Cableway system with supporting and haul cables

Abstract

In a cableway system with supporting and haul cables, a trolley, supporting a passenger car, is moved along two taut supporting cables by a haul-cable drive having two drive pulleys, two return pulleys, and a haul cable wound about the two drive pulleys and return pulleys; the haul-cable drive also having two idle pulleys fitted to the trolley and about which is wound an intermediate portion of the haul cable extending between the drive pulleys, and a retaining device for fixing firmly to the trolley the portions of the haul cable extending from the return pulleys towards the trolley.

1 . A cableway system with supporting and haul cables comprising:
 at least one pair of supporting cables located a given distance apart and secured at opposite ends;   a trolley fitted to said supporting cables; and   a haul-cable drive interposed between an actuating unit and said trolley to move the trolley in opposite directions along said supporting cables, the haul-cable drive including:
 two drive pulleys connected to said actuating unit and located at a drive station, 
 two return pulleys located at a return station, 
 a haul cable wound about the two drive pulleys and the two return pulleys, 
 relative-mobility means interposed between said trolley and an intermediate portion of said haul cable extending between said drive pulleys to permit relative movement of said intermediate portion with respect to said trolley, and 
 retaining means carried by said trolley to fix firmly to the trolley a plurality of portions of said haul cable extending from said return pulleys towards said trolley. 
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said haul cable is an open cable terminating at opposite ends with said portions extending from said return pulleys towards said trolley, and said retaining means includes first and second retaining means, each for connecting a respective end portion of said open haul cable firmly to said trolley. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said first and second retaining means are located on opposite lateral sides of said trolley. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said retaining means includes first and second retaining means including, respectively, a first and second drum fitted to the trolley, and about which is wound an intermediate portion of a relative portion extending from the relative said return pulley towards said trolley. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said first and second retaining means includes, for each said drum, a respective retaining clamp for firmly connecting an end of the respective portion extending from said return pulley and projecting from the relative said drum. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said first and second retaining means includes respective guide members fixed to said trolley, and a single common clamp interposed between said guide members to secure firmly to said trolley said end portions of said haul cable. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said haul cable is an endless cable, and said retaining means includes, for each return pulley, a respective curved guide fixed to the trolley, and a retaining member interposed between the curved guides to connect firmly to said trolley a continuous portion of said haul cable extending between said curved guides. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said retaining member includes a clamp through which said continuous portion extends. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said retaining member includes a drum, about which is wound and secured an intermediate portion of said continuous portion. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said intermediate portion of said continuous portion is secured to said drum by at least one dead turn of said intermediate portion. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said haul-cable drive includes at least one sense pulley fitted to said trolley and located between said idle pulleys to detect any variation in the tension of the haul cable. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said relative-mobility means includes a number of parallel, side by side rollers, on which is located the portion of the haul cable extending between said drive pulleys. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said relative-mobility means includes two curved slide and guide surfaces, on which part of said haul cable slides.