CA1104089A - Controllable distributing conveying systems - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A controllable distributing conveying system for transport-ing people or goods is provided with stations which are arranged on a passive rail network, and which include container loading-on positions, container off-loading positions, and container depots. Self-propelled controllable conveying units are movable between the stations and are fitted with pairs of running wheels for normal travel and for travel when being switched in and out and also have container-carrying surfaces separate from the drive section which are coupled by a universal joint member. Containers are loadable onto and off-loaded from the conveying units by means of loading and off-loading arrangements which have active locking members and un-locking members. These containers are held secure in all directions during travel, and are conductable to their destination by the shortest path by means of passive switching-in and switching-out arrangements, and these latter arrangements comprise rails, which the conveying units hold onto. In operation, at the time when the switching-out operation is to take place, the running wheels of the conveying units, intended for switching-in and-out travel, take hold on the switching-in or switching-out rails on the inside, the normal spacing of these rails being altered to the different spacing of the switching-out arrangement by curving the rails to this altered spacing, as a result of which the switching-in or switching-out wheels are forced to engage with switching-in and switching-out rails running parallel to the main rails.

Description

0~9 The present invention relates to a con-trollable distribu-tîn~ conveying system which i~
used for transporting people and soods of any klnd inside and ou-tside buildingsO ~he controllable dis-tributing conveying system accordi.ng to the inventionis of the kind comprising a rail network made up of continuous horizontal and vertical guide rails along which self-pxopelled conveyin,~ unlts~travel. On these conveying units or conveying tractors are ~;
transported containers whlch are used to hold people or goods~ -the containers bein~ loaded on and off-; loaded automatically at stations by the conveying unit with no manual intervention and the s-tations being connected to the rail network and thus necessarily to one another. For this purpose branch lines may be needed, whi.ch may be referred to as passive, elements and by which the conveying u~its are caused to change their direction of -travel, a central control unit giving active orders to the conveying units for the pu~poses of switching-in and-ou-t, stopping and starting and couplin~ and uncoupling containers, and receiving in return passive reports. Also~ the location and sta-tus of conveying units and station requests for con-tainers to be collected in the system may be reported .` 25 and these converted in turn ln-to orders and at the y~ same time an inspection may be made of a stand-by point for conveying units into which all conveying units which have not been instructed to perform any ~ conveying Job are conducted and from which they can ,.

- I .

be called up. ~he control unit may also exert control over one or more container depots from which empty or waiting containers can be called up when stations require them and issue an order, or in which they can be collected.
It is known -that distributing conveying system~
are for example used to transport documents,mail, ~ and materials in both a solid and liquid state in-; side and outside buildings and between them, Such conveyi~g systems may also be used to transport people (using so called cabtrack personal rapid transit for example), lug~age at airports, and the like. It is ; also possible for such systems to be designed for and installed retrospectively in existing buildings.
With systems of this type a distinc-tion must be made between continuous conveyor systems and individual conveyors, that is say electrified rail syst~ms, Each operating position is connected to the system and it consists of a receiving and ~espatching point which are connected together to form a station.
; Since there i5 a certain rate oE operation at each operating position, the individual receiving points have an irregular supply, and the rates of ~` arrival and despatch differ from station to station.
~ ~ -In the case of both systems, conveyor compar-tments or containers are used to hold the goods being con-~ veyed and these have manualIy moveable destination- -; indicating devices or pre-imprinted perfoxated or magnetic cards. After the destination indicator has . . .
0 been set at the station the containers of the continuous .. , ~ .

, ~ ~
' , :, conveyor are inserted into the transport co~veyor slot. ~he transporting movement is imparted by a continuously running belt or chain. In contrast to electrified rail systems, the transporting capability of continuous conveyors must be designed as to allow their belts or chains to withstand a sudden maximum load, namely the load genera-ted by transpor-ting all -the con-tainers, each carrying a maximum load, if they are fed into the system, which mean~ making the mo-tors driving the belts or chains excessively powerful.
In addi~ion7 the belts have to be tensioned to different degrees to suit the load and climatic conditions.
Because the belts and chains run continuously~ there is grea-ter wear on the deflector bearing rollers and belts1 which thus require continual maintenance and may also produce additional noise~
In elec-trified rail systems, -the containers have an additional aid in the form of an electric motor and drive units permanen-tly connect~ to themO In newer designs, these drive units can be coupled and uncoupled manually as desired (e.g. -the same drive can be used with containers of different sizes)9 The direct coupling of the transporting con-tainer to its undercarriage has the disadvanta~e that a supply of transporting units has to be held at the stations~
~- This resul~s in conveying units accumulating at :; .
various stations while other stations are short of conveying units. Procuring the conveying units which ~- are lacking means an unnecessary load on the system as a result of units travelling emp-ty , e.g~ a current , .:

overload in certain sections of the -track (a load beyond the capaci-ty of the power supplies for those section~ he conveying unit is only used for actual transporting tasks for about 60 percent 5~ of the time and -thus calls for a higher percentage of maintenance before giving an output equivalent to 100 percent employment on transporting tasks. Thc ; fetching of a conveying unit means an unnecessary wait for the operating per~onel, who cannot load the -~
10 goods to be conveyeduntil the empty conveying unit has arrived, and who ha~e to set the station indicator ; by hand.
The amount of space -taken up by a station trlck is dependent on its capacity for conveying units.
15 If the station track is short, all the incoming CQn-veying units must immediately be sent out again, since otherwise the station will report that it is "occupied"~ A conveying unit intended for this station may hot and cannot be switche~ out and therefore r ~ 20 cruises round the system until the station spur ; has been cleared. ~he conveying units may have their ; power sources (batteries) or the drive units may ~e fed via currenb-carrying rails, as desired. ~hese current-carrying rails are then part of the conveyor 25 rails. In both cases, whether the trolley~ have internal or external current sources, power supplies are needed. In the case of a current-carrying track ; where the supply source is not carried on boardj a ;~ power supply feeds a stretch of track of given lengthc ~ ~0 This leng~h i~ dependent on the maximum output capacity .
of the individual power suppl~ and on the number of consumers (conveying units) which may be travelling on this length of track. In the case of conveying -~
units havin~ on-board power sources 7 the units must 5` be charged up again at specified points. Since the lengths of the sections of current carrying track are dependent on the maximum possible consumption by conveying units situated in them (which is par-ticularl~ critical in ascending stretches), a large number of individual power supplies are required.
When a maximum number of conveying units accumulate in a section, the po~er supply concerned is subaect to a maximum load while other supplies are free of load to some extent~ ~'his means that the optimum use ; 15 is not made of the overall capacity of all the supplies in the systemO Since the current carrying rails are very small in size, no assistance can be `::
`:"
gained by having a single power supply to meet the total consumption of all the conveyin, units~
In the case of both continuous conveyors and , ,:, rail conve~ors~ active switching points are needed ; :
for switching out purposes a~d these include moving ; parts and are given re~ular maintenance or if repairs are necessary have to be repaired on the spot, the loca-tions concerned often being difficult of acce~s since to save space the systems installed, as far ~;
far as possible, in suspended ceilings or shafts.
~ Repairs means that one stretch or the whole of the ; system has to be shut down.
' f ~

It is an objec-t of the invention to provide a distributing conveying system which performs all ~;
conveying t~sks in the optimum fashiont which re-duces waiting time for -the operating personel to a .
minimum, and which has few mechanical parts which require intensive malntenance and involve complicated processes of manufacture. ~he intention is also to a~oid blockages in certain sections of track and to make it possible for assembly to take place quickly and without dif~iculty without special tools or drilling operations being necessary.
Summar~ of the Invention This and other obaects are achieved in accordance with the invention by a controllable dis-tributing conveying system for transporting people - 15 and goods of any kind nside and outside buildings, - comprising rails~ stations and conveying units, which is characterised in that on a passive~ network ; of rail~ are arranged stations which may comprise container loadin~-on positions, container off-loading positions, container depots and the like, between ~ which qelf-propelled controllable conveying units are able to moveJthe conveyor units being fitted with pairs o~ running wheels for normal travel and for switching_in and switching-out travel and their container carrying surface being separate from the drive section and being coupled on by a universal joint member, containers being loaded onto and off-loaded from the conveying units by means of loading and off-loading arrangeme~ts which have active locking s~.

