Electric barrier transporter

Abstract

The barrier transfer machine includes an electric capstan system with regenerative braking / tension application. The regenerative braking / tension application recaptures energy when the electric motor is forced to rotate by the passing barrier while no power is applied or while low power is applied.

Description

Related Applications

[0001] This non-provisional application claims priority with respect to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 347,593, entitled "ELECTRICALLY OPERATED BARRIER TRANSFER MACHINE", filed on June 1, 2022. The entire patent application identified above is incorporated herein by reference in this non-provisional patent application.

Background Art

[0002] Movable road barrier systems are often placed on roads to create a traffic barrier between opposing lanes of traffic. Unlike permanent barriers, movable road barrier systems can be lifted and repositioned by a barrier transfer machine to more effectively use space, increase the volume of vehicles, and reduce traffic congestion. For example, the barrier transfer machine can move a road barrier system back and forth between lanes of a road to provide more lanes in the direction of peak traffic and / or create a work area space for construction workers.

[0003] Typical barrier transfer machines are powered by one or more internal combustion engines. Such engines are inefficient, noisy, difficult to control precisely, and produce harmful pollution.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention solves the above-described problems and related problems, and provides a distinct advancement in the art of road barrier transfer machines. More particularly, the present invention provides a road barrier transfer machine that is powered by one or more electric motors. The barrier transfer machine also includes a capstan system with regenerative braking / tensioning.

[0005] A barrier transfer machine configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention broadly includes a movable chassis with an electric motor, an inlet snout, an outlet snout, a conveyor system, and an electric capstan system with regenerative braking / tensioning.

[0006] The chassis has two ends and rests on other ground-engaging traction elements driven by wheels, belts, or one or more electric motors powered by one or more batteries. The machine is drivable in either direction. In one embodiment, two cabs are supported on the chassis, one at each end of the chassis, but embodiments of the machine may have only one cab or no cabs at all. As used herein, the end of the machine currently picking up a barrier is referred to as the “front end” or “front end,” and the end of the machine returning the barrier is referred to as the “rear end.”

[0007] Each snout can pick up or lower barriers depending on the direction of the machine's movement. As used herein, the snout currently in front is referred to as the "entrance snout," and the snout currently behind is referred to as the "exit snout."

[0008] The inlet and outlet snouts include a blunder bus that acts as a guide for the barrier as it enters and exits the machine, and a number of bogie assemblies with transport wheels that pick up the barrier and transport it toward the conveyor, or return the barrier after it has been transported through the machine. An inlet snout positioning mechanism is coupled to the inlet snout to shift it approximately laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the chassis.

[0009] The conveyor system extends beneath the chassis and transports road barriers from the entrance snout to the exit snout.

[0010] A capstan system is mounted alongside a conveyor system and adjusts tension or compression in the road barrier span as it is transported by the conveyor system, in an attempt to maintain the road barrier span in its original longitudinal position relative to the road. One embodiment of the capstan system comprises a pair of capstan wheels on each side of the conveyor system, a hydraulic cylinder, linkage mechanism, or other mechanism for biasing the wheels against the road barrier as they pass, and an electric motor and pump for driving the wheels to apply varying forward and backward pressures to the road barrier. The capstan system works by clamping the barrier with the capstan wheels as it passes over the conveyor system, applying forward or backward rotational pressure to the barrier. This relieves excessive tension or compression in the span, reduces barrier migration, and / or repositions the barriers relative to each other.

[0011] According to an important aspect of the present invention, the capstan system also provides regenerative braking / tensioning. Regenerative braking / tensioning recaptures energy when the electric motor driving the capstan wheel is rotated by the passing barrier while the electric motor is not receiving power or is receiving low power. For example, when a barrier transporter moves up in grade, the capstan system must apply a reverse torque to the barrier to counteract the effect of gravity on the barrier as it is lifted off the ground. The electric motor does not power the capstan wheel, or supplies low power, to slow or brake the capstan wheel, causing it to apply forward rotational pressure to the barrier. The passing barrier rotates the electric motor in reverse, causing the motor to function as a generator and thus reversing the direction of the current between the battery and the motor, thereby recharging the battery.

[0012] In some embodiments, the electricity recaptured from the capstan motor recharges the battery that drives the motor as described above. In other embodiments, the electricity recaptured charges a supercapacitor that can supplement the battery during very high electricity demands. For example, if a barrier transporter is traveling downhill and the capstan wheels must apply more rotational torque to the barrier to maintain their distance while the barrier is lifted off the ground, the supercapacitor may discharge its stored electricity to the capstan motor to supplement the electricity from the battery. In yet another embodiment, whenever regenerative braking / tensioning occurs, an electric motor is connected to other power-consuming devices in or on the barrier transporter to power such devices.

