Monorail system

Claim 2

A transportation system for guiding a trolley having a pair of rollers carrying a pendant upon which objects to be transported are held, comprising: a tubular track defining a housing with a slot extending along its length at the bottom thereof for passing said Pendant, the inner surface of said tubular track defining a pair of parallel-spaced track surfaces which are located on each side of said slot for supporting said rollers of said trolley; a pair of laterally spaced bar means which are substantially devoid of a housing covering the space between them, said bar means defining a pair of parallel-spaced track surfaces for supporting said rollers of said trolley and defining an opening between said track surfaces for passing said pendant; and means supporting said tubular track and said pair of bar means with said track surfaces in tandem.

Claim 3

The transportation system described in claim 1 wherein: said pair of bar means has a region that is bent to form a sharp curve in said system, said sharp curve having a smaller radius of curvature than any portion of said tubular track.

Claim 4

The transportation system described in claim 1 wherein: each of said bar means has a substantially circular outside shape, and at least a region of said pair of bar means is bent to form a curve around which trolleys can move.

Claim 5

A transportation system for guiding a trolley which carries a pendant upon which objects to be transported are held, comprising: a pair of laterally spaced bars with laterally spaced ends, said bars defining a pair of parallel-spaced track surfaces for supporting said trolley and an opening between said track surfaces for passing said pendant, said track surfaces including portions which are inclined toward each other; a tubular rail with a slot extending along its length at the bottom thereof, said rail having an end for connection in tandem with said parallel bars, said end of said tubular rail including a cutaway portion on each side of said slot; first joining means of generally horseshoe-shape, having arms joined to each of said ends of said bars and extending upwardly from said bars, and a base portion which joins said arms at an area above said arms; and second joining means for connection to said first joining means to connect the ends of said bars and tubular rail, said second joining means joined to an end of said tubular rail, and said second joining means including a pair of transition bars, each transition bar positioned in one of said cutaway portions of said rail for connection to a bar of said bar means.

Claim 6

A transportation system for guiding a trolley which carries a pendant upon which objects to be transported are held, comprising: a pair of laterally spaced bars with laterally spaced ends, said bars defining a pair of parallel-spaced track surfaces for supporting said trolley and an opening between said track surfaces for passing said pendant, said track surfaces including portions which are inclined toward each other; a tubular rail with a slot extending along its length at the bottom thereof, said rail having an end for connection in tandem with said parallel bars, said end of said tubular rail including a cutaway portion on each side of said slot; first joining means of generally horseshoe-shape, having arms joined to each of said ends of said bars and extending upwardly from said bars, and a base portion which joins said arms at an area above said arms; and second joining means for connection to said first joining means to connect the ends of said bars and tubular rail, said second joining means joined to an end of said tubular rail, and said second joining means including a pair of transition bars, each transition bar positioned in one of said cutaway portions of said rail for connection to a bar of said bar means.

Claim 7

In a conveyor system which includes a pair of spaced tracks for carrying a trolley having a pair of rollers and a pendant rotatably attached to said rollers, the improvement comprising a switch including: means defining first, second and third rail portions, each having first and second laterally spaced bars; a first bar portion connecting the first bars of said first and second rail portions; a second bar portion connecting the second bars of said first and third rail portions; diverter means having first and second diverter tracks, said diverter means movable above said bars between a first position, wherein said first diverter track lies above and bridges said second bars of said first and second rail portions, and a second position, wherein said second diverter track lies above and bridges said first bars of said first and third rail portions; means for moving said diverter means between said first and second positions; and a trolley having a pair of rollers with a pendant rotatably mounted on said rollers at a plane which substantially bisects them, each of said rollers having a first diameter at a first plane near said plane of bisection for engagement with said bars and a second diameter smaller than said first diameter at a second plane spaced further from said plane of bisection than said first plane; and wherein at least one of said first and second diverter tracks includes means for engaging one of said rollers at said second plane, whereby to move said trolley from said rail portions to said diverter means without requiring said rollers to step up to a higher level.

