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 Title: |
US4050385:
High capacity passenger transport apparatus
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Gurr, Robert H.; Los Angeles, CA
Broggie, Roger E.; Carmel, CA
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| Assignee: |
Walt Disney Productions, Burbank, CA
other patents from WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS (617670) (approx. 22)
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| Published / Filed: |
1977-09-27
/ 1975-09-29
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| Application Number: |
US1975000617437
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
B61B 11/00;
Core:
more...
IPC-7:
B61B 11/00;
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| ECLA Code: |
B61B11/00;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
104/173.2;
104/028;
104/087;
104/089;
104/178;
105/149.2;
Original:
104/173.ST;
104/028;
104/087;
104/089;
104/178;
105/329.S;
297/184;
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| Field of Search: |
104/173,26 R26 B,27,28,87,88,89,91,96,112,172 S,178,241,18,20,162
105/150,329 S,329 SC
297/184,217,240
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| Priority Number: |
| 1975-09-29 |
US1975000617437 |
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| Abstract: |
There is disclosed a high capacity passenger transport apparatus which may be employed as a ski lift including a high speed main cable ascending up a ski run and driven at high speeds. A pair of first and second shuttle tracks lead from the downhill run of such cable at the bottom station and separate to pass through respective first and second loading areas and then merge back together at the uphill run of the high speed cable. Chair trucks are carried on the main cable and include releasable grippers gripping such cables and are intercepted at the end of their downhill travel by escort cars which decelerate such trucks and escort them past a selector switch to direct alternate ones thereof onto the respective first and second shuttle tracks and then to a stopped position at the loading area so skiers can be loaded thereonto. The escort cars are then accelerated to accelerate such trucks along the respective shuttle tracks to be fed alternately onto the uphill run of such cable at a speed synchronized with the speed of such cable to grip such cable and be carried rapidly therealong for deposit at the uphill station. If desirable, the uphill station may likewise include first and second unloading shuttle tracks for receiving alternate trucks for deceleration to a stop at respective separate first and second unloading areas and then re-acceleration for deposit on the downhill run of the high speed cable. Further, the chairs themselves are preferably formed with back walls which pivot away carrying the seats therewith to clear a skier's path from the rear of such chairs so the skier may approach the chairs from the rear and after positioning relative to such chairs, the back walls and seats carried thereon pivoted back into position so the skier may be seated for conveyance up the ski run.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Fulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Makay, Albert J.; Reese, Randolph A.
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| Family: |
None
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First Claim:
Show all 13 claims |
We claim:
1. High capacity passenger transport apparatus comprising:
- endless high speed cable means including a cable running from a loading to an unloading station and having transport and return runs and means for driving it at high speed;
- intercept means for intercepting trucks from said return run;
- a plurality of chair trucks including releasable gripper means for selectively gripping said high speed cable and, truck support means;
- a plurality of loading station shuttle tracks at said loading station for receiving truck support means of said trucks intercepted by said intercept means to transport them to respective spaced apart loading areas and then to the transport run of said high speed cable and including means for feeding said trucks sequentially into said high speed cable transport run;
- a plurality of chairs suspended from said respective trucks, including frames and respective back walls pivotally mounted from said frames for being pivoted away to clear a through path from the rear of said chairs, said chairs further including seats mounted from said walls;
- gripper release means for engaging said releasable grippers to release said grippers from said high speed cable as said trucks feed onto said respective shuttle tracks;
- gripper actuation means to activate said grippers as said trucks are fed onto said transport run;
- selector means for intercepting chair trucks from said high speed cable and directing them sequentially onto each shuttle track of said plurality of shuttle tracks; and
- loading escort means for engaging said trucks as they are received on said shuttle tracks, advancing said trucks along said shuttle tracks at a relatively low speed to said respective loading areas and then back to said transport run of said high speed cable to feed said trucks sequentially from each shuttle track of said plurality onto said high speed cable means whereby said high speed cable may be run at a higher speed than said shuttle drive means and said trucks may be fed sequentially from the shuttle tracks onto said cable means to position the suspended chairs in spaced relationship on said cable for advancement thereof with said high speed cable means.
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| Background / Summary: |
Show background / summary
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
Show drawing descriptions
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| Description: |
Show description
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| Forward References: |
Show 17 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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