Buffered lead-in guide for cableway vehicles

Buffered lead-in guide for cableway vehicles constrained to a haulage cable by a hooking device of the clamp type, and provided, in an upper hanging-up portion thereof, with at least one pivot provided with balancing and guide rotary elements acting inside the lead-in guide. The lead-in guide is constrained to outer supports and is provided with an enlarged mouth portion which gets narrower up to an inner dimension close to that of the rotary elements. The enlarged portion is arranged in a substantially cantilevered position and in correspondence of at least a first support of the outer supports. Elastic elements positioned between the lead-in guide and the outer support are provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a buffered lead-in guide for cableway 
vehicles. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
It is known to provide guide elements which receive the cableway vehicle, 
above all in the vicinity of the stations, and which cause it to place 
itself in a balanced position, so to facilitate the operations of clamp 
unlocking, and of passengers boarding and getting out. 
Guide elements of the above mentioned type are obtained from sections or 
from welded elements having an essentially "C"-shaped cross section, so to 
receive a wheel or other rotary means provided on the vehicle supporting 
device, so to guide and balance it in the vicinity of the stations or of 
other particular guided areas. 
In general, a so structured guide element is provided with a particularly 
enlarged mouth portion, rearward constrained to a rigid beam, which 
receives the rotary means, even if it is rocking, and, by getting narrower 
until it reaches the dimension of a rather precise guide, causes the 
vehicle to be stabilized and balanced. 
The correct and stable position of the vehicle secures, or at least 
favours, the operation of the mechanism of clamping to the haulage cable, 
and it facilitates the boarding and the getting out of passengers. 
The arrangement of such a guide solid with outer support means causes 
strong stresses between the guide and the related wheels of the support 
devices of the vehicles which arrive after each other, by being hauled by 
the haulage cable. In fact, although the end portion of the guide element 
is enlarged and is arranged in a cantilevered position, the bump occurring 
between the individual wheels and the guide generates in the long term 
deformations of the guide, and dangerous oscillations, which weaken the 
clamp device, with risk of breakage. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
A principal object of the present invention is to at least partly eliminate 
the above mentioned oscillations, reducing as far as possible the stresses 
and the reaction forces deriving therefrom. 
A further object is to obtain a quicker and better stabilization of the 
incoming vehicles. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
These and other purposes, according to the invention, are achieved by 
providing a buffered lead-in guide for cableway vehicles constrained to a 
haulage cable by means of a hooking device of the clamp type, and 
provided, in an upper hanging-up portion thereof, with at least one pivot 
provided with balancing and guide rotary elements acting inside the 
lead-in guide. The lead-in guide is constrained to outer supports and is 
provided with an enlarged mouth portion which gets narrower up to an inner 
dimension close too that of the rotary elements. The enlarged portion is 
arranged in a substantially cantilevered position and in correspondence of 
at least a first support of the outer supports. Elastic elements 
positioned between the lead-in guide and the outer support are provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings, a buffered lead-in guide, according to the 
invention, and generally indicated with 10, is installed, e.g., in 
correspondence of an entrance of a station, so as to receive and guide 
cableway vehicles (not shown). The cableway vehicles are hung by a support 
element 11 extending from a hooking device 12 comprising a blocking clamp 
13 for a cable 14, a device 15 for opening the clamp 13, at least one 
sliding wheel 29, and at least one arm 16 bearing at its end a rotary 
element 17, e.g., a wheel. 
A first wheel 17 enters the guide 10, while a second sliding wheel 29 comes 
above a guide and support track 18. 
The guide 10, having a "C"-shaped cross-section, and rearward constrained 
to a rigid beam 19, comprises an enlarged mouth section 20, which becomes 
gradually narrower, radiused towards a guide portion 21, the inner 
dimension of which is slightly greater than, and close to, the diameter of 
the wheel 17. 
The enlarged mouth portion 20 is arranged in a cantilevered position. It 
extends from the guide portion 21 supported together with the rigid beam 
19 inside at least a first outer support 22 and a second outer support 23. 
The first outer support 22 is composed by at least three beams 24 so welded 
and linked to one another, as to form a housing for the guide portion 21 
with the interposition of elastic elements 25 on both the sides thereof. 
More particularly, the elastic elements 25 are constrained by screw bolts 
26 both to the rigid beam 19 and to the beams 24 of the outer support 22, 
where they position themselves, adjustable in position, inside related 
threaded seats 27 provided on studs 28 which can be rotatably operated 
from the outside. 
The second outer support 23 is a simple section to which the rigid beam 19 
is constrained (e.g., is hung), and in a particular form of practical 
embodiment it can be provided with a hinge for the rigid beam 19, so as to 
increase the positive effect of the elastic elements 25, allowing an 
articulation, even if of minimum extent, of the lead-in guide 10. 
Of course, the elastic elements 25 can be accomplished either by steel 
springs or by pads of elastomeric material, so to be able to guarantee a 
good absorption of the impact as the wheel 17 enters the enlarged mouth 
section 20 of the guide 10, without however undergoing deformations, or, 
which is more important, without promoting the breakage or the damaging of 
the outer supports. 
Furthermore, the elastic elements 25 can advantageously have also buffering 
properties, so as to limit, even if not to eliminate, the return forces of 
the guide 10 after the guide 10 has received the bumps of the wheels of 
the cableway vehicle. 
The presence of the screw bolts 26 at the ends of the elastic elements 25 
or inside containment elements thereof allows them to be easily and 
quickly positioned and dismantled for replacement, whilst the provision of 
the studs 28 actuatable from the outside allows the elastic elements 25 to 
be calibrated, so to confer the desired response or absorption value.