A load handling device is disclosed for lifting and moving storage containers stacked in a grid framework structure having first and second sets of parallel rails or tracks. The load handling device includes: a body mounted on first and second sets of wheels arranged to engage with the tracks. A direction-change assembly is arranged to raise or lower the first set of wheels and or lower or raise the second set of wheels with respect to the body to engage and disengage the wheels with the tracks. The direction-change assembly includes a linkage-set having a series of members arranged between a traveller and a fixed brace, wherein the traveller is arranged to move under an applied force to cause the wheels to raise or lower.

A drive belt assembly for a load handling device includes a drive belt; a drive wheel; and one or more driven wheels. A first tensioning arm, having a fixed end above an elbow and a rotatable distal end pivotally attached at the elbow, is horizontally displaceable relative to the drive wheel and driven wheels. A second tensioning arm is provided wherein the drive belt is routed around the first and second tensioning arms, and the first and second tensioning arms are arranged to put pressure on the drive belt to tension the drive belt.

The present disclosure provides a composite powered wheel set, a train, a wheel-rail system and a train control method. The composite powered wheel set comprises two booster wheels and two support wheels mounted on a driving axle. The booster wheels are fixedly mounted on two ends of the driving axle, the support wheels are mounted on the driving axle via bearings, the moving axle is connected to a first transmission device, which is connected to a first power mechanism, and the driving axle is further connected to a train bogie via a connecting device. Booster wheels and booster rails are provided to improve anti-skid performance, so the train will not skid when running on a steep slope or under a heavy traction load. Restrictions on the railway slope, train traction load, and train speed are eliminated to a great extent, and the application scope of the wheel rails is expanded.

A load handling device is disclosed for lifting and moving storage containers stacked in a grid framework structure having first and second sets of parallel rails or tracks. The load handling device includes a body mounted on first and second sets of wheels arranged to engage with the tracks. The wheels have spokes connecting a rim to a hub, and wherein the wheel is at least partially resiliently deformable, wherein the wheel rim and wheel hub are made from a rigid material relative to the spoke material, and wherein the wheel includes two or more layers.

A grid framework structure includes a first set of parallel rails or tracks and a second set of parallel rails or tracks extending substantially perpendicularly to the first set of rails or tracks in a substantially horizontal plane to form a grid pattern. The grid is supported by a set of uprights to form a plurality of vertical storage locations beneath the grid for containers to be stacked between and be guided by the uprights in a vertical direction. A load handling device includes a body mounted on a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels arranged to engage with the tracks. A gripper assembly is provided for latching to a storage container via a deformable flexure mechanism movable between a locked configuration and a release configuration.

The chemical composition of the railway wheel of the present embodiment consists of: in mass %, C: 0.80 to 1.60%, Si: 1.00% or less, Mn: 0.10 to 1.25%, P: 0.050% or less, S: 0.030% or less, Al: 0.010 to 0.650%, and N: 0.0030 to 0.0200%, with the balance being Fe and impurities, and wherein, in a microstructure of the web part of the railway wheel, an area fraction of pearlite is 85.0% or more, an area fraction of pro-eutectoid cementite is 0.90 to 15.00%, and an average value of a width W of the pro-eutectoid cementite defined by Formula (1) is less than 0.70 μm:

W=½×(P/2−((P/2).sup.2−4A).sup.1/2)  (1) where, in Formula (1), A is an area (μm.sup.2) of the pro-eutectoid cementite, and P is a circumference length (μm) of the pro-eutectoid cementite.

A noise-absorbing device for a railway vehicle wheel includes: at least one strip extending radially from a connecting end capable of being fastened to the periphery of the wheel, to a free end; and at least one damping mass fastened on a face of the free end of the strip, away from the connecting end. The strip includes at least two metal or composite layers and at least one layer of viscoelastic material gripped between the two or composite metal layers.

A noise-absorbing device for a railway vehicle wheel includes: at least one strip extending radially from a connecting end capable of being fastened to the periphery of the wheel, to a free end; and at least one damping mass fastened on a face of the free end of the strip, away from the connecting end. The strip includes at least two metal or composite layers and at least one layer of viscoelastic material gripped between the two or composite metal layers.

This soundproof wheel includes a soundproofing device (3) which is mounted to an inner peripheral surface (6) of a rim section (5) of the wheel. The soundproofing device (3) is provided with: a fixing ring (10) which is fitted in and fixed to a groove (8) formed in the inner peripheral surface (6); a first elastic body section (11A) which is stuck to an outer peripheral surface (10a) of the fixing ring (10), is disposed within the groove (8), and has a plurality of first elastic body pieces; an additional mass section (12) which is stuck to a side of the first elastic body section (11A) opposite to the fixing ring (10), is disposed within the groove (8), and has a plurality of additional mass pieces; and a second elastic body section (11B) which is stuck to a side of the additional mass section (12) opposite to the first elastic body section (11A), is disposed within the groove (8), and has a plurality of second elastic body pieces. The soundproofing device (3) includes a plurality of dynamic vibration absorbers. Each of the dynamic vibration absorbers has first and second elastic body pieces and an additional mass piece. This soundproof wheel allows for significant reduction in wheel vibration noise and is highly durable.

Degradation of a running wheel is detected without using a special sensor or the like. Degradation of a running wheel of a running vehicle that travels using the running wheel that is rotated by a running motor is detected. A difference between a velocity of the running wheel obtained based on a number of rotations of the running wheel and a ground speed of the running vehicle, is obtained as a slip velocity, and degradation of the running wheel is detected based on a fact that torque of the running motor and the slip velocity have passed through a predetermined abnormal range in a space comprising a torque component and a slip velocity component.