US2834301A - Cable travelers - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1958 L. A. MORRIS 2,834,301

' CABLE TRAVELERS Filed June 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EELS tow A Mama/5' 1. g, u j

May 13, 1958 L.. A. MoRRls 2,834,301

CABLE TRAVELERS Filed June 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. LEU/v AMD/amg CABLE TRAVELERS Leon A. Morris, Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia Application June 21, 1956, Serial No. `592,776

12 Claims. (Cl. 104-182) The present invention relates generally to load carrying devices movable along a suspended cable, and more particularly is directed to cable travelers for movement along a cable that is supported from above, as by hangers or vertical supporting members depending from a suspension cable.

During the construction of dams or other similar massive structures, or when conducting mining operations in relatively inaccessible regions, it is frequently necessary to convey large masses of material, for example, lill, wasted matter or mined ore, over large distances and, in many cases, where the terrain permits, costly and mechanically complex conveyor systems including a rigid, continnous supporting structure and either a belt conveyor or a conveyor railroad have been constructed. However, in many cases the construction of such conveyor systems is not feasible either by reason of the temporary character of the need therefor or the ruggedness of the terrain which requires the supporting structure of the conveyor to bridge large spans, as in mountainous country, or which prevents the transport of the rigid and massive structural elements required therefor to the construction site, for example, when access can be had to the construction site only byair transport. In such cases, it would be most convenient to substitute cables for the usual rigid supporting structure since the cables can be wound into compact coils to facilitate transportation thereof to the construction site. If the simplest form of cable support is adopted, that is, an arrangement wherein a continuous cable is supported at widely spaced apart uprights or towers which can be constructed in sections for easy transport and assembly at the construction site, the cable will sag between the supporting towers and it will be difficult to effect the movement of material carrying receptacles along the sagging cable. Accordingly, it is most practical to provide an arrangement similar to that in a suspension bridge, and wherein the cable along which the material carrying receptacles areto be transported is suspended at relatively closely spaced apart locations by vertical hangers, whichrmay also be of cable and which depend from a cable carried by the towers and forming substantially parabolic curves-between the latter. Thus, although the towers are widely spaced apart, the cable along which the material carrying receptacles are to move may be maintained substantially straight and, by

reason of the parabolic curvature of the cable carried' by the towers, large loads can be supported with a relatively light structure. However, diiiiculty is experienced in providing a traveler or trolley device movable along the substantially straight cable and capable of supportsupported from above at spaced locations, and wherein 2,834,3l` Patented May 13, 19.58

2 the cable traveler is capable of passing the locations where the cable is supported while a load is 'suspended from the traveler.

Another object is to provide a cable traveler reliably performing the above operation, and which is simple in construction to hold the initial cost thereof to a minimum and to facilitate and reduce the maintenance that may be required.

A further object is to provide a cable traveler of the described character that is easily movable along the relativelystraight cable by which it is supported so that a minimum of power will be required to transport the materials in receptacles or the like suspended from such travelers.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention a cable traveler is provided that includes a lower member movable along the relatively straight cable below the latter and adapted to support the load to be transported or conveyed, and an upper member resting on the cable and rotatably connected to the lower member by means through which the cable extends so that the upper member can rotate while the lower member remains in its original rotational position, the upper member having at least one generally radially extending slot therein which, when the traveler approaches a vertical hanger supporting the cable, opens in the direction of movement of the traveler to receive the vertical hanger and permit movement of the traveler to a position where the vertical hanger is substantially close to the axis of rotation of the upper member, whereupon, the upper member is rotated through substantially 1S() degrees so that the slot then opens in the direction opposed to the movement of the traveler to permit continued movement of the latter along the cable as the hanger is released through the open end of the slot.

In another aspect of the invention, the upper member of the traveler has two generally radial slots therein opening at diametrically opposed locations on the periphery of the upper member so that, after each 180 degree rotation of the latter for the purpose of passing a vertical hanger supporting the cable, one of the slots opens in the `direction of movement of the traveler to be in position to receive the hanger next in line along the cable.

Further, in accordance with the present invention, each `slot of the rotatable upper member of the cable traveler is laterally offset or spaced7 at its inner or closed end, fromthe axis of rotation of the upper member so that, when the closed end of the slot receiving a vertical hanger supporting the cable comes against the hanger and movement of the traveler is continued, the reaction of the hanger against the closed end of the slot produces a turning moment or couple to automatically effect the desired rotation of the upper member. A cable traveler embodying the invention and having its upper member automatically rotated in the above manner may also have a lower surface on the upper member that is contoured to promote rotation of the latter, particularly after the reaction of a vertical hanger against the closed end of a slot in the upper member has effected substantial initial rotation of the latter.

The above, and other, objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective vview of a cable supported load carrying arrangement including at least one cable traveler embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a cable traveler embodying the present invention to move along a cable supported, from above, by vertical hangers, and

showing the condition of the traveler as it approaches the location of one of the hangers;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the condition of the cable traveler as the latter moves away from the location of a vertical hanger after passing the latter;

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the cable traveler of Figs. l, 2 and 3, showing the forces that arise to etiect its operation;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the cable traveler of Figs. l, 2 and 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scal and taken along the line 6-,6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale and taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic development in a tlat plane of the peripheral configuration of a partof the cable traveler of Figs. l to 7, inclusive;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of a cable traveler constructed in accordance with another embodiment of this invention; and

Fig. l0 is a top plan view of a part of the cable traveler of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to Fig. l thereof, it will be seen that the illustrated load or material carrying arrangement includes a series of relatively widely spaced apart towers or upstanding supports 10 which can be formed in sections for easy transport to the construction site and there conveniently assembled. A support cable 11 is suspended from the towers 10 and is allowed to sag between the latter to assume generally parabolic curvatures. Vertical hangers 12, which may also be of cable, depend from the support cable 11 at relatively closely spaced apart locations, and the lower ends of the hangers 12 are connected to a relatively straight cable 13 along which the materials or loads are to be transported. With the described arrangement, although the towers 1() are widely spaced apart, as would be required in rugged terrain, the intervals between the supports for the cable 13 are relatively small so that, as a load supported from the cable 13 is moved along the latter, only a small degree of sagging of the cable 13 will occur. Since the cable 13 does not sag lexcessively between the supports therefor, the load or material transported along the cable 13 may be kept clear of the ground without having to resort to extremely high towers. Further, since the towers 10 are the only rigid members of substantial size included in the illustrated load carrying arrangement and the cables 11, 12 and 13 may be easily coiled for transport to the construction site, it is apparent that such an arrangement is ideally suited for use when large masses of material, for example, ll, rock or ore, must be transported over large distances and the nature of the terrain at the construction site, the inaccessibility of the latter, or the temporary character of the need for the material transporting arrangement makes it either impossible or inadvisable to employ more conventional structures providing a continuous rigid support for a belt conveyor, track supported conveyor or the like.

However, in supporting loads from the cable 13, the latter must be engaged from above and difficulty is then experienced in passing the junctions of the hanger cables 12 with the cable 13. In accordance with the present invention, that difficulty is resolved by providing a cable traveler which is generally identified by the reference numeral 14 and includes a lower portion 15 4disposed below the cable 13 and from which the load can be suspended, for example, in a bucket 16 or the like carried by kmembers 17 depending from the lower portion 15. Thecable traveler 14 further includes an upper part or portion 18which rests upon the cable 13 and is connected to the lower lportion in a manner permitting rotation of the upper portion 18 relative to the lower portion 15.

