Abstract: A transmission for movement along a track system comprises a frame movably supported on the track system by guides mounted to the frame. At least one endless belt assembly comprising a pair of spaced endless belts engaging associated belt wheels is mounted to the frame. A drive system for rotating the belt wheels and driving the endless belt is provided. A gripping system adapted for holding and releasing the track system is mounted between the pair of spaced endless belt. The gripping system comprises a plurality of posts extending between the spaced endless belts over the length of the endless belt assembly with gripping units slidably mounted on each of the posts. Biasing springs tend to center the gripping units on the posts. An actuating arrangement is provided for activating the gripping system.

Abstract: An apparatus for tracking an overhead line includes a carriage, an arm provided relatively movable on the carriage, a hook assembly provided at both end portions of the arm and for slinging the arm over the overhead line, a vertical/rotational motion shaft provided vertically movable and rotatably on the carriage, a wheel supporting arm provided on the top end portion of the vertical/rotational motion shaft swingably, a pair of wheels provided at both ends of the wheel supporting arm with an extension line of the vertical/rotational motion shaft being between the wheels, and a clamp member for clamping the wheels on the overhead line.

Abstract: The invention proposes an electric overhead trolley system in which a travelling gear (14) is provided with a motor-driven driving wheel (16) and at least one auxiliary wheel (30) interacting with an auxiliary track (28), at least in certain sections, which auxiliary wheel contributes in transmitting the drive force to a track (10) so that ascending and decending track portions can be run through with less problems.

Abstract: The present invention is a positioning system providing precise linear and arcuate movements of the carriage along either straight or curved sections of rail comprising a pair of pivoting bogies attached to the carriage which have a pair of oppositely-directed ball bearing assemblies rigidly mounted to journal shafts on the bogies for retention and contact of the roller bearings with opposing sides of the rail running surfaces in a preloaded condition on the rail.

Abstract: A freight system comprising a conveyor adapted to be driven along a monorail track. A frictional drive wheel of the conveyor engages the upper side of the track and various embodiments of reactive force creating means are positioned to engage the underside of the track to create improved frictional forces during ascendancy. All of these embodiments employ the weight of the unit to create the reactional force and in all embodiments there are positioned a pair of spaced apart guide rollers that engage the underside of the track. In some embodiments, these guides rollers are resiliently biased by either separate springs or by making the guide rollers themselves resilient. In some embodiments there is provided an intermediate fixed guide roller to limit the degree of relative movement between the conveyor and the track. In one embodiment, the guide rollers are suspended by a Y shaped lever that itself carries the load transmitted by the conveyor.

Abstract: A carriage for inspecting a pipe, which has inspection instruments on board and which travels on the outer surface of the pipe, comprises a support member for carrying the inspection instruments, a pair of first wheeled travel bodies each of which include at least two magnetic wheels having substantially the same rotation plane, which rotation planes are substantially in parallel with the axial direction of the pipe. Further provided is a pair of second wheeled travel bodies each of which includes at least two magnetic wheels having substantially the same rotation plane, which rotation planes are substantially at right angles to the axial direction of the pipe. At least one of said pairs of wheeled travel bodies has an elevating means for adjusting a distance between the respective wheels thereof and a floor surface of the carriage.

Abstract: A displacing apparatus includes a moving table provided movably on a guide rail mounted on a fixed base. A guide bar is provided on the fixed base in parallel with the guide rail. The guide bar is formed with a recess. Also provided is a driving roller maintained in contact with the guide bar and driven by a driving source provided on the moving table for moving the moving table. A device is provided on the moving table for generating a contact pressure for maintaining the driving roller in pressure contact with the guide bar at a position on the guide bar opposite to the drive roller. A detector is also provided in relation to the moving table for detecting the position of the moving table. Finally, a device is provided for nullifying the contact pressure. The nullifying device drops the driving roller into the recess of the guide bar to nullify the contact pressure of the drive roller, the drive roller moving on the guide bar.

Abstract: A car travels along a sheathed cable, especially a suspension cable of a bridge, with the cable sheathing being of sheet metal and forming a rabbet projecting radially outwardly and following a helical course in the lengthwise cable direction. The car has at least one drive member engaged in the rabbet grovoe limited on the side by the rabbet. The drive member can be moved by a drive device immovable relative to the car along the lengthwise axis of the cable, but movable on a track concentric with the lengthwise axis of the cable.

