Mine locomotive

• US 4,212,250 A
• Filed: 04/14/1978
• Issued: 07/15/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas Industries Incorporated (Gardner Denver Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thomas Industries Incorporated (Gardner Denver Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burgess, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beltran, Howard
• Application Number:
  US05/896,298
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 105/50, 105/329 R, 105/364, 105/456, 180/77 S, 188/58, 188/170
• US Class Current: 105/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 3/02 with electric accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 13/004 Staff transport system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance

Abstract

A personnel carrier for use in an underground coal mine comprises a rail vehicle having driving cabs at opposite ends thereof with driving controls in each cab. Power is supplied from a battery mounted between the cabs to an electric driving motor arranged to drive one of a pair of axles or both axles as desired through one or more respective gearboxes. Safety features include an isolating switch operable from either cab, a flameproof rotary switch disposed substantially midway between the two cabs for activating one set of driving controls or the other and operable from outside the vehicle and an emergency braking circuit. Normal braking is electrical and achieved by moving a single control lever from power to braking. The emergency brake comprises a disc brake unit on each axle urged to the on position by springs but held in the off position hydraulically providing that a foot pedal in the activated cab remains depressed.

Claims

1. A vehicle for carriage of personnel comprising:

a vehicle body including a driving cab at each end thereof;

traction means operatively carried by said vehicle body for driving the vehicle;

driving control means in each driving cab, said driving control means in each cab being respectively linked to said traction means, each driving control means being operative to permit movement of the vehicle only in the direction the cab faces, and both driving control means including braking means for the vehicle;

and selector means operatively connected to each of said driving control means, said selector means having at least two positions, a first position for activating said driving control means in one of said cabs and a second position for activating said driving control means in the other of said cabs.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, including a single lever operatively connected to said driving control means in each cab for controlling both drive and braking of the respective driving control means.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 2, in which said single lever is detachable from either of said driving control means and is provided for both sets of controls.

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which said selector means is a rotary switch operative to activate only the driving control means in one of the respective cabs at a time.

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 4, in which said rotary switch is disposed between the cabs on the vehicle body.

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which an emergency braking system is included comprising a disc brake disposed to act on a wheel of the vehicle and having pads biassed to the on position by springs and a hydraulically operated piston and cylinder device operative to oppose the action of the springs to hold the brake off, and means for releasing the hydraulic pressure to allow the springs to urge the disc pads to an on position.

7. A vehicle as claimed in claim 6, in which the piston and cylinder device has a hydraulic circuit including a pressure switch operative to isolate the traction means until sufficient hydraulic pressure is available to release the emergency brake.

8. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which each of said cabs includes a foot pedal coupled to the respective driving control means of the cab, said foot pedal'"'"'s operation being necessary to activate the drive/braking control of said driving control means.