~ 9 'membe'rs and unlocking members, the containers being held secure in all direc-tions during travel, and also being conducted to their destination by the shortest path by means o~ passive switching-in, 5~ arrangementsand pas~ive switchin~ou-t arrangements, which possibly do no-t employ switchin~ point~, the switching-in, and switchin~-out arrangements com-prisirlg prefabricated rail members like the normal rails, which the conveying units hold ontor ~he ~istributing conve~ing sys-tem according to -the invention is also charactsrised in that the wheels of -the conveying units which are intended for the switching-in and switching-out travel hold onto ~:~ the switching_in and switching-out rails on -the in-.,. 15 side durin.g switching; the normal spacing of the ,.. ~ rails is altered to the dîfferent spacin~ of the , switchin~-out arrangement by curving the rails to -~
':, this altered spacing, as a result of which the swi-tching-~, in and switching_out wheels are forced to engage with the switching~in and switching-out rail.s, which run .: parallel to the main rails; a gear wheel on the axis . of -the running wheel arranOement engages with a rack i~
::. secured to the rail; the altered spacing changes back '. to the normal sl~acing as a result of the rails '-~; 25 follo~ling a curved-in path; holding ma~nets pre-~ent the mountings for the running wheels from being slid back by springs relative to the carriage bottom plate ,~
which carries the drive ~otor, so that the conveyin~
; uni-t is held onto the inside of the switching-out '~
rails by the running wheels intended for switching-~4~

in and switching~out travel, the gear wheel on the axis of the running wheel arrangement bein~ driven over the rack secured to the rail by the electric motor, via its drivillg pinion and a gear wheel ~
which is free running under these conditions, the ~:
drive pinion being arranged to be displaceable re~
lative to the gear wheel mounted on the running :
wheel arr~gement.
~he distributing conveying system according to the invention makes it possible for conveying units in direct contact to tr~vel in different respective directions without waiting for switching points to ~ ;
change back, and the pulses for switching-in and-out~
~; stopping9 starting, and loading containers on and off are controlled by a central con-trol unit, the central unit receiving passive reports in return and converting ~:
them in-to control instructions which affect the con- :
~ veying units. 4t the same time each conveying unit -~ has a non-contacting electronic approach-control system ~ 20 and/or a distance measuring system and these prevent :~
~onveying units from making contact with conveying m.its travelling in front of them or stationaxy con-~- veying units by in each case mea~uring the di3tance from the conveyin~ unit which is first in the direction ~ 25 of travel to the conveying unit following it in and by causing the following unit to confo:rm to the speed or stationary s-tate of the unit in front.
To ensure that the conveying units can also negotiate extremely tight curves and undulations, the drive is separated from the container~carrying platform .~ :

ana is connected by a universal joint member. This ensures that each drive wheel intersects the curve or undulation radially, as a resul-t of which there is no need for a radially pivotable dxive. The separation between the container~carrying surface and the coupled-on drive section means that the struc~ of the moving unlt3 is of extremely small heigh-t~ i.e. the hei~ht of the upper edge of the structure from the lower edge o~ the rails is of an optimu~ mini~um value for the fixed length of the structure. ~wo shafts may preferably be used for the container-carrying section, whose spacing is selected in such a way that when the arc of an un-dulation is being negotiated on -the outside the underside does no~ touch the outer periphery of the ~` arc formed by the rails and when the arc of an un- -,, .
; dulation is bein~ negotiated on the inside the outer edges of the carrying surface do not touch the inner `~ periphery of the arc formed by the rails.
'~he separate drive section likewise has two . .~ .
shafts for its wheels and the spacing between these shafts is selected in such a way that the drive wheel, which is preferably a gear wheel, meshes with the rack on the conveyor rails between these two shafts.
25 The changes in the distance from the ~ear wheel to ~;
the rack on the conveyor rail which occur on the inside and outside o~ arcuate undulation~ as compared with straight stretches of track, which represent an ideal case, can be ignored, since a coarse-module rack is used which allow3 for any play between the teeth~
This is particularly the case when the rack 4~

bends in the arcuate undual-tions, the tooth gaps then becoming narrower or wider as the case may be~
so that the gear wheel necessarily meshes at a hi~her or lower level. ~he centre line between the closely coupled shafts of the drive-sectioll is also the centre of the shaft of the driving gear wheel and thus lies radially to a cur~e in the track, which provides the advantage that a special form of rack does not have to be developed for -the curves9 ~ ;
'~o ensure that -the con~eying units are accurately po3itioned at the various points for r loading on and off-loading containers1 use is made of a direct-drive motor having an electromagnetic brake. In the 'gol1 state the brake is raleased and in the " stop" state or in the event of current failure it is actuated. '~his also prevents stationar~
; conveying units from rolling back in ascending sections.
his combination o~ a brake and a direct-drive motor ~ also offers the advantage of the maximllm utilisation -~ 20 of torque and the maximum efficiency, as compared with worm-driven conveying units where the worm itself is intended to have a locking effect. '~he efficiency of such motors is howe~er, less than 50 percent.
. . , To allow the containers to be detached, there b~ C/o5ur~
is provided on each con~eying unit a holderAwhich fits round the container, when it is a-ttached, like .r a cage and prevents it from slipping off. ~he con-tainer holding element is unlocked at a station b~
the con~eying units themselves, the conveyins units being able simultaneously to off load a container ,, ~
,,., _ ~ _ intended for the station in question and to load on .., another container, only a brief pulse being re~uired since the locking mechanism engages automatically as a result of the n~ture and characteristics of the container.
The holder for the con~ainer on the conve~ing unit is so designed that even when the conveying units ~ are not correctly positioned the container can s-till ;~ slide into the holder within certain limits and remains locked in place despite the fact that -the holder is larger than the container itself.
Switching in and switching out both in the ascending or descending direction and in the straight-... .
ahead direction is accomplished automatically by the ~;~ 15 conveying unit as a result of additional engagement with rails running in parallel with the main -track which are pxefabricated to follow a differen-t path from the main track and are so shaped and arranged . .
that the~ do not ob~truct the ~ain track. The result of this is that conveying units following close behind one another can be switched in or out ~ithout inter-~; ruption in a continuous operation. r~he special ~- arrangement of the switching-out rails coupled to the normal rails ensures that when being switched in and out conveying units do not relinguish the positive guidance provided for them by the in and out switches until they are engaged with the secondary track and have perfectly posi-tive guidance from it. In normal travel, the running wheels grasp the conveyor rails in such a way as to receive firm and positive guidance from th&mO ~his is achieved by means oP compressio~
or tension ~prings or holdin~ magnets~ As mentioned at the beginning, this engagement must be released at the time of switching in and out, but only when a qecond pair of running wheels has taken hold on the rails for switching in a~d out and is positivel~ ~
~ guided by them. This prevents the movin~ unit from ~;
`~ being able to leave the rails.
` To allow conveying units which do not switch -~ 10 out to be detected, there is in each closed circuit of con~eyor rail a compulscry switch which allo~s all .
conveying uni-ts requiring repair to travel straight on but which forces servicable conveyor units to chan~e direction. The defective conveyin~ units which :~:. .
travel straight on may be collected on a standby loop.
In order that conveying units l.~hich have not been entrusted with transporting tasks are not allowed to cruise continuously around the conveyin~ system, . ,~ .
depots for the conveying units are set up. If con-veying units are ~ot allotted a transporting task, -they are switched off the main track onto the stand-by loop by the central unit and wait there until a transporting order is given, when they switch them-selves back into the main track~
The contributing conveyin~ system al~o has container depots in which are situated both empty containers and containers carrying a supply of stored material. The nature of the loading and unloading of the conveying units is the same as at the stationsO ~;
When empty conveyors are needed at a station the ;

