Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MOBILE AERIAL RAPID RESCUE SYSTEM
~IELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to apparatus
for use in evacuating aerial transportation systems that use
a wire rope or cable as the primary drive and support
mechanism. More particularly, the invention relates to
apparatus for permitting rescue personnel to traverse the
length of the cable in a rescue operation to evacuate people
from chairs or cars supported by the cable.
BACKGRO~ND PRIOR ART
Aerial transportation systems of the type
including a wire cable as the primary drive or support
mechanism are used as ski lifts, oil derrick escape
mechanisms, portable escape systems, gondolas, aerial trams,
and in mining systems, etc. Such aerial transportation
systems for use in carrying people commonly require ~tandby
evacuation equipment such that in the event the cable drive
is interrupted or the aerial transportation system becomes
otherwise inoperable, the persons carried by the chairs,
cable cars or gondolas can be lowered to the ground. For
example, regulations by the Colorado Tramway Board require
evacuation equipment capable of evacuating all persons from
a four person ski lift within a period of two hours,
In some prior art ski lift evacuation systems,
the rescuer stands on the ground and throws a rope over the
cable. Evacuees are then supported on a T-bar apparatus or
in a sling or harness and lowered to the .ground. In other
prior arrangements, a rescuer may be supported on a device
which can descend the cable. A second rescuer on the ground
handles a rope connected to the device and accompanies the
first rescuer, as the first rescuer moves along the length
of the cable. The rescuer on the ground aids the suspended
rescuer and controls the speed of his descent along the
cable and also aids in lowering persons from chairs or cars
to the ground.
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SUMMARY OF TEIE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved
apparatus for use in supporting a rescuer for movement
along a cable. The apparatus embodying the invention
permits a rescuer to move along a cable independently
or without help fro~ a second rescuer on the ground.
The apparatus also provides for smooth and secure
movement of the rescuer along the cable while also
providing a positive means for braking. The device
for supporting the rescuer also can be easily attached
to the cable, comprises an apparatus of relatively
simple construction and also includes a minimum number
of component parts.
Generally speaking, the present invention
may be considered as provlding A rescue device for
supporting rescue personnel for movement along the
length of a cable, the apparatus comprising:
at least one wheel adapted to be supported on the
cable and to roll along the length of the cable,
a frame, the frame having a web and first and second
generally parallel legs connected by the web and
depending fro~ the web in relatively spaced relation
and located one on each side of the wheel and rotatably
supporting the wheel therebetween, the first frame
leg having a lower termination in the area of the
periphery of the wheel and a second frame leg extending
downwardly below the first leg, a lever arm having
opposite ends, means located below the wheel and
connected to the lever arm and the second leg of
the frame but free from the first leg for supporting
the lever arm for pivotal movement on the second
leg and about a pivot axis i~termediate its opposite
ends so that the frame and wheel are movable along
the cable and the first leg will pass above and not
interfere with lateral attachments extending from
the cable and so that the rescue device has a generally
open construction relative tG the cable and can be
readily positioned on the cable by moving the rescue
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device over and then down on the cable without interference
and can be readily removed from the cable by the
reverse procedure, suspension means being connected
to one end portion of the lever arm, brake means
for selectively engaging the cable to brake the movement
of the rescue device along the length of the cable,
the brake means being supported by the lever arm
on the opposite side of the pivot axis from the suspension
means, and the brake means facing upwardly from the
lever arm toward the wheel and bein~ supported for
movement by the level arm between a cable engaging
position and a brake release position, and a brake
control lever connected to the opposite end of the
lever arm and accessible to rescue personnel in the
suspension means, the cable brake control lever movable
by the rescue personnel between a position wherein
the brake is engaged with the cable to brake the
apparatus and a brake release position, so that the
weight of rescue personnel in the suspension means
urges the brake means into engagement with the cable
and a force on the brake control lever moves the
brake means away from the cable.
