Patent Application
20250137270
The invention relates to a tower superstructure and to a method for erecting a tower superstructure.
In a ropeway transport installation, it is commonplace to have two stations that are joined by a cable supported or tensioned by a plurality of sheaves fixed to a support. In conventional manner, the sheaves are located at the top of the tower and are situated at a considerable height.
Maintenance operations have to be performed regularly on the sheaves as well as on all the equipment involved in running of the cable, in particular the sheave assemblies. It is therefore important for the operators who have to perform operations all the year round at the top of the tower to be able to work in complete safety. To achieve this, the towers are provided with one or more catwalks that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cable facing the sheaves and sheave assemblies.
As the tower superstructures are generally installed at a height and in difficult-to-reach locations or requiring acrobatic access, this results in the tower superstructures being erected by means of a helicopter that hoists the tower superstructure and installs the latter on its support. To limit the weight and/or size constraints on the towers, the latter are divided into sections that are assembled to one another from the foot of the tower up to the top.
As further technical improvements are made, it is observed that the weight of the tower superstructures is increasing giving rise to a problem of installation since increasingly powerful helicopters have to be used. As the altitude increases, an aerodynamic lift problem becomes more and more difficult to solve.
A means for making installation of tower superstructures by helicopter easier to perform is therefore required.
The document EP1980465 discloses a mechanical guiding device of an aerial cable of a ropeway system. The mechanical device comprises a main support and guiding sheave assembly that is fixed to a bar and an auxiliary sheave assembly that is movable between a work position and a standby position. The auxiliary sheave assemblies are hooked onto support arms.
The document FR2395940 discloses a method and device for assembling chair lift and gondola lift towers by means of a helicopter. A tower superstructure suspended by helicopter is installed on a mast already in place. The tower superstructure is lowered progressively towards the tower and is presented facing the mast to bring self-guiding and self-centring means into cooperation until it is resting completely on the mast in the centred position. The superstructure is then secured on the tower mast.
One object of the invention consists in providing a tower superstructure that is able to be installed more easily on the top of a tower.
This problem tends to be solved by means of a tower superstructure of a ropeway transport installation comprising:
In advantageous manner, the insertion direction is a vertical direction.
In a particular configuration, the hole has a decreasing cross-section in an opposite direction to the insertion direction.
Preferentially, the tower superstructure comprises at least one latch presenting a latched position in which the catwalk is assembled fixedly with respect to the bar and an unlatched position in which the catwalk is assembled movable with respect to the bar.
According to one embodiment, in the unlatched position the catwalk is removable with respect to the bar.
In a particular embodiment, the tower superstructure comprises at least one adjustment part configured to adjust the insertion of the hook with respect to the hole in the insertion direction, the adjustment part pressing on at least one of the catwalk and bar.
Advantageously, the adjustment part comprises at least one screw fixed to the catwalk and pressing on the bar or at least one screw fixed to the bar and pressing on the catwalk.
In preferential manner, in the latched position, a wall defining the hole is separated from a wall defining the hook in the insertion direction.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for erecting a tower superstructure of a ropeway transport installation that is easier to implement than the prior art configurations.
This result tends to be achieved by means of a method for erecting a tower superstructure of a ropeway transport installation comprising the following steps:
In a particular embodiment, the method comprises vertical adjustment of the catwalk with respect to the bar followed by latching of the position of the catwalk with respect to the bar, a wall defining the hole being separated from the wall defining the hook in the insertion direction.
Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments and implementation modes of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the appended drawings, in which:
The tower superstructure 1 comprises a bar 2 and at least one catwalk 3. The bar 2 is designed to provide the mechanical junction between the tower body C and catwalk or catwalks 3.
The tower superstructure 1 also comprises at least a first fixing part 4 fixed to the bar 2 and at least a second fixing part 5 fixed to the at least one catwalk 3. The second fixing part 5 is fixed to the first fixing part 4 to secure the catwalk 3 to the bar 2.
One of the first fixing part 4 and the second fixing part 5 is a hook A defining an opening having a decreasing cross-cross-section. The other of the first fixing part 4 and the second fixing part 5 defines a hole B designed to receive the hook A. The hook A defines an insertion direction Z extending from a top of the hook A to the bottom of the hook A. The hook A and the hole B are designed to sink into one another in the insertion direction Z until the catwalk 3 comes into abutment against the bar 2.
