Speed and slip controlled traction drive

Claim 2

A veHicle propulsion system comprising: a roadway having a fixed traction surface coextensive therewith; a vehicle; support means supporting the vehicle for movement along the roadway; a driving wheel mounted on the vehicle and engageable with the traction surface to provide propulsion for the vehicle along the roadway irrespective of the inclination of the roadway, said driving wheel being independent of said support means; vehicle speed measuring means on the vehicle for measuring the speed of the vehicle relative to the traction surface as the vehicle travels along the roadway; driving wheel speed measuring means connected with said driving wheel for measuring the lineal speed of the periphery of the driving wheel; a control device connected to said driving wheel for varying the pressure of the driving wheel on the traction surface; and traction control means connected with said control device and responsive to said vehicle speed measuring means and driving wheel speed measuring means to actuate said control device to vary the pressure of the driving wheel on the traction surface when the driving wheel is rotating at a speed other than a speed corresponding to the speed of the vehicle along the roadway to adjust the speed of the driving wheel to a speed corresponding to the linear speed of the vehicle.

Claim 3

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said vehicle speed measuring means comprises a first transducer for producing a first signal proportional to the speed of the vehicle relative to the traction surface, and said driving wheel speed measuring means comprises a second transducer for producing a second signal proportional to the lineal speed of the driving wheel, and further including computer means for determining the difference between the first and second signals for controlling said traction control means.

Claim 4

A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first transducer includes a wheel engaging said traction surface for rotation in response to linear movement of the vehicle.

Claim 5

A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the traction surface is defined by a vertical face of a fixed roadway member.

Claim 6

A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said driving wheel is mounted on the vehicle for rotation about a substantially vertical axis, said control device being operable to apply a variable force to the wheel urging the wheel into the vertical face of the roadway member.

Claim 7

A vehicle propulsion system comprising: a roadway having a pair of upright, fixed traction surfaces coextensive therewith; a vehicle; support means supporting the vehicle for movement along the roadway; a pair of driving wheels mounted on the vehicle each engageable with one of the traction surfaces to provide propulsion for the vehicle along the roadway irrespective of the inclination of the roadway, said driving wheels being independent of said support means; vehicle speed measuring means on the vehicle for measuring the speed of the vehicle relative to the roadway as the vehicle travels along the roadway; driving wheel speed measuring means connected with at least one of said driving wheels for measuring the lineal speed of the periphery of said one driving wheel; a control device connected to said driving wheels for varying the pressure of the driving wheels on the traction surfaces; and traction control means connected with said control device and responsive to said vehicle speed measuring means and driving wheel speed measuring means to actuate said control device to vary the pressure of the driving wheels on the traction surface when the driving wheels are rotating at a speed other than a speed corresponding to the speed of the vehicle along the roadway to adjust the speed of the driving wheels to a speed corresponding to the linear speed of the vehicle.

Claim 8

A vehicle propulsion system comprising: a roadway having a pair of upright, fixed traction surfaces coextensive therewith; a vehicle; support means supporting the vehicle for movement along the roadway; a pair of driving wheels mounted on the vehicle each engageable with one of the traction surfaces to provide propulsion for the vehicle along the roadway irrespective of the inclination of the roadway, said driving wheels being independent of said support means; vehicle speed measuring means on the vehicle for measuring the speed of the vehicle relative to the roadway as the vehicle travels along the roadway; driving wheel speed measuring means connected with at least one of said driving wheels for measuring the lineal speed of the periphery of said one driving wheel; a control device connected to said driving wheels for varying the pressure of the driving wheels on the traction surfaces; and traction control means connected with said control device and responsive to said vehicle speed measuring means and driving wheel speed measuring means to actuate said control device to vary the pressure of the driving wheels on the traction surface when the driving wheels are rotating at a speed other than a speed corresponding to the speed of the vehicle along the roadway to adjust the speed of the driving wheels to a speed corresponding to the linear speed of the vehicle.

Claim 9

A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the traction surfaces are defined by the opposite vertical faces of a fixed rail.

Claim 10

A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the driving wheels are mounted for rotation about vertical axes.

Claim 11

A system as claiMed in claim 8 including a pair of caliper arms pivotally mounted on the vehicle and supporting the driving wheels, the control device being connected between the caliper arms to selectively open and close the arms relative to said rail.

Claim 12

A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said control device includes an hydraulic actuator.

Claim 13

A system as claimed in claim 6 including means for applying braking forces to said driving wheels.

Claim 14

A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said vehicle speed measuring means comprises a first transducer for producing a first signal proportional to the speed of the vehicle relative to the traction surface, and said driving wheel speed measuring means comprises a second transducer for producing a second signal proportional to the lineal speed of the driving wheel, and further including computer means for determining the difference between the first and second signals for controlling said traction control means.

Claim 15

A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein said first transducer includes a wheel engaging one of the traction surfaces for rotation in response to linear movement of the vehicle.