CN104884327A - A clamping device for cableways - Google Patents

Abstract

A clamping device (10) having a fixed jaw (12), a movable jaw (11) formed at one end of an operating rod (15), and two elastic jaws aligned and compressed along said operating rod (15). unit(30, 32). By reaction of the connecting rod (23), the elastic unit generates a force that turns the lever upwards, causing the movable jaw (11) to clamp the cable (F) against the fixed jaw (12). The middle plate (25) is arranged between the two elastic units and has a portion (36) protruding outward beyond the elastic units (30, 32) in a direction transverse to the operating rod (15) . The position of the protrusion (36) provides a clear indication as to the efficacy of the clamping device.

Description

Clamping devices for ropeways

technical field

The invention relates to a clamping device for automatically connecting a vehicle to a cable of a continuously moving cableway.

Background technique

Among the existing clamping devices, there are some clamping devices comprising a support element, which is fixed on the boom of the vehicle and forms the fixed jaw of the clamp, and is hinged to the support element to swing in the vertical plane One end of the operating rocker forms the movable jaw. A slider is slidably mounted on the operating lever and elastically urged by two coil springs towards the movable and fixed jaws. A cam system integral with the support system interacts with the slide to convert the spring applied thrust into a reaction force which causes the lever to rotate upwards causing the movable jaw to clamp the cable against the fixed jaw.

US Patent No. 4760798 discloses a clamping device according to the preamble of claim 1 .

One of the most common causes of cableway failures is the breakage of the helical springs, which are subjected to extreme stresses during use. Regulations stipulate that at least two springs must be provided in each clamping device of the above-mentioned type. A test rig designed to check the efficacy of the grips was set up in the cableway station. In particular, the ability to store elastic energy is checked, ie the undamaged state of the spring and the functionality of the mechanism for opening and closing the clamp are checked. The mechanism should be able to maintain a certain level of efficacy and should not jam causing a significant reduction in the clamping force of the clamp (with which the clamp must grip the cable) eg if the spring is not damaged.

A pressure head associated with one of the ramps that cause the clamps to open or close is usually provided in the cableway station. As the vehicle passes, the load cell controls the action of the clamp springs, measuring the force exerted on the ramp by the clamp as it traverses the ramp. Considering that this detection operation is completed in less than a second and that the vehicle traverses the ramp at a very fast speed (approximately 5 m/s), it is understandable that the measurement of the thrust of the spring is affected by the fixture The very large mass on the slope and the limited time in which the inspection has to be done have the detrimental effect. In addition, an inaccurate setting of the pressure measuring head may cause the problem that the fault cannot be detected.

Contents of the invention

One object of the present invention is to detect the undamaged state of the springs used to clamp the clamp on the cable in a reliable manner and without using electronics or additional mechanical means. Another object of the invention is to detect any defect or damage of said spring in time. Yet another object of the present invention is to achieve the above-mentioned object in a cost-effective manner, using mechanical components that are relatively simple to produce.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved according to an aspect of the invention by a clamping device having the features defined in claim 1 . According to another aspect of the invention, a cableway having the features defined in claim 7 is proposed. The dependent claims define preferred embodiments of the invention.

A clamping device for automatically attaching a vehicle to a cable of a continuously running cableway, comprising:

Support elements, fixed on the boom of the vehicle;

fixed jaw, integrally formed with the supporting element;

an operating rocker, articulated to the support member to oscillate in a substantially vertical plane;

a movable jaw formed at the first end of the lever;

a slider, slidably mounted on the operating rod;

two or more elastic members mounted on the lever to push the slider towards the first end of the lever; and

A mechanism, preferably of the linkage type, is attached to the slider and the support member so that the thrust exerted by the elastic member towards the first end of the lever is converted into a force perpendicular to the lever, thereby causing the lever to rotate upwards, causing a possible The movable jaw clamps the cable against the fixed jaw.

The elastic element includes at least one first elastic unit and at least one second elastic unit. The elastic unit is continuously aligned and compressed along the operating rod. The first elastic unit is close to the first end of the operating rod and acts on the sliding member; the second elastic unit is away from the first end of the operating rod and acts on the reaction plate locked along the operating rod. The device also includes an intermediate plate slidably installed along the operating rod and disposed between the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit. At least a portion of the middle plate protrudes outward beyond the elastic unit in a direction transverse to the operating rod. The position of the protrusion clearly shows the efficacy of the clamp.

Preferably, a detector is provided at a location adjacent to the track of the cable, the detector having a channel defined by a pair of surfaces spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the cable. When all the elastic units of the single clamping device are not damaged, the protruding part of the middle plate will pass through the aforementioned channel and will not interfere with any surface spaced apart from the detector.

Description of drawings

With reference to the accompanying drawings, some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the clamping device in the closed clamping state; and

Figure 2 shows a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the device according to Figure 1 in the open state.

