Track guided vehicle

Claim 2

A gas cushion vehicle adapted for operation along a prepared track of substantially rectangular cross-section, the vehicle having downwardly extending side portions to embrace the sides of the track, gas cushion support means carried by the vehicle and adapted to form and maintain at least one gas cushion to cooperate with the upper surface of the track to support the vehicle thereon, at least two pairs of gas cushion guide means, one of each pair of said guide means being carried by a respective one of said side portions, each of said guide means being adapted to form and maintain a gas cushiOn for co-operation with its associated side surface of the track, and being positioned so that the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by one of the said pairs of guide means are longitudinally spaced from the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by the other of the said pairs of guide means, and lie in substantially the same horizontal plane, and at least one further pair of gas cushion means carried by the said side portions each adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion, one for cooperation with each side of the track, and positioned to that the centers of their cushions lie at a lower level than those of the said guide means and between the longitudinal center of the vehicle and that end thereof which is to the rear in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle, the said gas cushion guide means and the said further gas cushion means being movable in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions, interconnection means being provided on each side of the vehicle interconnecting the further gas cushion means with the respective gas cushion guide means of at least one pair of the said gas cushion guide means so as to restrict relative movement therebetween in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions.

Claim 3

A gas cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which one of the said pairs of gas cushion guide means is positioned such that the centers of their gas cushions are disposed to the rear of the longitudinal center of the vehicle at the same distance therefrom as the centers of the gas cushions of the other of said pairs of gas cushion guide means are disposed to the fore of said center in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Claim 4

A gas cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the said further pair of gas cushion means is positioned so that the centers of their cushions are disposed to the rear of the longitudinal center of the vehicle, and one pair of said gas cushion guide means is positioned above the said further pair of gas cushion means so that the centers of the gas cushions of the said one pair of gas cushion guide means are in alignment in a substantially vertical plane with the centers of the cushions of said further pair of gas cushion means.

Claim 5

A gas cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the interconnection means comprise at least one torsion bar journalled to the vehicle and connected to respective ones of the said pairs of gas cushion guide means and said further gas cushion means by pivoted links made fast to the torsion bar.

Claim 6

A gas cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which a second pair of further gas cushion means is provided, the said pairs of gas cushion guide means are positioned one to each side of the longitudinal center of the vehicle and equidistantly spaced therefrom, and the said further pairs of gas cushion means are positioned one pair substantially vertically below each of the said pairs of gas cushion guide means, and provision is made, in operation, selectively to operate only that one of the pairs of further gas cushion means which is to the rear in relation to the intended direction of travel, and to render inoperative the other of the said pairs of further gas cushion means.

Claim 7

A gas cushion vehicle as claimed in any claim 1 intended for high speed travel in one direction only, in which the rear parts of the side portions of the vehicle are arranged to extend downwardly further than the front parts thereof.

Claim 8

A gas cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which a single-sided linear motor stator structure is carried by the vehicle and is mounted for relative vertical movement with respect thereto and for co-operation with a horizontally mounted reaction rail carried by the top of the track along which the vehicle is adapted to operate.

Claim 9

A gas cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the said pair of further gas cushion means is positioned such that the centers of their gas cushions are disposed to the reAr of the longitudinal center of the vehicle at the same distance therefrom as the centers of the gas cushions of the other of said pairs of gas cushion guide means are disposed to the fore of said center in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Claim 10

A gas cushion vehicle adapted for operation along a prepared track of substantially rectangular cross-section, the vehicle having downwardly extending side portions to embrace the sides of the track, gas cushion support means carried by the vehicle and adapted to form and maintain at least one gas cushion to co-operate with the upper surface of the track to support the vehicle thereon, at least two pairs of gas cushion guide means, one of each pair of said guide means being carried by a respective one of said side portions, each of said guide means being adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion for co-operation with its associated side surface of the track, and being positioned so that the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by one of said pairs of guide means are longitudinally spaced from the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by the other of the said pairs of guide means, and lie in substantially the same horizontal plane, and at least one further pair of gas cushion means carried by the said side portions each adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion, one for co-operation with each side of the track, and positioned so that the centers of their cushions lie at a lower level than those of the said guide means and between the longitudinal center of the vehicle and that end thereof which is to the rear in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle, one pair of said gas cushion guide means being positioned above the said further pair of gas cushion means so that the centers of the gas cushions of the said one pair of gas cushion guide means are in alignment in a substantially vertical plane with the centers of the cushions of said further pair of gas cushion means, the said gas cushion guide means and the said further pair of gas cushion means being movable in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions, interconnection means being provided on each side of the vehicle interconnecting the further gas cushion means with the respective gas cushion guide means of the said one pair of gas cushion guide means so as to restrict relative movement therebetween in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions, said interconnection means comprising at least one torsion bar journalled to the vehicle and connected to respective ones of the gas cushion guide means of the said one pair and to said further gas cushion means by pivoted links made fast to the torsion bar.

