Operating mechanism with latching of a pivoting cover for a chair-lift

A chair for an aerial transport installation comprises a pivoting protective cover actuated by an operating mechanism with automatic latching of the cover in the closed position. An operating lever is pivotally mounted on a first pivoting spindle of the cover and operates in conjunction with a latch actuated by a cable transmission device between a latched position and an unlatched position. The latch comprises a first arm equipped with a latching nose and a second arm designed to come up against a first stop corresponding to the latched position or a second stop corresponding to the unlatched position. The latching zone is situated at the base of the shell, preferably in a gap situated between the first spindle and the second spindle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a chair for an aerial transport installation, in particular a chair-lift, comprising:a support bow connected to a hanger arm,a pivoting cover for protection against inclement weather, which cover is formed by a shell made of transparent plastic material mounted swivelling around a first spindle of the bow between a raised open position and a lowered closed position,and an operating mechanism with automatic latching of the cover in said lowered closed position, said mechanism comprising an operating lever associated by a transmission device to an operating means controlled by actuating means provided in the terminal.

STATE OF THE ART

The document EP-A-510,357 describes an operating mechanism of a cover for a chair-lift or a cable car cabin wherein a latching ratchet is articulated directly on the operating means. The ratchet acts on a pin securedly fixed to the top part of the hanger arm, with a certain heightwise stagger with respect to the top of the shell when the latter is in the closed position. The transmission device is formed by an articulated rod mechanism that has to be arranged to transmit the movement of the operating means and the latching force coming from the ratchet to the shell. Such a mounting device of the ratchet on the operating means causes latching of the cover on the hanger arm right from the beginning of the kinematic control chain.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an operating mechanism of a pivoting cover for a chair-lift wherein the blocking action in the closed position takes place near to the cover so as to obtain positive latching without blocking the rest of the kinematic control chain.

The chair according to the invention is characterized in that the operating lever is mounted pivoting on the first pivoting spindle of the cover and operates in conjunction with a latch actuated by the transmission device between a latched position and an unlatched position.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch is articulated around a second spindle situated on the bow above the first spindle. The latch comprises a first arm equipped with a latching nose operating in conjunction with a roller of the operating lever, and a second arm designed to come up against a first stop corresponding to the latched position, or a second stop corresponding to the unlatched position. The transmission device is formed by a flexible cable link housed in a sheath, the assembly being designed to transmit the movements of the operating means to the operating lever, and vice-versa.

In the closed latched position, only the shell is positively latched, but not the operating means and the transmission device of the kinematic chain. The latching zone is situated at the base of the shell, preferably in a gap situated between the first spindle and the second spindle.

Other features can be used alone or in combination:the latching nose of the latch is arranged as a ratchet comprising an inclined ramp and a notch substantially perpendicular to the first arm;the cable link is interconnected between the operating means and an intermediate attachment point of the operating lever;the cable link slides in a sheath, which is securedly fixed to the hanger arm by attachment means, and to a rim of the latch;the operating lever presents a jointed V-shape one of the ends whereof is articulated on the first spindle and the other end whereof bears the roller.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the figures, each chair10of an aerial ropeway transport installation, in particular a chair-lift, is securedly fixed to a support bow11connected to a hanger bar12which is attached to the rope by a fastening clamp (not represented).

The chair10is equipped with a cover13formed by a protective shell made of transparent plastic material, for example polycarbonate. The cover13is mounted swivelling around a first transverse spindle14between a raised open position (FIG. 2) enabling free access to the chair10, and a lowered closed position (FIG. 1) in which the shell covers the chair10to protect the people against inclement weather. Opening and closing of the cover13are performed manually or automatically on arrival and departure from the terminal.

The cover13is coupled to an operating mechanism15comprising an operating lever16associated with an operating means18by means of a transmission device17. The operating lever16presents a jointed V-shape and is mounted at one of its ends on the pivoting spindle14of the shell. A roller19is arranged at its opposite end to operate in conjunction with an articulated latch20.

The operating means18is formed for example by a lever able to pivot due to the action of a ramp placed at a predetermined place of the terminal to command automatic closing or opening of the cover13.

The transmission device17is formed by a cable link21able to slide in a sheath22to transmit movements of the operating means18to the operating lever16, and vice-versa. The cable link21is interconnected for this purpose between the operating means18at the top part of the hanger arm12and an intermediate attachment point23of the operating lever16. The sheath22is securedly fixed to the hanger arm12by at least one securing hoop24, and to a rim25of the latch20.

The latch20is mounted with limited pivoting around a second spindle26situated on the bow11above the first spindle14. The latch20comprises a first arm27equipped with a latching nose28and a second arm29designed to operate in conjunction with a first upper stop30or a second lower stop31to determine the angular pivoting travel of the latch20.

The latching nose28is advantageously shaped as a ratchet comprising an inclined ramp and a notch substantially perpendicular to the first arm27. The latch20is actuated by the cable link21between a latched position and an unlatched position.

Operation of the operating mechanism15with latching of the cover13according to the invention is as follows:

Manual Closing

Manual closing is performed by a person sitting on the chair10who lowers the cover13making it swivel in the clockwise direction (arrow F1) from the open position (FIG. 2) to the unlatched closed position ofFIG. 3. The swivelling movement of the shell makes the operating lever16pivot in the same direction, the latter transmitting the movement to the cable link21. On account of the internal friction effect of the cable21in the sheath22, a reaction is exerted in the upward direction on the rim25making the latch20pivot clockwise until the second arm29comes into engagement against the second lower stop31. The latch20remains in this position and the roller19of the operating lever16is pressing on the ramp of the latching nose28without clipping into the notch. The cover13is closed but not latched.

Automatic Closing

Automatic closing of the shell is performed following pivoting of the operating means18resulting in a thrust on the cable link21. A downward reaction exerted by the sheath22is transmitted to the latch20which pivots counterclockwise and comes up against the first upper stop30. The operating cable21transmits the movement simultaneously to the operating lever16, which makes the shell swivel in the closing direction. When the operating lever16comes into contact with the latch20, the roller19rolls on the ramp of the latching nose28and drives the latch20down to the second lower stop31. The roller19passes the neck of the ramp and drops into the notch of the latch20. The force exerted by the sheath22makes the articulated latch20return to the first upper stop30, in which the shell is latched in the closed position (FIGS. 1 and 4). In this position, only the shell is positively latched, but not the operating means18at the beginning of the kinematic chain. The latching zone is situated at the base of the shell, preferably in a gap between the two spindles14,26.

Manual Opening

Manual opening is possible from the closed unlatched position ofFIG. 3. The shell merely has to be lifted up in the direction of the arrow F2to move the pivoting operating lever16in the same direction. The latch20is pressing up against the first upper stop30and the opening movement takes place freely up to the end of travel of the shell.

Automatic Opening

Automatic opening is performed by means of the operating means18from the closed latched position illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 4. A traction exerted on the cable21causes a reaction of the sheath22on the rim25making the latch20pivot clockwise. The latch20coming up against the second lower stop31releases the roller31from the notch and unlatches the operating lever16, which in turn drives the shell to the end of opening travel position (FIG. 2).