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US 6,742,458 B2Granted
Machine for transport of passengers and cargo
OwnerJ. Kirston Hendersoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically powered vehicle transportation system utilizes a guideway with parallel enclosed rails. Each enclosed rail has an electrical bus bar for supplying power to vehicles on the guideway. The guideway will accommodate dual-mode vehicles that are capable of usage on conventional streets as well as on the guideway. The guideway also accommodates conventional vehicles and ferries that operate only on the guideway. The dual-mode vehicle has a body with axles that are extensible. The axles move from a retracted position, with the wheels recessed within the wheel wells, to an extended position. In the extended position, the wheels locate within the enclosed rails. Conventional vehicles and freight are carried on ferries that move along the guideways.
Claims14
A transportation guideway, comprising:
- a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other for receiving wheels of a vehicle in rolling contact;
- a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails;
- a plurality of posts adapted to be mounted in ground and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground;
- the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails;
- each of the rails being at least partially enclosed for reducing entry of moisture into an interior portion of the rails due to weather;
- wherein the rails comprise rail sections joined together at ends of the rail sections, each of the ends of the rail sections being formed at a diagonal relative to a longitudinal axis of the rail sections, defining diagonal end surfaces that abut each other to form a rail joint, wherein a movable one of the ends of one of the rail sections at each rail joint is capable of movement relative to the other of the ends to accommodate thermal expansion;
- and wherein the guideway further comprises:
- a spring in engagement with one side of the movable one of the ends for urging the diagonal end surfaces together.
5 more elements
A transportation guideway, comprising:
- a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other and having an interior track for receiving lateral supports of a vehicle;
- a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails;
- a plurality of posts mounted in ground and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground;
- the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails and from the ground to the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails;
- the track within each of the rails being at least partially enclosed for reducing entry of moisture into an interior portion of the rails due to weather, and wherein each of the rails comprises:
- a longitudinally extending channel beam, having an upper flange and a lower flange connected by a sidewall, and wherein the track is located between the upper and lower flanges;
- the track being elevated above the lower flange, defining a space between the lower flange and the track;
- and
- electrical wiring located in the space directly below the track for electrically communicating with the vehicles on the guideway.
6 more elements
A transportation guideway, comprising:
- a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other and having an interior track for receiving lateral supports of a vehicle;
- a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails;
- a plurality of posts mounted in ground and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground;
- the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails and from the ground to the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails;
- the track within each of the rails being at least partially enclosed for reducing entry of moisture into an interior portion of the rails due to weather;
- and wherein each of the rails comprises:
- a longitudinally extending channel beam, having an upper flange and a lower flange connected by an outer sidewall, and wherein the track is located between the upper and lower flanges;
- the track being elevated above the lower flange, defining a longitudinally extending space between the lower flange and the track, the space being offset from and parallel to a longitudinal axis located equidistant between the rails;
- an electrical bus bar extending along an interior of the sidewall for communicating with the vehicle on the guideway;
- and
- electrical wiring located in the space below the track and connected to the bus bar.
8 more elements
A transportation guideway, comprising:
- a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other for receiving wheels of a vehicle in rolling contact;
- a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails;
- a plurality of posts adapted to be mounted in ground and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground;
- the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails;
- each of the rails being at least partially enclosed for reducing entry of moisture into an interior portion of the rails due to weather;
- and wherein each of the rails comprises:
- a shroud having an upper wall, a lower wall, an outer sidewall, a downward extending inner sidewall and an upward extending inner sidewall, the downward extending inner sidewall being inclined relative to the upward extending inner side wall and overhanging an upper edge of the upward extending inner sidewall, defining a longitudinal slot between the downward extending inner side wall and upward extending inner sidewall, for receiving an end of an axle of the vehicle on the guideway.
4 more elements
A transportation guideway, comprising:
- a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other for receiving vehicle supports of a vehicle traveling on the guideway;
- a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails;
- a plurality of posts adapted to be mounted in around and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground;
- the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails;
- each of the rails comprising a shroud for reducing entry of moisture, the shroud having a top wall, a bottom wall, an outer sidewall, an upward extending inner sidewall and a downward extending inner sidewall, the downward extending inner sidewall having a lower edge spaced from an upper edge of the upward extending inner sidewall, defining a longitudinal slot for portions of the vehicle supports to extending through;
- wherein each of the rails further comprises:
- a wheel support for the vehicle located within the shroud above the bottom wall, defining a space between the bottom wall and the wheel support;
- and
- a communications cable located within the space for communicating data with the vehicle.
6 more elements
A transportation guideway, comprising:
- a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other for receiving vehicle supports of a vehicle traveling on the guideway;
- a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails;
- a plurality of posts adapted to be mounted in ground and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground;
- the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails;
- each of the rails comprising a shroud for reducing entry of moisture, the shroud having a top wall, a bottom wall, an outer sidewall, an upward extending inner sidewall and a downward extending inner sidewall, the downward extending inner sidewall having a lower edge spaced from an upper edge of the upward extending inner sidewall, defining a longitudinal slot for portions of the vehicle supports to extending through;
- wherein
- the rails comprise rail sections joined together at ends of the rail sections, each of the ends of the rail sections being formed at a diagonal relative to a longitudinal axis of the rail sections, defining diagonal end surfaces that abut each other to form a rail joint, wherein a movable one of the ends of one of the rail sections at each rail joint is capable of movement relative to the other of the ends to accommodate thermal expansion;
- and wherein the guideway further comprises:
- a spring in engagement with one side of the movable one of the ends for urging the diagonal end surfaces together.
6 more elements
A transportation guideway, comprising:
- a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other for receiving vehicle supports of a vehicle traveling on the guideway;
- a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails;
- a plurality of posts adapted to be mounted in ground and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground;
- the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails;
- wherein the rails comprise rail sections joined together at ends of the rail sections, each of the ends of the rail sections being formed at a diagonal relative to a longitudinal axis of the rail sections, defining diagonal end surfaces that abut each other to form a rail joint, wherein a movable one of the ends of one of the rail sections at each rail joint is capable of movement relative to the other of the ends to accommodate thermal expansion;
- and wherein the guideway further comprises:
- a spring in engagement with one side of the movable one of the ends for urging the diagonal end surfaces together.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.