Patent Publication Number: US-2013239841-A1

Title: Trolley Transport System

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to a method and system for transporting a trolley and a payload or rider along a suspended cable or rope system. 
     2. The Background Art 
     Many systems, such as zipline rides, employ a trolley for traveling on a suspended cable or rope system to transport a rider or other type of load across distances by force of gravity. However, in circumstances when the force of gravity is insufficient to overcome the frictional forces on the trolley and/or the loss of momentum of a rider who has come to rest on the cable, a supplemental means of propelling the trolley is necessary to transport the rider to the desired landing point. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a method and apparatus are disclosed for providing propulsive force to a trolley used to support a zipline rider. Also, the system operates without the need for any action by the rider. 
     In selected embodiments, the transport system in accordance with the present invention may provide a motivating force to a trolley to propel it along a cable. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a continuous loop drive line suspended between two vertical supports positioned over a portion of substantially level terrain. The drive line is suspended by at least one pulley at each support, with a drive motor in proximity to at least one of the supports to rotate the pulley. The drive line is fitted at appropriate intervals with an attachment device, such as ring or hook to receive a connecting line. The connecting line may be secured to the trolley or to a transport block or carabineer which may be slidably attached to the zipline aft of the trolley to be driven, such that the trolley can be propelled along the zipline when the transport block is placed into motion by the drive line and connecting line. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention provides a system and method for transporting a rider along a zipline when the differential elevation or slope of the zipline is insufficient to transport the rider by the force of gravity alone. In such circumstances, when the trolley supporting the rider comes to rest in a static position, a connecting line can be secured by an operator or the rider from an attachment device on the drive line to the trolley or to a transport block on the zipline aft of the trolley. The operator may then engage the drive motor to move the driveline and transport block to a position in contact with the aft end of the trolley. Once the transport block contacts the trolley, it provides the force to propel the trolley forward along the zipline until the rider reaches the landing platform. At this point, the connecting line may be disconnected from the transport block, and the transport block maybe disconnected from the zipline. 
     The drive motor may be controlled by an operator located at the landing platform or other locations by a wired connection, or by a wireless control system using a radio or infrared signal. The speed of the drive motor may also be controlled by the operator to provide a higher speed as desired to move the transport block into position in contact with the trolley, and a lower speed, such as in the approximate range of 5 ft./sec for driving the trolley and rider safely to the landing platform. 
     The drive line may be positioned laterally between two or more ziplines, so that a single drive line may provide the capability to drive trolleys on multiple ziplines, simultaneously if required. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a typical e of a trolley on a suspended cable. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of a trolley transport system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a trolley transport system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of a transport block of one embodiment of a trolley transport system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side perspective cross-sectional view of a transport block of one embodiment of a trolley transport system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of a drive line positioned laterally between two ziplines of one embodiment of a trolley transport system in accordance with the present invention, 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. 
     While a suspended cable or rope may provide the basis for an amusement ride, other uses are also contemplated, including ski lifts, gondolas, aerial trams, and suspended cable evacuation systems, such as oil derrick evacuation systems. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , in a typical zipline configuration, a trolley  10  is used for travel along a stranded steel wire cable or fiber rope  12  held in suspension by two or more supports  14  and  16 , e.g., trees, towers, or platforms. A first support  14  may secure one end of the cable  12  at a higher elevation than a second support  16  which secures the other end of the cable  12 . Accordingly, the trolley  10  is secured to roll along the cable  12  to travel by force of gravity from the first, upper support  14  toward the second, lower support  16 . However, as the rider approaches the landing platform  18 , the slope of the cable decreases and it may become necessary to provide additional force to transport the rider safely for arrival at the landing platform  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the system comprises at least two supports  20  aligned in proximity to the cable  12 , each of which supports a drive line pulley  26  over which the continuous loop drive line  24  is routed and suspended. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the drive line  24  has one or more attachment devices  30  to which a connecting line  32  may be attached for connection to a trolley  10  or a transport block  22  to drive the trolley  10  on the intended direction on cable  12 . The connecting line  32  may be made of stranded steel wire cable or fiber rope or other suitable material. 
     A transport block  22  may be mounted on the same zipline cable  12  as the trolley  10  carrying the zipline rider. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the transport block preferably includes one or more pulleys  38  to roll along the zipline cable  12 , but any device capable of rolling or sliding along the cable while restraining the trolley  10  can be used, such as a block of PVC, ABS, nylon, wood, or other suitable material configured with an opening or other mechanism such as a carabineer to receive and slide along the cable  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the transport block preferably comprises an elastomeric bumper  36  made of urethane or other resilient material suitable to withstand and reduce the impact of the moving transport block  22  as it contacts the trolley  10  in the static position on the zipline cable  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the drive line pulley  26  can be driven with a drive motor  28  at either or both of the support poles  20 . The drive motor  28  may be controlled by an operator located at the landing platform  18  using a manual motor control  34  located proximate the landing platform  18 . The manual motor control  34  is connected to the drive motor  28  by motor control line  40 . Alternatively, the drive motor  28  may be controlled by an operator or rider at other locations by a wired connection, or by a wireless control system using a radio or infrared signal. The speed of the drive motor  28  may also be controlled to provide a higher speed as desired to move the transport block  22  into position in contact with the trolley  10 , and a lower speed, such as in the approximate range of 5 ft./sec., for driving the trolley  10  and rider safely to the landing platform  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the drive line  24  may be positioned laterally between two or more ziplines, so that a single drive line  24  may provide the capability to drive trolleys  10  on multiple zipline cables  12 , simultaneously if required. 
     In summary, a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a transport system including at least two supports aligned in proximity to the cable, a pulley rotatably mounted to each support, a drive motor in mechanical communication with one of the pulleys, a continuous loop line suspended from the pulleys, an attachment device secured to the line, a connecting line secured to the attachment device; and a transport block slidably mounted on the cable and removably attached to the connecting line. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises an apparatus for transporting a rider between a point and a landing platform which includes a cable; a plurality of supports configured to suspend the cable between the point and the landing platform; a trolley for suspending and transporting the rider supported by a harness on the cable; and a transport system comprising at least two supports aligned in proximity to the cable, a pulley rotatably mounted to each support, a drive motor in mechanical communication with one of the pulleys, a continuous loop line suspended from the pulleys, an attachment device secured to the line, a connecting line secured to the attachment device; and a transport block slidably mounted on the cable and removably attached to the connecting line. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a method for transporting a rider between a point and a landing platform including the steps of method for transporting a rider between a point and a landing platform comprising the steps of providing a cable, and a plurality of supports configured to suspend the cable between the point and the landing platform; suspending the rider by a harness attached to a trolley on the cable; providing a transport system comprising at least two supports aligned in proximity to the cable, a pulley rotatably mounted to each support, a drive motor in mechanical communication with one of the pulleys, a continuous loop line suspended from the pulleys, an attachment device secured to the line, a connecting line cured to the attachment device; and a transport block slidably mounted on the cable and removably attached to the connecting line; positioning the transport block on the cable in contact with the end of the trolley oriented away from the landing platform; and operating the motor until the rider is transported to the landing platform. 
     These examples are provided for the purposes of illustration and the present invention is not limited to them.