In accordance with the present invention, the upper portion 18 has at least one generally radially extending slot opening at the periphery of the upper portion to receive a hanger 12 as the traveler 14 approaches the latter and to permit movement of the traveler to a position where the hanger 12 is close to the axis of rotation of the upper portion 18, whereupon the latter may be rotated through approximately l degrees so that the slot'rcceiving the hanger 12 opens in the direction opposed to the movement of the traveler and movement of the latter can continue without hindrance from the hanger supporting the cable 13 from above.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the upper portion 18 of the cable traveler there illustrated has two slots 19a and 19b therein opening at diametrically opposed locations on the periphery of portion 18 so that, when the upper portion 18 is turned through 180 degrees from the position of Fig. 2, where the slot 19a opens in the direction of movement of the traveler 14, as represented by the arrow 20, and is adapted to receive the vertical hanger 12 being approached by the cable traveler, to the position of Fig. 3, where the slot 19a opens rearwardly, that is, in the direction opposed to the traveler movement, the slot 19b will then occupy the position formerly occupied by the slot 19a and thereby be in condition to receive the next hanger 12 encountered by the traveler 1.4 as the latter is moved along, and supported by, the cable 13. Y

In order to effect the necessary rotation of the upper portion 18 of the traveler 14 automatically in response to the passing of a hanger 12 supporting the cable 13, the slots 19a and 19b may, as shown in Fig. 4, extend parallel to cach other and be laterally spaced apart at opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the upper portion 18 relative to the lower portion 15. When the slots 19a and 19b 'are thus arranged and a hanger 12 enters the slot 19a then opening in the direction of movement of the traveler along the cable, continued movement of the traveler brings the inner or closed end of the slot 19a against the hanger 12 which is ysubstantially immovable in the direction along the cable 13 and the hanger 12 reacts against the closed end of the slot with a force represented by the vector F of Fig. 4 which, being spaced from the axis of rotation by the distance D, produces a turning moment or couple which at least initiates the desired rotation of the upper portion in the direction of the arrow 21 on Fig. 4.

lt is apparent that, when the upper portion 18 has rotated to a position wherein the closed end of the slot 19a is align-ed with the axis of rotation, considered in the direction of movement of the traveler, the above described turning moment will no longer be available, and that this dead condition, in yso far as a force being available to rotate the portion 18 by reason of the reaction of the hanger 12 against the latter is concerned, `will continue until the slot 19a has passed beyond a position at 9G degrees from the direction of movement of the traveler along the cable 13, whereupon, as the movement of the traveler is continued to extract the hanger 12 from the slot 19a, the hanger 12 will react against the side of the latter to decrease the angle enclosed by the slot 19a and the cable 13 until the slot 19a occupies the position of the slot 19th in Fig. 4. Thus, the initial and the concluding portions of the turning movement of the upper yportion 18 through 180 degrees are effected by the reaction of the cable hanger 12 against the portion 18. ln some cases, the mass of the upper portion 18, acting as a ily-wheel, will be suiicient to carry the portion 18 through the dead condition between the initial and concluding portions of the turning movement. However, if desired or necessary, the lower surface of the upper portion 18 resting on the cable 13 may be formed so that, as the portion 18 bears downwardly on the cable 13 by reason of the supported load, the cable 13 reacts against the lower surface of theV upper portion 18 to promote or assist A of the latter.

turning lof the latter through the angular extent of the above mentioned dead condition.

Referring speciiically to Fig. 8, lwhich diagrammatically represents the development of the peripheral surface of the upper portion 1S in a ilat plane, it will be seen that the lower surface of the upper portion 1S at the periphery of the latter, is inclined downwardly from each of the slots 19a and 191; in the direction of rotation of the upper portion through the regions A and A which Aengage the cable 13 during the initial turning of the portion 18 by the reaction of the hanger 12 against the closed end of the slot 19a or 1911 in which it is received, and that, in the regions B and B which follow the regions A and A', respectively, and are engaged by the cable 13 while the portion 13 is turning through the angular extent of the dead condition, the lower surface of the portion 18, at the periphery thereof, is inclined upwardly in the direction of the desired rotation, so that the reactions R of the cable 13 thereagainst produce forces, represented by the vectors ,ft-(Fig. 8), which act to assist the turning of the upper portion 18.

As seen in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the movement of the traveler 1d along the cable 13 can be effected simply by ,next in line. ln order to maintain the upper portion 1S in that rotational position during movement between the successive vertical hangers, the open end portion of each of the slots 19a and 1% is flared at the bottom surface of the upper portion, as at 23 (Fig. 7), to receive and be guided by the cable 13 which has a larger diameter than the width of the slots 19a and 19b and which exes downwardly to some extent when load is applied to the cable so that, as the cable extends diametrically across the lower surface of upper portion 1?, the portions of the cable 13 at the periphery of the upper portion are dra-wn upwardly into the ilared parts of the slots 19a and 1917. Further, the open ends of the slots 19a and 19b are ilared, as at 2e, when viewed in plan (Figs. 4 and 5), thereby to direct a vertical hanger approached by the traveler 14 into the slot 19a or 191) then opening in the direction of movement of the traveler.

-ln the embodiment of the invention illustrated, in particular, in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the lower portion 15 includes a platform 25 having rigid pins 26 extending upwardly therefrom and spaced apart uniformly (Fig. 5) so that the upper ends of the pins 26 can extend into `a circular slot 27 (Figs. 5 and 6) opening at the bottom surface of the upper portion 18 concentric with the axis of rotation Within the upper portion 18, the slot 27 opens -upwardly into an annular, relatively wide `space 28 (Fig. 6) so that annular, upwardly facing shoulders are deiined at the bottom of the space 28 radially inside and ,outside of the circular slot 27, and the pins 26 have relatively large diameter heads 29 disposed within the 'annular space 28 and resting upon the annular shoulders at the bottom of the latter to move along said shoulders so that the pins 26 provide for the rotational suspension of the lower portion from the upper portion 18.

In order to reduce the frictional resistance to rotation of the upper portion 1S, the space 28 may be lined with anti-friction bearing material, as at 30 (Fig. 6), thereby to ease the rotational movement of the upper portion 1S relative to the heads 29, while a coating 31 of antifriction bearing material may also be applied to the lower surface of portion 18 for engagement by the cable 13. Further, as seen in Fig. 5, anti-friction rollers 32 may be rotatably mounted in recesses in the bottom surface of the upper portion 18 and located so as to engage the cable 6 13 during movement of the traveler 14 along the latter between the locations of successive hangers 12 and there by reduce the frictional resistance to such movement.

yIf desired, the cable 13, which passes between pairs of the pins 26, may be yieldably held in :a central location relative to the lower portion 15 for engagement by the anti-friction rollers 32 as the traveler moves between successive hangers, by plungers 33 `which are engageable -with the cable 13 at the opposite sides of the latter and are slidable in laterally extending cylinders 34 supported from the pins 26, while springs 35 act upon the plungers 33 to urge the latter toward each other. When the upper portion 18 is rotated in passing a vertical hanger 12, the plungers 33 are laterally displaced to permit the lateral displacement of the traveler 14- relative to the hanger 12 resulting from the offset arrangement of the slots 19a and 19h.

As 'seen in Fig. 6, the annular space 28 within the upper portion 13 of the -cabletra-veler may be conveniently provided by forming that |portion in two disc-shaped parts 36 and 37 which are held in superposed relation by screws 38, with the lower part 37 having annular, communicating grooves in its opposite faces to define the space 28 and the slot 27, respectively.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, wherein a cable traveler constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and generally identified by the reference numeral'la, it will be seen that the traveler 14a also includes a lower portion 15a and an upper portion 18a, and that the .several illustrated parts of the traveler 14a are identified by the same references employed in connection with the corresponding parts of the traveler 14, but with the letter a ap pended thereto.