Claim 11

A gas cushion vehicle adapted for operation along a prepared track of substantially rectangular cross-section, the vehicle having downwardly extending side portions to embrace the sides of the track, gas cushion support means carried by the vehicle and adapted to form and maintain at least one gas cushion to co-operate with the upper surface of the track to support the vehicle thereon, at least two pairs of gas cushion guide means, one of each pair of said guide means being carried by a respective one of said side portions, each of said guide means being adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion for co-operation with its associated side surface of the track, and being positioned so that the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by one of said pairs of guide means are longitudinally spaced from the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by the other of the said pairs of guide means, and lie in substantially the same horizontal plane, and at least one further pair of gas cushion means carried by the said side portions each adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion, one for co-operation with each side of the track, and positioned so that the centers of their cushions lie at a lower level than those of the said guide means and between the longitudinal center of the vehicle and that end thereof which is to the rear in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle, one pair of said gas cushion guide means being positioned above the said further pair of gas cushion means so that the centers of the gas cushions of the said one pair of gas cushion guide means are in alignment in a substantially vertical plane with the centers of the cushions of said further pair of gas cushion means, the said gas cushion guide means and the said further pair of gas cushion means being movable in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions, interconnection means being provided on each side of the vehicle interconnecting the further gas cushion means with the respective gas cushion guide means of the said one pair of gas cushion guide means so as to restrict relative movement therebetween in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions, said interconnection means comprising at least one torsion bar journalled to the vehicle and connected to respective ones of the gas cushion guide means of the said one pair and to said further gas cushion means by pivoted links made fast to the torsion bar.

Claim 12

In combination, a gas cushion vehicle and a prepared track along which the vehicle is adapted to operate, the track having substantially vertical side surfaces for guiding the vehicle and a substantially horizontal upper surface extending therebetween for supporting the vehicle, the gas cushion vehicle comprising a vehicle body formed with downwardly extending side portions to embrace the side surfaces of the track, gas cushion support means carried by the vehicle body and adapted to form and maintain at least two longitudinally spaced gas cushions in co-operation with the upper surface of the track to support the vehicle thereon, first and second pairs of gas cushion guide means, one of each said pair of guide means being carried by a respective one of said side portions, each of said guide means being adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion in co-operation with its associated side surface of the track and being positioned so that the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by the pairs of guide means lie in substantially the same horizontal plane with the centers of the cushions of the first pair of guide means disposed to the fore of the longitudinal center of the vehicle and the centers of the cushions of the second pair of guide means disposed to the reaR of the longitudinal center of the vehicle, a further pair of gas cushion means carried by the side portions each adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion, one for co-operation with each side surface of the track, and positioned so that the centers of their cushions lie below, and in substantially vertical alignment with, those of the said second pair of guide means, the gas cushion support means, the gas cushion guide means and the further gas cushion means being each movable in a direction towards and away from their attachment to the vehicle body, interconnection means interconnecting the respective further gas cushion means and the gas cushion guide means of the said second pair so as to restrict relative movement therebetween in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions, and a single-sided linear induction motor stator structure carried by the vehicle body and mounted for relative vertical movement with respect thereto, the track comprising a generally horizontal linear induction motor reaction rail extending along, and forming part of, the upper surface of the track for co-operation with the stator structure whereby to propel the vehicle.

Claim 13

In combination, a gas cushion vehicle and a prepared track along which the vehicle is adapted to operate, the track having substantially vertical side surfaces for guiding the vehicle and a substantially horizontal upper surface extending therebetween for supporting the vehicle, the gas cushion vehicle comprising a vehicle body formed with downwardly extending side portions to embrace the side surfaces of the track, gas cushion support means carried by the vehicle body and adapted to form and maintain at least two longitudinally spaced gas cushions in co-operation with the upper surface of the track to support the vehicle thereon, first and second pairs of gas cushion guide means, one of each said pair of guide means being carried by a respective one of said side portions, each of said guide means being adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion in co-operation with its associated side surface of the track and being positioned so that the centers of the gas cushions formed and maintained by the pairs of guide means lie in substantially the same horizontal plane with the centers of the cushions of the first pair of guide means disposed to the fore of the longitudinal center of the vehicle and the centers of the cushions of the second pair of guide means disposed to the reaR of the longitudinal center of the vehicle, a further pair of gas cushion means carried by the side portions each adapted to form and maintain a gas cushion, one for co-operation with each side surface of the track, and positioned so that the centers of their cushions lie below, and in substantially vertical alignment with, those of the said second pair of guide means, the gas cushion support means, the gas cushion guide means and the further gas cushion means being each movable in a direction towards and away from their attachment to the vehicle body, interconnection means interconnecting the respective further gas cushion means and the gas cushion guide means of the said second pair so as to restrict relative movement therebetween in a direction towards and away from their associated side portions, and a single-sided linear induction motor stator structure carried by the vehicle body and mounted for relative vertical movement with respect thereto, the track comprising a generally horizontal linear induction motor reaction rail extending along, and forming part of, the upper surface of the track for co-operation with the stator structure whereby to propel the vehicle.