[0013] According to an important aspect of the present invention, the control system can detect when the barrier is in a taut or compressed state and control the capstan wheel motor and associated regenerative braking / tensioning.

[0014] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, the selected concepts that will be further described in the following detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify the main or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. [Figure 1] This is a top perspective view of a barrier transporter configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a front or rear view of a barrier transporter. [Figure 3] This is a side view of the barrier transporter. [Figure 4]This is a top view of the barrier transport machine. [Figure 5] This is a bottom view of the barrier transporter. [Figure 6] This is a top view of a barrier transporter, which is used to move the span of a road barrier from one side of the road to the other. [Figure 7] This is a partial front perspective view of a barrier transporter, which is shown picking up the span of a road barrier. [Figure 8] This is a side view of a barrier transporter, which is shown picking up and rearranging the spans of road barriers. [Figure 9] To better illustrate the capstan system, Figure 8 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the barrier transporter along line 9 / 9. [Figure 10] This is a right-side perspective view of a fixed road barrier. [Figure 11] This is a left-side perspective view of a fixed road barrier. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view of the variable-length road barrier shown in its storage position. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of a variable-length road barrier shown in its intermediate stroke or neutral position. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view of a variable-length road barrier shown in its fully extended position. [Figure 15] This is an illustrative perspective view of a road barrier span. [Figure 16] This is a block diagram showing the components of a control system for a barrier transporter. These drawings do not limit the invention to any specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. These drawings are not necessarily to scale, but rather focus on clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a barrier transfer machine 10 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As best shown in FIG. 6, to provide more lanes in the direction of peak traffic, create a work area space for construction workers, or otherwise more effectively utilize road space, increase the vehicle volume, and / or reduce traffic congestion, the barrier transfer machine 10 is configured to pick up and relocate a span 1 of interconnected road barriers 12. According to an important aspect of the present invention, as will be described in more detail below, the barrier transfer machine is driven by one or more electric motors and includes regenerative braking / tensioning and a control system for managing the regenerative braking / tensioning.

[0017] FIG. 15 shows an exemplary span of road barriers 12 that can be picked up and relocated by the barrier transfer machine 10. The span 12 may be of any length and may include any number of fixed-length road barriers 14 and variable-length barriers 16. In some embodiments, the barriers 14 and 16 are connected end-to-end using steel pins and / or tension hinge mechanisms, which will be described in more detail below.

[0018] An example of a fixed-length barrier 14 is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The barrier 14 may be of any type, shape, and size and may be formed of any suitable material, such as high-strength concrete filled with concrete or a high-strength steel frame. In one embodiment, the barrier 14 has a T-shaped upper surface 18 so that it can be picked up and relocated by the bogie wheels of the barrier transfer machine, as shown in FIG. 9 and described below.

[0019] Returning to Figures 10 and 11, one side of each barrier 14 includes a fixed, spaced-out connecting flange 20, and the opposite side includes a spaced-out, spring-biased reactive tension element 22. The steel rod 24 may be inserted through its through-hole when the flanges 20 and tension element 22 of adjacent barriers are aligned to interconnect the adjacent barriers. The reactive tension element 22 allows adjacent barriers to move longitudinally relative to each other when the barriers are under tension or compression. In other embodiments, fixed-length barriers may not have a reactive tension element, but instead may have a larger hole in the connecting flange that creates a “sloppy (semi-constrained) hinge” to accommodate some of the longitudinal movement between adjacent barriers.

[0020] Examples of variable-length barriers 16 are shown in Figures 12-14. These barriers may be of any shape and size, and each has an outer frame 26 and an inner expandable structure 28 that can move in and out of the outer frame 26 when the barrier is subjected to tension or compression. The variable-length barriers also include connecting flanges 30 that can be aligned and interconnected with the connecting flanges of adjacent barriers by steel rods 32. The movement of the expandable inner structure 28 is resisted by an internal hydraulic cylinder or other hydraulic or spring mechanism.

