Vehicle turntable
First Claim
1. A turntable comprising a support, a table pivotably mounted on the support for movement about a vertical axis, said table having tracks for supporting a vehicle, said table having drive wheels depending therefrom, an arcuate drive tube assembly, said drive wheels being arcuately arranged about said axis for driving frictional contact with said assembly for causing said table to pivot about said axis, a drive motor coupled to aid drive tube assembly for rotating said drive tube assembly about its longitudinal axis, and latch means for latching said table in a position at the ends of its movement.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A driverless vehicle turntable includes a table pivotably mounted for movement about a vertical axis. The table has tracks and a drive tube as well as drive wheels. An arcuate drive tube assembly is arranged for frictional contact with the drive wheels.
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Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A turntable comprising a support, a table pivotably mounted on the support for movement about a vertical axis, said table having tracks for supporting a vehicle, said table having drive wheels depending therefrom, an arcuate drive tube assembly, said drive wheels being arcuately arranged about said axis for driving frictional contact with said assembly for causing said table to pivot about said axis, a drive motor coupled to aid drive tube assembly for rotating said drive tube assembly about its longitudinal axis, and latch means for latching said table in a position at the ends of its movement.
- 9. A turntable for driverless vehicles comprising a support, a table pivotably mounted on the support by an annular bearing for movement of the table about a vertical axis, a pair of tracks on the table for receiving a driverless vehicle, a drive tube on the table between said tracks, a motor on the table for rotating said drive tube about its longitudinal axis, said table supporting a set of drive wheels rotatable about different horizontal axes, an arcuate drive tube assembly coaxial with said axes, said drive wheels being arranged for frictional driving contact with said assembly for causing said table to pivot about said axis, a motor coupled to said drive tube assembly for rotating the drive tube assembly about its longitudinal axis, discrete cams adjacent opposite ends of said drive tube assembly for controlling acceleration and deceleration of the table pivotable movement, and latch means for latching said table in position at the ends of its pivotable movement.
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15. A turntable comprising a support adapted at its lower end for mounting on a floor, a horizontally disposed table mounted on the upper end of said support for pivotable movement about a vertical axis, said table having tracks for supporting a driverless vehicle, said table having drive wheels depending downwardly therefrom, an arcuate drive tube assembly having said axis as its center of curvature, said drive wheels being arcuately arranged about said axis for driving frictional contact with said assembly for causing said table to pivot about said axis, means supporting the drive wheels on said table for rapid removal as a unit, said last mentioned means including a common support plate removably attached to said table, first cam means adjacent one end of the drive tube assembly along the inner periphery thereof and second cam means adjacent the other end portion of the drive tube assembly on the outer periphery thereof for controlling acceleration and deceleration of said table pivoting movement, a drive motor coupled to said drive tube assembly for rotating said drive tube assembly about its longitudinal axis, the arcuate extent of said drive tube assembly being approximately 180°
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Specification