US3828691A

US3828691A - Railway vehicle

Info

Publication number: US3828691A
Application number: US00395041A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Purath
Original assignee: Demag AG
Current assignee: Mannesmann Demag AG
Priority date: 1972-09-07
Filing date: 1973-09-07
Publication date: 1974-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-13
Also published as: DE2243910B2; CH555761A; BE804104A; GB1439061A; AT334971B; FR2198858A1; ATA773173A; DE2243910A1; JPS4964117A; DE2243910C3; DD106313A5; NL7312072A; JPS5250409B2; FR2198858B3; NL163746C; IT993794B

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a new and improved railway vehicle supported by rimless support wheels and guided by special guide wheels and control wheels on a unique track system comprising horizontal main rails having horizontal surfaces upon which traction wheels mounted on horizontal axes for the railway car are supported, guide rails having vertical control surfaces spaced above or below (depending upon whether the railway vehicle is bottom supported or suspended) in non-branching portions of the rail system, and auxiliary or directional rails also having vertical control surfaces. The vertical surfaces of the directional rails contact the control wheels mounted on the railway vehicle for controlling che direction that the railway vehicle takes in traversing a branch. The guide wheels and control wheels are mounted on vertical axes for rotation in horizontal planes and are supported on a unique linkage which is adapted, under a dynamic control influence applied from within the vehicle itself or from a static camming control influence applied by a steering rail disposed in the railway path prior to a junction (in which pairs of tracks are merging or diverging), to pivot the control wheels about the guide wheels to contact a selected one of the directional rails for the purpose of properly and safely directing the railway vehicle as it traverses the junction.

Description

Purath States Patent RAILWAY VEHICLE [75] Inventor: Bernd Purath, Wetter, Germany [73] Assignee: DEMAG Aktiengesellschaft,

Duisburg, Germany [22] Filed: Sept. 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 395,041

30 Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, .lr. Assislant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Mandeville and Schweitzer [451 Aug. 13, 1974 [57] 1 ABSTRACT Disclosed herein is a new and improved railway vehicle supported by rimless support wheels and guided by special guide wheels and control wheels on a unique track system comprising horizontal main rails having horizontal surfaces upon which traction wheels mounted on horizontal axes for the railway car are supported, guide rails having vertical control surfaces spaced above or below (depending upon whether the railway vehicle is bottom supported or suspended) in non-branching portions of the rail system, and auxiliary or directional rails also having vertical control surfaces. The vertical surfaces of the directional rails contact the control wheels mounted on the railway vehicle for controlling che direction that the railway vehicle takes in traversing a branch, The guide wheels and control wheels are mounted on vertical axes for rotation in horizontal planes and are supported on a unique linkage which is adapted, under a vdynamic control influence applied from within the vehicle itself or from a static camming control influence applied by a steering rail disposed in the railway path prior to a junction (in which pairs of tracks are merging or diverging), to pivot the control wheels about the guide wheels to contact a selected one of the directional rails for the purpose of properly and safely directing the railway vehicle as it traverses the junction.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAFENTED M151 31374 3 828,691

sum 1 0F 7 Fig. I

mnammum 3 m 3,828,691

SHEET 5 UP 7 I d we I! I d 105 RAILWAY VEHICLE Monorail railway systems of the type presently gaining favor in people mover applications in large metropolitan areas, in which railway cars travel in close succession, typically do not have switches in which rail sections are moved; rather they have branches in which the direction of traverse of a branch is established by the cooperation of auxiliary directional rails and pivotal guide wheels mounted on the railway truck. Railway vehicles in this type of system have been equipped with rimless wheels. Contrary to conventional rimmed (or flanged) railway wheels which provide both guidance and support (traction), each rimless wheel serves only for guidance or only for support (traction). Thus railway cars have been provided with rimless supporting or traction wheels disposed on horizontal axes and rimless guidance wheels disposed on vertical axes. Such cars, which heretofore have been used with the socalled girder road systems (bottom-supported or suspended railway vehicles), have the important advantage that pneumatic tires may be used as wheels. A considerable advantage of such girder road cars is that they may be directionally switched across railway switches without the use of adjustable or moving track parts.

In German patent publication DT-OS 2034106, a railway installation of this general type is disclosed in which directional rails are provided in the area of branch lines, however, the guide wheels for the railway vehicle disclosed in that publication are not equipped with their own drives. Accordingly, they are nonrotating as the railway vehicle traverses non-branching sections of the railway line, however, upon reaching an area of branching, they will be subjected to an abrupt and immediate commencement of rotation. This abrupt and immediate change in condition of the guide wheels from non-rotating to rapidly rotating is detected within the railway car as a jolt and is, of course, undesirable. In the German publication DT-OS 2127088, another railway installation of this general type is disclosed in which there are continuous guide rails for the guide wheels. However, in that arrangement there is an absence of reliable guidance for the vehicle wheels in the area of branching lines.

Accordingly, one of the objectives of the present invention is to develop an improved and safe mechanism for guiding rimless railway vehicles at branching lines, while eliminating the undesirable effects of some of the earlier proposed switching arrangements. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this objective has been accomplished by the provision of a new and improved arrangement of railway apparatus in which a control wheel, located at each corner of the vehicle, is driven through a gear means, pulley means, belt means, or the like, by a guide wheel; The driven control wheel is pivotable about the gear axis, in planetary" type fashion into contact with an appropriate directional rail at a branching area for properguidance of the railway vehicle therethrough. The displacement of the control wheel into one of two positions (active and inactive) is effected by a special parallelgram-type control mechanism. The control mechanism is arranged so that the control wheel pair on one or the other side of the vehicle are active, i.e., only one control wheel pair engages a directional wheel at a branch, in order to properly guide the railway car in its traverse of a branching area by contact with one or the other of the directional auxiliary rails located at a branching area.

The guide wheels on each side of therailway vehicle are rotated by contact with the vertical surfaces of the guide rails as the railway vehicle travels along the horizontal supporting surfaces of the main track. This rotary motion is directly transmitted to the control wheels, by a mechanical coupling. As mentioned hereinabove, the control wheels are selectively displaced into engagement with the desired directional rail in a branching area by means of a steering device which may be controlled passively by the influence of a steering rail placed in the path of the railway vehicle ahead of the branching area, or by means of an appropriate electrolinear motor placed within the railway vehicle itself.

More specifically, the control mechanism for trans mitting rotation from the guide wheels tothe control wheels may comprise sprocket wheels mounted on the wheel axles and suitably interconnected by a roller chain or a gear train between the axles. Alternatively, and as will be understood, it is feasible to utilize belts and pulleys in lieu of a gear train or in lieu of sprocket and roller chains. The use of pulleys advantageously enables an opposite direction of rotation to be established between the guide wheels and the control wheels by the simple expedient of criss-erossing the pulley'belt in known manner. Such opposite rotary motion is required when the directional rail is disposed inside the guide rail while the guide wheels and control wheels are located outside of the guide rail. In certain cases, pulleys or roller chains cannot be driven directly from the guide wheel axle, and in such cases, a pinion gear attached to the axle of the guide wheel meshes with a driven gear located on a linkage of the mechanism. The driven gear may then be connected with the control wheel by a transmission belt or chain transmission in known fashion. Regardless of which means of transmitting motion from the guide wheel axle to the control wheel axle is chosen, the control wheel or the driven element in all cases, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, will be pivotable about the axis of the guide wheel or the driving element, i.e., the driven control wheel will have a generally planetary motion with respect to the driving guide wheel.

More specifically, the guide wheels and the control wheels are preferably arranged in each of the four corners of a railway vehicle. In order to simplify the switching process and to avoid malfunctioning during the switching operation, all of the control wheels are interconnected by means of a common control mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotably joined longitudinal links, cross links and levers. The guide wheels are mounted on axles or shafts projecting from one end of one of the links of the mechanism while the control wheels are mounted at the opposite ends of those same links. The entire control mechanism is bilateral and may be actuated into one of its two positions in which it steers a railway vehicle in one of two directions through a branch line by moving the control wheels into contact with one of the two directional rails present at each branch by means of an electrolinear motor mounted in a railway vehicle. The secondary of the motor is an element in the mechanism.

Appropriate brackets for supporting the guide wheels at each of the corners of the vehicle also support the control mechanism interconnecting the control wheels with the guide wheels at each of the four corners of the vehicle. The control mechanism, in accordance with the principles of the invention, selectively pivots the control wheels in a planetary fashion about the axis of rotation of said guide wheels.

