EP0399413A1 - Cableway installation with rescue track - Google Patents

Abstract

The cableway (32) of the rescue track provided in the centre between the transport cableways (18, 20) of a circulating cabin cable car system and running alongside them is arranged above said track. The transport cable ways have, like the rescue track, two carrying cables (12). The rescue vehicle (46), which can be moved on the carrying cables (40) of the latter cableway, has a rescue cabin (50) whose passenger capacity is of equal size to that of a cabin (26) of the transport vehicles (22). One rescue unit (60) each is attached to the two longitudinal sides (54), provided with door openings, of the rescue cabin (50) and comprises a platform (61) and a rescue basket (82) which can be lowered and raised between said platform and a transport cabin. The platform can be swivelled between a folded-up travel position and a folded-down position so that it can be walked on during a rescue operation. In the travel position, the passage of the rescue vehicle through a rescue structure of a cable support, which supports both the cables of the transport cableways and those of the rescue track, is not impeded. The rescue basket which offers standing space for two people can be secured both to the respective transport vehicle and to the rescue vehicle for the transfer of passengers. Independently of the extent of sag of the carrying cables of all the cableways, passengers can be rescued quickly and safely from the cabins of jammed transport vehicles by means of the rescue unit which also bridges the horizontal distance between the rescue track and the transport cable way. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a cable car system with a rescue train according to the preamble of claim 1.

Recovery vehicles moving on their own lane parallel to the transport route of the cable car system have long been known. A cable car system for a cable car orbit, which has its own salvage lane for each transport direction outside the lanes of the transport cabins, is described in the magazine "Internationale Seilbahnrundschau 2/1976". The rescue vehicle can only pick up the rescue team here in order to transport them to blocked transport cabins and, with the help of a rescue basket attached to a winch, to allow the passengers to be abseiled individually to an accessible site. Although the transport cabins are small cabins that can accommodate a maximum of six passengers, the recovery time per cabin is considerable, even if a procedure of the recovery cabin to rappel the passengers onto accessible terrain can be omitted.

Another cable car system with a rescue cable car has become known from "Schweizerischen Baublatt", No. 92, November 20, 1987. In this proposal of a system designed as an aerial tramway, which is equipped with a group of interconnected transport cabins, the only lane of the recovery vehicle runs between the lanes of the transport cabins through the supports and is formed by a circulating conveyor cable guided on the supports. With regard to the rescue of the passengers from the cabins, problems are to be expected here if the apparently fundamentally possible transfer of the passengers from transport cabins located within a span to the rescue vehicle has to take place.

The CH-PS 309 084 also discloses a cable car system working according to the circulation system, which is equipped with a rescue lane having its own lane. In order to be able to rescue the passengers from a transport cabin, the sag of the ropes defining the lanes must be changed by changing the rope tension so that the transport vehicle and the recovery vehicle are at approximately the same height at the location in question. This operation is time consuming and cumbersome. In particular, if all vehicles in the system are blocked in the event of a malfunction, it may be impossible for all passengers to be recovered quickly enough.

The invention has for its object to provide a cable car system in which the passengers can be quickly and safely freed from blocked transport cabins and the final salvage can be carried out without strain for them.

The achievement of the stated object is achieved with the measures according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

The design of the recovery vehicle as a cabin suitable for accommodating several passengers offers the possibility of taking the passengers into a protected space and, if necessary, letting them stay there until the nearest station or a rope support of the system is reached by moving the recovery cabin, where the recovery vehicle can be left easily. Since the salvage cabin always occupies an elevated position with respect to the transport cabins even within the span fields, the transfer of the passengers to the salvage cabin can be carried out in a constant process by means of the salvage device. This transfer into the salvage cabin moved above a transport cabin can be accomplished quickly by means of salvage equipment and with the help of the salvage personnel and thus without effort for the passengers. It is an essential advantage of the invention that the excessive course of the salvage lane compared to the transport lanes causes mutual hindrance or interference by the ropes of the two systems, e.g. under the influence of wind, prevented.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the salvage lane runs approximately above the middle between two parallel transport lanes.

