Railways – Traction – Cable
Patent
1999-03-30
2000-11-28
Morano, S. Joseph
Railways
Traction
Cable
1041731, 104178, 104183, B61B 1100
Patent
active
061520446
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a device for dragging people, particularly skiers, by means of a rope running continuously along a closed loop path between starting and arrival locations, each equipped with at least an end pulley, with the dragging end of the rope level with the slope so as to be seized directly by the person and its return end supported overhead above the people by pylons.
The invention is described hereinafter with respect to its application to the dragging of skiers, but it is clear that the person may be on skates, a toboggan, a skateboard or similar.
A know mechanism of the type mentioned is installed on a ski slope for beginners, particularly to enable them to become familiar with ski lifts. This mechanism is complicated, with a large number of risks of accident. It requires the presence of personnel to supervise it and to restart it, in the event of an incident. The expansion of skiing areas and the increasing number of ski lifts create the problem of transferring skiers from one installation to another or from an installation to a parking lot or residential area, and this problem is particularly difficult since skiers are used to ski lifts with high performances in terms of comfort and speed and do not readily accept having to move around, skiing or on foot shouldering their skis, in gently sloping areas. A similar problem arises in amusement parks with gently sloping downhill runs.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,703 describes a device according to the preamble to claim 1. The device described in document U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,703 has the disadvantage of possibly damaging or even cutting the rope when the safety catch on the T-bar is activated.
The goal of the present invention is to provide people with a simple and permanent means of transport, of self-service type, which makes it possible for them to move in gently sloping areas in an effortless and totally safe manner, and which is also intended for people learning to ski.
The dragging device according to the invention is characterised in that the dragging end of the rope, which is free from gripping means, rests and slides on the slope and passes the arrival location on an end pulley of a rope driving gear motor, which sends the rope back towards the return end, extending above the dragging end, and in that a safety device, disposed upstream of the end pulley at the arrival location, detects the passage of a body and actuates the stop of the rope driving gear motor, so that the latter stops before said body reaches the end pulley, the term "upstream" being defined with respect to the direction of movement of the rope.
The use of a smooth braided rope, free from tackle or other gripping means, makes it possible for the dragging end to slide directly on the snow, without the risk of catching on obstacles, and the skier may seize the rope at any location whatsoever without having to wait for the arrival of tackle. The absence of supporting pylons for the dragging end totally frees the space about this end, thus avoiding the slightest risk of catching or collision. By providing, according to the invention, a safety device at the arrival location which verifies whether the rope has been released by the skier, the presence of a supervisor becomes unnecessary. The dragging mechanism and its self-service mode of use are particularly simple and the dragging distance may be of several tens, or even hundreds of metres with speeds of displacement of more or less than 2 m/sec.
According to one development of the invention, the dragging end is maintained overhead when the installation is shut down, particularly during the night, to keep the rope from getting buried when it snows and to make slope maintenance operations easier. For this purpose, the line pylons are equipped with hooks, to catch the rope overhead or, according to an important characteristic, with winches making it possible to catch the dragging end and lift it towards the top of the line pylons.
The dragging end release detector, before the guiding and driving pulleys at the arrival loca
REFERENCES:
patent: 3209703 (1965-10-01), Brebner
patent: 3809369 (1974-05-01), Elsing
patent: 3844223 (1974-10-01), Brian
patent: 4920892 (1990-05-01), Pesek
Jules Frantz
Montagner SA
Morano S. Joseph
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