Abstract: A method for implementing an overhead rail guided transport system includes the following steps: a vehicle transport system is provided, which includes an upper rail guided transport system, a lower rail guided transport system, a vehicle exchange equipment, and a plurality of vehicles operating in the upper and lower rail guided transport system; respective vehicle utilizing rates in the upper and lower rail guided transport systems are provided; the vehicle exchange equipment is used to interchange the vehicles respectively operating in the upper and lower rail guided transport systems in order to equilibrate the respective vehicle utilizing rates.

Abstract: A personal rapid transit (PRT) system that comprises a very economic triple rail topology for bi-directional urban personal transport. All the ramps are implemented always on the one side of the tracks for the sake of the narrow urban spaces accommodation. In order to achieve fast speed direction changes and a non compromised passenger security, the ramps are implemented as parallel lines to the corresponding tracks, and the vehicles do not use any wheel steering or electromagnetic heads. Instead, a landing wheel gear is implemented, and all the wheels are synchronized by speed before touching the rails. The vehicle's center of masses is constantly maintained to be found in most cases in one plain with the guideways. In case of emergencies, a special “anti-fall down” security system keeps the vehicle on the rails. The vehicles are capable of making all kind of turns by utilizing the highly compact Direction Change Connector.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to a load maneuvering system that includes a pair of runway rails, a bridge that is movable on the runway rails and that includes a single bridge rail, a carriage that is movable on the single bridge rail, and a manipulator supported by the carriage. The bridge rail is configured to support the assembly of the carriage and manipulator when a load is carried by the manipulator and a resultant moment is imposed on the bridge rail. The moment may be imposed in a direction about the bridge axis, in a direction about the runway axis, or a combination of the two. By providing a single bridge rail with an enclosed member as part of (or the entirety of) the bridge rail, the overall system is lighter and requires less power for movement of the bridge on the runway rails, and requires less power to move the carriage on the bridge. Additionally, the assembly is simplified relative to some load maneuvering systems of the prior art thereby making it less expensive to manufacture.

Abstract: A sliding dolly that is particularly adapted to loading and unloading awkward and heavy packages, mattresses, or box springs from a truck. There is a, a dolly back frame, and a dolly shelf. There is also a means for supporting the dolly over a floor or other surface. This support means may be a slider and or roller assembly. In the preferred embodiment, both the back frame and the roller assembly are joined to the shelf. The back frame is joined to and depends from the slider. The slider permits the attached back frame, shelf, and roller assembly to move along the slider. The slider is typically fastened along one of the sides of a truck near the comer where the top and sides meet. The roller assembly has one or more casters that reduce the friction of moving the sliding dolly along the side of the truck by holding the dolly back frame and shelf away from the side of the truck.

Abstract: The invention involves a suspended trolley line, particularly an electric monorail line with at least one undercarriage movable along running rails and with a running wheel that may be driven along the rail. At least two frictional wheels are spaced from each other and positioned on the running wheel. The frictional wheels are guided on the undercarriage by a connecting element and are braced against each other by a spring element, such that the frictional wheels additionally contact the supplemental rail and impinge upon the running wheel with pressure when in an operating position. The supplemental rail is located at least partially parallel to the running rail and spaced therefrom. The driven undercarriage is simple in its construction and has improved traction characteristics and therefore is particularly capable of being used in ascending and descending sections of the trolley line. The frictional wheels, the connecting element and the spring element form an assembly unit lying on the running wheel.

Abstract: A traveling mechanism for a lifting device, especially for a lifting device having a laterally cantilevering boom, is movable on rails with at least two running wheels. A connection element for attaching a load to said traveling mechanism is supported in the rail by the running wheels which are arranged on both sides of the connection element. The connection element has, at the region projecting down out of the rail, at least one running roller which is freely rotatable about a horizontal axis and rolls on a horizontal outer running surface of the rail. To effectively divert horizontal forces and uniformly distribute the vertical forces to the running wheels, running wheel axles are rigidly connected with a running wheel carrier, and the running wheel carrier and connection element are swivelably connected by a universal type joint. In addition, at least one support roller is rotatably mounted at the connection element in the interior of the rail.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting goods to and from shelves has a carriage supported frame travelling on inverted T-rails secured to the floor. A vertically extending guide member rides in an overhead U-rail, vertically aligned with the T-rails. The carriage has at least one swivelling axle with wheels travelling on the rails and at least one carriage guiding device with guide rollers guided by an upwardly extending central web of the inverted T-rails except in rail junctions where the central web is omitted. In the rail junctions, guide rails with a U-cross-section take over the guiding of at least one of the guide rollers of each carriage until the central web of the inverted T-rail in the branching rail section takes over the guiding again. Thus, the carriage may be guided selectively into any branching rail section without using railroad type switches nor transfer bridges in the rail system.

Abstract: In an elevated railway system having a track comprising upper and lower rails extending longitudinally along one side of a beam structure, and passenger cars traveling on the track having doors on their sides adjacent the beam structure, a passenger station comprising an elevator shaft structure, including an elevator car, which extends up from ground level through a gap in the beam structure. A track section with upper and lower rails in continuity with the rails on the beam structure extends alongside the elevator shaft structure at the bottom and top of the door of a car stopped at the station, permitting passenger egress from and ingress to the passenger car and the elevator car between the rails at the station.

Abstract: A gantry loader comprising a horizontally disposed support beam, a railway rail secured to the support beam, the rail including a head, a loader assembly including a carriage selectively displaceable along the beam, the carriage having a first pair of wheels for rollingly engaging the face of the rail head, a second pair of wheels for rollingly engaging one projecting portion of the head, a third pair of wheels for rollingly engaging the other projecting portion of the head, each of the third pair of wheels including a peripheral step selectively facing the first pair of wheels and having a beveled side wall surface, the third pair of wheels being selectively displaceable from a retracted position remote from the rail to an advanced position whereat the base and the beveled side wall surface of the step engage the other projecting head portion, and means for selectively maintaining the third pair of wheels at the advanced position.

Abstract: A passenger transportation system includes a transport vehicle which travels in the interior of an elongated tunnel formed from a series of concrete modular conduits. The cross-section of the conduit interior includes a bottom surface on which the vehicle travels, a pair of spaced apart side walls, and a pair of spaced apart upper wall surfaces extending inwardly from the side walls and on opposite sides of an elongated slotted opening extending lengthwise along the top of the conduit tunnel. The transport vehicle is supported by a suspension system which includes a plurality of carrier frames, each having guide rollers traveling along the bottom surface, the side walls, and the upper wall surfaces of the conduit. The guide rollers are supported by respective biasing elements which urge the guide rollers into continuous contact with the walls of the tunnel to keep the vehicle centered in the tunnel during transit.

Abstract: Apparatus for use with a coke oven having a carriageway for a quenching car along a side thereof, which apparatus comprises a hood for covering a quenching car on the carriageway, and a supporting structure which supports the hood solely from that side of the carriageway which is remote from the coke oven.