Abstract: The transporter has a frame which is fastened to a side rail of a foremost one of a plurality of juxtapositioned plant trays. It has an electric motor mounted thereon, and a gear reducer coupled to the output or power end of the motor. The trays are supported on a pair of extended beams by rollers, underlying the trays, and fixed to the trays. The gear reducer drives a sprocket, and three rubber-tired wheels are rotatably supported by the frame and engage one of the beams; two of the wheels engage one side of the beam, and the other is equi-distant from the axes of the two and engaged with the beam on the opposite side. Each wheel has an axle journalled in the frame and having a sprocket fixed to an end thereof. A continuous chain is engaged with the driven sprocket, and with the other three; upon the motor being turned on, this causes the wheels to turn and travel along the engaged beam and, in this way, the whole plurality of trays are pushed along the two beams.

Abstract: A rail vehicle is disclosed to travel down a track formed from a pair of rails. The rail vehicle is propelled by a drive assembly having a longitudinal axis in line with the rails and a pair of wheel sets, each of which includes an axle with a wheel rotatably mounted on each end thereof. The drive assembly is further adapted to provide a positive angle of attack between the rotational plane of at least one wheel and the respective rail, so as to improve the stability of the vehicle. A method is also disclosed for improving the stability of a rail vehicle.

Abstract: A portable drive for coaction with a band is provided with a motor driven drive roller for transporting the drive along the band. The drive roller with coacting structure for maintaining operative coaction with the band are settable to two main positions, viz, an operative and a neutral position, the band in the neutral position running freely while the drive roller with coacting structure being cantilevered so that the band can be freely taken aside for disengagement of the band from the drive, or for inserting the band from the side over the drive roller to coact therewith after resetting to the operative position. The inventive drive is primarily intended to be attachable to a skier allowing him to be towed up a hill along a band which is anchored at its upper end to a tree, for example.

Abstract: An amusement ride vehicle for travel along a trackway defined by a pair of track rails. The vehicle includes a pair of transverse frames pivotally carried by an elongated main frame, with drive wheels carried by the transverse frames in driving engagement with upper surfaces of the track rails. Up-stop or pinch wheels below the drive wheels engage under sides of the track rails. The pinch wheels are pivotally mounted to the transverse frames by strut assemblies which hold the pinch wheels in constant forcible rolling engagement with the track rails at all times. This improves the driving traction of the drive wheels and provides constant up-stop protection against separation of the vehicle from the track rails. The strut assemblies are disconnectable to enable the pinch wheels to be pivoted out of interfering relation with the track rails so that the vehicle can be lifted from the track rails for maintenance, storage or the like.

Abstract: A carriage of the tiltable plate kind for a sorting apparatus has a carrying structure having idle wheels for running in a feed direction along rails on one side of the carrying structure and a pair of spaced uprights projecting from the opposite side of the carrying structure. A frame is hingedly linked to the one side of the carrying structure, the frame having pairs of wheels for engaging opposite sides of a fixed rail. A motor drives at least one wheel of the pairs of wheels of the frame for self-driving the carrying structure. A plate is hinged to end portions of the uprights for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the feed direction of the carrying structure. A rotatable threaded shaft is between the uprights in the feed direction of the carrying structure.

Abstract: A moveable target assembly includes a self-propelled carriage upon which a target is mounted for rolling movement across terrain. Axially flexible track sections are coupled together in an end to end fashion so as to define a prescribed course or path which the target will follow. The track defines a substantially planar surface and is relatively thin so that it lies flat on the surface of the terrain and thus does not present an impediment to other vehicles, infantry troops or the like that desire to traverse it. However, as the carriage is propelled along the course defined by the track, a track guide will cause successive portions of the flexible track to be initially upwardly displaced so as to perform its guiding functions yet such portions will be returned to their terrain-engaging relationship once the carriage has advanced.

Abstract: A self-propelled device prevents any sliding on a track cable, no matter what the slope of the latter, by means of a dynamic clamping action which is self-gripping, self-stabilizing, self-controlled and proportional to the load. The device comprises a device for the automatic coupling and uncoupling of the engine, an end of travel automatic braking device and an automatic control device for lowering the speed in the case of a breakdown on a steep slope. The device can be used for the overhead hauling and transportation of various loads (lifting, handling, lumbering, civil engineering). It could also be used for transporting people (self-propelled ropeway or ski lift), as well as for the installation of small cables during the installation and maintenance of electric power lines.

Abstract: A conveyor system is disclosed which is adapted to be suspended from an overhead monorail and which includes a plurality of carriages each having an open longitudinal portion extending therethrough. Each of the carriages interconnect one to another in a single file fashion so as to be moved as a unit below and along the overhead monorail. The conveyor belt is supported and carried by the carriages. An improved power transmission device is connected to at least one of the carriages for moving the plurality of carriages along the overhead monorail. The power transmission device means includes a pair of transversely spaced apart rotatable drive wheels which are drivably coupled to and which support a pair of transversely spaced apart power units. The power units are pivotally connected below the drive wheels. A hydraulic system is provided for pivoting the power units toward and away from one another to maintain the drive wheels in traction relationship with the overhead monorail.

