US3842744A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for controlling the movement of a vehicle or object along a path
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-02-21
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-02-21
Abstract
Abstract A system for controlling the path of a vehicle to a predetermined, coded, destination with code scanning switch members on the vehicle and activating members along the path, the scanning switches being connected to the inputs of selecting switches and to memories controllable by a control signal through the scanning switches and in combination constituting a path control circuit, the outputs of the selecting switches being supplied with the control signal.
Inventors
- 👤 W Vis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 09:46
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/34; B65G47/46; B65G47/48; B65G47/49; B65G47/496; B07; B07C; B07C3/00; B07C3/003; B07C3/005; B07C3/10; B07C3/16; B61; B61L; B61L23/00; B61L23/002; B61L23/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
271 words
A system for controlling the direction of a vehicle member along a path comprising: at least two code scanning switch members positioned in juxtaposition transverse to the direction of movement of the vehicle; a group of selecting switches connected to said code scanning switch members in accordance with a code determining the direction to be taken by said vehicle and forming a control circuit for initiating a path-controlling signal; code activating members and at least one position activating member positioned in juxtaposition transverse to the direction of the movement of said vehicle along the path for actuating said code scanning switch members to initiate said pathcontrolling signal for a particular combination of said code activating members; selecting switching systems having a number of outputs; memory means switcahble from a first condition to a second condition, said memory means constituting a number of control circuits; said code scanning switch members are connected to the inputs of said selecting switching systems and to said memory means whereby memory means constituting a given control circuit are switched from said first condition to said second condition by a memory control signal supplied via a representative code scanning switch member and a selecting switching system for generating a path control signal; a memory control signal source; positioN scanning switch members interconnecting said memory control signal source and the mutually corresponding output connections of said selecting switching systems, said position scanning switch members are arranged with respect to said code scanning members to be energized by at least one of said position activating members with movement of said code scanning switch members past said code activating members.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
271 words
A system for controlling the direction of a vehicle member along a path comprising: at least two code scanning switch members positioned in juxtaposition transverse to the direction of movement of the vehicle; a group of selecting switches connected to said code scanning switch members in accordance with a code determining the direction to be taken by said vehicle and forming a control circuit for initiating a path-controlling signal; code activating members and at least one position activating member positioned in juxtaposition transverse to the direction of the movement of said vehicle along the path for actuating said code scanning switch members to initiate said pathcontrolling signal for a particular combination of said code activating members; selecting switching systems having a number of outputs; memory means switcahble from a first condition to a second condition, said memory means constituting a number of control circuits; said code scanning switch members are connected to the inputs of said selecting switching systems and to said memory means whereby memory means constituting a given control circuit are switched from said first condition to said second condition by a memory control signal supplied via a representative code scanning switch member and a selecting switching system for generating a path control signal; a memory control signal source; positioN scanning switch members interconnecting said memory control signal source and the mutually corresponding output connections of said selecting switching systems, said position scanning switch members are arranged with respect to said code scanning members to be energized by at least one of said position activating members with movement of said code scanning switch members past said code activating members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein an additional reset scanning switch member is coupled to a source for a memory reset signal and is located before the position scanning switch member as defined by the direction of movement of the vehicle for generating a memory reset signal for the memory members when the vehicle passes by the position activating members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein the system is coded in a decimal code, the number of the code scanning switch members corresponding to the number of the code decimals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein the generated path-controlling signal will act upon a member which determines whether or not the vehicle is to branch off at a branching point in the path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein an additional code scanning member is provided which is coupled to the output of one of the position scanning members or to at least one of said memory means and is operated by an additional code activating member which is disposed along the track.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein that contact of each code scanning member which is not connected with said memory means is connected with the input of a program changeover switch having two outputs, the first of which is connected to the corresponding input of the selecting switching system, the second to one or more arbitrarily selected outputs thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system according to claim 6, further comprising a sensing circuit for sensing the charge level of a battery feeding a driving motor of the vehicle and causes said program change-over switch to move to the second position when the charge level falls below a particular value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein the sensing circuit is capable also of supplying a control signal which maintains one of said memory means corresponding to the greatest decimal permanently in the second condition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein an additional scanning switch member is disposed before the code scanning members as defined by the direction of movement of said vehicle, said additional member closes a control circuit for causing said program switch to move to the second position when all the memory means for the several decimal places are in the second condition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A system according to claim 6 and used in a vehicle with a closable cargo compartment, wherein means responding to the opening of said compartment is active to cause said program change-over switch to be brought into and held in the second position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein each of said memory means constituting a given control circuit comprises a polar relay with two windings, the first winding of each polar relay being connected via the respective code scanning switch member to the input of the respective selector switch system, the second windings of said polar relay are mutually connected in parallel and connected with the reset scanning switch member, while the code scanning switch members are series connected to constitute the control circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said position scanning members are arranged in two juxtaposed rows to cooperate with two position activating members arranged in staggered relationship with respect to one another.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said scanning switch members are magnetically controllable switches capable of being operated by activating members in the form of permanent magnets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 13, wherein the switches are of the type which in the absence of an infLuencing magnetic field are open.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said path includes switch points, before which, as defined by the direction of movement of the vehicle, are provided plates carrying a number of coding and position magnetic activating members, the mutual spacing of which corresponds with that of said scanning switches on the vehicle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 15 wherein said path further includes a central station along which current supply rails are provided and which cooperate with sliding contacts on the vehicles connected with batteries thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |