EP0147310A2 - Chairlift fitted with a protective device against cold and unsteady-weather - Google Patents

Abstract

A device which can be fitted on the chair of a chairlift cable transport system used in tourist resorts and which provides passengers with a protection against cold and adverse weather conditions. Properly shaped plate elements are so arranged that in a deployed position they form a continuous protecting shield extending from above the seat to downward and frontward of the seat and that when in an upward folded position they are superposed so that the device has a very reduced area subject to wind action on empty chairs thus permitting the keeping of all chairs permanently on the cable without jeopardizing the whole line during adverse weather conditions. Springs bias the safe-guard rail towards the folded position. The device adds little weight, is easy to operate by the passengers and does not affect the usual embarcation or disembarcation procedures.

Description

The present invention is in the field of cable transport devices of the chairlift type. More specifically, it targets an entirely new design chairlift thanks to a weather and cold protection system for travelers.

Among the cable transport devices used in winter sports resorts, the ^- chairlift is particularly advantageous for the equipment of said stations, since it offers an excellent flow / investment ratio for economical and reliable operation.

However, it does not offer users any protection against the cold and bad weather, which, on journeys which can last up to 15 minutes, can result in very trying constraints for said users.

The devices envisaged so far, however, have not given satisfactory results, either that they only protected the legs of the users, or that their large surface area posed serious problems when the empty seats were subjected to winds of force relatively important. We can quote for example the protection device described in the French patent application 2 489 220, which consists of a removable hood for railing of chairlift bench. French patent application 2 422 536 also describes a folding and quickly removable shelter for chairlift seats, consisting mainly of LEMENT by a flexible and thin wall composed of spindles supported by a series of successive hoops mounted pivoting. In addition, French patent application 2,440,298 relates to an elementary cabin for a cable car line. It is actually a cabin with lateral and longitudinal oscillation damping system, intended for a device of the gondola type. Furthermore, French patent 1,325,828 relates to a chairlift of the shell seat type, the practical drawbacks of which have led to its abandonment for chairlifts. This patent describes in fact a general means of protection consisting of two contiguous half-shells which, at the closed state, leave an opening at the bottom allowing the passage of the legs of the people seated on the seat.

An object of the present invention is to provide a protection system against cold and bad weather, this chairlift system being easy to maneuver by the users themselves at the start and at the finish, while having excellent characteristics of reliability and robustness.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protection system for a chairlift making it possible to protect the most exposed parts of the body of the passengers against bad weather and cold, while presenting only a small surface in the wind when the seats are not are more occupied by users.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a protection system for chairlift against weather and cold, which is of moderate weight and reasonably priced compared with the valuation brought to this type of installation.

The object of the present invention is therefore to complete the conventional assembly, for example a chairlift with at least one seat, on which passengers take place, comprising a cable fastening system and a hanger supporting a frame on which the seat is fixed. and pivotally mounted, between a raised position and a lowered position, a system consisting of a guardrail and a footrest, by a frontal and bilateral protection system, actuated by the pivoting guardrail / rest system feet, and intended to protect the passenger (s) against the cold and bad weather.

When empty, the railing / footrest assembly, which pivots around its horizontal axis mounted on the frame behind the seat back, is raised and abuts the hanger so as to completely release the seat to allow skiers to sit on it, after which, once the passengers have boarded, they fold down the railing which is positioned a little above the level of the thighs. Near the arrival station, the users themselves raise the railing / footrest assembly.

From the above, it is clear that any protective device must therefore be linked to the railing / footrest assembly so that its installation and movement are caused by the two familiar movements of users after the departure and near arrival.

It will be noted that, for the wind surface to be reduced when the seats are empty, the elements constituting the protection must be foldable.

