Transportation system

Claim 2

A transportation system comprising a vehicle having two opposite side walls, each of said side walls being formed with outwardly-projecting drive rails disposed longitudinally at the same elevation thereon and having a pair of parallel flat lower surfaces, each of said drive rails having an underside adapted for frictional engagement by drive wheels for the support and advancement of said vehicle, a plurality of rotatable drive wheels aligned in a pair of rows close enough spaced so that at least a plurality of drive wheels are always in contact with the drive rails of said vehicle to form a track, said wheels adapted to provide frictional and supporting engagement of the undersides of both of said drive rails, for advancement of said vehicle when rotated, said drive wheels including flanges at the rear or outermost edges thereof forming a plurality of guide members adapted to engage and contain the outermost edges of said drive rails if a vehicle moves from the center of the track, and electrically-operated means for rotating said drive wheels.

Claim 3

A transportation system in accordance with claim 1, said vehicle being of a base section and a superstructure, said drive rails being substantially horizontal and coplanar and secured to said base section and extending substantially the full length thereof.

Claim 4

A transportation system in accordance with claim 2, said base section comprising a bottom and a fixed side portion, said bottom portion being removable from fixed side portion, said removable bottom portion serving as a pallet for transfer of freight to and from the fixed portion, said removable bottom portion becoming an integral part of the fixed portion when the vehicle is in transit.

Claim 5

A transportation system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the bottom portion of said base section and the top portion of said superstructure are equipped with power operated doors for loading and discharge of bulk materials.

Claim 6

A transportation system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said base section includes a pressure vessel.

Claim 7

A transportation system in accordance with claim 2, a portion of said superstructure being movable with respect to said base section, said movable portion serving as a door for said vehicle.

Claim 8

A transportation system in accordance with claim 6, said base section being equipped with at least one seat for a passenger and a step to assist in entering or leaving the vehicle.

Claim 9

A transportation system in accordance with claim 1, a series of pairs of said drive wheels being provided, the drive wheels of each pair having substantially co-axial positions.

Claim 10

A transportation system in accordance with claim 1, said rotating means including a synchronously operated drive motor for each drive wheel.

Claim 11

A transportation system in accordance with claim 1, switch means being provided for transferring said vehicle from a fixed drive area of a particular vertical elevation to a fixed drive area of a different vertical elevation.

Claim 12

The transportation system of claim 10 wherein said switch means includes a further plurality of rotatable drive wheels disposed in a similar track relationship but vertically disposed with respect to said previous plurality of drive wheels forming a ramped track, and a switch module for raising and lowering one or more drive wheels in synchronous series to advance said vehicle smoothly onto and off of said ramped track.

Claim 13

A transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes at least one bumper with a coupling means mounted in said bumper.

Claim 14

A transportation system in accordance with claim 1, a plurality of signal strips being cooperative with electrically-operated means for controlling advancement of said vehicle.

Claim 15

A transportation system, comprising a vehicle constructed of a base section and a superstructure, a flat, plate-like collar being integral with the uppermost portion of said base section and extending substantially parallel to a bottom wall of said vehicle, said collar providing two laterally-projecting drive rails, the underside of each of said drive rails being provided with a covering adapted for frictional engagement by drive wheels for the advancement of said vehicle, a series of pairs of rotatable drive wheels being provided, the drive wheels of each pair having substantially co-axial positions and being adapted to frictionally engage said drive rail undersides, respectively, a plurality of guide members of circular shape being mounted adjacent said drive wheels, respectively, said guide members being adapted to contact the respective outermost edges of said drive rails for maintenance of said vehicle on a predetermined course, a synchronously-operated drive motor being provided for rotating each of said drive wheels, switch means being provided for change of elevation of said course, a plurality of signal strips being mounted on a side wall portion of said vehicle and being cooperative with electrically-operated means for controlling advancement of said vehicle.

Claim 16

A transportation system, comprising a vehicle constructed of a base section and a superstructure, a flat, plate-like collar being integral with the uppermost portion of said base section and extending substantially parallel to a bottom wall of said vehicle, said collar providing two laterally-projecting drive rails, the underside of each of said drive rails being provided with a covering adapted for frictional engagement by drive wheels for the advancement of said vehicle, a series of pairs of rotatable drive wheels being provided, the drive wheels of each pair having substantially co-axial positions and being adapted to frictionally engage said drive rail undersides, respectively, a plurality of guide members of circular shape being mounted adjacent said drive wheels, respectively, said guide members being adapted to contact the respective outermost edges of said drive rails for maintenance of said vehicle on a predetermined course, a synchronously-operated drive motor being provided for rotating each of said drive wheels, switch means being provided for change of elevation of said course, a plurality of signal strips being mounted on a side wall portion of said vehicle and being cooperative with electrically-operated means for controlling advancement of said vehicle.

Claim 17

A transportation system in accordance with claim 14, wherein at least ten vehicles are coupled together to form a train and said switch means is capable of changing the elevations of the course of said train.