The hook A and the hole B define an insertion direction Z in which the second fixing part 5 moves with respect to the first fixing part 4 until it reaches a threshold position.
The threshold position is a position where the catwalk 3 is in abutment against the bar 2. For example, the wall defining the hole B is in abutment against the wall defining the hook A. However, it is possible to have an abutment between other parts.
As illustrated in
Preferentially, the insertion direction Z corresponds to a downwards vertical movement of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2.
In the illustrated embodiment, the first fixing part 4 is in the form of a hook A that is preferentially salient from a side wall of the bar 2 for ease of installation. The catwalk 3 defines a hole B designed to receive the hook A. It is advantageous for the hook A to extend in the longitudinal direction of the catwalk 3. It is advantageous for the hook A to extend in the longitudinal direction of the cable driving the cars. The distance from the opening of the hook A is preferentially measured along the longitudinal axis of the cable or the longitudinal axis of the catwalk 3 as illustrated in
As an alternative, the catwalk 3 comprises a hook A and the bar 2 defines a hole B.
The cross-section of the hole B is preferentially decreasing until the catwalk 3 reaches the threshold position.
In an advantageous embodiment, the insertion direction Z is a downwards vertical direction. When the hook A is fixed to the bar 2, the hook A has its opening directed upwards, i.e. insertion in the hook A is performed with a downwards vertical movement. Conversely, when the hook A is fixed to the catwalk 3, the opening of the hook A is directed downwards.
The bottom of the hook A preferentially forms an end-of-travel stop that prevents the catwalk 3 from moving downwards beyond the threshold position. As the wall defining the hole B moves towards the bottom of the hook A, the width of the opening of the hook A decreases to approach the thickness of the wall defining the hole B. The decrease of thickness enables the catwalk 3 and the bar 2 to be moved towards one another in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction and the extension direction enabling the gap of the opening of the hook A to be measured.
The hook A has a wall that defines a general U-shape or V-shape.
The use of a hook A provided with a decreasing cross-section from the opening to the bottom of the hook A enables the catwalk 3 and the bar 2 to be moved progressively towards one another as the catwalk 3 moves in the insertion direction, preferably downwards. This configuration enables the constraints regarding the alignment between the catwalk 3 and the bar 2 to be reduced.
Once the hook A has been inserted in the hole B, movement towards the bottom of the hook A facilitates alignment between the catwalk 3 and the bar 2. Automatic alignment of the catwalk 3 with the bar 2 as insertion in the hook A takes place makes the job of the helicopter pilot who is installing the catwalk 3 on the bar 2 easier to perform.
In preferential manner, the hole B has a decreasing cross-section in a vertical direction corresponding to a downward movement of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2. The decreasing cross-section enables the position of the catwalk 3 to be aligned with respect to the bar 2 in a direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction and perpendicular to the direction of movement between the bar 2 and the catwalk 3 linked to the decrease of the cross-section of the opening of the hook A.
To limit the lateral movements between the proximal end of the catwalk 3 and the bar 2, it is advantageous for the first fixing part 4 to be provided with at least one strut 6, preferentially two struts 6 that define the offset between the catwalk 3 and the bar 2 in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction Z and perpendicular to the extension direction of the hook A.
More preferentially, the shape of the hook A and of the hole B limit the amplitudes of movements between the catwalk 3 and the bar 2 in two perpendicular directions.
In preferential manner, the cross-section of the wall defining the hook A is complementary to the cross-section of a terminal portion of the hole B when the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position. Preferably, the cross-section of the wall defining the hole B is complementary to the cross-section of the hook A when the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position. This particularity enables the position of the catwalk 3 to be frozen with respect to the bar 2 in one or two directions when the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position. This embodiment is particularly advantageous as, once the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position, the spatial configuration of the catwalk 3 in the three dimensions is perfectly defined with respect to the bar 2.
As illustrated in
When the hook A is inserted in the hole B, the catwalk 3 is able to move laterally and preferably within the space demarcated by the two struts 6. When the catwalk 3 moves in the insertion direction, the wall of the hole B moves until it comes into contact with the wall of the hook A. When the shape of the terminal portion is substantially complementary to the width of the wall of the hook A, the lateral movement is eliminated. The wall of the hole B then slides along the wall of the hook A in the direction of the bottom of the hook A. As illustrated in
In a preferential embodiment, the tower superstructure 1 comprises at least one latch presenting a latched position and an unlatched position. In the latched position, the catwalk 3 is assembled fixedly with respect to the bar 2. In the unlatched position, the catwalk 3 is assembled movable with respect to the bar 2. Once the catwalk 3 is in the required position, the latch freezes the position of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2.
