Gravitational transport system, its principles of construction and management

The paper considers the principle of constructing a gravitational transport system designed for container transportation of the technological materials. It proposes a scheme of the transport system providing the container shuttle motion between the stations. A scheme is developed, and description of the stations operation principle is presented being a part of the transport system; the compressed air energy is used there to provide transport container with the potential energy ensuring its motion along the transport route under the gravity influence. The proposed station scheme makes it possible to consider the station as a functionally complete module forming the basis for possible development of the extended transport systems with various configurations. An algorithm for the station functioning was developed that implemented the processes of sending and receiving a container. A microprocessor system for managing the station mechanisms is proposed, which controls the sensor signals state and generates control signals for the compressed air distributors. A computer model of the control system was designed and developed to debug algorithms for controlling the transport system stations. The considered schemes and algorithm are intended to develop the technological transport lines.