[0021] Figure 12 shows the variable-length barrier 16 in a fully retracted or compressed state when subjected to a compressive force large enough to fully compress the hydraulic cylinder or other biasing mechanism. Figure 14 shows the barrier 16 in a fully extended state when subjected to a tension large enough to fully extend the hydraulic cylinder or other biasing mechanism. Figure 13 shows the barrier in its neutral or steady state when it is not subjected to compressive or tension. Further details of exemplary embodiments of the variable-length barrier are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,439,802, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0022] Next, embodiments of the barrier transfer machine 10 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 9 and Figure 16. One embodiment of the barrier transfer machine 10 broadly comprises a movable chassis 34, an inlet snout 36, an inlet snout positioning mechanism 37, an outlet snout 38, a conveyor system 40, a capstan system 42, and a control system 44.

[0023] The chassis 34 has a front and rear end positioned along a generally longitudinal axis that is essentially parallel to the road on which the machine is driven. The chassis 34 rides on wheels 46, belts, or other ground-engaging traction elements driven by one or more electric motors powered by one or more rechargeable batteries.

[0024] In one embodiment, the barrier transporter 10 comprises two driver's cabs 48, 50, one at each end of the chassis 34. The machine 10 can be driven in either direction, but typically only one driver in one of the driver's cabs can be in charge of primary control at any given time. Typically, the controlled driver's cab is the one at the end of the machine facing the direction in which the machine is moving. In some embodiments, the barrier transporter 10 may include various sensors and controls that provide autonomous operation without direct driver control, or semi-autonomous operation with some degree of driver control.

[0025] An entrance snout 36 is mounted on the front end of the chassis and configured to pick up a road barrier span from a first position on the road surface. Similarly, an exit snout 38 is mounted on the rear end of the chassis to return the span to the road surface at a second position different from the first position. The snouts 36, 38 act as guides for the road barrier as it is picked up and / or dropped, and can be moved and adjusted by the operator of the machine to align the snout with the approaching road barrier and the desired position. Each snout 36, 38 includes an array of blunderbuss assemblies 51 and bogie assemblies 52. Each bogie assembly 52 is equipped with a number of transport wheels 54 that pick up, carry, and / or lay the barrier depending on the direction of movement of the machine.

[0026] The inlet snout positioning mechanism 37, schematically shown in Figure 16, is operable to shift the inlet snout 36 left or right relative to the longitudinal axis of the machine 10 so that the inlet snout is aligned with the barrier before being picked up. One embodiment of the inlet snout positioning mechanism 37 may include a linear actuator, hydraulic cylinder, electric motor, or other mechanism, or combination of mechanisms, for shifting the blunder bus 51 of the inlet snout left or right. In some embodiments, the inlet snout positioning mechanism 37 may be controlled by a joystick or other control system in one or both operator's cabins of the machine. In other embodiments, the inlet snout positioning mechanism may be controlled automatically or by a remote operator.

[0027] The conveyor system 40 extends beneath the barrier transporter and is configured to transport the span of the road barrier from the entrance snout 36 to the exit snout 38. The conveyor system 40 may consist of multiple assemblies and parts, including straight sections, turned sections, and pickup / laydown sections connected to the snouts 36, 38. As best shown in Figure 5, one embodiment of the conveyor system 40 comprises an S-shaped or other curved structural frame 56 mounted at the bottom of the machine and an array of bogie assemblies 52 supported by this frame. Each bogie assembly 52 has a number of carrier wheels 54 that pick up the barrier and transport it through the machine during the barrier transport operation.

[0028] The capstan system 42 is mounted alongside the conveyor system 40 and adjusts the tension or compression of the road barrier span 12 while it is being transported by the conveyor system, in an attempt to hold the barrier span in its original longitudinal position relative to the road. As best shown in Figures 5 and 9, one embodiment of the capstan system 42 has a pair of large capstan wheels 58 on each side of the conveyor system, a hydraulic cylinder, linkage mechanism, or other mechanism 60 that biases the wheels against the road barrier as the wheels pass over it, and an electric motor 61 and / or pump for driving the wheels to apply varying forward and backward pressures to the road barrier. The electric motor is powered by one or more rechargeable batteries 63. The capstan system 42 works by clamping the barrier with the capstan wheels 58 as it passes over the conveyor system 42 and applying forward or backward rotational pressure to the barrier via the motor 61. This relieves excessive tension or compression in the span, reduces barrier migration, and / or repositions the barrier relative to each other.

