Abstract: In a method for producing different rail variants from an assembly set, and system having a vehicle which is movable on a rail part, the assembly set includes a rail profile part and two different reactive components, and the rail profile part includes an interface at which one of the different reactive components is optionally able to be connected.

Abstract: A cable car system has vehicles which are coupled to a conveying cable between stations. The vehicles are decoupled from the conveying cable in the stations and are moved through the stations along guide rails. The vehicles are formed with current collectors and the stations have associated power rails. In at least one of the vehicles there is located a circuit with at least one electrical load which is supplied with electrical energy via the current collector and the power rails. At least one second circuit with at least one further electrical load is located in at least one vehicle. The second circuit is supplied with electrical energy via a single further current collector and a power rail assigned thereto. The two circuits are connected to a common current collector to which a single power rail is assigned.

Abstract: A distributed laundry system having mobilized laundry vehicles, including true laundry conveyors in the vehicles, and including a specialized distributed computer network in the vehicles to handle the circumstances of mobile laundry operations, such as special laundry instructions. In addition, procedures and operations which allow the vehicles to cooperate to provide efficient pickup and drop off services at locations of the customers' choices (such as at home or work), including flexible territories for the trucks, customer user interfaces on mobile devices such as cell phones, mobile computing devices and the like, and precise time estimates of pick-up and drop-off times.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a conductor bar operable to form a portion of a track. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of carriers. Each of the plurality of carriers comprises a collector shoe operable to engage the conductor bar to enable each of the plurality of carriers to advance along the track. The apparatus further comprises a motor power control device configured to deliver power to the collector shoes associated with each of the plurality of carriers to drive the plurality of carriers along the track.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for gravity-augmented preload of drive wheels in a monorail vehicle travelling along a guide rail with bearing and contact surfaces that are non-parallel with the gravity vector. The vehicle defines a pivot location against the bearing surface and a constraint point on the contact surface for engaging the rail on the bearing and contact surfaces, respectively. The vehicle is mounted so its center of gravity is at a rear longitudinal offset rrl from the pivot location and a vertical offset rvert from the guide rail. A force and moment balance thus created result in a normal load on a drive wheel engaged with the bearing surface at the pivot location, where the load value exceeds a standard normal load generated by the mass of the monorail vehicle alone.

Abstract: In a track type protection system comprising an automatic steering mechanism and a fail-safe mechanism, provided is a detection mechanism which can detect a deviated value of a vehicle, widthwise of a track, and which is highly reliable.

Abstract: A transit system is provided for application within existing routes of travel infrastructures, travelling along the median strip and utilizing the air space over the median strip and above limited height roadway traffic and beneath overpasses and height limiting infrastructures. The transit vehicles are supported on or side mounted from trucks operating on an elevated structural beam trackway with a lower upwardly facing support surface, an upper downwardly facing support surface, and (on certain vehicles) an upper medially facing support surface. Variations of the structural beam mount under overpasses or along the ground surface, and are used in switching means for secondary trackways. The transit system's vertical dimension is reduced by the interrelationship of the trucks and structural beam trackway with the transit vehicles, and by placing the vehicle to the side of the structural beam and side supporting the vehicle from the trucks.

Abstract: Apparataus for butt joining hanging conveyor supports having a C-shaped rail section in which conveying hangers can travel back and forth along the rail section. The supports each have a hollow section above the rail section and trolley wires running along at least one vertical side of the supports. Connecting parts are disposed between ends of adjacent supports, the hollow section having at least one profiled section in the shape of a square standing on a point. A square tube connects the ends and bridges the connecting parts and are inserted into the profiled sections at the ends of adjacent supports. Tie rods connect the ends of the adjacent supoorts. At least one L-shaped angle iron is disposed on each of the top sides of the ends of adjacent supports. The angle irons are connected to one another via at least one screw bolt and act, on both vertical sides of the ends of adjacent supports, on the tie rods which connect the ends together.

Abstract: A conveyor trolley with a pair of wheels rolling on a flat upper face of an upper end rail portion of a guide rail, one wheel acting as a drive wheel and attached to an output shaft of a speed-reducing unit mounted on a trolley body movably supported on the guide rail, and a motor for driving the output shaft via a speed-reducing mechanism in the speed-reducing unit, the trolley having a collector unit for supplying power to and communicating control signals with the motor, guide rollers for laterally binding and positioning the upper rail portion and a lower rail portion of the guide rail, a wheel securing unit disposed between an annular concave portion defined in a boss of the drive wheel and the output shaft, the wheel securing unit including an outer ring, an inner ring having a wedge-shaped cross section to be engaged into the outer ring and a tightening member for securing the wheels to the output shaft by reducing an inner diameter of the inner ring and by enlarging an outer diameter of the outer ring

Abstract: A carrier rail for overhead conveyors includes an upper and a lower flange connected together by a web. Angled profiles are disposed on at least one side of the web and are spaced apart interiorly of the flanges. The profiles and the web cooperatively define together at least two grooves therein. Each of the two grooves has an opening and the grooves are directed so that the openings face each other. The angled profiles are preferably integrally formed with the web, and form right angles with the web. Two angled profiles may be disposed on each side of the web, and form four grooves with the web.

