Abstract: A current collector for a non-track-bound, electrically driven vehicle for feeding electrical energy from a two-pole overhead line system with two contact wires. Two upper arms are rotatably connected to an adjustable lower arm by toggle joints. Each upper arm carries a contact rocker for contacting the contact wires. Coupling bars are rotatably connected to the upper arms and articulated so that adjustment of the lower arm forces adjustment of the upper arms. A compensating rocker compensates for a height difference between the contact rockers with a rocker stand and a rocker beam. The rocker stand can be rotatably connected to the vehicle and the rocker beam is connected to the coupling bars by way of compensating joints on either side of the rocker joint. At least one stop element limits a rotational movement of the rocker beam about a rocker joint axis of the rocker joint.

Abstract: A sensor module for a rail vehicle contains a box-like module housing with a housing wall having a front opening. It further has one or more environment sensors arranged in the module housing for acquiring environment data that can be perceived through the front opening. Moreover, it contains one or more front windows, which have in each case one window pane, which closes the front opening. As a result, the integration of environment sensors into rail vehicles, in particular for high-speed operation, can be optimized. A rail vehicle ideally contains such a sensor module.

Abstract: A current collector for a multi-pole contact line system has a lower arm that is pivotally mounted on a base and at least two upper arms that are pivotally mounted on an end of the lower arm opposite the base. The current collector also has at least two contact assemblies that are arranged on the respective upper arms and are associated with separate different poles of a contact line. The current collector further has a central compensating rocker arranged on the base and at least two connecting rods, the first end of each of which is pivotally connected to the central compensating rocker and the second end of each of which is pivotally connected to one of the at least two upper arms. An electrified transport system uses such a current collector.

Abstract: A current collector for a non-track-bound, electrically driven vehicle for feeding electrical energy from a two-pole overhead line system with two contact wires. Two upper arms are rotatably connected to an adjustable lower arm by toggle joints. Each upper arm carries a contact rocker for contacting the contact wires. Coupling bars are rotatably connected to the upper arms and articulated so that adjustment of the lower arm forces adjustment of the upper arms. A compensating rocker compensates for a height difference between the contact rockers with a rocker stand and a rocker beam. The rocker stand can be rotatably connected to the vehicle and the rocker beam is connected to the coupling bars by way of compensating joints on either side of the rocker joint. At least one stop element limits a rotational movement of the rocker beam about a rocker joint axis of the rocker joint.

Abstract: A current collector for a multi-pole contact line system has a lower arm that is pivotally mounted on a base and at least two upper arms that are pivotally mounted on an end of the lower arm opposite the base. The current collector also has at least two contact assemblies that are arranged on the respective upper arms and are associated with separate different poles of a contact line. The current collector further has a central compensating rocker arranged on the base and at least two connecting rods, the first end of each of which is pivotally connected to the central compensating rocker and the second end of each of which is pivotally connected to one of the at least two upper arms. An electrified transport system uses such a current collector.

Abstract: A vehicle control facility for the automated control of an electrical road vehicle for a route system with an energy-supply system that includes a lane-bound energy supply line, in particular an overhead line system. A position-determining unit determines a geographical position of the electrical road vehicle. A specific-lane-determining unit determines position data for a specific lane assigned to the lane-bound energy supply line. A communication interface transmits current relative positions of infrastructure features with respect to the electrical road vehicle to an external central specific-lane-determining facility and receives position data. A vehicle-control unit controls the electrical road vehicle with respect to the determined specific lane in dependence on the determined relative position of the specific lane.

Abstract: A transportation system with a non-rail-bound, electrically or diesel-electrically driven vehicle, has a two-pole overhead conductor system with contact wires forming supply and return conductors. The vehicle has a current collector for the supply of electrical energy through sliding contact with the contact wires. A video detector on the vehicle determines a position of the contact wires relative to the vehicle. Marking elements mark the position of the contact wires. The video detector is oriented for taking video images of the marking elements, and an evaluation unit recognizes from a recorded video image whether contact wires are present above the vehicle and, when they are present, determines their position relative to the vehicle. Through the improved recognition of the position of the vehicle relative to the overhead conductor the operational safety of the transportation system is improved.

Abstract: A vehicle control facility for the automated control of an electrical road vehicle for a route system with an energy-supply system that includes a lane-bound energy supply line, in particular an overhead line system. A position-determining unit determines a geographical position of the electrical road vehicle. A specific-lane-determining unit determines position data for a specific lane assigned to the lane-bound energy supply line. A communication interface transmits current relative positions of infrastructure features with respect to the electrical road vehicle to an external central specific-lane-determining facility and receives position data. A vehicle-control unit controls the electrical road vehicle with respect to the determined specific lane in dependence on the determined relative position of the specific lane.

Abstract: A vehicle charging station charges an energy accumulator in a battery-driven vehicle, namely an electric bus or hybrid vehicle, the vehicle being parked in a pre-defined parking position during the charging process. The charging station contains a base which is arranged in the vicinity of the pre-defined parking position and an articulated arm. One end of which is mounted in a revolute joint on the base and is rotary driven by a rotary drive and the other end is connected to a supply-contact device by a second revolute joint, such that the supply-contact device can be moved, by a pivoting movement of the articulated arm, between an idle position, in which the supply-contact device is positioned above the vehicle roof, and a working position, in which, for charging purposes, electrical contact is made between the supply-contact device and a receiving-contact device arranged in a static manner on the vehicle roof.

Abstract: A non-rail-bound vehicle, in particular a truck, includes a current collector for supplying electric energy from a two-pole overhead conductor. A rocker can be vertically lifted or lowered by a rocking movement of a support extension arm about horizontal tilting axes of lower hinge assemblies and can be laterally displaced by a tilting movement of a support extension arm about vertical pivot axes of the lower hinge assemblies. The lower hinge assemblies are supported on a lifting device which is connected to a vehicle frame of the vehicle and through which the current collector can be vertically moved between a lower parked position and an upper operating position. In this manner, overhead conductors with an extended height range can be contacted without the current collector influencing the entire length of the vehicle.

Abstract: A non-rail bound vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle or a bus, has a current collector for feeding electrical energy from a two-pole overhead line. The contact wires of the overhead line are configured as forward and return conductors, and each can be contacted by at least one contact strip of the current collector. Due to the fact that the current collector is provided with two support extension arms, which are tiltably and rotatably hinged to both the vehicle and a rocker bearing the contact strips such that the rocker can be both raised and lowered and also can be moved transversely to the direction of travel, the current collector can be safely coupled to and decoupled from the contact wires, even at higher driving speeds of the vehicle. Furthermore, lateral inaccuracies with respect to a lane while steering the vehicle can be permanently compensated for by the current collector.

Abstract: A transportation system with a non-rail-bound, electrically or diesel-electrically driven vehicle, has a two-pole overhead conductor system with contact wires forming supply and return conductors. The vehicle has a current collector for the supply of electrical energy through sliding contact with the contact wires. A video detector on the vehicle determines a position of the contact wires relative to the vehicle. Marking elements mark the position of the contact wires. The video detector is oriented for taking video images of the marking elements, and an evaluation unit recognizes from a recorded video image whether contact wires are present above the vehicle and, when they are present, determines their position relative to the vehicle. Through the improved recognition of the position of the vehicle relative to the overhead conductor the operational safety of the transportation system is improved.

Abstract: A non-rail-bound, electrically driven vehicle contains a vehicle body having a vehicle width and a current collector for feeding traction energy from an overhead line. The current collector has two support brackets, an apex member connected to overhead-contact-line-side ends of the support brackets and lying transversely to a longitudinal axis, and two rockers mounted so as to rotate about an apex member axis. The support brackets are articulated at their vehicle-side ends to the vehicle body such that the rockers can be adjusted in height between a lowered idle position and a raised contact position and can be transversely moved between two lateral deflected positions. Accordingly, the rockers can be moved transversely independently of one another, wherein it is possible to adjust a current collector width so that it is less than the vehicle width. Therefore the vehicle can also be licensed for operation outside electrified routes.