In order to create the possibility of accommodating all passengers in a transport cabin and transporting them together to a station or to a cable support, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the recovery cabin is equipped with a passenger capacity that corresponds to that of a transport cabin and offers recovery personnel space.

In particular for reasons of stability of the recovery vehicle, e.g. in the tensioning field, it is preferred if its load capacity is taken over by two cables spaced apart from one another.

In the case of larger transport cabins, in which the carrying loads are taken up by several ropes, according to a likewise preferred embodiment of the invention, several ropes are also provided for taking over the load of the recovery cabin. Just as for the transport cabins, the salvage cabins can either be multiple hoisting ropes or multiple suspension ropes, in the latter case the salvage cabin is driven by a traction rope, which is not necessarily arranged all the way round.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the salvage device comprising a cable winch has a salvage basket for at least two people, in which the passengers step over and can be lifted up or standing to or into the salvage cabin.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lateral distance between the salvage cabin and the transport cabins is selected in such a way that the salvage basket can be moved in a vertical axis which runs between the outer boundary of the salvage cabin and the inner boundary of each transport cabin, each transport cabin has a lockable opening at its inner boundary.

It also corresponds to a preferred embodiment of the invention that the cable supports have a salvage structure which is arranged above and fastened to a cross member carrying elements of the transport carriageway. It is therefore basically possible to retrofit an existing cable car system according to the invention, i.e. to be equipped with a rescue train without having to replace the cable supports.

• Fig. 1 schematisch die Lage der Fahrbahnen und Fahr­zeuge im Verhältnis zu einer Seilstütze, im Aufriss dargestellt;
• Fig. 2 in Ansicht das Bergungsfahrzeug nach Fig. 1 mit ausgefahrenem Bergungskorb;
• Fig. 3 einen Horizontalschnitt durch das Bergungsfahr­zeug entlang Linie III-III in Fig. 2; und
• Fig. 4 ebenfalls schematisch und im Aufriss das Bergungsfahrzeug und Transportfahrzeuge der Umlaufbahn nach Fig. 1 in einer Bergungs­situation in einem Spannfeld.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment of an orbit equipped with a rescue path with reference to the drawing. Show it:

• Figure 1 shows schematically the location of the roadways and vehicles in relation to a cable support, shown in elevation.
• FIG. 2 shows the recovery vehicle according to FIG. 1 with the recovery basket extended;
• 3 shows a horizontal section through the recovery vehicle along line III-III in FIG. 2; and
• Fig. 4 also schematically and in elevation the recovery vehicle and transport vehicles of the orbit according to Fig. 1 in a recovery situation in a span.

2 in FIG. 1 generally designates a cable support (only upper part shown) which is arranged on the transport route of a cabin orbit. The rope support 2 has a cross-member 4, on both ends of which two cable shoe carriers 6 with cable shoes 8 fastened thereon for a supporting cable 12 each and between these pairs of cable shoe carriers 6 each a cable pulley 10 for a common circumferential traction cable 16 are fastened. The rope pulley 10 is representative of a so-called roller battery.

The support cable pairs 12, which are supported at the same height on the two pairs of cable shoes 8, extend between stations (not shown) and each form elements of a transport track running between these stations, generally designated 18 or 20. On the two transport lanes 18, 20, which are connected to one another in the stations in a known manner, transport vehicles coupled to the traction cable 16, generally designated 22, run around. In addition to a chassis 24 movable on a pair of support cables 12, the transport vehicles 22 also comprise a hanger 25, which also connects them in a known manner to a passenger cabin 26 Transport lane 20 are moved down the valley. While the cabin door (not shown) is located on the side 28 of the cabin 26 facing away from the cable support, an opening 29 is provided in the longitudinal side wall 27 facing the support and is closed by means of a door element 30.

