US3861315A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Universal transportation system based on a cable suspended duo-rail railroad
Assignee: DUO MODE ELECTRIC TRANS SYST
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Filing: 1973-07-16
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Granted: 1975-01-21
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Expires: 1993-07-16
Abstract
Abstract A cable-suspended duo-rail railroad comprises a plurality of spaced pairs of columns anchored along the railroad right of way. A trackway is supported along the right of way between the spaced pairs of columns by means of cables extending from the columns to the trackway. The trackway is in the form of an inverted U, with two spaced rails supported on the legs of the U. A motor module is provided with traction wheels on a motor shaft riding on the rails in the U-shaped trackway. Cables are dropped from the module to engage a vehicle such as a car, truck or bus to elevate and combine one or more of these vehicles into a train for transport along the suspended railroad. The traction wheels carry formations which coact with camming surfaces located on the outer leg of the inverted U in a curve of the track to lift the outer traction wheels off their rail by centrifugal action.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert Rypinski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 03:51
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61B; B61B15/00; B61D; B61D3/00; B61D3/16; B61D3/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A transportation system comprising: a network of surface routes; an overhead rail structure of inverted-U shape forming junctions with said surface routes, said structure having at least one generally horizontal bend and being provided with horizontal bottom flanges on the lower ends of the legs of the inverted U; a multiplicity of self-propelled vehicles adapted to travel any of said surface routes; a series of motor-driven vehicle carriers circulating on said structure, each of said carriers being provided with at least one pair of driven traction Wheels riding said bottom flanges, the outer leg of said inverted U being formed at said bend with a camming surface, the traction wheels adjoining said outer leg being provided with formations engageable with said camming surface by centrifugal force due to motion of the vehicle through the bend for lifting said adjoining traction wheels off the bottom flange normally supporting same; and hoist means on said carriers engageable with any of said vehicles for lifting same off a surface route at one of said junctions and redepositing same on another surface route at another of said junctions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
A transportation system comprising: a network of surface routes; an overhead rail structure of inverted-U shape forming junctions with said surface routes, said structure having at least one generally horizontal bend and being provided with horizontal bottom flanges on the lower ends of the legs of the inverted U; a multiplicity of self-propelled vehicles adapted to travel any of said surface routes; a series of motor-driven vehicle carriers circulating on said structure, each of said carriers being provided with at least one pair of driven traction Wheels riding said bottom flanges, the outer leg of said inverted U being formed at said bend with a camming surface, the traction wheels adjoining said outer leg being provided with formations engageable with said camming surface by centrifugal force due to motion of the vehicle through the bend for lifting said adjoining traction wheels off the bottom flange normally supporting same; and hoist means on said carriers engageable with any of said vehicles for lifting same off a surface route at one of said junctions and redepositing same on another surface route at another of said junctions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein each vehicle carrier comprises a train of separately powered motor modules coupled to one another by universal joints.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as defined in claim 2 wherein each vehicle carrier comprises a single platform substantially coextensive with said train and suspended by said hoist means from all the motor modules thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said vehicles and the platforms of said carriers are provided with complementary coupling means, further comprising releasable locking means for said coupling means on said platform.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said structure forms a closed loop with two parallel trackways for circulation in opposite directions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising pairs of transversely spaced columns supporting said overhead rail structure, said surface routes passing between the paired columns at their junctions with said track.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as defined in claim 1, further comprising elevated platforms rigid with certain column pairs forming stations for loading and unloading passengers of vehicles suspended from said carriers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
119 words
In a transportation system including a curved track with a pair of rails and a vehicle having at least one pair of driven traction wheels riding said rails, each of said rails including a wheel-supporting bottom surface, the improvement wherein each rail further includes a substantially vertical web rising from said bottom surface to limit lateral deviations of said vehicle from a predetermined path, said track being provided at each bend with a camming surface disposed on the web of larger radius of curvature, said traction wheels being provided with formations engageable by adjoining camming surfaces upon a centrifugal displacement of the vehicle in a bend for lifting the outer traction wheel in a curve off its bottom surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
In a transportation system including a curved track with a pair of rails and a vehicle having at least one pair of driven traction wheels riding said rails, each of said rails including a wheel-supporting bottom surface, the improvement wherein each rail further includes a substantially vertical web rising from said bottom surface to limit lateral deviations of said vehicle from a predetermined path, said track being provided at each bend with a camming surface disposed on the web of larger radius of curvature, said traction wheels being provided with formations engageable by adjoining camming surfaces upon a centrifugal displacement of the vehicle in a bend for lifting the outer traction wheel in a curve off its bottom surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The improvement defined in claim 8 wherein said rails are part of a structure of inverted-U shape, the legs of the U forming the webs of said rails and being provided at their lower ends with inwardly directed flanges forming the wheel-supporting bottom surfaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The improvement defined in claim 9 wherein said traction wheels have tire-carrying bodies with substantially flat outer faces, said formations comprising a set of peripherally spaced balls on said bodies projecting axially from said outer faces.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |