Electromagnetic induction ground vehicle levitation guideway

An electromagnetic induction levitation guideway for a magnetic levitation vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction along said guideway, comprising:

• a beam support member having side edges and a length extending longitudinally along said guideway;
• a transverse structural slab member formed of non-metallic material mounted on top of said beam support member, said structural slab member having a flat, generally horizontal top surface, and said structural slab member extending beyond the side edges of said beam support member;
• energy absorption means mounted above said transverse structural slab member for absorbing kinetic energy from said magnetic levitation vehicle in the event of loss of magnetic levitation;
• accelerated by the vehicle as it breaks away the energy absorption structure, absorbing kinetic energy of the vehicle.

An electromagnetic induction levitation guideway for a magnetic levitation vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction along said guideway, comprising:

• a beam support member having side edges and a length extending longitudinally along said guideway;
• a transverse structural slab member formed of non-metallic material mounted on top of said beam support member, said structural slab member having a flat, generally horizontal top surface, and said structural slab member extending beyond the side edges of said beam support member;
• a top structural plate mounted to said top surface of said structural slab member, said top structural plate having a flat upper surface, said top structural plate having a ferromagnetic portion disposed in a central portion of said top structural plate, and non-ferromagnetic peripheral portions;
• first mounting means for mounting said structural slab member to said support beam member;
• vertical lift means for providing vertical lift and stability;
• magnetic induction drive means for propelling said vehicle along said guideway;
• lateral stability means for laterally stabilizing and centering said vehicle with respect to said guideway;
• and
• second mounting means for mounting said vertical lift means, said magnetic induction drive means and said lateral stability means to said beam support member and said structural slab member disposed on opposing sides of said support beam member.

An electromagnetic induction levitation guideway for a magnetic levitation vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction along said guideway, comprising:

• a beam support member having side edges and a length extending longitudinally along said guideway;
• a transverse structural slab member formed of non-metallic material mounted on top of said beam support member, said structural slab member extending beyond the side edges of said beam support member;
• first mounting means for mounting said structural slab member to said support beam member;
• vertical lift means for providing vertical lift and stability;
• magnetic induction drive means for propelling said vehicle along said guideway;
• lateral stability means for laterally stabilizing and centering said vehicle with respect to said guideway;
• and
• a plurality of mounting plates mounted to said first mounting means and said support beam for mounting said vertical lift means, said magnetic induction drive means and said lateral stability means to said beam support member and said structural slab member disposed on opposing sides of said support beam member, said plurality of mounting plates having a surface defining a plurality of openings to allow for convective cooling of the guideway.

An electromagnetic induction levitation guideway for a magnetic levitation vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction along said guideway, comprising:

• a beam support member having side edges and a length extending longitudinally along said guideway;
• a transverse structural slab member formed of non-metallic material mounted on top of said beam support member, said structural slab member having a bottom surface, and said structural slab member extending beyond the side edges of said beam support member;
• a rigid bottom structural plate mounted to said bottom surface of said structural slab member for mounting said structural slab member to said support beam member;
• vertical lift means for providing vertical lift and stability, said vertical lift means including a ferromagnetic powder mechanically secured to the bottom structural plate for providing lift to said vehicle by magnetic attractive interaction with said vehicle;
• magnetic induction drive means for propelling said vehicle along said guideway;
• lateral stability means for laterally stabilizing and centering said vehicle with respect to said guideway;
• and
• second mounting means for mounting said vertical lift means, said magnetic induction drive means and said lateral stability means to said beam support member and said structural slab member disposed on opposing sides of said support beam member.

An electromagnetic induction levitation guideway for a magnetic levitation vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction along said guideway, comprising:

• a beam support member having side edges and a length extending longitudinally along said guideway;
• a transverse structural slab member formed of non-metallic material mounted on top of said beam support member, said structural slab member extending beyond the side edges of said beam support member;
• a thin, flexible, top protective cover shaped to minimize adhesion and buildup of snow and ice on the top of said guideway, said top protective cover containing a plurality of heating wires for melting snow and ice on top of said guideway;
• first mounting means for mounting said structural slab member to said support beam member;
• vertical lift means for providing vertical lift and stability;
• magnetic induction drive means for propelling said vehicle along said guideway;
• lateral stability means for laterally stabilizing and centering said vehicle with respect to said guideway;
• and
• second mounting means for mounting said vertical lift means, said magnetic induction drive means and said lateral stability means to said beam support member and said structural slab member disposed on opposing sides of said support beam member.

An electromagnetic induction levitation guideway for a magnetic levitation vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction along said guideway, comprising:

• a beam support member having side edges and a length extending longitudinally along said guideway;
• a transverse structural slab member formed of non-metallic material mounted on top of said beam support member, said structural slab member extending beyond the side edges of said beam support member;
• first mounting means for mounting said structural slab member to said support beam member;
• vertical lift means for providing vertical lift and stability;
• magnetic induction drive means for propelling said vehicle along said guideway;
• lateral stability means for laterally stabilizing and centering said vehicle with respect to said guideway;
• a plurality of mounting plates mounted to said first mounting means and said support beam for mounting said vertical lift means, said magnetic induction drive means and said lateral stability means to said beam support member and said structural slab member disposed on opposing sides of said support beam member;
• and
• a thin, flexible, side protective cover mounted over said plurality of mounting plates with an air gap therebetween to allow convective cooling within said guideway.

An electromagnetic induction levitation guideway for a magnetic levitation vehicle adapted to travel in a longitudinal direction along said guideway, comprising:

• a beam support member having side edges and a length extending longitudinally along said guideway;
• a transverse structural slab member formed of non-metallic material mounted on top of said beam support member, said structural slab member extending beyond the side edges of said beam support member, said structural slab member being formed of a plurality of spaced apart segments mounted to the beam support member to compensate for differential thermal expansion between the slab member and beam support member;
• first mounting means for mounting said structural slab member to said support beam member;
• vertical lift means for providing vertical lift and stability;
• magnetic induction drive means for propelling said vehicle along said guideway;
• lateral stability means for laterally stabilizing and centering said vehicle with respect to said guideway;
• and
• second mounting means for mounting said vertical lift means, said magnetic induction drive means and said lateral stability means to said beam support member and said structural slab member disposed on opposing sides of said support beam member.