:, appropriate instructions can be given automaticall~
by the station or by the operating personel by in-dicating the requirement. At the same ~ime, material stored in a container at a fixed storage location can be called up and conversely a storage container can ;~ be ~ed back to its location~
A particular advantage of the design of the ~nning rails is that -the current carryin~ rails are also load-bearing members which are held together b~ ties and which also incorporate racks. In order to avoid a short circuit by the metal ties1 which in this case hold two curxent carrying rails, the ties ~` are insulated at one end from one current-carrying ,, ~
~ rail. Since the current-carxying rails are hollow '-~ 15 members, the~ can be connected together in the lon~
~ tudinal direction by means of clamping insexts~
`~ The clamping inserts are in two parts which are pressed against the inside faces of the hollow current-carrying rails by screws and are preferably oppositely tapered at both ends to pre~ent them from coming loose~
A further advantage lies in the manner in which cooperation is possible be-tween the individual power supplies for individual sections of track, which are so laid out along the length of the track that when the supply capacity of one section is over--~ loaded by an excessi~e nwnber of conveying uni~s, ~;
the power supplies which are not loaded can be co~
nected in series and capacity can thus be doubled or multiplied as required. This operation may be con trolled fro~ a central or non-central positionO

~ ' ~4~
:, ~he advantages achieved with the invention lie particularly in -the fact that ins-tead of electromechanical switching points for switching in and out, what are used are rigid members in~
volvins no mechanical movement which permit co~-tinuous switching in and out without interrupting travel. As a re~ult of the automatic loading on and off-loading of the containers b~ the conveying units the conveying units are not tied to the stations~ do --not have to wait for the operating personel, and after an off-loading operation can at once be entrusted wi-th a new conveying task.
In comparison with the system of conveying units, with fixed containers, in the present case the same aim of optimization is achieved with the same ~ number of cheap undriven mass-produced containers and ; a far smaller number of driven conveying units. The ";
work of mechanical maintenance is restricted nearly wholly to the conveying units which perform the main active duties such as switching in and out and 1oading and off loading. In no case does a malfunction result in the conveyor track being blocked and it can soon be put right by exchanging conveying units.
_rief Description of the Drawin~s In order that the invention may be more clearly;~
understood, reference will now be made to the accom panying drawings whieh show certain embodiments thereof purely by way of example, and in which:-Figure 1 is a vertical section through the drive section of a conveying unit, Figure 2 is a vertical section through the "~". /'~

, . ~ . . . .. -. .. - .... .~. ~ . .. - .. .. .

drive section (also referred to as a carriage) of a conveying unit at -the switching--in or~-out posi-tion.
Figures 3 9 .4 and 5 are schemati.c plan views of parts of a switchin~out point showing how the :`
:~ 5 conveying u~it operates in each case.

: Figure 6 is a side-view of switching of points for switching out conveying units in an . upwards or downwards direction, Figure 7 is a plan view of another embodiment o~ switchin~ points for switching in and out, ~ Figure 8 is a vertical section throush -the .` switching poin-ts shown in Figure 7 .- Figure 9 is a vertical section through the .~ drive section of the conveying unit while belng ~ 15 switched in or out by ~uide p~tes, :' .-. Figure 10 is a plan view of the process of switching a conveying unit in or out by means of guide plates., ~ igure 11.shDws an embodiment of guide wheels which ac~ as a means of grasping the rails, Figure 12 is a vertical section through another embodiment of guide -track and of the means by which a conveying unit holds on to theml ~
Figu.re 13 is a side view of the guide track ~:
shown in Figure 12, Figure 14 shows ano-ther embodiment of the means for switching a conveying unit in a~d out, at the time when a decision between switching in and out is made~ with the guide track shown in vextical ; 30 section 5 .

Figure 15 is a side-view of the means .-~
for switching in and out in the state shown in ~;
Figure 14, Figure 16 shows a conveying unit at the 5~ completion of the swi-tching-i.n and-out process ;~with the guide track shown in vertical section~
Figure 17 is a side-view of the completed switching-in and-out process ~hown in Figure 16, Figure 18 is a plan view of a con~eying unit ~10 negotiating a curYe~
:~.Figure 19 is a side view of conve~ing unit negotiating the inside of an arc formed b~ an undulation, Figure 20 is a side view of a conveying unit negotiating the outside of an arc~
Figure 21 is a side view of a conveying uni~
with a trailer coupling and a rearwardly located universal .
pivot point negotiating the outside of an arc, Figure 22 is a side view of a conveying unit with a trailer coupling and a forwardly located uni-versal pivot point negotiating the inside of an arc, Figure 23 is a plan view of a conveying unitwith a trailer coupling negotiating a curve and a plan view of a universal pivot point, Figure 24 is a plan view of a trailer coupling, Figure 25 is a vertical section through the trailer coupling shown in Figure 24, Figure 26 is a vertical section through a clamping insert for co~necting -two rails, Figure 27 is a plan view of the clamping insert shown in Figure 26~
/~
: :~
, ~igure 28 is a vertical s~c-tion through a tie to hold together two rails and a rack, Figure 29 is a vertical section through : a cover mounted on ~o rails, ``. 5 ~ Figure 30 is a vertical section through -~ a cover havin~ displaceable mountings fitted to two rails~
`; Figure 31 is section through a station and a container and through a conveying unit and a container.
Figure 32 is an eleva-ti.on of the station, :
conveying unit and container shown in ~igure 31 Figure 33 is a plan view of the stationary ~` container-holding device parallel to the conveyor rails, ~igure 34 is an elevation of the container- ;
locking device illustrated in Figure 33, ; Figure 35 is a side view of the container~
locking device belonging to a conveying unit, which is shown in Fi~ures 34 and 369 Figure 36 is a cross section of the container-locking device on a conveying unit, Figure 37 is a schematic view of the means of connecting the various power-supply sections 25 together in series, ~-Figure 38 is a sectional view of part of a drive member in the form of a linear motor with a guide rail and running wheel, Figure 39 shows a further embodiment of guide rail with a rack and a support, .

Figure 40 shows ano-ther embodiment of guide rail-with a rack and a support 9 and Figure 41 i9 a section through another em-bodiment of running wheels guided in a channel rail.
De taile~ Description of the ~referred ~mb~odiments Referring now to the drawings~ Figure 1 -`.~ i5 a vertical sec-tion -through the drive section of a conve~ing unit. SUCh a conveying unit is used to transport materials in containers on a sy,stem of rails. The rails 12 and 13 are both current-carrying '10 members and running tracks for wheels 25 and 26. To hold the rails together, ties consis-ting of upper ~, parts 1 and lower parts 2 are fitted at set intervals.
The upper parts 1 of the ties also grip a rack 14.
The upper and lower parts of -the ties are secured by ` 15 screws 4 and 5 to pillars 6 and 7 which are threaded at 8. At the points where it is desired -to attach the ties, the pillars 6 and 7 are secured to a ceiling, wall or floor-mounted support~r. Because the ~ies J are preferably made of metal to provide a strong clampinOr action, they have to be insulated at one end from the current-carr~ O rail 12, the insul~tion ~
consis-ting of an insulating substance which is sprayed onto the tie-parts or of a thin sheet. The shafts 19 and 29 of the running wheels 25 and 26 are secured in mountin~s 15 and 28. These mountings are mounted to pivot in carrier parts 15 and 31. A loop~shaped retainer device 17 prevents them from coming loose, ,The shaft 21 of a running wheel or roller is locked by means of nuts 13 and 20~ Secured -to the carrier /~

