Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2~3~ 32~
The invention concprn~ a chair for a chair lift comprising a
suspension bar and a pivotable ~aU~e~ protection cover carried
U~ y, wherein movably mounted to the sll~p~n~ion bar above the
weather protection cover is an actuating device which is movable by a
S control device specific to the station and the movement of which is
LL~ ~tted by way of a Ll~,.~ni~sion means to the pivotal movement of
the weather protection cover, and a locking device for locking the
closed weather protection cover. The invention further conc~rn~ a
cable car for a cable car lift ccmprising a suspension bar and a cabin
carried by the sll~pPn~ion bar, with an autcmatically actuable door,
wherein mounted movably on the suspension bar above the cabin is an
actuating device which is movable by a control device associated with the
station and the movement of which is LL~ itted by way of a
L~ sion means to the closing and opening Inuv~l~nt of the door,
and a locking device for locking the closed door.
In relation to chairs with pivotable weather protection covers
or hoods ('cover-type chairs'), it is usual for at least the
unocc ~i~ chairs to be autcmatically closed when leaving the station.
The actuating m~h~ni~m which is provided for that purpose, being
associated with the chair, may for ~x~.~le ccmprise a lever which is
pivotably ~ unted to the suspension assembly and which carries a
control roller at its free end. When moving out of the station, th~t
conLlol roller passes on to an actuating device which is specific to
the station, in the simplest case on to a closing rail which is
arranged in a slightly ;n~l ine~ position relative to the direction of
travel and which pivots the actuating lever. That pivotal movement of
the actuating lever can then be transferred to a closing movement of
the weather protection cover by way of a linkage, a Bowden cable or
other l~ "~i~sinn means. It has now been found that, under the effect
of wind, it repeatedly h~ppPn~ that the weather protection covers are
automatically opened by the force of the wind. me opened covers now
afford a larger area for the wind to act Ulel~on, whereby the chairs
may suffer from undesirably severe swinging or oscillating ~ ~l~nts.
In addition that means that the seat area is freely exposed to the
influ~nces of the weather and therefore the arrangement can be
adversely affected by snow and ice overnight, which is undesirable.
It is already known for the weather protection covers to be
locked in the closed position by pins which have to be inserted by
hand. mat however requires a greater degree of operator involvement
and, before the covers are opened, it is n~cPss~ry to ensure that the
pin has been removed in order to avoid damage to the actuating
mech~ni~m.
In addition, it is known from European patent specification No
0 242 242 Bl for the weather protection covers to be closed by a lock
member which directly engages the weather protection covers and which
is closed by way of a separate control rail when leaving the station
and opened by way of a Se~aL~ Le control rail when passing into the
station. A disadvantage of that proposal lies in the need for separate
control rails for the lock II~ILeL~ which not only represent an
increase in structure but also, by virtue of being arranged in the
region of the point of entry and exit, also have an adverse effect on
passengers entering and leaving the chair. A further disadvantage of
the known proposal is that the lock l,~l~eL is n~cP~s~rily also locked
on chairs which are occupied by passengers. The passenger therefore
does not have any option of opening the weather protection cover.
Particularly in the event of disturbances in the operational
procedure, because of the relatively small amount of space beneath the
weather protection cover, the lack of any option of opening the cover
can result in panic-type situations occurring.
The object of the present invention is that of providing a
chair or cable car of the kind set forth in the opening part of this
specification, wherein automatic locking is possible after closure of
the weather protection cover of the chair or the door of the cable
2065528
car, without additional control rails for the locking function
being necessary for that purpose. The invention further seeks
to provide that the locking device according to the invention
can be easily subsequently installed without alteration to the
chair covers or cable car doors and without changing the
actuating devices specific to the station (closing and opening
rails for the chair covers or cable car doors).
The invention provides a chair for a chair lift
comprising a suspension bar and a pivotable weather protection
cover carried thereby, wherein movably mounted to the
suspension bar above the weather protection cover is an
actuating device which is movable by a control device
associated with a lift station and movement of which is
transmitted by way of a transmission means to effect pivotal
~ove~.cnt of the weather protection cover; and a locking device
for locking the weather protection cover in closed condition,
characterised in that the locking device is arranged on the
actuating device above the weather protection cover, said
locking device operating to lock the actuating device with
respect to the suspension bar or a member connected thereto.
