Vehicle and track system
AssigneeSI Handling Systems, Inc.
InventorsVercoe C. Jones, Robert A. Hale
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A track system is arranged to be flush with the floor and a drive shaft is mounted for rotation beneath the level of the floor. A vehicle mounted on wheels is moved along the tracks by a drive wheel which extends downwardly from the bottom of the vehicle through an elongated slot in the floor and which contacts the drive shaft. The vehicle includes a bumper system which upon impact oscillates the drive wheel into a position which decellerates and stops the vehicle. A cam associated with the drive wheel selectively cooperates with a cam surface located beneath the floor level at a queuing station for oscillating the drive wheel into a position which decellerates and stops the vehicle. Means are also provided at the queuing station for positively holding the vehicle in a stopped position.
Claims16
A driverless vehicle system comprising a substantially continuous support surface having a channel therebelow, a vehicle mounted on wheels and being adapted to ride on spaced track portions of said support surface, said vehicle having a portion for supporting a load, a guide surface generally flush with said support surface and located between said track portions, said guide surface having an elongated slot in said support surface, an elongated drive shaft means mounted for rotation within said channel and being substantially parallel with said slot, said vehicle including a drive wheel means on the bottom side thereof, said drive wheel means extending downwardly through said slot and including a drive wheel in said channel, said drive wheel being oscillatable about an upright axis and rotatable about a horizontal axis, the periphery of said drive wheel contacting the periphery of said drive shaft means, a control member coupled to said drive wheel for oscillating said drive wheel, said control member being located beneath the level of said support surface and being mounted for oscillation between a vehicle drive position and a vehicle stop position, an actuator means at spaced locations beneath said support surface for selectively oscillating said control member about said upright axis to cause said vehicle to stop, said actuator means being movable between an operative position wherein it can engage said control member for oscillating the same and an inoperative position wherein it cannot engage said control member.
Apparatus comprising a vehicle having a portion for supporting a load, said vehicle being mounted on wheels adapted to ride on a track, drive wheel means on the bottom side of said vehicle and extending downwardly therefrom, said drive wheel means including a drive wheel oscillatable about an upright axis and rotatable about a horizontal axis, a control member having one end coupled to said drive wheel for oscillating said drive wheel about said upright axis, the other end of said control member being free for contact with an actuator, said control member and drive wheel being mounted for oscillation between a vehicle drive position and a vehicle stop position, at least one stop member supported on the bottom side of said vehicle and rigidly connected thereto, said stop member being at an elevation different from the elevation of said control member, said stop member being adapted for cooperation with a latch means for holding the vehicle in a stop position, each of said drive wheel and stop member and control member being entirely below the elevation of the lowermost part of said wheels upon which said vehicle is mounted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.