Elevated guideway with propulsion duct for pneumatic transport

Abstract

An elevated guideway performing the function of supporting, guiding and propelling pneumatic transport vehicles for passengers and loads. The two-part elevated guideway is formed by two components, each corresponding to one side of the cross section, divided by a vertical axis passing through the center of the slot. Components are not symmetrical, the left hand component having a wider top table. Components are joined through a niche already present at the lower slabs which is filled with a structural resin. Niche for joining the two-part elevated guideway has a central type female-female fitting. The elevated guideway includes guideway guards, two additions for installing the propulsion duct slot seal, tubes for the electric power supply and telecommunication and control cables, the protective railing for protection in the side emergency gangway, the unit for securing the rail via the web thereof, rails and the third and fourth electric power supply rails of the vehicle. The two-part elevated guideway may have, combined on the same beam of the propulsion duct, a secondary propulsion duct, thereby forming a single, non-separable structure.

Claims

1. An elevated light vehicle guideway for enabling pneumatic transport of a light vehicle on the guideway, wherein the light vehicle includes a propulsion plate attached to the vehicle for moving the vehicle on the elevated guideway; the guideway comprising: a top table of the guideway extending along a length of the guideway supporting movement of the vehicle on the top table; a propulsion duct below the top table of the guideway, the propulsion duct being configured for containment of and for spreading of air along the duct; a power propulsion unit located and operable for generating an air flow in the propulsion duct for causing the propulsion plate to be moved in the propulsion duct which moves the vehicle on the top table; the elevated guideway having an open profile cross-section for passage of the propulsion plate below and along the guideway; a slot in the top table of the guideway, the elevated guideway is comprised of two side by side guideway components, which are split at the slot between the two side by side components, each corresponding to one of the sides of the open profile and thereby both providing the slot between the two-components including the top table, and a connection extends vertically between the propulsion plate in the propulsion duct and the vehicle on the top table of the guideway above the propulsion plate; and the two-components having a niche at lower slabs thereof, wherein the lower slabs are jointed together at the niche.

2. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, further comprising the joining of the two-component elevated guideway is made by means of a female-female central fitting.

3. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, wherein the guideway has guards located outward of the vehicle along the guideway.

4. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, wherein the components have respective additions for installing a slot seal of the propulsion duct to be integrated in the elevated guideway.

5. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, further comprising tubes extending along the guideway for power supply and telecommunications and control cables.

6. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, further comprising a protective railing for protection on a side emergency gangway at the top table.

7. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, further comprising a unit for securing a rail on the top table through a web of the rail on the top table.

8. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, further comprising the rail and a power supply rail are integrated in the elevated guideway.

9. The elevated guideway with a propulsion duct for pneumatic transport according to claim 1, wherein on a same propulsion duct beam of the two-component elevated guideway, there is combined a secondary propulsion duct, and the propulsion ducts form a single and non-separable structure.

10. The elevated guideway in claim 1, wherein the top table includes top table components having respective different widths across the guideway.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The improvement in elevated guideway for supporting, guiding and propelling pneumatic transport vehicles for passengers and loads, object of the present invention, will be now described in detail based on the enclosed drawings, listed hereinafter:

(2) FIG. 1perspective view of an elevated guideway of the state of the art;

(3) FIG. 2front view of the elevated guideway of the state of the art with a lower and independent secondary propulsion duct;

(4) FIG. 3side view of the elevated guideway of the state of the art with a lower and independent secondary propulsion duct;

(5) FIG. 4perspective view of the two-part elevated guideway of the invention;

(6) FIG. 5exploded perspective view of the two-part elevated guideway of the invention;

(7) FIG. 6perspective view of the two-part elevated guideway with their accessories installed;

(8) FIG. 7perspective view of a detail of the addition for installing the duct slot seal;

(9) FIG. 8perspective view of a detail of rail installation, of the electrical power supply and of the electrical duct;

(10) FIG. 9side view of the two-part elevated guideway;

(11) FIG. 10side view of the two-part elevated guideway made up of the propulsion duct and secondary duct.

