Power collection apparatus for a vehicle

In power collection apparatus for a vehicle having an electrical load and movable along a support track having at least one electrically energized power rail extending substantially in parallel with said support track, the combination of:

• means carried by said vehicle and electrically coupled with said one power rail for collecting power to energize said vehicle load,
• means connected between the vehicle and said power collecting means for enabling the power collecting means to maintain an electrical coupling with different positions of said one power rail as the vehicle moves along the support track, with said enabling means including first support means to control the collecting means to follow vertical position changes of the one power rail in relation to said vehicle and along a first axis of movement, including second support means controlling the collecting means to follow horizontal position changes of the one power rail in relation to said vehicle and along a second axis of movement substantially perpendicular with said track, and including third support means to control the collecting means to follow horizontal position changes of the one power rail in relation to said vehicle and along a third axis of movement substantially parallel with said track, and
• with said third support means providing one of a normal position and a restrained position for the power collecting means, such that the power collecting means in the restrained position is moved along said third axis of movement in relation to said vehicle.