DRIVE FOR A TRACK-GUIDED VEHICLE

Abstract

A drive for a vehicle which is track-guided on a track section, the vehicle being supported on the track section by track rollers when at a standstill or when moving slowly. Lift-causing elements are mounted on the vehicle and lift the vehicle off the track section during fast travel, and drive rollers of the vehicle act laterally on the track section.

Claims

1. A drive for a vehicle which is track-guided on a track section, which at a standstill and when traveling slowly is supported by track rollers on the track section, the drive comprising: buoyancy elements mounted on the vehicle that lift the vehicle above the track section during fast travel; and drive rollers that laterally act on the track section.

2. The drive according to claim 1, wherein the track section comprises at least one rail.

3. The drive according to claim 2, wherein, in a raised position, the track roller is further pressed against an associated rail.

4. The drive according to claim 1, wherein the track section is an upright track section having a rectangular cross section.

5. The drive according to claim 1, wherein the buoyancy elements are wings that are connected to the housing of the vehicle.

6. The drive according to claim 5, wherein the wings are extendable.

7. The drive according to claim 5, wherein the wings are mounted in air conduits of the housing.

8. The drive according to claim 1, wherein the drive wheels are pressed against the track section by a pressure cylinder.

9. The drive according to claim 8, wherein, on each side of the track section, the drive wheels are in duplicate, positioned one above the other.

10. The drive according to claim 1, wherein limiting profiles are mounted on the track section that limit upward movement of the vehicle.

11. The drive according to claim 1, wherein the drive wheels are mounted in a lower tunnel of the housing through which the track section runs.

12. The drive according to claim 1, wherein the drive wheels are mounted on a chassis on which the adjacent housings of the railroad cars of an articulate train are supported.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section through a vehicle with a drive;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a vehicle on a track section;

[0024] FIG. 3 is a view of the vehicle from below with the tunnel for the track section;

[0025] FIG. 4 is a detail of the drive;

[0026] FIG. 5 is a drive with guide bracket;

[0027] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross section through a vehicle on a track section having two rails; and

[0028] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an articulated train on a track section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section through a vehicle with its drive. The track section 3 and the drive wheels 2 are located in the tunnel 10 in the bottom of the housing 1.

[0030] At a standstill of the track roller 6, the housing 1 is held on the track section 3 which is formed in this embodiment as a rail 4. On top of the housing, the buoyancy elements 11 are mounted which generate the buoyancy force F during fast travel. With a sufficiently high buoyancy force F, the housing 1 lifts up from the rail 4 by its track roller 6.

[0031] On both sides of the track section 3, the drive wheels 2 press on the limiting profile 5, which prevent a higher lifting upwards of the housing 1 and thus of the drive wheels 2. The pressure of the drive wheels 2 is provided by the actuating cylinder 7, said wheels delivering their pressing force via the push rods 9 and the wheel axles 8 against the drive wheels 2.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a vehicle with its housing 1 on a track section 3. The track section 3 passes through the tunnel 10 of the housing 1. Laterally, buoyancy elements 11 extend from the housing 1. Furthermore, air inlets 13 are provided, through which air flows within air conduits of the housing 1 with buoyancy elements.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the vehicle with its tunnel 10, through which the track section 3 extends. The tunnel 10 is kept wide enough for a curved track section to have sufficient space. The vehicle is driven by the drive wheels 2, which are laterally pressed against the track section 3. The track rollers 6 are positioned over the track section 3 for support.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a detail of an embodiment of the drive. The drive wheels 2 are pressed against the track section 3 via the actuating cylinders 7. They are held by the push rods 9, which are hingedly connected to the housing 1.

[0035] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the drive having a guide bracket 14. The guide bracket 14 is mounted via the pivot rods 15 on the vehicle and thus can execute a limited pivoting movement B. In this way, the drive wheels 2 pressed against the track section 3 can also bring about an upward or downward movement A.

[0036] The driving force of the vehicle on the track section 3 is applied via the drive wheels 2, which are pressed against the track section 3 via the pressure cylinders between the pressure rods 9 and the counter supports 16.

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross section through a vehicle on a wide track section 3 having two rails 4, which are guided in parallel. The two track rollers 6 are in the tunnel 10 of the housing 1, with which the housing 1 can be supported on the rails 4. The drive wheels 2 are laterally pressed against the track section 3 via the push rods 9.

[0038] The buoyancy elements 11 are mounted on the roof of the housing 1.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of an articulated train on a track section 3. In this case, the by couplings 12 of the housing 1 of adjacent railroad cars are supported on a common chassis, which contains the drive wheels 2.

[0040] The buoyancy elements 11 are fixed on the roofs of the housing 1.

[0041] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.