WO2005092459A1

WO2005092459A1 - Automatic returnable baby cable rail for free sliding down

Info

Publication number: WO2005092459A1
Application number: PCT/HR2004/000046
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zeljko Kermek; Asja Kermek
Original assignee: Zeljko Kermek; Asja Kermek
Priority date: 2004-03-25
Filing date: 2004-11-09
Publication date: 2005-10-06
Also published as: HRP20040294A2; HRPK20040294B3

Abstract

Automatic returnable cableway for children, popularly called 'Baby rail', represents a device designed for play, amusement and recreation, especially for children, but also for adults in open area. Between a starting tower (1) on the shore and a target tower (2) in the water or on the opposite shore, a sliding trail (4) is installed with small low inclination and a slider (5), with a grib or a seat (6) hanged on, can freely slide down carrying a swimmer who came on board from a podium (15). While a slider is lowering down, the axe (8) is freely turning together with two pulleys mounted on it, because a wire (10) is winding off from a big pulley (9), until simultaneously the wire for lifting a weight (9) is winding on to smaller pulley (12). In this way accumulated energy enables automatic return for a slider with unloaded seat to the starting position immediately when a swimmer jumps or slides in the water. On the starting and final positions on sliding trail (4), position limiters with shock absorbers are installed. With several sliding trails connected to form a polygon, for example a pentagon, it is possible to realize one-way circular cycle of sliding down without stepping off.

Description

AUTOMATIC RETURNABLE CABLEWAY FOR CHILDREN DESIGNED FOR FREE LOWERING DOWN

TECHNICAL FIELD

Returnable cableway for free lowering down as described in this invention, popularly called "Baby rail", represents a device designed for play, amusement and recreation, especially for children, but also for adults in the open area. It belongs to apparatus for public amusement in recreation parks, so it can be classified according to IPC - International Patent Classification in main group A 63 G - Chu(s; Sliάes; Similar apparatus for public amusement more precisely to subgroup A 63 G 21/20 — Sliάeways with movably suspenάeά cars, or with cars moving on ropes, or the like.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM

Easy sliding along flexible bearing wire on cableway for children with small low inclination, which ends by jumping/sliding to the water, can be an exciting experience which raises adrenaline level in the blood of a swimmer, and stimulating a desirable increase of physical activity and good mood of recreative swimmer or a sportsman. Still there is one technical problem and obvious deficiency: a sliding trolley (the so called "a cat" - in German term "die Laufkatze") which moves along a suspended steel wire, either with a seat or with a hand-hold for a swimmer, cannot return to the starting position without use of some additional or one's own power. That is why a conventional cableway as a device is not practically applicable for playing in the water. Well, a technical problem that has to be solved now is to design automatic power for returning of the sliding trolley suspended on a stationary wire. A limitation to be taken into consideration while solving this technical problem is that on the ground, where returnable cableway is intended to be placed on, there is no energy power available (for example electric power, or compressed air, liquid or gas fuel), or is not recommended, or allowed to be available. Moreover, it has to be taken into account that safety and ecological standards have to be achieved to insure safe utilization for children and adults, and safeguard natural environment, especially because this device is to be installed above the water or close to it. STATE OF THE ART

On the hill with natural, or very frequently artificial slope, on which a cableway with stationary suspended wire between two bearing pillars is usually installed, children slide smoothly toward the end of a cableway, and return back dragging along their seats. The alternative choice is that they slide by pushing themselves away with their legs from the ground on a flat soil, but in both cases they get tired while doing so. Such cableway cannot be useful for sliding above the water, because there is no possibility for pushing away, nor for entry, jumping or sliding into the water.

The plastic hulls, which have most frequently semicircular cross-section, are to be installed on the towers above the water forming a three dimensional spiral trail with starting position on the top of the trail (aquagan), along which children or adults slide down on water j et, after which jumping or sliding into the water follows at the end of the hull. The deficiencies of these hulls are limited length of their sliding path on which a running water layer or constant water flow must be maintained, and they require relatively high inclinations for achieving satisfied sliding angle to overcome the resistance and to achieve required sliding velocity. Power pumps must constantly fill up adequate water quantity to the hulls to enable sliding on water film. The time of "clear" sliding game on the hull is lasting too short due to high velocity down the hull and short path, and particularly short is the time of clear sliding to the water because of great final velocity.