Detailed ways

Referring first to FIG. 1 , reference numeral 10 generally designates a clamping device for automatically connecting a vehicle, be it a cable car or a chairlift, to a cable F of a continuously running cableway.

The clamping device 10 comprises a movable jaw 11 and a fixed jaw 12 . The fixed jaw 12 is integrally formed with a support element 13 and to which a boom S of a vehicle (not shown) is fixed. For the applicability of the invention, the type of vehicle being suspended (consisting, for example, of a gondola or chairlift) is immaterial.

The supporting element 13 is known per se and may comprise a pair of parallel vertical plates 14 spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the cables F. As shown in FIG. The support element 13 carries by means of an axis A a roller R1 called "third wheel".

The movable jaw 11 is delimited by a first end of an operating rocker 15 articulated together with a support element 13 to a fulcrum 16 about an oscillation axis substantially parallel to the cable F, so that the movable jaw 11 can be moved close to or A generally vertical in-plane rotation between the clamped cable position (Fig. 1) and the open position (Fig. 2). The operating lever 15 has a second end 18 on which a roller R2 (known per se) is rotatably mounted to cause the operating lever 15 to oscillate about the fulcrum 16 with the result that the movable jaw 11 moves from the cable F move up.

The operating rod 15 has a slide member 20 slidably mounted thereon, which is preferably shaped to have a tubular central portion 21 inserted on the operating rod 15 and a plate portion 22 extending transversely relative to the operating rod 15 flat sliding board. The slide 20 is articulated to the support element 13 by a mechanism comprising, in an advantageous embodiment, two linkages 23 arranged parallel and side by side in a direction parallel to the cable F, shown in Fig. 1 and 2 only one of the connecting rods can be seen. The link 23 is pivotally mounted on the slider 20 and the support element 13 by means of two corresponding pins 24 , 25 parallel to the pivot axis of the operating lever 15 .

A resilient element, preferably a helical spring 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 designed to push the link 23 towards the support element 13 , is arranged between the slide 20 and the free second end 18 of the operating lever. The link 23 converts the axial thrust exerted by the elastic elements 30-33 compressed along the longitudinal axis of the rod 15 into a reaction force having a force component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the operating rod. This vertical force component exerts pressure on the operating rod 15 , causing the operating rod 15 to swing or turn upwards so that the movable jaw 11 clamps the cable F relative to the fixed jaw 12 .

The elastic elements 30-33 act on a fixed reaction plate 19, locked on the free end 18 of the lever, adjacent to the end roller R2. The end rollers R2 are intended to cooperate in a known manner with profiled fixed guides provided at the stations for the arrival and departure of vehicles.

In order to clamp the cable F, all the elastic elements 30-33 co-operate to cause the operating lever 15 to rotate towards the raised position.

In the described embodiment, the elastic element is divided into two elastic units (or groups) aligned continuously along the operating rod 15 . The first elastic unit of the two units, comprising springs 30 and 31 , is closer to the movable jaw 11 and pushes against the slider 20 . A second elastic unit comprising springs 32 and 33 is further from the movable jaw and pushes against the end reaction plate 19 . Each elastic unit acts on the middle plate 35 in a pushing relationship, and the middle plate 35 is slidably installed at a position in the middle of the slider 20 and the reaction plate 19 along the operating rod 15, and is arranged between the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit. Between two elastic units.

When the vehicle clamped by the traction cable F enters the station, the device is initially in the state shown in Figure 1 with the fixed jaw and the movable jaw clamping the cable. The springs 30 - 33 are compressed between the slide 20 and the end plate 19 and, by reaction with the connecting rod 23 , exert a thrust maintaining the lift of the lever in the position where the fixed and movable jaws are clamped. When the vehicle enters the station, the open state of the fixed and movable jaws shown in Figure 2 is achieved as a result of the contact of the end rollers R2 with the top profile guide (not shown) causing the operating rod 15 to lower. The consequent reduction in the angle between the operating rod 15 and the connecting rod 23 results in further compression of the spring. When the vehicle leaves the station, upwardly split profiled guides (not shown) allow the rollers to be lifted and the fixed and movable jaws to clamp together due to springs.

The intermediate plate 35 has a peripheral portion 36 projecting radially or transversely outwardly beyond the helical springs 30, 32 with respect to the axial direction in which the operating rod 15 extends, the intermediate plate 35 is preferably made of a lightweight material such as Aluminum or aluminum alloy. The protruding portion 36 of the middle plate serves as a detection element for checking the undamaged state of the spring.

In the event that any one of the springs 30-33 breaks or is damaged such that it can no longer provide the required thrust, the intermediate plate 35 will be positioned at an axial equilibrium position different from that shown in FIG. 1, i.e. Closer or farther away from the movable jaw 11, depending on which elastic unit this damaged spring is located. The different axial positions of the intermediate plate 35 indicate a defective state of one of the springs 30-33.