According to the invention, the cable car system is equipped with a rescue line. Like all others, the cable support 2 carries forward on the route hand further rope supports a yoke-shaped salvage structure, generally designated 31, which is attached to the crossbar 4. A salvage roadway 32, which is formed from elements which correspond to those of the transportation roadways 18, 20, runs through the salvage structure 31 in the middle between but elevated relative to the transportation lanes 18, 20. On a crossbar 34 of the salvage structure 31, two cable shoe carriers 38 with cable shoes 39 are fastened via an L-shaped support part 36, over which a support cable 40 each runs in a supported manner. A rope pulley 42 is also mounted between the two rope shoe carriers 38, via which a pull rope 44 can be guided. The traction cable 44 is connected at one end to a recovery vehicle, generally designated 46, which can be moved on the pair of support cables 40 or in the recovery lane 32. The other end of the pulling cable 44 is connected to a winch (not shown) which is arranged in the top station of the installation and by means of which a pulling force can be exerted on it in the direction of uphill travel. It goes without saying that with a corresponding deflection of the pull rope 44, the winch could also be arranged on the valley side in relation to the recovery vehicle 46. It is also conceivable to also design and arrange the pull rope 44 as a circumferential rope and to connect the recovery vehicle 46 to it by means of one or more fixed or releasable clamps. The correspondingly arranged winch or drive pulley is in any case connected to a drive unit (likewise not shown) that is independent of the drive of the pull rope 16.

The salvage vehicle 46 comprises, as can be seen more clearly from FIG. 2, next to one on the pair of support cables 40 supported undercarriage 48, a recovery cabin 50 connected to it via a suspension 52, which are equipped in the manner described below for recovering passengers from one or the transport vehicles 22. In this context, it should be pointed out that - according to the exemplary embodiment shown - the salvage cabin has a passenger capacity corresponding to that of a transport cabin 26 and can also accommodate at least one person from the salvage personnel for returning to the station or to a cable support. In the preferred exemplary embodiment described and illustrated, the transport cabins are designed for 25 passengers, with no accompanying personnel being provided.

As can be seen from Fig. 3, both longitudinal side walls 54 and 54 'of the salvage cabin 50, which in plan is approximately an elongated rectangle, have a door opening 56, 56', each of which can be shut off by a sliding door 58, 58 '.

Each of the long sides of the salvage cabin 50 is assigned a salvage unit 60, 60 'to enable passengers to be transferred from a transport cabin 26.

In front of each door opening 56, 56 ', a platform 61, 61' is pivotally attached to the salvage cabin between an opened driving position (platform of the long side wall 54) and an approximately horizontal salvage position (platform of the long side wall 54 '). On both longitudinal sides 63 of each platform 61, an upward triangular strut 62 is rigidly attached, the upper ends 65 store a pulley 64 rotatably between them. The struts 62 are also connected to a frame-shaped extension arm 66 via a joint 68. The cantilever arm 66 is in turn held vertically displaceably on the corresponding longitudinal side wall 54 or 54 'by means not shown. Each platform 61 is provided on its longitudinal sides 63 with approximately at waist height, rigid railing parts 72 and formed by chains or ropes and connected to the longitudinal side wall 54 and 54 'connected movable railing parts 74. In the same way, the components connected to the platform 60 'are designed.

Above the roof 76 of the salvage cabin 50, a winch assembly, indicated at 78, is fastened to the hanger 52, which has a winch 79 for each of the two transport lanes 18 and 20 or longitudinal side walls 54, 54 '. In addition, either each winch 79 has its own drive or a common drive is provided for both winches. Hydrostatic power transmissions to the winches 79 are preferably provided such that they can be operated independently of one another. The drives and power transmissions are not shown for reasons of clarity. Each of the winches 79 is provided with a rope 80, 80 ', which is connected via the rope pulley 64, 64' to a recovery device 82, hereinafter called the recovery basket (only one shown in FIG. 2). Each salvage basket 82 has a floor 83, side walls 84 and an open top 85. The salvage basket 82 offers at least two people standing room and has on its side 84 facing away from the salvage cabin a hook member 86, which forms a trailer link, and a repelling member 88, the meaning of which is explained below. In the end a bracket 81 is provided over the open top 85, to which the rope 80 is attached.

The elevation of the salvage lane 32 compared to the transport lanes 18, 20 is selected such that, taking into account all circumstances, a conflict between the salvage vehicle or its ropes 40, 44 with those of the transport lanes can be ruled out.

In connection with Fig. 4, a rescue of passengers from transport vehicles 22, 22 ', which are blocked within the span of the suspension cables 12, is briefly explained. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that the transport vehicles 22, 22 'of both transport lanes 18 and 20 have come to a standstill at the same point on the route. However, the height of the transport vehicles 22, 22 'and their cabins 26 due to different sag, e.g. because of different load conditions on their support cable pairs 12, different.