After searching of patent documents, state of the art is examined on several examples as found:

According to the invention referred to in patent document EP 1238880 Bl entitled "Installation for conveying passengers from a higher station to a lower station" the problem to be solved is transportation from a higher position to a lower position on a bearing wire above the ground. A straight guiding trail comprises a number of interconnected auxiliary trails, which are interchangeably movable in longitudinal direction, and in the position where a direction changes, trails are performed as the parts J of circular trail. The seats or cabins are arranged along the guiding trail on which they are moving downwards.

According to the invention referred to in patent document US 4948118 entitled "Support apparatus for water exercise and therapy" a metal construction is presented like a hanging bridge with straight trail for guiding movable trolley having one end attached to a trolley and the other end is fully supporting a user while walking in a swimming pool. In this way the security cable takes over the weight of the user while performing therapeutic exercise or condition training and walking straight in water.

According to the invention referred to in patent document CA 2378041 entitled "Recreational apparatus" a variant of popular "bungy jumping" apparatus is presented, comprising free jumping to a jump cave, of a user being tied to a body by elastic cable in the way that a cable stops him in time before he touches the ground. The apparatus has a jumping platform, which is installed and secured in a predetermined position on the cable suspended above a jump cave. A jumper has a transport unit on disposition, for carrying him from one edge of the jump cavity to the jumping platform along the cable.

According to the invention referred to in patent document EP 1026061 Bl or US

6360669 Bl, entitled "Installation for moving individuals from a mountain station into valley station" along a sliding trail made of T-form profile on bearing pillars, persons who are sitting on seats or are attached by a harness to suspended sliders with permanent magnets which are rolling with controlled velocity thanks to eddy-current brakes activated on predetermined positions along the trail. For returning persons from a station in a valley to a station on a mountain, a special transport device of a circular cycle type of cableway is installed.

According to presentation of different programs offered on http ://www. akros . si in modern recreation parks as, for example, it is "Adrenalin park Porec" it is clear that steel wires are frequently used as main safety and bearing elements suspended between two bearing piles intended for various exciting exercise. One of interpretations made is sliding along a wire between two piles the so called "Flying fox" which describes a participant of this exciting exercise sliding down attached to the slider with wheels, while moving with high velocity down the suspended steel wire highly inclined toward the next pile.

In any of the cited examples additional technical problem of automatic return of a slider on sliding trail or bearing wire to the starting position, is neither appointed nor solved, nor a power device with weight and pulley is designed, but elements of bearing construction and mobile elements are solved in different ways.

ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The primary aim of this invention is to upgrade a well-known device (simple cableway for children) in the way to enable a new function, respectively a new way of using it - sliding and jumping into the water far of the shore from which one started, using only player's own natural weight force. In this way normal distance limit of horizontal jumping to the water from the shore, is increased.

The secondary aim is to offer a new product on the market, which can be used more simply and better then the existing products in tourism, recreation and entertainment for children in the water and on the shore. Since it is the transportation problem that is concerned, there is a possibility of change, especially in indoor and/or outdoor cargo transportation from higher to lower level (one way).

The next aim of the invention is to enable a player to enter to the water by means of a device with simple movable parts powered not powered by electric power, liquid, or gas or any other fuel. The energy is accumulating while moving, ensuring automatically returnable path of the device.

Returnable cableway for children - popularly called "Baby rail", as described in this invention, has achieved all the previously specified goals, and can be carried out in several versions. Additional drawings, which made a part of the description, are illustrating the main version made in practice, which is presented in Figures 1, 2, 3 and the special version is presented on Figures 4 and 5. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Fig. 1 - Cableway with two towers and a seat in the starting higher position at the starting tower situated on the shore Fig. 2 - Cableway with two towers and a seat in final lower position above the water at the target tower

Fig. 3 - Basic assembly of returnable mechanism - the axe with two pulleys, a weight and wires

Fig. 4 - The ground plan of a device with five sliding trails connected to slide down in the circular cycle — "Pentagon" and separately presented console-bearing pile Fig. 5 - Three-dimensional presentation of the device with five sliding trails - "Pentagon"

Figures 1-5 show the following integral parts of the cableway:

( 1 ) Starting tower - on the shore (2) Target tower - in the water or on the other shore (3) The spreader - for bearing a sliding trail (3.1) The holder of arrival sliding trail (3.2) The holder of departure sliding trail (4) Sliding trail - steel bearing wire or a profile (5) Slider ("a cat" - "die Laufkatze") or trolley - for suspended cargo, (6) A seat - or a grib-bearer of suspended cargo in a flexible suspension (7) The position limiter with shock absorber - on the starting and ending position of the sliding trail (8) The axe - for big and small pulley (9) The big pulley - for wire fixed to the trolley (10) The wire - to return the trolley to the starting position (11) The guide - to direct a wire towards the great pulley (12) The small pulley - for wire with a weight (13) The wire - to lift/lower a weight (14) The weight (15) The podium - for loading (16) The bearing console type pillar A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF BASIC VERSION OF THE INVENTION

A device basically operates in the following way:

The podium (15) is situated on a higher position in the way that the tower (1) is situated on the shore itself. From this podium the seat (6) or the grib is easy accessible at the start position. By sitting on the seat (6) or catching the grib by hand, a swimmer is loading the slider (5), which begins sliding downwards toward the other end of sliding trail or the wire (4) powered only by gravitation. The bearing pillars of the target tower (2) are situated in the water itself far away of the shore, or even on the other shore (Fig. 2). The swimmer slides on low inclination directly above the water until he arrives to the final point on the sliding trail, where the position limiter (7) with shock absorber stops him. By jumping or sliding into the water the swimmer unloads the slider (5) and the weight (14) returns it by gravitation to the starting position. After that a device is ready for the next swimmer.

The basic version of the device according to this invention is as follows:

The starting tower with bearing pillars (1) is situated on the shore. As shown in Figure 1, it must be situated on upper level in reference to the final sliding point in such a measure that the inclination enables sliding, the velocity of which is limited by a standard EN 1176/4 to max. 7,0 m/s. Recommended velocity for this kind of movements is 2-4 m/s, the preferable velocity is approximately 2,5 m/s, for which the inclination of 10% is sufficient (1 m per distance of 10 m).

The target tower (2) with bearing spreader (3) has to be installed in the water or on the other shore - if narrow river, brook, bay, little island or backwater on a lake are concerned, opposite to the starting tower in the direction of the sliding final point.

The distance can depend on the user's desire, but according to examinations in practice, the optimum is to approximately 25 m.

On the starting and target towers, as presented on Fig. 1 and 2, one bearing spreader (3) is installed, to which a sliding trail (4) is fixed in the form of a steel wire or a steel profile. On this bearing there are position limiters with shock absorbers, which define starting and final point of sliders (5) motion or without a cargo, which is stopped by position limiters like elastic bumpers for vehicles on rails.

The slider (5), the so called "a cat" or "die Laufkatze" (in German language), is to be installed on the sliding trail (4), which can slide freely or roll on wheels, while the seat (6) or the grib with a handle is suspended on it.

Above the spreader (3) on the starting tower with bearing pillars (1) the axe (8) with two pulleys is to be installed. This axe must be embedded to enable easier rotating, for example in ball bearings.

Fig. 3 shows a big pulley (9) and a small pulley (12) both fixed on the axe (8). A thin steel wire (10) is winded upon a big pulley, which is passing through the guide (11) to ensure smoothly winding on/winding off. The wire (10), which is winded on the big pulley, is fixed on the slider (5) (so called "a cat" or "die Laufkatze") on his other end, shown in Fig. 1. Minimal length of the wire (10) must correspond to the distance between two end points of the sliding path, respectively sliding limiters (7) increased for 2 m for security reasons, to motion compensation for absorbing a shock while stopping.

Another small pulley (12) is mounted on the axe (8), on which thin steel wire (13) is also winded up, with a weight (14) suspended on it. This wire length corresponds to the distance of a weight from the lowest point on the tower foot to the axe (8), which is equal to approximately 2-5 m depending to the height of mounted bearing pillars of the tower (1). The weight hangs freely and tights holds back unloaded seat (6) or grib in the start position, so that the slider (5) is leaned against a position limiter (7) preventing the slider to start by itself and to set down to the lowest point owing to gravitation. Although the carrier is the rope made of steel, suspended freely between two supports, the tensioning between bearing spreaders (3) on the pillars can regulate his sag, to prevent too much swinging.