The aforementioned inspection method is inherently safe because it allows faults to be detected regardless of which defective component is involved. The testing device according to the invention distinguishes the clamping device considerably from known devices which envisage a function check by means of an opposing spring system without self-checking. In these known devices, a break in the counter spring affects the effectiveness of the detection, since the break cannot be detected during normal operation of the cableway. With the clamping device of the present invention, the spatial position of the protrusion 36 clearly indicates the efficacy of the clamp based on inherent safety rules.

In this preferred embodiment, the intermediate plate 35 comprises a tubular or sleeve-shaped central portion 37 slidably mounted on the operating rod 15 in order to precisely guide the plate 35 . In this embodiment, two series of oppositely arranged springs bear against a disc-shaped portion 38 extending transversely or perpendicularly with respect to the tubular central portion 37 and the operating rod 15 . Those skilled in the art will understand that the intermediate plate 35 together with the slider 20 and the reaction plate 19 can be configured differently than in the embodiment shown here. In general, each of these parts (35, 20, 19) should provide a stable support seat for the ends of the coil springs. The middle plate 35 may have closed edges (not shown) for the ends of the springs, similar to the edges 26 and 27 of the slider 20 and end plate 19 . The parts 35, 20 and 19 may have other shapes suitable for retaining the ends of the springs, such as concavities and depressions in the form of annular grooves.

Figure 1 shows mechanical detectors, indicated schematically by reference D, arranged at positions along the track of the cable, eg at the stations of the cableway. The detector D has, for example, a passage P defined between a pair of facing walls B1, B2 extending in a direction substantially parallel to the cable and defining between them a path indicative of correct functioning of the spring. location range.

The detector D is positioned relative to the track of the clamping device 10 so that, if the springs of the device are not damaged, the protruding part 36 of the intermediate plate 35 will pass through the space or channel P located between the two walls B1, B2 without Will be in contact with these two walls B1, B2.

Conversely, if at least one of the springs is damaged, the projection 36 will interfere with the walls B1 or B2 forming the interval limits of the permitted positions when the vehicle passes. Thus, the contact of the intermediate plate 35 with the detector D can cause an alarm signal to be issued, which can alert the crew of the cable installation to the occurrence of a malfunction. Alternatively or additionally, the device can also be arranged such that the cable stops immediately. For example, the detector D can be movably or floatably mounted on a fixed support C, which can be operatively coupled, for example, to a microswitch (not shown) of an alarm or emergency device, said alarm Or the emergency device will be activated by the contact of the intermediate plate 35 with the detector D and/or by the movement of some part of the detector (eg one of the two walls B1 or B2 ) after contact with the intermediate plate.

It will be appreciated that, with relatively simple and inherently safe mechanical elements, the clamping device of the present invention allows timely detection of faults. No additional checking mechanisms or devices are required. The springs themselves may represent a possible failure of any of the springs 30-33 to affect the closing of the movable jaw 11, which would change the position of the intermediate plate 35.

In an alternative embodiment, each of the two elastic units may comprise one elastic element instead of two, which is less preferred and not shown. According to this variant, only two single springs are provided (such as the single springs 31 and 33), which are aligned continuously along the lever 15, acting respectively on the slider 20 and the end plate 19, and separated by the intermediate plate .

For example, as shown in the figures, it is advantageous to arrange two springs coaxially for each spring unit, since two coaxial springs have a mutual limiting guiding effect. If one of the two springs, for example the inner one, breaks, its position and orientation are generally maintained by the outer, undamaged spring. In this case, the failure of one of the two springs results in a minimal loss of thrust, quantifiable in the range of 10-15% of that possessed by the same undamaged spring. Due to the restraint of the other undamaged spring in the coaxial spring, the damaged spring will also continue to exert a residual thrust in the axial direction, which is at least 85% of the nominal value, thus helping For the correct operation of the fixture as a whole. The difference is that with a pair of springs arranged side-by-side, for example parallel to each other, a broken spring may be tilted, not provide any thrust and protrude out of the clamping device, with the potential to strike and damage other parts of the cable installation. risk, or it will come off.

The intermediate plate is connected to and precisely guided on the operating rod; thus, the longitudinal position of the intermediate plate is detectable only slightly outside the range of positions allowed or exhibited by the normal operation of the undamaged spring. Thus, the system comprising the clamping device with the intermediate plate and the detectors associated therewith is very sensitive and reliable.

In an alternative embodiment, the mechanism that converts the axial thrust of the spring into a transverse thrust and causes the fixed and movable jaws to close may comprise a cam arrangement with a roller instead of the link 23, as for example in US Patent No. 4760798 No. described cam gear. However, a mechanism with linkages is beneficial as it enables structural simplification and allows cost reduction. The two linkages 23 arranged in alignment in a direction parallel to the pivot axis defined by the pin 16 form an additional safety element making the system redundant. However, the clamping device can also be operated using a single link 23 .

