Conveyor installation with individual rail-bound self-propelling vehicles or vehicle groups

Claim 2

A conveyor installation comprising individual rail-bound, self-propelling vehicle units, such as vehicles or groups of vehicles, each vehicle unit having an electrical drive motor, a drive current circuit including current supply means, each vehicle unit being provided at both ends with a respective electrical contact surface means located at substantially the same height, each vehicle unit being equipped with a switching element including an actuation member and a contact, said switching element being coupled in circuit by means of its contact with the drive current circuit of the drive motor, wherein upon travel of said vehicle unit against another vehicle unit and contact of the respective contact surface means with one another said switching element is actuated and the drive current circuit of the drive motor is interrupted at least for the duration of contact of the vehicle units with one another, said electrical contact surface means defining a rear contact surface and a front contact surface for each vehicle unit, the rear contact surface being electrically connected with one pole of the current supply means and the front contact element being electrically connected via said actuation member of the switching element with another pole of the current supply means.

Claim 3

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 1, wherein each vehicle unit embodies means such that it can drive forwardly and rearwardly and possess a switching mechanism which switches the contact surface means in accordance with the direction of travel

Claim 4

A conveyor installation comprising individual rail-bound self-propelling vehicle units, such as vehicles or groups of vehicles, each vehicle having a drive motor, a drive current circuit including current rail means for supplying current to said drive motor, each vehicle or vehicle group being provided at both ends with a respective contact element located at substantially the same height, at least the contact element at the rear of the vehicle or vehicle group viewed in the direction of travel being furnished with current, switching circuit means arranged at said drive current circuit of the drive motor with which the front contact element is connected, and said swItching circuit means interrupting the drive current of the drive motor of a trailing vehicle or vehicle group at least for such length of time as, viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicles or vehicle groups, the front contact element of said trailing vehicle or vehicle group contacts against the rear contact element of a vehicle or vehicle group located forwardly in the direction of travel, said vehicles or groups of vehicles embodying means such that they can drive forwardly and rearwardly and possess a switching mechanism which switches the contact elements in accordance with the direction of travel, and wherein the switching mechanism is controlled as a function of the direction of travel and connects the front contact element with the switching circuit means and the rear contact element with the current rail means.

Claim 5

A conveyor installation comprising individual rail-bound self-propelling vehicle units, such as vehicles or groups of vehicles, each vehicle having a drive motor, a drive current circuit including current rail means for supplying current to said drive motor, each vehicle or vehicle group being provided at both ends with a respective contact element located at substantially the same height, at least the contact element at the rear of the vehicle or vehicle group viewed in the direction of travel being furnished with current, switching circuit means arranged at said drive current circuit of the drive motor with which the front contact element is connected, and said swItching circuit means interrupting the drive current of the drive motor of a trailing vehicle or vehicle group at least for such length of time as, viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicles or vehicle groups, the front contact element of said trailing vehicle or vehicle group contacts against the rear contact element of a vehicle or vehicle group located forwardly in the direction of travel, said vehicles or groups of vehicles embodying means such that they can drive forwardly and rearwardly and possess a switching mechanism which switches the contact elements in accordance with the direction of travel, and wherein the switching mechanism is controlled as a function of the direction of travel and connects the front contact element with the switching circuit means and the rear contact element with the current rail means.

Claim 6

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 3, wherein the switching circuit means incorporates relay means.

Claim 7

A conveyor installation comprising individual rail-bound self-propelling vehicle units, such as vehicles or groups of vehicles, each vehicle having a drive motor, a drive current circuit including current rail means for supplying current to said drive motor, each vehicle or vehicle group being provided at both ends with a respective contact element located at substantially the same height, at least the contact element at the rear of the vehicle or vehicle group viewed in the direction of travel being furnished with current, switching circuit means arranged at said drive current circuit of the drive motor with which the front contact element is connected, and said switching circuit means interrupting the drive current of the drive motor of a trailing vehicle or vehicle group at least for such length of time as, viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicles or vehicle groups, the front contact element of said trailing vehicle or vehicle group contacts against the rear contact element of a vehicle or vehicle group located forwardly in the direction of travel, said drive current circuit embodying directcurrent source means at which there is connected the current rail means and a potential is applied to both contact elements, wherein the rear contact element has the greater potential applied thereto, a pair of series connected resistors bridged by respective oppositely poled diodes for interconnecting both contact elements with one another, said switching circuit means being connected between said resistors and interrupting the drive current as soon as contact of the forward contact element with the rear contact element of a preceding vehicle or vehicle group causes the voltage at the switching circuit means to exceed a threshold value.

Claim 8

A conveyor installation comprising individual rail-bound self-propelling vehicle units, such as vehicles or groups of vehicles, each vehicle having a drive motor, a drive current circuit including current rail means for supplying current to said drive motor, each vehicle or vehicle group being provided at both ends with a respective contact element located at substantially the same height, at least the contact element at the rear of the vehicle or vehicle group viewed in the direction of travel being furnished with current, switching circuit means arranged at said drive current circuit of the drive motor with which the front contact element is connected, and said switching circuit means interrupting the drive current of the drive motor of a trailing vehicle or vehicle group at least for such length of time as, viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicles or vehicle groups, the front contact element of said trailing vehicle or vehicle group contacts against the rear contact element of a vehicle or vehicle group located forwardly in the direction of travel, said drive current circuit embodying directcurrent source means at which there is connected the current rail means and a potential is applied to both contact elements, wherein the rear contact element has the greater potential applied thereto, a pair of series connected resistors bridged by respective oppositely poled diodes for interconnecting both contact elements with one another, said switching circuit means being connected between said resistors and interrupting the drive current as soon as contact of the forward contact element with the rear contact element of a preceding vehicle or vehicle group causes the voltage at the switching circuit means to exceed a threshold value.

Claim 9

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 5, wherein the switching circuit means comprises a differential amplifier and a successively arranged Darlington circuit having a relay for interrupting the drive current circuit.

Claim 10

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 6, wherein said switching circuit means further includes a diode bridge circuit provided for the current infeed for the switching circuit means.

Claim 11

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 7, said switching circuit means further including a timing element which delays switching-in of the drive motor of a trailing vehicle or vehicle group directly following completion of contact of the front contact element thereof with a rear contact element of the forwardly located vehicle or vehicle group.

Claim 12

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 1, wherein the contact surface means have applied thereto 10 - 30 volts direct-current.

Claim 13

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 1, wherein said contact elements surface means insure that for each encountered traveling situation the contact surface means of vehicle units which have impacted against one another contact one another.

Claim 14

The conveyor installation as defined in claim 1, including a respective container having a closure cap provided foR each vehicle unit a conductor for bridging said contact surface means, a switch coupled with an associated closure cap which is closed when such closure cap is not closed, said switch being arranged in circuit with said conductor.