Patent US3640227A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3640227A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rail car and supporting track and switch system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-05-28
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Granted: 1972-02-08
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Expires: 1989-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A rail car having two sets of supporting wheels swingable to upright operative car supporting positions at different elevations above the car, from laterally displaced inoperative positions; a track system having rails that converge and diverge at junction points, parallel reaches in said rails at the incoming ends of the junction points spaced vertically to support one set of wheels and register in unsupporting relation to the other set of wheels while the other wheels are moved into registry with the other track, vertically divergent portions at the ends of the parallel reaches arranged to transfer the support of the car from one set of wheels to the other, and selectively operable means to swing the sets of wheels to operative position to effect switching of the car from one rail to the other at transfer points. A refinement shows stretches of rails at an intermediate spacing, along which the car may be supported and driven by both sets of wheels, for high-speed operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Austin A Webb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:06
CPC Classifications
E; E01; E01B; E01B25/00; E01B25/22; E01B25/26; B; B61; B61B; B61B13/00; B61B13/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
329 words
A monorail and suspended car transportation system comprising, a plurality of cars each having a first supporting wheel and a second supporting wheel mounted in superimposed relation and at different elevations relative to said car, means carried by said car arranged to swing said second wheel laterally between operative car supporting position adjacent said first wheel and a displaced and laterally inclined inoperative position, an overhead track system having static branch rails that diverge and converge laterally at junction points in the system and which are supported to present one exposed and open side, first entry portions in said rails at the entry ends of diverging junction points of said system, said first entry ends being vertically spaced to guidingly support said first wheel while receiving said second wheel in vertically registering but nonsupporting and nonguiding relation to said second wheel when said second wheel is in operative position, relatively vertically angled portions in said rails at the outgoing ends of said first entry portions arranged to transfer the support and guidance of the car from said first wheel to said second wheel while moving said first wheel to nonguided and laterally disEngageable relation to its associated rail, said rails diverging in lateral directions from the outgoing ends of said angled portions with the rail engageable with said second wheel in clearing relation to the operative position of the first wheel, second entry portions at the converging junction points of system, said second entry portions being laterally convergent at different elevations to bring said first wheel into vertically aligned but nonsupporting relation to one of the branches of said rails, second relatively vertically angled portions in said rails following said second entry portions arranged to transfer the support and guidance of the car from said second wheel to said first wheel while moving said second wheel to nonguided and laterally disengageable relation to its associated rail, and power means on said car for moving the car along said rails.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
329 words
A monorail and suspended car transportation system comprising, a plurality of cars each having a first supporting wheel and a second supporting wheel mounted in superimposed relation and at different elevations relative to said car, means carried by said car arranged to swing said second wheel laterally between operative car supporting position adjacent said first wheel and a displaced and laterally inclined inoperative position, an overhead track system having static branch rails that diverge and converge laterally at junction points in the system and which are supported to present one exposed and open side, first entry portions in said rails at the entry ends of diverging junction points of said system, said first entry ends being vertically spaced to guidingly support said first wheel while receiving said second wheel in vertically registering but nonsupporting and nonguiding relation to said second wheel when said second wheel is in operative position, relatively vertically angled portions in said rails at the outgoing ends of said first entry portions arranged to transfer the support and guidance of the car from said first wheel to said second wheel while moving said first wheel to nonguided and laterally disEngageable relation to its associated rail, said rails diverging in lateral directions from the outgoing ends of said angled portions with the rail engageable with said second wheel in clearing relation to the operative position of the first wheel, second entry portions at the converging junction points of system, said second entry portions being laterally convergent at different elevations to bring said first wheel into vertically aligned but nonsupporting relation to one of the branches of said rails, second relatively vertically angled portions in said rails following said second entry portions arranged to transfer the support and guidance of the car from said second wheel to said first wheel while moving said second wheel to nonguided and laterally disengageable relation to its associated rail, and power means on said car for moving the car along said rails.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A rail car transportation system as defined in claim 1 in which both said wheels are swingable laterally between operative and inoperative positions on said car.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A rail car transportation system as defined in claim 1 in which said cars have dual sets of said supporting wheels located at the front and rear of the cars.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A rail car transportation system as defined in claim 1 in which the means for driving the cars consists of motors drivingly connected to said wheels.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A rail car transportation system as defined in claim 1 in which said track system includes sections spaced to support and be drivingly engaged by both of the wheels of the cars at the same time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
A rail car transportation system as defined in claim 1 in which said track system has position indicating devices located therealong, powered means in said cars mechanically connected to shift said wheels between operative and inoperative positions, electrical switching apparatus in said cars connected to actuate said powered means in different preselected sequence, and sensing apparatus carried by said cars to be actuated by said indicating devices, and connected to advance said switching mechanism in response to passage of said sensing apparatus over said indicating devices.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A monorail transportation system as defined in claim 1 in which the difference between the elevations of the centers of the wheels is at least equal to the sum of the radii of the wheels plus the thickness of the wheel supporting portion of the rails.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A monorail transportation system as defined in claim 7 in which said first and second wheels are arranged in tandam relation on said car.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1975-02-07 | 1975-08-09 | 1976-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-02-07 | 1979-08-09 | 1980-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-02-07 | 1983-08-09 | 1984-02-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |