A transportation system comprising a network of rails 16 connecting a plurality of locations, vehicles 62 running on the network of rails, and rail switches 32 or points to guide vehicles from one section of the network 52 to a selected one of two further sections of the network depending on the position of the switch. The system includes a controller to control the switches. Each of the plural rail vehicles comprises one of a primary 68 and a secondary 70 of a linear motor, the network of rails comprising the other. The primary and secondary are disposed relative to each other such that the vehicle is propelled when the primary is energised. The system may comprise a cascade of rail switches 50. The power to energise the primary may come from a battery on the vehicle. The motor may be a linear switch reluctance motor or a linear induction motor. The vehicle may comprise an electro-dynamic suspension and operate as a mag-lev. The system may comprise rails which extend horizontally and rails which extend vertically (fig 5, 64 and 164). The system may comprise rails of different widths.
Transportation systems
2023-07-05
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B61B RAILWAY SYSTEMS , Eisenbahnanlagen |
Transportation systems: Automation in transportation '96
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1996
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