EP0312497A1 - Transport installation, in particular chairlift or cabtrack - Google Patents

Abstract

Transport installation with an overhead cable (8) running continuously between stations (2, 42, 52). The cars (6) are coupled to the cable on leaving and uncoupled from the cable on entering each station (2, 42, 52). The station (2, 42, 52) comprises a main level (4) and a secondary level (28), each with a system of transfer rails (16, 56, 57) for the cars (6) and alighting (36, 48, 68, 69) and boarding (38, 50, 70, 71) areas. A system of conveyors (32, 46, 66, 67) for the cars (6) connects the two levels (4, 28). …<IMAGE>…

Description

The invention relates to an installation according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention is described below as being applied to a detachable single-cable gondola lift, but it is clear that it also applies to similar installations such as, for example, chairlifts and monocable or bicable cable-cars.

When carrying out such transport facilities, either in the mountains for tourism or in the middle for urban transport or within exhibitions, we are faced with several problems concerning the end buildings, for example the stations of valley and mountain and intermediate stations. Current cable car speeds are 3,000 or more people per hour, while regular cabins have two to twelve seats. This requires a cabin departure every five to ten seconds, depending on the size of the cabins. The time to disembark and re-embark is 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the size of the cabin and the season, since in the mountains and in winter the ma The majority of passengers must place their skis in a ski rack which is generally located outside the cabin. Consequently, a fairly large number of cabins are simultaneously in the disembarkation area respectively of embarkation, as well as a fairly large number of passengers having just disembarked or wishing to embark. To avoid traffic problems, this area should therefore be relatively spacious. However, the conditions of topography or town planning often do not allow the construction of a station large enough to create a long landing area or boarding area. In addition, it would not be ideal either, given the large differences in crowds in relation to the season, time of day, snow conditions and weather.

We have already tried to separate the cabins and lead them to two landing areas respectively boarding, arranged at the same level and parallel between the entry and exit of the cabins. The disadvantage of this solution is the following: the paths of the passengers and the cabins intersect; this is undesirable given the danger of accidents and the safety requirements. To avoid this crossing, it would be possible to provide a staircase by which at least some of the passengers could directly access their boarding or disembarking area. But such a solution requires relatively much space in a plan.

The present invention therefore aims to remedy these drawbacks and allow the realization of an installation adaptable to very variable operating conditions on a small area.

The installation according to the invention is characterized as indicated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

This new layout of the buildings as well as the choice of electro-mechanical equipment makes it possible to move the loaded cabins in the phase where they are separated from the conveyor cable. This system gives the possibility to embark respectively to disembark in different zones located essentially one above the other, that is to say at different levels. This makes it possible to use one or the other or all of the embarkation or disembarkation areas respectively. For example, when leaving a winter station in the morning, the crowds are higher in a lower level, later in the day, when the installation is occupied by the users of the runway assigned to this installation, the boarding often makes more sense at a higher level.

In addition, it is possible to use one of the zones for passengers and the other for goods or to separate different categories of passengers, such as skiers and other tourists.

• - la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élevation d'une station de vallée d'une télécabine;
• - la figure 2 est une vue en plan de la station selon la figure 1;
• - la figure 3 est une vue schématique en élevation d'une station de montagne de la télécabine,
• - la figure 4 est une vue schématique en élevation d'une station intermédiaire d'une télécabine;
• - la figure 5 est une vue en plan de la station selon la figure 4, et
• - la figure 6 est une vue schématique en élevation d'une autre station intermédiaire d'une télécabine.

The advantages and characteristics of the installation according to the invention will emerge more clearly from the following description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which

• - Figure 1 is a schematic elevation view of a valley station of a gondola;
• - Figure 2 is a plan view of the station according to Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic elevation view of a mountain station of the gondola,
• - Figure 4 is a schematic elevational view of an intermediate station of a gondola;
• FIG. 5 is a plan view of the station according to FIG. 4, and
• - Figure 6 is a schematic elevational view of another intermediate station of a gondola.