The invention also provides a cable car for a cable
car lift comprising a suspension bar and a cabin carried by
the suspension bar, with an automatically actuable door,
wherein mounted movably on the suspension bar above the cabin
is an actuating device which is movable by a control device
associated with a lift station and l"oval"a-lt of which is
transmitted by way of a transmission means to closing and
opening ~,o-vt~.ellt of the door, and a locking device for locking
door closed characterised in that the locking device is
-- 3
23739-272
A~
2065528
arranged on the actuating device above the cabin, said locking
device operating to lock the actuating device with respect to
the suspension bar or a member connected thereto.
Although the locking device according to the
invention is also suitable for doors of cable cars, reference
is primarily made hereinafter to chairs, with similar
considerations which the man skilled in the art can readily
appreciate generally applying to cable car lifts. Hereinafter
the term suspension means denotes a chair of a chair lift or a
car of a cable car lift.
In contrast to the arrangement disclosed in European
patent specification No. 0 242 242 B1, the locking device
according to the invention does not engage the chair cover but
directly engages the actuating device specific to the chair,
which is mounted above the weather protection cover on the
suspension bar. That permits the locking device to be
actuated by way of the station-associated control devices,
which are present in any case, for opening and closing the
23739-272
~.,,
2 ~ 2 &
weather protection covers (opening and closing rails), without the
need for that purpose for additional control rails for the locking
device, which rails cause problems in the entry and exit region.
Without additional devices therefore that arrangement can provide for
direct and functi~nAlly r~liAhl~ locking of the actuating device on
the suspension h-ar and thus locking of the weather protection cover.
The locking device according to the invention is arranged in the upper
region of the suspension bar, at a position which is advantageous in
terms of space, and can also he subsequently installed on existing
chairs without mcdifying the chair covers and without changing the
closing and opening rail~.
In the case of a suspension means in which the actuating
device has an actuating lever which is pivotably mounted to the
suspension bar and the pivotal movement of which is L~ ~tted by way
of a LL~"~"i~ision means in the form of a linkage, Bawden cable or the
like, it is preferably provided that a second lever in the form of a
latching pawl is mounted on that actuating lever pivotably in an
An~llAr range which is restricted by abutments with respect to the
actuating lever, wherein the latching pawl for locking the actuating
lever in the position of the closed weather protection cover or door
latches into a co-operating latch means connected to the suspension
bar. The latching pawl may engage into a co-operating latch means
connected to the susp~n~ n bar for locking the actuating lever and
Ule~ the weather protection cover, the latching pawl being actuable
directly by station - associated control devices (opening rails, closing
rail~).
The m~de of operation of the double pivot lever comprising the
actuating lever and the latching pawl is now as follaws: when an
unocc~ chair moves out of the station, an actuating roller which
is preferably provided on the latching pawl runs on to a closing rail
which is slightly in~linetl relative to the direction of conveying
~1)63~2~
movement and in doing so initially pivots only the latching pawl. The
latching pawl thereupon engages a first abutment on the actuating
lever and entrains same in the further pivotal movement which is
caused by the closing rail. When that happens, the weather protection
cover closes. At the end of the closing ~ vement, the latching pawl
now engages into a co-operating latch means on the suspen~i~n bar.
For ~x~m~le the latching pawl may have a latching projection which
engages behind a co-operating latch means which is in the form of a
pin. In that way the weather protection cover of the chair which is
moving out of the station is closed and locked so that there cannot
be any undesired opening thereof due to the inflll~nc~s of wind as the
chair moves along. When the chair moves into the opposite station,
the latching pawl initially performs a pivotal movement, due to the
effect of an opening rail, with the latch m g pawl coming out of
engagement with the co-operating latch means. After a given pivotal
movement of the latching pawl, it engages a second abutment on the
actuating lever and entrains same, thereby causing the weather
protection cover to open.
The chairs which are fitted with the locking device according
to the invention can readily remain out on the cable overnight. For
that purpose, the chair lift only needs to be moved by half a total
circuit with the closing rail in the top and bottom stations in the
closed position. In that situation, the weather protection covers of
the unoccupied chairs automatically close and lock when leaving the
station and are. thus best protected from the influences of wind and
weather. When the system is brought back into operation again, there
is no need to take any particular precautions as, when the weather
protection covers open, when passing into the station, unlocking
automatically occurs beforehand.