Advantageously, in the unlatched position, the catwalk 3 is removable with respect to the bar 2. This makes it easier to dismantle the catwalk 3 at the end of life of the tower superstructure 1, or at the end of life of the tower or the end of life of the ropeway transport installation.
The latch preferentially comprises a plurality of through holes 7 enabling bolts to be installed to freeze the position of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2.
In an advantageous configuration illustrated in
In a particular case, the shape of the hook A and the shape of the hole B are such that movement of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2 by means of the adjustment part 8 does not allow any additional freedom of movement to be had in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction Z and more preferentially in two directions perpendicular to the insertion direction Z. It is particularly advantageous for the portion of bottom of the hook A to present a constant thickness and for the terminal cross-section of the hole B to also be of constant width so that a vertical movement between the catwalk 3 and the bar 2 does not result in an increase of the functional clearance between the first fixing part 4 and the second fixing part 5. The same is preferentially the case in the other direction using a wall of constant thickness in the terminal part of the hole B and a hook A of constant opening before the threshold position is reached.
It is particularly advantageous to use an adjustment part 8 comprising at least one screw as this enables the position of the catwalk 3 to be adjusted with respect to the bar 2 simply, in precise manner and with less weight. Preferentially, the adjustment part 8 comprises two screws or at least two screws in order to improve control of the movements. It is advantageous for the catwalk 3 to comprise a first adjustment plate 3a designed to be placed facing a second plate of the bar 2 in the insertion direction Z of the wall of the hole B in the hook A. The first plate 3a has one or two threaded holes and one or two screws are inserted in the threaded holes. Tightening the screws has the effect of separating first plate 3a and second plate to adjust the position between the catwalk 3 and the bar 2. The screw presses on the bar 2. In the illustrated example, the second plate is formed by the struts 6.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, in the latched position, the wall defining the hole B is separated from the wall defining the hook A. Even more advantageously, the latch is configured not to enable the latched position when the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position. The latch then forms the fixing means between the bar 2 and the catwalk 3. The latch preferentially comprises a plurality of bolts. The bar 2 and the catwalk 3 define a plurality of through holes 7 designed to come to face one another to be passed through by the bolts that perform securing between the bar 2 and the catwalk 3.
In order to limit the weight of the tower superstructure 1, it is advantageous for the wall defining the hook A and the wall defining the hole B to be configured to perform the adjustment prior to fixing of the bar 2 with the catwalk 3 without any subsequent mechanical action being performed during operation of the ropeway transport installation. When the cable is running with one or more cars, the catwalk 3 is fixed directly to the bar 2 without the hook A being in contact with the wall defining the hole B as illustrated in the right-hand part of
More particularly, the latch prevents latching of the position of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2 when the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position. When the latch comprises one or more screws passing the through holes 7 of the bar 2 and of the catwalk 3, the through hole/holes 7 of the bar 2 and of the catwalk 3 are arranged not to be facing one another when the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position.
In preferential manner, the catwalk 3 is fixed to the bar 2 by at least one stay 9 that connects a distal part of the catwalk 3 with the bar 2, more preferentially that connects the distal part of the catwalk 3 with a support beam. The support beam is arranged at a higher level than the catwalks 3.
It is advantageous for the tower superstructure 1 to comprise at least two catwalks 3 that are arranged on each side of the bar 2 in the running direction of the cable. The running direction of the cable is defined by the alignment of the grooves of the sheaves designed to be fixed to the bar 2.
The tower superstructure 1 can be erected in the following manner. A tower body C designed to receive the tower superstructure 1 is provided, and the tower superstructure 1 according to any one of the foregoing configurations is provided. Depending on the configurations, the tower superstructure 1 is already placed on the tower body C or it is hoisted into place by any suitable means, preferentially by helicopter.
In preferential manner, the first fixing part 4 is already fixed to the bar 2 when the bar 2 is installed on the tower body C.
The catwalk 3 already provided with the second fixing part 5 is provided. The catwalk 3 is hoisted in such a way that the hook A enters the hole B and the catwalk 3 moves until it reaches the threshold position. The catwalk 3 is attached to hoisting means by suspension means, for example ropes, straps, slings or chains.
As the catwalk 3 is a bulky part that catches the wind, it is difficult to keep the catwalk 3 in position to ensure a good spatial placing with respect to the bar 2. By using a hook A with a decreasing cross-section, the catwalk 3 is aligned with a predetermined position as it moves in the insertion direction Z until it reaches the threshold position. Preferentially, the hook A and the hole B perform alignment in two perpendicular directions. The personnel in charge of installation thereby control the downward insertion of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2 and, in the threshold position, the catwalk 3 is naturally located in the predetermined position.
The position of the catwalk 3 was defined beforehand by installing the hook A and the hole B in particular positions and by defining the shape of the hook A and the shape of the hole B.
It is particularly advantageous for the insertion direction Z to be chosen as the downward vertical direction or to be mainly a downward vertical direction in order to take advantage of the weight of the catwalk 3 that performs its alignment automatically from the moment the hook A is inserted in the hole B. This particularity makes the job of placing the latter easier, in particular by helicopter.
Once the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position and when the insertion direction Z is downward and vertical, the catwalk 3 is supported by the first fixing part 4. It is then possible to remove the suspension means. The hoisting system can be used to prepare hoisting of another item, for example another catwalk.
In preferential manner, the tower superstructure 1 is provided with an adjustment part 8 that is configured to adjust the position of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2 in the insertion direction Z. It is advantageous for the adjustment part 8 to hoist the catwalk 3 so as to place the catwalk 3 in a predetermined position that corresponds to a latched position of the latch. For example, the bar 2 and the catwalk 3 have through holes 7 and the adjustment part 8 is used to align the through holes 7 of the catwalk 3 and the through holes 7 of the bar 2. Bolts are inserted in the through holes 7 and fastened to lock the position of the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2.
In preferential manner, the adjustment part 8 makes the catwalk 3 slide vertically with respect to the bar 2. The adjustment part 8 is configured to move the catwalk 3 with respect to the bar 2 inside the hook A in the insertion direction Z.
The bar 2 is fixed to the proximal end of the catwalk 3 by means of the latch. It is advantageous to fix the distal end of the catwalk 3 with the bar 2. A stay 9 can be used that is fixed to the distal part of the catwalk 3 prior to the latter being hoisted and installed on the bar 2.
In particularly advantageous manner, the suspension means used to hoist the catwalk 3 is fixed to the proximal part of catwalk 3. Once the catwalk 3 is in the threshold position, the suspension means is separated from the hoisting system and is fixed to the bar 2 to form a provisional stay.
The shape of the hook A can be adapted to match the tilt axis of the longitudinal direction of the tower. The hook A can have one wall that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tower and another wall that is inclined at 45°. The angle of 45° is particularly advantageous when the longitudinal axis is vertical or substantially vertical. When the longitudinal axis of the tower is more inclined, an angle other than 45° can be used to take advantage of a better management of the weight of the catwalk 3.
Once the catwalk/catwalks have been installed, it is possible to install the sheave assemblies and sheaves.
The ropeway transport installation comprises one or more stations, for example two terminal stations possibly with intermediate stations. The ropeway transport installation has one or more cars. The ropeway transport installation defines a running path for the car or cars. The running path is totally or partially defined by a cable or by several cables. In preferential manner, when the ropeway transport installation has several stations, the cable or cables connect the stations to one another.
The ropeway transport installation comprises a drive means of the cable that is configured to drive the cable. The cable drive means has for example at least one motor. The cable drive means can be located in the station or elsewhere.
The car or cars are fixed to the cable by a grip or at least one grip. According to the configurations, the cars are installed fixedly on the cable or are installed in detachable manner with respect to the cable. The grip is adapted accordingly.
The station possesses a movement device configured to enable movement of the at least one car in the station, for example movement of the car through station 1. The movement device partially defines the running path of the car and in particular the running path in the station and preferentially through the station.
To make it easier for an operator to move around in station, the latter is equipped with a platform. The platform defines a path enabling an operator to move between the different parts of the station. The platform is arranged on a first side of the movement device. When the running path defines a U-shape, the platform is preferentially arranged on the inner side of the running path, i.e. on the inside of the U.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2311891 | Oct 2023 | FR | national |
