Assistance system in loading/unloading passengers in cars

Abstract

An assistance system for loading and/or unloading passengers on board cars of a transport installation where the cars move along a closed circuit comprises a rope in a closed loop having a first section arranged tangentially to a section of the closed circuit and a second section arranged along a loading and/or unloading area of the passengers on board vehicles coupled to the rope at regular intervals equal to a multiple of the interval between the cars. The drive means of the rope are associated with means for servo-control of the running speed of the rope according to the speed of movement of the cars able to continuously ensure that each vehicle running along the first section occupies a position adjacent to a car.

1 . An assistance system in loading and/or unloading passengers on board cars of a transport installation in which the cars move at substantially constant speed at regular intervals along a closed circuit, a system comprising:
 a rope in a closed loop running by means of drive means and having a first section arranged tangentially to a section of the closed circuit and a second section arranged along a loading and/or unloading area of the passengers on board vehicles coupled to the rope at least on the first section, with a stagger equal to a multiple of the interval between the cars,   and means for servo-controlling the speed of running of the rope according to the speed of movement of the cars to continuously position each vehicle running over the first section so that it is facing a car.   
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the means for coupling the vehicles to the rope are formed by fixed attachment grips supported by the vehicles, and the loading and/or unloading area comprises a transfer walkway having a path coinciding with the path of the vehicles in the second section. 
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the vehicles comprises means for adjusting the perimeter of the closed loop formed by the rope. 
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein a running track is arranged parallel to the rope to guide the vehicles during movement of the latter. 
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein each vehicle comprises a carriage running in the running track and a platform securedly affixed to the corresponding carriage by securing means. 
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein the securing means comprise means for orienting the platform with respect to the carriage according to at least one axis of rotation and means for automatic maintaining of the trim of the platform by pivoting around said axis of rotation. 
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 5 , wherein each carriage is equipped with a first wheel and a second wheel offset in the direction of movement of the carriage, the running track comprising two independent guide rails respectively receiving one of the first and second wheels and occupying a relative position in the vertical plane suitable for keeping the carriage horizontal whatever its position along the running track. 
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each vehicle is equipped with a retractable sill varying by actuating means between an extended position salient from the vehicle, occupied on the first section to fill the gap between the vehicle and the adjacent car, and a retracted position housed in the vehicle. 
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each vehicle comprises a salient ramp inclinable around a pivoting axis coinciding with the direction of movement of the vehicle, and means for varying the angle between the ramp and the vehicle. 
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the means for varying the angle between the ramp and the vehicle comprise a support system with a deformable parallelogram comprising:
 two pivoting arms parallel to one another, articulated on the vehicle at a proximal end, at least one of which arms supports said ramp,   a joining element with fixed spatial orientation with respect to the vehicle, articulated on the distal ends of said pivoting arms,   and an actuating jack equipped with a sliding rod, translation of which rod controls the variation of the angle between the pivoting arms and the joining element.   
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the closed circuit presents a circular shape comprised in a vertical plane, and the part of running track bordering the first section presents the shape of an arc of a circle comprised in a parallel vertical plane.