The invention relates to cable transport installations, and more particularly to aerial cable transport installations.
Aerial cableways, such as chairlifts or gondola lifts, are currently used to transport passengers pursuing leisure activities in the mountains. These aerial cableways may momentarily break down and prevent transport of passengers until the aerial cableway has been put back in service.
It is therefore useful to provide an aerial cableway, or a ground cable transport installation, ensuring a minimum passenger transit rate.
Aerial cable installations comprising two independent aerial cableways arranged in parallel exist at the present time. Each aerial cableway comprises a single cabin, and is of to-and-fro type, i.e. the outward and incoming run of the cabin take place on the same track. This installation procures a certain flexibility in the passenger transit rate, for if an aerial cableway breaks down, the second aerial cableway can take over to perform transport of the passengers. Such an installation does however present the shortcoming of having a low passenger transit rate, as it is necessary to wait for the return of the cabin which is running to be able to proceed to load passengers again.
The object of the invention consists in remedying these shortcomings, and more particularly in providing a cable transport installation which can ensure a minimum passenger transit rate.
Another object of the invention consists in providing an installation having small overall dimensions.
According to one feature of the invention, a cable transport installation is proposed comprising at least one carrier, a first hauling cable to haul a carrier and describing a first closed loop, and a second hauling cable to haul a carrier and describing a second closed loop.
In this installation, the second loop surrounds the first loop so as to create a separating space between the first and second hauling cables.
An installation is thus provided enabling the availability of the carriers for loading and unloading of the passengers to be enhanced. Indeed, driving of a first hauling cable can be stopped, for example to perform maintenance or in case of a breakdown, while keeping the possibility of using the second hauling cable. Such an installation thereby ensures redundancy of driving of the carriers. Furthermore, when the second hauling cable surrounds the first hauling cable, each running track of the carriers can comprise a single hauling cable, i.e. they do not comprise return of the hauling cable as is the case of current installations, thereby reducing the lateral space occupation of the carrier running tracks.
The installation can comprise a loading/unloading platform situated inside the separating space.
The installation can comprise a first running track for a carrier hauled by the first hauling cable, and a second running track for a carrier hauled by the second hauling cable, the length of the first running track being shorter than that of the second running track.
The installation can comprise a carrier equipped with a detachable clamp to couple the carrier in removable manner to at least one hauling cable.
The installation can comprise a first drive means of the first hauling cable along the first running track, and a second drive means of the second hauling cable along the second running track, the second drive means being distinct from the first drive means.
At least one drive means of a hauling cable can comprise a driving pulley and two diverting pulleys to divert the hauling cable in the direction of the driving pulley.
According to one embodiment, the axis of rotation of the driving pulley and the axes of rotation of the diverting pulleys are horizontal.
The drive means can also comprise two inflection pulleys to bend the hauling cable in the direction of the driving pulley, the axis of rotation of the driving pulley being vertical and the axes of rotation of the diverting pulleys and of the inflection pulleys being horizontal.
According to another embodiment, the axis of rotation of the driving pulley and the axes of rotation of the diverting pulleys are vertical.
The installation can comprise a running space situated between the two diverting pulleys, and a disengagement circuit for a carrier passing through the running space in order to remove the carrier from the hauling cable.
The first and second hauling cables can be aerial hauling cables suspended above the ground and the carrier comprises a cabin and a hanger arm coupling the cabin to the clamp of the carrier, the hanger arm being located inside the separating space when the carrier is coupled to the hauling cable.
Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the appended drawings, in which:
In
In general manner, the installation 1 comprises a first running track X for a carrier 4 to 6 along which the first hauling cable 2 is driven, and a second running track Y for a carrier 7 to 10 along which the second hauling cable 3 is driven. In
More particularly, the second closed loop described by the second hauling cable 3 surrounds the first closed loop described by the first hauling cable 2, so that a separating space 11 is created between the first and second hauling cables 2, 3. In other words, the second running track Y surrounds the first running track X. What is meant by “surrounds” is the fact that the first closed loop described by the first hauling cable 2 is situated inside the second closed loop described by the second hauling cable 3. That is to say that the first running track X is positioned inside the second running track Y. Such an arrangement of the hauling cables 2, 3 makes it possible to ensure a greater availability of the carriers 4 to 10 in order to guarantee a minimum passenger transit rate. Indeed, when a running track X, Y breaks down or is undergoing maintenance, running of the hauling cable of the track X, Y is stopped, and the passengers can use the other running track X, Y, the associated hauling cable 2, 3 of which is in operation. For example, the running tracks X, Y can be parallel over the whole of their travel path. According to one embodiment, the length of the first running track X is shorter than that of the second running track Y. According to another embodiment, the length of the first hauling cable 2 is shorter than that of the second hauling cable 3.
