side shield includes at least one solid projecting hub on an inner side thereof, opposite said hollow projecting hubs, wherein said at least one solid projecting hub supports a respective one of said plurality of wheels at said other of said right side shield and said left side shield; at least two gears, each of said at least two gears mounted on a respective one of said at least two shafts, wherein said at least two gears are arranged at an opposite side of said at least one of said right side shield and said left side shield from said at least two driven wheels; and an intermediate gear adapted to mesh with each of said at least two gears mounted on said at least two shafts.