As a further aspect of the invention, the linkage of the control mechanism is biased by a spring fixed at one end to the railway vehicle and at its opposite end to an element pivotable between two limit positions, which limit positions are established by the cooperation of mechanical stops disposed on the linkage and on the railway vehicle. Advantageously, the spring is a coil spring arranged to operate the mechanism in the nature of a toggle switch. Accordingly, the switch-like mechanism of the invention does not have a dead center, and the linkage biased by the spring and pivoting the control wheels tends to function as a snap action toggle switch, so that as the linkage passes over center, it tends to be snapped into one or the other of its limit positions through the biasing effect of the spring.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and a better appreciation of its attendant advantages, reference should be made to the following description of preferred embodiments of the new and improved railway apparatus taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a railway system embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view ofa railway vehicle having guide wheels and control wheels interconnected by a control mechanism embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a girdertype railway track having support rails and guide rails and arranged to simultaneously support a bottom supported railway vehicle and a top supported railway vehiclc;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a railway vehicle embodying an alternate preferred form of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an alternate form of a track configuration and control linkage configuration for practicing the principles of the present invention; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic plan view representations of railway junctions having passive switching devices for moving the bilateral control mechanism and the control wheels supported thereby into one of its two limit positions to safely and reliably direct a railway vehicle through a branching line in one of two possible directions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION A railway installation embodying the system of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. (Like reference numerals identify like elements throughout the several views). Bottom supported and/or suspended vehicles 6 travel along pairs of main rails 1 in directions indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7. At railway junctions or switches, the direction of the railway vehicle as it traverses the junction is determined, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, by the proper setting or orientation of a bilateral switching or control mechanism 12 having two limit positions. The control mechanism interconnects vehicle guide wheels 8 and control wheels 9. The choice of the particular limit position of the control mechanism 12 may be effected by control means disposed within the vehicle, such as an electrolinear motor 15, or by control rails 5 disposed outside of the vehicle in the track path ahead of the junctions.

The railway system includes main support rails I mounted on structure la having horizontal supporting surfaces upon which the traction wheels 6!) of the railway vehicle 6 travel. Guide rails 3 having vertical guide surfaces are disposed along main track 1, in all but branch areas 2, at which areas the guide rails 3 are interrupted to accommodate the passage of the inactive or inside (with respect to the junction) guide wheels 8 and control wheels 9 through a junction. In the area of junctions, auxiliary or directional guide rails 4 are supported along the outside branches of the forking junctions. The aforementioned control rails 5 are disposed ahead of the junction (in vehicle direction) for the purpose of forcing the control wheels 9 mounted on the mechanism 12 to contact one or the other of the auxiliary directional rails 4 in the branching area. As will be understood and in accordance with the invention, the directional rails are disposed on the outside portions of all junctions and are uninterrupted in the branching area.

A railway vehicle 6 incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. At each of the four corners of the vehicle truck, a bracket 6a supports or journals a guide wheel 8 for rotation about a vertical axis. Each guide wheel 8 is connected through a lever 11 to a control wheel 9. Specifically, the ends 111) of the levers 11 are articulated to cross links 12b ofa control mechanism 12 which operates in the nature of a snap action toggle switch to move the pairs of control wheels on the left side or the right side of the vehicle into active or inactive positions in which the control wheels 9 are adapted to contact the directional outside rails 4. The control mechanism also includes longitudinal links 12a. The levers 11 and

links

12a and 12b are articulated into a flexible linkage by means'of bolts 13, pins, or the like.

The longitudinal link 12a on the lefthand side of the vehicle is selectively displaceable by end functions in the nature of the secondary of an electrolinear motor 15 mounted on the vehicle truck. As shown in FIG. 2, the longitudinal links 12a carry stops 12c which cooperate with stops 6b on the vehicle truck 6 to establish opposite limit positions of the mechanism 12, i.e., the throw of the toggle switch mechanism. The cross link 12b mounts a small control wheel 12d in the nature of a cam follower which cooperates with the control rail 5 to cam the cross link 12b and the mechanism 12 towards one or the other of its two limit positions, as will be understood.

One end of a coil spring 14 is appropriately attached to a toggle point 14b on cross link 12b, while its other end is secured to an arm 14a mounted directly on the vehicle truck 6. In order to switch the control wheels 9 from the positions indicated inFIG. 2 (lefthand levers ll perpendicular to vehicle direction with lefthand control wheels 9 in active position for engagement of lefthand directional rail 4 and righthand levers 11 parallel to direction of travel with righthand control wheels 9 in inactive" position; all four guide wheels 8 contacting guide rails 3 and driving control wheels 9 through transmission 10 in the same direction as those of guide wheels 8) into their opposite positions (righthand guide wheels in active positions contacting righthand rails 4 and lefthand wheels 9 in inactive position), the electrolinear steering device is energized in a manner to displace link 12a longitudinally, thereby tightening spring 14. As' spring 14 crosses the center position or overcenters, it relaxes again and the control wheels 9 will be tilted into the opposite condition through the action'of the control mechanism 12.

