Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
10643Z4
- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
- This invention relates to a rapid transit system
and more particularly to a rapid transit syqtem for the mass
transportation of passengers by the continuous movement of
vehicles upon rails of an exclusive roadway that forms an
endless transit loop.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern mass transit systems are well known in the
art and are characterized by the automatic or attended oper-
~ ation of vehicles either singly or in multiple vehicle trains
- on an exclusive roadway in the form of a continuous loop
having stations for passenger boarding and departing located
at selected points in the loop. The roadway may comprise
either single or double track sections elevated or located
at grade level. The track ~ections may be ~upported by steel
guide beams on concrete slabs for steering the vehicle on the
roadway. The vehicles or multi-vehicle trains may be pro-
pelled by power rails or inductive wires feeding electric
curxent to the electric motors of the vehicles. The transit
systems generally include a guidance sy~tem which ~erves to
maintain stability of the vehicles as they move from station
to station on the exclusive roadway in the continuous loop.
' Fully automated transit system~, such as the rapid
i~ transit system built by the San Franci~co Bay Area Rapid
`~ Transit District (BARTD) and the Experimental Transit Express-
~ way erected by Westinghouse Company in Allegheny County,
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Pennsylvania, operate vehicles singly or in multiple-
vehicle trainR at preselected intervalQ unidirectionally
over an exclusive roadway. The experimental Transit Express-
way is disclosed in The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, publication no. 67-WA/BHF-8, entitled An Evalu-
ation of an Automated Mass Transit System in which rubber
tired vehicles ride on concrete track slabs and are steered
through vehicle guidance systems that follow a steel guide
beam centered down the track of the roadway. Vehicle current
10 collectors pick up power from energized rails located ad-
jacent the track slab. Intelligence i8 conveyed to and from
the vehicles by conductor wires laid along the inside of the
track slab. With this arrangement the operation of the en-
` tire system i8 monitored and controlled remotely from a
control center through electrical equipment located at the
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s respective stations along the roadway and aboard the vehicles.
A built-in system of checks and interlocks operate to con-
-~ tinuously monitor the system operation to detect malfunctions
or failures in equipment. In the event of a malfunction or
i 20 failure in equipment, all the vehicles are brought to a halt
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by an emergency stop procedure. Nevertheless, in the event
a vehicle becomes disabled on the roadway, it is necessary
to place operators on board to recover the vehicle.
United States Patent 3,403,634 illustrates and
deQcribes an automatic transportation system having vehicles
remotely controlled for effecting vehicle traffic between
stations. This ~ystem includes a closed main loop arrange-
ment wlth the vehiclss traveling at a sub~itantially unifors
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speed and automatically switched to and from preselected
stations located on spur loops so that the traffic on the
main loop i8 undisturbed. The enclosed loop comprises a
stationary tubular elongated endless conduit that is adapted
to be supported adjacent present transportation facilities.
Vehicles run bumper to bumper in the closed loop at a gener-
ally high rate of speed with a minimum of space between the
vehicles as determined by the demand placed upon the system.
A car or vehicle may enter the main loop from a spur loop.
A pair of longitudinal rails extend through the closed loop
and include a C-shaped cross section. Rubber tired wheels
of the vehicle~ engage the C-shaped rails. Rotation of the
wheels through a drive means propels the vehicles on the
tracks within the enclosed conduit loop. The drive mechanism
compriqes a squirrel cage induction motor having stator wind-
ings employed along the track and continuously excited by
current therethrough to generate a magnetic wave which actu-
ates a rotor of the motor placed on the vehicle to rotate
the tires through the axle and provide constant thrust to
the vehicles.
~; There is need for the mass transportation of passen-
gers by vehicles that operate over an exclusive roadway in the
~` form of a continuous loop. While it has been suggested to
provide elaborate fully automated mass transit systems, the
safeguard~ required for such a ~ystem render the system com-
~ercially unfeasible. Thus a mass tran~it system is needed
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commutation in a safe and efficient manner but economically
~' feasible.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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In accordance with the present invention there is
provided a rapid transit system for the mass transportation
of passenyers on a roadway that is supported by a super-
structure at grade level and at elevations above grade level.