[0029] According to an important aspect of the present invention, the capstan system 42 also provides regenerative braking / tensioning. Regenerative braking / tensioning recaptures energy when the electric motor 61 is rotated by the passing barrier while no power is applied to the electric motor or with reduced power applied. For example, when the barrier transporter moves in a graded movement, the capstan system must apply a reverse torque to the barrier to counteract the effect of gravity on the barrier as the barrier is lifted off the ground. The electric motor 61 does not power the capstan wheel 58, or supplies reduced power, to decelerate or brake the capstan wheel, causing the capstan wheel 58 to apply forward rotational pressure to the barrier. This causes the electric motor 61 to rotate in reverse and function as a generator, so that the direction of current flow between the battery 63 and the motor 61 is reversed and the battery can be charged.

[0030] In some embodiments, the recaptured electricity recharges the battery 63 as described above. In other embodiments, the recaptured electricity charges a supercapacitor 65 which can supplement the battery during very high power demands. For example, if a barrier transporter is traveling downhill and the capstan wheels must apply more rotational torque to the barrier to maintain their distance while the barrier is lifted off the ground, the supercapacitor may discharge its stored electricity to the capstan motor to supplement the electricity from the battery. In yet another embodiment, whenever regenerative braking / tensioning occurs, an electric motor is connected to other power-consuming devices in or on the barrier transporter to power such devices.

[0031] According to an important aspect of the present invention, the control system 44 can detect when the barrier is under tension or compression and control the capstan wheel motor and associated regenerative braking / tensioning. One embodiment of the control system 44 is shown in Figure 16 and broadly includes one or more barrier position sensors 62, one or more barrier tension sensors 64, and a processing system 66. The control system 44 may be a standalone system or may be integrated into another control system of the barrier transporter.

[0032] Each barrier position sensor 62 senses the position of at least one of the road barriers 12 before the road barrier is picked up by the entrance snout 36 and generates corresponding barrier position data. In some embodiments, the barrier position sensor is a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor and / or a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor mounted on an extension arm 66 extending forward of the entrance snout. In other embodiments, the barrier position sensor 62 may be a camera mounted on the entrance snout or any other device or mechanism, capable of sensing the position or relative position of at least one of the barriers and generating corresponding position data. As used herein, the “position” of a barrier may be its geographic coordinates, its relative position to the entrance snout, and / or its angle to the entrance snout.

[0033] Each barrier tension sensor 64 senses the tension or compression between at least two road barriers 12 before or after the road barrier is picked up by the entrance snout 36 and generates corresponding data. In some embodiments, the tension sensor may be a strain gauge, load cell, torque sensor, or any device capable of measuring tension or compression between adjacent barriers.

[0034] The processing system 66 is coupled to the barrier position sensor 62 and the barrier tension sensor 64 by wired or wireless connection to receive and analyze sensor data to determine whether the barrier is under tension or compression. In some embodiments, the processing system 66 generates and transmits control signals to control the motor 61 and associated regenerative braking / tensioning. For example, if the processing system determines that the barrier is under excessive tension or compression, the processing system can operate the capstan motor 61 and wheel 58 to relieve the excessive tension or compression and trigger associated regenerative braking / tensioning.

[0035] The control system 44 may also include a data transceiver 72 for transmitting data to and receiving control commands and / or data from the remote control system 74. The data transceiver 72 may be any device capable of transmitting and receiving data via a wired or wireless connection. The data transceiver may be, or include, a wired or wireless network adapter or wireless data receiver used with Bluetooth communication, radio frequency (RF) communication, near-field communication (NFC), and / or cellular networks, Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GMS), 3G, or other mobile data networks, and / or Worldwide Interoperability Microwave Access (WiMAX). Other considerations

[0036] In this description, when "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "embodiments" is used, it means that one or more features referred to are included in at least one embodiment of the Art. In this description, when "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "embodiments" is used individually, it does not necessarily mean that the same embodiment is being referred to, nor are they mutually exclusive unless explicitly stated otherwise and / or readily apparent to those skilled in the art from this description. For example, features, structures, operations, etc., described in one embodiment may, but do not necessarily, be included in other embodiments. Therefore, the Art may include various combinations and / or integrations of the embodiments described herein.

[0037] While this application provides a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, the legal scope of this specification is defined by the language of the claims and equivalents listed last in this patent. The detailed description should be interpreted as illustrative only and does not describe all possible embodiments, as it would be impractical to do so. Many alternative embodiments may be carried out using either the current art or art developed after the filing date of this patent, but they would still fall within the scope of the claims.

