Automatic transportation system with self-propelled carriages

Claim 2

In a transportation system having a track with rail means, at least one carriage including drive means for propelling same along said track, and conductor means along said track for energizing said drive means, the improvement wherein said conductor means includes a pair of continuous main bus bars connected across a source of driving current and an auxiliary bus bar normally disconnected from said source, said auxiliary bus bar extending only over a limited track section provided with switch means for signaling the passage of said carriage over said track section, said carriage being provided with primary contact means engaging said main bus bars and with secondary contact means engageable with said auxiliary bus bar, said carriage further including circuit means interconnecting said primary and secondary contact means to energize said auxiliary bus bar in a bridging position of said carriage, said switch means being connected to said auxiliary bus bar for energization thereby, said drive means comprising a reversible direct-current motor and said source being of reversible polarity, said circuit means including a pair of rectifiers connected between said contact means and said drive means and so poled as to energize said auxiliary bus bar with a predetermined polarity regardless of the relative polarity of said main bus bars.

Claim 3

A track with rail means, at least one carriage including drive means for propelling same along said track, and conductor means along said track for energizing said drive means, the improvement wherein said conductor means includes a pair of continuous main bus bars connected across a source of driving current and an auxiliary bus bar normally disconnected from said source, said auxiliary bus bar extending only over a limited track section provided with switch means for signaling the passage of said carriage over said track section, said carriage being provided with primary contact means engaging said main bus bars and with secondary contact means engageable with said auxiliary bus bar, said carriage further including circuit means interconnecting said primary and secondary contact means to energize said auxiliary bus bar in a bridging position of said carriage, said switch means being connected to said auxiliary bus bar for energization thereby, said drive means comprising a reversible direct-current motor and said source being of reversible polarity, said circuit means including a pair of rectifiers for energizing said auxiliary bus bar with a predetermined polarity regardless of the relative polarity of said main bus bars, said switch means comprising a relay connected in circuit between said source and said main bus bars for modifying the energization of said main bus bars and energizable to arrest said carriage on said track section.

Claim 4

A track with rail means, at least one carriage including drive means for propelling same along said track, and conductor means along said track for energizing said drive means, the improvement wherein said conductor means includes a pair of continuous main bus bars connected across a source of driving current and an auxiliary bus bar normally disconnected from said source, said auxiliary bus bar extending only over a limited track section provided with switch means for signaling the passage of said carriage over said track section, said carriage being provided with primary contact means engaging said main bus bars and with secondary contact means engageable with said auxiliary bus bar, said carriage further including circuit means interconnecting said primary and secondary contact means to energize said auxiliary bus bar in a bridging position of said carriage, said switch means being connected to said auxiliary bus bar for energization thereby, said drive means comprising a reversible direct-current motor and said source being of reversible polarity, said circuit means including a pair of rectifiers for energizing said auxiliary bus bar with a predetermined polarity regardless of the relative polarity of said main bus bars, said switch means comprising a relay connected in circuit between said source and said main bus bars for modifying the energization of said main bus bars and energizable to arrest said carriage on said track section.

Claim 5

In a transportation system having a track with rail means, at least one carriage including drive means for propelling same along said track, and conductor means along said track for energizing said drive means, the Improvement wherein said conductor means includes a pair of continuous main bus bars connected across a source of driving current and an auxiliary bus bar normally disconnected from said source, said auxiliary bus bar extending only over a limited track section provided with switch means for signaling the passage of said carriage over said track section, said carriage being provided with primary contact means engaging said main bus bars and with secondary contact means engageable with said auxiliary bus bar, said carriage further including circuit means interconnecting said primary and secondary contact means to energize said auxiliary bus bar in a bridging position of said carriage, said switch means being connected to said auxiliary bus bar for energization thereby, said drive means comprising a reversible direct-current motor and said source being of reversible polarity, said circuit means including a pair of rectifiers for energizing said auxiliary bus bar with a predetermined polarity regardless of the relative polarity of said main bus bars, said track including a mobile shuttle forming part of said limited track section, a main line with a gap normally occupied by said shuttle, and a branch line with a terminal section adjacent said gap for alignment with said shuttle in a displaced position thereof, the system further comprising recall means operable to displace said shuttle into an off-normal position aligned with said terminal section for receiving a carriage therefrom, and blocking means controlled by said switch means for disabling said recall means in the presence of another carriage on said limited track section.

Claim 6

In a transportation system having a track with rail means, at least one carriage including drive means for propelling same along said track, and conductor means along said track for energizing said drive means, the Improvement wherein said conductor means includes a pair of continuous main bus bars connected across a source of driving current and an auxiliary bus bar normally disconnected from said source, said auxiliary bus bar extending only over a limited track section provided with switch means for signaling the passage of said carriage over said track section, said carriage being provided with primary contact means engaging said main bus bars and with secondary contact means engageable with said auxiliary bus bar, said carriage further including circuit means interconnecting said primary and secondary contact means to energize said auxiliary bus bar in a bridging position of said carriage, said switch means being connected to said auxiliary bus bar for energization thereby, said drive means comprising a reversible direct-current motor and said source being of reversible polarity, said circuit means including a pair of rectifiers for energizing said auxiliary bus bar with a predetermined polarity regardless of the relative polarity of said main bus bars, said track including a mobile shuttle forming part of said limited track section, a main line with a gap normally occupied by said shuttle, and a branch line with a terminal section adjacent said gap for alignment with said shuttle in a displaced position thereof, the system further comprising recall means operable to displace said shuttle into an off-normal position aligned with said terminal section for receiving a carriage therefrom, and blocking means controlled by said switch means for disabling said recall means in the presence of another carriage on said limited track section.

Claim 7

A transportation system having at least one direct-current-driven carriage, a track with rail means for guiding said carriage and including a pair of continuous main rails connected to a source of reversible-polarity electric current for operating said carriage and an interrupted third rail extending over a limited section of said track, and switch means for signaling the passage of said carriage over said track section, said carriage being provided with circuit means interconnecting said continuous rail and said third rail for maintaining the electrical polarity of the latter constant independently of the reversal of said source.

Claim 8

A transportation system having at least one direct-current-driven carriage, a track with rail means for guiding said carriage and including a pair of continuous main rails connected to a source of reversible-polarity electric current for operating said carriage and an interrupted third rail extending over a limited section of said track, and switch means for signaling the passage of said carriage over said track section, said carriage being provided with circuit means interconnecting said continuous rail and said third rail for maintaining the electrical polarity of the latter constant independently of the reversal of said source.

Claim 9

The system defined in claim 4 wherein said circuit means includes a pair of parallel rectifiers, each of said rectifiers being provided with brushes connecting same to the respective rails.

Claim 10

The system defined in claim 5 wherein said carriage comprises a frame, supporting wheels on said frame engaging said track, a face pivotally mounted on said frame, a traction wheel on said face bearing upon a cooperating surface of said track, a direct-current motor connected to said traction wheel for driving same, biasing means for urging said traction wheel into contact with said surface while maintaining said support wheels in engagement with said track to enable said carriage to move along said track in outright, inclined, vertical and inverted positions, said system further comprising a siding at a location along said track, said track having a movable portion shiftable into alignment with said siding, said movable portion and said siding having alignable third-rail sections.