Device for a cableway support

Abstract

In order to optimize an access device (2) for a cableway support (1), in particular to extend its service life and to increase the safety of the cableway personnel, the cableway support (1) comprises at least one holding device (5), wherein the access device (2) has at least one connecting element (7) via which the access device (2) is connected to the at least one holding device (5) of the cableway support (1) in order to hold the access device (2) in the air, wherein the at least one connecting element (7) is at least partially designed from a damping material in order to decouple the access device (2) from the cableway support (1) with respect to vibration.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an access device for a cable car support, wherein the cable car support comprises at least one holding device, wherein the access device has at least one connecting element via which the access device is connected to the at least one holding device of the cable car support in order to hold the access device in the air.

[0002] Cable cars come in a wide variety of designs, usually for passenger and / or freight transport, for example, as urban means of transport or for passenger transport in ski resorts. Cable cars (e.g., cabins, chairs, or other transport containers) suspended from a cable are used for transport. Cable cars typically have at least two cable car stations, between which the cable car cars are moved by at least one cable over one or more cable car supports.

[0003] A distinction must be made between circulating cable cars and reversible cable cars. In reversible cable cars, one or two cable cars, pulled by a traction cable, travel back and forth on a haulage cable on a track between at least two stations. Circulating cable cars, on the other hand, have an endless, continuously revolving haulage cable between the stations, from which numerous cable cars, such as gondolas, cabins, or chairs, are suspended. This moves the cable cars from one station to the other on one side and back again on the opposite side. The movement of the cable cars is therefore always essentially continuous in one direction, similar to a continuous conveyor.

[0004] In order to be able to bridge greater distances, one or more cable car supports are usually arranged between at least two stations to guide the (supporting / traction / haulage) rope(s). The structure of a cable car support basically consists of a foundation, the support itself and a crossbeam, also known as the crosshead, at the upper end of the support. Cable car supports can be designed as a steel lattice construction or as a steel tube or sheet metal box construction. The support can also be made of concrete. Several pulleys are usually arranged on a cable car support or crossbeam, for example in the form of a so-called pulley battery, in order to carry and guide the cable with the cable car carriages. Furthermore, cable car supports, e.g. in the area of ​​the crossbeam parallel to one cable direction orParallel to the roller array, an access device (so-called platforms) is provided, which can be used, for example, by cable car personnel for maintenance or repair work on the cable car support or the roller arrays. This is also primarily a steel lattice structure, but is designed so that the cable car personnel can move around safely. In addition, safety devices, such as railings, can be provided to increase safety for the cable car personnel. Access to the access device is either via ladders on the cable car support or crossbeam, or by climbing over from special cable car carriages (as in EP 3 947 096 B1).

[0005] The access device on a cable car pylon is caused to vibrate by vibrations (e.g., due to wind, cable-induced vibrations, the movement of a cable car carriage over the cable car pylon's roller assembly, etc.). These vibrations can not only contribute to premature fatigue of the components or structure, but can also endanger cable car personnel on the platform. Vibrations are particularly relevant for urban cable cars, as these have very high operating hours and therefore the fatigue load is very high.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to optimize the access device on a cable car support, in particular to extend the service life and to increase the safety for the cable car personnel.

[0007] According to the invention, this object is achieved with an access device for a cable car support in that at least one connecting element is at least partially designed from a damping material in order to decouple the access device from the cable car support in terms of vibration. Vibrations that may occur at the cable car support (as described above) are thereby dampened or prevented from being transmitted to the access device. The damping material dissipates vibration energy, preventing the access device from being subjected to additional stress or strain by the vibrations at the cable car support, thus extending the service life of the access device. Furthermore, the safety of the cable car personnel on the access device is increased, for example during maintenance or repair work on the cable car support.

[0008] In an advantageous embodiment of the access device, at least one strut is provided, which is preferably connected by a first axial end to the access device and is preferably connected by a second axial end to the cable car support, wherein at least one further connecting element is provided, which is arranged between the connection of the at least one strut to the access device or between the connection of the at least one strut to the cable car support. The at least one strut is provided in particular for larger cable car supports or access devices, since the freely suspended components would deform unacceptably due to their dimensions and therefore additional suspensions (struts) on the cable car supports are necessary.Since the at least one strut connects the access device to the cable car support, at least one further connecting element is provided in order to decouple the access device from the cable car support in terms of vibrations according to the invention.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment of the access device, the access device has at least two segments, wherein a first of the at least two segments is fastened to the at least one holding device of the cable car support, and a second of the at least two segments is connected to the first of the at least two segments via the at least one connecting element. It may be advantageous to decouple only segments of the access device from the cable car support in terms of vibration, rather than the entire access device. This improves accessibility to the at least one connecting element and increases the installation space for the access device. Furthermore, it is easier to retrofit such segments to existing cable car supports.