Swimmers (one or more) sitting on the seat (6) or holding hand-holders on the gribs are loading the slider (5) by a weight of a swimmer depending on his (their) mass. Considering the load as a triangle of forces, one component of the force is acting through the slider (5) as the load, which is vertical to a steel wire - a bearing (4) and other component is acting in the wire direction. The loading is always greater than the loading of a weight (14) and the slider (5) together with a seat (6) starts to slide downwards faster and faster towards the other end up to the position limiter (7) in the direction of a final podium. Moving like this the slider (5) is dragging along the wire (10) as well, which is winding off from a big pulley (9). Winding off the wire lasts until the stopper (7) stops the slider (5) with a seat (6) close to the target tower (2), or a swimmer slides or jumps into the water (Fig. 1). While a wire is winding off from a big pulley, the main axe (8) is rotating together with a small pulley, which is fixed to the axe.

By its rotation a steel wire (13) starts to wind on the pulley, beginning to lift the weight (14). When the seat (6) comes down to the final sliding point, then the weight (14) comes up to the final lifting point (Fig.2). The last point in which a swimmer has to jump or slide into the water, because sliding ends there, and only short stopping path is left for shock absorbing.

In the moment when the seat (6) or hand-holder gets unloaded, the weight mass (14) outweighs by sufficient force - a gravitation and the wire (13) starts to wind off coming down step by step. Winding off the wire (10) on the small pulley (12) results in the rotation of the axe (8), but now in the opposite direction. This starts the winding of the wire (10) on the pulley (9), and the result of this is setting the slider ("a cat" - "die Laufkatze") in motion together with empty seat (6) or a grib, back to the starting position. In the moment when the weight (14) reaches the lowest point, the slider (5) and the seat (6) reach the starting point again by stopping on the position limiter (7) near by the starting podium. This ends the cycle intended for one swimmer and a device is ready for the next swimmer to start.

Although this invention is presented by previous text and figures as automatic returnable cableway for children in its basic form, it is not limited in any case by the presented details, because different modification and design changes are possible without alienation from the essence of this invention, holding within the range and volume of equivalent patent claims. PREFFERED USE OF THE INVENTION

Returnable wire cableway for children - the so called "Baby rail" — has play and recreation purpose preferably on the beaches, as it is very simple device for jumping or sliding into the water. If the balloons for supercharging, trampolines or nets are placed bellow the wire to enable jumping, this device can be used with small adaptations on the ground without water.

For the sake of space saving, flow increasing and relative investment decreasing per one seat, it is possible to suspend two or more parallel bearers or steel wires between towers, provided that the sliders are moving independently along each of them, and commonly used by all of them are only the towers. Naturally, for the sake of safety, some reinforcements must be adopted to increase bearing power, and the distance between carriers must be respected in accordance with the general rule EN 1176/4.

Moreover, in special version on appropriate ground, it is possible to connect such several devices, but with rigid sliding trail (4) - with carrier made of steel profile instead of flexible steel wire, jointly establishing polygonal form in this way, for example pentagon (Fig. 4a). Instead of the tower (1) or (2), in this case satisfies a regular podium for departure on the starting position (15), as well as (Fig. 4b) console type bearing pillars (16) for carrying sliding trails (4) with identical direction inclination. In practice, the use of previously mentioned profiles of 6 m length are optimal, and in this case the inclination of 2-7% satisfies for sliding smoothly, constituting for this length approximately 15 - 45 cm difference in height level. When a child - a player, who is sliding from the starting position, comes to the final position on the first trail (4), he can catch by hand without any problem the next handle, which is hanging above the first handle, but of the next trail (4), and by catching it he is continuously sliding towards the third trail (4) etc. Simultaneously, this device is automatically returning the first handle to the starting position, and the same happens to every handle dropped after sliding. When a player comes to the end of any sliding circle through all trails and comes to the start, he finds the first handle in the starting position again. In this way it is possible to repeat circular motion in one direction without leaving this device. This cableway can serve for other services, but first of all it can enrich the tourism offers in recreation parks. Beside the described utilization, there are series of other uses in combination with other devices, and its application is possible for example on polygons for exercising special skills and physical condition for students, policemen, soldiers, persons in wheels etc.

