Abstract: A suspension device for vehicles between a spring-mounted passenger car and a chassis with at least one flexible spring and a damping element connected in parallel to the spring. The damping element is an active damping element with a controllable damping ratio, which features an hydraulic piston, a first bypass with constant throttle action and a second bypass with a throttle valve, whereby the throttle valve is connected to a controlling device, which opens or closes the throttle valve, as a function of the excursion rate of the flexible spring or of the lateral acceleration values of the passenger car and of the chassis.

Abstract: A method for controlling a magnet of a magnetically levitated railroad, wherein at least three variables are used which are acquired in an observer unit (support circuit) based on the measured magnitudes for the magnetic gap width s, as well as the magnetic acceleration b; to improve the following behavior of the magnetically levitated vehicle without increasing the background noise component, an additional rail signal is feed to the controller of the individual magnets, which rail signal is respectively obtained by a rail observer unit from the measured magnitudes of the magnet gap width and the magnet acceleration of one of the magnets which is leading in a travel direction in such a way that it represents a noiseless rail signal with a correct phase in the useful frequency range as referred to the respectively trailing magnets.

Abstract: A system for producing pressure or shear-waves in a solid medium uses a wave generator with at least one primary induction coil and at least one short-circuited secondary coil. The short-circuited secondary coil is rigidly connected to the solid medium for directly transmitting to the solid medium the repulsion force generated between the primary and secondary coils by a short-circuit current caused to flow in the secondary coil when electrical power is applied to the primary coil. Thus, the system is a transformer in which the short-circuited secondary coil is directly used as the tool for the wave application.

Abstract: A rail vehicle with spring support of its car body on an underframe with flanged wheels for guidance and support on a track. Permanent magnets are provided on the underframe, which exert an attraction counter to the wheel load on armature bars extending along the track. The magnetic force of the magnets is controllable as a function of the load (weight) of the car body by an increase or decrease of the magnetic resistance of a ferromagnetic magnet core by mechanical means as the load decreases or increases.

Abstract: A magnet controller for a magnetically suspended vehicle of the linear stator type for travelling along a rail track (1) forming a linear stator having teeth of uniform determined width, responds to a rectified control signal. The control parameters for the magnet controller (21) are adjusted in response to speed to assure a stable control during standstill and at low speeds and to achieve a good response or follower characteristic of the control system at high speeds. A speed representing signal (U.sub.v) is generated in a conductor loop, preferably a double loop (9), inserted into a groove (10) of the poles (5) of the levitation magnets (2). The signal (U.sub.v) generated in the conductor loop is rectified at (31), and if desired passed through a low-pass filter (32) to provide the control input signal for the controller (21) by a very simple circuit. Utilizing just the amplitude of the speed signal (U.sub.

Abstract: The levitating force of the levitation magnets of a magnetically levitated ehicle of the linear stator type is controlled for regulating the air gap width (S) between these levitation magnets (2) and a rail track having teeth of uniform, determined width in the travel direction. The control is responsive to the air gap width and, if desired, to the differentiation of the air gap width with respect to time. The control requirements are dependent on the vehicle speed, whereby in the low speed and stopping situations the primary task is a stabilizing one and in higher speed situations the primary task is a good following behavior. For this purpose a steering signal is derived from the output terminals of an induction conductor loop located in the surface of a pole piece of a levitation magnet facing the track teeth. The loop has a width corresponding to the tooth width. The frequency of the signal induced in the loop is directly proportional to the vehicle speed.

Abstract: The magnets supporting a magnetic suspension vehicle are vibrationally isolated from the vehicle body by mounting a number of the magnets on each chassis with individual spring arrangements whose reactive moments are greater than the pitch and roll moments tending to deflect the magnets.