More specifically, the rescue device embodying
the invenion includes a frame carried by a pair of
wheels for movement along the cable. The frame includes
a portion extending below the cable and a lever arm
having opposite ends, and the lever being pivotally
connected intermediate its opposite ends to the downwardly
extending portion of the frame. A suspension device
such as a harness is attached to one end of the lever
arm and is intended to support the rescuer. A brake
pad or shoe is mounted on the opposite end o~ the
lever arm and is positioned below the cable. The
weight of the rescuer on the harness functions to
cause engagement of the brake pad with the cable.
A brake control lever projects from the end of the
lever arm supporting the brake pad and is pulled
downwardly by the rescuer to control the force of
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the brake pad against the cable.
One of the advantages of the rescue device
of the invention is that a single rescuer can operate
the cable traverse device without the aid of a second
rescuer on the ground. The device is easily operated
and can move quickly along the length of the cable
from one gondola or chair to the ne~t to thereby
facilitate rapid evacuation of persons from the aerial
lift system.
Another advantage of the invention is that
the weight of the person carried by the traverse
device
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functions to provide a positive braking force against the
cable, to thereby provide a secure means for braking the
traverse device against movement along a cable.
Another advantage of the invention is that
means are provided for facilitating adjustment of the
position of components of the device to permit use by
persons of different weight.
Various other features and advantages of the
invention will be apparent by reference to the following
description of a preferred embodiment~ from the drawings and
from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an elevation view of the cable
traverse device of the invention supported on a cable and
carrying a rescuer.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial view of
apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an end view taken along line 3-3 in
Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a cross section view taken along
line 4-4 in Fig. 2.
Before explaining one embodiment of the
invention in detail, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited in its application to the details
of construction and the arrangements of the components set
forth in the following description or illustrated in the
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and
of being practiced or being carried out in various ways.
Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description
and should not be regarded as limiting.
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DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 illustrates a rescue device 10 for
traversing the length of a cable ll of the type used in
supporting gondolas or chairs 12 of a ski lift and for '
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supporting a rescuer 14 for movement along the length of the
cable 11. Chair 12 is suspended from cable 11 by rod 15.
In a conventional manner, rod 15 has a pivotal connection to
bracket 17 and bracket 17 is spliced or otherwise embedded
in cable 11. In this manner, the chair is securel~
supported from the cable but is free to swing in a vertical
plane about the pivotal connection to bracket 17.
The rescue device 10 includes a frame 16 which
is supported by a pair of wheels 13 adapted ~o ride on the
cable 11 and to support the frame 16 for movement along the
length of the cable. The frame 16 includes a generally
vertical rearward plate portion 20 defining a generally
vertical plane. A lower portion 22 of the plate portion 20
extends downwardly below the cable 11. The frame 16 also
includes a forward plate portion 24, the forward and
rearward plate portions 24 and 20 being rigidly joined
together at their upper edges by a web portion 26 of the
frame. The wheels 18 are housed in the frame 16 between the
forward and rearward plate portions 24 and 20, the wheels 18
being supported on a pair of axles 28 and being spaced apart
in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cable 11.
The wheels 18 are mounted on the a~les 28 so as to be freely
rotatable. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention
the wheels each include a peripherally extending groove 30
complementar~ to the shape of the cable 11.
A lever arm 34 is pivotally joined to the
lower portion 22 of the plate below the cable and for
pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of
rotation of the wheels. While the lever arm 34 could be
connected to the lower portion 22 of the rearward plate 20
in various ways, in the illustrated arrangement a bolt 36
extends through a ce~tral portion the lever arm 34 and
through a bore provided in the rearward plate. In the
illustrated construction the lower portion 22 of the plate
20 is reinforced by a generally "T" shaped gusset 38
projecting from the forward face 40 of the lower portion 22
of the plate 20. A plurality of vertically spaced apart
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holes or bores 42 extend through the vertical gusset and
through the plate 20 to accommodate the bolt 36. The bolt
36 may be selectively housed in one of the bores 42 and
secured in place by nut 37.
