Rapid transit system with wheel in track design

Abstract

A rapid transit system with wheel in track design includes a guideway, a vehicle that includes a vehicle bogie or chassis that couples to the guideway, and one or more terminals and/or intermediate stations. The guideway may include a first guideway and a second guideway, with a switch guideway interposed therein between that allows the vehicle to move from the first guideway to the second guideway or vice versa. The vehicle may be coupled to the guideway via the vehicle bogie. The bogie may have a first axle, a second axle, and a third axle. First and second sets of guidewheels propel the vehicle forward or backward. The first set of switch wheels and/or the second set of switch wheels may be engaged and interact with one or more first or second neutral rails or first and second switch rails to move the vehicle from guideway to guideway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rapid transit system comprising:
 a vehicle system comprising:
 one or more vehicles, 
 one or more ring members coupleable to the one or more vehicles, and 
 one or more bogies that couple to the one or more ring members; 
   one or more guideways with tracks.   
     
     
         2 . The rapid transit system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicles comprise one or more channels to receive the one or more ring members. 
     
     
         3 . The rapid transit system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more ring members are rotatably coupled to the one or more vehicles. 
     
     
         4 . The rapid transit system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more bogies are placed in and slidably coupled to the tracks. 
     
     
         5 . The rapid transit system of  claim 1 , wherein the tracks comprise a base, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a first lip, a second lip, a channel between the first and second sidewalls, and an opening between the first and second lips that leads to the channel. 
     
     
         6 . The rapid transit system of  claim 1 , wherein the tracks comprise vertical interchange tracks, rotate tracks, and side elevator tracks. 
     
     
         7 . The rapid transit system of  claim 6 , wherein the vertical interchange tracks comprise a first set of tracks and a second set of tracks, the one or more bogies coupled to the one or more vehicles enter the first set of tracks and the second set of tracks, holding the one or more vehicles level. 
     
     
         8 . The rapid transit system of  claim 6 , wherein the rotate tracks comprise a twist that rotates the one or more vehicles approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The rapid transit system of  claim 6 , wherein the side elevator tracks comprise a first track, a second track, a third and fourth track spaced apart by spacer members and parallel to each other, being interposed between the first and second tracks and being perpendicular to the first and second tracks. 
     
     
         10 . The rapid transit system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more ring members comprise a shaft and a sphere coupled thereto. 
     
     
         11 . The rapid transit system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more bogies comprise openings to receive a portion of the one or more ring members. 
     
     
         12 . A rapid transit system comprising:
 a vehicle system comprising:
 one or more vehicles, the one or more vehicles comprising a first channel and a second channel spaced apart from the first channel; 
 a first ring member partially coupleable in the first channel, the first ring member comprising a first ring with a first aperture and a first ring coupler; 
 a second ring member partially coupleable in the second channel, the second ring member comprising a second ring with a second aperture and a second ring coupler; 
 a first bogie that includes a first opening to receive the first ring coupler, 
 connecting the one or more vehicles to the first bogie; and 
 a second bogie that includes a second opening to receive the second ring coupler, connecting the one or more vehicles to the second bogie; 
   one or more guideways with tracks.   
     
     
         13 . The rapid transit system of  claim 12 , wherein the first ring and the second ring are each rotatably coupled to the one or more vehicles. 
     
     
         14 . The rapid transit system of  claim 12 , wherein the first bogie and the second bogie are each placed in and slidably coupled to the tracks. 
     
     
         15 . The rapid transit system of  claim 12 , wherein the first ring coupler and the second ring coupler each comprise ball joints, bearings, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A rapid transit system comprising:
 a vehicle system comprising:
 one or more vehicles, the one or more vehicles comprising one or more channels; 
 one or more ring members partially coupleable in the one or more channels, the one or more ring members comprising a ring with an aperture, a rod protruding from an outer surface of the ring, and a sphere coupled to the rod at an end distal from connection of the rod to the ring; 
 one or more bogies that include an opening to receive the sphere, 
 connecting the one or more vehicles to the one or more bogies, wherein the one or more vehicles are rotatably coupled to the ring, wherein the rings are capable of rotating around the one or more vehicles; 
   one or more guideways with tracks, the tracks comprising vertical interchange tracks, rotate tracks, and side elevator tracks that allow the one or more bogies to be in different tracks while holding the one or more vehicles level.   
     
     
         17 . The rapid transit system of  claim 16 , wherein the vertical interchange tracks comprise a first set of tracks and a second set of tracks, the one or more bogies coupled to the one or more vehicles enter the first set of tracks and the second set of tracks. 
     
     
         18 . The rapid transit system of  claim 16 , wherein the rotate tracks comprise a twist that rotates the one or more vehicles approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The rapid transit system of  claim 16 , wherein the side elevator tracks comprise a first track, a second track, a third and fourth track spaced apart by spacer members and parallel to each other, being interposed between the first and second tracks and being perpendicular to the first and second tracks.