The front and side protection system of the invention is particularly suitable for chairlifts, this protection system being characterized in that it comprises a certain number of solid protection elements constituting in the deployed state a tight front and side protection , and capable of moving from this deployed position corresponding to the lowered position of the railing / footrest system, to a folded position in which the protective elements come in position of superposition on each other, and which corresponds to the raised position of the railing / footrest system.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the protective elements consist respectively of rectangular plates slightly convex towards the outside and having triangular lateral extensions in line with the lateral ends of the plates, these plates being respectively fixed to arches, of which one is also secured to the frame of the cabin, while the others are pivotally mounted on axes provided on bilateral brackets of the arcuate frame of the cabin, the arch the lowest in the deployed state of the protection system being integral with the railing / footrest system. ;

In this embodiment, there is also provided a system of stops secured to the pivoting protective elements so as to allow, on the one hand, in the deployed position of the system, the attachment on their arches integral with the adjacent protective elements and, on the other hand, in the folded position of the system, a suitable superposition of said pivoting protective elements below the protective element integral with the fixed arch. 0n has also been provided with elastic means for cooperating with means for locking the protection system in the deployed or folded position.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, these protective elements are constituted by stacked blades which are detachably associated with each other and which deploy in the lowered position of the railing / footrest system of the chairlift, these blades constituting a protective wall of the width of the seat and extending in line with the seat above the users up to their legs. These protective blades take their respective position in gutters optionally provided with slides and formed in arcuate frames fixed to the frame of the chairlift, during the lowering operation of the railing / footrest system and threading one on the other. others following a slip in the opposite direction during the straightening operation of said system.

In order for the frontal protection device to be able to be deployed and folded, the lower plate of the stack should be fixed to the frame in the vicinity of the connection zone of the reinforcements, while the upper plate of the stack will be fixed to a protective shield secured to the pivoting system of the railing / footrest or else constitute said protective shield in such a way that, when this system is lowered, the shield is positioned in front of the legs of the users while leaving sufficient space for the skis and boots placed on the footrest. The protective elements may be made of a transparent, translucent or opaque material, for example fiberglass, aramid fiber, polycarbonates or similar synthetic material, the protective elements being located at the level of the passengers' vision, being made of material transparent. The frame will advantageously consist of a profiled element having at least one internal gutter, U-shaped, or else an internal gutter and an external gutter, H-shaped, inside the internal gutter will be provided the slides of the plates, which will either be cut with a tool, or consist of added elements and fixed inside the internal gutter of the frame.

In profile, these slides are arranged in a staircase since the end of each blade must rest on its slide until the end of its travel when it no longer rests on the blade below. In such an embodiment, the blades are of decreasing length as they descend into the stack. Each slide has a length corresponding to the path assigned to the blade which supports it.

It is, of course, necessary that the installation distance is adapted to the maximum deflection envisaged for the blades which, if necessary, will reinforced by a light alloy element along each edge to limit said deflection.

In one embodiment, each blade or plate is provided in the vicinity of each frame with a transverse oblong lumen or groove and a stud, projecting from the underside of the blade, in the extension of the lumen of the blade neighbor. It is arranged in the vicinity of the upper edge of the blade, with the exception of the lower blade of the stack which does not have a nipple and the upper blade of the stack which does not have a lumen.

According to an advantageous characteristic of this latter embodiment, each stud is mounted captive by a flange or flange in longitudinal grooves provided in the lumen of the neighboring blade.

The lateral protection device is advantageously constituted by an impermeable fabric, for example made of synthetic material, fixed on the one hand to the frame of the chairlift and on the other hand to at least one rod with a radius substantially equal to that of the frames, each rod being pivotally mounted by one end on the frame, while the other end of said rod is secured to the protective shield or else to another zone of the pivoting system of the railing / footrest. This rod comes by its free end in sealing support against the corresponding reinforcement, said end being inserted for example in a groove or groove on the external lateral face or the internal face of the corresponding reinforcement.

This fixing will allow during the lowering or raising movements of the pivoting railing / footrest system, the erasure or the deployment of the waterproof canvas. This fabric may also be optionally reinforced with elastic threads so as to remain suitably tight when the railing / footrest system is in the raised position.