In the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, all the guide wheels 8 are disposed outside of the guide rails 3, and the lefthand control wheels engage the exterior surfaces of the lefthand directional rail 4. In this instance, the control wheels 9 are driven by the guide wheels 8 through pulleys 10b and transmission belts 10s. The pulleys are mounted on the shafts of the guide wheels 8 and of the control wheels 9. The axis of rotation 10a of the pulley 10!) mounted on the guide wheel 8 is also the axis about which the control wheels 9 are pivoted in a planetary fashion into and out of their limit positions for selective engagement with the directional rails 4. Thus, smooth and gentle contact of the control wheels 9 with the directional rails 4 is ensured by the direct driving of the control wheels by the guide wheels 8 and the pivoting of the guide wheels 9 in a planetary fashion about the driving element; i.e., about the axis 10a, by the control mechanism 12. 7

Shown in the upper portion of FIG. 3 is a crosssectional view of a bottom supported railway vehicle having traction wheels 6)) supported on horizontal surfaces of main track rails 1, which main rails 1 are supported on a box-shaped girder la. The lower portion of FIG. 3 depicts a suspended or top supported railway vehicle also having traction wheels 6b. The vehicles shown in FIG. 6 have control mechanisms 12 such as shown in FIG. 2. The guide wheels 8 of both the bottom supported and top supported vehicles shown in FIG. 3 bear against the vertical surfaces of guide rail 3. In the case of the suspended vehicle, the main track surface I and guide track surface 3 are formed by adjacent perpendicular surfaces of a common rail.

The guide wheels 9 of the bottom supported vehicle shown in FIG. 3 engage the directional rail 4 as do the control wheels 9 of the suspended vehicle. Control wheels for both the upper and lower vehicles are mounted at the outer ends of levers 11, as shown, and are driven by belts extending between pulleys 10b mounted on the supporting shafts or axles for the

wheels

8, 9. The lower vehicle has pairs of adjacent traction wheels 6b on each side of the vehicle, so that one of these wheels always runs along a supporting rail surface. The lower railway vehicle will be supported by one or the other of adjacent wheels as the vehicle traverses interruptions of rail 1 in branching lines.

In a modified embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4, the guide wheels 8 are arranged inside of the guide rails 3, while the lefthand control wheels are arranged outside the directional rail 4. Accordingly, the

direction of rotation of the lefthand control wheels 9 (clockwise) must be opposite to the direction of rotation (counterclockwise) of the lefthand guide wheels 8, as indicated. In accordance with the invention, the required direction of rotation of the driven control wheels 9 in relation to the driving guide wheels 8 is obtained by crossing the transmission belt l0e, as shown.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a further modification ofthe present invention is shown. In this view, the lefthand control wheels 9 of the upper vehicle bear against the outer vertical surface of directional rail 4 which is disposed above guide rail 3. The supporting girder la is composed of several elements to accommodate both top supported and bottom supported vehicles in the manner indicated. The lower vehicle has, adjacent wheel pairs 6b, similar to the wheel pairs 6b shown in FIG. 3. As will be understood, and in accordance with the principles of the invention, the guide wheels 8, in all embodiments, are the driving elements for the control wheels 9 which are the driven elements. In the arrangement of FIG. 5, a pinion 10f is mounted on the shaft for the guide wheel 8, which pinion 10f engages gearlOg mounted on shaft 10a. The gear 10g will rotate in an opposite direction to that of the guide wheel 8, and the rotary motion of gear 10g will be transmitted by pulley 10d and transmission belt lOe to another pulley 10d mounted on the shaft mounting control wheel 9. The lever 11 supports the control wheel 9 on one end and the shaft defining axis 10a on the other end. Accordingly, the guide wheel 9 will be pivotable about the axis 10a in planetary fashion, i.e., the driven control wheel is pivotable about the axis of the driving element, in this case a rotating gear 10g.