A plurality of vehicles for transporting passengers to
selected points on the roadway is supported for movement on
the roadway. The vehicles are each supported for movement
on the roadway and have a body portion with a lateral por-
tion being secured to the body portion and extending around
the body portion. A stabilizing system secured to the super-
structure and positioned above the roadway maintains the
` vehicles on the roadway by movably supporting the lateral -
portion of the body portion of each of the ~ehicles. A
guidance means is provided and includes a guide plate
secured to and extending downwardly from the vehicle body
portion. A recessed means i5 mounted on the roadway and
` receives the guide plate for controlling movement of the
vehicles on the roadway. Each vehicle is provided with
propelling mechanisms that have means for engaging the
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10643Z4
stabilizing system and are operable to generate movement
of each of the vehicles on the roadway. Each vehicle is
provided with a braking apparatus that is operable to move
into and out of frictional engagement with a portion of the
stabilizing means to control the rate of movement of the
vehicle on the roadway.
The roadway is surrounded by an enclosure to pro-
tect the vehicles against the effects of weather and the
entrance of obstructions upon the roadway. A plurality of
enclosed roadways may be arranged to transit loops that radi-
ate outwardly from a main terminal in selected directions
to direct vehicle traffic between selected points in each
transit loop to and from the main terminal. A rotatable
section of the roadway located at the main terminal for
each transit loop permits a change of direction of the
vehicles on the roadway so that the vehicles may be directed
away from the main terminal to complete another circuit of
the translt loop.
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Each vehicle iR maintained on the roadway by the
stabilizing system that includes a pair of parallel stabil-
izing tracks that are supported by the superstructure at a
preselected height above the roadway. The stabilizing tracks
include recess portions that receive a circumferential bumper
that surrounds each vehicle and extends horizontally above
the roadway. Roller members may be secured to the lower
portion of the track recesqes or on the bumper to support the
bumpe~ within the track recess to permit movement of the
vehicles on the roadway. The guidance sy~tem for controlling
- movement of the vehicles on the roadway includes a pair of
spaced parallel rails that are supported on the roadway.
- Guide wheel~ extend downwardly from the vehicles and are
rotatably positioned on the upper surface of the guide tracks.
The guide wheel~ are maintained in contact with the guide
rails by guide plates that extend downwardly from the vehicle
between the guide wheels and are retained within a guideway
that is secured to the roadwa~ and positioned in parallel
relation between the guide rails. With tnis arrangement, the
-- 20 vehicle i8 securely retained on the roadway.
The vehicles are advanced on the roadway by oper-
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; ation of electric motors that are mounted at the front and
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rearward portions of the vehicles. Drive shafts extend out-
wardly from the electric motors, and wheels ars nonrotatably
secured to the drive ~hafts and engage the upper surface of
the stabilizing tracks. Electric power is supplied from an
overhead inductive wire to the electric motors to rotate the
drive shafts and wh~els and thereby propel the wheels on the
~urface of the stabilizing tracks and advance the vehicle~
over the roadway.
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Accordingly the principle object of the present
invention i~ to provide a rapid transit sy~tem for the mass
transportation of passengers on a roadway that i~ constructed
in an endless enclosed loop arou~ which vehicle~ are pro-
pelled for transporting passengers between selected points of
the transit loop.
Another object of the pre~ent invention is to pro-
vide a rapid transit system that transports passengers between
stations of an enclosed endless transit loop in self-propelled
vehicles that are maintained on the roadway of the transit
loop by a stabilizing track with the direction of travel con-
trolled by a guidance system.
A further object of the present invention is to
provide a rapid transit system that is economically feasible
and efficiently operated to move passengers on an excluBive
roadway in self-propelled vehicles that travel in an endless
transit loop on the roadway.