[0010] In a further advantageous embodiment of the access device, at least one strut is connected, preferably by its first axial end, to the second of the at least two segments of the access device, and the at least one strut is connected, preferably by its second axial end, to the cable car support, wherein the at least one further connecting element is arranged between the connection of the at least one strut to the second of the at least two segments of the access device or between the connection of the at least one strut to the cable car support. This also makes it possible to increase the installation space of the access device. It is easier to retrofit such struts to existing cable car supports.

[0011] In an advantageous embodiment of the access device, fastening elements are provided in order to connect the at least one connecting element to the access device and to the at least one holding device.

[0012] In an advantageous embodiment of the access device, fastening elements are provided in order to connect the at least one further connecting element to the access device and to the at least one strut, preferably to the first axial end of the at least one strut, or to connect the at least one further connecting element to the cable car support and to the at least one strut, preferably to the second axial end of the at least one strut.

[0013] In an advantageous embodiment of the access device, at least one connecting element is an elastic solid body. The solid body can be square or rectangular, for example. This gives the access device a certain degree of flexibility relative to the cable car support, while the access device remains suspended in the air and can be accessed, for example, by cable car personnel for maintenance or repair work on the cable car support.

[0014] The present invention is described below with reference to the Figuren 1 bis 5 which show exemplary, schematic and non-limiting advantageous embodiments of the invention. Fig. 1 the basic structure of a cable car support with an access device according to the invention, Fig. 2 an embodiment of the access device according to the invention on the cable car support with at least one strut, Fig. 3 a further embodiment of the access device according to the invention on the cable car support with at least one strut, Fig. 4 an embodiment with two access devices according to the invention on a cable car support and Fig. 5 a further embodiment with two access devices according to the invention on a cable car support.

[0015] In Fig. 1 The basic structure of a cable car support 1 with an access device 2 according to the invention is shown. The cable car support 1 comprises a support 3, a cross member 4 and at least one holding device 5. The support 3 can, for example, be cylindrical with an annular or square cross section or also designed as a truss construction. The cross member 4 can, for example, have a square cross section and two axial ends. The support 3 can be fastened to a foundation (not shown) with one axial end. At the other axial end of the support 3, the cross member 4 can be fastened to the support 3 (e.g. with a flange). A roller battery 6 can be arranged on the cross member 4 (e.g. at one axial end of the cross member 4, as in Fig. 1 shown), in which a rope 10 is held or guided.

[0016] The at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 can, for example, be fastened to the cross member 4 between an axial end of the cross member 4 and the support 3 (e.g. with a screw connection or with a welded connection). Depending on the embodiment of the cable car support 1, the at least one holding device 5 can also be fastened directly to the support 3. For the sake of clarity, however, the fastening of the at least one holding device 5 directly to the support 3 will not be described below. The support 3, the cross member 4 and the at least one holding device 5 can, for example, be made of steel or at least partially of concrete. The at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 can, in a simple embodiment (as in Fig. 1 shown) can be designed as a shaped tube with a square or rectangular cross-section.

[0017] The access device 2 has at least one connecting element 7, via which the access device 2 is connected to the at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 in order to hold the access device 2 in the air. It is of course also possible, for example, for two holding devices 5 to be provided on the cross member 4 of the cable car support 1 and for two connecting elements 7 to be provided on the access device 2 in order to connect the access device 2 to the two holding devices 5 via the two connecting elements 7 and to hold the access device 2 in the air.

[0018] The access device 2 can, as in Fig. 1 shown, be designed as a longitudinal beam 8 (e.g. a shaped tube with a square cross-section) on which steps 9 are provided. The steps 9 are made, for example, from perforated sheet metal or checkered sheet metal and are fastened, for example, to the longitudinal beam 8 of the access device 2 via screw connections or welded connections. Another possible embodiment of the access device would be a continuous step 9 along the longitudinal beam 8. The access device 2 serves, for example, to enable cable car personnel to stay and move around safely for maintenance or repair work on the roller battery 6. It is advantageous for the access device 2 to be located so close to the roller battery 6 (e.g. below or to the side of the roller battery 6) that the cable car personnel can reach the roller battery 6 easily and safely for maintenance or repair work.The access device 2 is therefore arranged on the at least one holding device 5, preferably parallel to the roller assembly 6 or parallel to a cable direction S of the cable 10 guided in the roller assembly 6. The access device 2 is made of steel, for example. Additionally, a railing (in . Fig. 1 not shown) may be provided for the access device 2, which is fastened, for example, to the longitudinal beam 8 of the access device 2 and / or to the steps 9 of the access device 2 in order to protect the cable car personnel from falling from the cable car support 1.

[0019] The at least one connecting element 7 is at least partially made of a damping material in order to decouple the access device 2 from the cable car support 1 in terms of vibration. The at least one connecting element 7 is preferably, as shown in Fig. 1 shown, arranged between the at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 and the access device 2. Depending on the application, it would also be possible to arrange the at least one connecting element 7 not between the connection of the at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 and the access device 2, but rather to provide it at the attachment of the at least one holding device 5 to the cable car support 1 in order to decouple the access device 2 from the cable car support 1 in terms of vibration. Preferably, the at least one connecting element 7 is an elastic solid body (for example rectangular or square). In this case, fastening elements 11 are preferably provided in order to connect the at least one connecting element 7 to the access device 2 and to the at least one holding device 5. The fastening elements 11 are preferably screws, bolts, pins or the like.

[0020] The damping material of the at least one connecting element 7 is preferably an elastomer or a silicone or a rubber or a silicone-rubber mixture, such as EPDM silicone, or the like. The damping material preferably has the best possible damping of low frequencies over the widest possible temperature range with the longest possible service life. Since the at least one connecting element 7 is at least partially made of the damping material, there is no rigid connection between the access device 2 and the at least one holding device 5 (e.g. as in a screw connection or a welded connection), but rather an elastic connection. Due to the elastic connection between the access device 2 and the at least one holding device 5, vibrations that may occur on the cable car support 1 (e.g.by wind, cable-induced vibrations, by the movement of a cable car carriage over the roller battery 6 of the cable car support 1, etc.), are dampened (i.e. vibration energy is dissipated) or are not transmitted to the access device 2 via the at least one holding device 5, which is rigidly connected or fastened to the cable car support 1. The access device 2 is thus vibrationally decoupled from the cable car support 1, wherein the access unit 2 remains held in the air despite the elastic connection and can, for example, be accessed by cable car personnel for maintenance or repair work on the cable car support 1. With a rigid connection between the access device 2 and the at least one holding device 5, the vibrations just described are transmitted to the access device 2. As a result, the access device 2 is loaded or stressed by the vibrations on the cable car support.stressed, which could shorten the service life of the access device 2 and endanger the cable car personnel on the access device 2 (e.g. in the event of premature fatigue of the access device 2).

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one connecting element 7 comprises a housing (e.g., a rectangular aluminum tube), wherein two solid bodies (e.g., two steel squares) with recesses for the fastening elements 11 (e.g., bores) are arranged in the housing. The damping material of the at least one connecting element 7 is arranged in the housing between the two solid bodies and the housing (e.g., as a filler made of an elastomer, silicone, rubber, or a silicone-rubber mixture, such as EPDM silicone, or the like). The two solid bodies are thus elastically mounted in the housing.If one of the two solid bodies of the at least one connecting element 7 is connected to the access device 2 and the second of the two solid bodies of the at least one connecting element 7 is connected to the at least one holding device 5, an elastic connection (as described above) exists between the access device 2 and the at least one holding device 5.

[0022] Of course, at least one holding device 5 could also be provided, for example, between one axial end of the cross member 4 and the support 3, wherein the cross member 4 would be fastened between the two axial ends of the cross member 4 to the support 3 of the cable car support 1. As a result, a fastening unit 2 could be provided on the respective at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 (e.g., in a circulating cable car). Fig. 4 and in Fig. 5 Such an embodiment is indicated. For the sake of clarity, Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 only one access device 2 is shown. As described above, the respective at least one holding device 5 can also be attached directly to the cable car support 3.

