US 12,435,473 B2
Connection system for monorail beams
Hubert Rieger, Mobersdorf-Siedlung (AT)
Assigned to Sandvik Mining and Construction G.m.b.H., Zeltweg (AT)
Appl. No. 17/778,314
Filed by SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION G.M.B.H., Zeltweg (AT)
PCT Filed Nov. 20, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/081860
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 19, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/098954, PCT Pub. Date May 27, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0002978 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. E01B 25/24 (2006.01)
CPC E01B 25/24 (2013.01) 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connection system for connecting a first monorail beam to a second monorail beam, the connection system comprising:
upper connection means; and
lower connection means, wherein the lower connection means includes a support member attachable to a first end portion of the first monorail beam, wherein the support member includes a support surface extending outwardly from the first end portion of the first monorail beam along a longitudinal axis of the first monorail beam for supporting a second end portion of the second monorail beam from below, wherein the upper connection means includes a female interlocking means attachable to the first end portion of the first monorail beam and a corresponding male interlocking means attachable to the second end portion of the second monorail beam, and wherein the male interlocking means is configured to extend outside the second end portion of the second monorail beam along a longitudinal axis of the second monorail beam, characterized in that the male interlocking means including a locking protrusion, wherein the female interlocking means includes a slot arranged for containing at least a portion the locking protrusion when the first and second beams are connected such that relative movement between the male and female interlocking means along the length of the first and second monorail beams is limited by confinement of the locking protrusion within the slot, and wherein the slot is upwardly open by means of a first opening for receiving the locking protrusion from above at connection of the first and second monorail beams, the female interlocking means including a latch movably attached to the female interlocking means for movement between a locking position in which the latch prevents the locking protrusion from moving upwards out of the slot and an unlocking position in which the latch does not prevent the locking protrusion from moving upwards out of the slot, and wherein the female interlocking means includes a biasing means configured to bias the latch towards its locking position.