Laterally Movable Patents (Class 104/231)
  • Patent number: 8607936
    Abstract: A roller arrangement (20) for a stairlift carriage is described, the arrangement including a central roller set (22), and outer roller sets (24) and (26). Rollers (42), (43, 44) and (45) in the outer roller sets are mounted in yokes (48) which are mounted for independent pivotal movement, relative to one another, in two orthogonal axes. The axes of each set preferably lie in common planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Stannah Stairlifts Limited
    Inventors: Andreas Csaba Szentistvany, Martin John Colenutt
  • Patent number: 5775226
    Abstract: A pair of travel rails (46) each having an upper surface and a lower surface are laid to extend from on the land (44) into the water (45). Main tires (12) are rotatably disposed on opposite sides of a vehicle body (1), so that they are located between the upper and lower surfaces of the travel rails (46), and so that they abut against the lower surfaces of the travel rails (46) during traveling of the vehicle body on the land. Auxiliary tires (13) are disposed on upper portions of the main tires (12) to abut against the main tires (12). The auxiliary tires (13) are adapted to abut against the upper portions of the travel rails (46) under influence of the buoyancy of the vehicle body (1) during traveling of the vehicle body in the water. Thus, the travel vehicle body (1) can continuously travel on the land and in the water by rotatively driving the main tires (12) to move the travel vehicle body (1) along the travel rails (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Koyo Engineering Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Futami, Kenjiro Futami
  • Patent number: 5542356
    Abstract: A track-guided transport vehicle system for transporting high loads along a travel path contains for the drive a synchronous linear drive with a long stator along the travel path and an exciter winding on the vehicle. The long stator generates a travelling field that cooperates with a static magnetic field generated by an exciter winding on the vehicle so as to propel the vehicle. In order to supply electric drive energy to the compressor unit serving to generate compressed air for the air cushions, a higher frequency alternating current is superimposed on the current supplied to the windings along the track, with the higher frequency alternating current being coupled by a transformer effect into the winding on the vehicle. The energy can be coupled out there by means of a rectifier and be made available for feeding the electric motor of the compressor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1996
    Inventors: Withold Richert, Andreas Grundl, Bernhard Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 5535963
    Abstract: An aircraft which rolls along a guide rail at low speeds and attains aerodynamically airborne flight guided along the rail at high speeds. The guide rail structure includes I beams suspended end to end from spaced apart arches. The guide rails are mounted on the lower ends of the I beam and include flat bottom surfaces and curved upper surfaces that receive the wheels of the aircraft in the low speed operating mode. The upper surfaces are portions of elliptical surfaces to assure proper positioning of the aircraft wheels. In the high speed airborne mode of operation, proximity sensors on the aircraft sense the distance to the guide rail. Controls receive inputs from the sensors and adjust the flight path accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Airtrain Incorporated
    Inventors: Elvest L. Lehl, Glen W. Zumwalt
  • Patent number: 5409182
    Abstract: A flight vehicle includes a base frame in which an accumulating tank is mounted for receiving air. An air entrance device is mounted on the first end of the base frame for introducing air to enter into the accumulating tank. A power supply device is mounted in the base frame for pressurizing air in the accumulating tank. A nozzle device is mounted on an upperside of a first end of the base frame and communicates with the accumulating tank for injecting the pressurized air therefrom along a longitudinal direction of the base frame. A suction device is adjustably mounted on an upperside of a second end of the base frame and is restricted to be disposed between a first position where air injected from the nozzle device is introduced into the suction device and a second position where the suction device stops operating. An elevator device and a rudder device are respectively mounted on an upperside of the second end of the base frame. A wheel assembly is mounted on an underside of the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Inventor: Yeong-Shyeong Tsai
  • Patent number: 5222689
    Abstract: An aircraft having magnetic suspension systems adapted to be used as a winged surface effect aircraft, as a conventional type aircraft and as an aircraft of vertical take-off. A winged surface effect aircraft is provided with a magnetic suspension system having electromagnets adapted for magnetic interaction with a composite run-way utilizing an eddy current to support the rear portion of winged surface effect aircraft laterally in relation to the run-way while the front portion is supported by and rides on an air cushion developed by forward thrust between the wing and ground. The propelling units of the surface effect aircraft are adapted to hover the front portion and to propel the aircraft along the run-way while the rear portion of aircraft is magnetically supported by the magnetic suspension system. The winged surface effect aircraft can be adapted to be propelled over the ground surface as a conventional type aircraft when the electromagnets are disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Inventor: Leonid Simuni
  • Patent number: 5215015
    Abstract: A track vehicle such as a Maglev train has a body with superconducting coils mounted thereon which superconducting coils interact with vertically extending coils on guideways of a track to generate a propulsive force. The vehicle runs on wheels at low speeds but at higher speeds the superconducting coils may interact with ground coils to generate a lifting force. In order to reduce or eliminate stresses between the superconducting coils and the vehicle body, the vehicle has one or more wings of airfoil shape which generate lift. That lift may be sufficient to support the whole of the weight of the vehicle, enabling the ground coils to be eliminated. Furthermore, the shape of the superconducting coils may be changed so that they supply more energy to propulsive effects. Preferably the angle of incidence of the wing(s) is variable, to permit the lift generated thereby to be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Iida, Naofumi Tada
  • Patent number: 5170715