The lower portion 15a includes a circular bottom plate or platform 25a having spaced apart `sections 26a4 ofia cylinder extending upwardly from the periphery thereof, with the cable 13a along which the traveler 14a is to be moved being accommodated between the sections 26a and yieldably held centrally by plungers 33a slidable in lateral cylinders 34a and acted upon by springs 35a;

The upper portion 18a includes a disc-.shaped body 36a having an annular, downwardly opening groove 28a therein, and a circular plate 37a secured to the ,bottom of the body 36a, as by screws 38a, the plate 37a having a diameter intermediate the inner and outer diameters of the groove 28a so-that the peripheral portion of the plate 37a provides an upwardly facing annular shoulder at the bottom of the groove 28a and an annular clearance 27a exists between the edge of plate 37a and the outer side surface of groove 28a to permit the sections 26a of the lower portion 15a to extend through the clearance 27a into the groove 28a.

Further, each of the sections 26a has a radially inward directed tiange 29a along its top edge, and anti-friction ball bearings 30a are disposed between the flanges 29a within the groove 28a and the annular, upwardly facing yshoulder deiined by the peripheral portion of the plate 37a, thereby to support the lower portion 15a from the upper portion 18a while facilitating rotation of the latter relative to the lower portion. The ball bearings 31951 may be conveniently held against displacement along the related sections 26a by providing the latter with openings 39 having diameters smaller than that of the bearings 30a and into `which the latter extend (Fig. 9).

Although only the arrangement for rotatably connect,- ing the upper portion 18a to the lower portion 15a in the traveler 14a has been described in detail with reference to Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings, it is to be -understood that the traveler 14a is otherwise essentially the same as the traveler 14 described in detail above, and operates in the same manner to pass .vertical hangers supporting the cable 13a along Xwhich the traveler moves while carrying a load.

Further, although illustrative embodiments of the inf` vention have been described in detail herein and shown in thev accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these particular embodiments, and that various modifications and changes may be effected in the latter without departing from the scope and spirit-of the invention, except as delined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for carrying a load while traveling along a cable suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest on the cable and movable along the latter,`a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means rotatably connecting said upper portion to said lower portion, said upper portion having a slot extending in a generally radial direction from substantially at the axis of rotation to the periphery thereof, said slot opening in the direction of the forward movement of the device along the cable, and means effecting rotation of said upper portion when the axis of rotation of the upper portion of said device arrives at a support for said cable so that, when theA device approaches a support for the cable with said slot opening in the direction of movement of the device along the cable, the support is received in said slot to permit movement of the device to a position along the cable where the support is proximate to the axis of rotation of said'upper portion, whereupon, turning of said upper portion through an angle of substantially 180 degrees disposes said slot to open in the direction opposed to the movement of the device along the cable for permitting movement of the device away from the support which is thereby extracted from said slot.

2. A device for carrying a load while traveling along a cable suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest on the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means rotatably connecting said upper portion to said lower portion, said upper portion having at least one slot extending inwardly from the forwardly moving edge of the periphery thereof and diverging with respect to a radial line from the point on the periphery where the slot opens to the center of rotation of said upper portion, each slot terminating to the side of said center of rotation so that, when'the device moves along the cable with said slot opening in the direction of movement of the device, the inner end of said slot is laterally offset with respect to said center of rotation and, when a support for the cable enters said slot, meets and reacts against said inner end of the latter, thereby at least initiating rotation of said upper portion to a position where said slot becomes reversed and opens in the direction opposite to the movement of the device along the cable, thereby to permit movement of the device away frorn the support in which action the support is released from the slot.

3. A device for carrying a load while traveling along a cable suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest on the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion and permitting relative rotation of the latter about the vertical axis, said upper portion having two slots therein opening at opposite sides, in relation to the axis on the periphery of the upper portion, each slot extending in a direction to the side ofthe axis of rotation and terminating at opposite sides respectively of said axis, thus providing moment arms for rotating said upper portion so that, when the device is moved along the cable and approaches a support for the latter with one of said slots opening in the direction of movement of the device, the support is received in said one slot to permit movement of the device to a position where the support is proximate to said axis, whereupon, turning of said upper portion through an angle of substantially degrees due to the moment arms disposes said one slot to open in the direction opposite to the movement of the device to permit movement of the device away from thesupport as the latter is extracted from said one slot while the other of said slots then opens in said direction of movement of the device for receiving the next support for the cable. i

