CABLEWAY TRANSPORTATION

Abstract: A cableway transportation system for a motor-vehicle comprises at least two trolleys each having a driven pulley (14) driven by the engine of the motor-vehicle and supported by a strung cable (10) and a pair of secondary pulleys (21) engaging the cable (10) to the sides of the driven pulley (14) and being driven by the driven pulley (14).

Description: Cableway transportation This invention relates to cableway transportation of the kind in which objects are conveyed by supporting them on at least one cable strung between anchor points. Conventional cableway transportation involves a supporting cable that is endless and is moved along with the object fixed to the cable or a fixed cable on which a trolley runs, the object being carried by the trolley, in combination with a traction rope which pulls the trolley at least in an upward direction on the cable. In either alternative an external device for pulling on a rope or cable is required. The object cannot be moved independently of an external motive source. According to the invention an object is attached to at least one cable engaging trolley comprising a driven pulley driven by a prime mover carried by the object and supported by a strung cable, and a pair of secondary pulleys engaging the cable to the sides of the driven pulley and being engaged with the cable and being driven by the driven pulley. There are preferably a pair of parallel cables and the object has at least two trolleys engaged with the pair of cables and with their driven pulleys driven by the same prime mover. The object may be a four stub axle vehicle with at least a pair of opposed stub axles driven by the prime mover such as an internal combustion engine. The prime mover may also be a human being or an electric motor. In one form of the invention the object is a motor vehicle with its wheels removed, the driven pulleys being secured to the hub flanges of the vehicle. The invention also provides a trolley comprising a pulley adapted to be driven and to rest on a strung cable and a pair of secondary pulleys adapted to engage with the cable and be in driven engagement with the driven pulley. The secondary pulleys may be suspended from the axle of a wheel which is in driving contact with the driven pulley, or they may be suspended from a sleeve journalled about the axis of the driven pulley. To distribute the load the secondary pulleys may be suspended from a yoke attached to a plurality of wheels in driving contact with the driven pulleys. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is not to be interpreted in a limiting manner, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a transportation system, Figure 2 is a side view of a trolley, Figure 3 is a top view of Figure 2 with some parts in section, Figure 4 is a side view of another trolley, and Figure 5 is a side view of yet another trolley. Figure 1 shows the transportation system of the invention in broad outline. There are two parallel ropes 10 strung between anchor points 11 at the top of an embankment and anchor points 12 at the bottom of a trench or pit. Travelling along the ropes 10 is a four wheel drive motor vehicle adapted by the addition of trolleys according to the teachings of the invention. The vehicle 13 needs a driver only for braking, acceleration and stopping. No steering is required and the steering of the vehicle could be locked for a straight travel. On each stub axle of the vehicle 13 there is a trolley of the kind shown in Figures 2 and 3. It has a driven grooved pulley 14 mounted on a drum 15 secured to a flange 16 which is fastened to a hub flange of the vehicle 13. At the other end of the drum 15 an original wheel 17 of the vehicle 13 is mounted to freewheel around an extension 9 of the stub axle. A wheel 18 runs on top of the pulley 14 and is in driving contact with it while it rotates about a fixed shaft 19. Suspended from the shaft 19 by means of links 20 are a pair of grooved pulleys 21. The pulleys 21 are screwed up against the rope 10 and into driven contact with the pulley 14 by means of nuts 23 on the links 20. Four trolleys as illustrated in Figure 1 have been used to attach a four wheel drive Land Rover vehicle to a pair of ropes strung at 45° angle and the vehicle was able to travel up and down the ropes. Vhen the shafts were declutched, the vehicle came to a halt even on the steepest part o the incline. In the trolley shown in Figure 4 the pulleys 21 are suspended on links 26 pivoted to a member 31 journalled on the drum 15. Figure 5 shows a trolley in which the links 26 are suspended from a yoke 33 carrying three of wheels 34 in driven contact with the pulley 14. This distributes the load over a larger area of the pulley 14. Although Figure 5 shows only 3 pulleys 34 in the yoke 33, any number of pulleys can be used. The pulleys 21 are mounted on a bracket 35 which is adjustable in length and springs 26 acting against flanges 37 at the ends of the bracket 35 bias the pulley 21 towards the centre line of the trolley. In the different embodiments of the trolley shown in Figures 2 , 4 and 5, the pulleys 21 are below the drum 15. The ropes 10 also pass below the drum 15. It is envisaged, however, that the trolley can be inverted and that the pulleys 21 are located above the drum 15. In this case the vehicle 13 will hang from the pulley 21. The system of the invention provides means for travelling over extremely rough terrain where even four wheel drive vehicles cannot readily go. The system of this invention provides the means for travelling above earthern ground at an extreme inclination of upwards or downwards by two wheel-drive vehicle or four wheel-drive vehicle.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A cableway transportation system in which an object (13) to be transported is attached to at least one cable engaging trolley comprising a driven pulley (14) driven by a prime mover carried by the object (13) and supported by a strung cable (10) and a pair of secondary pulleys (21) engaging the cable (10) to the sides of the driven pulley (14) and being engaged with the cable (10) and being driven by the driven pulley (14). 2. The system claimed in claim 1 in which there are a pair of parallel cables (10) and the object has at least two trolleys engaged with the pair of cables and with their driven pulleys (14) driven by the same prime mover. 3. The system claimed in claim 2 in which the object is a four stub axle vehicle (13) with at least a pair of opposed stub axles driven by the prime mover. 4. The system claimed in claim 3 in which the object is a motor vehicle (13) with its wheels (17) removed, the driven pulleys (14) being secured to the hub flanged (16) of the vehicle (13). 5. The system claimed in any one of the above claims in which the secondary pulleys (21) are suspended from the axles (19) of a wheel (18) which is in driving contact with the driven pulley (14). 6. The system claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the secondary pulleys (21) are suspended from a sleeve (31) journalled about the axis of the driven pulley (14). 7. The system claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the secondary pulleys (21) are suspended from a yoke (33) attached to a plurality of wheels (34) in driving contact with the driven pulleys (14). 8. The system claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the secondary pulleys (21) engage the cable (19) below the centre of the driven pulley (14). 9. The system claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the secondary pulleys engage the cable above the centre of the driven pulley (14). 10. A trolley for use in the system claimed in claim 1, comprising a pulley (14) adapted to be driven and to rest on a strung cable (10) and a pair of secondary pulleys (21) adapted to engage with the cable (10) and be in driven engagement with the driven pulley (14).

Inventors: RAIMO GIUSEPPE, RAIMO, GIUSEPPE
Applicants: RAIMO GIUSEPPE, RAIMO, GIUSEPPE
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B66C21
IPC codes: B61B7, B66C21, B66D1