parts 16 and 31 are sha.Ets 22 and 32 which pass ~ through slide bearings 23 and 33. ~ompression : springs 34 and 35 are so designed that the slide bearings 23 and 33 around the shafts 22 and 32 are .. ~
always a-t the s~ne distance from the two carrier parts 16 and 31~ in particular when the spacing of the rails between the ties alters or the spacing between the rails is deliberately rnade to alter. ~he ~.
sli~e bearings 23 and ~3 are co.nnected to a bottom :;
10 plate 36. On the bottom plate 36, an electxic motor :~
.. 37 havin~ a flange-mounted electrical brake 38 iB
secured on a pedestal 39. The shaft 41 of the motor carries a pinion 40. ~his pinion meshes with a gear ; wheel 4~ and the latter in turn engarres with the .
rack 14, The shaft 43 of the gear wheel is secured .. to the carrier part 16 and at the end it has a second gear wheel 45. If the distance between -the axes 56 and 57 of the rails alters, i.e. if it is made larger or smaller, the running wheels 26 and 25 move in 20 unison via their carrier parts 16 and 31 and the gear ;~
wheels 42 and 45 secured to the ends of the shaftJ
The carrier part 16 is able to move in a cutout L~6 and the gear wheel 42 in a cu~out 47 in the bottom pla-te~ ~he comDression ~prin~s 34 and 35 ensure that 25 the bottom plate 36 is centralised relati~e to the : .
cen-tre axis~. To convey current to the electric ~-drive mo-tor, current collectors 52 and 54 are rnounted on the carrier parts 16 and 31 on insulated mountings 53 and 55 and press resiliently agai~st the rails 12 and 13, ; , ; ; ,; , , _~

85~

Figure 2 is a vertical sec-tion through the drive section of a conveying unit at the time of a switchin~-in and~out operationL In this em-bodiment the running wheels 25 and 26 grip the rails 12 and 1~ from the outside. The normal distance between the axes 56 a~d 57 is altexed to the distance .
between axes.58 and 59 by curving the rails out to this distance between -the axes 58 and 59. The running wheels 27 and 24 for switching in and out are forced ~` 10 into engagement wi-th rails 60 and 61 for switching ~ .
` in and out which run parallel to the main rails 12 .. and 13. ~he gear wheel 45 on the sha~t which carries gear wheel 42 engages wi-th a rack 62. When the need for switching out or switching in i~ recognised .
holding electromagnets 43 and 51 receive a prolonged pulse to lock the sha~ts 22 and 32 in the case of ,.. ~ ~.
;~ switching out. The distance between axes 58 and 59 `~i. alters back to the distance between axes 56 and 57 .
~ as a result of the curved-in configuration of the rails `~ 20 Gear wheel 42 disengageq from rack 14 bu-t continues .~ to be driven at the end of the ~rive pinion 40. ~he -holding magnets 48 and 51 are active .Erom the~ on .-, and prevent the carrier parts 16 and 31 from sliding .
back under ~he prompting of spri.ngs 34 and ~5. ~he ~ ~.
conveying unit grasps the inside of the rails 60 and 61 with its wheels 24 and 27 and is driven along by the gear wheel 45 on the rack 62 by means of the ~- electric motor via its drive pinion 40 and the gear wheel 427 which runs free under these circumstances.
The current collectors, which are not shown, receive ~' , ~ - ., - . . . . . ~ . , ~ .

-their curre~t from the current-carrying rails 60 and 61. ~he conveying unit begins to ascend the curved switching-out ralls 60 and 61 and -takes a different path. ~he ascent must continue till 5` the upper edge of the top cover 63 of the unit can no longer collide with the lower edge of the rail 61 if this rail crosses the path of the rails 12 and 13. Once the switching out process has been completed, the rails 12 and 13 for normal travel, move back away from the rails 61 and 60~ when the wheels 25 and 26 engage with the former aæain and th~ gear wheel 42 again engages with the rack 14.
~he holding electromagnets receive a releasing pulse.
-~ The shafts 22 and 32 are able to slide back again under pressure from the springs. ~he distance between the axes 58 and 59 changes back again as a result of ..,~., the curved configuration of the rails to the normal distance between the axes 56 and 57. ~he wheels 24 . ,~
and 27 -then disengage from the switching in and out rails 61 and 60. Gear ;~heel 45 ceases to mesh with rack 62 and the conveying uni~ can continue its normal travel. ~he swi-tching-in operation or entry .~
` into the normal path of -travel from the switching-.
out rail takes place by a process which is the reverse of switching out.
Figure 3 is a plan vlew of switchin$-out means of the kind illustrated in Figure 2. Shafts 64 and 65 support a carrying surf~ce 6~ for containers.
Shafts 66 and 67 sup~or-t the bottom plate 36 carryin~
the motor 37. ~he conveyor rails 12 and 13 are gripped 0~/

.
on the outside by wheels 69 and 70~ 71 and 72, 73 and 74~ and 25 and 26 in -the respective cases.
The drive pinion 42 drives the gear wheels 40 and 45, which are connec~ed toge-ther by the shaft 43.
The shaft 43 is connected to a carrier part (16 - as shown in ~igure 1) which holds the mountings for the wheels 73, 76 and 24, 25. ~he running wheels thus form a solid unit with the gear wheels, gear wheel 42 being displacable along the drive pinion 40. A u~iversal coupling between the drive section and the container-~arryin~ .sur~ace which will be ~;
- described in detail in what follows is formed by a part 75.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the conveying unit on a curved-out section oE the conveyor rails 12 and 13. The running wheels 69, 71, 74~ 26, 25, 73, 72 and 70 have followed the movement of the rails~ as also have gear wheels 42 and 45. ~he switching-out wheels 78, 80,81, 279 24, 76, 79 and 77 en,age with the switching out rails 60 and 61 have been pressed forcibly outwards. The respective magnets for holding the shaf'ts 64, 65, 66 and 67 (not shown in the present case) receive the swltching-out pulse or holding pulse and on both sides prevent the wheel mountings on any of the shafts (not shown in the presen-t case) from sliding back. The con~eying unit~ which is ; holding unto the switching out rails 60 and 61, follows a different path from that followed by the conveyor rail3 12 and 13 and crosses over the latter. The conveyor rails 12 and 13 are moved back to their . .

original positions~ The rails 60 and 61 are connected to rails 12 and 13 by connecting members 82.
Figure 5 is a plan view of condikion at the time when the switching_out has been completed.
The holding magnets (not seen) are released and the running wheels 69, ~0, 71, 72, 739 74, 25, 26 are ~orced back onto the mai.n rails 12 and 13 againO
..
~he swi-tchin~-out rails 60 and 61 come to an end~
Switching-in takes place in the opposite direc-tion, from ~igure 5 to ~igure 4. ~he holding magnet~ are ~-then activatod in Figure 5 and released in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a side view of different kinds of switching-in and switching-out involving upwaxd and downward movement. ~he conveying unit, comprising a carr~ing surface 68 for containers and a trolley -~. bottom plate 36 connected to it, moves along the main rails 12 and 13. In the case of switching~out in the upwards direction, the switching_out rails 60 and 61 travel upwards while the main rail~ 12 and 13 travel on without diversion under the switching-out rails in a different direction. In the case of switching- ~;
out in the downwards direction, the main rails 12 and 13 travel on without diversion downwards into a pair ~` rails 85. ~he switching-out takes place from the main rails 12 and 13 in a straight-ahead direction into a pair of switching-out rails 86.
Figure 7 shows a modified embodiment of the system accordi.ng to the invention, which employs switching_points at which an automatic forced switching-~3 ' ~

