TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS

• US 3,861,319 A
• Filed: 08/14/1972
• Issued: 01/21/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Egon Gelhard, Gunkel H. Rudolf
• Original Assignee: Egon Gelhard, Gunkel H. Rudolf
• Inventors: Gelhard, Egon, Gunkel, H. Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kern, D. W.
• Application Number:
  US05/279,769
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 243/1,37 104/89,106,118-121,123,124,125,138,139,140,88
• US Class Current: 104/124
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/10 Tunnel systems pneumatic tubes conveyors B65G ; B61C15/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 15/00 Combinations of railway systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 21/00 Supporting or protective framework or housings for endless load-carriers or traction elements of belt or chain conveyors

Abstract

A transportation system is disclosed and claimed herein for the conveyance of petroleum or other products from areas having adverse climatic conditions to a destination where the materials may be more conventionally handled. The system likewise includes means for returning transportation vehicles to the point of origin for refilling. A pipe conduit system is suspended from a plurality of supports and receives at least one vehicle movable on a trackway therethrough. The vehicle is self driven and receives power from a power supply located within the conduit. Additionally, outside rails may be secured to the pipe conduit, so as to receive additional outside driven vehicles for the transportation of freight or passengers. The vehicle of the present invention comprises a transportation container suspended on opposite ends thereof from two independent drive units. The drive units have a housing with male and female coupling members secured thereto and extending outwardly in opposite directions therefrom. Received around the housing is a rotatable drum that serves as a single wheel for the driving unit and engages the trackway within the conduit. The drum is provided with preferably an alternating current electric motor coupled to a hydrodynamic torque converter which in turn is coupled to a sun and planet gear arrangement. The interior periphery of the drum is associated with one of the gears of the sun and planet gear arrangement so as to receive driving power therefrom. Electric power is received by contacts on the housing that engage current rails received in the upper portion of the conduit. Both the transportation system and the vehicle are claimed.

Claims

1. A transportation system comprising:

a. two conduits rigidly interconnected and disposed one above the other over at least the length of travel from one end to the other of the system, each of said conduits having a vehicle trackway received therein and extending therealong, said conduits further having vehicle power supply means disposed therein and extending at least a major portion of the length thereof;

b. a loop trackway at said opposite ends of said conduits, said loops uniting said conduits at said ends, one of said loops having vehicle filling means associated therewith and the other of said loops having vehicle emptying means associated therewith;

c. a plurality of supports for said conduits and said loops, said supports comprising a plurality of struts, a foundation for each strut, said struts being secured to said foundation at one end thereof, and a cross brace adjacent opposite, upper ends of said supports, said cross brace having members extending outwardly therefrom, said member being secured to said struts to form a unitary structure, the conduits being suspended from said supports over the length of travel of the system by a plurality of flexible cables connected between the supports and the upper conduit; and

d. a vehicle receivable within said conduits and movable along said trackway.

2. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the support cross brace comprises a central element having a plurality of cross beams extending outwardly therefrom, said cross beams being secured to the upper end of said struts and said flexible cables for suspending said conduits being secured to said central element.

3. A transportation system as defined in claim 2, wherein said central member has means secured to a portion thereof for supporting power lines and insulating same from said structure.

4. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said struts of said supports have telescoping means received therein for varying the length thereof.

5. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, including further flexible cables secured between the lower conduit and the foundations.

6. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said conduits have feed and discharge cleaning fluid compartments disposed therealong, said compartments being in communication with the interior of said conduits for supplying cleaning fluid thereto and removing cleaning fluid thereform.

7. A transportation system as defined in claim 6, wherein said compartments are disposed beneath said trackway.

8. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said conduits are connected to each other by four walkway members, two of said members forming a pair for one side of said conduits and being secured to said conduits and each other and the other two of said members forming a mirror image pair secured to the opposite side of said conduits and to each other, said members of each pair overlapping between the conduits and being secured to each other thereat.

9. A transportation system as defined in claim 8, wherein the portions of the trackway on opposite sides of the center gauge rail slope slightly downwardly towards said gauge rail to define a slightly curved track half on each side of said gauge rail.

10. A transportation system as defined in claim 9, wherein said gauge rail is V-shaped, the bottom of the V making contact with a portion of the conduit and being supported thereby.

11. A transportation system as defined in claim 8, wherein a space between said vehicle trackway and said conduit is filled with a synthetic foam.