Abstract: A cart type conveying apparatus comprising a guide rail having a substantially U-shaped section and including upper and lower horizontal extensions, and a conveyor cart including trolleys guided by the guide rail. The upper and lower extensions define guide grooves, respectively. Supporting wheels and centering rollers attached to lower positions of the trolleys are fitted in the guide grooves defined in the lower extension, and retaining wheels and centering rollers attached to upper positions of the trolleys are fitted in the guide groove defined in the upper extension.

Abstract: A monorail conveyor system in which an automotive cart comprising a drive wheel, a drive motor for driving the drive wheel, a gear case where output of the driving motor is reduced, and centering rollers rotatable on vertical axes, receives electric currents and control signals from a hollow rail and travels along the hollow rail. The driving motor has an output shaft extending in the forward-rearward direction of travel.

Abstract: A material handling system of the monorail and crane type is adaptable to carry relatively heavy loads and light loads through convenient structural modification using common component parts. The system is comprised of a double track 40 for heavy loads, formed of two track parts 54, 55 that alone are suitable for light-load applications. Carriers 42, 204 are comprised of drive heads 74 and idler heads 78, each with a single load support wheel 70, 71 or 70', 71'. A drive head 74, 74' and an idler head 78, 78' can be releasably interconnected in tandem by a load bar 206 to run along a single track, or in face-to-face opposition with wheels 70, 71 coaxial to form a drive unit 44 adapted to run along a double track. In the latter arrangement two additional heads, such as two idler heads 78b, 78c, are also interconnected in face-to-face opposition to form an idler unit 46 and connected in tandem with the drive unit 44 by a load bar 52.

Abstract: A modular rail member facilitates the translation of load-bearing carriages on an overhead track and comprises a vertical wall formed with two sections of different lengths which are spaced apart from and connected to each other by a flare having a vertical web. The two spaced-apart sections have ends curved in the same direction, and a vertical plane passing through the horizontal outer edges of the curved ends is set back relative to the vertical web.

Abstract: A guide rail and follower wheel construction for a monorail are disclosed. The monorail vehicle follower wheel has a radially directed, circumferential groove shaped to fit over a raised track portion, and the cross sectional shape of the wheel groove and the track over which it fits are such that the uppermost portion of the track contacts the radially innermost portion of the wheel groove. The wheel is mounted on the system comprising: a shaft and wheel includes opposed side-plates mounted for rotation on the shaft and a center disc mounted on the shaft between the side-plates and having a diameter less than that of the side-plates so as to form the groove. The side-plates are shaped to taper in diameter towards the center disc so that the uppermost track portion contacts only the disc. The side plates are rotatable on the shaft independently of the disc.

Abstract: To permit attachment of a suspended track without drilling of holes lfor installation and connection to support elements (25), the track has an upper hollow structural section (2), for example in essentially semi-circular shape with depending vertical sections (10), a similar lower hollow structural section (2) joined by a connecting web (3), the sections in the web are unitary, the web being of generally horizontal C-shape in cross section, with a generally vertical back portion (11), mutually converging or approaching forward portions (5) which are bent over themselves to form diverging wing portions (6) leaving a groove-like gap (4) therebetween, the ends (7) of the portions (5) and the diverging wing portions (6). Hanger elements (25) can be longitudinally positioned by clamping the hanger elements against internally positioned clamping bars or plates (27), permitting longitudinal alignment by relative sliding of the clamping bars within the C-shaped chamber.

Abstract: A vehicle suspended from a trackway of an aerial trackway system is provided. The vehicle comprises a front traction unit having a supporting wheel and a rear traction unit having a supporting wheel. These traction units support a vehicle body of the vehicle and are rotatable relative to the vehicle body such that the supporting wheels may follow the trackway without slip. Apparatus is provided for linking the front and rear traction units such that a moment at the center of gravity of the front traction unit about its axis of rotation relative to the vehicle body and a moment at the center of gravity of the rear traction unit about its center of rotation relative to the vehicle body are balanced.

Abstract: A unitary hanger is provided for supporting from the lower web of a single, overhead I-beam support the trolley rail, the advancing reach, and one or more returning reaches of a drop finger conveyor.