Portable ski tow

Abstract

A portable ski tow mechanism utilizing a first winch ( 1 ) positioned adjacent one end of the ski run. The main ski rope ( 9 ) is wound onto a cable drum of the first winch ( 1 ). The rope ( 9 ) can be partly withdrawn and the free end transported to a remote location. The cable drum is rotated to wind the ski rope ( 9 ) onto the cable drum and to pull the skiers up the ski slope. In a modification, a second winch ( 20 ) is utilised. The second winch ( 20 ) has a cable drum on which an auxiliary rope ( 21 ) is wound. The free end of the auxiliary rope ( 21 ) is joined ( 22 ) to the free end of the main ski rope ( 9 ) and the auxiliary rope ( 21 ) is wound onto the cable drum of the second winch ( 20 ) to withdrawn the main ski rope ( 9 ) from the first winch ( 1 ). The two winches ( 1, 20 ) can be located at the same end of the ski run or at the opposite ends of the ski run.

1 . A portable ski tow mechanism including a first winch having 
 drive means to rotate a cable drum to wind a main ski rope onto the drum,    clutch means to connect or to disconnect the drum to the drive means    the construction and arrangement being that the winch is adapted to be transported to and anchored adjacent one end of the intended ski slope,    the main ski rope is wound onto the cable drum    the clutch is operated to disconnect the drum from the drive means, and    the main ski rope is withdrawn from the cable drum by transporting the free end of the rope to a distant location whereupon a skier or skiers can grasp the ski rope    the clutch is engaged to commence rewinding of the ski rope onto the cable drum to haul the skier or skiers up the ski slope  2 .    
     
     
         2 . The portable ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , including guide means to guide the ski rope onto the drum and brake means to enable rotation of the drum to be retarded when the drum is disconnected from the drive means  3 .  
     
     
         3 . The ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , including a second winch adapted to be anchored adjacent an end of the ski run, said second winch including 
 drive means to rotate a cable drum to wind an auxiliary ski rope onto the drum,    clutch means to connect or to disconnect the drum to the drive means,    means to initiate operation of the second winch to wind the auxiliary ski rope onto the drum of the second winch and    means to disconnect the drum from the drive means to enable the auxiliary ski rope to be withdrawn from the drum,    the construction and arrangement being that the first and second winches are adapted to be utilised in unison by attaching the free end of the main ski rope to the free end of the auxiliary rope to thereby couple the two winches together and by operating the two winches in a manner that as the main ski rope is being withdrawn from the cable drum of one winch, the auxiliary rope is being wound onto the cable drum of the second winch.    
     
     
         4 . A method of operating a ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 3 , 
 wherein the first winch is located adjacent a first end of the ski run, and the second said winch is located adjacent a second end of the ski run,    the clutch means of a winch is disengaged to disconnect the cable drum from the drive means,    the free end of the rope is withdrawn from the disengaged cable drum and transported to the second winch and is connected to the free end of the rope of the second winch,    the drum of the second winch is disconnected from the drive means and    the clutch means of the first winch, is engaged to commence re-winding of the rope onto the cable drum and to withdraw the rope from the drum of the second winch.    
     
     
         5 . The method of operating a ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 a single winch is located adjacent the top of the intended ski run,    the clutch means of the winch is released    the free end of the main ski rope is manually transported to the desired location on the ski run to thereby withdraw the main ski rope from the cable drum and    the winch is activated to rewind the main ski rope onto the cable drum to enable the main ski rope to be utilised to haul a skier or skiers up the ski run.    
     
     
         6 . A method of operating a ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the first winch having a cable drum on which the main ski rope is wound is located adjacent the top of the intended ski run and the second winch having a cable drum on which the auxiliary rope is wound is situate adjacent the bottom of the ski run and wherein the clutch means of one of the winches is released and the rope withdrawn from the cable drum until it can be connected to the free end of the rope on the cable drum of the second of the two winches and wherein the winch having the cable drum to which the main ski rope is connected is activated to wind the main ski rope onto the cable drum and to withdraw the auxiliary ski rope from the cable drum of the second winch.  
     
     
         7 . The ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the winches is controlled remotely.  
     
     
         8 . The ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the remote control is by an electronic signal.  
     
     
         9 . The ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the first and second winches are situate adjacent each other at one end of the ski run, and the rope is withdrawn from the cable drum of one winch and is passed around pulley means situate at the second end of a ski run and the free end of the rope from the first winch is joined to the free end of the rope from the second winch and wherein the winches are operated so that the first winch having the cable drum on which the main ski rope is wound is utilised to haul a skier or skiers up the ski slope and the second winch having the cable drum on which the auxiliary rope is wound is utilised to withdraw the main ski rope from the cable drum of the first winch.  
     
     
         10 . The ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second winches are under the control of a single operator.  
     
     
         11 . The ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second winches share the same motive power.  
     
     
         12 . The ski tow mechanism as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the motive power comprises an engine driving a hydraulic pump and wherein hydraulic lines connect the hydraulic pump to a hydraulic motor for the cable drum of the first winch and to the cable drum of the second winch.