Apparatus for Retrieving a Gravitationally Propelled Load Traveling on a Cable

Abstract

In connection with a gravitationally propelled load carrying system that includes an elongated suspended cable having a load carrying trolley movably supported thereon, an empty trolley retriever assembly adapted to push the empty trolley upwardly on the cable to be in position to take on a load where the assembly includes a plurality of idler pulleys rotationally carried by a base member where each of the pulleys is disposed in rolling engagement with the upper side of the cable to movably support the retriever assembly on the cable at a position intermediate the trolley and the lower terminal end of the cable, a motor driven drive wheel disposed intermediate the idler pulleys that engages the lower side of the cable, and a remotely operable control electrically connected to the motor for operatively rotating the drive wheel and propelling the retriever.

Description

The present invention relates to a remotely controlled motor driven apparatus for retrieving a gravitationally propelled load carrying conveyance that travels on and is supported by a sloping cable.

BACKGROUND

The broad nature of the present invention is personified in the present day popular zip line systems that embody a gravitationally propelled cable-supported trolley for transporting a rider from the top elevated end of a cable to the bottom lower end of the cable. In connection with a zip line, the retrieving apparatus retrieves the trolley from the lower end of the cable by pushing it back to the top end of the zip line cable immediately upon its discharge of the rider.

Prior art methods and apparatus for retrieving a zip line passenger-carrying trolley from the bottom end of the zip line cable back to the top end have involved towing the trolley back to the top end station with a rope, cable or motorized device, the latter of which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,579,678 to Ronald Chasteen. Such a towing device works well but is burdened with time constraints, especially with long length zip lines having high volume traffic. When the passenger trolley reaches the bottom end of the zip line the towing retriever must traverse the same line itself and then tow the trolley back to the high end of the line to position it for another trip down the line.

The primary object of the present invention is to have a trolley retriever in position at the bottom of the line to begin pushing the trolley back to the top of the line immediately on the disembarking of the passenger from the trolley. After retrieving the trolley to the top end of the line, the pushing retriever is returned to the bottom at a high speed while the next zip line passenger is being readied for the decent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The zip line system to which the present invention applies includes upper and lower supports for an elongated zip line cable on which a gravitationally propelled passenger-carrying trolley travels from the upper to the lower end of the zip line. The trolley retriever of the present invention is positioned at the lower end of the zip line cable between the trolley and the lower support. The retriever is adapted to travel on the zip line cable propelled by a reversible remotely controlled motor that drives the retriever to push the trolley up the zip line cable and then propel the retriever back down the cable to position it for retrieving a subsequent trolley. Preferably, the retriever includes a body having idler pulleys that support the retriever on the cable and includes one or more drive wheels that contact the underside of the cable and which are driven, through appropriate linkage, by the remotely controlled reversible motor mounted within the housing.

While one embodiment of the invention is described herein as a retriever for a zip line trolley, the scope of the invention includes using the retriever on a suspended cable to drive any kind of cargo or load that is also suspended on and movable on the same cable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a zip line in which a passenger is carried by a gravitationally propelled trolley having a seat hanging from a cable-engaging trolley from an upper station to a lower station.

FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the right side of the retriever of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective rear end view of the left side of the retriever of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front end view of the retriever.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional left side view of the retriever taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the drive wheel, motor and associated gearing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates the zip line system 2 to which the present invention may be applied. The system comprises a zip line cable 5 supported at a high elevation end by a column or similar supporting structure 8 and supported at a lower elevation end by a column or other support structure 10. A passenger carrying gravitationally propelled trolley 12 rides on the cable. The pushing retriever 14 of the present invention is movably supported on the cable 5 between the trolley 12 and the lower elevation support 10. In operation, after the passenger disembarks from the trolley at the lower station, a remotely controlled drive motor in the retriever 14 is activated and the retriever is propelled by the driving motor to push the trolley back to the upper station through the use of a pushing rod 15 having an end-forming bracket 17 which makes contact with a portion of the trolley. Once the trolley is in position at the upper station the driving motor is reversed and the retriever is repositioned, as it is shown in FIG. 1, waiting for the next trolley 12 to arrive.

FIGS. 2 thru 6 illustrate the preferred mechanism of the retriever. The operable components of the retriever are carried by a rigid body comprising a flat plate 22 with elongated extensions 25 and 26 and with a centrally located rectangular cut out 27. The left side of the plate 22 comprises a turned up plate edge 29 to serve as a mounting base. The distal end of the extension 26 is turned down to form a plate 33 for mounting a front collision bumper 34 for protecting the retriever from inadvertent damaging contact with the trolley or other objects. Also secured to the plate extension 26 is an elongated rod 15 having a Y configured distal end comprising the rod and a bracket 17 for making contact with a portion of the passenger trolley 12 to push the trolley back up the cable. The lateral side of the distal end of the extension 26 is turned up and turned over to form a pulley guard member 31 with a cable enclosing pin 32. A similar pulley guard structure 35 with cable enclosing pin 36 is formed at the distal end of the elongated extension 25. The turned down distal end of the extension 25 forms a plate 37 for mounting a rear collision bumper 38 to protect the read end of the retriever.