While solving indoor and outdoor transport problem in building business, the application of this invention is possible for transporting loose or solid material placed in the container hanged on the wire with much greater inclination, for example down the hill on which a house is being built or demolished, but with additional brake which has to regulate maximal velocity of lowering.

This device, in greater dimensions, has the purpose for play and recreation activities on the beaches first of all, but if performed in smaller dimensions, it can be used also on the ground, even on the playground for children and kinder gardens and public areas, and rarely in private courtyards.

While creating the concept of this invention, European norms (EN) related to this technical field, and especially norm EN 1176/4, were taken into account, so this device is safe for use.

It is especially important to point out that usage of a device, a cableway in the entirety does not require use of any kind of energy except natural weight of a swimmer, so as a result of that, no expenses for power exist. Here also there is no environment pollution due to oil waste or exhaust gases because there is no need for internal combustion engines. Likewise, taking in account that there is no need for electric power for power generating, in general there is no danger of electricity shock on any part of this device, which is constantly in contact with water and swimmers. A device is working practically noiseless, so no noise would disturb people who live or work nearby, except of com-se j oily children voices that are, for sure, louder then sounds of this device in motion.

A device in use does not produce any waste, so there is no any environment pollution. For security reasons it is desirable every day after using this device, to unhook the slider

(5) and take down a seat or a handle (6), because swinging the seat has a possibility to bump any person if being close to it. It is more then simple to unliook a seat and to put a device temporary out of work, until next day or longer.

The installation of this device does not require any special building operation with regard to environment, especially no excavations or concrete works.

The largest amount of material used for manufacturing this device are natural materials (a wood) and very small elements made of iron and concrete blocks, thus even during the manufacturing of elements for a device, there is no environment pollution. For the same reason, if one day this device is out of use for being worn out or being out of date, its integral parts can be easy used as useful waste and be recycled due to selected kind of material used for its manufacture.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Automatic returnable cableway for children designed for one way free sliding down from a higher position on the shore to the lower position above the water in which it is necessary to be jumped or slided as recommended in recreation centers near by sea beaches, banks of a river or a lake, characterized by the fact that it consists of: starting tower (1) with a podium for loading (15) and a bearing spreader (3), - target tower (2) also with a spreader (3), sliding trail (4), one or more, slider or a trolley (5) for suspended cargo, bearer of suspended cargo (6) hooked on a slider or a trolley, automatic mechanical returnable mechanism (8 - 14) which do not use any power-generating fuel for starting

2. Automatic returnable cableway for children according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that a bearer of suspended cargo (6) is made of elastic flexible wire suspended on a slider or a trolley (5) with its one end, but on the other end there is a seat fixed, for example in the form of a plate or a grip with a hand - holder, without any sharp ribs, provided that this complete support can be unhooked-and taken off from a slider if the cableway will be left without control when it is not in use.

3. Automatic returnable cableway for children according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that a sliding trail

(4) made of loading flexible steel wire or rigid profile has to be installed under smooth inclination of 2-20 %, recommended 5- 15 %, optimally 10 %, while a loading on a bearer of suspended cargo (6) has to reach real velocity of a slider or a trolley (5) as recommended 2-4 m/s, optimally 2,5 m/s, which is lower enough then maximally permissible velocity of 7,0 m/s in accordance with a norm EN 1176/4, so in this way, while lowering or returning in the starting position, a position limiter (7) with a shock absorber has a role of stopping in its end points.

. Automatic return mechanism for mechanical power-driving of unloaded slider or trolley (5), according to the invention referred to the claim 1, characterized by the fact that it comprises of the axe (8) which is rotatable in the bearings (8) on bearing pillars of a staring tower (1) and which has two pulleys fixed on it, while a thin still wire (10) hooked to a slider or trolley (5) can be winded on/winded off from a bigger pulley (9) with guider for winding (11), and that still wire (13) with a weight (14) hanged on it, can be winded on/winded off a smaller pulley (12), provided that winding on/winding off is effected in opposite direction.