[0038] Throughout this specification, multiple examples may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single example. While individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of these operations may be performed simultaneously, and they do not need to be performed in the illustrated order. Structures and functions presented as separate components within an illustrative configuration may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functions presented as single components may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are within the scope of the subject matter of this specification.

[0039] Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or a number of routines, subroutines, applications, or instructions. These may constitute either software (e.g., code embodied on a machine-readable medium or in a transmitted signal) or hardware. In hardware, the routines, etc., are tangible units capable of performing specific operations and may be configured or arranged in a particular manner. In exemplary embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., standalone, client, or server computer systems), or one or more hardware modules of a computer system (e.g., processors or groups of processors), may be configured as computer hardware that operates by software (e.g., an application or part of an application) to perform specific operations as described herein.

[0040] In various embodiments, computer hardware such as the processing system 66 and other processing elements may be implemented as dedicated or general-purpose. For example, the processing system 66 may include dedicated circuits or logic that are permanently configured, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or permanently configured, such as FPGAs, to perform specific operations. The processing system 66 may also include programmable logic or circuits (e.g., those contained within a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor) that are temporarily configured by software to perform specific operations. It will be understood that the decision of whether to implement the processing system as dedicated and permanently configured circuits, or as general-purpose (e.g., configured by software) for a special purpose, may be made in consideration of cost and time.

[0041] Accordingly, the term “processing system” or its equivalent should be understood to encompass tangible entities that are physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., physically incorporated), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) for the purpose of operating in a particular manner as described herein or for performing a particular operation. When considering embodiments in which a processing system is temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each processing element does not need to be configured or instantiated at any given time. For example, if a processing system includes a general-purpose processor configured using software, that general-purpose processor may be configured as different processing elements at different times. Thus, the software may configure processing elements to constitute a hardware configuration at one time and a different hardware configuration at another time.

[0042] Computer hardware components such as the processing system 66, associated memory components, and processing elements can exchange information with other computer hardware components. Therefore, the computer hardware components described herein can be considered as being communicatively coupled. When multiple such computer hardware components exist simultaneously, communication can be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., through appropriate circuits and buses) connecting the computer hardware components. In embodiments where multiple computer hardware components are configured or instantiated at different points in time, communication between such computer hardware components can be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of information in a memory structure accessed by the multiple computer hardware components. For example, one computer hardware component may perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. Further computer hardware components may then later access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output. Furthermore, computer hardware components can initiate communication with input or output devices to operate on resources (e.g., collections of information).

[0043] Various operations of the exemplary methods described herein may be performed at least partially by one or more processing elements that are temporarily or permanently configured (e.g., by software) to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processing elements may constitute a processing element implementing module that operates to perform one or more operations or functions. The modules referred to herein may, in some exemplary embodiments, comprise a processing element implementing module.

[0044] Similarly, any method or routine described herein may be at least partially implementable by processing elements. For example, at least part of the operation of a certain method may be performed by one or more processing elements or processing element implementing hardware modules. Certain performance of the operation may reside not only within a single machine but also distributed among one or more processing elements deployed across several machines. In some exemplary embodiments, one or more processing elements may be located in a single location (e.g., in a home environment, a work environment, or as a server farm), while in other embodiments, the processing elements may be distributed across multiple locations.

[0045] Unless otherwise specified, any use of terms such as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “presenting,” and “displaying” in this specification may mean the operation or processing of a machine (e.g., a computer) that manipulates or transforms data expressed as physical (e.g., electronic, magnetic, or optical) quantities in one or more memories (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory, or a combination thereof), registers, or other machine parts that receive, store, transmit, or display information.

[0046] As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “has,” and “having,” or any other variations thereof, are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements alone and may include other elements not expressly enumerated or that are specific to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0047] The patent claims relating to the present application are not intended to be construed under Section 112(f) of the U.S. Patent Act, except where the traditional means-plus-function language, such as the language expressly contained in the claims, “means for” or “step for,” is expressly included.

[0048] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the attached drawings, it should be noted that equivalents can be used and substitutions can be made herein without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A barrier transporter for picking up and rearranging road barriers, A movable chassis having a front end and a rear end arranged roughly along the longitudinal axis, An entrance snout supported at the front end of the movable chassis for picking up the road barrier from the road surface, An exit snout for returning the aforementioned road barrier to the road surface, A conveyor system positioned between the entrance snout and the exit snout to transport the road barrier from the entrance snout to the exit snout, The system includes a capstan system that adjusts tension or compression in the road barrier while the road barrier is being transported by the conveyor system, The capstan system includes an electric motor powered by one or more rechargeable batteries and a regenerative braking / tensioning system for recharging the batteries, wherein the barrier transporter is provided.