Abstract: A non-rail-bound vehicle, in particular a truck, includes a current collector for supplying electric energy from a two-pole overhead conductor. A rocker can be vertically lifted or lowered by a rocking movement of a support extension arm about horizontal tilting axes of lower hinge assemblies and can be laterally displaced by a tilting movement of a support extension arm about vertical pivot axes of the lower hinge assemblies. The lower hinge assemblies are supported on a lifting device which is connected to a vehicle frame of the vehicle and through which the current collector can be vertically moved between a lower parked position and an upper operating position. In this manner, overhead conductors with an extended height range can be contacted without the current collector influencing the entire length of the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method weigh an object, in particular a flat item of mail, during transport. A conveying device having an endless conveying belt and a counterpart conveying element is able to temporarily grip an object in a clamping region and to transport it in a transporting direction. Weighing scales are able to weigh the object while the object is gripped in a clamping region. The damping element is configured to damp vibrations of an object gripped in the clamping region. The damping element has a surface which is curved in the transporting direction. The endless conveying belt is guided in such a way around the curved surface that the endless conveying belt rests areally against the curved surface in a damping region and the endless conveying belt and the counterpart conveying element are configured to guide the object gripped in the clamping region past the curved surface.

Abstract: A non-rail bound vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle or a bus, has a current collector for feeding electrical energy from a two-pole overhead line. The contact wires of the overhead line are configured as forward and return conductors, and each can be contacted by at least one contact strip of the current collector. Due to the fact that the current collector is provided with two support extension arms, which are tiltably and rotatably hinged to both the vehicle and a rocker bearing the contact strips such that the rocker can be both raised and lowered and also can be moved transversely to the direction of travel, the current collector can be safely coupled to and decoupled from the contact wires, even at higher driving speeds of the vehicle. Furthermore, lateral inaccuracies with respect to a lane while steering the vehicle can be permanently compensated for by the current collector.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method weigh an object, in particular a flat item of mail, during transport. A conveying device having an endless conveying belt and a counterpart conveying element is able to temporarily grip an object in a clamping region and to transport it in a transporting direction. Weighing scales are able to weigh the object while the object is gripped in a clamping region. The damping element is configured to damp vibrations of an object gripped in the clamping region. The damping element has a surface which is curved in the transporting direction. The endless conveying belt is guided in such a way around the curved surface that the endless conveying belt rests areally against the curved surface in a damping region and the endless conveying belt and the counterpart conveying element are configured to guide the object gripped in the clamping region past the curved surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating flat mail items includes two transport devices for transporting two independently mobile stacks of mail items to an extraction device for extracting mail items from both stacks of mail items and supplying the mail items to a transport run. A single-component extraction element of the extraction device is provided for extracting mail items from the two stacks of mail items. An economical device for separating flat mail items from both stacks of mail items can be obtained, and the device generates a continuous flow of mail items.

Abstract: To process large stamped letters, machine readable large letters are placed with the stamp facing upwards in a sorting station on a conveying means that leads them to further processing stations, has a reference edge in the conveying direction and is inclined in the conveying direction. The letter edge parallel to address lines, in proximity of which the stamps are located, rests against the reference edge. The stamps are automatically cancelled by a canceling device arranged over the leading-away conveying means and at a lateral spacing from the reference edge which corresponds to the spacing of the stamps from said letter edge. The large letters are then rotated through 90° as they are conveyed onwards with the shorter letter edge resting against the reference edge, by a locally fixed rotation element, so, like the standard letters, they rest with their longer letter edge on the reference edge, as is required for further processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device that is provided with a pressing and applying drum (17) which is driven during start-stop operation and is used for applying the labels (16) to flat objects (20) that are transported along a conveying path. A label strip (1) having a bend that matches the receiving drum surface is pushed onto the side of the pressing and applying drum (17) with the adhesive side thereof facing towards the outside and vertically in relation to the transport plane of the flat objects (20) by means of a label conveying and cutting device (4), whereby said side faces away from the objects (20). The portion which is situated on the stationary pressing and applying drum (17) is cut off by means of a cutter device that is adapted to the bend.