Means are also provided for suspending the
rescuer for movement along the cable 11, this means
including a sling or harness assembly 46 for carrying the
rescuer, the sling assembly 46 being connected to one end 48
of the lever arm 34. In the illustrated embodiment, a
plurality of holes 50 are provided in the end 48 of the
lower arm 34, the holes 50 being spaced apart in the
direction away from the pivot axis of the lever arm 34, and
the sling assembly 46 can be connected to the lever arm 34
by a link or hook 52, either fixed or releasable, housed in
a selective one of the holes 50. As illustrated, the hook
52 may be removed from lever arm 34 by pressing spring
loaded portion 53 inwardly, a conventional construction. In
a preferred form of the invention, the sling assembly 46
includes a leather harness constructed to form a seat for
the rescuer.
Brake means are also provided for engaging the
cable to selectively control the speed of the rescue device
10 as it moves along the length of the cable 11, or stop it
at a desired point. The brake means includes a brake shoe
or pad 60 fixedly supported by an upper portion of an end h2
of the lever arm 34 opposite the end 48 of the lever arm 34
supporting the sling. In the particular embodiment of the
invention shown in the drawings, an upper edge of the lever
arm supports a bracket 66, and the bracket 6Ç rigidly
supports the brake shoe 60, the brake shoe 60 being
supported for generally vertical movement toward and away
from the cable 11 in response to pivotal movement of the
lever arm 34, and such that downward movement of the end 48
of the lever arm 34 will cause upward movement of the brake
shoe 60 into engagement with the cable 11.
The lever arm 34 also includes a projecting
end portion 70 functioning as a handle and adapted to permit
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the rescuer to control the pressure of the brake shoe or pad
Ço on the cable ll. AS illustrated in Fig. 1, the handle 70
projects forwardly and downwardly and is;positioned such
that when the rescuer pulls downwardly on the handle 7~, the
brake shoe 60 is pulled away from the cable.
In operation of the apparatus, the weight of
the rescuer on the end of the lever arm 34 will tend to
cause clockwise pivotal movement of the lever arm 34, as
seen in Fig. 1, and upward movement of the brake shoe 60
into engagement with the cable to thereby brake the movement
o~ the rescue device. If the operator pulls downwardly on
the end of the handle 70, the brake shoe 60 is pulled away
~rom the cable and the rescue device will be freely movable
along the length of the cable ll, with the downward ~orce on
the handle by the operator determining the spee~ at which
the rescue device will move along the cable.
In the illustrated arrangement the lower end
22 of the plate 20 is also provided with a pair of holes 7
provided to permit attachment of line 78 used to lower
persons from a chair to the ground. Line 78 is connected to
plate end 22 by hook 80 similar in construction to hook 52.
With the construction of this invention, the
rescuer can safely move along the suspension cable at a
controlled speed regardless of the angle or inclination of
the support cable. In the ski lift application, the rescuer
lowers himself to the stalled chair. Once there, he can
release lever 70 and his weight holds the brake set as he
lowers the chair occupants to the ground.
After the chair is cleared of occupants, he
can release the brake and move down to the next chair. The
chair support is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to show the
relationship of the carrier parts to the cable and chair
support. Because of the open natuLe o~ the carrier, the
carrier can ride over and past the chair connection to the
cable. The periphery of wheels 18 will clear the bracket 17
or, i~ there is engagement, roll over it, or any other
conventional cable clamp that is used, without disengaging
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from the cable. Also, the rescuer can swing the chair and
its support out of his path as he rolls by. In the
preferred embodiment, the open nature is provided by the
planar rear plate which terminates in an inverted U-shaped
end completed by plates 24 and web 26 with the wheels 18
supported in the open end of U. This open construction will
also allow the carrier to readily roll over the cable
support pulleys at most chair lift support towers. When
used with a gondola installation, the carrier will roll over
the cable support pulleys at the support towers. At the
gondola, the rescuer will detach the carrier from the cable,
evacuate the gondola, and then traverse the gondola,
reattach the carrier to the cable and proceed down to the
next gondola. At any support tower where the carrier will
not roll over the cable pulleys, the carrier is removed from
the cable, the rescuer traverses the tower, reattaches the
carrier and proceeds down the cable. The open construction
of the carrier allows it to be easily attached to and
released from the cable.
Various features of the invention are set
forth in the following claims:
