A path following arrangement having a catenary structure and a method for operating such an arrangement

A path following arrangement comprising:

• a first carriage;
• and
• a catenary structure, a catenary structure having a travel path assembly delimiting a course along which the first carriage can travel while supported at a spacing from a reference surface and the travel path assembly including a first change of direction run having an entry and an exit, the first carriage having an engagement element operable to engage the travel path assembly in a manner that permits the first carriage to move relatively along the travel path assembly while being guided thereby and the first carriage being movable relatively along the travel path assembly in a travel direction such that the first carriage initially enters the first change of direction run via the entry thereof and thereafter exits the first change of direction run via the exit thereof during each passage of the first carriage along the first change of direction run, and
• the catenary structure including an upstream anchor location, a downstream anchor location, and an intermediate tie-in element, the upstream anchor location engaging a portion of the travel path assembly and the upstream anchor location and the intermediate tie-in element cooperating with one another to maintain the travel path assembly in a supported disposition such that the first carriage can travel along the course upstream of the first change of direction run, relative to the travel direction, while supported at a spacing from the reference surface, and
• the downstream anchor location engaging a portion of the travel path assembly and the intermediate tie-in element and the downstream anchor location cooperating with one another to maintain the travel path assembly in a supported disposition such that the first carriage can continue to travel along the course while supported at a spacing from the reference surface after the first carriage has exited the first change of direction run,
• the entry and the exit of the first change of direction run delimiting an arc of a reference circle, the arc having a tangent,
• the intermediate tie-in element having an upstream end and a downstream end and the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly being at a predetermined spacing from one another in a base disposition, and the intermediate tie-in element and the travel path assembly being movable relative to one another such that the travel path assembly and the intermediate tie-in element can be restorably displaced from the base disposition in which the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly are at a predetermined spacing from one another to an offset disposition in which the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly have moved relative to one another in response to the application of a force on the travel path assembly, wherein the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly are at an offset spacing from one another that is different than the predetermined spacing from one another in the base disposition, and the intermediate tie-in element and the travel path assembly being operable to be returned to their base disposition from their offset disposition.

A path following arrangement comprising:

• a first carriage;
• and
• a catenary structure having a travel path assembly delimiting a course along which the first carriage can travel while supported at a spacing from a reference surface and the travel path assembly including a first change of direction run having an entry and an exit, the first carriage having an engagement element operable to engage the travel path assembly in a manner that permits the first carriage to move relatively along the travel path assembly while being guided thereby and the first carriage being movable relatively along the travel path assembly in a travel direction such that the first carriage initially enters the first change of direction run via the entry thereof and thereafter exits the first change of direction run via the exit thereof during each passage of the first carriage along the first change of direction run, and
• the catenary structure including an upstream anchor location, a downstream anchor location, and an intermediate tie-in element, the upstream anchor location engaging a portion of the travel path assembly and the upstream anchor location and the intermediate tie-in element cooperating with one another to maintain the travel path assembly in a supported disposition such that the first carriage can travel along the course upstream of the first change of direction run, relative to the travel direction, while supported at a spacing from the reference surface, and
• the downstream anchor location engaging a portion of the travel path assembly and the intermediate tie-in element and the downstream anchor location cooperating with one another to maintain the travel path assembly in a supported disposition such that the first carriage can continue to travel along the course while supported at a spacing from the reference surface after the first carriage has exited the first change of direction run,
• the entry and the exit of the first change of direction run delimiting an arc of a reference circle, the arc having a tangent, and
• the travel path assembly and the intermediate tie-in element being operatively interconnected such that the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly can be restorably displaced, in a displacement direction perpendicular to the tangent of the arc delimited by first change of direction run of the travel path assembly, from a home disposition to a temporary displacement disposition in response to the application of a force on the travel path assembly during the travel of the first carriage along the first change of direction run and can be restored to its home disposition from its temporary displacement disposition the intermediate tie-in element having an upstream end and a downstream end and the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly being at a predetermined spacing from one another in a base disposition, and the intermediate tie-in element and the travel path assembly being movable relative to one another such that the travel path assembly and the intermediate tie-in element can be restorably displaced from the base disposition in which the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly are at a predetermined spacing from one another to an offset disposition in which the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly have moved relative to one another in response to the application of a force on the travel path assembly, wherein the upstream end of the intermediate tie-in element and the entry location of the first change of direction run of the travel path assembly are at an offset spacing from one another that is different than the predetermined spacing from one another in the base disposition, and the intermediate tie-in element and the travel path assembly being operable to be returned to their base disposition from their offset disposition.