Importance

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Abstract

A carrier cell is provided for use in a high-speed sortation system having an I-beam monorail with vertically spaced upper and lower horizontal plates connected by a web. The carrier cell includes a cover having a horizontally-extending top surface above the rail, and a downwardly extending, tapered side panel with a lower edge which extends adjacent to the lower plate of the rail. A pair of upper wheel assemblies are mounted in the cover. Each upper wheel assembly includes a load wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis to provide driving support for the cell along a top surface of the upper plate, a semi-spherical housing for each load wheel, and a support associated with each housing. The supports are mounted to the upper cover surface and shaped to allow the housings to rotate within the supports. A plurality of upper guide wheels are mounted for rotation about vertical axes in contact with a side of said upper plate. The vertical axes of the guide wheels are connected to the semi-spherical housing such that the housing pivots in response to changes in the position of the guide wheels. At least one lower wheel assembly is mounted to the cover in spaced, vertical relation to the upper wheel assemblies. The lower wheel assembly includes guide wheels which contact a side of the lower plate such that the cell load is counterbalanced between the upper and lower guide wheels as the cell traverses the rail. The upper guide wheels follow the path of the rail to pivot the semi-spherical housing and load wheel within the support, to provide conical steering for the load wheel. The conical steering enables the load wheel to have a natural tendency to travel in a curved path through the turns, thereby eliminating the skidding and friction normally associated with cylindrical load wheels. In addition, the upper and lower guide wheels are positioned to provide three point suspension which enables the carrier cell to tip towards the center of a turn, thereby stabilizing the load on the carrier.

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First Claim