According to Figures 1 and 2 the valley station of a single cable gondola is a building 2 with a main floor 4. The cabins 6 which are provided for two to twelve people can be coupled in a known manner to a cable 8. This aerial cable 8 goes into building 2 on a deflection pulley 10 driven in rotation by a motor 12, by a gearbox 14. A rail system 16 is arranged on the ceiling of the main stage 4, the rails essentially forming a U with the sections 16 ′, 16˝, 16 ‴. This main stage 4 contains different zones, that is to say a decoupling zone 18, a landing zone 20, a boarding zone 22 adjacent to the landing zone 20, a waiting zone 24 and a waiting zone. coupling 26. The decoupling zone 18 is where the cabins 6 arriving from the mountain station are decoupled from the cable 8 and placed on the section 16 ′ of the rail system 16; they move towards the landing zone 20, gradually losing their speed, this due to friction or to the effect of a braking installation which is usually expected. In case the cabs slow down too much, just push them manually to the desired location.

When arriving at the landing area 20, the cabins 6 are stopped automatically or manually; passengers leave cabins 6 and possibly take their skis or luggage from a ski or luggage rack attached to the outside of each cabin 6. Cabins 6 are then moved to boarding area 22 where the new passengers load their skis or luggage and take their places. It may not be planned to separate the building into a first part for passengers wishing to the journey and in a second part for the passengers who have just made the journey; in these cases, the embarkation and disembarkation zones are identical. The cabins 6 occupied are subsequently moved to the waiting area 24, from where they are shipped, generally automatically and at regular intervals, to the coupling area 26. Again secured to the cable 8, the cabins 6 then leave the station. These installations and their operating mode are known.

In the new station, the building 2 has a secondary floor 28 located at a different plane than the main floor 4, in the particular case below this main floor 4. A second rail system 30, 30 ′, 30˝, 30 ‴, also forming a U, is arranged on the ceiling of the secondary stage 28. A system of conveyors 32 arranged obliquely in our example and which comprises an ascending section 32 ′ and a descending section 32˝, connects a section 34 of the first rail system 16 to the section 30 ′ of the second rail system 30. A switch arranged in the section 16 ′ alternately serves the section 34 or the section 16˝.

On the secondary floor 28 there is a second landing area 36 and a second loading area 38, these two areas can also be combined as on the main floor, as well as a second waiting area 40. Using the switch, a part of the cabins 6 arriving on the first rail system 16 is selected automatically or manually and returned to the descending section 32 ′ of the conveyor system 32 , which descends the cabins 6 to the secondary floor 28. Leaving this section 32 ′, the cabins 6 arrive using the second rail system 30 towards the second disembarkation area 36 or embarkation 38 respectively where the exchange of passengers and / or goods is carried out. Then the cabins 6 are moved to the second waiting area 40 from where they are accelerated towards the section 32˝ amount of the conveyor system 32 at set intervals. Having returned to the main floor 4, the cabins 6 thread through another switch between the cabins coming from the first boarding area 22, and they continue their journey as the cabins having remained on the main floor 4 .

Figure 3 shows a corresponding mountain station. In its building 42, the main floor is designed essentially as described for the valley station building and has the same figures. On the other hand, the secondary stage 44 is located above the main stage. The rail systems of the two floors are also connected by a conveyor system 46, with the difference that the cabins 6 arriving at the station are directed first to the rising section 46 ′, then to the second disembarkation area 48, respectively embarkation 50 and finally to the descending section 46˝ of the conveyor system 46. Apart from this, the operating mode is similar to that of the station in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Figures 4 and 5 show an intermediate station with a building 52 which can be divided into parts closed in the middle and parts open at the ends. The main floor 54 is located essentially at the level of the neighboring land, thus forming the ground floor of the building 52. Cables 8 and 9 cross the building 52 in opposite directions. A first system of transfer rails 56, 57 is arranged in a known manner on the ceiling of the main stage 54 and connects the decoupling zones 18 respectively 19 to the coupling zones 20 respectively 21. Two landing zones 58, 59 and two Boarding areas 60, 61 are located in the middle of the building 52. The secondary floor 62 is located above the main floor 54, forming the first floor of the building 52. The second rail system 64, 65 is arranged at the ceiling of the secondary stage 62. Two conveyor systems 66, 67 each comprising an ascending section 66 ′, 67 ′ and a descending section 66˝, 67˝ connect the secondary stage 62 to the main stage 54. Two zones of disembarkation 69, 69 and two embarkation zones 70, 71 are located in the center of the secondary stage 62.