Abstract: An auxiliary drive traction system for an automated guideway transit (AGT) vehicle. Remotely controlled hydraulic or electrically powered auxiliary drive systems are used to drive the AGT vehicle's lateral guide wheels, which are biased against a running surface, thus providing an auxiliary drive and braking system. A remotely controlled clutch may be added so as to selectively couple the auxiliary drive system and the guide wheels. A protective skirt is attached to the edges of the guideway assembly along its entire length in order to shield the guide wheel running surfaces from adverse weather conditions.

Abstract: A monorail system having a rail surface that is provided for small vehicles traversing an incline or slippery areas, with the surface having a plurality of spaced recesses positioned in those areas to form gripping edges for the drive wheels of the vehicles. The recesses may be of a variety of shapes and positioned in different ways to provide the proper grip. The recesses may be mechanically punched into a separate elongated flat bed riveted in appropriate locations to the rail. The punching may be done in such a way so as to form raised ramp-like edges adjacent the recesses to help with the gripping action. The ramp faces face downwardly in inclined areas. The drive wheels of cooperating vehicles may have elastic treads to help with the gripping action.

Abstract: This invention relates to a suspension railroad in mines, including a monorail having an elongated friction section and an elongated rack section located above the friction section, a car suspended on the monorail and driven for moving the car along the rail including a friction wheel in frictional engagement with the friction section, a gear wheel coaxial with the friction wheel, and a shiftable device for moving the gear wheel into and out of engagement with the rack section.

Abstract: Traveling carriage apparatus, adapted to travel along a track disposed about or upon an object, to carry a device such as a welding torch to do work upon the object or upon other apparatus supported thereby. The apparatus is hinged end-to-end, preferably having three hinged-together portions, the angularity at the hinges being adjustable so that the apparatus may travel along a track which is either curved or flat. The apparatus is supported by track-engaging sets of wheels at its opposite ends. A retractable drive wheel assembly is carried by one of the hinged portions of the apparatus.

Abstract: A tracked vehicle system comprises a load-carrying vehicle formed by two bogies each of which has two co-axial rollers, the two bogies being connected by an articulating spindle carrying a centering roller arranged to bear against the internal sides of the track. Each bogie preferably carries a steering roller rotatable about a vertical axis and situated substantially in the same plane as the centering roller.

Abstract: There is disclosed a monorail transport apparatus for transport of golf equipment in golf links, comprising a transport vehicle body provided with a caster wheel rollable on a monorail, a driving vehicle body equipped with a prime mover and partly received in and pivotally connected to the front portion of the transport vehicle body so as to be swingable around the axis of a transverse shaft, a driving wheel and a driven wheel disposed on both sides of the transverse shaft, an endless driving belt entrained around the driving and driven wheels and pressed against the upper surface of the monorail, and an auxiliary wheel pivotally connected to the driving vehicle body so as to be swingable around the axis of the transverse shaft and pressed against the lower surface of the monorail, the arrangement being such that the transport apparatus travels while holding the monorail from above and below between said driving belt and the auxiliary wheel, thereby achieving increased hill climbing ability and increased trav

Abstract: A conveying system for placement adjacent to the surface of an object for inspecting that surface is disclosed. The system comprises a parallel rail track formed from cylindrical rails and an inspection trolley riding on that track having two pairs of wheels arranged about the tracks. The first pair of wheels are axially undisplaceable relative to the rail and are formed of trough-shaped surfaces with a circumference of the same radius of the rail. The second set of wheels is displaceable relative to a second rail and engage that rail. The first set of wheels is driven by gears interposed between the wheels and a drive motor and utilize compression generating members to urge the wheels toward each other and toward the rail.

Abstract: A self-propelled car and load-conveying container on the car travel along a track system having horizontal and vertical track runs with bends or curves between such runs, and having inside and outside corner bends or curves between horizontal track runs . The track system also has switches to connect the system between various stations at various locations on the same or different building floors. The track is generally channel-shaped with spaced rail heads at the extremities of the channel legs. The channel web always has vertical orientation for the horizontal and vertical track runs and bends. The track is formed in sections, and the rail heads have replaceable wear strips. The track sections and wear strips have staggered, non-registering joints. Car travel control strips are mounted at desired locations on the track. Spring-pressed, rounded-groove guide wheels support the car on the track. Car movement control brushes are mounted on the car engageable with the control strips.

Abstract: Haulage equipment for hauling a mining machine or vehicle along a stationary elongated rail assembly having a generally wedge shaped cross-sectional area comprising a body rotatably supporting two pairs of drivably interconnected rollers, the axes of the rollers in each pair being inclined to one another such that the rollers are arranged for drivable engagement with two opposed acutely related inclined faces of the rail assembly.