Transport system

Claim 2

A transportation system comprising a moving vehicle and carrier means for engaging said moving vehicle, guide means for directing said moving vehicle in a substantially horizontal rectilinear path to a given point in said path, guide means for directing said carrier means in a rectilinear path converging with said first mentioned path whereby said carrier means will meet said vehicle at said given point in said first mentioned path and said carrier means will engage said vehicle, said first and second guide means being arranged relative to each other to effect the engagement of said carrier means with said vehicle while said carrier means and said vehicle are in motion, said second guide means including a first portion operative to effect a progressive separation of said vehicle from said first guide means, said second guide means including a second portion operative to effect a conjoint movement of said vehicle and carrier means in a curvilinear path portion in a verticle plane, said second guide means including a third portion operative to effect the further movement of said vehicle and carrier means in a substantially vertical path.

Claim 3

A system as in claim 1, and further including a second substantially horizontal path in vertically displaced relation to said first substantially horizontal path, third guide means on said second path, said second guide means further including a portion operative to effect conjoint movement of said carrier means and vehicle in a second curvilinear path in said vertical plane and extending from a terminal portion of said vertical path, said second guide means further including a portion operative to direct said carrier means and vehicle to said third guide means on said second horizontal path.

Claim 4

A system as in claim 2, wherein the last mentioned portion of said second guide means is vertically displaced from said third guide means whereby said vehicle is separated from said carrier means for further movement along said third guide means.

Claim 5

A system as in claim 2, wherein the last mentioned portion of said second guide means moves in a path operative to effect conjoint movement of said carrier means and said vehicle along said second path.

Claim 6

A system as in claim 1, wherein said first guide means includes track means, said track means terminating at a given point in said first horizontal path, the terminal portion of said track means being in cantilever relation to the portion of said track means being in cantilever relation to the portion of said track means extending rearwardly of the terminal portion of said track means, said second guide means being operative to guide said carrier means in a first path portion below the terminal portion of said track means and a second portion beyond said first path portion progressively approaching the terminal portion of the track means whereby said carrier means will engage said vehicle and upon continued movement of said carrier means will raise said vehicle above the terminal portion of said track means.

Claim 7

A system as in claim 5 wherein said carrier means includes aligning means and said vehicle includes aligning means for registering with the aligning means on said carrier means whereby to register said vehicle and carrier means in determined spatial relation to each other.

Claim 8

A system as in claim 6 wherein the aligning means on said carrier means and said vehicle include interengageable portions for retaining said vehicle against lateral movement relative to said carrier means while permitting relative vertical separating movement of said vehicle and said carrier means.

Claim 9

A transport system as in claim 1 and including means for moving said carrier means, said moving means comprising a movable elongated flexible member, and means interconnecting said elongated member and said carrier means.

Claim 10

A transport system as in claim 8, wherein said interconnecting means comprises means for pivotally coupling said carrier means to said flexible member.

Claim 11

A transport system as in claim 1, and further including guide elements on said carrier means and fixed guide means for receiving said guide elements on said carrier means, said fixed guide means being arranged relative to each other to maintain said carrier means in horizontally level positions at all points in the paths of movement thereof.

Claim 12

A transport system as in claim 10, wherein said guide elements comprise guide roller members on opposite sides of said carrier means, said guide rollers being in triangular spatial relation to each other.

Claim 13

A transport system comprising first track means on one level, vehicles movable on said track means, second track means on a second level vertically displaced from said first level, means for transferring said vehicle from the first track means on the first level to the second track means on the second level, said first track means terminating at a transfer point therein, said transfer means comprising carrier means, means for moving said carrier means and guide means for directing the movement of sAid carrier means in a path related to the termination point of said first track means and said second track means, said path including successive portions including (1) a path portion disposed to bring the carrier means into engagement with a vehicle on the terminal portion of said first track means, (2) a path portion disposed to effect separation of the vehicle from the terminal portion of the first track means and continued conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle, (3) a path portion of curvilinear configuration to progressively effect the conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle from the horizontal to the vertical, (4) a path portion to effect the continued conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle in a vertical path, (5) a path portion of curvilinear configuration to progressively effect the conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle from the vertical to the horizontal, and (6) a path portion to direct at least the vehicle to said second track means on said second level.

Claim 14

A transport system comprising first track means on one level, vehicles movable on said track means, second track means on a second level vertically displaced from said first level, means for transferring said vehicle from the first track means on the first level to the second track means on the second level, said first track means terminating at a transfer point therein, said transfer means comprising carrier means, means for moving said carrier means and guide means for directing the movement of sAid carrier means in a path related to the termination point of said first track means and said second track means, said path including successive portions including (1) a path portion disposed to bring the carrier means into engagement with a vehicle on the terminal portion of said first track means, (2) a path portion disposed to effect separation of the vehicle from the terminal portion of the first track means and continued conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle, (3) a path portion of curvilinear configuration to progressively effect the conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle from the horizontal to the vertical, (4) a path portion to effect the continued conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle in a vertical path, (5) a path portion of curvilinear configuration to progressively effect the conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle from the vertical to the horizontal, and (6) a path portion to direct at least the vehicle to said second track means on said second level.