The salvage vehicle 46, with a salvage team comprising at least two people, was brought on the salvage lane 32 (FIG. 1) by means of the traction cable 44 to the route point at which the transport vehicles 22 are blocked. Thanks to its own carriageway and independent drive of the winch of this traction cable 44, this is also possible if the blocking is caused by a malfunction in the main drive of the transport track or the power transmission to it. On the recovery vehicle 46, both platforms 61 and 61 'are folded down into the recovery position. The salvage basket 82 is by means of the on the rope 80 acting winch 79 lowered to the level of the transport vehicle 26 on the transport lane 18, while the salvage basket 82 'is at the level of the salvage cabin 46. As can be seen, the recovery baskets 82, 82 'are each movable in a vertical axis 90 running between the inner boundary of the transport cabin 26 or its longitudinal side wall 27 and the platform 61 as the outer boundary of the recovery cabin 46. The rescue cage 82 is held with its hook member 86 on a securing bracket 92, likewise forming a trailer link, on the hanger 25 in a position located directly on the longitudinal side wall 27. Passengers from the transport cabin 26 can thus climb into the salvage basket 82. It is assumed that the opening 29 in the longitudinal side wall 27 has been previously cleared by removing the corresponding door element 30. A member of the salvage team who has previously climbed into the transport cabin is responsible for this preparatory work. If two passengers, possibly under the supervision and with the help of the member of the salvage team present, have climbed the salvage basket 82, the other member of the same, who is at the door opening of the salvage cabin 50, sets the winch of the rope 80 in motion and lifts the salvage basket 82 over it Direction of the salvage cabin, with the securing bracket 92 being released by the hook member 86. The further process is explained using the right-hand representation of the salvage basket 82 ', since this is analogous to the one on the left-hand side.

The right-hand recovery cage 82 'is raised to the height of the recovery vehicle 46 or its cabin 50 Position shown. As can be seen, a safety bracket 94 provided on each cantilever arm 66 is overlapped by the associated hook member 86 of the recovery cage 82 'and thus kept immobile relative to the cabin 50. The transfer of the passengers from the salvage basket into the salvage cabin 50 under the supervision of the member of the salvage team present there takes place via the platform 61 'and overcoming the horizontal distance between the transport cabin 26 and the salvage track 50 is thus simplified. Once the passengers have changed, the salvage basket 82 'is initially raised slightly by means of the winch in order to have the safety bracket 94 released by the hook member 86. Then the salvage basket 82 'can be lowered to the level of the transport cabin 26, where the member of the salvage team present pulls it towards the cabin and establishes the engagement between the hook member 86 and the safety bracket 92. The process described above can now be repeated.

If all passengers in a transport cabin are brought into the recovery vehicle, the recovery platforms 61, 61 'are opened by pulling up the recovery baskets 82, 82' for the journey to a neighboring station or a rope support suitable for further recovery, which means that even with limited clearance in Salvage structure 30 a passage through the cable supports in the case of transverse oscillation, for example under the influence of wind, is possible. To get off the passengers, the corresponding platform is folded down and the salvage basket is moved to the side. In the manner described, the passengers of the transport vehicles of both transport lanes 18 and 20 can one certain section or the entire route can be recovered by the same recovery vehicle. In principle, it is possible to use several recovery vehicles or winches for faster recovery and to carry out the recovery on different sections of the route at the same time, for example from both stations or a rope support.

It follows from the above that the rescue operation can be carried out safely even under unfavorable climatic conditions.

It is expedient to arrange the control elements of the winch assembly 78 or the two associated winches directly adjacent to the door openings 54 in order to facilitate the simultaneous monitoring of the changeover processes or the movements of the rescue baskets in addition to operating the winches.

The salvage unit can replace the platform 61 bridging the horizontal distance on the salvage cabin by at least one e.g. Have vertical axis pivotable crane arm, which carries the pulley 64 and allows to bring the salvage basket in front of the opening 29 or in front of the door opening 56. Likewise, the rope pulley could be movable on a horizontal, laterally projecting rail in order to bridge this distance between the two cabins 26 and 50.