Claim 8

In a conveyor system which includes a pair of spaced tracks for carrying a trolley having a pair of rollers and a pendant rotatably attached to said rollers, the improvement comprising a switch including: means defining first, second and third rail portions, each having first and second laterally spaced bars; a first bar portion connecting the first bars of said first and second rail portions; a second bar portion connecting the second bars of said first and third rail portions; diverter means having first and second diverter tracks, said diverter means movable above said bars between a first position, wherein said first diverter track lies above and bridges said second bars of said first and second rail portions, and a second position, wherein said second diverter track lies above and bridges said first bars of said first and third rail portions; means for moving said diverter means between said first and second positions; and a trolley having a pair of rollers with a pendant rotatably mounted on said rollers at a plane which substantially bisects them, each of said rollers having a first diameter at a first plane near said plane of bisection for engagement with said bars and a second diameter smaller than said first diameter at a second plane spaced further from said plane of bisection than said first plane; and wherein at least one of said first and second diverter tracks includes means for engaging one of said rollers at said second plane, whereby to move said trolley from said rail portions to said diverter means without requiring said rollers to step up to a higher level.

Claim 9

In a conveyor system comprising a trOlley assembly including a rail, the improvement comprising: a plurality of trolleys for movement along said rail, each trolley having a pendant for holding an item to be moved, so that the weight of said items is supported only by said trolleys; a power cable; a plurality of cable glide means independent of said trolleys for suspending said power cable below said rail with said cable extending substantially in the direction of said rail; means for moving said power cable along its length; and pendant engaging means fixed to said cable for engagement with said trolleys to move them along said rail.

Claim 10

In a conveyor system comprising a trOlley assembly including a rail, the improvement comprising: a plurality of trolleys for movement along said rail, each trolley having a pendant for holding an item to be moved, so that the weight of said items is supported only by said trolleys; a power cable; a plurality of cable glide means independent of said trolleys for suspending said power cable below said rail with said cable extending substantially in the direction of said rail; means for moving said power cable along its length; and pendant engaging means fixed to said cable for engagement with said trolleys to move them along said rail.

Claim 11

The improvement in a conveyor system as defined in claim 6 wherein: each of said cable glide means including roller means engaged with said rail and pendant means depending from said roller means and connected to said cable.

Claim 12

In a conveyor system including a rail the improvement comprising: a trolley assembly including a trolley for moving along said rail and pendant means attached to said trolley to support a load to be conveyed; a power cable; means for suspending said power cable below said rail with said cable extending substantially in the direction of said rail; means for moving said power cable along its length; and power ball means fixed to said cable for engagement with said pendant means to move said trolley assembly along said rail; said pendant means including a portion having a lateral opening larger than the diameter of said cable and smaller than the diameter of said power ball means for facilitating engagement and disengagement with said power ball means.

Claim 13

In a conveyor system including a rail the improvement comprising: a trolley assembly including a trolley for moving along said rail and pendant means attached to said trolley to support a load to be conveyed; a power cable; means for suspending said power cable below said rail with said cable extending substantially in the direction of said rail; means for moving said power cable along its length; and power ball means fixed to said cable for engagement with said pendant means to move said trolley assembly along said rail; said pendant means including a portion having a lateral opening larger than the diameter of said cable and smaller than the diameter of said power ball means for facilitating engagement and disengagement with said power ball means.

Claim 14

In a conveyor system comprising a trolley assembly which includes a trolley that moves along a rail, the improvement comprising: a power cable; means for suspending said power cable below said rail with said cable extending substantially in the direction of said rail; means for moving said power cable along its length; and power ball means fixed to said cable for engagement with said trolley assembly to move it along said rail, said power ball means comprising first and second sections for engagement with opposite sides of said cable, fastening means for joining said first and second sections together, and a cable-receiving hole formed along said sections for receiving said power cable, said cable-receiving hole having first and second portions connected in tandem and displaced from exact alignment with each other to securely grasp said power cable.

Claim 15

In a conveyor system comprising a trolley assembly which includes a trolley that moves along a rail, the improvement comprising: a power cable; means for suspending said power cable below said rail with said cable extending substantially in the direction of said rail; means for moving said power cable along its length; and power ball means fixed to said cable for engagement with said trolley assembly to move it along said rail, said power ball means comprising first and second sections for engagement with opposite sides of said cable, fastening means for joining said first and second sections together, and a cable-receiving hole formed along said sections for receiving said power cable, said cable-receiving hole having first and second portions connected in tandem and displaced from exact alignment with each other to securely grasp said power cable.