[0023] In Fig. 2 An embodiment of the access device 2 on the cable car support 1 is shown with at least one strut 12. The at least one strut 12 can, for example, be designed as a shaped tube with a square cross-section. Fig. 2 The at least one strut 12 is arranged, for example, on the valley side of the cable car support 1. The fastening unit 2 has at least one further connecting element 7. The access device 2 is connected, preferably with a first axial end of the at least one strut 12, to the at least one strut 12 via the at least one further connecting element 7. The at least one strut 12 has a second axial end, wherein the at least one strut is fastened, preferably with the second axial end, to the cable car support 1 (for example to the cross member 4 via a screw connection). Depending on the requirements of the at least one further connecting element 7, the dimensioning can, for example, be different for the at least one connecting element 7 in Fig. 1 differ or the at least one further connecting element 7 is identical to the at least one connecting element 7 in Fig. 1 As described above, fastening elements 11 are preferably provided in order to connect the at least one further connecting element 7 to the access device 2 and to the at least one strut 12, preferably to the first axial end of the at least one strut 12. Depending on the application, it would also be possible to provide the at least one further connecting element 7 not between the connection of the access device 2 to the at least one strut 12, but rather at the connection of the at least one strut 12 to the cable car support 1, in order to decouple the access device 2 from the cable car support 1 in terms of vibration.

[0024] In Fig. 3 a further embodiment of the access device 2 on the cable car support 1 with at least one strut 12 is shown. The access device 2 has at least two segments B 1 , B 2 , wherein a first of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 is fastened (rigidly) to the at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 (e.g. via a screw connection or welded connection) and a second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 is connected (elastically) to the first of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 via the at least one connecting element 7.The second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 is (elastically) connected to the at least one strut 12, preferably to the first axial end of the at least one strut 12, via the at least one further connecting element 7, wherein the at least one strut 12 is fastened, preferably with the second axial end, to the cable car support 1 (for example to the cross member 4 with a screw connection). Due to the elastic connections, the second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 of the access device 2 is vibrationally decoupled from the cable car support 1. As in . Fig. 3 As shown, for example, in addition to the at least one strut 12 (e.g. valley side), at least one further strut 12 (e.g. mountain side) can be provided in the cable direction S. The at least one further strut 12 is (rigidly) attached to the first of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 , preferably with a first axial end of the at least one further strut 12, wherein the at least one strut 12 is preferably attached to the cable car support 1 (e.g. with a second axial end) (e.g. to the cross member 4 with a screw connection). Of course, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 is shown, at least one further strut 12 may be provided.

[0025] Furthermore, it would of course also be possible for the access device 2 to have a further segment B 1 , B 2 which is decoupled from the cable car support 1 in terms of vibration technology, for example by the further segment B 1 , B 2 being (elastically) connected via at least one further connecting element 7 to the at least one further strut 12, preferably to the first axial end of the at least one further strut 12, wherein the at least one further strut 12, preferably with the second axial end, is still fastened to the cable car support 1 and by the further segment B 1 , B 2 being (elastically) connected via at least one connecting element 7 to the first of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2. In Fig. 3 Thus, the second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 would be mirrored around the longitudinal axis of the cross member 4, whereby embodiments with two access devices 2, as in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 shown, can be mirrored around the longitudinal axis of the cross member 4 (e.g. not only on the valley side but also on the mountain side).

[0026] In Fig. 4 an embodiment with two access devices 2 on a cable car support 1 is shown, wherein at least one holding device 5 is provided on the cable car support 1, for example between one axial end of the cross member 4 and the support 3, wherein the cross member 4 is fastened between the two axial ends of the cross member 4 on the support 3 of the cable car support 1. For the sake of clarity, Fig. 4 The respective roller battery 6 and the respective cable 10 at the respective axial end of the cross member 4 of the cable car support 1 are not shown. The two access devices 2 each have at least two segments B 1 , B 2 , as in Fig. 3 shown, wherein in each case a first of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 is fastened (rigidly) to the respective at least one holding device 5 of the cable car support 1 and in each case a second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 is connected (elastically) via at least one connecting element 7 to the respective first of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2. The respective second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 is connected (elastically) to the at least one strut 12, preferably to the respective first axial end of the at least one strut 12, via at least one further connecting element 7, wherein the respective at least one strut 12 is fastened, preferably to the respective second axial end, to the cable car support 1 (for example to the cross member 4 with a screw connection).Due to the elastic connections, the respective second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 of the respective access device 2 is vibrationally decoupled from the cable car support 1.

