Rail mounted traversing transport
AssigneeIncline Access, LLC
InventorMarcus C. Minges
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transportation system is provided that accommodates varying angles of slope along the path of its movement, while maintaining a level transportation platform without the need of mechanical leveling devices or systems. The platform may be connected to the rail by wheels, the closest of which to the platform is above the rail, and the other below the rail. Accordingly, the platform is torqued downward to maintain contact between the wheels and the rail. As the slope of the terrain, and thus the rail, increases, the rail is widened to maintain the platform at level. As the slope decreases, the rail is narrowed to the same effect. The platform also may be tilted for loading or unloading by this rail-widening method, as may be desired.
Claims5
A method of maintaining a level orientation of a platform on a rail mounted transportation device, comprising increasing a gauge of a rail upon which said device is mounted as a slope of said rail increases.
A rail mounted transportation system comprising
- a. a rail comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, and
- b. a support body mountable upon said rail for traversing along a length of said rail by
- 1. an upper traversing member in operable communication with said upper surface and
- 2. a lower traversing member in operable communication with said lower surface;
- wherein said upper traversing member and said lower traversing member are in a fixed relationship to one another and are maintained in operable communication with said rail by torque;
- and wherein further said upper surface and said lower surface are separated by a distance that varies along the length of said rail.
A rail mounted transportation system comprising
- a. a rail, and
- b. a support body, said support body comprising
- 1. a load bearing section,
- 2. a closest wheel, and
- 3. a furthest wheel placed at a fixed distance from the closest wheel;
- c. wherein said closest wheel is adapted to operate as a fulcrum with respect to a weight of said support body;
- and
- d. wherein a rotation about said fulcrum is terminated by contact between said furthest wheel and said rail;
- and
- e. wherein a magnitude of said rotation is relative to a gauge of said rail.
A rail mounted transportation system comprising
- a. a rail comprising:
- 1. an upper surface, and
- 2. a lower surface;
- and
- b. a support body comprising:
- 1. an upper means for movably supporting said support body on the upper surface, and
- 2. a lower means for movably contacting said support body on the lower surface;
- 3. said support body being thereby mountable upon said rail for traversing along a length of said rail;
- and
- c. wherein said upper means and said lower means are maintained in operable communication with said rail by torque;
- and
- d. wherein further a distance between the upper surface and the lower surface is a function of the slope of the rail;
- and
- e. wherein further the distance between the upper means and the lower means does not change during travel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.