These and other objects of this invention will be
more completely disclosed and described in the following
specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a prospective view of a self-propelled
vehicle positioned on an enclosed roadway for travel between
stations of a transit loop.
Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the transit
system, illustrating a vehicle positioned on the roadway that
is elevated above grade by a superstructure.
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Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the roadway
partially in section, illustrating the front end of one
. vehicle and the rearward end of another vehicle with the
vehicles traveling in parallel relation on the track~ of
the roadway within the transit loop. ~-
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the enclosed loop
of the rapid transit system, illustrating the ~tations located
at selected points in the loop for the boarding and departing
of passengers to and from the vehicle~ that circulate around
the loop.
Figure S is a front view of a vehicle positioned
. on the roadway in a station of the enclosed transit loop to
permit the boarding and departure of passengers to and from
the vehicle. .
Figure 6 i~ an enlarged fragmentary view of the
: front end portion of the vehicle illustrating the braking
;~ apparatus for stopping the vehicle in the transit loop.
,~ Figure 7 is a schematic representation of a plur-
ality of tran~it loops radiating outwardly from a main term-
~ 20 inal for the mas~ transportation of passengers to and from
;- the main termlnal with trunk loops interconnecting the main
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Figure 8 i~ an enlarged fragmentary view of a
rotatable section of the roadway for each transit loop as
shown in Figure 7, illu~trating the direction of rotation of
the rotatable section to rever6e the direction of travel of
. the vehicles in the loop.
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Figure 9 is a perspective view of the rotatable
roadway section illustrated in Figure 8.
Figure 10 i8 a fragmentary top plan view, illus-
trating the rotatable roadway ~ection shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a top plan view of the braking appar-
atus provided on the roadway for slowing the vehicles as they
approach a ~tation.
Figure 12 i8 an enlarged fragmentary view in ~ide
elevation of another embodiment of the braking apparatus pro-
vided on each vehicle, illustrating an actuator for engagingthe brake shoe with the roadway guide track for stopping the
vehicle on the roadway.
Figure 13 i~ a top plan view of the braking appar-
atus shown in Figure 12, illustrating a braking shoe pivotally
` connected to the vehicle for engagement with the guide track
of the roadway.
Figure 14 i8 a top plan schematic view of a ~hunt-
ing track located at a station for diverting vehicle traffic
to and from the main roadway through the station.
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~` 20 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODI~ENTS
Referring to the drawings and more particularly
to Figure~ 1-4, thexe is illustrated a ma~s tran~it system
generally designated by the numeral 10 for the rapid movement
of passengers within an enclosed transit loop 12 between sta
tions 14 located at preselected points in the loop 12. The
enclosed transit loop 12 includes an exclusive right-of-way
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represented by a roadway 16 upon which a plurality of vehicles
18 are self-propelled to and from the station~ 14. The
vehicle~ 18 are guided on the roadway 16 by a guidance system
generally designated by the numeral 20 and are maintained on
the roadway 16 by a stabilizing system generally designated by
the numeral 22. The vehicle~ 18 are advanced on the roadway
16 by propelling mechanisms generally designated by the
numeral 24. The propelling mechanisms are mounted at the
front and rearward end portions of the vehicles 18 and engage
the top surface of the stabilizing ~ystem of the roadway 16.
In thi~ manner forward movement of the vehicles 18 is accom-
plished so that the vehicles may be advanced from station to
: station on the enclosed transit loop 12 of the transit sy~tem
~ illustrated in Figure 4.
.~ The enclosed loop 12 of the transit ~ystem 10 may
:~ include a pair of spaced parallel roadways separated from one
another as ~lluctrated in Figure 3. Each of the roadways 16
includes the guidance system 20 having a pair of spaced paral-
: lel tracks 26 and 28 that are supported by horizontally posi-
tioned I-beams 30. The beams 30 are supported by a steel
superstructure generally designated by the numeral 32 and
illustrated in Figure 2. The steel superstructure 32 supports
the roadway 16 at grade or elevated above grade as illustrated
:: in Figure 1. The steel superstructure 32 includes a plurality
of pedestals 34 that are anchored in the ground and a rectangu-
lar ~teel column 36 supported and secured to each of the pedes-
tal~ 34. Columns 36~ in turn, ~upport the I-beams 30.
