Aerial cable transport station, aerial cable transport installation comprising one such station and operating method of one such installation

Abstract

An aerial cable transport station comprises a cable running along the station to define a running track. A transport vehicle and a maintenance vehicle remain securedly attached to the cable when moving in the station. The maintenance vehicle is installed detachable from the cable and presents a different size from the transport vehicle. A guide prevents the transport vehicle from pivoting around a longitudinal axis of the cable beyond a threshold position. The guide is movable between operating and maintenance positions. In the operating position, the guide forms an obstacle to movement of the maintenance vehicle running in the station. In the maintenance position, the guide is located outside the volume occupied by the maintenance vehicle running in the station.

1 . Aerial cable transport station comprising:
 a cable running along the station;   a running track;   vehicles comprising at least one transport vehicle and one maintenance vehicle, the maintenance vehicle presenting a different volume from that of the transport vehicle, each vehicle comprising a drive system performing attachment to the cable on exit from the station and attachment to the running track in the station;   wherein the transport station comprises a guide installed movable between an operating position and a maintenance position, the operating position preventing pivoting of the transport vehicle around the attachment of the transport vehicle with the running track beyond a threshold position;   wherein, in the operating position, the guide forms an obstacle to movement of the maintenance vehicle when the maintenance vehicle runs along the running track; and   in that, in the maintenance position, the guide is located outside the volume occupied by the maintenance vehicle when the maintenance vehicle is travelling along the running track.   
     
     
         2 . Aerial cable transport station according to  claim 1  wherein the guide is installed pivoting between the operating position and the maintenance position. 
     
     
         3 . Aerial cable transport station according to  claim 2  wherein the guide is installed pivoting around a pivot axis parallel to a running axis of the transport vehicle along the running track. 
     
     
         4 . Aerial cable transport station according to  claim 1  comprising a first sensor emitting a signal representative of coupling of the maintenance vehicle with the cable and uncoupling of the maintenance vehicle from the cable and a second sensor emitting a signal representative of the guide in the operating position or of the guide in the maintenance position, and wherein when the first sensor emits a signal indicating coupling of the maintenance vehicle with the cable and the second sensor emits a signal indicating that the guide is in the operating position, a control circuit stops running of the cable. 
     
     
         5 . Aerial cable transport station according to  claim 4  wherein the first sensor is located upline from the guide and detects the presence or absence of a top platform, the presence of the top platform corresponding to coupling with the cable and the absence of the top platform corresponding to uncoupling from the cable. 
     
     
         6 . Aerial cable transport station according to  claim 4  comprising a parking area for the maintenance vehicle when the maintenance vehicle is uncoupled from the cable, the parking area comprising the first sensor detecting the presence or absence of the maintenance vehicle in the parking area, the presence of the maintenance vehicle corresponding to uncoupling from the cable and the absence of the maintenance vehicle corresponding to coupling with the cable. 
     
     
         7 . Aerial cable transport station according to  claim 6  wherein the cable defines a loop and the parking area is located outside the loop;
 wherein an access platform extends from the inside of the loop to the outside of the loop, passing above the cable; and 
 wherein the access platform forms a slide rail designed to move the maintenance vehicle from the parking area to the cable to couple the maintenance vehicle and to move the maintenance vehicle from the cable to the parking area uncouple the maintenance vehicle. 
 
     
     
         8 . Aerial cable transport installation comprising at least one aerial cable transport installation station according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . Aerial cable transport installation according to  claim 8  comprising a maintenance vehicle and several transport vehicles coupled to the cable. 
     
     
         10 . Operating method of an aerial cable transport installation comprising the following steps:
 providing an aerial cable transport installation according to  claim 8 ;   coupling the maintenance vehicle with the cable;   moving the guide from the operating position to the maintenance position;   making the cable run to move the maintenance vehicle only after the maintenance vehicle has been coupled and after the guide has been moved to the maintenance position.