An enlarged schematic representation of a typical branching area or junction is shown in FIG. 6. As will be understood, before a railway vehicle enters a converging branching area, it is necessary that the control wheels 9 for the vehicle are not in positions (from the most recent switching) which prevent the vehicle from properly entering and traversing the branching area. Accordingly, two control wheels 5 are arranged ahead of the converging branches of the branching area in the direction of approach of railway vehicles. As shown in FIG.- 6, control wheels 9 of railway vehicles approaching from the right and, therefore, going in a straight path must be tilted to the right by levers 11. Were the wheels of the vehicle on the right tilted to the left, the control wheels would collide with the branching line approaching from the left. To ensure the proper orientation of the mechanism 12 of the righthand vehicle, the control wheel 12d disposed on the cross link 12b of the control mechanisms 12 will engage the control rail 5 and cam the mechanism to its righthand active position in which the righthand control wheels 9, the outer control wheels with respect to the branching area, will engage the righthand directional rail 4, while the lefthand control wheels 9, the inner" control wheels with respect to the branch, will be tilted to inactive positions clear of the rails of the lefthand branching line. Similarly, for vehicles on the lefthand branch, the control rail 5a, is disposed ahead of the branching area, so that the control wheels 9 of a railway vehicle approaching along that branch will be switched to the left so that the outer" (with respect to the branching area) guide wheels 9 of a vehicle traveling along that branch will contact the lefthand directional rail 4, while the righthand or inner" guide wheels 9 will be tilted into an inactive" position which is free of collision with the rails of the branch line approaching from the right. As will be understood, and in accordance with the principles of the invention, in branching areas, it is the outer" control wheels that are active" while the inner" control wheels are tilted into inaetive positions.

More specifically, the progressive orientations of the control wheel pairs by the control mechanism 12 from active" positions into inactive" positions and vice versa are shown sequentially in FIG. 7. Additionally, in FIG. 7, a pair of control rails are shown disposed ahead of a diverging branching area in which the approaching vehicle may go in either of two directions. This is in contrast with the branching area depicted in FIG. 6, where vehicles approaching from two directions travel in a single final direction. The control rail arrangement of FIG. 7 provides a failsafe arrangement should the functioning of the electrolinear steering device 15 be inoperative or otherwise disturbed. Thus, according to the location of the small control wheel 12d upon the cross link 12b, it will contact one or the other of the control rails 5 to set the control wheels 9 on the mechanism 12 in the proper position to direct the vehicle in one of the two directions, straight ahead or to the right, depending upon whether the lefthand or righthand directional rail 4 is contacted by the lefthand or righthand control wheels 9.

It should be understood that the railway apparatus herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the follow ing appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An improved railway vehicle comprising a. truck means mounting traction wheels on opposite sides of said vehicle for rotation about horizontal axes and mounting guide wheels on opposite sides of said vehicle for rotation about vertical axes;

b. said traction wheels being adapted to engage horizontal main rail surfaces for propulsion of said truck means therealong;

c. said guide wheels being adapted to engage vertical guide rail surfaces associated with said main rail surfaces for guiding said vehicle;

d. a control wheel associated with each of said guide wheels and mounted for rotation about a vertical axis,

e. each of said control wheels being adapted to engage a vertical auxiliary directional rail surface in branching areas of track systems;

f. each of said control wheels being driven through transmission means by the guide wheel with which it is associated;

g. lever means interconnecting each of said control wheels with each of said guide wheels, said lever means being adapted selectively to pivot each of said control wheels about each of said guide wheels for selective engagement with said directional rail surfaces.

2. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim I, further characterized, in that a. separate shaft means mount each of said control and guide wheels for rotation;

b. said transmission means includes sprocket wheels mounted on each of said shaft means and roller chains interconnecting the sprocket wheels of each associated pair of guide and control wheels.

3. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further characterized, in that a. shaft means mount each of said guide wheels and control wheels for rotation;

b. said transmission means includes pulleys mounted on each of said shaft means and a belt means interconnecting the pulleys of each associated pair of guide and control wheels.

4. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 3, further characterized, in that a. said transmission belt means are crossed between said pulleys to reverse the direction of rotation imparted to the driven control wheel by the driving guide wheel.

5. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further characterized, in that a. separate shaft means mount each of said control and guide wheels for rotation;

b. said transmission means includes pinions mounted on said shaft means of said guide wheels and gears driven by said pinions;

c. said gears are mounted on said lever means and are adapted to drive said control wheels.

6. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 5, further characterized, in that a. the outputs of said driven gears are transmitted to said control wheels by pulleys mounted on said control wheel shaft means and pulleys mounted on shaft means supporting said driven gears; and

b. belt means interconnect said pulleys.

7. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 5, further characterized, in that a. the outputs of said driven gears are transmitted to said control wheels by sprockets mounted on said control wheel shaft means and sprockets mounted on shaft means supporting said driven gears; and

b. roller chain means interconnect said sprockets.

8. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further characterized, in that a. said truck means is generally rectangular in configuration;

b. said guide wheels and control wheels are disposed at each of the four corners of said truck means.

9. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 8, in

which a. all of said control wheels are interconnected by a common control mechanism which includes said lever means.

10. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 8, in

which a. said control mechanism further includes longitudinal links, and cross links articulated to said lever means; and

b. said guide wheels are disposed at inner ends of said lever means and said control wheels are mounted at outer ends of said lever means.

11. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 10,

further characterized, in that a. said control mechanism is adapted to operate in the nature of a bilateral toggle switch having two limit positions.

12. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 11,

further characterized, in that disposed on one of said links and a second stop means disposed on said truck means. 14. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 12, further characterized, in that a. said bilateral toggle switch mechanism is biased by a coil spring fastened at one end to a link in said control mechanism and fastened at its other end to said truck means.

Claims

1. An improved railway vehicle comprising a. truck means mounting traction wheels on opposite sides of said vehicle for rotation about horizontal axes and mounting guide wheels on opposite sides of said vehicle for rotation about vertical axes; b. said traction wheels being adapted to engage horizontal main rail surfaces for propulsion of said truck means therealong; c. said guide wheels being adapted to engage vertical guide rail surfaces associated with said main rail surfaces for guiding said vehicle; d. a control wheel associated with each of said guide wheels and mounted for rotation about a vertical axis; e. each of said control wheels being adapted to engage a vertical auxiliary directional rail surface in branching areas of track systems; f. each of said control wheels being driven through transmission means by the guide wheel with which it is associated; g. lever means interconnecting each of said control wheels with each of said guide wheels, said lever means being adapted selectively to pivot each of said control wheels about each of said guide wheels for selective engagement with said directional rail surfaces.

2. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further characterized, in that a. separate shaft means mount each of said control and guide wheels for rotation; b. said transmission means includes sprocket wheels mounted on each of said shaft means and roller chains interconnecting the sprocket wheels of each associated pair of guide and control wheels.

3. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further characterized, in that a. shaft means mount each of said guide wheels and control wheels for rotation; b. said transmission means includes pulleys mounted on each of said shaft means and a belt means interconnecting the pulleys of each associated pair of guide and control wheels.

5. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further characterized, in that a. separate shaft means mount each of said control and guide wheels for rotation; b. said transmission means includes pinions mounted on said shaft means of said guide wheels and gears driven by said pinions; c. said gears are mounted on said lever means and are adapted to drive said control wheels.

6. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 5, further characterized, in that a. the outputs of said driven gears are transmitted to said control wheels by pulleys mounted on said control wheel shaft means and pulleys mounted on shaft means supporting said driven gears; and b. belt means interconnect said pulleys.

7. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 5, further characterized, in that a. the outputs of said driven gears are transmitted to said control wheels by sprockets mounted on said control wheel shaft means and sprockets mounted on shaft meAns supporting said driven gears; and b. roller chain means interconnect said sprockets.

8. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 1, further characterized, in that a. said truck means is generally rectangular in configuration; b. said guide wheels and control wheels are disposed at each of the four corners of said truck means.

9. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 8, in which a. all of said control wheels are interconnected by a common control mechanism which includes said lever means.

10. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 8, in which a. said control mechanism further includes longitudinal links, and cross links articulated to said lever means; and b. said guide wheels are disposed at inner ends of said lever means and said control wheels are mounted at outer ends of said lever means.

11. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 10, further characterized, in that a. said control mechanism is adapted to operate in the nature of a bilateral toggle switch having two limit positions.

12. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 11, further characterized, in that a. electrolinear motor means are mounted on said truck means; b. the secondary of said electrolinear motor is directly associated with one of said longitudinal links to displace said mechanism into one of its two positions.

13. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 12, further characterized, in that a. the opposite limits of said bilateral toggle switch are defined by the cooperation of first stop means disposed on one of said links and a second stop means disposed on said truck means.

14. A railway vehicle in accordance with claim 12, further characterized, in that a. said bilateral toggle switch mechanism is biased by a coil spring fastened at one end to a link in said control mechanism and fastened at its other end to said truck means.