The installation 1 can comprise one or more terminals 12 to 17. The terminals 12 to 17 are designed for loading/unloading of the passengers in and out of the carriers 4 to 10. A terminal 12 to 17 can comprise a platform 18 for loading and/or unloading of the passengers. In particular, the platforms 18 of the terminals 12 to 17 are located inside the separating space 11. The platform 18 facilitates access for the passengers to the two running tracks X, Y. From one and the same platform 11, a passenger can choose to enter a carrier 4 to 10 running along one track X, Y or along the other track X, Y. The installation 1 therefore enables a passenger to travel from one terminal 12 to 17 to the other by taking one or the other of the running tracks X, Y. Transport of the passengers is thus ensured from one terminal 12 to 17 to any of the other terminals 12 to 17, even if one of the running tracks X, Y is no longer in operation. The position of the platforms 18 situated between the hauling cables 2, 3 allows the lateral dimensions of the terminals 12 to 17 to be reduced, in other words the ground occupation surface of the terminals 12 to 17 is reduced.
The carriers 4 to 10 are further equipped with a clamp 19 to couple them to a hauling cable 2, 3, as illustrated in
According to a preferred embodiment, the installation 1 is a transport installation of detachable type, i.e. the carriers 4 to 10 each comprise a detachable clamp 19. An installation 1 of detachable type enables the passenger transit rate to be increased as it is not necessary to stop the hauling cables 2, 3 to immobilise the carriers 4 to 10 at the level of the platforms 18 so that the passengers can enter or exit the carriers 4 to 10.
In general manner, the installation 1 comprises a first drive means 20 of the first hauling cable 2 along the first running track X, and a second drive means 21 of the second hauling cable 3 along the second running track Y. Preferably, the second drive means 21 is distinct from the first drive means 20 in order to ensure redundancy of the running tracks X, Y. In other words the drive means 20, 21 are independent. The drive means 20, 21 can be configured to each drive a hauling cable 2, 3 in a running direction 22, 23. For example the hauling cables 2, 3 can be driven in the same running direction 22 or in two opposite directions 22, 23. As a variant, the drive means 20, 21 can be reversible and can reverse the running direction of the hauling cables 2, 3. A drive means 20, 21 can for example comprise a driving pulley 24, 25. When the installation 1 comprises a running track X, Y of detachable type, i.e. when the carriers 4 to 10 running on the track X, Y are each equipped with a detachable clamp 19, the drive means 20, 21 associated with the running track X, Y advantageously comprises two diverting pulleys 26 to 29 to divert the hauling cable 2, 3 which it drives in the direction of its driving pulley 24, 25. Due to the diverting pulleys 26 to 29, the driving pulley 24, 25 can be located offset with respect to the running track of the carriers 4 to 10. The driving pulley 24, 25 driving a hauling cable 2, 3 can be located inside or outside the closed loop described by the hauling cable 2, 3 which it drives. In particular, when a running track X, Y is detachable and the associated driving pulley 24, 25 is located inside the closed loop described by the hauling cable 2, 3 which it drives, the detached carriers are extracted from the hauling cable 2, 3 towards the inside of the track X, Y, i.e. towards the inside of the closed loop described by the cable. On the contrary, when the driving pulley 24, 25 is located outside the closed loop described by the hauling cable 2, 3 which it drives, the detached carriers are extracted from the hauling cable 2, 3 towards the outside of the track X, Y, i.e. towards the outside of the closed loop described by the cable. Advantageously, the driving pulley 25 driving the second hauling cable 3 is positioned inside the second closed loop and the driving pulley 24 driving the first hauling cable 2 is positioned outside the first closed loop. In this way, the carriers 4 to 6 running along the first track X can be extracted towards the outside of the first track X, and the carriers 7 to 10 running along the second track Y can be extracted towards the inside of the second track Y. In other words, each carrier 4 to 10 can be extracted from a hauling cable 2, 3 to the separating space 11, i.e. to the platform 18 of a terminal 12 to 17. The overall dimensions of the terminals 12 to 17 are thereby reduced. It can also be noted in