5. Automatic return mechanism for mechanical power-driving of unloaded slider or trolley (5), according to the claim 4, characterized by the fact that a ratio between a perimeter length of bigger and smaller pulley needs to correspond to the ratio between the path length of a slider or a trolley (5) alongside sliding trail (4) optimally 25 m, and lifting of a weight (14) optimally 2-5 m, and a mass of weight (14) needs to be bigger than the mass of a slider or a trolley (5) and the bearer suspended cargo (6) together.

6. Automatic return mechanism for mechanical power-driving of unloaded slider or trolley (5), when support for suspended cargo is empty, according to claims 4 and 5, characterized by the fact that it uses for power-driving potential energy of a weight (14) accumulated while lifting it, which is realized by rotation of axe (8) on which a torque has an effect of a force applied in the following way according to indicated order: a) a weight (14), in the starting position, is freely hanging on a wire (13) near by the ground in the lower position, and is suspended on a small pulley (12) fixed on the axe (8), which is 2-5 m in praxis, while a wire (10) is winded on a big pulley (9), so it is pulled tight and is retaining a trolley or a slider (5) for a cargo, close to a position limiter (7), b) due to the loaded of a mass of swimmer on the bearer of a suspended cargo (6), the component of a force appears, which is essentially bigger than the force of a weight, and sets a slider or a trolley (5) in motion down the sliding trail (4), and a wire (10) is winding off the bigger pulley (9) and the axe (8) is starting to rotate together with small pulley (12), on which a wire (cable) (13) is starting to wind and in this way to lift a _ weight (14) in upper position, in which its greatest potential energy will be achieved, c) for automatic return of a trolley or a slider (5) to a starting position close to the upper position limiter (7) it is enough to unload a bearer of suspended cargo 6) which is achieved in the moment when a swimmer jumps or slides to the water.

7. Automatic returnable cableway for children, intended for, in the second variant, one way sliding of players from higher to lower position, without intention to jump at the end of the cycle, recommended above the water or on flat soil without water, provided that soft elastic beds are put underneath, for example stretched nets, inflated air bags or similar kind of protection in case of falling, recommended in recreation centers, characterized by the fact that, to create one way direction cycle, instead of starting tower (1) and target tower (2), several equal supporting console type pillars (16) are to be installed, which form polygonal top ends in ground-plan, for example pentagon (fig. 4 and 5), the sides of which are in fact sliding trails (4) made of flat metal profiles, so each console type pillar (16) has two holders for sliding trails and that a holder (3.1) on lower position intended for sliding trail (4) leading to this pillar, and the second holder (3.2) for sliding trail (4) on the upper position leading to the next console type pillar (16).

8. Automatic returnable cableway according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that, each sliding trail (4) is made of flat steel profiles, preferably of 6 m standard length, and is installed under smooth inclination of approximately 2-7 % which corresponds to lowering of approximately 15 - 45 cm in the final position close to the next console type pillar (16), where a player from arriving sliding trail (4) can catch hand-holders (6) situated in starting position on the upper departure sliding trail (4) without problem and continue sliding down. Automatic returnable cableway intended for recreation centers near by sea beaches, banks of a river or a lake according to invention refened to in claims 1 and 7, characterized by the fact that it can also be applied: a) on the ground without water, for example above natural or artificial valleys, or on flat soil between two high towers, or in decreased dimensions between two low towers in kinder gardens, schools or parks, talcing to account that free jumping can be replaced by stepping down with a help provided by other persons situated on lower podium, b) as additional equipment on playgrounds for fitness trainings or for obtaining special skills required for army, police and sportsmen, c) in centers for rehabilitation in the form of leveled cableway having a trail without inclination for the purpose of holding and ensuring patients while walking on the flat bottom of indoor swimming pool or a floor, and for repressing of resistance when weight lifting, d) as independent or additional element of transport device for lowering unsolid or solid cargo in the production line or down a hill on which a house is being built or destroyed, using transport cars instead a seat or a grib, with much bigger inclinations, but with additional brake to regulate lowering velocity, e) for building of systems of intercomiected cableways in amusement parks, the ground-plan of which has polygonal form with equal bearing console type pillar (16) for bearing sliding trails, of which at least one has a podium (15) for loading/unloading, and all sliding trails (4) made of flat rigid profiles have approximately equal inclination in the same direction, thus enabling performance of one-way circular lowering cycle, but without stepping down.