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A guideway 40 of the guidance sy6tem 20 i~ 5Up-
ported by an I-beam 30 in parallel relation between the guide
tracks 26 and 28. The guideway 40 has a recess 42 in which i8
positioned the lower expanded portions of guide plate~ 44 that
are resilient1y secured by spring mechanisms 43 and shock ab-
sorbers 45 to the body portion of the vehicle 18.
. The spring mechanisms 43 include a pivotal con-
; nection 47 between the body portion of the vehicle and the
guide plate 44. A horizontal member 49 i~ connected to pivot :
47, and a spring member 51 i~ secured at one end portion to
member 49 and at the other end to the bottom of the vehicle.
The spring 51 exerts an upward force upon member 49 to main-
tain the guide plate 44 within the guideway reces3 42. Al~o,
exten3ion of spring 51 permits the guide plate 44 to pivot
rearwardly above the connection 47. The vehicle 18 is sup-
:~ ported by guide wheel~ 46 upon the upper ~urface of guide
track~ 26 and 28. With this arrangement the vehicles 18 are
stabilized for high speed travel on the roadway 16.
As illustrated in Figure 3, the roadway 16 in-
: 20 cludes sidewall~ 48 that extend upwardly from the I-beams 30
;~ and have horizontal upper ~urfacee upon which is positioned
the stabilizing ~y~tem 22 for maintaining the vehicles 18 on
:~ the roadway 16. The stabilizing system 22 include~ a C-shaped
~tabilizing track 50 having parallel horizontal reces~es 52
that are po~itioned at a pre~elected height above the roadway
:i 16. A circumferential bumper 54 extendB around and is secured
to the body portion of the vehicle~ 18 by shock ab~orber~ 55.
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The lateral edge portions of the bumper 54 are positioned
within the track reces~es 52 and rest upon rollers 58 that
are sec~red to the lower horizontal ~urface of the stabilizing
tracks 50. With thi~ arrangement the vehicle~ 18 are stabil-
ized as they are propelled along the roadway 16 and at the
respective fitation~ for pas~enger boarding and departing. In
another embodiment, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 12, the ~ -
roller~ 58 are secured to the lower ~urface of the bumper 54
for rotation on the lower horizontal surface of the stabiliz-
ing track 50 a~ the vehicles 18 are propelled along the road-
way 16.
- As illustrated in Figures 1-3, the vehicles 18
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mechanism 24 that i~ provided on each of the vehicles. The
propelling mechanism includes front and rear trsction motors
60 and 62 that are supported above the bumper 54 and project
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~r~. outwardly from the end portions of the vehicle. The traction
-~ motors 60 and 62 preferably are electric motors having drive
shafts 64 and 66 that are rotated by the motors and have at
`.: 20 their end portione nonrotatably secured thereto rubber tired
wheels 68 and 70. The drive shaft~ 64 and 66 are ~upported
on the vehicle body portion by shock absorbers 56.
Electric power is ~upplied to the traction motors
60 and 62 by an inductive wire 74 that extends above the road-
way lfi within an enclosure 76 that ~urrounds the upper portion
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~ of the roadway 16. The enclosure 76 extend~ upwardly from the
~ stabilizing traok 50 and has curved ~ide portions that conform
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to the configuration of the vehicles 18. The enclosure 76 may
be fabricated from a ~uitable material, ~uch as plex~glass and
steel. The enclosure 76 functions to enclose the roadway 16
to prevent collection of debris thereon and permit termperature
control within the enclosed transit loop 12. The inductive
wire 74 extend~ the length of the transit loop 12 and a suit-
able electrical connection 78 provided on each vehicle remains
in contac~ with the wire 74 to provide current flow from the
wire to the traction motors 60 and 62. Also electrical power
0 iB supplied to the vehicles from the inductive wire 74 for the
purpose of opening and closing doors, providing light, air-
conditioning and operating the other electrical e~uipment on
each vehicle.
