Continuous transportation installation

Claim 2

A continuous passenger transportation system comprising: a main conveying track extending past a plurality of stations; a loading track, extending along the conveying track, the loading track being positioned in closely spaced parallel relation to the conveying track between stations and diverging from the loading track into each station; a number of conveying trains moving along the conveying track without stopping at the stations, each conveying train including a plurality of carriages each having at least one door facing toward the adjacent loading track; a larger number of loading trains movable along the loading track, each loading train including a plurality of carriages each having at least one door facing toward the adjacent conveying track; each conveying train and each loading train including support means engaging its respective track, independent drive means, and releasable connecting means for interconnecting a loading train with a conveying train on a car-for-car basis, with the conveying train doors aligned with the loeading train doors; at least the trains of one kind being equipped with controlled coupling means of adjustable length which compensate for variations in length between the loading and conveying tracks when traversing curves and thus maintain car-for-car coincidence between trains when coupling and when moving in convoy; and control means, for actuating the connecting means to connect a loading train to a conveying train as the loading train leaves a station, so that the loading and conveying trains move between stations as a unitary convoy enabling passengers to move through the doors from the loading train to the conveying train and vice versa; the control means further being operable to release the connecting means between the conveying train and a loading train of a convoy when approaching a station to permit the loading train to enter the station and to clear the conveying train for connection to another loading train leaving that station.

Claim 3

A continuous passenger transportation system according to claim 1 in which the number of loading trains is at least equal to the number of conveying trains plus the number of stations in the system.

Claim 4

A continuous passenger transportation system according to claim 1, in which a loop portion of the loading track extending between first and second stations on the main conveying track, separates from the conveying track to form a loop serving at least one additional intermediary station past which the conveying trains do not travel, a loading train traversing the loop serving the intermediary station as an independent train.

Claim 5

A continuous passenger transportation system according to claim 3, in which the loop portion of the loading track separates from the conveying track beyond the exit of the first station and rejoins the conveying track before the entrance to the second station.

Claim 6

A continuous passenger transportation system according to claim 3, and further comprising an auxiliary track, connected between the ends of the loop portion of the loading track and extending in closely spaced parallel relation to the portion of the conveying track between said first and second stations, so that a convoy of a loading train and a conveying train can bypass the loop without separation and without stopping.

Claim 7

A continuous passenger traNsportation system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of conveying tracks and associated loading tracks in independent circuits, linked by a plurality of intermediary loading tracks for transferring loading trains from one circuit to another to enable passengers to move from between circuits without interruption for transfer.

Claim 8

A continuous passenger transportation system according to claim 1 and further comprising: a computer; first transmission means, linked to each train, supplying the computer with speed and position data for each train; and second transmission means for supplying control signals from the computer to the trains to accelerate and brake the trains as required in accordance with predetermined programming.

Claim 9

A continuous passenger transportation system according to claim 7, in which the computer control signals actuate the control means for interconnection of the loading and conveying trains.

Claim 10

A continuous passenger transportation system as defined in claim 1, in which the controlled coupling means each comprise two toothed racks, one attached to one of the two coupled carriages, the toothed racks facing each other and being kept meshed by a pinion having a vertical axis of rotation and being controlled in rotation by a control device.

Claim 11

A continuous passenger transportation system as defined in claim 1, in which the controlled coupling means each comprise a toothed rack fixed to one of the two coupled carriages, kept meshed with a pinion whose axis forms part of the other coupled carriage, the pinion having a vertical axis and being controlled in rotation by a control device.

Claim 12

A continuous passenger transportation system as defined in claim 10, in which the pinion control device comprises a brake ensuring the locking in rotation of this pinion, and logical control means for releasing the brake, freeing the pinion and modifying the speed of the coupled carriages to ensure variation in the coupling length in accordance with a signal, then re-applying the brake to lock the pinion when the selected length is obtained.

Claim 13

A continuous passenger transportation system as defined in claim 1, in which the means for controlling the length of each coupling is actuated by markers positioned on the track at places where it is necessary to command a variation in the coupling length.

Claim 14

A continuous passenger transportation system according to claim 1, in which the conveying trains are made up of cars wide enough for seating of passengers, and in which the loading trains are made up of narrow cars, with no seating, for carrying standing passengers.

Claim 15

A continuous passenger transportation system comprising: a main conveying track extending past a plurality of stations; a loading track, extending along the conveying track, the loading track being positioned in closely spaced parallel relation to the conveying track between stations and diverging from the loading track into each station; a number of conveying trains moving along the conveying track without stopping at the stations, each conveying train including doors facing toward the adjacent loading track; a larger number of loading trains movable along the loading track, each loading train including doors facing toward the adjacent conveying track; each conveying train and each loading train including support means engaging its respective track, independent drive means, and releasable connecting means for interconnecting a loading train with a conveying train on a car-for-car basis, with the conveying train doors aligned with the loading train doors; the releasable connecting means being composed of fixing components forming part of the carriages in one train and so shaped that they fit into controlled locking components attached to the carriages of the other train, the locking components being actuated after the two carriages have coincided, the fixing components comprising plates and the locking components comprisiNg frictional flanges between which the plates are engaged; and control means, for actuating the connecting means to connect a loading train to a conveying train as the loading train leaves a station, so that the loading and conveying trains move between stations as a unitary convoy enabling passengers to move through the doors from the loading train to the conveying train and vice versa; the control means further being operable to release the connecting means between the conveying train and a loading train of a convoy when approaching a station to permit the loading train to enter the station and to clear the conveying train for connection to another loading train leaving that station.

Claim 16

A continuous passenger transportation system comprising: a main conveying track extending past a plurality of stations; a loading track, extending along the conveying track, the loading track being positioned in closely spaced parallel relation to the conveying track between stations and diverging from the loading track into each station; a number of conveying trains moving along the conveying track without stopping at the stations, each conveying train including doors facing toward the adjacent loading track; a larger number of loading trains movable along the loading track, each loading train including doors facing toward the adjacent conveying track; each conveying train and each loading train including support means engaging its respective track, independent drive means, and releasable connecting means for interconnecting a loading train with a conveying train on a car-for-car basis, with the conveying train doors aligned with the loading train doors; the releasable connecting means being composed of fixing components forming part of the carriages in one train and so shaped that they fit into controlled locking components attached to the carriages of the other train, the locking components being actuated after the two carriages have coincided, the fixing components comprising plates and the locking components comprisiNg frictional flanges between which the plates are engaged; and control means, for actuating the connecting means to connect a loading train to a conveying train as the loading train leaves a station, so that the loading and conveying trains move between stations as a unitary convoy enabling passengers to move through the doors from the loading train to the conveying train and vice versa; the control means further being operable to release the connecting means between the conveying train and a loading train of a convoy when approaching a station to permit the loading train to enter the station and to clear the conveying train for connection to another loading train leaving that station.