intak~s place in the direction of movement 87 fromthe switching-out rail~ 60 and 61, whlch have a rack - 62, onto ~he main rails 12 a~d 13. For this~ pivotable ~ections of rail 89 and 90 belonging to the switching~
out means, whose pivot points are 92 and 9~ are so arranged that the pi~o-ting blades 89 and 90 are se-cured by a linkage 93, 94 to a shaft 95 at whose end situated a solenoid 96. The shaft 95 i5 guided by slide bearing 97. A compression spring 98 forces the pivoting blades away from one another in the unactivated state. A conveying unit which approaches from direction ~7 and which i~ holding on to the switching-out rails 61 and 60, which carry the rack 62, on the outside, forces the blades tosether so that~ in the pressed-in state, they press against the rails 12 and 1~ for normal travel and the rack 14 at points 99 and 100. ~here is thus a forced change over fxom the switchins-out rails 61 and 60 and the switching-out rack 62 to normal -travel on rails 12 and 13 and the rack 14 and -this is forced to occur by the conve~ing unit itself. If a conveying unit approaching from direction 101 wishes to switch out, the solenoid receives a timed pulse and draws in shaft 95 in direction 101 in opposition to the pressure from the spring.
The switching-out blades 89 and 90 are pressed against the main rails 12 and 13 at points 100 and 99 and the conveying unit is switched out. When the switching-out has been completed, the holding on ~ulse to the solenoid 96 stops and the pivoting ..~
, _ .

~ . ~
18~

blades are forced apart b~ pxessure from the spring.
Figure 8 is a ver-tical section through the switching-ou-t means illustrated i~ Figure 7. When txavelling noxmally, the conveying unit~ hold onto the rails 12 and 13 on the outside. If they are to continue to travel normally1 they can pass withou-t ~-hindrance through the gap 102 between rails 13 and 89 ~nd through the gap 103 between rails 12 and 90.
If a conreyin~ unit, coming from above along the rails 60 and 61 o~to the pivoting blades 89 and 90 is to be switched in, then the blades are turned about their pivot points 91 and 92 by the forcible com-pression on them and press against the normal rails 12 and 13. The rods 93 and 94~ which are attached by a pivot bearing at point 95 to the traction shaft fold inwards and the axes 100 and 99 of the pivoting blades are ~orced inwards. Once the conveying unit leaves the pivoting blades, these are forced back to the normal position by spring pressure as shown in Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a vertical section through the drive section of a conveying unit while it is bein~ switched out by guide platesO The carrier parts Id5 16 and 31 enclose the shafts 104 and 6~of the wheel mountings, and it is possible, as is illustrated in this case, for the running wheels 106, 107, 108 and 109 ~or example to lie perpendicular to the running faces of the xails. When a pulse is emited for switching in or out, solenoids 110 and 111 are energi~ed and extend respective spigots 112 and 113 downwaxd3.
o7S

~, .

~hese spigots engage with respectiYe guide pla~es 115 and 114, which are connected to switching-out rails 60 and 61 respectively. ~he ~witching-out wheels 116, 117, 118 and 119 are forced against the switching~out rails 60 and 61 and, as the switchin~-out rails curve outw~rds t le~ve the main rails 12 and 1~. The direction of-travel on the switching-out rails may diverge from the normal direction of travel in a similar way to that shown in Fi~ure 2.
Figure 10 is a plan view o~ an in and out switch and of a conve~ing unit having a Garriage bottom plate 36 carrying a drive member and a carrying surface 68 for containers coupled to itl In the case of switching outS the solenoids shown in ~ ure 9 (not shown in the present Figure) are ener~ised and their spigots engage with the guide plates 115 and 114. ~he curvature o~ the switchin~-out rails 60 and 61 and the guide plates which are fixed to the rails pull the ~witchin~_out wheels 24 and 76, 79 and . ~
77, 78 and 80, 81 and 27 against the switching~out rails. ~he runn~ing wheels 25 and 73, 72 and 70, 69 and 71~ and 74 and 26 are forced awa~ from the main r~ils 12 and 13~
: Figure 11 i5 a vertical section through an arrangement of rl'nning wheeis 120 and 121 where the shafts 126 and 127 are secured to the ~heel mounting 104 at an inclination of 90 to one another. ~he whe.~l mountin~ is mounted to pivot in the carrier part 16~ ~he running faces of the wheels are curved to match the rail member 124. ~he horizontal axis 128 385~

of the rail member is also the axis of the symmetrical wheel mounting 104 and -the a~ces o:E the shafbs 126 and '127 OI the wheels are arranged at angles of 45 ;~
to axis 128. ~he bottom face of the rack 122 iR
5~ matched to the rail member and a cut---out 123 in the rack allows it to be pressed against ~he rail by the ties.
Figure 12 shows another embodiment of guide rail and a container sec-tion 129 which is suspended from a carrier 146. ~he latter is suspe.nded to pivot at a point 140. Running wheels 143 and 133 are connected to point 140 via their sh~fts 145 and 132 and their carrier members 144~ 135 and 136. The common axis of ru~ning the wheels 143 a.nd 133 and .
their shafts 145 and 132 is rotatable at point 140 about an a}ds 139. The rotation may be ef:Eected by a solenoid 130 and its connecting linkage 131.
Supporting runnin~ rollers or wheels 137 and 148 engage against the inside of the running rails 138 and are mounted with their common aYiS 139 to the rear of point 140. The axis 139 is arranged to be rotatable about axis 134, the rotation being effected by a solenoid 142 and its linkagé 141. `
Figure 13 ~s a dide view of the suspension of the container section 129 shown in Figure 12. The outer running wheels 157, 143, 133 and 158 are connected by bearers 155, 159? 156 and 135 to form a parallelogram. The parallelogram of be~rers is securc~d to a supporting shaft 161 at points 160 and.140, from which the container section 129 is also ~2 ~

suspe~ded by its carriers 162 and 146. A second parallelogram consi~ting of be~rers 151~ 147~ :
150 and 163 is also suspended from thi3 carrier shaft~ at the points 149 and 154 to which wheel~
153, 1481 137 and 152 are secured and which in the present case support the container section since the wheels engage the rail 138.
Figure 14 is a vertical section showing the outer runnin~ whee].s 143 and 133 in the spread-apart condition, the wheels being operated b~ the solenoid 130 via it5 lin~age 131~ as a result of which -they ` can be applied to the inside of the rail track.
Figure 15 is a side vlew of the embodiment shown in Figure 14~ By means of its linkage 131 the solenoid 130 has locked a point 164 on side 155 of the parallelogram of bearers 5 which is able to move ~' about points 160 and 140~ in such a way that the outer ru~ning xollers or wheel3 157t 143, 133, 158 : can enagage with a second rail track 164. ~he inner parallelogram of bearers and the inner running ~ wheels 152, 137, 1~8 and 153 which it carries :: remains unaltered and grips the track 133.
:~ Figure 16 is a vertical section showinæ the inner pair of rollers 148 and 137, and their common axis 139, when they are disengaged, these rollers being turned about axis 134 by solenoid 142 and it~
linkage 1~1 and becoming free of the track 138. ~he track 16~ begins to move in a different direc-tion from track 138~
Figure 17 is a side-view of Figure 16 showing 0~

.. -. , ~.4~

the switching-in and-out operation when completed~
By the holding solenoid 142 and its linkage 141, the disengaged inner rollers or wheels 152, 137, ~48 and 15~ have been turned, from point 165 on 5` one side of the parallelogram, about poihts 154 and 149 on the carrier shaft 161 in such a wa~ that the rollers disengage from track 138. In this way, the outer rollers 157~ 143, 133 and 158, which are gripping the track 164~ take over the function of supporting the container section 1299 whose carriers 146 and 162 are connected to points 140 and 160 on the carrier shaft 161. The conveyin~ unit now follows the direction of ~rack 164. ~his process of changing over from one track to ano-ther takes place 15 in a continuous flowO This means -that no stoppage :~:
is necessary -to switch the conveying uni-t in or out.
The means for supporting the load from the conta~Zners always engage in the region of the carrier shaft 161 about which the various running rollers are pivotable and the switching in and out always takes place in one plane witho1lt crossing under or over a rail, which means tha-t the contaîner carrying surface is alwa~s in a horizontal plane before or after being switched outD
Figure 18 is a plan view of a conveyer unit negoti~ting a curve. ~he carriage bo-ttom plate 36 has a common centre axis 166. On this centre axis : is situated the shaft of the pinion 40 of the driving motor~ which engages with the gear wheel 42 lying ; 30 beneath it. ~he gear wheel 42,carried by the ru~ning - .