A~ illustrated in Figure~ 4 and 5, the roadway 16
of the enclosed transit loop 12 passes through the stations 14
where pa~sengers board and depart the vehicles~ Platforms 80
and 82 are po~itioned above the roadway 16 in each station 14
and extend adjacent to the ~tabilizing track 50 to permlt
boarding and departure of the passengers to and from the
vehicles. A braking mechanism generally de~ignated by the
numeral 84 is provided on the stabilizing track 50 in each
tation 14 to effect ~topping of the vehicles on the roadway
16 at each station.
The braking mechanism 84 illustrated in Figures
5 and 6 includes a braklng 8hoe or bar 90 that is pivotally
connected at one end portion to the ~tabilizing track 50
within a recess 52. The Gpposite end portion of the braking
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bar 90 i~ connected to an actuator device 92. Operation of
the actuator device 92 urges the braking bar to pivot about
its connection to the stabilizing track 50 ~o that the end
portion of the braking bar extends into the path of the
vehicle to ob~truct the movement of the vehicle as it
approaches the station 14. In thi~ manner the vehicle is
slowed and eventually brought to a 8top at the station.
Not only may the stabilizing track 50 be provided
with a braking mechanism at each station 14 but additional
braking mechani~ms 84 may be located at selected points along
the roadway 16 for slowing and ~topping the vehicle~ as illu8-
trated in Figure 11. The braking mechani~m 84 illustrated in
Figure 11 includes a braking shoe or bar 90 that is pivotally
connected at one end portion to the ~tabilizing track 50 with-
in a recess 52. The opposite end portion of the braking bar ~:
90 i8 connected to an actuator device 92. Thus, operation of
the actuator device 92 pivots the braking shoe 90 about its
connection to the stabilizing track 50 to urge the braking
~hoe 90 into the path of the approaching vehicle to engage
the body portion of the vehicle, epecifically the bumper 54,
to slow and stop the vehicle on the roadway 16. In this man-
ner, the speed of the vehicle3 may be controlied on grade
portion6 of the roadway 16 and approachee to the etatione 14.
In accordance with the enbodiment of the preeent
invention illu~trsted in Figure 7, a plurality of enclo~ed
traneit loop~ 12 comprieing the roadway~ 16 radiate outwardly
in selected directions from a main terminal 94. With this
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arrangement, the tran~it loops 12 permit continuous movement
of the vehicle 18 on the respective roadways 16 to and from
the main terminal 94. The transit loops 12 may be inter-
connected by trunk lines 96 to permit transportation of
passenge~s be~ween ~tations in transit loops 12. A plur-
ality of ~ubstations (not shown) may be provided in each of
the enclosed transit loops 12 for the boarding and departing
of passengers at selected points in the loops 12. Each sub-
station may be interconnected to accommodate transportation ~ :
between substations or transportation between substations and
the main terminal 94 and substations in the trunk lines 96.
Once the vehicles 18 have completed a run on oneof the transit loops 12, illustrated in Figure 7, and they
return to the main terminal-94, a rotatable mechanism gener-
ally de~ignated by the numeral 98 and illustrated in Figures
8-10 is provided for each transit loop at the terminal 94 for
changing direction of the vehicles on the roadway 16 within
the main terminal 94. The rotatable mechanism 98 may also be
located at intermediate points of a transit loop 12 for short
runs to and from the main terminal. The rotatable mechanism
98 includes a section 102 of the guidance system 20 having
pairs of guide tracks 26 and 28 and guideways 40 for traffic
movement in opposite directions on the roadway 16 and a sec-
tion of the stabilizing track 50 extending upwardly from the
guidance system 20. The center section of the stabilizing
track 50 is shown in phantom in Figure 9 for purpo~e6 of
illustration. The rotatable section 102 is supported for
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rotation on the super~tructure 32 by a drive shaft 104
that i8 drivingly connected to a motor 106. In opera-
tion, when a vehicle 18 has returned to the main terminal
94 and brought to a stop by operation of the braking
mechanism 84, the rotatable ~ection 102 i8 rotated through
an angle of laO in the direction indicated by the arrow
in Figure 8 to realign the section 102 with the roadway
guidance system 20. The vehicle may then proceed in the
opposite direction on the roadway 16 to complete another
. 10 run on the tran~it loop 12.