In
In
In
The carriers 4, 5 and 7, 8 have also been represented in two different positions in the installation 1 in
Motors 33, 34 to drive the driving pulleys 24, 25 respectively in rotation have also been represented in
Yet another embodiment of the invention has been represented in
Furthermore, positioning a driving pulley 24, 25 on a different level from the one where the hauling cable 2, 3 is running enables the carriers 4 to 10 to be removed from the bypass circuits C1, C2 to a parking area Z1, Z2. In particular, the diverting pulleys 26, 27 of the first hauling cable 2 can be positioned at a distance from one another to create a running space 37 between the pulleys 26, 27. This running space 37 provides a passage for a first disengagement circuit C3 for carriers. Each parking area Z1, Z2 comprises a disengagement circuit C3, C4 to store the carriers 4 to 10 which have been detached from the hauling cables 2, 3. The first disengagement circuit C3 passes through the running space 37 in order to remove carriers 4 to 6 from the hauling cable 2. In the same way, the diverting pulleys 28, 29 of the second hauling cable 3 can be positioned at a distance from one another to create another running space 38 between the pulleys 28, 29. This other running space 38 provides a passage for the second disengagement circuit C4 for carriers. A carrier suspended on the first disengagement circuit C3 has been assigned the reference numeral 6, and two carriers suspended on the second disengagement circuit C4 have been assigned the reference numerals 9, 10. It can be noted that, according to this embodiment, the output shafts of the motors 33, 34 are also horizontal. When a carrier 4 to 10 enters a terminal, it is removed from the hauling cable 2, 3 and runs along the bypass circuit C1, C2. Then the carrier 4 to 10 is either recoupled to the hauling cable 2, 3 to exit from the terminal 12 to 17, or the carrier 4 to 10 is moved, by means of a track switch, onto a disengagement circuit C3, C4 to be stored in a parking area Z1, Z2. Inversely, a carrier 4 to 10 stored in a parking area Z1, Z2 can be moved, by means of a track switch, onto a bypass circuit C1, C2 for the carrier 4 to 10 to be coupled back onto a hauling cable 2, 3 to exit from the terminal 12 to 17.
In
A pillar 43 suitable for an installation 1 having two aerial hauling cables 2, 3 has been represented in
An installation 1 of detachable ground cable transport type has been represented in
In general manner, each drive means 20, 21 comprises a tensioning system of the hauling cable 2, 3 which it drives. The tensioning system can be a hydraulic or pneumatic jack mounted on the frame of the driving pulley 24, 25 to move the latter, and consequently to move the hauling cable 2, 3, in order to place it under tension. As a variant, the tensioning system is formed by the two diverting pulleys 26 to 29.
The invention which has just been described in the foregoing is particularly suitable for any type of cable transport installation, in particular an installation with an aerial or a ground hauling cable. The invention ensures a minimum passenger transit rate while at the same time minimizing the size of the terminal stations.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
15 59494 | Oct 2015 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/FR2016/052572 | 10/6/2016 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2017/060632 | 4/13/2017 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4898100 | Brochand | Feb 1990 | A |
20080148989 | Moritzhuber | Jun 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
108924 | Feb 1928 | AT |
398950 | Feb 1995 | AT |
101200185 | Jun 2008 | CN |
0282418 | Sep 1988 | EP |
H5-345562 | Dec 1993 | JP |
2015071573 | May 2015 | WO |
WO-2015071573 | May 2015 | WO |
Entry |
---|
Jan. 26, 2017 International Search Report issued in International Patent Application No. PCT/FR2016/052572. |
Mar. 27, 2019 Office Action issued in Chinese Patent Application No. 201680057415.X. |
Apr. 24, 2020 Office Action issued in Japanese Application No. 2018-517508. |
Apr. 10, 2018 Internalional Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in International Patent Application No. PCT/FR2016/052572. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20180244289 A1 | Aug 2018 | US |