~Z~

~4~

wheels 73, 74, 26 and 25 on axe~ 66 and 67~
engages radially from the centre of cuxvature 167 with the rack on the curved rail 1680 ~he con-tainer section 68 is universally jointed at points 169 and 170 to the carriage bottom plate ~6 by a coupling 75~ ~his coupling may also consist of - a spring, which has a natural universal action, orof a~ electromagnetic coupling in which case the drive section draws up to a container section and couples it on. Axes 64 and 65 are mounted to rotate 17æ
at points 171 and ~ to allow the wheels to be aligned radiallyO
Figure 19 is a side view of a conveyer unit on the inside of an arc. The running wheels situated behind the switching-out wheels 24~ 76, 79 and 77 travel round the centre of curvature 177 of the arc with the axes 173, 174, 175 and 176 of their mountings radially orientatedO A universal connection is made at points 170 and 1690 Figure 20 is a side ~iew of a conveying unit negotiating an arc on the outside. ~he axes 173, 174, 175 and 176 of the mountings of the rollers or ~; wheels are aligned with the centre of curvature 177 and the wheels lying on them are thereforeradially s~ated.
Figure 21 is a side view of a conveying unit egotiating the oukside of an arc4 The axes 174 ... .
173 and 176 of the mountings for the rollers or ;~- wheels are aligned with the centre of curvature 177 which means that the running wheels are radially situated. ~he connection between thc carriage bottom 8~

plate ~6 and the container section 68 consists of links 178 and 179 and their common pivot point 180.
- Link 178 is co-planar with the carriage bottom plate 36. Link 179 is co-planar with the container bottom plate 182D As a result the axis 175 shown in ~igure 20 is no longer present~
Figure 22 is a side view of a conveying unit negotiating an arc on the inside. ~he axes 173t 174 and 176 of the wheel mounting shafts lie radially ~o the centre of cur~ature 177. ~he pivot point 181 for the co~mon links 179 and 178 in this case is situated near the carriage bottom plate 36 due to the necessity for negotiating the arc on the inside, in contrast to the negotiation of the arc in Figure 21 on the outside, where it is at point 180 on the , ~
container section 68G ~hi~ is prevented by a auto-matic lock or shaft arrangement of the connecting links which is shown in detail in Figures 24 and ~; 25.
Fi~ure 23 is a plan view of the connection between the carriage bottom plate 36 and the container section 68~ A link 179 has a solidly connected ~,r pivot 182 to allow the container section to swing out radially. The axis 180 and 181 are respective re-ference axes for connec-ting links ~Ihich can be pi-voted a~ desired about the axis point.
~ igure 24 is a plan view of a trailer coupling with a link connection from the carriage ' bottom plate 36 to the con-tainer section~ ~he link ; 30 179 is in the form of a pi~oting flap. Firmly ,., . _ ~ _ connected to it are a sha~t mounting 183 carrying an interrupted shaft 181 and a shaft mounting 19 carrying an interruped shaft 180. Located on the linl~ plate 179 i5 the pivot pin 182 for connectio~
5~ to the container section~ A projection from the carriage bottom plate consists of a shaft moun-ting 185 solidly co~nected to the plate and an extension 188 (drawn in phantom) carr~ing a shaft mounting 191D ~ link 189 carrying shaft moun-ting 184 and 190 and a link 187 carrying shaft mountings 181 and 192 are locking members. If the link plate 179 is pivoted about its interrupted shafts 180 then, as it pivots, shaft mounting 190 on link 189 and shaft mounting 193 turn with it. ~he other shaft mountings 185, 186, 191 and 192 remain i~mobile7 lf the link plate 149 is pivoted about its interrupted shafts 181, then as it pivots only shaft mounting 183, and link 187 and shaft mounting 186 turn with it.
The other shaft mountings 184, 185, 190, 191 remain immobile.
Figure 25 is a vertical section through Figure 24 looking in the direction of the arrows shown there~ The pi~ot pin 182 for connecting on the container and the sha~t mountings 183 and 193 are secured to the link plate 179. ~ink 188 represents the solidly connected extension to the bottom plate ;~ 36 of the carriage of the conveying unit~ which has ~-.
~ the shaft mounting 185 connected to it. Mounted ;~
..
on link 189 are the shaft mountings 184 and 190 (latter not visible), while on link 187 are mounted : 3æ

the shaft mountlngs 186 and 192 (latter not visible).
Figure 26 is a vertical sectiorl through a clamping inser-t, consisting of pa~s 194 an~ 195, which is inserted or plugged into and between two hollow rails Such hollow rails may for example be members of square, l:ectangular, polygonal, round or oval cross-section. ~he outer edges 201, 2029 207, 208 for example match the inner faces of the hollow members. ~he outermost edges 209, 210, 212 match the outer faces of the hollow member~ If two hollow members are inserted on the two ends of the clamping insert, a hexagonal-recessed socket screw 197 in a threaded hole in part 194 can be used to press part 195 agai~st the inner faces OI -the hollow rail to forms a rigid, gaplesq clamped joint~
Figure 27 is a plan view of the clamping in-sert shown in ~igure 26. The two inser~able hollow members 198 and 213 (shown in broken lines) are inserted as far as edges 199 and 200. When the socket screw 197 is tightened the slightly tapexed edges 201, 202, 20~t 2049 205, 206 press a~ainst the inside faces of the hollow members~ ~he side faces of the clamping insert are likewise tapered. This produces "reater pressure per uni-t of area at edges 2169 217, 21LI and 215 against the inside surface of the hollow . . .
~- members. ~he inside walls of the hollow members - become cylindrical to one another and assume the ;-; shape of the clamping connector and are thus no longer able to be ~eparatea.
~0 Figure 28 is a vertical section through a tie together with current-carrying rails and a rack.
The upper part ~ of the tie ha~ a portion 218 ~Jhich engages in the rack and which presses the rack 14 agains~ the current-carrying rail 13. ~he lower 5~ part 2 of the tie has a threaded hole for the thread o~ a screw 4. By tightening the screw 4 the two parts of the tie can be connected ~irml~ together and thus cl~p up the cuxrent-carrying rails 12 and 13 and the rack 14, part of the pair of tie-parts beinæ insulated from the current-carryin~ rail 12j at 3 to prevent the two rails being short circuited by the pair of metal tie-parts.
Figure 29 shows a rail covering consisting of a sheet of plastics material and resilient mount-15 ings 221 and 222 secured -to it. The sheet can be pressed onto the pair of rails from above or below and can also be removed again~
Fi~,~re 30 6hows a fur-tller embodiment of ~:
` rail covering consisting o~ a plastics or metal sheet .:
20 223 containin~ channels 224 and 225 into which ~ovable plas-tics moun-tings 226 and 227 can be inserted, ~he mountings can be pressed onto and detached from the pair of rails from above or below.
Fisure 31 is a vertical section through the ;
container section of a conveying lmit a-t a station.
~- Runnin~ wheels 70 and 72~ which are connected to a container-carrying plate 228, grasp t~e running rails 13 and 12 which are connected in turn to a support 229 on an axis 230. A container 231 is ~t e ~7c /056, r~
situated in_~L~e~ o~ which the container-carrying ~y ~:
~ . ,.

