Guidance system for dual-mode vehicle

Claim 2

A truck for supporting a vehicle for movement along a track having laterally spaced, horizontal, lonGitudinal track surfaces separated by a central guide rail provided on opposite sides thereof with laterally spaced, vertical, longitudinal guide surfaces, the combination of: a. a truck frame; b. two laterally spaced, vertical supporting wheels respectively engageable with said track surfaces and rotatable relative to said truck frame about a laterally extending, supporting-wheel axis; c. two guide-wheel frames mounted on said truck frame for pivotal movement downwardly and inwardly toward each other into extended positions, and upwardly and outwardly away from each other into retracted positions, about laterally spaced, longitudinal guide-wheel frame axes; d. guide wheels respectively rotatably mounted on said guidewheel frames and respectively engageable with said guide surfaces when said guide-wheel frames are in their extended positions; e. actuating means for pivoting said guide-wheel frames between their extended and retracted positions; and f. locking means engageable with the extended and the retracted guide-wheel frames for locking said guide-wheel frames in their extended positions and in their retracted positions.

Claim 3

In a vehicle for use on a track having laterally spaced, horizontal, longitudinal track surfaces separated by a central guide rail provided on opposite sides thereof with laterally spaced, vertical, longitudinal guide surfaces, the combination of: a. a vehicle frame; b. at least one truck for supporting at least a part of said vehicle frame and including a truck frame connected to said vehicle frame for pivotal movement relative thereto about a vertical, truck-frame axis; c. two laterally spaced, vertical supporting wheels respectively engageable with said track surfaces and rotatable relative to said truck frame about a laterally extending, supporting-wheel axis intersecting and perpendicular to said truck-frame axis; d. two guide-wheel frames mounted on said truck frame for pivotal movement downwardly and inwardly toward each other into extended positions, and upwardly and outwardly away from each other into retracted positions, about laterally spaced, longitudinal guide-wheel-frame axes on opposite sides of and equidistant from said truck-frame axis; e. guide wheels respectively rotatably mounted on said guide-wheel frames and respectively engageable with said guide surfaces when said guide-wheel frames are in their extended positions; f. actuating means for pivoting said guide-wheel frames between their extended and retracted positions; and g. locking means engageable with the extended and the retracted guide-wheel frames for locking said guide-wheel frames in their extended positions and in their retracted positions.

Claim 4

In a vehicle for use on a track having laterally spaced, horizontal, longitudinal track surfaces separated by a central guide rail provided on opposite sides thereof with laterally spaced, vertical, longitudinal guide surfaces, the combination of: a. a vehicle frame; b. at least one truck for supporting at least a part of said vehicle frame and including a truck frame connected to said vehicle frame for pivotal movement relative thereto about a vertical, truck-frame axis; c. two laterally spaced, vertical supporting wheels respectively engageable with said track surfaces and rotatable relative to said truck frame about a laterally extending, supporting-wheel axis intersecting and perpendicular to said truck-frame axis; d. two guide-wheel frames mounted on said truck frame for pivotal movement downwardly and inwardly toward each other into extended positions, and upwardly and outwardly away from each other into retracted positions, about laterally spaced, longitudinal guide-wheel-frame axes on opposite sides of and equidistant from said truck-frame axis; e. guide wheels respectively rotatably mounted on said guide-wheel frames and respectively engageable with said guide surfaces when said guide-wheel frames are in their extended positions; f. actuating means for pivoting said guide-wheel frames between their extended and retracted positions; and g. locking means engageable with the extended and the retracted guide-wheel frames for locking said guide-wheel frames in their extended positions and in their retracted positions.

Claim 5

A vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein said locking means includes: a. two locking bars respectively associated with said guide-wheel frames and mounted on said truck frame for sliding movement between extended and retracted positions; b. stops on each of said guide-wheel frames respectively engageable with opposite sides of the corresponding one of said locking bars when that guide-wheel frame is in its extended and retracted positions, respectively, and when said one locking bar is in its extended position; and c. means for extending and retracting said locking bars.

Claim 6

A vehicle according to claim 3 wherein said locking bars are mounted on said truck frame for sliding movement downwardly and outwardly into their extended positions and upwardly and inwardly into their retracted positions.

Claim 7

A vehicle as set forth in claim 4 wherein there are two of said guide wheels on each of said guide-wheel frames respectively located equal distances forwardly and rearwardly of said truck-frame and supporting-wheel axes.

Claim 8

A vehicle according to claim 5 wherein said means for extending and retracting said locking bars includes worm means.

Claim 9

In a vehicle for use on a track having laterally spaced, horizontal, longitudinal track surfaceS separated by a central guide rail provided on opposite sides thereof with laterally spaced, vertical, longitudinal guide surfaces, the combination of: a. a vehicle frame including a tractor frame and including a trailer frame connected to said tractor frame adjacent the rear end thereof for pivotal movement relative thereto about a vertical, trailer-frame axis; b. two longitudinally spaced trucks respectively including truck frames one pivotally connected to said tractor frame adjacent the front end thereof and the other pivotally connected to said trailer frame adjacent the rear end thereof, for pivotal movement relative thereto about vertical, truck-frame axes; c. each of said trucks including two laterally spaced, vertical supporting wheels respectively engageable with said track surfaces and rotatable relative to the corresponding truck frame about a laterally extending, supporting-wheel axis intersecting and perpendicular to the corresponding truck-frame axis; d. each of said truck also including two guide-wheel frames mounted on the corresponding truck frame for upward pivotal movement into retracted positions and downward pivotal movement into extended positions; e. guide wheels respectively rotatably mounted on said guide-wheel frames of each of said trucks and respectively engageable with said guide surfaces when said guide-wheel frames are in their extended positions; f. actuating means for pivoting said guide-wheel frames between their extended and retracted positions; g. steering means for pivoting said one truck frame about its truck-frame axis; h. traction wheels mounted on said tractor frame adjacent said rear end thereof for rotation about a laterally extending, traction-wheel axis and respectively engageable with said track surfaces; and i. means for driving said traction wheels.

Claim 10

In a vehicle for use on a track having laterally spaced, horizontal, longitudinal track surfaceS separated by a central guide rail provided on opposite sides thereof with laterally spaced, vertical, longitudinal guide surfaces, the combination of: a. a vehicle frame including a tractor frame and including a trailer frame connected to said tractor frame adjacent the rear end thereof for pivotal movement relative thereto about a vertical, trailer-frame axis; b. two longitudinally spaced trucks respectively including truck frames one pivotally connected to said tractor frame adjacent the front end thereof and the other pivotally connected to said trailer frame adjacent the rear end thereof, for pivotal movement relative thereto about vertical, truck-frame axes; c. each of said trucks including two laterally spaced, vertical supporting wheels respectively engageable with said track surfaces and rotatable relative to the corresponding truck frame about a laterally extending, supporting-wheel axis intersecting and perpendicular to the corresponding truck-frame axis; d. each of said truck also including two guide-wheel frames mounted on the corresponding truck frame for upward pivotal movement into retracted positions and downward pivotal movement into extended positions; e. guide wheels respectively rotatably mounted on said guide-wheel frames of each of said trucks and respectively engageable with said guide surfaces when said guide-wheel frames are in their extended positions; f. actuating means for pivoting said guide-wheel frames between their extended and retracted positions; g. steering means for pivoting said one truck frame about its truck-frame axis; h. traction wheels mounted on said tractor frame adjacent said rear end thereof for rotation about a laterally extending, traction-wheel axis and respectively engageable with said track surfaces; and i. means for driving said traction wheels.