Patent GB-1074773-A (GB)
Title: Aerial tramway system
IPC: B61B12/02
Filed: 1964-07-07
Abstract: 1,074,773. Rope railways; fuel tanks. BIG ROCK MOUNTAIN CORPORATION. July 7, 1964 [July 15, 1963], No. 27866/64. Headings B7H and B7L. [Also in Divisions D1 and F2] A railway system has a vehicle 20, Fig. 1, supported by a carriage 26 on a track comprising cables 18 connected to rigid track portions 14, 16 on towers 10, 12. A tubular support 24 extends within the vehicle cabin 22, Fig. 2, is journalled at its upper end in a bore through a central web 38 of primary walking beam 40 so that the cabin can only pitch relative to carriage 26 and this is dampened by hydraulic damper 64. Secondary walking beams 52 connected at their midpoints to the ends of beam 40 by pivots allowing pitching and yawing of beams 52 relative to beam 40. A truck 56 having a pair of drive wheels is mounted at its midpoint to each end of a beam 52 by pivots allowing pitch and yaw only. The " keel area " of carriage 26 which may be increased by another keel member on beam 40, Fig. 3 (not shown), counteracts the effect of side winds on cabin 22. Each truck carries on a bracket, two rollers which are forced by a piston and cylinder against the underside of the cable adjust the pressure between the wheels and rollers on the cable to suit the circumstances, e.g. pressure can be increased to crush and remove ice from the cables. An accumulator is included in the circuit to the pistons and cylinders to allow the rollers to move away from the wheels when the thicker rigid tracks are encountered at the towers. Each truck has a reversible hydraulic drive motor supplied by a pump 122, Fig. 2, driven by an air-cooled, I.C. engine 118. A part annular fuel tank 200 is located beneath passenger seat 202. A flywheel in casing 120 helps to counteract rolling of the cabin 22. The support 24 is surrounded by a column 28 in cabin 22 having air vents 206 whilst the cabin has vents 208; a fan driven by engine 118 draws air through vents 208, 206 and down column 28 to ventilate the cabin and to cool the engine; vents 206 and vents at the top of column 28 opening directly to the outside can be controlled to regulate the amount of ventilation in the cabin without reducing the flow of cooling air to the engine, Fig. 13 (not shown). The ends of each cable 18 are enlarged into a conical abutment to fit a socket 90, Fig. 4, having ears 92 pivoted at 88 to the rigid track 80 at a tower. Thickness-transition members 94, 96, 100 are clamped to the socket and cable to facilitate the passage of the wheels and rollers between the cables and rigid track. Switches may be incorporated in the rigid tracks Figs. 9, 10; 11 (not shown). The cabin has stabilizing wheels 170, 172, Fig. 2, for contacting a platform or tower structure at a station to stabilize the cabin during loading and unloading. The motors in the trucks as controlled by an hydraulic circuit, Fig. 14 (not shown), are normally used as brakes but should the hydraulic pressure in the circuit drop below a certain pressure then members are caused by springs to grip the cable and bring the vehicle to rest, Fig. 8 (not shown). The cable 18 is provided with a coloured stripe, visible to the operator in the cabin, which becomes distorted on deterioration of the cable.