1~?9~

,o /c~ f~ ` `:
plate ~ forms~a lower -part ~} and a~ 232 forms an upper part. The botto~ plate 233 of the containQr has a projection 234 in which retainer pins 235 and 236 ensage. ~hese retainer pin3 5~ project through the container-carr~in~ plate 228 and are pressed by compression springs 237 and 238 a~ainst a bar 239. ~ holdin~ solenoid 240 connected ~; to the container-carryin~ plate has its plun~er 241 secured to the linkage 239 and remains in the position shown when notQnergised. When the solenoid 240 is actuatedt the plunger 241 slides in the direction of arro~ 242 and -the retainer pins 2~5 and 236 are drawn out through the container-carrying plate 228 in -the direction of arrow 242 by the bar 239 and 15 release the container 231, which can then drop down- ;~
e,, c ~4,~ `
~ wards out of the ~ in the direc-tion indicated ;;~ by arrot,~ 243 under i-ts own ~eight and can be caught in a receptable (not shown). l'he bar 2~9 eng~ges ith a station loclcing device 24~ trac-tion spring 247 i3 connected -to a plate 246 and to the locking device 244 and forces a pin 245, which is æuided in plate 246~ up~lards and locks the container 248 at ~; -the station in place by a foot ~art 250 of the container which container is also held at the top by the holder

2~9. As a result of the solenoid 240 on the conveying ~; uni-t bein~ enerO~ised briefl~ both containers slide ~ .
downwards. After the brief pulse to the solenoid, traction springs 251 and 252 pull the bar 239 back to its original position. ~s a result of a bevel -~ 30 1,~hich i-t has, the re-tainer pln 235 is forced back v~

in opposition to the pressure from sprin~ 237, by a projection 235 from the container 248, which now slides onto the conveying unit to replace container 231 and strikes against retainer pin 236, Retainer pin ~ returns to its rest po~ition. In thi~ way the container is held in position in both directions by its projection 253.
Figure 32 is an elevation of the station shown in Figure 31, The container 248 at tne station e ~2 G ~ r e, Jo~ ~ ~ 2 5 P
is held at the station by~Y~~ L~ 249 and~
~he locking pins 245 and 254, which are connected to locking bar 244, preve~t the container ~rom sliding ~ down by means of its foot parts 250 and 259 (shown -~ in broken lines)~ ~he comb-like configuration of the container projections 234 and~ makes it possible for the containers to be caught by the re-tainer pins 235 and 236 and similar adjoinin~ pins (not ~iven re~erences) in a moun-ting 255 connected :~
e~ ~/6~
, -to tlle bar 239. ~he cage like~t~e~md 232 and 257 . 20 is larger tllan -the containers, and if a container moves into it from the ~t~tion side alld is not in the position shown in the dr~wings but is displaced sideways, the container must still be cau~t b~ the.~:~
.~ ~uxtaposed pins. ~his provision may be necessary if : 25 the drive section 36 and its coupling 75 to the ; container section do not stop exactl~ at the intended position~ The rails 12 and 1~ are held by supports ~: 229 and 256.
: Figure 33 is a plan view of the container ~;
~0 section at the station. The container 248 at the ; 3 ~ :

~4~
e~ c ~o~ re '~ station is held in the cage like,suP~ff~*~ 2~6, 249 and 258 by means o~' its projection 253 and foot parts 250 an~ 259 by the retainer pins 245 and 254 whlch are connected to the bar 2~. ~he station platform 246 is held by the supports 229 and 256 to which are attached the rail 12 and belo~
it the rail 13.
~igure 34 is an elevation of the container projection 23~ which is securely anchored between the retainer pins 235 and 236 and the ~ar 239 lying beneath them. If a container projection is displaced ~: (2~ when it arrives at the pins, it shifts its ~.
:~ position (263) by one ro~J of pins since the peripheries :
of the rounded surfaces which collide slide round : 15 one another. ;~:
'i;gure ~5 is a section through Figure 34 as ~ seen from the side. n the container bottom 233 is `................. situated the fixed projection 234~ which is held - by the pins 236 and 235 to prevent it from slipping `~: 20 sidewa~s. The pins are mounted to slide in the container-carrying plate 228, Figure 36 i~ an enlaxged section through a region of -the container bottom plate sho.~ing the ~: retainer pins 236 and compression springs 238 in the mounting 255. Each retainer pin can be depressed in~ividually when the projection 234 fastened to the bottom 233 of the container strikes against its bevelled part 260. When a pulse is applied to the solenoid 240 and its plunger 241 is actuated in the direction of arro-~ 242, the retainer pins leave their , 4~8~

position and release the projection 234 since the mountin~ 255 for the pins is connected to the bar 2~9 and the plunger 241 of the solenoid.
~he solenoid is connected to a mountîng 261 and the container_carrying plate 228.
Figure 37 is a diagrammatic view of a series-connected overload circuit. An input feed 264 feeds current~carryin~ rails 270 and 271 via input lines 26~ and 267. Between these lines is 10 R current overload indicator 269 which closes con-tacts 274 and 275 when the load o~ the current-carrying rails 270 and 271 is excessive. As a ` result, the insula-tors 272 and 273 which divide of~
- the following individual current-oarryin~ section `
277 and 278 are bridged and a supply is provided b~
power supply 265 via its connections 2~5 and 286u ` The capacities of po~er supplies 26~ and 265 are ,:
now joined to supply the individual sections 270 271, 277 and 273 in common. If there is an over-load on both sections a power supply 266 can beswitched in in the s~lme way.
Figure 38 is a sectional view o~ part of ~ `
a current-carr~ing funning rail and shows a drive means 287 which represents a linear motor. 'rhe 25 field of this motor encloses a ~ember 233~ This ~;
member, to~ether with a current~carryin~ running rail 290~ is held by a pair of tie-parts 2~9 and 291 at a selected intervals. '~he linear motor is carried b~ a running wheel 293 attached to a shaft 292. ~llen the linear motor travels round a horizontal '1, ~., curve around the centre of curvature 29l~ the member 297 is removed as far as the broXen line 299. When the linear motor passes through a vertically situated arc about the centre point 295 the member 296 is removed as far as the broken ; line 298. This ensures that when travelling through ; the various curves the air gaps between the linear motor and member always remain the same~
Figure 39 shows another embodiment of guide rail. The runnin~ rail 300 has a cut-out for a rack 301, The rack in turn has cut-outs for two -curren~-carr~ing rails 303 and ~0~ . A supporting member 308 has a cut-out by means of which it can , be moved in -the current-carrying or running rail.
` 15 ~wo similar members may be connec-ted to plates 307 ~; and ~305 by me~ns of countersunk screws 304 and 306.
~ The running wheels, which are represented by their i ~ respective axes 9 are able to engage with the rail member as wheels 3099 310, 311 and ~4~ or as two wheels at 313 and 314. ~he outer ~aces of the running :.,.' rail may also be rounded (as shown by broken lines at 315 and 316), the run~ing wh0els then being rounded to match the outline of the running rail.
., Figure 40 shows another embodiment of guide rail. ~he separate current-carrying runnin~ rails 318 and 319 are Gonnected by a rack ~ and supporting members as required~ Both of these are insulated from the current-carrying running rails. Pairs of : :
members can be connected together by angle brackets 321 and 322. A four-wheel arrangement is able to embrace the axe~ 323, 324, 325 and 326 and a two-wheel arrangement the axes 237 and 238.
Figure 41 shows another embodiment of the : runnin~ wheels 341 and 342 which are held in mou~t-ings 349 and 350 on axes 343 and 3~ and the switch-ins out wheel~ 337, 338, 347 and 348 on axes 345 346, 339 and 3400 ~he mountings are tensioned towards one ano-ther via bridges 334 and 335 and 4 n e ,7~
slide shafts 330 and 331 in ~ 329 by means of compression springs 332 and 333 so -that the switching out wheels are at all times pressed agains~
e~clb~r~
:~ a channel 336. ~he ~Y~ 329 can be used to -~ receive loads to be conveyed.
;. :

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.:i ~ ., .

