Propulsion/braking apparatus for a guided vehicle

A propulsion/braking apparatus for a vehicle traveling along a guideway, said apparatus comprising:

• a first plurality of nozzles located along the length of said guideway, said first plurality of nozzles being arranged to direct fluid jets generally in a first direction along said guideway;
• a second plurality of nozzles located along the length of said guideway, said second plurality of nozzles being arranged to direct fluid jets generally in a second direction along said guideway opposite said first direction;
• a first plurality of strip valves arranged end-to-end along said guideway, each of said first plurality of strip valves being operable to control flow from a group of nozzles in said first plurality of nozzles;
• a second plurality of strip valves arranged end-to-end along said guideway, each of said second plurality of strip valves being operable to control flow from a group of nozzles in said second plurality of nozzles;
• a power unit mounted for travel along said guideway, said power unit having valve control means operable for selectively opening either said first plurality of strip valves in succession to release fluid jets directed generally in said first direction or said second plurality of strip valves in succession to release fluid jets directed generally in said second direction, a first plurality of thrust vanes arranged to receive impulse energy from released fluid jets directed generally in said first direction to apply force to said power unit along said first direction, and a second plurality of thrust vanes arranged to receive impulse energy from released fluid jets directed generally in said second direction to apply force to said power unit along said second direction;
• and
• means for connecting said vehicle to said power unit.

A propulsion/braking apparatus for a vehicle traveling along a guideway, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of nozzles located along the length of said guideway, said plurality of nozzles being arranged to direct fluid jets generally in a transverse direction of said guideway;
• a plurality of strip valves arranged end-to-end along said guideway, each of said plurality of strip valves being operable to control flow from a group of nozzles in said plurality of nozzles;
• a first plurality of directional vanes for receiving and redirecting said fluid jets generally in a first direction along said guideway, and a second plurality of directional vanes for receiving and redirecting said fluid jets generally in a second direction along said guideway opposite said first direction;
• a power unit mounted for travel along said guideway, said power unit having valve control means for opening said plurality of strip valves in succession to release fluid jets from said groups of nozzles controlled thereby, a directional manifold movable to a first position wherein said directional manifold acts to direct said released fluid jets to said first plurality of directional vanes and to a second position wherein said directional manifold acts to direct said released fluid jets to said second plurality of directional vanes, an actuator operatively connected to said directional manifold for selectively moving said directional manifold to either said first or second position, a first plurality of thrust vanes arranged to receive impulse energy from said released fluid jets directed thereto by said first plurality of directional vanes to apply force to said power unit along said first direction, and a second plurality of thrust vanes arranged to receive impulse energy from said released fluid jets directed thereto by said second plurality of directional vanes to apply force to said power unit along said second direction;
• and
• means for connecting said vehicle to said power unit.

A propulsion/braking apparatus for a vehicle traveling along a guideway, said apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of nozzles located along the length of said guideway, said plurality of nozzles being arranged to direct fluid jets generally in a first direction along said guideway;
• a plurality of jet reversing vanes located along the length of said guideway proximate said plurality of nozzles for reversing the direction of said fluid jets from said first direction to a second direction generally opposite said first direction;
• a plurality of strip valves arranged end-to-end along said guideway, each of said plurality of strip valves being operable to control flow from a group of nozzles in said plurality of nozzles;
• a power unit mounted for travel along said guideway, said power unit having valve control means operable for selectively opening said plurality of strip valves in succession to release said fluid jets directed generally in said first direction, a first plurality of thrust vanes for receiving impulse energy from said fluid jets to apply force to said power unit along said first direction, a plurality of spiral transfer vanes for redirecting said fluid jets to said jet reversing vanes, a second plurality of thrust vanes for receiving impulse energy from said fluid jets directed generally in said second direction by said jet reversing vanes to apply force to said power unit along said second direction, and a thrust reversing actuator for selectively aligning either said first plurality of thrust vanes or said spiral transfer vanes with said plurality of nozzles to receive said fluid jets;
• and
• means for connecting said vehicle to said power unit.