Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.

Abstract: A system includes a first drive module connected to a first end of a linkage arm and a second drive module connected to a second end of the linkage arm. Two magnetic wheels are connected to each of the first and second drive modules. The first and second drive modules may be independently controlled or controlled using a coordinated controller. The linkage arm may include a first linkage arm portion having at least one degree of freedom with respect to a connected second linkage arm portion, which may be connected via a hinged or ball-joint connection. One or both ends of the linkage arm may have at least one degree of freedom with respect to its respectively connected drive module. Additional linkage arms and drive modules may be connected to form a multi-segment system.

Abstract: A magnetic levitation railway having an eddy-current brake (20) cooperates with a reaction rail (8) of the driveway (2). The eddy-current brake (20) has at least one brake magnet (21) which is movably mounted to the vehicle (1) and transversely to the reaction rail (8) and which is made to abut the reaction rail (8) if a normal force, for example, fixed by means of springs (27) is exceeded.

Abstract: A model railroad train or other vehicle capable of operating in a vertical plane, inverted, or at any other desired angle of inclination.

Abstract: A system and method for automated handling, transferring and storing conventional cargo storage containers on a cargo ship wherein the containers are stored in a multi-tier cell system and are manipulated by powered transfer units which are selectively moveable along an intersecting overhead track system such that containers may be simultaneously retrieved from, moved or placed within any of the cells of the ship. The transfer units are equipped both with hoists, which control spreader beams which are selectively secured to the cargo containers, and guide stabilizers, which prevent undesirable movement of the cargo containers when they are elevated above the cell structures such that the containers may be manipulated even during rough sea conditions such that the system is essentially continuously operable as a floating supply distribution system.

Abstract: A toy vehicle is operated as a track-guided vehicle and cooperates with a metallic current rail device of the track via one or more current consumers. A magnet is installed in the toy vehicle which is moved by an electric motor to optimize the traction between the track and the toy vehicle. This magnet is directed at the current rail device of the track. The magnet's magnetic force can be influenced as a function of driving operation states of the toy vehicle driven by the electric motor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a suspension for a rail brake on a bogie of a rail vehicle. A passive lifting device is provided which acts upon the rail brake according to the activation state thereof in such a way that said brake can be displaced between a lowered braking position and a lifted release position. In the release position, damping elements act between stoppers of the rail brake and the carriers of the bogie in such a way that transverse forces are reliably damped by virture of vibration or impact loads for instance. In the braking position, the lateral play required in said position is provided. The spring characteristics of the damping elements are configured in such a way that the two requirements can be met.

Abstract: The invention relates to a toy car with adjustable magnetic adhesion for an auto racetrack having ferromagnetic current conductors countersunk in the roadbed. The conductors are in active communication with a permanent magnet countersunk in the chassis of the toy car. The permanent magnet is shiftable in the chassis along an inclined plane in order to adjust the clearance between permanent magnet and the current conductors. According to the invention, the permanent magnet can be shifted along a ferromagnetic holding plate oriented at an angle relative to the roadway plane. The plate is received in a retaining means formed in one piece with the chassis. The underside of the retaining means contains two guide rails, along which the permanent magnet can be shifted.

Abstract: A magnetic rail brake, particularly an eddy current brake for rail vehicles, has at least one exciter coil which comprises a coil around a pole core as well as a device for holding the coil and/or for the protection against outside environmental influences. The pole core and/or protection device are composed of individual components which are at least largely electrically insulated with respect to one another.

Abstract: The invention supports a mechanical carriage at three contact points for precise positioning on two guide rails, one guide rail having a V-grooved surface and the other having a flat surface. Two of the three contact points are recirculating ball bearings mounted against the V-grooved rail. The third contact point is on the flat rail and is also the driving contact point and comprises a drive shaft having a friction wheel thereon engaged with the flat rail to drive the mechanical carriage. The recirculating ball bearings and friction wheel are loaded against the V-grooved and flat rails, respectively, by magnets mounted on the carriage and spaced from the rails by an air gap. The air gap provides for a magnetic force between the magnets and the guide rails while permitting relative movement therebetween.

Abstract: A linear motion drive apparatus uses a friction drive wheel to drive a carriage along two rails. The drive shaft of the friction wheel is supported by the carriage, and has a rotor of a pancake motor and an inertia wheel non-rotatably attached thereto. The stator is fixed to a wall of the carriage. The carriage is supported by recirculating ball bearings which are arranged with permanent magnets to urge the friction wheel into engagement with the flat rail. A slip detection and correction system has first encoder mounted on the drive shaft to produce a signal representing the rotational position of the shaft, and a second encoder mounted on the carriage to produce a signal representing the position of the carriage with respect to the rails. The motor is responsive to the signals to compensate for detected slippage.