4. A device for carrying a load while traveling along a cable which is suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest upon the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion and permitting rotation of the latter relative to said lower portion about the vertical axis, said upper portion having two slots therein opening at opposite sides, in relation to the axis on the periphery of said upper portion extending in directions to the sides of theaxis, respectively, and having their inner ends spaced laterally apart at opposite sides of said axis so that, when said device is moved along the cable with one of said slots opening in the direction of movement of the device, a cable support encountered by the device can enter said one slot, meet and react against the inner end of the latter to at least initiate rotation of said upper portion through an angle of 180 degrees thereby to cause said one slot to then open in the direction opposite to the movement of the device and permit movement of the latter away from the encountered support while the other of said slots then opens in the direction of movement of the device to be in position to receive the next support encountered along the cable.

5. A device as in claim 4; wherein said means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion includes a plurality yof pins extending upwardly from said lower portion and spaced equally from said vertical axis so that the cable can be accommodated between said pins, each of said pins having an enlarged head on the upper end thereof; and wherein said upper portion has an annular slot concentric with said axis and opening at the lower surface of said upper portion, and an annular space within the upper portion concentric with said axis and opening downwardly into said annular slot, the radial dimension of said annular space being greater than that of said slot so that annular shoulders are dened at Vthe bottom of said space, said pins extending upwardly through said annular slot and said enlarged heads being disposed in said annular space and slidably resting on said annular shoulders at the bottom of the latter. y

6. A device as in claim 4; wherein said upper portion has an annular space therein concentric with said vertical axis and an annular, relatively thin slot opening from the bottom of said space to the lower surface of said upper portion to define an annular, upwardly facing shoulder at the bottom of said space; and wherein said means connecting the lower portion to the upper portion includes laterally spaced sections of a cylinder extending upwardly from said lower portion and through said annular slot into said annular space of said upper portion, said sections being adapted to accommodate the cable therebetween and each having a radially directed flange along its upper edge overlying said annular shoulder, and anti-friction bearing members disposed between said flanges and said shoulder and in rolling contact therewith to facilitate rotation yof said upper portion relative to said lower portion.

7. A device for carrying a load while traveling along a cable which is suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest upon the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion and permitting rotation of the latter relative to said lower portion about the vertical axis, said upper portion having two slots therein opening at opposite sides, in relation to the axis on the periphery of said upper portion extending in directions to the sides of the axis, respectively, and having their inner ends spaced laterally apart at opposite sides of said axis so that, when said device is moved along the cable with one of said slots opening in the direction of movement of the device, a cable support encountered by the device can enter said one slot, meet and react against the inner endfof the latter to at least initiate turning of said upper Jportion through an angle of 180 degrees thereby to cause said one slot to then open in the direction opposite to the movement of the device and permit movement of the latter away from the encountered support while the other of said slots then opens in the direction of movement of the device to be in position to receive the next support encountered along the cable, the lower surface of said upper portion having sections which are inclined upwardly from the level of one slot to the level of the following slot when the upper portion rotates, thus aiding rotation due to sliding of the cable in a direction inclined upwardly during the rotation in response to the weight of the device and of the load carried by the latter bearing upon the cable.

8. A device for carrying a load while traveling along a cable which is suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest upon the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion and permitting rotation of the latter relative to said lower portion about the vertical axis, said upper portion having two slots therein opening at opposite sides, in relation to the axis on the periphery of said upper portion extending in directions to the sides of the axis, respectively, and having their inner ends spaced laterally apart at opposite sides of said axis so that, when said device is moved along the cable with one of said slots opening in the direction of movement of the device, a cable support encountered by the device can enter said one slot, meet and react against the inner end of the latter to at least initiate rotation of said upper portion through an angle of 180 degrees thereby to cause said one slot to then open in the direction opposite to the movement of the device and permit movement of the latter away from the encountered support while the other of said slots then opens in the direction of movement of the device to be in position to receive the next support encountered along the cable, and means carried by said lower portionand operative to yieldably hold the cable centered with respect to said vertical axis of rotation.