Although the invention has been conceived to be practiced with an elastic element in the form of a helical spring, it will be appreciated that in embodiments other than the one shown here, the elastic element may be formed by different means, for example with a helical spring Springs of other forms, such as Belleville springs.

Various aspects and embodiments of clamping devices are described herein. It is understood that each embodiment can be combined with any other embodiment. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the described embodiments but may be varied within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A clamping device (10) for automatically connecting a vehicle to a cable (F) of a continuously moving cableway, comprising: a support element (13), fixed on the boom (S) of the vehicle; The fixed jaw (12) is integrally formed with the supporting element (13); operating rocker (15), hinged to said support element (13) to swing in a substantially vertical plane; a movable jaw (11) formed at a first end of said operating rod (15); a sliding part (20), slidably mounted on the operating rod; at least two elastic elements (31, 33) mounted on said lever (15) to push said slider (20) towards a first end of said lever; and mechanism (23), connected to said slider (20) and said support element (13), for applying said elastic elements (31, 33) towards said first end of said operating lever (15) The thrust is transformed into a force perpendicular to the lever, causing the lever to turn upwards, causing the movable jaw (11) to clamp the cable (F) relative to the fixed jaw (12); It is characterized in that, The elastic element includes at least one first elastic unit (30, 31) and at least one second elastic unit (32, 33) aligned and compressed continuously along the operating rod (15), wherein the first The elastic unit (30, 31) is close to the first end of the operating rod, acting on the sliding member (20), and the second elastic unit (32, 33) is away from the first end of the operating rod, acting on a reaction plate (19) locked along said lever; and The device (10) also includes an intermediate plate (35) slidably installed along the operating rod (15) and arranged between the first elastic unit (31) and the second elastic unit (33) , wherein at least a part (36) of the middle plate protrudes outward beyond the elastic unit (30, 32) in a direction transverse to the operating rod (15). 2. Clamping device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic element (30-33) comprises a helical spring. 3. Clamping device according to claim 2, characterized in that, said first elastic unit comprises two coil springs (30, 31) arranged coaxially with each other and compressed between said slider (20) and said intermediate plate (35); and The second elastic unit comprises two helical springs (32, 33) arranged coaxially with each other and compressed between the intermediate plate (35) and the reaction plate (19). 4. Clamping device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said mechanism (23) comprises at least one link (23) about two corresponding pins ( 24, 25) are pivotably mounted on said slider (20) and said support element (13), said pins (24, 25) being parallel to the axis of oscillation defined by the other pin (16), Said operating lever (15) is hinged to said support element (13) via said further pin (16). 5. Clamping device according to claim 4, characterized in that said mechanism (23) comprises at least two connecting rods (23), each of which can be wound around two corresponding pins (24, 25) Pivotally mounted on said slider (20) and said support element (13), said pins (24, 25) are parallel to the axis of oscillation defined by the other pin (16), said operating lever ( 15) Hinged to said support element (13) by said other pin (16), and said two links are spaced apart from each other and in parallel to the swing axis defined by said other pin (16) aligned in the direction. 6. Clamping device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the intermediate plate (35) comprises a tubular central guide portion (37) slidably mounted on the operating rod (15) ) and a disk portion (38) protruding laterally from the central portion (37), and the peripheral portion of the disk portion (38) forms the protruding portion (36), and the protruding portion (36 ) provides a clear indication of the efficacy of the clamping device according to the principle of inherent safety. 7. A continuously moving cableway comprising a cable (F) and a plurality of vehicles, each of which passes through a corresponding plurality of gripping devices according to at least one of the preceding claims ( 10) Automatically connected to said cable (F), characterized in that said cableway comprises at least one detector (D) arranged adjacent to the track of said cable (F), said detector having a passage (P) defined by a pair of surfaces (B1, B2) spaced apart in a direction substantially perpendicular to said cable (F) at said location, wherein, when a single When none of the elastic units of the clamping device (10) is damaged, the protruding portion (36) of the intermediate plate (35) passes through the passage (P) without any contact with any of the surfaces (B1, B2) put one's oar in. 8. Cableway according to claim 7, characterized in that said surfaces (B1, B2) are defined by two respective walls extending in a direction substantially parallel to said cables at said location. 9. Cableway according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said surfaces (B1, B2) are movably mounted on fixed supports (C). 10. The cableway according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that, the detector (D) is associated with a signal generator, and the signal generator is arranged to be used when the intermediate plate (35) A signal is generated when at least one of said protruding portions (36) of said channel (P) is in contact with at least one of the surfaces (B1, B2) of said channel (P).