2. The barrier transfer machine according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of capstan wheels on both sides of the conveyor system.

3. The barrier transporter according to claim 2, further comprising a mechanism for biasing the capstan wheel relative to the road barrier when the road barrier passes the capstan wheel.

4. The barrier transporter according to claim 3, wherein the electric motor drives the capstan wheel to apply a rearward rotational pressure to the road barrier.

5. The barrier transporter according to claim 4, wherein the electric motor is driven by the capstan wheel and acts as a generator for recharging the rechargeable battery when the capstan wheel applies forward rotational pressure to the road barrier.

6. The barrier transfer machine according to claim 5, wherein the capstan system further comprises a supercapacitor that is charged by the regenerative braking / tensioning system when the electric motor is driven by the capstan wheel.

7. The barrier transfer machine according to claim 6, wherein the supercapacitor supplies power to the electric motor when the electric motor drives the capstan wheel.

8. The barrier transporter according to claim 7, further comprising a control system that detects when the barrier transporter is traveling downhill and, in response, causes the supercapacitor to discharge to the electric motor.

9. The barrier transporter according to claim 6, wherein the rechargeable battery and the supercapacitor supply power to the electrical components of the barrier transporter other than the electric motor.

10. A barrier transporter for picking up and rearranging road barriers, A movable chassis having a front end and a rear end arranged roughly along the longitudinal axis, An entrance snout supported at the front end of the movable chassis for picking up the road barrier from the road surface, An exit snout for returning the aforementioned road barrier to the road surface, A conveyor system positioned between the entrance snout and the exit snout to transport the road barrier from the entrance snout to the exit snout, The system includes a capstan system that adjusts tension or compression in the road barrier while the road barrier is being transported by the conveyor system, The aforementioned capstan system is The conveyor system has a pair of capstan wheels on both sides, A mechanism for biasing the capstan wheel relative to the road barrier when the road barrier passes over the capstan wheel, A pair of electric motors, each for driving one of the capstan wheels, and an electric motor that applies a rearward rotational pressure to the road barrier, One or more rechargeable batteries for supplying power to the electric motor, A barrier transporter, comprising a regenerative braking / tensioning system for recharging the rechargeable battery when the electric motor is driven by the capstan wheel.

11. The barrier transporter according to claim 10, wherein the capstan system further comprises a supercapacitor that is charged by the regenerative braking / tensioning system when the electric motor is driven by the capstan wheel.

12. The barrier transporter according to claim 11, wherein the supercapacitor provides power to the electric motor when the electric motor drives the capstan wheel and applies a backward rotational pressure to the road barrier.

13. The barrier transporter according to claim 12, further comprising a control system that detects when the barrier transporter is traveling downhill and, in response, causes the supercapacitor to discharge to the electric motor.

14. The barrier transporter according to claim 12, wherein the rechargeable battery and the supercapacitor supply power to the electrical components of the barrier transporter other than the electric motor.

15. A method for operating a barrier transporter to pick up and rearrange road barriers, A process of picking up the road barrier from the road surface using an entrance snout supported at the front end of the chassis, A conveyor system positioned between the entrance snout and the exit snout transports the road barrier from the entrance snout to the exit snout; The process includes adjusting tension or compression in the road barrier by a capstan system while the road barrier is being transported by the conveyor system, The aforementioned adjustment process is: The process of biasing the capstan wheel against the road barrier when the road barrier passes the capstan wheel, A step of driving the capstan wheel with an electric motor and applying a backward rotational pressure to the road barrier when the road barrier is under compression, The process of supplying power to the electric motor by one or more rechargeable batteries while the electric motor drives the capstan wheel, The process of driving the electric motor with the capstan wheel to apply forward rotational pressure to the road barrier when the road barrier is under tension, A method comprising the step of recharging the rechargeable battery with the electric motor when the electric motor is driven by the capstan wheel.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of charging a supercapacitor with the electric motor when the electric motor is driven by the capstan wheel.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of supplying power to the electric motor by the supercapacitor while the electric motor is driving the capstan wheel.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of detecting when the barrier transporter is traveling downhill.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of discharging the supercapacitor to the electric motor when the barrier transporter is traveling downhill.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of supplying power to the electrical components of the barrier transfer machine other than the electric motor using the rechargeable battery and the supercapacitor.

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