Rail conveyance system

Abstract

A system and apparatus that eliminates the need for constructing a platform the length of a structure and further eliminates heavy machinery as a means of transportation or conveyance of a work platform. The system provides a rail member in combination with a plurality of bearing races for rolling bearings which allow the hanging platform to move by mechanical means along said supported rail member. The system provides a work platform or equipment cart that moves smoothly along the rail member from a first terminus to a second terminus as necessary for the transportation or conveyance of materials, equipment or persons.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A roller apparatus for enabling movement of a hanging platform, comprising:
 a housing having a pair of brackets configured to cooperate with a railing, the pair of brackets each having a top portion engaging a surface of the railing, the housing having at least one connector configured to accept a load bearing attachment;   a plurality of bearing races in the top portions of the pair of brackets, the bearing races maintaining a plurality of bearings; and   at least one pair of caps covering the bearing races, the at least one pair of caps maintaining the bearings in the races as the bearings roll through the bearing races.   
     
     
         2 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein there is at least one bearing race in a top portion of each of the pair of brackets. 
     
     
         3 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 2 , wherein the bearing races wrap around the top portions of the pair of brackets such that the bearing races form a continuous oval around the top portions of the pair of brackets. 
     
     
         4 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of bearings rolls continuously in the bearing races, circling in the continuous oval. 
     
     
         5 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 4 , wherein the bearing races are configured such that when the apparatus is in place on the surface of the railing, the bearing races are orthogonal to the surface of the railing. 
     
     
         6 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 5 , wherein the top portion of each of the pair of brackets form a bottom portion of the bearing races. 
     
     
         7 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 6 , further comprising at least one pair of caps, covering the top portion of one of the pair of brackets, the at least one pair of caps having an outer first portion of the bearing races, the outer first portion of the bearing races in the cap curving toward the inner second portion of the bearing races in each of the pair of brackets, forming the continuous oval. 
     
     
         8 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 7 , wherein the housing has at least one exterior side, having at least one connector configured to accommodate the load bearing attachment. 
     
     
         9 . A rail conveyance system for constructing and moving a hanging platform, comprising:
 a hanging platform;   a plurality of railings; and   a plurality of roller apparatuses connecting to the hanging platform, each having a housing comprising a pair of brackets configured to cooperate with the railings, each roller apparatus having a plurality of bearing races in the pair of brackets, the bearing races holding a plurality of bearings.   
     
     
         10 . The rail conveyance system as described in  claim 9 , further comprises at least one motor configured to provide power to the platform as it moves along the railings, the plurality of roller apparatuses enabling the at least one motor to move the platform. 
     
     
         11 . The rail conveyance system as described in  claim 10 , further comprises a plurality of hoists for raising and lowering the hanging platform. 
     
     
         12 . The rail conveyance system as described in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one motor is connected to the platform, the motor configured to cooperate with the plurality of railings to provide power to the platform as it moves along the plurality of railings. 
     
     
         13 . A roller apparatus for enabling movement of a hanging platform, comprising:
 a housing having at least one pair of caps and a pair of brackets, each of the pair of caps having an outer first member of a bearing race and each of the pair of brackets having an inner second member of a bearing race such that when one of the at least one pair of caps couples with one of the pair of brackets, the outer first member of the bearing race couples with the second outer member of the bearing race to form a continuous arcuate bearing race;   a plurality of bearings maintained in each of the arcuate bearing races; and   the pair of brackets having a top portion configured to engage a top portion of a bottom flange of a beam.   
     
     
         14 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 13 , wherein the continuous arcuate bearing race forms an oval. 
     
     
         15 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of bearings rolls continuously in the oval of the continuous arcuate bearing races. 
     
     
         16 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 15 , wherein the bearing races are configured such that when the roller apparatus is in place on the bottom flange of the beam, the continuous arcuate bearing races are orthogonal to the bottom flange of the beam. 
     
     
         17 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 16 , wherein the top portion of each of the pair of brackets form an inner portion of the bearing races. 
     
     
         18 . The roller apparatus as described in  claim 17 , wherein the housing has a pair of exterior sides, each exterior side having at least one connector configured to accommodate a load bearing attachment.