Switching system for guided vehicles

A switching system for guided vehicles, comprising

• a main guideway having a pair of horizontally spaced main guides, each main guide having a vertically disposed running surface and a horizontally disposed running surface, the vertically disposed surfaces on said main guides facing one another and extending upwardly from and outwardly of respective ones of said horizontally disposed running surfaces,
• a secondary guideway having a pair of horizontally spaced secondary guides, each secondary guide having a vertically disposed running surface and a horizontally disposed running surface, the vertically disposed surfaces of said secondary guides facing one another and being spaced apart the same distance as said vertically disposed surfaces of said main guides, the horizontally disposed running surfaces of said secondary guides being located outwardly of said vertically disposed running surfaces of said secondary guides,
• said secondary guides joining said main guides at a switching region, each of said vertically disposed surfaces of said secondary guides and said main guides being one in the same vertically disposed surface prior to the switching region and being co-extensive with each other in said switching region, said secondary guideway diverging vertically from said main guideway with said horizontally disposed surfaces of said secondary guides being at a level which is above said horizontally disposed surfaces of said main guides,
• a vehicle having main support means for coacting with said horizontally disposed surfaces of said main guides for supporting said vehicle on said main guides, guide means for coacting with said vertically disposed surfaces on each side of said vehicle for providing lateral guidance, and retractable support means on both sides of said vehicle having a retracted and an extended position, said retractable support means in its retracted position being clear of all guides and adapted to be moved to its extended position prior to said vehicle reaching said switching region with said retractable support means being above and clear of said horizontally disposed surfaces of said secondary guides whereby when said vehicle reaches said switching region said retractable support means coacts with the horizontally disposed surfaces of said secondary guides to support said vehicle thereon, the coaction between said guide means and said vertically disposed surfaces being continuous.