Abstract: An apparatus for reducing the gap between a platform and a guided vehicle has a horizontal row of parallel blades whose roots are rigidly fixed to the platform, having a resilient bending stiffness in a vertical direction which is greater than a bending stiffness in an horizontal direction parallel to the row. Each blade is of elastomer material containing one or more inserts for presenting lower resistance to bending in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction. In a modified embodiment the apparatus has a mechanical actuator having a rest state and an active state. The actuator is coupled to the blades in such a manner that the blades are curved in one of the active state and rest state and project from the platform through a distance that is smaller than when the actuator is in the other of the active state and rest state.

Abstract: The wheel set comprises a pair of load-carrying wheels that run on a track, and that are steerable about parallel axes on a fixed portion, together with two pairs of guide wheels for bearing laterally against the track. The pairs of guide wheels are situated on either side of the load-carrying wheels, and they are carried by the same guide frame which is displaceable relative to the fixed portion only in rotation about a vertical axis. The guide frame is connected to the load-carrying wheels by a forced steering linkage for the load-carrying wheels. The fixed portion is constituted by a transverse box girder placed above the guide frame and provided with steering pivots for the load-carrying wheels, which pivots are placed beneath suspension cushions for the vehicle.