EP0640518B1 - Stabilization device for the grips of a ropeway - Google Patents

Abstract

A ropeway, especially a chair lift with disengageable grips 15, is equipped with a device for stabilising the grips at the approach of a stationary support 12 particularly at the entrance of a station. This device comprises stabilising rails 25, 26 arranged in front of the stationary support in order to bring the grip progressively into the correct position. The height position of these rails is adjustable automatically as a function of the position of the rope 10. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a teleporter comprising a cable tractor-carrier with continuous scrolling between two stations, cable support rollers carried by fixed supports located at the entrance to stations and / or along the line, cabins or seats attached to the cable in line to move between the two stations, each cabin or seat having a clamp cable coupling and a hinged hanger to the clamp associated, and a clamp stabilization device having a element integral with one of the fixed supports and an element conjugate integral with the clamp, which cooperate to bring the clamp coupled to the cable in a predetermined position of passage of the fixed support.

The invention is described below in its application to the stabilization in roll of a clamp at the entrance of a station of a detachable chairlift, but it is clear that it is applicable to a gondola and a teleporter with clips fixed and to stabilize the clamp when passing a pylon and in one direction only.

When passing a fixed support and more particularly in stations, seat and clamp must be positioned correctly to avoid collision with stationary parts installation and to facilitate boarding and / or disembarking of passengers. The online position is however very variable and it depends on the deflection of the cable in function load and other factors, such as the inclination of the seat, due to uneven load or roll distribution imposed by the wind or by untimely movements of passengers.

Document EP-A-0 218 306 describes a device for bringing the clamp in the correct position, arranging at the entrance of the station and at the front of the tracks and rollers support, stabilization rails, which cooperate with the clamp, coupled to the cable, to bring it gradually into correct position when moving along the rails stabilization. The stabilization rails diverge towards the front to form a flared entrance, the opening of which is sufficient to intercept the clamp in all circumstances and bring it onto the running rails. The size of the entrance flared must take into account the extreme deviations likely to occur present, especially due to variations in position cable vertical. This device is simple, since it makes use of fixed rails, which derive the positioning force of the clamp for the displacement of the latter. The rails are resiliently mounted to absorb shock, but this amortization is limited and insufficient, when the deviations from positioning are important and we have little time to compensate for these differences, in this case in the modern teleporters with high travel speed and seats with four or more seats. It is possible increase the length of the stabilization rails, to spread this stabilization over a longer period and avoid shocks detrimental to passenger comfort and wear and tear material, but this length quickly becomes excessive.

The present invention aims to allow the realization a compact and simple stabilization device, which avoids any brutal action on the clamp or on the seat.

The teleporter according to the invention is characterized in that it includes a device for positioning said height stabilizing element, to hold the latter in one fixed vertical position relative to the cable, moving the stabilizing element according to the vertical movements of the cable.

The action exerted by the stabilization rail (s) on the clamp depends on the slope of the stabilization rail relative to the direction of movement of the clamp and this slope is determined by the length of the rail and the maximum deviation of position to compensate. In the majority of cases only the part rail terminal is active. We understands that by adjusting, according to the invention, the position in height of the stabilization rail as a function of the position of the cable, we are free from these cable position variations and that the size of the flared entry and therefore the slope of the rail stabilization, can be reduced accordingly.

The height adjustment of the stabilization device can be carried out by any appropriate means, in particular by a link with a cable position detector. This detector is advantageously a simple pair of rollers, which frame the cable without obstructing the passage of the clamp and which are connected mechanically to the stabilization device. One of ends of the stabilizer rails is preferably hinged to the fixed part, while the opposite end is adjustable in height so as to follow the movements of the cable.

The stabilization device can cooperate with the clamp and more particularly with the gripper roller, on the side opposite the jaws, but it is conceivable to act on a other part of the seat, in particular on the hanger, which has the advantage of having leverage. The stabilization device can be in several parts, one acting in one direction, for example to pivot the clamp up and the other for its downward pivoting, the two parts being either mechanically secured, or operated independently of each other. In some cases stabilization in one direction may be sufficient, this which simplifies the installation even more.

la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation du dispositif de stabilisation selon l'invention;

la figure 2 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 1, sur laquelle la position en hauteur du câble est différente;

la figure 3 est une vue de côté, à échelle agrandie, du dispositif de stabilisation selon la figure 1, la pince étant représentée en position correcte;

la figure 4 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 3, la pince étant représentée en position inclinée d'appui sur le rail de stabilisation inférieur.

Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the description which follows of an embodiment of the invention, given by way of nonlimiting example and shown in the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of the stabilization device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, in which the height position of the cable is different;

Figure 3 is a side view, on an enlarged scale, of the stabilization device according to Figure 1, the clamp being shown in the correct position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, the clamp being shown in an inclined position of support on the lower stabilization rail.

In the figures a tractor carrying cable 10 of a chairlift passes on a train of support rollers 11, carried by the fixed frame 12, at the entrance to a station. Seats 13 are coupled to the cable 10 by lines 14 and clamps 15. The installation described is of the detachable type, in which the clamp 15 is uncoupled from the cable 10 in station for boarding or disembarking passengers at speed reduced or zero, but the invention is applicable to installations with fixed attachments and in general to everything teleporter, especially at cable cars. The clamp 15, well known per se, comprises a pair of jaws 16 biased in cable clamping position 10 by a spring 17 and of which the opening is controlled by a lever 18 cooperating with a control rail (not shown). The clamp 15 carries rollers running 19.20 which roll in the station on rails of bearing to support the clamp 15, disengaged from the cable 10. In the example shown in the figures, the roller 19, next to cable 10, rolls on a running rail (not shown), while the roller 20, spaced from the cable 10, cooperates with a pair of running rails 21, 22, who frame it to define its height position. Rails bearing 21.22 are arranged to support the clamp 15 as soon as the first roller 11 is crossed on the side from the entrance. At the end 23 of the lower rail 21 of the pair of the aforementioned rails is articulated a lower rail of stabilization 25, which extends this running rail 21 towards the front, in this case upstream from the direction of cable 10, indicated by an arrow. In a way analogous an upper stabilizing rail 26 is articulated to the end 24 of the upper rail 22 to extend this rail 22 forward beyond the first roller 11. The two rails of stabilization 25.26 divergent and their ends 27.28, opposite the joints 23, 24, form a flared entry, framing the cable 10 or more exactly the horizontal plane containing the cable. These latter ends 27.28 are integral with a branch 29 of an inverted U-shaped frame 30, which overlaps the clamp 15 and the opposite branch 31 of which carries two rollers 32 enclosing the cable 10 from above and from below. These two rollers 32 are offset in the longitudinal direction of the cable 10 to facilitate the passage of the clamps 15 between the rollers 32. It is easy to see that any movement of the cable 10 up or down is transmitted by the rollers 32 and by the frame 30 to the two stabilization rails 25.26 for maintain the correct position of the flared entry relative to to cable 10. The size of this flared entry can thus be reduced accordingly, this only compensating for the others random positioning of the clamp 10. The divergence of the rails stabilization 25.26 is accentuated on the extremity side opposite 27,28, these parts intervening only during deviations extreme and aimed at avoiding any accident.

En fonctionnement normal, représenté aux figures 1 et 3, la pince 15 se présente en position correcte à l'entrée de la station et le galet 20 ne coopère pas avec les rails de stabilisation 25,26. Lorsque la flèche du câble 10 augmente, tous les sièges étant par exemple occupés, la partie du câble 10 avant les galets de support 11 s'abaisse de la manière représentée à la figure 2. Ce mouvement est transmis aux rails de stabilisation 25,26, qui conservent ainsi leur position relative au câble 10, représentée à la figure 3. L'ouverture de l'entrée évasée n'a pas à tenir compte de tels mouvements du câble 10 et peut donc être réduite.

La figure 4 illustre le cas d'un siège inégalement chargé, la pince 15 étant pivotée vers le bas par rapport à la position correcte de la figure 3. Le galet 20, en appui du rail de stabilisation inférieur 25, est progressivement soulevé au cours du déplacement le long de ce rail 25 et provoque le pivotement de la pince 15 dans le sens des aiguilles d'une montre vers la position correcte.

Il est à noter qu'un seul rail de stabilisation 25,26 est suffisant si un rétablissement correct dans une seule direction est nécessaire. L'un ou les deux rails de stabilisation 25,26 peuvent coopérer avec une autre partie de la pince 15 ou du siège, notamment avec la suspente 14 et ces rails 25,26 ne sont pas obligatoirement associés à des rails de roulement 21,22 d'une station. Ils peuvent par exemple être portés par un balancier d'un pylône de support pour positionner correctement la pince au passage des galets.

