Mechanically linked personal rapid transit system

Claim 2

Apparatus for mechanically linking and propelling passengercarrying vehicles comprising: a guideway rail; a continuously moving mechanical linkage extending along the guideway rail and being movable therealong, said linkage being comprised of electrically conductive material; A plurality of carriages joined to one each of the passengercarrying vehicles and movable along the guideway rail; means releasably engaging the mechanical linkage to each of the carriages at spaced points along the linkage; means for establishing an inductive reaction with the conductive mechanical linkage; means for electrically energizing the last-mentioned means, thereby causing said means and the linkage to act respectively as the primary and secondary of a linear electric motor, the linkage thus being propelled relative to the rail longitudinally thereto to likewise move the vehicles mechanically linked to said linkage along said rail; and, means at a first control location along said guideway rail for bringing together said mechanical linkage and the engaging means of a carriage to be propelled by said linkage.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guideway rail is of a substantially rectangular hollow cross-sectional configuration having oppositely facing walls, said mechanical linkage being protectively housed in the rail and extending longitudinally thereof slightly below one of said walls, the wall oppositely disposed therefrom having a longitudinal slot defining flanges on the rail, the flanges having flat surfaces defining tracks on which the carriages move relative to the rail.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 and further comprising wheels on the mechanical linkage and internal tracks within the rail on which the wheels roll.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the carriages are protectively housed within the rail, the apparatus further comprising wheels on the carriages which engage the inner flat surfaces of the flanges on the rail.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 and further comprising; ground anchored pylons supporting said guideway rail at a moderately elevated level substantially horizontally to ground level; a supporting rod extending through the slot in the rail and downwardly from each of the carriages and connecting to one each of the passenger-carrying vehicles; and, a damping mechanism connecting the upper end of the supporting rod to the carriage to damp pendulum-like oscillations of the vehicle.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mechanical linkage forms a continuous loop and is of a substantially rectangular cross section, the height of the linkage being substantially greater than the width thereoF.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the mechanical linkage is of an increased thickness along the lower portion thereof to provide torsional stiffness to the linkage.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first-mentioned means comprises tooth-like projections on the carriages and tooth-like ridges on the mechanical linkage, the projections and ridges intermeshing to join the carriages to the linkage.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising laterally-disposed wheels on each carriage and which engage sidewalls of the guideway rail on lateral displacement of the carriage.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mechanical linkage is comprised of: a multiplicity of sections disposed end-to-end, adjacent sections having a spacing therebetween, each section being composed of electrically conductive material; and, means for holding the aforesaid sections in alignment and along the guideway rail.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the last-mentioned means comprises a collar extending between adjacent sections.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising means at a second control location spaced from said first control location and along said rail for separating said linkage from the engaging means of a carriage.

Claim 14

Apparatus for mechanically linking and propelling passenger-carrying vehicles comprising a guideway rail; a continuously moving mechanical linkage extending along the guideway rail and being movable therealong, said linkage being comprised of electrically conductive material and having a multiplicity of sections disposed end-to-end, adjacent sections having a spacing therebetween, and a collar extending between adjacent sections for holding the aforesaid sections in alignment and along the guideway rail; a plurality of carriages joined to one each of the passenger-carrying vehicles and movable along the guideway rail; means releasably engaging the mechanical linkage to each of the carriages at spaced points along the linkage; means for establishing an inductive reaction with the conductive mechanical linkage; and, means for electrically energizing the last-mentioned means, thereby causing said means and the linkage to act respectively as the primary and secondary of a linear electric motor, the linkage thus being propelled relative to the rail longitudinally thereto to likewise move the vehicles mechanically linked to said linkage along said rail.

Claim 15

Apparatus for mechanically linking and propelling passenger-carrying vehicles comprising a guideway rail; a continuously moving mechanical linkage extending along the guideway rail and being movable therealong, said linkage being comprised of electrically conductive material and having a multiplicity of sections disposed end-to-end, adjacent sections having a spacing therebetween, and a collar extending between adjacent sections for holding the aforesaid sections in alignment and along the guideway rail; a plurality of carriages joined to one each of the passenger-carrying vehicles and movable along the guideway rail; means releasably engaging the mechanical linkage to each of the carriages at spaced points along the linkage; means for establishing an inductive reaction with the conductive mechanical linkage; and, means for electrically energizing the last-mentioned means, thereby causing said means and the linkage to act respectively as the primary and secondary of a linear electric motor, the linkage thus being propelled relative to the rail longitudinally thereto to likewise move the vehicles mechanically linked to said linkage along said rail.

Claim 16

Apparatus for mechanically linking and propelling passenger-carrying vehicles, comprising: a guideway rail member; a mechanical linkage member disposed to move substantially along said guideway rail member; means disposed in operative relation to said mechanical linkage member for establishing an inductive reaction with said linkage member to propel said linkage member along said guideway rail member; means on each of the vehicles for releasably connecting said vehicles to the mechanical linkage member at spaced points therealong and during movement of the mechanical linkage member; and, means at a first control location along said guideway rail member for bringing together said mechanical linkage member and the last-mentioned means of a vehicle to be propelled by said linkage member.

Claim 17

Apparatus for mechanically linking and propelling passenger-carrying vehicles, comprising: a guideway rail member; a mechanical linkage member disposed to move substantially along said guideway rail member; means disposed in operative relation to said mechanical linkage member for establishing an inductive reaction with said linkage member to propel said linkage member along said guideway rail member; means on each of the vehicles for releasably connecting said vehicles to the mechanical linkage member at spaced points therealong and during movement of the mechanical linkage member; and, means at a first control location along said guideway rail member for bringing together said mechanical linkage member and the last-mentioned means of a vehicle to be propelled by said linkage member.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 and further comprising means at a second control location spaced from said first control location and along said rail member for separating said linkage member from the last-mentioned means of a vehicle.

