Transportation system

Claim 1

In a transportion system a vehicle adapted to run along a roadway, a modulus removably supported on the top of the vehicle, a station on said roadway, an elevated trackway above the roadway extending therealong continuously for a distance on both approach and departure sides of the station, said trackway on the approach and departure sides of the station having extreme portions thereof which are vertically separate from the roadway by a certain distance and having an intermediate portion at and adjacent the station which is vertically separated from the roadway by a distance substantially greater than said certain distance, means on said trackway for supporting said module for movement therealong, the vertical separation of the trackway above the roadway at the intermediate portion thereof being sufficient to permit the vehicle to pass freely beneath the modulus when the latter is supported on the trackway, said trackway having elongate support means extending along opposite sides thereof and disposed laterally outward from a module supported thereon, laterally projecting means on opposite sides of said module overlying said support means, said laterally projecting means on the module comprising elongate surface means, and means extending lengthwise along the elongate support means on the trackway providing aircushion support for said elongate surface means, air-jet means disposed along said trackway for selectively propelling or braking the module, a central control device at said station, and means extending along said trackway for sensing the position of a module thereon and for reporting the same to the central control device, said central control device including means for operating said air jet means for either propelling said module along the trackway or for stopping the module at the station.