[0027] The respective at least two segments B 1 , B 2 of the access device 2 can of course also be connected to each other via further struts 13. In Fig. 4 For example, a strut 13 is shown between the second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 of the respective access device 2. As a result, the second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 are (rigidly) connected to one another, but are still vibrationally decoupled from the cable car support 1 by the elastic connections between the respective first of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 of the respective access device 2 and the respective at least one strut 12.

[0028] As described above, the embodiments shown can of course also be used in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 with two access devices 2 as in Fig. 4 be executed.

[0029] In Fig. 5 is a preferred embodiment with two access devices 2 on a cable car support 1 (similar to Fig. 4 ), wherein the cable car support 1 has a further cross member 4, which is attached to the existing cross member 4 by feet 14. The two access devices 2 are, as already shown in Fig. 4 shown, with at least two segments B 1 , B 2 and for example four struts 12 are provided. In contrast to the embodiment in Fig. 4 For example, at least two struts 12 (e.g. on the valley side) are each fastened, preferably with the respective first axial end, to the respective second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 , wherein the at least two struts 12 are each (elastically) connected, preferably with the respective second axial end, via the at least one further connecting element 7 to the further cross member 4. Due to the elastic connections, the respective second of the at least two segments B 1 , B 2 of the respective access device 2 is vibrationally decoupled from the cable car support 1. Of course, it is also possible, as in Fig. 4that the at least two struts 12 (e.g., on the valley side), preferably with the respective second axial end, are (elastically) connected to the existing cross member 4 via the at least one further connecting element 7. Alternatively, the respective at least one holding device 5 could, of course, also be attached to the further cross member 4 of the cable car support 1.

Claims

1. Access device (2) for a cable car support (1), wherein the cable car support (1) comprises at least one holding device (5), wherein the access device (2) has at least one connecting element (7) via which the access device (2) is connected to the at least one holding device (5) of the cable car support (1) in order to hold the access device (2) in the air, characterized in that the at least one connecting element (7) is at least partially made of a damping material in order to decouple the access device (2) from the cable car support (1) in terms of vibration.

2. Access device (2) according to claim 1, characterized in thatat least one strut (12) is provided, which is connected, preferably with a first axial end, to the access device (2) and, preferably with a second axial end, to the cable car support (1), wherein at least one further connecting element (7) is provided, which is arranged between the connection of the at least one strut (12) to the access device (2) or between the connection of the at least one strut (12) to the cable car support (1).

3. Access device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the access device (2) has at least two segments (B1, B2), wherein a first of the at least two segments (B1, B2) is fastened to the at least one holding device (5) of the cable car support (1) and a second of the at least two segments (B1, B2) is connected to the first of the at least two segments (B1, B2) via the at least one connecting element (7).

4. Access device (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that the at least one strut (12), preferably with the first axial end, is connected to the second of the at least two segments (B1, B2) of the access device (2), and the at least one strut (12), preferably with the second axial end, is connected to the cable car support (1), wherein the at least one further connecting element (7) is arranged between the connection of the at least one strut (12) to the second of the at least two segments (B1, B2) of the access device (2) or between the connection of the at least one strut (12) to the cable car support (1).

5. Access device (2) according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that Fastening elements (11) are provided in order to connect the at least one connecting element (7) to the access device (2) and to the at least one holding device (5).

6. Access device (2) according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that Fastening elements (11) are provided in order to connect the at least one further connecting element (7) to the access device (2) and to the at least one strut (12), preferably to the first axial end of the at least one strut (12), or in order to connect the at least one further connecting element (7) to the cable car support (1) and to the at least one strut, preferably to the second axial end of the at least one strut (12).

7. Access device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the at least one connecting element (7) is an elastic solid body.

8. Cable car support (1) with at least one holding device (5), wherein at least one access device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7 is connected to the at least one holding device (5).

9. Cable car support (1) according to claim 8, wherein the cable car support (1) has at least one further holding device (5) to which a further access device (2) is connected, wherein the cable car support (1) comprises at least one cross member (4) and one support (3), wherein the at least one holding device (5) is arranged on the cable car support (1), preferably between a first axial end of the at least one cross member (4) and the support (3), and wherein the at least one further holding device (5) is arranged on the cable car support (1), preferably between a second axial end of the at least one cross member (4) and the support (3).

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