Bidirectional guidance system with lateral oscillation limiting, for road axle guided by a rail on the ground

A bidirectional guide system (1) for an axle (2) on a road vehicle guided by a guide rail (6), the guide system comprising:

• two guide devices (16) attached to the axle (2) and arranged in opposite directions on either side of the axle, each of the two guide devices (16) comprising a guide arm (17), either single or double, extending toward the guide rail (6) and holding at least one guide roller (18) for travel engagement along the guide rail (6), each of the two guide devices (16) having a rigid state for orienting the axle (2) and a floating state for allowing lateral displacement, and serving alternately depending upon a direction of travel of the vehicle, either at a front as a director module (55) in the rigid state, or at the rear as a follower module (56) in the floating state, each of the two guide devices (16) comprising:
• a deformable connecting interface (23) between the axle (2) and the guide arm (17) which, because of a deformable nature, facilitates lateral displacement of the axle (2) relative to the guide rail (6);
• and
• a cylinder (29) with two independent, opposing shafts (30, 31) that assumes two characteristic positions:
• an extended shafts position placing the guide device (16) into the rigid state, in which position the opposing shafts (30, 31) are extended to a maximum and block the connecting interface (23) so as to form a rigid connecting interface between the axle (2) and the guide arm (17) allowing orientation of the axle (2) in order to guide the axle (2);
• and
• a retracted shafts position placing the guide device (16) into the floating state in which position the opposing shafts (30, 31) are retracted to another maximum and leave the connecting interface (23) free, allowing lateral displacement.