In order to permit the passenger to leave the weather
protection cover open, for ~x~mpl~ in fine weather, and so that the
passengers are not put at risk when an occupied chair moves out of a
2 13 ~ S ~
station, it is already known for the closing rail at the station exit
to be moved into a neutral position in which the actuating mP~h~ni~m
associated with the chair for closing the weather protection cover is not
actuated. In the case of a closing rail, that neutral position can be
easily attained for ~m~le by the rail being pivoted away into a
position in which it is parallel to the direction of conveying
movement. Therefore, when chairs are occupied, the weather protection
cover is preferably not necessarily closed. If the passenger ~ci~es
to close the weather protection cover, he can easily do that by hand.
In that case however the weather protection cover is ~l~feldbly not
locked in the closed position by the locking device. That means that
the passenger has the option at any time of opening the weather
protection cover, which is advantageous in par~ r in the event of
trouble. With the above-mentioned double pivot lever comprising the
actuating lever and the latching pawl, that 'non-locking effect'
occurs automatic~lly upon muml~l closure: more specifically, upon
manll~l closure, the latching pawl remains be ~ ing against the above-
mentioned second abutment on the actuating lever and does not change
in its relative position with respect to the actuating lever. In that
way, although upon nRnu~l closure the actuating lever pivots together
with the latching pawl mounted thereon, in that position the latching
pawl does not engage behind the co-operating latch means, whereby it
is also again possible for the cover to be easily opened by the
passenger.
It should also be mentioned that detection of whether a chair
is or is not occupied can be effected in known manner by a known
light barrier ~ r~n~m~nt which detects the leg region of the
passenger, the position of the closing rail being v ~ iable in
~L~ nce on the light barrier arrangement signal.
Further advantages and details of the invention will be
described in greater detail with reference to the specific
description hereinafter.
~Q~5~2~
Figure 1 is a diay~ ic side view of a cover-type chair in
accordance with the state of the art and statior, - associatecl control
devices (opening and closing rails) for automatically opening and
closing the weather pnotection cover,
Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a chair according to the
invention and in particular the locking device according to the
invention, in a diayl~ aLic side view, illustrating a plurality of
positions of the chair - associated actuating device and the locking
device,
Figure 3 is a diayl~l.,~Lic side view of a further embcdiment of
the actuating device according to the invention with locking device,
Figure 4 is a diayL~l~Lic plan view of the arrangement shown
in Figure 3, and
Figure 5 is a side view of a car of a cable car lift, fitted
with a locking device according to the invention.
Figure 1 shows a chair 1 in accon~ance with the state of the
art, which is clamped fast by way of a clamp 2 to the conveyor cable
4 which is moved in the direction of conveying movement as indicated
at 3. m e chair 1 has a weather protection cover of Ll~ls~dLellt
plastic material which is closed in the position shcwn in Figure 1.
The weather protection cover can be pivoted open about the pivot
mounting 6 in the direction indicated by the arrow 7 in order to
penmit the passengers to climb in and out. Opening and closing of the
weather protection cover 5 when the chair moves into and out of the
station can occur automatically. For that purpose, there is pr,ovided
an actuating device 11 which is specific to tpe chair and which in
the present case essential1y comprises an actuating lever 11. The
actuating lever 11 is mounted to the suspPn~ion bar 9 pivotably about
an axis 10 and has an actuating roller 12 at its free end. A linkage
8a, 8b which acts as a tr~n~mi~sion means transmits the movement of
the actuating lever 11 to a pivotal movement of the weather
2 0 6 ~ ~ 2 &
protection cover. m e actuating roller 12 runs on to control devices
which are specific to the station, when the chair moves in the
station. me station-specific control device for opening the weather
protection cover 5 is an opening rail 13 which is arranged incl;ne~ly
S relative to the direction of movement 3 and which pivots the
actuating lever 11. m at pivotal movement is then converted by way of
the linkage 8a, 8b into an opening movement of the weather protection
cover 5. When the weather protection cover is in the open position,
the actuating lever is in the position shown in broken line in Figure
1. me station-specific control device for closing the weather
protection cover when the chair leaves the station is a similar
closing rail 14. The moving chair supplies the nPc~ss~ry energy for
the opening and closing movements.
