Device for guiding a carrier roller, and a rail vehicle comprising such a device

Abstract

A device for guiding a carrier roller ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ) on a vehicle part, this roller running about a shaft ( 16 ) on a predetermined track such as a rail, comprising, integrated into the said vehicle part, such as the chassis of a rail vehicle: at least one follower means ( 7, 8, 9, 10 ) pressed on the track; means forming a swivel articulation, with respect to the vehicle part, for the rotation shaft ( 22 ) of the carrier roller ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ); substantially rigid means ( 28 ) able to transmit, to the shaft ( 16 ) of-the carrier roller ( 3, 4, 5, 6 ), the movements of the follower means. The rigid means of the said device comprise two arms fixed to the mounting of the carrier roller rigidly fixed by their end to the shaft of the follower means. A rail transport vehicle, notably for the automatic transportation of persons, with cable drive, provided with at least one device as above.

1 . A device for guiding a carrier roller ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) on a vehicle part, this roller running about a shaft ( 16 ) on a predetermined track such as a rail, this device comprising, integrated into the said moving object: 
 at least one follower means ( 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ) pressed on the track;    means forming a swivel articulation, with respect to the vehicle part, for the rotation shaft ( 16 ) of the carrier roller ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 );    substantially rigid means ( 28 ) able to transmit, to the rotation shaft ( 16 ) of the carrier roller ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ), the movements of the follower means ( 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ),    characterised in that the rigid means ( 28 ) comprise two arms ( 26 ,  27 ) fixed to the mounting of the carrier roller ( 3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ) rigidly fixed by their end to the axis ( 22 ) of the follower means ( 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ).    
     
     
         2 . A device according to    claim 1   , characterised in that the follower means ( 7 ,  8 ) is placed upstream of the carrier roller ( 3 ,  4 ), with respect to the direction of movement of this carrier roller ( 3 ,  4 ).  
     
     
         3 . A device according to    claim 1   , characterised in that the follower means ( 9 ,  10 ) is placed downstream of the carrier roller ( 5 ,  6 ), with respect to the direction of movement of this carrier roller ( 5 ,  6 ).  
     
     
         4 . A device according to any one of    claims 1    to    3   , characterised in that the follower means ( 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ) is pressed against the track by its own weight.  
     
     
         5 . A device according to any one of    claims 1    to    3   , characterised in that the follower means ( 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ) is pressed against the track by a means integrated into the vehicle part such as a ram, a spring or any other equivalent means.  
     
     
         6 . A device according to any one of    claims 1    to    5   , characterised in that the follower means is a wheel ( 7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  10 ).  
     
     
         7 . A rail vehicle, characterised in that it comprises at least one device according to any one of    claims 1    to    6   .  
     
     
         8 . A vehicle according to    claim 7   , characterised in that it comprises two front carrier rollers each provided, upstream with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle, with a guidance device, and two rear carrier rollers each provided, downstream with respect to the direction of movement of the vehicle, with a guidance device.  
     
     
         9 . A vehicle according to    claim 8   , characterised in that the follower means are wheels produced from a material chosen from amongst the group comprising polymers, fibre-reinforced polymers and metallic alloys.  
     
     
         10 . A vehicle according to    claim 9   , characterised in that the follower means are wheels made of aluminium alloy and have a diameter less than that of the steel carrier rollers.  
     
     
         11 . A vehicle according to any one of    claims 7    to    10   , characterised in that at least one beam ( 19 ) connects, via two links ( 18 ), the two end parts of at least one rotation shaft ( 16 ) for a carrier roller ( 3 ).  
     
     
         12 . A vehicle according to    claim 11   , characterised in that it is of the automatic drive type, for the transportation of persons and/or products.  
     
     
         13 . A vehicle according to    claim 11    or    12   , characterised in that it is of the cable drive type.