    Abstract: Movable aerodynamic control surfaces are mounted to a MAGLEV vehicle. They operate in combination with magnetically actuated coils that are located in the vehicle and cooperate with coils or metallic sheets located along the vehicle guideway. Sensors provide clearance information concerning the vehicle relative to the guideway as well as translational speed and vehicle rotational measurements. Based on input from these sensors, a computer positions the control surfaces and energizes the magnetic coils so as to unload dynamic forces and stresses imposed by the vehicle while providing smoother vehicle movement indicative of superior passenger comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Gran, Michael Proise
  • Patent number: 4941406
    Abstract: A vehicle (10) mounted on a T-shaped rail (100) and having wings (11) providing lift is described. The vehicle uses magnets (18) on the vehicle and materials (101) attracted by the magnet on the rail to provide magnetic levitation. Propulsion is provided by a motor (15). The vehicle is adapted for high speed travel slightly above the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Inventor: Joachim E. Lay
  • Patent number: 4899665
    Abstract: Assembly comprising a vehicle movable on rails and a support for the vehicle, wherein at least the lower part of the vehicle is situated under the geometric tangent plane below the wheels. The support is shaped in such a way to provide an empty space suitable for housing the lower part of the vehicle which is located under the geometric plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Inventor: Onofrio La Sorte
  • Patent number: 4841871
    Abstract: A monorail transportation system utilizing generally inverted channel shaped rail members for supporting personal transit vehicles which are each suspended from the rails by a carriage having traction motor propelled drive wheels engageable with the rail channel and spaced apart vehicle supporting guide wheels. The vehicles have aerodynamically contoured bodies provided with lift surfaces which provide varying degrees of lift in accordance with vehicle speed and angle of attack to reduce mechanical friction in the carriage and structural loading on the rail network. The vehicles are automatically controlled and used by individual user when called up from storage track sections at spaced apart stations along the rail network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Inventor: Martin N. Leibowitz
  • Patent number: 4804305
    Abstract: A movable platform system is provided, comprising a basin, defined by a bottom and a sidewall, the basin containing a liquid; a plurality of support structures, extending upward from the bottom, the support structures being aligned in rows, the rows being perpendicular to each other; a plurality of platforms each having a top surface and an underside, the platforms being floatable in the liquid, each of the platforms having a plurality of guides attached to the underside, for guiding movement of the platforms in the basin, at least one of the guides being aligned perpendicular to another, wherein a plurality of the support structures extend into the guides; and a plurality of bearing devices, attached to the support structures so as to support the underside of the platforms within the guides and allow the platforms to move parallel to the bottom along some of the rows of the support structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Inventor: Robert Lapotaire
  • Patent number: 4762070
    Abstract: A transport installation comprises a guide track and at least one car which moves on the track. A circulating cable is provided near the track and a gripping device on the car grips the cable. Lateral retaining members are fixed to the car and accommodate the cable at least when it is gripped by the gripping devices. There are at least two such lateral retaining members disposed on respective sides of the gripping device. They are adapted to hold the cable betweem them at least substantially in a vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Assignee: SOULE
    Inventors: Jean Huon de Kermadec, Guy M. C. M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4703697
    Abstract: A transportation system is disclosed in which passenger carrying coaches are guided along paths defined by a trackway. The trackway has bottom, top and side tracks which limit movement of the coaches orthogonally to the trackway. The coaches proceed, for the most part, without touching the tracks, being supported by stub wings, mounted on pylons carried by the coaches. Motive power is supplied by a jet engine and primary control of a coach is by airfoil type control surfaces. Auxiliary control is supplied by nozzles which expel pressurized gas to provide corrective reactive forces. The position of a coach along the trackway is derived from location sensors carried by the coach, while the spacing of the coach from the trackway is derived from proximity sensors. The sensor signals are fed to central processing unit which compares this information with benchmark information contained in memory. The location information is used to command the motive power jet and flaps on the stub wings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Inventor: George S. Bell
  • Patent number: 4629143
    Abstract: A creel assembly and section beam pallet minimize downtime, enhance loading and unloading operations and facilitate automation, in slasher, dyeing, and like textile operations. First and second creels are mounted side-by-side on a frame. Air bearings lift the frame off of the floor, and a powered wheel rotates the frame 180.degree., when changing over from the section beams on one creel, to the other. The section beam pallets include outwardly extending arms having shoes on their bottoms. The shoes cooperate with rails associated with the support frame, and air is delivered between the rails and the pallet shoes when it is desired to move the pallets along the rails. The rails are tilted from a level position to a slightly downwardly inclined position so that the pallets glide on air to the end of the rails, at which position they may be unloaded with a forklift or an automated guided vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1986
    Assignee: Burlington Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Everett Griffin
  • Patent number: 4512259
    Abstract: A transport system comprising cable-drawn non-motorized vehicles guided independently of the cable and coupled to and uncoupled from the cable automatically. The vehicle comprises a progressively engaged clamp gripping a cable, a braked wheel, and support and guide wheels bearing on rails. The clamp is controlled by a cam which is fixed relative to the track and, through the joint action of the respective cable and vehicle guide systems, grips the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Assignee: Soule Fer et Froid S.A.
    Inventor: Jean Huon de Kermadec