In order to avoid the accumulation of frost, it will be necessary to provide inside said slides at the edges of the plates brushing means, advantageously constituted by thin strips of fluffy synthetic fabric or furnished with fairly tight bristles whose flexibility allows possible passage of the blades without resistance, while giving a sufficient sealing solution against frost, snow and other bad weather.

• Fig. 1 est une vue frontale d'un télésiège pourvu d'une première forme de réalisation de système de protection selon la présente invention;
• Fig. 2 est une vue latérale du télésiège de la figure 1 avec son dispositif de protection contre les intempéries, déployé ;
• Fig. 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 2 mais avec le système garde-corps/repose-pieds relevé;
• Fig. 4 est une vue de détail de dessus selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 2 ;
• Fig. 5 est une vue en perspective d'un télésiège pourvu d'une seconde forme de réalisation de système de protection de l'invention ;
• Fig. 6 est une vue latérale du télésiège de la figure 1 avec son système de protection contre les intempéries déployé ; et
• Fig. 7 est une vue analogue à la figure 6, mais avec son dispositif de protection contre les intempéries replié.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a non-limiting embodiment of chairlift, provided with a device for protection against cold and bad weather according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Fig. 1 is a front view of a chairlift provided with a first embodiment of a protection system according to the present invention;
• Fig. 2 is a side view of the chairlift in FIG. 1 with its weather protection device deployed;
• Fig. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the railing / footrest system raised;
• Fig. 4 is a detail view from above along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2;
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a chairlift provided with a second embodiment of the protection system of the invention;
• Fig. 6 is a side view of the chair lift of FIG. 1 with its weather protection system deployed; and
• Fig. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, but with its weather protection device folded back.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4, the chairlift consists of a hanger 1 with its upper hooking device la to the cable lb. This hanger 1 supports a frame 2 to which a seat 2b is fixed. This frame 2 is extended laterally by two arcuate frames 6a, 6b. On the frame 2 is also pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis 2a, between a raised position and a lowered position, a system consisting of a railing (3) / footrest (4).

The chair lift of the invention further comprises a frontal protection device 5 which consists of a number of plates or blades 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e and extending over the entire distance between the frames 6a, 6b . These plates or blades 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e are supported by their lateral edges in internal grooves provided in the frames 6a, 6b.

The protective blade 5a is fixed at 11 to the track sinage of the points of connection of the reinforcements 6a, 6b to the frame 2. The blade 5e is attached with a certain degree of flexibility to the shield 7.

In the raised position of the railing 3 / footrest 4 system, protective plates or blades 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e are stacked in an upper zone between the reinforcements 6a, 6b in the vicinity of their junction with the frame 2 .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the blades or plates 5a, 5b, 5c comprise, in the vicinity of each frame 6a, 6b, an oblong transverse lumen 9 and, projecting, on the underside of each of these blades, in the extension of the lumen 9, there is provided coming from molding with the blade or alternatively, a stud 10 disposed in the vicinity of the upper edge of the corresponding blade. Note that the lower blade of the stack 5a does not have a latching stud, while the upper blade of the stack 5e is devoid of guide light.

The pins 10 will advantageously be mounted prisoners in the corresponding lumen of the neighboring blade. At the end of each stud, there will advantageously be provided a flange or flange intended to slide in longitudinal grooves provided in the openings of each neighboring blade, the blades or plates having to have a quality of mechanical strength and flexibility appropriate to their deployment and re-stacking.

The chairlift of the invention also comprises a bilateral protection device 8 constituted on each side of the chairlift by a waterproof fabric weave having suitable elastic characteristics, and fixed, on the one hand, to the frame of the chairlift, on the other hand, to at least one rod 8a pivotally mounted by one end on the frame, for example on the pivot axis 2a of the system 3,4, the other end being secured to the shield 7. On the outer or inner faces of the frames 6a, 6b will be formed grooves or grooves in which will come to bear, by their free ends, the rods 8a, 8b, 8c , 8d, 8e, 8f.

The chairlift of the invention operates like any chairlift comprising a pivoting railing / footrest system, between a raised position and a lowered position, except that these movements cause the frontal protection devices 5 and bilateral 8 from the deployed position to the non-deployed position and vice versa.

When users grasp the pivoting system of the railing 3 / footrest 4 above their head to bring it in front of them, the blade 5e which is attached to the shield 7 of the railing will drive the neighboring blade 5d when its nipple 10 will come by sliding abutting on the edge of the light, and so on until the complete deployment of the neighboring blades from each other, with the exception of the blade 5a which remains fixed.

When the railing is completely lowered, users will be behind a continuous wall a few centimeters in front of the railing with the shield 7 fixed to the swivel system and preferably Refer to the footrest, which will protect the leg area between knees and shoes.

By raising the railing, it is the shield fastening device 7 which will successively push back the blade 5e to which it is attached, and which, thanks to its stud 10 will push the neighboring blade back, and so on the blades will come into position superimposed on each other by being driven by the upward movement of each stud 10 which will abut on the edge of the lumen 10 of the neighboring blade, opposite to that on which it was hung, and this, until that the footrest comes into abutment against the hanger, thus restoring the stacking of the starting blades.

It is clear that the bilateral protection device will also pass during these maneuvers from the non-deployed position to the deployed position, and vice versa.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7, the chairlift consists of a hanger 23 which supports a U-shaped frame or frame 17 and on the uprights of which are fixed two pairs of bilateral brackets 24, 25. On these brackets 24, 25 is fixed a hoop 13a to which is secured a protective element 12a. The other protective elements 12b, 12c, 12d are secured to the arches 13b, 13c, 13d, respectively, which are pivotally mounted on axes 16 provided on the bilateral brackets 25 of the frame 17, the arch 13d being further secured to the footrest railing system 14.

As shown in the drawing, the arches 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d are advantageously secured respectively to the protective elements 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, in the region of the anterior edge of said protective elements. These arches conform to the shape of the protective elements which are formed into rectangular plates slightly convex towards the outside and having triangular extensions substantially at the right of the ends of this plate.

For the protective and pivoting elements 12b, 12c, 12d, a system of stops 22b, 22c, 22d has been provided, intended to be hooked onto the respective arches secured to the adjacent protective elements. In the folded position, this system of stops also serves to obtain suitable storage by superposition of the pivoting protective elements 12b, 12c, 12d, under the fixed protective element 12a.

A first spring 18 is tensioned between the frame 17 and the free end of the bracket 25, while a second spring 19 is tensioned between the seat 20 and said free end of the bracket 25. These springs are provided to cooperate with locking means, not shown in the drawing, intended to lock the protection system 14 in the lowered or raised position.

As in the first embodiment, when the railing is completely lowered, the users will be behind a continuous wall, while by raising the railing 14, the arch 13d which is integral with it, will successively push the element 12d via the stop system 22d, will push back the element 13c, which through the stop system 22c will push back element 13b, the stop system 22b of which will abut against the arch 13a.

Thus, in these two embodiments, in the raised state of the railing / footrest system, the chair lift of the invention will only offer little wind resistance, while in operation of the chair lift users will protected by a protective system leaving the total landscape view, against the effect of cooling in the air in general at low temperature at a speed close to 10 km / hour, this system also constituting an effective shelter in the event of a fall snow, which will deploy during the downward movement of the pivoting railing / footrest system.

Thus, considerably improved according to the present invention, the protection against the cold and bad weather of the passengers of a chairlift, and this, thanks to a solid protective system actuated by the pivoting system constituted by the railing and the feet of the chairlift.

Claims (12)

1. Front and side protection system for transport devices, in particular for chairlifts with at least one seat, intended to protect the passenger or passengers against the cold and bad weather, this chairlift comprising a frame or frame on which is pivotally mounted between a raised position and lowered position, a device consisting of a railing and a footrest, this protection system being further characterized in that it comprises a certain number of solid protection elements (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5th; 12a, 12. 12c, 12d) constituting, in the deployed state, a sealed frontal and lateral protection, and capable of moving from this deployed position corresponding to the lowered position of the railing system / footrest (4.14) in a folded position in which said protective elements come in position of superposition on each other and which corresponds to the raised position of the railing / footrest system (4.14). 2. Protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that each protective element consists of a rectangular plate slightly convex towards the outside (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) having triangular lateral extensions substantially in line with the lateral ends of each plate, and is secured to a hoop (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d), the hoop (13a) being integral with two pairs of bilateral brackets (24,25) of the U-shaped frame (17) , while the others (13b, 13c, 13d) are pivotally mounted on axes (16) provided on the bilateral brackets (25) of the frame (17), the arch (13d) being also secured to the railing / footrest device. 3. Protection system according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a system of stops (22b, 22c, 22d) is provided respectively on the pivoting protective elements (12b, 12c, 12d) of so as to allow, on the one hand, in the deployed position, the attachment to the arches integral with said adjacent protective elements and, on the other hand, in the folded position, a suitable superposition of said pivoting protective elements (12b, 12c, 12d), below the fixed protective element (12a). 4. Protection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that elastic means (18,19) are provided to cooperate with locking positions of the railing device / footrest in the lowered position or raised, therefore from the protection system in the deployed or folded position, respectively. 5. Protection system according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a frontal protection device (5) constituted by a number of plates or blades (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) associated in a removable manner. to each other and guided in an internal groove formed in arcuate side frames (6a, 6b) or in slides provided in said side frames which are integral with the frame (2) supported by the hanger (1). 6. Protection system according to claim 5, charac terized in that, in the raised position, of the railing (3) / footrest (4) system, the plates or blades (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) are stacked in an upper area of the frame (1 ) between the frames (6a, 6b), the lower plate (5a) of the stack being fixed to the frame (2) while the upper plate (5e) of the stack is attached to the shield (7) secured to the pivoting system of the railing (3) / footrest (4). 7. Protection system according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that each blade or plate (5b, 5c) is provided in the vicinity of each frame (6a, 6b) of the light or semi-oblong groove - transverse (9) and a stud (10) projecting on the underside of the corresponding blade, provided in the extension of the lumen of the neighboring blade, and disposed in the vicinity of the upper edge of the blade which carries it, with the exception of the lower blade (5a) of the stack which does not have a stud, and of the upper blade of the stack (5e) in which there is not spared a lumen. 8. Protection system according to claim 7, characterized in that each stud (10) is mounted captive in - the slot (9) of the neighboring blade. 9. Protection system according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that each stud is mounted captive sliding by means of a flange or flange, in longitudinal grooves provided in the lumen of the neighboring blade. 10. Protection system as claimed tion 1, characterized in that the blades or plates (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) are made of a transparent, translucent or opaque material, having characteristics of appropriate mechanical resistance and flexibility, and chosen from glass fibers , aramid fibers, polycarbonates and other suitable plastics, the blades lying at the level of the passengers' vision being made of transparent material. 11. Protection system according to claim l, characterized in that the protection device (8) consists of an impermeable fabric, for example of synthetic fabric having suitable elastic characteristics, fixed, on the one hand, to the frame of the chairlift, and on the other hand, to at least one rod 8a pivotally mounted by one end on the frame and of radius substantially equal to that of the arcuate reinforcements (6a, 6b), the other end of this rod being integral with the shield (7) , which drives it in rotation. 12. Protection system according to claim 8, characterized in that each rod (8a, 8b _v 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f) comes by its free end in sealing support against the corresponding reinforcement (6a, 6b), this end being inserted for example in a groove or groove provided on the. lateral face or the internal face of the corresponding reinforcement.

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