Abstract: A transportation system including a solar energy collecting monorail structure formed with a photovoltaic surface layer having a solar energy converting means for converting the collected solar energy to electrical energy. A power distribution means for distributing stored energy to transit vehicles being propelled along the monorail structure or distributing excess energy to a remote power utility source. The monorail structure includes means for propelling a transit vehicle according to magnetic principals associated with transverse flux motors. The system also includes a computer controlled, elevation compensating monorail structure extrusion machine comprising a fabrication chamber which continuously fabricates the monorail structure along a monorail construction right-of-way.

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.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing secures active magnetic centering with respect to at least one centering axis of a body movable relative to another a static body. It comprises, on each side of a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the centering axis and containing a reference axis: at least one permanent magnet magnetized parallel to the reference axis, at least one combination comprising a coil wound on a ferromagnetic core disposed to procure a magnetic flux parallel to the reference axis and ferromagnetic members adapted to provide a closed magnetic path for magnetic flux produced by the magnet and the coil via airgaps on the centering axis separating the movable body from the body body. A control circuit comprises a sensor responsive to relative movement between the movable body and the body body along the centering axis and adapted to feed to the coil a current adapted to correct any such relative movement. Two ferromagnetic plates carried by the body body have the magnet and the core clamped between them.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing system for enabling translational motion includes a carriage and a shaft for movably supporting the carriage; a first magnetic bearing fixed to one of the carriage and shaft and slidably received in a first channel of the other of the carriage and shaft. The first channel is generally "U" shaped with two side walls and a back wall. The magnetic bearing includes a pair of spaced magnetic pole pieces, each pole piece having a pair of electromagnetic coils mounted on poles on opposite ends of the pole piece proximate the side walls, and a third electromagnetic coil mounted on a pole of the pole piece proximate the backwall; a motion sensor for sensing translational motion along two axes and rotationally about three axes of the carriage and shaft relative to each other; and a correction circuit responsive to the sensor for generating a correction signal to drive the coils to compensate for any misalignment sensed between the carriage and the shaft.

Abstract: In a transportation system of a floated-carrier type, a carrier is suspended from a guide rail, in a non-contact manner, and is propelled along the guide rail. The transportation system includes a plurality of track units, each having the ferromagnetic guide rail, an electrical wire, and a pair of connectors provided to both ends of the electrical wire. Each track unit comprises minimum and necessary elements required for traveling the carrier. When a connector of one track unit and that of the other track unit are connected, connection of electrical wires necessary for this system is completed. For this reason, an operation for mounting the electrical wires in the track can be omitted, and installation of the track can be facilitated. Furthermore, when the travel path of the carrier is to be modified, a combination of track units can be freely changed, thus realizing various travel paths of the carrier. For this reason, the travel path can be easily modified.

Abstract: A controller for a magnetic bearing system which controls the magnetic attraction force acting between a rotor yoke rigidly secured to a rotary shaft and a pair of electromagnet stators rigidly secured to a casing on the basis of a signal output from a displacement sensor which measures relative displacement between the rotary shaft and the casing. The signal output from the displacement sensor is input to a compensation circuit. The signal output from the compensation circuit is input to both the non-inverting input terminal of one operational amplifier and the inverting input terminal of the other operational amplifier. An exciting coil bias voltage is input to the respective inverting input terminals of the two operational amplifiers.

Abstract: A conveyor for use in a room with a high degree of cleanness and which can convey wafers one by one stably, without generation of dust. The conveyor has vehicles having a slit in the surface on which a wafer can be placed, permanent magnets provided on the undersurface of the vehicle, and a magnetic fluid interposed between the permanent magnets and a transporting course for floating the vehicle. By moving the vehicle along the transporting course by linear motors or by driving devices of the rope trolley type, wafers are conveyed one by one on the vehicle.

Abstract: An electromagnetic suspension system for suspending a platform element with respect to a base element includes electromagnetic isolator/actuators, having a permanent magnet with a pole gap between the magnetic poles, and a coil having turns of electrically conductive material. The coil and permanent magnet are positioned so that at least a portion of each of the coil turns is within the pole gap of the permanent magnet, with the portion being aligned substantially perpendicularly to the polar axis of the permanent magnet. When electric current is applied to the coil, an electromagnetic force is generated between the coil and the permanent magnet. This force is proportional to the current and substantially independent of relative velocity of motion between the coil and the magnet.

Abstract: This invention provides an electromagnetic device arranged to levitate and move a wheeled-vehicle over a waterless surface with a minimum energy expended. The electromagnetic device comprises: an endless belt which contacts the surface over which the vehicle is moved; a series of magnets positioned on the belt's inner surface which repel other series of magnets suspended from the vehicle body and axles; a set of wheels on the axles which engage a track positioned between the series of magnets on the inner surface of the belt; and a set of electric harnesses arranged to polarize the series of magnets, whereby they repel each other to transfer the wheeled-vehicle weight from the axles to the endless belt.

Abstract: In a transporting system, four magnetic units are mounted on corners of carrier and the carrier is suspended under rails by electromagnetic attractive forces acting between the magnetic units and the bottom section of the rails. Each of the magnetic unit has a permanent magnet and electromagnets and gap sensors are provided on the carrier to sense a gap between each magnetic unit and rail. A battery for supplying a current to the magnetic unit is mounted on the carrier 15. The carrier is floated in a zero steady-state power control mode, even when an external force is applied to the carrier by a zero steady-state power control circuit which maintain the steady-state current supplied to the magnetic unit to be substantially zero. The carrier is softly landed on the rail or started to move from the rail in response to an external command in a soft landing or a soft start mode by an actuating unit 67.

Abstract: A transporting system of floated carrier type including a guide rail having a bottom surface portion formed of a ferromagnetic material, a carrier arranged to be freely movable along the guide rail, at least one magnetic supporting unit placed on board the carrier and including electromagnets arranged so as to face the bottom surface portion of the guide rail via gap and a permanent magnet that is placed in the magnetic circuit formed by the electromagnets, the guide rail, and the gap, for supplying magnetomotive force required for floating the carrier. A sensor section is attached to the carrier for detecting changes in the magnetic circuit. The length of the gap is controlled by a zero power feedback loop that stabilizes the magnetic circuit in a state in which the current flowing in the electromagnets is zero, by controlling the exciting current in the electromagnets based on the output of the sensor section.

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: There is provided specialized conveying apparatus for transporting articles which are confined to a tube or chamber within which the cleanliness is maintained at extremely high levels by utilizing existing precipitator and other apparatus, the motion of the pallet on which the articles to be processed are carried being produced by a motor-driven truck which is isolated pneumatically from the article-carrying pallet but which is coupled magnetically to elements on that pallet so that the pallet is levitated in the controlled atmosphere and caused to move by the moving of a truck in the isolated driver portion of the apparatus, all of the dust and other contaminants which are produced in the frictional process of driving the truck being isolated from the clean chamber in which the article is being processed by reason of a nonmagnetic wall separating the driver portion from the conveying portion of the apparatus, the result being the ability to obtain previously unachievable, high levels of cleanliness in the cl

Abstract: A linear stepping motor comprises a stationary member, a movable member, an attraction magnetic pole and a guiding magnetic pole. The movable member has four pole pieces each having a plurality of teeth facing those of the stationary member. The attraction magnetic pole maintains the movable member floated by a magnetic coil providing an attractive force. The guiding magnetic pole has four coils on the four pole pieces, and causes the movable member to move by consecutive and selective energization of the four coils.

Abstract: The device comprises two pick-up elements which can cooperate independently with a transmission line for control signals and are aligned in the direction of movement of a conveyor unit so as to be positioned respectively upstream and downstream in the direction of movement of the conveyor unit. The two pick-up elements are separated by a distance such that, during traversal of the gaps between successive sections of the line, at least one of the two pick-up elements is able to receive signals from the transmission line. A signal treatment circuit generates selectively an output control signal corresponding either to the single signal received by the two pick-up elements or to the control signal received by the pick-up element in the position upstream relative to the direction of movement of the conveyor unit when the pick-up elements receive different signals.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus in which magnetic liquid is provided between a transfer track and a transfer object and a permanent magnet is fitted on the bottom of the transfer object to attract the magnetic liquid to move together with the transfer object thereby serving as a lubricant and permits the transfer object to move on the track afloat or buoyed-up by the magnetic liquid. An edge of a magnetic pole is shaped to have a loft angle in contact with the magnetic liquid to produce an upward component during its movement thereby increasing buoyancy and stability of the transfer object. Dust stir-up is precluded by virtue of the use of a magnetic liquid, as opposed to a conventional pressurized air support method.

Abstract: This invention uses magnetic levitation in combination with magnetic propulsion (MAGLEV) to accelerate an aircraft of spacecraft--or both crafts as a coupled unit--from standstill along a guideway to the highest possible launch velocity. The acceleration along the guideway is fuel efficient. The craft(s) are brought to launch velocity without using on board fuel. The computer controlled acceleration along the guideway could avoid high g forces to prevent damage to fragile payloads. The guideway may be sectionalized and of any shape. One section, for instance, may be circular to permit a long magnetically accelerated run with a relatively short length guideway. Very heavy crafts and payloads can be launched with superconducting levitation magnets in the guideway which form strong repulsive force fields with superconducting magnets in the MAGLEV vehicle. In another embodiment, the invention includes attraction magnets for the levitation.

Abstract: The feature characterizing the method is that in an operation following the finishing of the track supporting structure, the mounting bodies are machined in a way such as to correct the structural inaccuracies caused by manufacturing tolerances of the prior art steel and concrete construction, to obtain an accurate mutual position of the equipment parts at the location of attachment. For this purpose, preferably, the mounting bodies are provided at the securing locations with bores and countersinks which are accurate in all the coordinates and correspond to the bolts or bores of the equipment parts, to finally mount these parts by means of bolts and spacer bushings. The bores and countersinks are formed by computer controlled drilling machines in a workshop where the support structures are held at a position which they will ultimately have in the field.

Abstract: The roadway support of a steel roadway for magnetic tracks includes a cover plate (3) as an upper securing member which at the lower side of its two extending longitudinal edges is welded a side guiderail (4). Parallel to the guiderail and at a spacing thereto is a web-shaped longitudinal support (5) welded thereto, which carries the axial stator components (6). Extending at right angles to the longitudinal support (5) are spaced cross-support (8) which respectively pass as a unitary web connector between the two side guiderails (4). In their crossing region, the longitudinal supports (5) and the cross-supports (8) incorporate oppositely directed cutouts (9) and (10). The longitudinal support is fastened to only one of the two perpendicular side edges of the cutout (10) in the cross-support (8) through a welding seam (17) (FIG. 3).

Abstract: There is disclosed a linear stepping motor provided with a stationary member; a movable member having a face opposed to the stationary member; a first magnetic device for suspending the movable member in a floating state by magnetic attractive force with respect to the stationary member; a second magnetic device for magnetically displacing the movable member with respect to the stationary member; and a control device for controlling the first and second magnetic devices to determine the position of the movable member with respect to the stationary member.

Abstract: A floating apparatus for use in an attractive floater railway includes a magnetic rail mounted on the underside of a track. The magnetic rail comprises sheets of ferromagnetic material laminated together and is formed to have a cross section in the shape of a trapezoid or a quadrant of a circle with faces of the rail including a horizontal surface and a vertical surface. A guiding electromagnet is disposed opposite to the vertical surface and a supporting electromagnet is disposed opposite to the horizontal surface. The electromagnets are mounted on a truck and are constructed such that the respective fluxes thereof flow in opposite directions in the magnetic rail. The magnetic rail may include a magnetic propulsion rail opposite to a linear inductor machine to provide both vertical support and horizontal propulsion to the truck.

Abstract: The feature characterizing the method is that in an operation following the finishing of the track supporting structure, the mounting bodies are machined in a way such as to correct the structural inaccuracies caused by manufacturing tolerances of the prior art steel and concrete construction, to obtain an accurate mutual position of the equipment parts at the location of attachment. For this purpose, preferably, the mounting bodies are provided at the securing locations with bores and countersinks which are accurate in all the coordinates and correspond to the bolts or bores of the equipment parts, to finally mount these parts by means of bolts and spacer bushings. In supporting structures of steel tracks, mounting bodies accessible from both sides are preferably employed.

Abstract: A magnetic levitation vehicle (2) in which the load variations are converted by a coupling device (42) into gap width alterations of an attracting magnetic support device (14). A spring device between the payload carrier (4) and the support component (6) of the vehicle (2) has a sequential arrangement of two spring elements (40; 38) and the coupling device (42) responds only to the deformation of one of the two spring elements.

Abstract: A magnetic bearing for supporting in suspension a linear armature member (20) includes an elongated cylindrical housing (18) having two sets of U-shaped stationary electromagnets (10.sub.1, 12.sub.1, 14.sub.1, 16.sub.1 and 10.sub.2, 12.sub.2, 14.sub.2, 16.sub.2) and position sensors (48.sub.1, 50.sub.1 and 48.sub.2, 50.sub.2) respectively located at each end of the housing (18). Each set of electromagnets preferably consists of four electromagnet assemblies (10, 12, 14, 16) located 90.degree. apart around the periphery of the housing (18) and are operable to generate four orthogonal magnetic fields (30) within the housing (18). Each set of position sensors (48, 50) are aligned with the electromagnets (10 and 12) to define two orthogonal horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) axes from which signals proportional to orthogonal shaft displacement are provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for damping mechanical oscillations vibrations or pulstations with magnetic suspension railways having vehicles movable to float along elevated tracks using magnetic levitation or suspension technique as well as having supplemental suppression device suppression devices to eliminate oscillation. Each supplemental oscillation suppression device has an additional mass in the form of a hollow body or solid material, and is suspended by means of steel or rubber springs on the longitudinal vehicle support or on the longitudinal track beam. One end face of that supplemental oscillation suppression device associated with the vehicle is provided with a buffer in the horizontal plane of the longitudinal axis thereof, and respective stops are arranged on both longitudinal sides and are fastened to the longitudinal support, with the end face of the hollow body facing the buffer being closed by a base plate, the opposite end face being tightly closable with a screw cap.

Abstract: The levitating and guide magnets of a magnetically levitated vehicle are supported by frames. Each frame comprises two crossbeams (4) extending across the length of the rails. These crossbeams (4) are flexible against bending and connected in pairs in the longitudinal rail direction by connecting members which are stiff against shearing loads. Both, the levitating magnets (1) and the guide magnets (2) are supported in a see-saw fashion by respective journal shafts or pins (7, 7'). Each pair of crossbeams (4) carries four sets of magnets. Each set of magnets includes two levitating magnets (1) and two guide magnets (2) forming a respective structural magnet unit. The journal pins may be replaced by pivot movement permitting spring supports.

Abstract: Transport apparatus comprises a drive unit and a slave unit movable in unison along a predetermined path. The slave unit is disposed beneath the drive unit to move along a tunnel with work stations located at intervals along the tunnel. The drive unit carries electromagnets which when energized levitate the slave unit within the tunnel, controls being provided to maintain the slave unit at a desired position relative to the drive unit. The roof of the tunnel is formed from a magnetically transparent material, such as glass. The slave unit is thereby physically isolated from the drive unit. As a result the drive unit is shielded from any hostile environment within the tunnel and resulting, for example, from the transport of radioactive or toxic materials by the slave units. This simplifies repair and maintenance operations on the drive unit.

Abstract: A vehicle-suspension type of permanent magnet-levitation transportation system has an elevated track structure defining a bed with a ferromagnetic levitation track on the underside thereof and a spaced parallel control track composed of ceramic magnetic material having transverse polarity orientation also running on the underside of the bed. A vehicle for traveling along the track has a series of spaced cobalt-rare earth levitation magnets positioned under the ferromagnetic track and a series of spaced cobalt-rare earth control magnets positioned under the control track in magnetic repulsion mode with the ceramic magnets. In levitated position the attraction of the levitation magnets for the ferromagnetic track is balanced by the repulsion between the control magnets and the ceramic track. Hydraulic, mechanical and electromagnetic means for positioning the levitation and control magnets in proper vertical relationship to maintain levitation of the vehicle are described.

Abstract: An improvement in an inductive repulsion type vehicle magnetic levitation and guide system for a curved track in which the vehicle is levitated by an electromagnetic force generated between levitation conductors having the same time constant and laid in two parallel rows on the ground at specific intervals in the direction of travel of the vehicle and levitation superconductive magnets on the vehicle capable of being electromagnetically coupled with the levitation conductors, the magnets being opposed to the levitation conductors at a specific distance from the levitation conductors. The vehicle is guided by an electromagnetic force generated between guide conductors having the same time constant successively positioned at specific intervals in the direction of travel of the vehicle and guide superconductive magnets mounted on the vehicle opposed to the guide conductors at a specific distance from the guide conductors.

Abstract: An independent suspension system is provided for an attraction type magnetically floated travelling body wherein plural modules, each of which is obtained by assembling one or a plurality of electromagnets in combination with a brack and a linear motor, are attached to the travelling body in continuous alignment to confront each of a pair of rails. Each of the modules is connected to the travelling body in such a way as to be movable relative to the travelling body.

Abstract: In an induced repulsion type magnetic suspension system for a railway vehicle, superconductive magnets of opposite polarities are alternately set at specific intervals in the longitudinal direction of vehicle, while in the longitudinal direction of the track conductive loop coils or conductive sheets are continuously set at specific intervals, whereby the repulsion due to the eddy current caused by a voltage induced in said conductive loop coils or conductive sheets by the superconductive magnets and said superconductive magnets levitates the vehicle. In this invention, an additional source to produce a magnetic field of the same polarity is provided on the vehicle; and thereby a magnetic flux with the same period as the vehicle vibration is applied which intersects said conductive loop coils or conductive sheets on the ground when the vehicle vibrates.

Abstract: An electromagnetic suspension vehicle has an electromagnet system for suspending and guiding the vehicle along a track, the electromagnet being elastically suspended so as to be able to move generally parallel to itself transversely of the direction of travel.

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.

Abstract: A vehicle has a compartment joined to a carrier by springs. An attracting magnetic device has a first part (e.g. a ferromagnetic travelling field stator) mounted on a roadway, and a second part (e.g. spaced permanent magnets forming a synchronous linear motor in combination with the stator) mounted on the carrier. The two parts of the magnet device lie opposite one another to leave an air gap therebetween and so to hold the vehicle in spaced relation to the roadway. An additional-force device is mounted to act between the vehicle and the roadway and supplements the force of the magnetic attraction to make up the holding force needed to maintain the vehicle in the desired position relative to the roadway. The part of the magnetic device that is mounted on the vehicle can be displaced relative to the additional-force device to vary the width of the air gap and thereby vary the force of the magnetic attraction.

Abstract: A magnet, a support arm for connecting the magnet to a load, and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a magnitude of the field of the magnet in relation to variations in the load and method are disclosed.

Abstract: A wheel has a plurality of variable length spokes extending radially from the hub to the rim and supporting the rim coaxially around the hub. Spoke length varying devices vary the lengths of the spokes.

Abstract: A magnetic suspension vehicle carries serially arranged magnet structures which are serially coupled to each other and resiliently mounted for adaptation to an associated rail arrangement.