=.-.. .. ~ . .. .... ... ..

Claims (8)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-

1. A controllable distributing conveying system for transport-ing people or goods of the kind comprising rails, stations, and conveying units, wherein stations are arranged on a passive rail network having main rails and secondary rails, said stations including container loading-on positions, container off-loading positions, and container depots, between which stations self-propelled controllable conveying units are movable, said units being fitted with respective pairs of running wheels for normal travel on said main rails and for travel on said secondary rails when being switched in and out and also having container-carrying surfaces coupled to drive sections by universal joints, containers being loadable onto and off-loaded from said conveying units by means of loading and off-loading arrangements which have active locking members and unlocking members, said containers being held secure in all orientations of said conveying units during travel, and being conductable to their destination via the shortest path by means of passive switching in arrangements and passive switching-out arrangements comprising said secondary rails, which said conveying units in all said orientations thereof securely hold onto;
wherein at the time of switching-out the running wheels of the conveying units, intended for switching-in and -out travel, become clamped to said secondary rails on the inside, the normal spacing of said main rails being altered to a different spacing by curving said main rails to this different spacing, as a result of which said switching-in or switching-out running wheels are forced to engage portions of said secondary rails running parallel to the main rails, the different spacing of said main rails being altered back to their normal spacing after holding magnets are energized to keep said switching-in or switching-out running wheels in engagement with said secondary rails; and wherein said running wheels for normal travel hold on to said main rails on the outside by spring pressure, said holding magnets being provided to prevent the switching-in or switching-out running wheels from sliding out of engagement with said secondary rails under the prompting of said spring pressure.

2. A controllable distributing conveying system for transport-ing people or goods of the kind comprising rails, stations and conveying units, wherein stations are arranged on a passive rail network having main rails and secondary rails, said stations including container loading-on positions, container off-loading positions, and container depots, between which stations self-propelled controllable conveying units are movable, said units being fitted with respective pairs of running wheels for normal travel on said main rails and for travel on said secondary rails when being switched in and out and also having container-carrying surfaces coupled to drive sections by universal joints, containers being loadable onto and off-loaded from said convey-ing units by means of loading and off-loading arrangements which have active locking members and unlocking members, said containers being held secure in all orientations of said conveying units during travel, and being conductable to their destination via the shortest path by means of passive switching-in arrangements and passive switching-out arrangements comprising said secondary rails, which said conveying units in all said orientations thereof securely hold onto;
said system further comprising an arrangement for automati-cally loading and unloading a container-carrying plate on the conveying unit at a station with a container, said loading and unloading arrangement including a container bottom plate having a projection in which retainer pins are engageable, said retainer pins projecting through said container carrying plate and being pressed against a bar by means of compression springs, and wherein the projection from the container bottom plate and the container projection on the station-carrying plate (on the station side) are of comb-like form, whereby said container can be caught by said retainer pins and said station container by pins in said station-carrying plate which are connected to said bar and are held in the region of the container foot-parts.

3. A conveying system according to claim 2, wherein said container-carrying plate is fitted in its central region with retainer pins and compression springs in a mounting, each said retainer pin being capable of being depressed when said container projections slide in and strike against a part of a retainer pin.

4. A conveying system according to claim 3, wherein project-ions of comb-like shape extending parallel to one another and parallel to the edge of the container are mounted on the bottom of said containers.

5. A conveying system according to claim 4, wherein rows of retainer pins are mounted on said container-carrying surface which are arranged relative to one another for fitting into said projections of comb-like shape from said containers and for enclosing them.

6. A controllable distributing conveying system for transport-ing people or goods of the kind comprising rails, stations and conveying units, wherein stations are arranged on a passive rail network having main rails and secondary rails, said stations including container loading-on positions, container off-loading positions, and container depots, between which stations self-propelled controllable conveying units are movable, said units being fitted with respective pairs of running wheels for normal travel on said main rails and for travel on said secondary rails when being switched in and out and also having container-carrying surfaces coupled to drive sections by universal joints, containers being loadable onto and off-loaded from said conveying units by means of loading and off-loading arrangements which have active locking members and unlocking members, said containers being held secure in all orientations of said conveying units during travel, and being conductable to their destination via the shortest path by means of passive switching-in arrangements and passive switching-out arrangements comprising said secondary rails, which said conveying units in all said orientations thereof securely hold onto; and wherein a conveying unit carrying a container and grasping the main rails is movable underneath a container at a station, the latter comprising supports and a station plate having an enclosure, and can be stopped to allow its own container to be off-loaded and to allow said container at the station to be loaded on, a solenoid on said conveying unit pulling locking pins through the container-carrying plate and at the same time withdrawing a locking device having further locking pins into the station plate on the station side, the containers being released and dropping under their own weight.

7. A controllable distributing conveying system for transport-ing people or goods of the kind comprising rails, stations and conveying units, wherein stations are arranged on a passive rail network having main rails and secondary rails, said stations including container loading-on positions, container off-loading positions, and container depots, between which stations self-propelled controllable conveying units are movable, said units being fitted with respective pairs of running wheels for normal travel on said main rails and for travel on said secondary rails when being switched in and out and also having container carrying surfaces coupled to drive sections by universal joints, containers being loadable onto and off-loaded from said conveying units by means of loading and off-loading arrangements which have active locking members and unlocking members, said containers being held secure in all orientations of said conveying units during travel, and being conductable to their destination via the shortest path by means of passive switching-in arrangements and passive switching-out arrangements comprising said secondary rails, which said conveying units in all said orientations thereof securely hold onto;
wherein at the time of switching-out the running wheels of the conveying units, intended for switching-in and -out travel, become clamped to said secondary rails on the inside, the normal spacing of said main rails being altered to a differ-ent spacing, by curving said main rails to this different spacing as a result of which said switching-in or switching-out running wheels are forced to engage portions of said secondary rails running parallel to the main rails, the different spacing of said main rails being altered back to their normal spacing after holding magnets are energized to keep said switching-in or switching-out running wheels in engagement with said secondary rails; and wherein each conveying unit is driven by means comprising a drive motor mounted on said drive section, a pinion carried by the shaft of said motor, a first gear wheel fixedly spaced from a second gear wheel on a common rotatable shaft and in continuous meshing engagement with said pinion, a first rack on one of said main rails and a second rack on one of said secondary rails, said first gear meshing with said first rack and said second gear idling freely while said main rails have their normal spacing before a switching-out operation, said first and second gears meshing respectively with said first and second racks while said main rails have their different spacing, and said second gear meshing with said second rack and said first gear idling freely when said holding magnets are energized and said different spacing of said main rails has been altered back to their normal spacing.

8. A conveying system according to claim 7, wherein said main and secondary rails are both current-carrying and running wheel rails, said main rails being held together by ties consisting of an upper part and a lower part, said upper part of a tie also grasping said first rack, and said upper part and said lower part being secured to pillars be means of screws and said ties being insulated from said current-carrying rails by means of insulation means consisting of an insulating substance sprayed onto part of said ties or of a thin insulating sheet.