ANTRIEBS- UND LENKSTEUEREINRICHTUNG FUER FAHRERLOSE TRANSPORTEINHEITEN

Each transport device contains at least two drive wheels which are driven at individual speeds VA and VB and which are pivotable by related steering angles alpha and beta . Identical servo-drive units are associated with the drive wheels and their mode of operation and mutual coupling is adapted by switch devices to the steering angles alpha and beta such that the required speed adjustment must not be computed in accordance with the relationship VB=(cos alpha /cos beta ). VA but the speed is automatically adjusted through the entire steering angle range of -90 DEG to +90 DEG . At alpha = beta =0 DEG the leading servo-drive unit is rigidly guided by its speed regulation loop as a MASTER servo-drive unit and its armature current is supplied as a reference magnitude to the armature current regulation loop of the trailing servo-drive unit which is operated as a SLAVE servo-drive unit. At alpha = beta =+/-90 DEG the two servo-drive units operate as independent MASTER servo-drive units and their speed regulation loops receive related reference speed signals from related microcomputers. Throughout the steering angle range of -90 DEG to +90 DEG the MASTER/SLAVE configuration and the MASTER/MASTER configuration are selectively used depending on the operating conditions and the travel durations. The optimum adaption of the servo-drive units to the steering angles and the limitation of the speed to the maximum speed which corresponds to optimum efficiency, insure precise track guidance, improved maneuverability and minimum current consumption.