Operating system for high speed tunnel trains

• US 4,881,469 A
• Filed: 06/29/1987
• Issued: 11/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Helmut Hirtz
• Original Assignee: Helmut Hirtz
• Inventors: Hirtz, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennet, Henry A.
• Application Number:
  US07/086,298
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 104/138.1, 104/138.2, 104/139, 104/35, 104/49
• US Class Current: 104/138.1
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/10 Tunnel systems pneumatic tubes conveyors B65G ; B61C15/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01B 25/12 Switches; Crossings

Abstract

A one-directional tunnel system for a high-speed train includes a first tunnel section having a pair of rails for support of a train. A second tunnel section has a pair of rails for support of the train and is generally alignable with and separated from the first tunnel section. A third tunnel section has a pair of rails for support of the train and is horizontally beside the second tunnel section and separated from the first tunnel section. The first tunnel section can be selectively joined to one of the second tunnel section and the third tunnel section by at least one first tunnel switching section which is rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the first tunnel section. The first tunnel switching section has a first tunnel portion including a pair of the rails for support of the train and is alignable with the first tunnel section and the second tunnel section and the pair of rails thereof. The first tunnel switching section also has a second tunnel portion having at least one rail for support of the train and is alignable with the first tunnel section and the third tunnel section and the pair of rails thereof. The first tunnel portion and the second tunnel portion of the first tunnel switching section are on opposite sides of the axis.

Claims

1. Operating system for a long distance, underground, track-riding, high speed transportation means between traffic centers of agglomerations or other centers, comprising:

high speed trains with individual propulsion are driven in single track directional tunnels (1), especially provided with a ventilation system (9), which are formed over their entire length as tubes with a constant profile, that in the traffic centers (3), the stations (4) are disposed in branch tunnels (5,

     7) running parallel to the directional tunnels (1), which are formed as tubes of constant profile, and that at branching points (6) of these tubes, wall elements of the directional tunnels (1) and/or branch tunnels (5) are slidable into each other and/or relative to each other and/or rotatable;

the stations (4) lie at a different height than the directional tunnels (1), especially above those;

at least one service tunnel (2) runs between the directional tunnels (1);

the high speed trains are magnetic trains driven by linear motors; and

on the inner wall of the directional tunnel (1), posts (10) are fastened, on which consoles 11 are adjustably mounted, and that on the consoles (11), drive rails (12) are adjustably mounted.

2. Operating system of claim 1, characterized by that the adjustable fastening of the posts (10) are performed with flanges (13) and anchors.

3. Operating system of claim 1, characterized by that

the tracking magnets (19) of the magnetic train (15), for balancing track changes of the drive rails (12) are adjustable relatively thereto by means of a controlled adjustment motor.

4. Operating system of claim 1, characterized by that

at the branching points (6), the cylindrical directional tunnel (1) forms an intersection with the toroid (21) of the branch tunnel (5), that in the region (A-C) of that intersection the directional tunnel (1) and the toroid (21) are subdivided into a number of sections of switch segments (22I-22VI), and that in each switch segment, segment construction elements (22-30) are designed rotatable and/or slidable.

5. Operating system of claim 4, characterized by that in the region (A-C) of the intersection, the toroid (21) of the branch tunnel (5), exhibits in the wall section adjacent the directional tunnel (1) sector-shaped cutouts (23), that cylinder walls (24) of rotational cylinder segments (25 IV_1-n ;

25V_1-n ;

25VII_1-n) extend into those sector-shaped cutouts (23) with a snug fit, that each cylinder wall (24) exhibits a convex, retracted, cylindrical section (26), whose radius of curvature is equal to the inner radius of the toroid (21), that from this convex, retracted, cylindrical section (26), a drive rail (12) extends outwardly, and that in each rotational cylinder segment (25V_n), at an angular distance of 180°

from the convex, retracted, cylindrical section (26), a switch segment (22) of the directional tunnel (1) is mounted.

6. Operating system of claim 4, characterized by that

in the region (A-B) of the intersection, switch segments (27, 28) of the directional tunnel (1) and the toroid (21) are mounted in a turret (30) cyclically rotatable into the respective operating position at an angular distance of 180°

from each other.

7. Operating system of claim 4, characterized by that

in the region (A-B) of the intersection extending from the beginning (A) of the switch, semicylindrical sections (31) of the tubes of the directional tunnel (1) are slidable in the manner of a flectional switch into the geometric loci of the corresponding sections of the toroid (21) of the branch tunnel (5), and that the drive rails (12) of the associated stationary semicylindrical sections (32) of the tubes of the directional tunnel (1) are mounted in this section to be driven on and off, in the manner of a flectional switch.

8. Operating system of claim 4, characterized by that

in the region of the switch end (B) of the intersection, a wall (34) common to the directional tunnel (1) and the toroid (21) is slidably mounted therebetween.

9. A one-directional tunnel system for a high-speed train comprising:

a first tunnel section having a pair of rails for support of said train;

a second tunnel section having a pair of rails for support of said train and being generally aligned with and separated from said first tunnel section;

a third tunnel section having a pair of rails for support of said train and being horizontally beside said second tunnel section and separated from said first tunnel section;

means for selectively joining said first tunnel section to one of said second tunnel section and said third tunnel section;

said means for selectively joining including at least one of a first tunnel switching section;

said first tunnel switching section being rotatable about an axis generally parallel to said first tunnel section;

said first tunnel switching section having a first tunnel portion including a pair of said rails for support of said train and being alignable with said first tunnel section and said second tunnel section and said pairs of said rails thereof;

said first tunnel switching section having a second tunnel portion having at least one rail for support of said train and being alignable with said first tunnel section and said third tunnel section and said pairs of said rails thereof; and

said first tunnel portion and said second tunnel portion of said first tunnel switching section being on opposite sides of said axis.

10. The one-directional tunnel system according to claim 9, wherein said second tunnel portion is upside down when said first tunnel portion is aligned with said first tunnel section and said second tunnel section and said first tunnel portion is upside down when said second tunnel portion is aligned with said first tunnel section and said third tunnel section.

11. The one-directional tunnel system according to claim 10, wherein said second tunnel portion includes a pair of said rails for support of said train and said pair of said rails of said second tunnel portion are alignable between said pair of said rails of said first tunnel section and said pair of said rails of said third tunnel section.

12. The one-directional tunnel system according to claim 10, wherein said one rail of said second tunnel portion is parallel with a single extended rail of said third tunnel section when said second tunnel portion is aligned between said first tunnel section and said third tunnel section.

13. The one-directional tunnel system according to claim 10, wherein said means for selectively joining includes at least a second tunnel switching section between said one of said first tunnel switching sections and said second and said third tunnel sections, said second tunnel switching section includes a first tunnel wall portion with a rail secured thereon and a second tunnel wall portion with a rail secured thereon, said second tunnel switching section is selectively slidable into and out of extended ends of each of said second tunnel section and said third tunnel section, said first tunnel wall portion is alignable with said second tunnel section as said rail of said first tunnel wall portion is parallel with an extended rail on said extended end of said second tunnel section, said second tunnel wall portion is alignable with said third tunnel section as said rail of said second tunnel wall portion is parallel with an extended rail of said extended end of said third tunnel section, said first tunnel wall portion is located in said extended end of said second tunnel section when said second tunnel wall portion is aligned with said third tunnel section, and said second tunnel wall portion is located in said extended end of said third tunnel section when said first tunnel wall portion is aligned with said second tunnel section.

14. The one-directional tunnel system according to claim 13, wherein said first tunnel wall portion is aligned with said first tunnel portion of said first tunnel switching section and said second tunnel section when they are aligned and said second tunnel wall portion is aligned with said second tunnel portion of said first tunnel switching section and said third tunnel section when they are aligned.

15. The one-directional tunnel system according to claim 10, wherein said means for selectively joining includes at least a third tunnel switching section between said one of said first tunnel switching sections and said first tunnel section, said third tunnel switching section includes a pair of bendable rails with one end aligned with said pair of said rails of said first tunnel section and with an opposite end selectively alignable with said pair of said rails of first tunnel portion and with said one rail of said second tunnel portion.

16. The one-directional tunnel system according to claim 15, wherein said third tunnel switching section includes at least one transversely movable tunnel wall half supporting said bendable rail of said pair of said bendable rails at the side thereof toward said third tunnel section.