me opening and closing rails 13 and 14 respectively can be
pivoted into a neutral position in which they are disposed parallel
to the direction of conveying movement and do not come into contact
with the actuating roller. That is desired in particular when
occupied chairs leave the station. If a light barrier arrangement
detects that the chair is occupied, the closing rail 14 moves into
the neutral position and the weather protection cover is not
necessarily closed. Gn the contrary the passenger can himself decide
whether he does or does not wish to close the weather protection
cover. Unoccupied chairs are automatically closed on leaving the
station by way of the closing rail 14, the actuating lever 11 and the
linkage 8a, 8b.
Hitherto the problem arose that the weather protection covers
were opened by the influences of wind when the chairs were out on the
cable, thus resulting in a large area for the wind to act upon and
giving rise accordingly to undesired severe swinging or oscillation
movement of the chair. In addition, when the weather protection cover
is in an open condition, the seat surface is fully exposed to the
influences of the weather (snow and ice).
2 3 ~
In order to avoid that and in order for the weather protection
cover of the unoccupied chair to be securely held closed out on the
cable, in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, in accordance with a
preferred ~mhc~i~ent of the invention, there is provided a latching
pawl 16 which is mounted pivotably on the actuating lever 11 (pivot
axis 15) and which, in the locked position shown in solid lines,
engages with a locking projection 16a behind a co-operating latch
means 17 which is fixed with respect to the suspension means and
which can be for Px~m~le in the fonm of a pin.
The mode of operation of the double pivot lever shown in Figure
2, which comprises the actuating lever 11 and the latching pawl 16,
is as follows: in the open position of the weather protection cover
5, the double pivot lever is in the position shown in broken line and
identified by L~LeLence numeral 18a. Instead of the previous
arrangement of the actuating roller 12 directly on the actuating
lever 11 (Figure 1), the actuating roller 12' is now disposed on a
projection 19 of the latching pawl 16. There is therefore still only
a single actuating roller 12'. When now the actuating roller 12' runs
on to the closing rail 14, the latching pawl 16 is initially pivoted
by the control rail relative to the actuating lever 11 until the
latching pawl 16 bears against the abutment a on the actuating lever
11 (position 18b). From that moment, the latching pawl 16 which is
pressed up by the closing rail 14 entrains the actuating lever 11,
with the weather protection cover 5 being closed. At the end of the
closing movement the latching projection 16a automatically engages
behind the co-operating latch means 17 so that the actuating lever 11
is locked. The weather protection cover 5 is th~L~LoL~ not only
closed but at the same time also locked to prevent it from being
undesirably opened by wind.
In the opposite station the actuating roller 12' runs on to an
opening rail 13, whereby firstly the latching pawl 16 of the double
2~6~ ~2~
pivot lever is pivoted relative to the actuating lever 11 into the
position shown in broken line and identified by reference numeral
18c. In that position a portion of the latching pawl 16 bears against
the abutment b of the actuating lever 11. Frcm that position the
latching pawl 16 entrains the actuating lever 11 and the weather
protection cover is opened, until the double pivot lever is in the
position identified by reference numeral 18a.
The locking device according to the invention can be easily
subsequently fitted to existing chair lifts, with no modifications
being required at the stations. On the contrary the locking device,
in accordance with a particular feature of the invention, is
automatically actuated by the opening and closing rails which are
already present in any case for the weather protection cover. The
arrangement provides for operation~lly r~ hl~ locking of the
actuating lever on the suspension bar.
When an occupied chair leaves the station, it is deemed
desirable for the weather protection ccver not to be necessarily
closed. That does not endanger the passengers and the passenger can
intentio~lly leave the weather protection cover open. For that
purpose the closing rail 14 only needs to be pivoted out of the
region of the actuating roller 12'. If now the passenger closes the
weather protection cover while the chair is on the cable between the
stations, the actuating lever 11 pivots into the position shown in
solid lines in Figure 2, without that involving a change in the
relative position of the latching pawl 16 with respect to the
actuating lever 11. In the ~Rnll~lly closed position thel~LoL~ the
latching pawl 16 is in the position which is identified by reference
numeral 18c and in which it does not engage behind the co-operating
latch means 17. Therefore, there is intentionally no locking effect
when the weather protection cover is closed m~nll~lly, in order to
permit the passenger to open the weather protection cover at any
time.