In addition to the braking mechanism 84 illus-
trated in Figures 5, 6 and 11 that is provided within the
recesse~ 52 of the stabilizing track 50, each vehicle is
provided with a braking mechanism generally designated by
the numeral 108 and illustrated in the Figures 12 and 13.
The braking mechanism 108 includes a brake shoe 110 that is :
. pivotally connected at one end to the vehicle 18 within the
.:, track recess 52. The free end portion of the brake shoe 110
. is secured to a piston cylinder assembly 112 by a piston rod
116 that extends outwardly from the a~sembly 112. Actuation
of the piston cylinder assembly 112 by hand lever 118 pivot-
,~ ally connected to the as~embly 112 extends and retracts
piston rod 116 to move the brake shoe 110 into and out of
I frictional engagement with the stabilizing track 50.
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Movement of the hand lever 118 in the direction -
~ indicated by the arrow in Figure 12 advances the pisfon with-
6~l in the a9sembly 112 to extend the piston rod 116 outwardly
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and urge the free end portion of brake shoe 110 into
frictional engagement with the stabilizing track 50. In
this manner, the forward motion of the vehicle 18 on the
roadway 16 i8 retarded, and accordingly the vehicle 18
may be brought to a halt. The braking mechanism 108 may
be provided on both side~ of the vehicle 18 to provide
for uniform stopping of the vehicle on the roadway to assure
~tability of the vehicle as it is brought to a stop.
Further in accordance with the practive of the
present invention, a shunting track generally designated by
the numeral 120 and illustraked in Figure 14 may be provided
at each station 14 on the enclosed tran~it loop 12 for di-
verting vehicle traffic approaching a ~tation to and from
the portion of the roadway 16 that passes through a station.
The shunting track 120 includes an entrance 122 from section
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16. The roadway sections 123 and 125 are planar surfaces
having the guide tracks 26 and 28 and guideways 40 removed.
Pivotal gates 126 and 127 of the stabilizing track 50 pro-
; 20 vide access to and from the shunting track 120. Each of thepivotal gates i~ arranged to pivot about a vertical axi~ 129
' to the roadway 16 between a first po~ition 128, indicated in
; phantom in Figure 14, for diverting traf~ic to and from the
d shunting track 120 and a second po~ition 130 for continuing
traffic flow on the roadway 16 through the station 14.
i When the pivotal gates 126 and 127 are aligned
in the second position 130, the vehicle traffic bypasses the
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10643Z4
shunting track 120 and is directed through the station 14
on the roadway 16. Accordingly, the vehicles are diverted
from the roadway 16 onto the shunting track 120 and around
station 14 when the pivotal gates 126 and 127 are aligned
in the first position 128. Moving the gates 126 and 127
from the first position 128 to the second position 130 re-
sumes traffic flow through the station 14 on the roadway 16.
Thus, by selectively pivoting the gate~ 126 and 127 into and
~: out of alignment with the roadway 16, it is possible to pro-
vide continuous movement of vehicle traffic around the sta-
tion to facilitate an express run or to divert vehicles from
the roadway 16 for temporary storage on the shunting track
. 120.
; According to the provisions of the patent stat-
utes, I have explained the principle, preferred construction
. and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated
.' and described what I now consider to represent its best em-
bodiments. However, it should be understood that within the
.j scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced
:j 20 otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.
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