12. A transportation system as defined in claim 11, wherein the synthetic foam is a polyurethane.

13. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle receivable therein comprises at least one transportation container, said container being removably coupled to and suspended between independent drum units at opposite ends thereof, the dimensions of said container being such that no contact is made between the container and the inner wall of the conduit.

14. A transportation system as defined in claim 13, wherein the drive unit comprises a cylindrical drum that is drivable along the vehicle trackway, said drum having a drive means received therein, power from said drive means being used to cause said drum to rotate to provide driving power to said vehicle.

15. A transportation system as defined in claim 14, wherein the drive means comprises an electrical motor, said motor having a stationary armature and a rotating field coil, a hydrodynamic torque converter coupled to said motor, a sun and planet gear means coupled to said hydrodynamic torque converter and said sun and planet gear being operatively associated with the inner wall of said drum so as to afford rotational movement thereto.

16. A transportation system as defined in claim 15, wherein the electrical motor has a housing, said housing rotating with said field coil and wherein an outer wheel of the sun and planet gear is geared to the inner wall of the drum.

17. A transportation system as defined in claim 15, wherEin an outer surface of said drum mates with the vehicle trackway, said surface being slightly spherical in the direction of slant of the trackway surfaces.

18. A transportation system as defined in claim 17, wherein said outer surface has a centrally located rim protruding therefrom, said rim tapering conically away from said drum and mating with a V-shaped gauge rail along said vehicle trackway.

19. A transportation system as defined in claim 18, wherein a V-shaped rail member is positioned above said drum rim and is associated with said conduit, said rail member being out of contact with said drum rim during normal operation and serving as a safety device to prevent derailment of said vehicle.

20. A transportation system as defined in claim 19, wherein said rail member is engaged by at least one gauge roll, said gauge roll being hinged to said drive unit, said rail member reducing oscillations in said drive unit.

21. A transportation system as defined in claim 17, wherein at least a major portion of the outer surface of said drum has an elastic layer thereon, said layer engaging said vehicle trackway during movement of said drum thereacross.

22. A transportation system as defined in claim 15, wherein the drum is received around a horizontal frame and is supported thereby, said frame being connected to an axle, said axle passing centrally through said drum and said drive motor armature.

23. A transportation system as defined in claim 22, wherein said frame has a male coupling element secured to one end thereof and a female coupling element secured to an opposite end thereof, said coupling elements having means associated therewith for producing a union with an opposite element.

24. A transportation system as defined in claim 22, wherein said frame has a plurality of independent current taps secured thereto at an upper end thereof and at least one magnetic brake associated therewith, said brake being actuatable to engage said trackway.

25. A transportation system as defined in claim 24, wherein four current rails are received in the upper end of said conduits, said current rails extending along at least a major portion of said conduits and being engageable by said current taps, three of said rails supplying alternating current to said drive unit when engaged by said current taps and one of said rails providing a means for conducting control and monitoring signals to and from said drive unit.

26. A transportation system as defined in claim 25, wherein said current rails are subdivided into individually separated segments along said conduits.

27. A transportation system as defined in claim 24, wherein said current rails are secured to a plate which is in turn secured to the inner upper wall of said conduit.

28. A transportation system as defined in claim 13, wherein said tranportation container comprises a thin-walled pipe, said pipe being sealed at opposite ends thereof by thick-walled covers, one of said covers having a male coupling member associated therewith and the opposite cover having a female coupling member associated therewith.

29. A transportation system as defined in claim 28, wherein said transportation container has an oval cross section, corresponding approximately to the remaining cross sectional space of the conduit.

30. A transportation system as defined in claim 28, wherein said transportation container has at least one opening therealong, said opening being sealed from within said container by a seal ring and a valve plate, said plate being biased in the closed position by a hydraulic piston.

31. A transportation system as defined in claim 30, wherein said container has a valve opening along the top thereof and a valve opening along the bottom thereof, each valve opening being biased in the sealed position by a hydraulic piston.

32. A transportation system as defined in claim 31, wherein said bottom valve is automatically actuatable for discharge of contents from said transportation container.

33. A tranSportation system as defined in claim 13, wherein said transportation container has a flexible member secured around its outer periphery and extending outwardly therefrom, said flexible member substantially filling the remainder of the cross section of said conduit.

34. A transportation system as defined in claim 33, wherein said member is a bulging rubber member whose dimensions are such that air in said conduit is forced ahead of said vehicle during movement thereof.