Claim 15

A transport system comprising a pair of main tracks in adjacent relation on a given level, a station at another level, track means in said station, vehicles movable in one direction on one of said main tracks and movable in the opposite direction on the other of said main tracks, means for transferring vehicles between said main tracks and the track means in said station, said transferring means comprising carrier means, means for moving said carrier means, guide means for directing the movement of the moving means in a predetermined path related to said main tracks and the track means in said station, said carrier means being movably connected to said moving means whereby said carrier means may assume a horizontal position at all points in said predetermined path, said path including successive portions including (1) a path portion for directing the moving carrier means to engage a vehicle and to separate the vehicle from one of said main tracks, (2) a path portion of curvilinear configuration for progressively changing the conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle from the horizontal to the vertical, (3) a path portion for directing the conjointly moving carrier means and vehicle in a vertical path, (4) a path portion of curvilinear configuration for progressively changing the conjoint movement of carrier means and vehicle from the vertical to the horizontal, (5) a path portion for directing at least the vehicle to the track means in the station, (6) a path portion for directing the conjointly moving carrier means and vehicle to a terminal portion of the other of the main tracks, and effecting a separation of the carrier means from the vehicle and directing the carrier means to path portion (1) while leaving the vehicle on the other of the main tracks.

Claim 16

A transport system comprising a pair of main tracks in adjacent relation on a given level, a station at another level, track means in said station, vehicles movable in one direction on one of said main tracks and movable in the opposite direction on the other of said main tracks, means for transferring vehicles between said main tracks and the track means in said station, said transferring means comprising carrier means, means for moving said carrier means, guide means for directing the movement of the moving means in a predetermined path related to said main tracks and the track means in said station, said carrier means being movably connected to said moving means whereby said carrier means may assume a horizontal position at all points in said predetermined path, said path including successive portions including (1) a path portion for directing the moving carrier means to engage a vehicle and to separate the vehicle from one of said main tracks, (2) a path portion of curvilinear configuration for progressively changing the conjoint movement of the carrier means and the vehicle from the horizontal to the vertical, (3) a path portion for directing the conjointly moving carrier means and vehicle in a vertical path, (4) a path portion of curvilinear configuration for progressively changing the conjoint movement of carrier means and vehicle from the vertical to the horizontal, (5) a path portion for directing at least the vehicle to the track means in the station, (6) a path portion for directing the conjointly moving carrier means and vehicle to a terminal portion of the other of the main tracks, and effecting a separation of the carrier means from the vehicle and directing the carrier means to path portion (1) while leaving the vehicle on the other of the main tracks.

Claim 17

A transportation system comprising a first main line track on one level, a second main line track on another level and in angular relation to said first main line track, a station vertically displaced from said main line tracks, a pair of adjacent coplanar spur line tracks in said station, track means connecting the opposite ends of one of said spur line tracks to one of said main line tracks at spaced points therein, second track means connecting the opposite ends of the other of said spur line tracks to the other of said main line tracks at spaced points therein, each of said track means comprising a pair of vertical portions and a horizontal portion, vehicles moving on said main line tracks, selected vehicles being adapted to be switched from said main line tracks to said spur line tracks via said connecting track means, and means for transferring vehicles between the spur line tracks and said track means.

Claim 18

A transportation system comprising a first main line track on one level, a second main line track on another level and in angular relation to said first main line track, a station vertically displaced from said main line tracks, a pair of adjacent coplanar spur line tracks in said station, track means connecting the opposite ends of one of said spur line tracks to one of said main line tracks at spaced points therein, second track means connecting the opposite ends of the other of said spur line tracks to the other of said main line tracks at spaced points therein, each of said track means comprising a pair of vertical portions and a horizontal portion, vehicles moving on said main line tracks, selected vehicles being adapted to be switched from said main line tracks to said spur line tracks via said connecting track means, and means for transferring vehicles between the spur line tracks and said track means.

Claim 19

A transport system including carrier means, said carrier means being movable in a determined path, said path comprising successive horizontal, curvilinear and vertical portions, guide means Defining said path portions, guide members on said carrier means for engaging said guide means, and means for advancing said carrier means in said path, said guide members and guide means coacting to maintain said carrier means in a normal position thereof relative to the horizontal and vertical while said carrier means is advanced over said horizontal, curvilinear and vertical path portions.

Claim 20

A transport system including carrier means, said carrier means being movable in a determined path, said path comprising successive horizontal, curvilinear and vertical portions, guide means Defining said path portions, guide members on said carrier means for engaging said guide means, and means for advancing said carrier means in said path, said guide members and guide means coacting to maintain said carrier means in a normal position thereof relative to the horizontal and vertical while said carrier means is advanced over said horizontal, curvilinear and vertical path portions.