Une variante où le réglage du dispositif de stabilisation serait commandé par une unité centrale, recevant un signal de position du câble ou élaborant un tel signal, peut être imaginée pour le téléporteur précédemment décrit.

The stabilization device according to the invention operates as follows:

In normal operation, shown in Figures 1 and 3, the clamp 15 is in the correct position at the entrance to the station and the roller 20 does not cooperate with the stabilization rails 25,26. When the deflection of the cable 10 increases, all the seats being for example occupied, the part of the cable 10 before the support rollers 11 lowers as shown in FIG. 2. This movement is transmitted to the stabilization rails 25,26 , which thus retain their position relative to the cable 10, shown in FIG. 3. The opening of the flared entry does not have to take account of such movements of the cable 10 and can therefore be reduced.

FIG. 4 illustrates the case of an unevenly loaded seat, the clamp 15 being pivoted downward relative to the correct position of FIG. 3. The roller 20, in support of the lower stabilization rail 25, is gradually raised during displacement along this rail 25 and causes the clamp 15 to pivot clockwise to the correct position.

It should be noted that a single stabilization rail 25.26 is sufficient if correct recovery in one direction is necessary. One or both stabilization rails 25, 26 can cooperate with another part of the clamp 15 or of the seat, in particular with the hanger 14 and these rails 25, 26 are not necessarily associated with running rails 21, 22 of a station. They can for example be carried by a pendulum of a support pylon to correctly position the clamp when the rollers pass.

A variant where the adjustment of the stabilization device would be controlled by a central unit, receiving a cable position signal or producing such a signal, can be imagined for the teleporter previously described.

Claims (10)

1. An aerial rope tramway comprising an endless carrying-hauling cable (10) running between two stations, cable-supporting rollers (11) carried by fixed supports disposed at the entrance to the stations and/or along the line, cabins or chairs (13) fixed to the cable on line to be moved between the two stations, each cabin or chair having a clamp (15) to be coupled to the cable (10) and a hanger (14) jointed to the associated clamp, and a clamp stabilisation device having at least one stabilisation element (25, 26) integral with one (12) of the fixed supports and one connected element (20) integral with the clamp (15) which cooperated to bring the clamp coupled to the cable to a predetermined position for the passage of the fixed support, characterised in that it includes a device for positioning the stabilisation element in height of said stabilisation element (25, 26) to retain it in a fixed vertical position with respect to the cable (10), by moving the stabilisation element according to the cable vertical motions.
2. An aerial rope tramway according to claim 1, characterised in that the stabilisation element (25, 26) carried by the fixed support (12) comprises a rail extending along the path of motion of the clamp (15) to bring the clamp into said predetermined position while it is moved along such rail and in that said rail is moved in height according to the cable vertical motions to maintain a fixed vertical position of the rail with respect to the cable.
3. An aerial rope tramway according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the clamp (15) carries a conveyor roller (20) and in that the stabilisation element (25, 26) carried by the fixed support (12) cooperates with said conveyor roller (20).
4. An aerial rope tramway according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the stabilisation element (25, 26) carried by the fixed support (12) comprises two rails extending along the clamp (15) path of motion to counteract on the clamp and bring it to said predetermined position while it is moved along such rails.
5. An aerial rope tramway according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes a cable (10) position detector (32) mechanically connected to the stabilisation element (25, 26) carried by the fixed support (12) to position such element (25, 26) in height and maintain it in a fixed vertical position with respect to the cable.
6. An aerial rope tramway according to claim 5, characterised in that said detector comprises a pair of rollers (32) positioned on both sides of the cable (10).
7. An aerial rope tramway according to any one of the preceding claims, having a disengageable clamp (15) and a running rail (21, 22) for catching the clamp disengaged from the cable, characterised in that said running rail (21, 22) extends up to the end of the fixed support (12) and in that it is lengthened upstream by means of a stabilisation rail, the word "upstream" being defined with respect to the motion direction of the clamp (15).
8. An aerial rope tramway according to claim 7, characterised in that said stabilisation rail includes a jointed end at the end of the running rail (21, 22) and an opposite end, upstream, whose position in height depends on the position of the cable.
9. An aerial rope tramway according to claims 7 or 8, characterised in that it includes two stabilisation rails that diverge upstream and are positioned on both sides of a roller (20) carried by the clamp (15) and set away from the jaws.
10. An aerial rope tramway according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said connected stabilisation element (20), integral with the clamp, is made up or carried by the hanger (14).

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