Abstract: A magnetized rail for improving the adhesion between the rail and the steel wheels of a rail car will help prevent skidding of the rail car when decelerating from a high speed. The rail is split with an air gap in the rail head and a electromagnet coupled between the split webs of the rail.

Abstract: A magnet-type transportation system of a car-side primary type includes a rail of a magnetic material, fixedly laid down along a traveling track, and a power car capable of self-movement by a plurality of wheels adapted to roll over the traveling track. The power car includes a plurality of magnet belt conveyor units, each having a magnet belt extended in an endless manner around a driving wheel and a driven wheel. The power car also includes a power unit and a power transfer/transmission mechanism for driving each conveyor unit. The power car is adapted so that the magnet belts mounted thereon are magnetically attracted to the rail.

Abstract: A magnetic rail brake device for rail vehicles, comprising one or more pairs of brake blocks adapted to be pulled, in operation, magnetically against the rail. The brake device is characterized by at least one permanent magnet movable up and down in a magnet housing. The magnet housing is arranged in such a manner that in rest position of the permanent magnet in the magnet housing, the magnetic field lines close through an upper portion of the magnet housing. In an operating position of the magnet in the magnet housing, the field lines can extend through pole pieces within brake block members of magnetizable material which can be brought into contact with the rail.

Abstract: Single-sided linear induction motors (SLIMs) suspended in proximity to the rail of a locomotive are energized to increase the effective adhesion between the locomotive drive wheels and the rail in response to the detection of an operating condition in which the tractive effort of the locomotive traction motors is limited by less than optimal adhesion. The SLIMs are energized in relation to the reserve power capability of the power source and the limit of tractive effort improvement. One method further employs sand dispensing units activated if the suboptimal operating condition is not alleviated by activation of the SLIMs. Another method uses the sand dispensing units first, and only activates the SLIMs if the suboptimal operating condition is not alleviated by activation of the sand dispensing mechanism.

Abstract: A bogie for a rail vehicle having a load bearing frame for supporting the vehicle from axle boxes on wheel sets has an integral coupling member connecting the axle boxes on one wheel set with the axle boxes on the other wheel set. The integral coupling member has an amount of inherent spring and/or damping properties effective for providing stable running characteristics to the bogie. Preferably, the integral coupling member has two, circularly curved portions between pairs of axle boxes on the wheel sets and transverse braces centrally therebetween.

Abstract: A vehicle bogie which includes a pair of mechanical bearings mounted on shafts of wheel assemblies and U-shaped beam surrounding the shafts and bridging the pairs of mechanical bearings. A linear induction motor is suspended from the beams, with the linear induction motor being coupled to the beams by a universal joint with the shafts being permitted to move in horizontal and vertical planes.

Abstract: An electromagnetic sliding shoe brake also referred to as a slipper shoe ke is constructed especially for use in or on rail vehicles, especially high speed rail vehicles. The magnetic core, with its energizing coil, has at least two pole pieces. The sliding brake shoe comprises ferromagnetic pole plates alternating with interconnecting magnetically insulating members. The pole plates, or rather the brake shoe, is connected to the magnetic core substantially in a frictionless manner. The brake shoe is connected to the magnetic core by parallelogram type pivoting elements and biased against the chassis by one or two springs (7) which will assure that in operation the brake shoe is pressed against a brake force take-up member at least with a predetermined brake force which will be substantially constant and independent of the friction coefficient between the brake shoe and the brake force take-up member such as a rail.

Abstract: A switchable permanent magnet eddy current or track brake which has a high density of permanent magnet material, a low internal flux leakage and a higher than heretofore output flux density. The pole shoes of the movable magnets are convex cylindrical segment-shaped and mate with concave cylindrical segment-shaped recesses in the lateral flux return pieces for the fixed magnets.

Abstract: A tidal power plant and method of operating the same are disclosed. In tidal power plants the turbines are arranged in channels between the sea and a storage reservoir. Heretofore known constructions of tidal power plants included relatively complex mechanisms for maintaining the turbine or turbines operating for the maximum amount of time, but generally they have failed to exceed a high overall operating efficiency. The present invention seeks to improve upon prior installations by designing a tidal power plant in which the or each turbine is disposed in a main channel between the sea and the storage reservoir. A connection channel is arranged above the main channel containing the turbine. A shutoff device is located at the reservoir side of the turbine and the connection channel to control and direct the flow of water.