The cabins 6 arriving from the left (according to FIGS. 4 and 5) are separated from the cable 8 in the decoupling zone 18. They continue their journey on the rail system 56 to a switch 72 from which a part of the cabins 6 follows the rail system 56, while the rest of the cabins 6 heads towards the rising section 66 ′ of the conveyor system 66 to reach the secondary stage 62. The cabins 6 of the main stage 54 pass through the zone of disembarkation 58 and the embarkation zone 60 and leave the rail system 56 in the coupling zone 20. The cabins 6 of the secondary stage 62 pass through the disembarkation zone 68 and by the embarkation zone 70 and return then the first rail system 56 at the main level 54 using the descending section 66˝ of the conveyor system 66. At the coupling zone 20, they are again secured to the cable 8. The cabins 6 coming from the right ( seen in Figures 4 and 5) move analogously from the decoupling 19 to the coupling zone 21, passing through the station either on the main stage 54 on the rail system 57 and by serving the landing zones 59 and boarding zones 61 either on the secondary stage using the ascending section 67 ′ and descending section 67˝ of the conveyor system 67 and by serving the landing areas 69 and boarding areas 71. In some cases it may be useful to provide a system of rails and point lages on one or the other or on the two floors making it possible to redirect the cabins 6 in the opposite direction of their arrival.

Figure 6 finally shows an intermediary station which specially meets the needs of urban transport. It corresponds to the station in Figures 4 and 5 also bearing the same figures with the only difference that the main floor is above the secondary floor, the last being located at the level of the neighboring land and thus forming the ground floor. - floor of the building so that the cabins must first go down and then go up using the conveyor system. It is obvious that it will be more comfortable for passengers to disembark and board at the secondary level and it will therefore be logical to use it first and to reserve the additional use of the main floor during peak hours.

Garage tracks 74 can be arranged on the main floor and / or on the secondary floor, but to make the best use of the space in the buildings they are provided according to FIG. 2 preferably at the secondary level below respectively above the lateral sections of the main floor rail systems.

The conveyor systems being arranged obliquely in the embodiment to which the description relates by way of example can be replaced by vertical conveyor systems.

Vehicles can be suspended or hung in conveyor systems. But it is also possible to place them in a conveyor system consisting essentially of a carpet, escalator or elevator.

The new station which gives the possibility to empty respectively to fill cabins, seats or skips at different levels and to favor one or the other therefore allows the construction of a relatively compact building and facilitates operation rational of the transport system.

Claims (5)

1. Transport installation comprising a continuously scrolling cable, circulating between stations, vehicles capable of being decoupled from the cable in a decoupling zone at the entrance to each station and of being coupled to it in a coupling zone at the exit of each station, and a system of transfer rails for vehicles leading from the decoupling zone to the coupling zone passing through a landing zone and a loading zone, characterized in that at least one of the stations (Fig. 1 and 2: 2; Fig. 3: 42; Fig. 4 and 5 and 6: 52) has at least one additional transfer rail system (30; 30; 64,65), located at another level than the first system of transfer rails (16; 16; 56,57), passing through landing zones (36; 48; 68,69) respectively of embarkation (38; 50; 70,71) and in that there is provided a conveyor system (32; 46; 66.67) for the vehicles (6), connecting the cutting area ment (18; 18; 18,19) with the additional disembarkation zone (36; 48; 68; 69) and the additional disembarkation zone (38; 50; 70,71) with the coupling zone (26; 26; 20,21). 2. Transport installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor system (32; 46; 66.67) comprises a descending section and a rising section, the two sections being arranged obliquely. 3. Transport installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor system comprises a descending section and a rising section, the two sections being arranged vertically. 4. Transport installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the station (2; 42) is an end station comprising a return system (10) for the cable (8) (Fig. 1, 2, 3) . 5. Transport installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the station (52) is an intermediate station crossed twice by the cable (8,9) in two different directions (Fig. 4, 5, 6).

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