Projecting from the right side of the flat body plate 22 is a lateral extension 40 which carries an enclosure 42 that houses an electric drive motor 50. The output shaft of the motor terminates in a pinion gear 53 that meshes with a drive gear 55. The output shaft of the drive gear 55 interacts with a transmission 57 whose output is connected to a coupler 60 whose output shaft 61 is supported by a pillow block bearing 63 and which output shaft becomes the axle of the drive wheel having a tire 70. The upper portion of the drive wheel and tire 70 protrudes through the rectangular cut out 27 so that its peripheral surface of the tire makes tangential contact with the underside of the cable 5. To achieve maximum driving contact between the tire 70 and the cable 5 the tire is filled with foam. The pressure of the cable on the foam filled tire causes the tire surface to be depressed at the point of cable contact so that the cable runs through a trough in the tire surface.

A pair of idler pulleys 81 and 83 are disposed on either side of the drive wheel and tire 70. Each of the pulleys contacts the top side of the cable 5 to apply a spring driven downward force on the cable 5 to create driving friction between the cable and the drive wheel and tire 70. The central shaft of each of the idler pulleys is supported by arms 86 that are rotatably mounted on studs 87 that are mounted on and protruding from the turned up plate edge 29. Also carried by the studs 87 are torsion springs 89 each of which has one end 91 fixed to the upturned edge 29 and the other end laying against a respective supporting arm 86 in order to bias the related idler pulley down against the cable 5.

A container 95 depending from the plate 22 carries traditional electronic components to receive from a remote location signals that operate the drive motor and control its speed in a traditional manner.

Claims

1. A zip line system comprising, an elongated zip line cable with upper and lower terminal ends and top and bottom sides,means for supporting the upper and lower ends of the cable,a trolley movably supported on the cable,a trolley retriever assembly disposed on the cable intermediate the trolley and the lower support and having, means for reversibly driving the retriever assembly up and down the cable, anda pusher rod attached to the retriever assembly and adapted to engage the trolley to push the trolley upwardly on the cable.

2. The system of claim 1 where the trolley retriever assembly further comprises, a base,a plurality of idler pulleys rotationally carried by the base in rolling engagement with the top side of the cable to movably support the assembly on the cable.

3. The system of claim 2 and further including, means for pressure biasing each of the idler pulleys downwardly against the cable.

4. The system of claim 3 and further including, a shaft on which each of the idler pulleys is mounted,a pivotal arm carried by the base and supporting the shaft,a spring interacting between the base and the arm to pressure bias the respective idler pulley downwardly against the cable.

5. The system of claim 4 where the means for reversibly driving the assembly up and down the cable includes, a reversible variable speed electric motor carried by the base,means for reducing the speed of the motor having an output drive shaft,a circular drive wheel attached to the output drive shaft and disposed to make contact between the periphery of the drive wheel and the underside of the cable.

6. The system of claim 5 where the drive wheel includes an elastic foam filled tire.

7. A gravitationally propelled load carrying system comprising, an elongated suspended cable with upper and lower terminal ends and upper and lower sides,means for supporting the upper and lower terminal ends of the cable,a load carrying trolley movably supported on the cable,an empty trolley retriever assembly having, means for engaging the empty trolley to push the trolley upwardly on the cable,a base member,a plurality of idler pulleys rotationally carried by the base member where each of the pulleys is disposed in rolling engagement with the upper side of the cable to movably support the retriever assembly on the cable at a position intermediate the trolley and the lower support means,a rotatable drive wheel engaging the lower side of the cable and disposed intermediate the idler pulleys,means for operatively rotating the drive wheel, anda remotely operable control electrically connected to the means for operatively rotating the drive wheel.

8. The gravitationally propelled load carrying system of claim 7 and including means for applying idler pulley biasing pressure against the cable to produce frictional engagement between the cable and the drive wheel.

9. A method for repositioning a load carrying trolley from the lower terminal end of an inclined carrying cable back to the upper end of the cable, comprising the steps of, positioning a motor driven retriever at the bottom terminal end of the cable,releasing a gravity driven load carrying trolley to travel down the cable and engage the retriever,activating the motor driven retriever to push the trolley back up the cable, andreturning the retriever to the bottom terminal end of the cable.

9. The method of claim 8 where the step of returning the retriever to the bottom terminal end includes the step of, activating the motor driven retriever to travel down the zip line cable at a speed greater than that which would be produced by gravitational pull.