Abstract: An electromagnetic track brake for a railway vehicle comprises an elongate brake energizing coil (1), an oval frame (2) thereabout, and a plurality of U-shaped shoes (3) mounted in a row on the frame. In order to improve the working characteristics and the stiffness of the track brake the lower branch of the frame (2) has a closed cross-section and an interlocking portion (15) extending down between the U-legs of the shoes (3). Interlocking elements are provided on both the frame and the shoes for transmitting braking reaction forces from the shoes to the frame.

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.

Abstract: A motorizable swivel truck for rail vehicles, especially streetcars, having a truck frame on which a cradle frame lying transversely of the direction of travel is supported by at least one coil spring, and the car body rests upon the cradle frame through a support means which permits wide swiveling of the swivel truck. The coil truck frame consists of two longitudinal members having a generally underslung configuration and whose middle portion has a level lower than the level of either end of each longitudinal member. The longitudinal members have end portions which have a closed profile while the middle portion has an open profile. The swivel truck frame comprises two cross members which are disposed between the wheel axles and may also have a cross-sectional open profile. The ends of the cross-sectional members are connected to the longitudinal members suitably by being welded to the same.

Abstract: Lateral magnetic guidance apparatus for laterally guiding a wheel set of a rail vehicle with respect to a support rail. The apparatus includes electromagnets carried with the wheel sets and positioned and controlled so as to effect return of the wheel set to a central position along the rail whenever the wheel set deviates from the central position. At least one electromagnet is provided which has a multi-piece pole shoe with a plurality of pole faces disposed longitudinally spaced from one another along the support rail.

Abstract: Lateral guidance apparatus for laterally guiding a wheel set of a rail vehicle with respect to a support rail. The apparatus includes electromagnets carried with the wheel sets and positioned and controlled so as to effect return of the wheel set to a central position along the rail whenever the wheel set deviates from such central position. In a first preferred embodiment, the electromagnets are positioned at respective opposite sides of the rail supporting the vehicle wheels, with means for controlling the current in the electromagnets so that the magnetic force set up between the poles of the magnets and the support rail effects an automatic return of the wheel set to a desired central operating position.

Abstract: A rail brake magnet unit on a vehicle comprising separate rail brake magnets or a plurality of rail brake magnets connected together by a frame is vertically movable between a lowered operative position and a raised inoperative position. On approximately the four corners of the upper portion of the magnet unit there are provided inclined slide surfaces each of which engages a plane surface of a corresponding number of resilient buffers mounted on the vehicle structure when the rail brake magnet unit is in its raised inoperative position.

Abstract: A rail-brake magnet is suspended from structure on a railway vehicle at a predetermined distance above a rail when in its non-operating state by a spring. Abutment means are provided to limit the movement of the spring in the direction of raising the rail-brake magnet so that the spring is subjected to an initial stress when the rail-brake magnet is raised to its non-operating position. This initial stress on the spring may be adjusted.

Abstract: A system for transversely aligning railway rolling stock on the rails including electromagnets arranged outside the wheel base of the rolling stock axles. The electromagnets are transversely aligned to the rails and separated from the rails by air-gaps. Movement of the rolling stock from off-centre produces a restoring force from the magnets.

Abstract: A device for centering a rail brake magnet comprises a centering element on the vehicle structure and having a centering bore with a conical surface around the bore. The magnet is provided with a rotatably adjustable eccentric sleeve within which is rotatably positioned a centering pin having a conical surface engageable with the conical surface around the centering bore. A portion of the pin has an eccentric peripheral portion disposed within the eccentric sleeve to provide for adjustment of the centering pin with respect to the magnet so that the adjusted position is secured by means of a screw coupling.

Abstract: Braking device for railroad bogie running at high speed, comprising a fixed part integrally connected to the frame of the bogie and a movable part suspended from the fixed part and adapted to be vertically displaced by suitable means towards a rail. The movable part is provided at its lower face with a series of electromagnets arranged above the rail. The series of electromagnets is flanked at each of its sides with a braking shoe adapted to be applied on the rail at the moment of braking in such a way that the electromagnets be placed at a relatively small distance from the rail. Means are provided for controlling the position of the braking shows as a function of the wearing of the shoe.