Claim 19

In a transportation system including at least one vehicle and a guideway rail member supporting said vehicle for movement therealong, the combination comprising: a mechanical linkage member disposed to move substantially along said guideway rail member; means disposed in operative relation to said linkage member for establishing an inductive reaction with said linkage member to propel said linkage member along said guideway rail member; means on the vehicle for releaSably connecting said vehicle to the mechanical linkage member while said linkage member is moving along said guideway rail member; and, means at a first control location along said guideway rail member for bringing together said linkage member and the last-mentioned means of a vehicle to be propelled by said linkage member, the linkage member and the last-mentioned means being brought together during movement of the linkage member along the guideway rail member.

Claim 20

In a transportation system including at least one vehicle and a guideway rail member supporting said vehicle for movement therealong, the combination comprising: a mechanical linkage member disposed to move substantially along said guideway rail member; means disposed in operative relation to said linkage member for establishing an inductive reaction with said linkage member to propel said linkage member along said guideway rail member; means on the vehicle for releaSably connecting said vehicle to the mechanical linkage member while said linkage member is moving along said guideway rail member; and, means at a first control location along said guideway rail member for bringing together said linkage member and the last-mentioned means of a vehicle to be propelled by said linkage member, the linkage member and the last-mentioned means being brought together during movement of the linkage member along the guideway rail member.

Claim 21

The combination specified in claim 16 and further comprising means at a second control location spaced from said first control location along said guideway rail member for separating said linkage member from the last-mentioned means of a vehicle, the linkage member and the last-mentioned means being separated during movement of the linkage member along the guideway rail member.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 7 and further comprising: axles extending transversely through the thickened lower portion of the mechanical linkage; wheels on the axles; and, internal tracks within the rail rollingly engaging the wheels.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said first-mentioned means comprises tooth-like projections on the carriages and tooth-like ridges on the mechanical linkage, the projections and ridges intermeshing to join the carriages to the linkage.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 19 and further comprising laterally-disposed wheels on each carriage and which engage side walls of the guideway rail on lateral displacement of the carriage.

Claim 25

Apparatus for mechanically linking and propelling passenger-carrying vehicles comprising: a guideway rail; a mechanical linkage mounted for movement along the guideway rail, said linkage being comprised of electrically conductive material and being of a substantially rectangular cross section, the height of the linkage being substantially greater than the width thereof, the linkage further being of an increased thickness along the lower portion thereof to provide torsional stiffness to the linkage; a plurality of carriages joined to one each of the passenger-carrying vehicles and movable along the guideway rail; means releasably engaging the mechanical linkage to each of the carriages at spaced points along the linkage; means opposing the conductive mechanical linkage for establishing an inductive reaction with said linkage to propel said linkage along said guideway rail; and, means for electrically energizing the last-mentioned means, thereby causing said means and the linkage to act respectively as the primary and secondary of a linear electric motor, the linkage thus being propelled relative to the rail longitudinally thereto to likewise move the vehicles mechanically linked to said linkage along said rail.

Claim 26

Apparatus for mechanically linking and propelling passenger-carrying vehicles comprising: a guideway rail; a mechanical linkage mounted for movement along the guideway rail, said linkage being comprised of electrically conductive material and being of a substantially rectangular cross section, the height of the linkage being substantially greater than the width thereof, the linkage further being of an increased thickness along the lower portion thereof to provide torsional stiffness to the linkage; a plurality of carriages joined to one each of the passenger-carrying vehicles and movable along the guideway rail; means releasably engaging the mechanical linkage to each of the carriages at spaced points along the linkage; means opposing the conductive mechanical linkage for establishing an inductive reaction with said linkage to propel said linkage along said guideway rail; and, means for electrically energizing the last-mentioned means, thereby causing said means and the linkage to act respectively as the primary and secondary of a linear electric motor, the linkage thus being propelled relative to the rail longitudinally thereto to likewise move the vehicles mechanically linked to said linkage along said rail.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means for establishing an inductive reaction with said linkage comprises electrically conductive coils.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the guideway rail is formed into at least two portions, one of said portions extending from the other said portion in a direction different therefrom, the first-mentioned portion comprising a by-pass rail, the mechanical linkage moving along said second-mentioned portion thereof, the apparatus further comprising: a plate-like strip of conductive material on each of the carriages; electrically conductive coils located on the by-pass rail and located thereon at the point where said by-pass rail extends from the other said portion of the guideway rail; means for electrically energizing the coils on the by-pass rail when the strip on the carriage is opposite said coils; and, means for controlling the energization of the coils on the by-pass rail so that said coils are energized only when the carriage is to travel onto said by-pass rail, the carriage thus being disengaged from the mechical linkage.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 23 and further comprising: a guide wheel on the carriage; a safety rail on the by-pass oppositely disposed from the interior of the by-pass rail and defining a slot therebetween; and, means for inserting the guide wheel into the slot defined by the safety rail and the by-pass rail on energization of the electrically conductive coils to cause the carriage to be positively disengaged from the mechanical linkage in the event of failure of the carriage to completely disengage from said linkage.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 24 and further comprising a guide wheel linked to said first-mentioned guide wheel by said last-mentioned means, the last-mentioned guide wheel being movable to bear against the mechanical linkage when the first-mentioned guide wheel is not inserted into the slot defined by the safety rail and the by-pass rail.