35. A transportation system as defined in claim 33, wherein pressure control means are provided for said system, said control means being responsive to air pressure between adjacent vehicles to control the relative speeds thereof.

36. A transportation system of claim 13, wherein said drive units comprise:

a. a frame, said frame having coupling elements secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom;

b. a drum received around said frame, said drum having an outer driving surface therearound;

c. a motor received within said frame;

d. a hydrodynamic torque converter received within said frame and coupled to said motor; and

e. a sun and planet gear arrangement coupled to said torque converter, said sun and planet gear further being coupled to said drum to afford rotational motion thereto.

37. A drive unit as defined in claim 36, wherein said motor is an electrical motor and wherein said motor has an armature and a field coil, said armature being stationary and said field coil rotating with a housing of said motor.

38. A drive unit as defined in claim 36, wherein said inner wall of said drum has gear teeth around a section thereof, said teeth meshing with an outer gear of said sun and planet gear to afford rotational motion to said drum.

39. A drive unit as defined in claim 36, wherein an outer surface of said drum is of a shape that mates with the vehicle trackway, said surface being slightly spherical in the direction of slant of the trackway surfaces.

40. A drive unit as defined in claim 39, wherein said outer surface has a centrally located rim protruding therefrom, said rim tapering conically away from said drum so as to reside within the gauge rail.

41. A drive unit as defined in claim 39, wherein at least a major portion of the outer surface of said drum has an elastic layer therearound, said layer engaging said vehicle trackway during movement of said drum thereacross.

42. A drive unit as defined in claim 36, wherein said coupling elements comprise a male element extending in one direction and a female element extending in an opposite direction, both elements having bolt receiving bore holes therein.

43. A drive unit as defined in claim 36, wherein said frame has secured to an upper portion thereof, at least one current tap.

44. A drive unit as defined in claim 36, wherein at least one magnetic brake is secured to said frame.

45. The system of claim 13, wherein said container comprises:

a. an elongated tubular member, and a cover plate secured at opposite ends of said container, said cover plates having coupling elements secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom;

b. a first drive unit connected to said container at one of said coupling elements; and

c. a second drive unit connected to said container at said other of said coupling elements, said drive units comprising a frame, a coupling element secured to opposite sides of said frame and extending outwardly therefrom, a drum received around said frame, a motor received within said frame, a torque converter received within said frame and coupled to said motor, a sun and planet gear coupled to said torque converter, and to an inner wall of said drum to afford rotation to said drum.

46. A vehicle as defined in claim 45, wherein said drum has a rib protruding therefrom around the middle thereof.

47. A vehicle as defined in claim 46, wherein said drum has an elastic layer around at least a major portion thereof on both sides of said rib.

48. A vehicle as defined in claim 45, wherein said container has a fill valve on the top side thereof, and a discharge valve on the bottom side thereof.

49. A vehicle as defined in claim 48, wherein a hydraulic prop is associated with each valve to normally bias said valves in the closed position.

50. A vehicle as defined in claim 45, wherein said container has an oval cross-section.

51. A vehicle as defined in claim 45, wherein said container has a rubber gasket secured therearound and extending outwardly therefrom.

52. A vehicle as defined in claim 45, wherein said frame of said drive units has at least one current tap secured to the top thereof and wherein at least one magnetic brake is associated with at least one of said coupling elements.

53. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, comprising further a detection and monitoring vehicle movable within said conduit along said vehicle trackway, said vehicle having equipment associated therewith to clean and repair the vehicle trackway.

54. A transportation system as defined in claim 8, wherein at least two of said walkway members are bent at an outer portion thereof to provide an upper and lower rail for an outside rail transportation system.

55. A transportation system as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle trackway within said conduits is provided by a horizontal member mounted within the conduits and secured to an inner wall thereof, said member having a center gauge rail along its length.

56. A transportation system as defined in claim 54, wherein said outside vehicle is suspended from said outside rails and movable therealong, said vehicle comprising a trio of wheels, a drive unit operatively associated with at least one of said wheels and a vehicle body suspended from said wheels.

57. A transportation system as defined in claim 56, wherein the drive unit comprises a worm gear, said gear being mounted in a horizontal axle between a pair of said rolls, and a hydraulic engine operatively connected to said worm gear.

58. A transportation system as defined in claim 57, wherein the vehicle body is a nacelle.

59. A transportation system as defined in claim 56, wherein control means are received on said outside vehicle to monitor the condition of the transportation system.