Figures 3 and 4 show a further embodiment of the double pivot
lever according to the invention, the same reference numerals
identifying the same or equivalent components as in Figure 2. In the
embcdiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the actuating lever 11 which is
of a cranked configuration is mounted on the holder 21 pivotably
about a pivot axis 20. me diayL~",~Lically indicated spring 22 is
not essential in regard to the mode of operation of the arrangement
and only serves in a fault situation to prevent ; n~mi ~sible pivotal
movement of the actuating lever into the clear space profile which is
to be kept free. The second part of the double pivot lever, namely
the latching pawl 16, is shown in solid lines in Figure 3 in the
position in which it is locked to the co-operating latch means 17.
The abutments which are required for operation of the arrangement and
which restrict the relative pivotal movement of the latching pawl 16
with respect to the actuating lever 11 are provided in the embodiment
shown in Figures 3 and 4 by the actuating lever 11 having a slot 23
in which a pin 24 which is fixedly connected to the latching pawl 16
is movable. The two ends of the slot 23 form the abu~l~nLs for
restricting the pivotal movement as between the latching pawl and the
actuating lever.
The embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 also has as a further
particularity a movable co-operating latch means 17 which is spring-
loaded towards the latching pawl 16. In that arrangement the co-
operating latch means 17 is in the form of a pin projecting from a
pivotable lever 25 wnichis spring-loaded by a spring 26 in the
direction indicated by the arrow 27, that is to say towards the
latching projection 16a. An abutment (not shown) restricts the
pivotal movement of the lever 25 in the direction of the arrow 27
when the latching pawl 16 is disengaged. The resilient mounting of
the co-operating latch means 17 has the advantage that engagement of
the latching pawl which is absolutely satisfactory from the
functional point of view is possible. When the latching pawl pivots
2~
apen, the spring-loaded co-operating latch means can firstly ~ ve
back from the outside of the latching projection 16a into the
position shown in broken lines in Figure 3, against the spring
loading. When the latching pawl 16 reaches the end position, the co-
operating latch means 17 automatically comes into ~n~rping engagementunder the latching pawl, thus producing the locking action.
Finally, the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 also has the
feature that the pivotal connection between the actuating lever 11
and the latching pawl 16 is intentinn~lly made difficult to move in
order to prevent unintentional relative pivotal movement as between
the latching pawl 16 and the actuating lever 11, other than upon
actuation by the opening or closing rail. That difficulty of movement
in relation to the above-indicated connection can be achieved for
~x~mrl~ by the two lever portions 11 and 16 being resiliently pressed
against each other so that the friction between them is increased. In
the ~mhc~impnt shown in Figures 3 and 4, a spring 29 is provided for
that purpose, which spring can be ~lesLlessed by way of a nut 28.
As already mentioned in the opening part of this specification,
the locking device according to the invention is suitable in
parti~l1Ar for cover-type chairs, that is to say chairs with weather
protection covers.
In principle however it is also conceivable and possible for
such a locking device to be used to advantage in relation to cable
~r l;fts. The embodiment shown in Figure 5 ill~sLldLes a conrlp~hle
cable car 30, the door 31 of which can be automatically apened or
closed in the stations. Such opening is effected by way of an
actuating device which is associated with the cable car and a
tr~ncmi~sion means of which only the upper region is illusLlaLed. The
Ll~ si nn means as such, that is to say the Ll~ ",i~sion of the
pivotal movement of the actuating lever 11 to an opening or closing
movement of the door, is well-known to the man skilled in the art and
-
2 ~
therefore does not need to be described in detail herein. Once again
the arrangement has the double pivot lever ccmprising the actuating
lever 11 and the latching pawl 16, by way of which locking of the
doors is possible automatically when the doors close. The mode of
operation of the double pivot lever shown in Figure 5 is the same as
that of the double pivot lever shown in Figure 2.
13