Instead of two salvage units for the salvage vehicle, a single such unit is also conceivable if this one is on both sides of the salvage cabin has a pivotable crane arm or a pivotable running rail with a cable pulley movable along the same. Crane arm or running rail can be brought into a position pointing in the longitudinal direction for the driving operation of the recovery vehicle.

According to another embodiment of the salvage vehicle and the salvage unit within the meaning of the invention, it is also conceivable to connect the salvage cabin itself to its undercarriage so that it can pivot about a vertical axis, so that the only salvage unit can be turned towards transport vehicles on one or the other of the two transport lanes.

While the invention was explained above in connection with an orbit with cabins, the capacity of which exceeds 20 passengers, this can of course also be implemented for systems with smaller transport cabins. It goes without saying that single-rope systems can also be considered, or systems in which only one suspension cable is provided per lane. It is also possible to apply the invention in connection with aerial tramway systems.

Claims (17)

1. cable car system with a rescue lane, with a transport lane and a transport vehicle movable on it, a rescue lane extending along the transport lane and a rescue vehicle that can be moved on the latter and has a rescue cabin, characterized in that the rescue lane (32) above the transport lane (18, 20) and the recovery vehicle (46) comprises a recovery unit (60) with a recovery device (80, 82) that can be lowered to the transport vehicle and raised to the recovery cabin. 2. Cable car system according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport track (18) and the recovery track (32) each comprise at least one rope (12, 40) and that means (2), e.g. a rope support is provided to support the rope of the salvage lane above that of the transport lane. 3. Cable car system according to claim 2, characterized in that each cable support (2) is common to all lanes (18, 32). 4. Cable car system according to one of the preceding claims, with transport vehicles running on parallel transport lanes and a lane between the transport lanes of the recovery vehicle, characterized in that the recovery cabin (50) can accommodate a number of passengers in addition to salvage personnel and the salvage device (79, 80, 82) has a salvage basket and a cable winch attached to the salvage vehicle. 5. Cable car system according to claim 4, characterized in that the passenger capacity of the recovery cabin (50) corresponds to that of a transport cabin (26). 6. Cable car system according to claim 5, with transport vehicles (22) whose load is distributed over two ropes (12), characterized in that the load of the recovery vehicle (46) is also distributed over two ropes (40). 7. Cable car system according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterized in that the recovery vehicle (46) comprises a recovery unit (60) for each transport lane (18, 20). 8. Cable car system according to claim 7, characterized in that viewed in plan, the salvage basket (82) is movable in a vertical axis (90) running between an inner boundary (27) of the transport cabin (26) and an outer boundary of the salvage cabin, each transport cabin has a lockable opening at its inner boundary. 9. Cable car system according to one of claims 4-8, characterized in that the salvage cabin (50) two for Has parallel longitudinal walls (54) with door openings (56) provided therein, which can be closed by doors (58), and that each recovery unit (60) has a recovery platform (61) in front of each door opening. 10. Cable car system according to claim 9, characterized in that each salvage platform (61) between a driving position and a salvage position is pivotable. 11. Cable car system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that a deflection roller (64) for the cable (80) connecting the recovery cage (82) to the winch (79) is connected to the recovery platform (61). 12. Cable car system according to one of the preceding claims, that on the transport cabins (22) and the salvage cabin (50) on the one hand and on the salvage basket (84) on the other hand each a link (92, 94, 86) is provided to secure the salvage basket in an adjacent position . 13. Cable car system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cable supports (2) have a salvage structure (31) which is arranged above and fixed to an element of the transport track (18, 20) carrying cross member (4). 14. Cable car system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two suspension cables (40) are provided for the recovery vehicle (22). 15. Cable car system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a drive independent of the main drive of the transport track is provided for the recovery vehicle (22). 16. Cable car system according to one of claims 4 -7, characterized in that the recovery cabin is pivotally connected about a vertical axis to the chassis of the recovery vehicle and is equipped with a single recovery unit. 17. Cable car system according to claim 4 or 16, characterized in that the salvage unit comprises means for moving the salvage basket horizontally relative to the salvage cabin.

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