(12) FIG. 1 illustrates a known elevated guideway (1) for pneumatic transport system which is formed of light vehicles provided preferably with trucks (2) each containing four metallic wheels (3) each, at least one of the axles (4) being connected to a pylon (5) bolted to a propulsion plate (6), which is responsible for converting the thrust of the fluid flow rate in the interior of the duct (7) performing mechanical work for moving the vehicles over rails (8) seated on the elevated guideway.

(13) FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a section of the known elevated guideway (1) which is positioned on the zone of the boarding platform and which is mounted on vertical pillars (9). The elevated guideway (1), besides the classic function of supporting and guiding the vehicles, is further characterized by comprising a propulsion duct (7) for containment and spreading of the air flow generated by stationary power propulsion units (10). The elevated guideway (1) has an open profile cross section to allow free passage of the propulsion plate through a central slot (11) in its top table (12). Under the elevated guideway (1) a secondary propulsion duct (13) is disposed mounted in parallel with propulsion duct (7) and allows the air flow generated by the power propulsion unit (10) to be discharged in the propulsion duct (7) in two distinct portions, resulting in thrust on the propulsion plate of a vehicle located within the platform zone of secondary propulsion duct. The zone of the secondary propulsion duct (13) is normally positioned in the center region of the boarding platform of the stations, one being necessary for each guideway. The extension thereof is at least equivalent to the length of the longest vehicle designed for operating in a specific application.

(14) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the two-part elevated guideway (20) of the invention formed by two components (21 and 22), each one corresponding to one of the sides of the cross section which is divided by the vertical axis passing through the center of slot (23). Components (21 and 22) are not symmetrical, and they present the important distinction that the left two-part component (22) has a wider top table (24) to be used as integrated emergency gangway for passengers and access of maintenance team of the pneumatic transport system.

(15) After being transported and positioned on the mesostructure, both components (21 and 22) are joined through a niche (25) already present in the lower slabs (26). Preferably, this junction is made from a female-female type central fitting, which is filled with a suitable structural resin. Guideway guards (27) and the two additions (28) for installing the propulsion duct slot seal integrate the elevated guideway.

(16) FIGS. 6 and 9 show details of assembling the two-part elevated guideway with non-symmetrical components (21 and 22), the junction of the lower slabs (26) filled with a structural resin (25), the guideway guards (27), the two additions (28) for installing the propulsion duct slot seal, tubes (29) for receiving the electrical power cables and telecommunications and control cables, the protective railing (31) for protection in the side emergency gangway.

(17) FIG. 7 shows details of the central edges of components (21 and 22) defining the slot (23) in the table (24) of the propulsion duct having struts for later fastening or molding of additions (28) with angles for mounting the seal (30).

(18) FIG. 8 shows details of the remaining complements of the elevated guideway, including the unit for securing the rail (32) through the web thereof, rails (33) and third and fourth rails (34) for electrical power supply of the vehicle.

(19) FIG. 10 shows details of a constructive option of the two-part elevated guideway (20) of the invention consisting of combining on one same beam the propulsion duct (7) and the secondary propulsion duct (13), forming a single and non-separable structure. The beam is formed in a homogeneous manner and includes the standard propulsion duct (7), of which the area is the default area of the propulsion plate, and with the secondary propulsion duct (13) in the side thereof, the latter being of closed section and smaller area, used only for maneuvering a vehicle within the boarding station zone and of the power propulsion unit in predetermined operational situations.

(20) The manufacturing process of the beams for the secondary propulsion duct (13) follows the same principle as the one established for the beams characterizing only the propulsion duct (7), that is, the splitting of its structure in two. The difference is that the left two-part component (22) is kept unchanged, whereas the right two-part component (21) requires a specific formwork for molding the secondary propulsion duct (13).