Switching system

Claim 2

A switching system for a transportation system comprising: a main rail extending in an elongated path; branch rail means having opposite end portions in alignment with said path and an intermediate portion deviating from said path; a movable body supported on said main rail and selectively on said branch rail means and having an inner and an outer set of wheels adapted to engage said main rail and said branch rail means, respectively; said main rail having at least one displaceable section normally disposed in axial alignment with said main rail; and means for moving said rail section out of the path of said main rail to form an interruption in the latter whereby said inner set of wheels are disengaged from said main rail during advancement of said vehicle and said outer set of wheels are engaged with said branch rail means to follow said deviating path portion.

Claim 3

A switching system according to claim 1 wherein said intermediate portion of said branch rail means is disposed at a level below said main rail in a substantially common vertical plane therewith.

Claim 4

A switching system according to claim 2 wherein said intermediate portion comprises a downwardly inclined section, an upwardly inclined section, and an intermediate horizontal section in substantial parallelism with said main rail and connecting the opposed ends of said downwardly inclined section and said upwardly inclined section.

Claim 5

A switching system according to claim 1 wherein said rail section moving means comprises a shaft extending parallel to said main rail and in spaced relation thereto; means on said main rail for supporting the opposite ends of said shaft; means fixed to shaft for supporting said rail section; and means for rotating said shaft to displace said rail section out of alignment with said main rail.

Claim 6

A switching system according to claim 4 wherein said rail section is displaced 180* out of alignment with said main rail into an inoperative position.

Claim 7

A switching system according to claim 1 including means for locking said shaft at 0* and 180* of rotation to secure said rail section in an operative position in alignment with said main rail and an inoperative position out of alignment with said main rail respectively.

Claim 8

A switching system according to claim 6 wherein said locking means comprises a disc mounted at one end of said shaft and provided with diametrically opposed openings for receiving a biased plunger mounted on a solenoid, said solenoid being operative to withdraw said plunger from said openings to free said shaft for rotation.

Claim 9

A switchIng system according to claim 1 wherein said rail section moving means comprises a shaft extending in a direction normal to said main rail in spaced relation thereto; means on said main rail for supporting said shaft; means fixed to said shaft for supporting one end of said rail section; and means for rotating said shaft to swing said rail section out of alignment with said main rail.

Claim 10

A switching system according to claim 1 in combination with a transportation system including a plurality of loading stations; said opposite end portions of said branch rail means defining entrance and exit zones leading to and away from each loading station; said main rail being provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced displaceable rail sections at each station and located adjacent said entrance and exit zones, and means for moving said rail sections out of the path of said main rail to form spaced interruptions in the latter adjacent said entrance and exit zones whereby said inner set of wheels are disengaged from said main rail during advancement of said vehicle through said entrance zone and reengaged with said main rail during advancement of said vehicle through said exit zone while said outer set of wheels remain engaged with said branch rail means to follow said deviating path portion into and out of said station.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 9 wherein said branch rail means comprise a pair of rails disposed on opposite sides of said main rail at said entrance and exit zones and having an intermediate portion following said deviating path portion to temporarily reroute vehicles away from said elongated path.