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US 4,082,042 AGranted
Overhead container transfer system
OwnerLeonard D. Barryinventor
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OwnerLeonard D. Barryinventor
Estimating the term…
This invention is a continuation of my system for vertical transfer of containers to and from moving vehicles wherein the improvement comprises the simplification of the double-dip overhead track for containers or container carriers by elimination of some or all of the dip switches and controls therefore, the track having transfer dips and rises spaced apart and at different gage or elevation with rails for front wheels on container or carrier out of phase with rails for the rear wheels in spaced relation so that containers or container carriers have wheels at one end to run on outer rails and wheel or wheels at other end to run on inner, narrower gage, or upper rails substantially maintaining the container or carrier level on the dips and rises of the overhead track. This invention includes wheel arrangements for container or container carrier for these tracks. This invention is shown applied in both passenger and freight transfer systems and for both split dip and rise spaced apart for containers or carriers with wheels which leave the dip and enter the rise (lift out before set in) and continuous or connected dip and rise (set in before lift out). Passenger cars have novel coupling carriage and track on roof to receive containers at considerable speed difference. The containers or container carriers on the station tracks are propelled and retarded by conveyors or by wave motion of sections of the track to eliminate need for being self propelled. A gantry of special and simplified design transfers containers to and from storage to put them in waiting order for the train. Containers are stored on carriers on classification tracks.
An overhead container transfer system for unloading and loading transportation vehicles passing a station, including a lower guideway having at least one transportation vehicle thereon, an overhead track run over said guideway for vertical transfer including a slope down and an opposite slope up, at least two transfer containers, a said container being on said vehicle when approaching said station track to meet said slope up from bottom, carrier means for engaging and suspending said containers to travel said overhead track and up said slope, vertical coupling means on said vehicle for pushing said container up said slope up above said vehicle, said overhead track being sloped up to height to carry container above the vehicle and any load thereon, conveying means above said vehicle and along said station track to receive and move the container lifted out to stop for transfer at the station, and accelerating means for starting and accelerating the second said container on said station track including a dip in said track to lower the outgoing container to coupling height and reach coupling speed ahead of coupling alignment with the vehicle to be set on the vehicle, said coupling means on the vehicle engaging said container at safe coupling speed and aligning container over spot to set on vehicle and hold this alignment while pushing container to and along where said track is sloped down to set container on the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.