9. A device for carrying a load while traveling along a cable which is suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest upon the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion and permitting rotation of the latter relative to said lower portion about the vertical axis, said upper portion having two slots therein opening at opposite sides, in relation to the axis on the periphery of said upper portion extending in directions to the sides of the axis, respectively, and hav ing their inner ends spaced laterally apart at opposite sides of said axis so that, when said device is moved along the cable with one of said slots opening in the direction of movement of the device, a cable support encountered by the device can enter said one slot, meet and react against the inner end of the latter to at least initiate rotation of-said upper portion through an angle of 180 degrees thereby to cause said one slot to then open in the direction opposite to the movement of the device and permit movement of the latter away from the encountered support while the other of said slots then opens in the direction of movement of the device 'to be inV positionv to receive the next support encountered alongb the cable, and antifriction rollers recessed in the lower surface of said upper portion and. disposed on a diametrical line connecting the open ends of said slots to engage the cable during movement of the device between successive supports for the cable, thereby to facilitate such movement of the device.

l0. A device for carrying-a load while traveling along a cable which isv suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest upon the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion and permitting rotation of the latter relative to said lower portion about the vertical axis, said upper portion having two slots therein opening at opposite sides, in relation to the axis on the periphery of said upper portion extend-4 ing in directions to the sides of the axis, respectively, and having their inner ends spaced laterally apart at opposite sides'of said axis so that, when said device is moved along the cable with one of said slots opening in the direction of movement of the device, a cable support encountered by the device can enter said one slot, meet and react against the inner end of the latter to at least initiate rotation of said upper portion through an angle of 180 degrees thereby to cause said one slot to then open in the direction opposite to the movement of the device and permit movement of the latter away from the encountered support while the other of said slots then opens in the direction of movement of the device to be in position to receive the next support encountered along the cable, said slots having ilaring open ends to direct 'a support encountered by the device during movement of the latter along the cable into the slot then opening in the direction of movement.

ll. A device for carrying a load whiletraveling along a cable which is suspended from above by spaced apart supports; said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest upon the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means connecting said lower portion to said upper portion and permitting rotation of the latter relative to said lower portion about the vertical axis, said upper portion having two slots therein opening at opposite sides, in relation to the axis on the periphery of said upper portion extending in directions to the sides of thel axis, respectively, and having their inner ends spaced laterally apart at opposite sides of said axis so that, when said device is moved along the cable with one of said slots opening in the direction of movement of the device, a cable support encountered by the device can enter said one slot, meet and react against the inner end of the latter to at least initiate rotation of said upper portion through an angle of 180 degrees thereby to cause said one slot to then open in the direction opposite to the movement of the device and permit movement of the latter away from the encountered support while the other of said slots then opens in the direction of movement of the device to be in position to receive the next support encountered along the cable, the open ends of saidslots being ilared at the lower surface of said upper portion so that, when the latter is rotationally positioned to cause said slots vto open in the direction of movement of the device and in the opposite direction, respectively, and the cable is flexed during movement of the device between successive supports for the cable, the latter is received in the ared open ends of the slots at said lower surface to yieldably hold said upper portion against rotation and thereby ensure that v the next support encountered by the device will be received in the vslot opening in said direction of movement. l2. A device for carrying a load while traveling along asa'agaoi a cable suspended from above by spaced apart supports, said device comprising an upper portion rotatable around a vertical axis adapted to rest on the cable and movable along the latter, a lower portion disposed below the cable and adapted to carry a load, and means rotatably connecting said upper portion to said lower portion, said upper portion having a slot opening at and extending from the forwardly moving edge of the periphery of the upper portion to a point substantially at the axis of rotation, forcing means which rotates said upper portion 180 operated at least initially by a support in said slot when the support arrives in said slot substantially at the axis 'of rotation of the upper portion, whereby said device can References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Downs i. Nov. 17, 1908 Ehrhert Feb. 6, 1951

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