Cable-propelled vehicle-inclined track system

Claim 2

A lift comprising an inclined track, a pair of carriages movable on said track, power means for moving the carriages up and down the inclined track, one of said carriages being positioned at one end of said track when the other of said carriages is positioned at the other end of said track, power transmission means connected between the carriages and the power means, brake means on the carriages to selectively lock the carriages to the track, brake actuating means operable to cause application of the brake means upon failure of the power means or power transmission means, means to signal the brake actuating means upon such failure, control line means accessible to passengers in the carriages running substantially the length of the track, control switch means adjacent one end of the track operable to start, stop and reverse the direction of drive of the power means said control line means being connected to the control switch means and operable to selectively actuate said control switch means upon being manipulated by a passenger in one of the carriages, switch actuating means carried by each carriage and operable to contact and actuate said control switch means to deenergize the power means when one of the carriages reaches the end of the track at which the control switch means is located, said control switch means including a control switch, a pivotal member positioned a adjacent to one end of the track, contact means on the pivot member movable to one side or the other of the track depending upon the direction of drive of the power means to be in alignment with the switch actuating means on the approaching carriage, and a linkage connecting said pivotal member with said control switch engagement of said contact means with the switch actuating means on one of the carriages resulting in pivoting of the pivotal member and movement of the linkage to actuate the control switch to deenergize the power means.

Claim 3

A lift as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in the provision of safety switch means including a safety switch and switch operating means positioned between said aforementioned control switch means and the adjacent end of the track, and means on the carriages to contact said safety switch operating means to open the safety switch and deenergize the power means in the event the carriage passes beyond the control switch means without deenergizing the power means.

Claim 4

A lift as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said power transmission means comprises a pair of cables connected between the power means and the carriages, contact elements in engagement with the cables, means biasing the contact elements towards the cables, a safety switch, means connecting the contact elements with the safety switch and operable to actuate the safety switch to open and deenergize the power means upon movement of one of the contact elements upon slackening of the corresponding cable to result in deenergization of the power means.

Claim 5

A lift as defined in claim 3 and further characterized in that each of said contact elements comprises a roller, arm structure having the roller journaled at one end thereof, bracket means pivotally mounting the arm structure at the other end thereof, spring means biasing the arm structure in a direction to move the roller into engagement with the corresponding cable, and means connecting the arm structure with the safety switch to actuate the safety switch upon movement of the roller after slackening of the corresponding cable.

Claim 6

A lift as defined in claim 2, and further characterized in that said power means comprises a reversible electric motor, an electric circuit connecting said motor to a source of power, said control switch means comprising a three-position switch and operative in said circuit in one position to deenergize the motor, in a second position to apply current of one polarity to the motor, and in the third position to apply current of the opposite pOlarity to the motor, said safety switch being a two-position switch between the motor and the power source and operable in one position to close the circuit to the power source and in the other position to open the circuit to the power source.

Claim 7

A lift comprising an inclined track, a movable carriage on said track, power means for moving the carriage up and down the inclined track, power transmission means connected between the carriage and the power means, brake means on the carriage to selectively lock the carriage to the track, brake actuating means operable to cause application of the brake means upon failure of the power means or power transmission means, control line means accessible to a passenger in the carriage running substantially the length of the track, control switch means adjacent one end of the track operable to start, stop and reverse the direction of drive of the power means, said control line means being connected to the control switch means and operable to selectively actuate said control switch means upon being manipulated by a passenger in the carriage, switch actuating means carried by the carriage and operable to contact and actuate said control switch means to deenergize the power means when the carriage reaches the end of the track at which the control switch means is located, said control switch means including a control switch a pivotal member positioned adjacent to one end of the track, contact means on the pivot member movable to one side or the other of the track depending upon the direction of drive of the power means to be in alignment with the switch actuating means on the approaching carriage, and a linkage connecting said pivotal member with said control switch, engagement of said contact means with the switch actuating means on the carriage resulting in pivoting of the pivotal member and movement of the linkage to actuate the control switch to deenergize the power means.

Claim 8

A lift comprising an inclined track, a movable carriage on said track, power means for moving the carriage up and down the inclined track, power transmission means connected between the carriage and the power means, brake means on the carriage to selectively lock the carriage to the track, brake actuating means operable to cause application of the brake means upon failure of the power means or power transmission means, control line means accessible to a passenger in the carriage running substantially the length of the track, control switch means adjacent one end of the track operable to start, stop and reverse the direction of drive of the power means, said control line means being connected to the control switch means and operable to selectively actuate said control switch means upon being manipulated by a passenger in the carriage, switch actuating means carried by the carriage and operable to contact and actuate said control switch means to deenergize the power means when the carriage reaches the end of the track at which the control switch means is located, said control switch means including a control switch a pivotal member positioned adjacent to one end of the track, contact means on the pivot member movable to one side or the other of the track depending upon the direction of drive of the power means to be in alignment with the switch actuating means on the approaching carriage, and a linkage connecting said pivotal member with said control switch, engagement of said contact means with the switch actuating means on the carriage resulting in pivoting of the pivotal member and movement of the linkage to actuate the control switch to deenergize the power means.

Claim 9

A lift as defined in claim 6 and further characterized in that said inclined track comprises a channellike member having a pair of angularly related walls, said carriage having a plurality of rollers received in said track, said rollers being oriented with respect to the track to be received in rolling engagement at the juncture of said angularly related walls at an angle intermediate the angle formed by said walls.

Claim 10

A lift as defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that said rollers are journaled on a rack, said rack being fastener to the carriage at an angle resulting in the carriage assuming a substantially upright position.

Claim 11

A lift as defined in claim 6 and further characterized in that said power transmission means comprises a cable connected between the power means and said brake means, said brake actuating means comprising spring means biasing the brake means to cause application thereof upon slackening or breaking of the cable to result in application of the brake means.

Claim 12

A lift as defined in claim 6 and further characterized in the provision of safety switch means including a safety switch and switch operating means positioned between the control switch means and the adjacent end of the track, and means on the carriages to contact said safety switch operating means to open the safety switch and deenergize the power means in the event the carriage passes beyond the control switch means without deenergizing the power means.

Claim 13

A lift comprising an inclined elongated track including an elongated upwardly facing channellike member having a web and a pair of upwardly extending flanges angularly connected to opposite longitudinal edges of said web, a pair of carriages carried by said track and movable along opposite sides thereof, each carriage having a rack which is fastened to such carriage at an angle resulting in the carriage assuming a substantially upright position, a plurality of rollers journaled on each rack and received in said channellike member in rolling engagement therewith at the juncture of said web and one of said flanges, the rollers on one carriage rack being in rolling engagement with a different flange than the other carriage rack to permit the carriages to move along the tack on opposite sides thereof without obstruction from the other carriage, one of said carriages being positioned at the one end of said track when the other of said carriages is positioned at the other end of said track, power transmission means connected between the carriages and the power means, brake means on the carriages to selectively lock the carriages to the track, brake actuating means operable to cause application of the brake means upon failure of the power means or power transmission means, means to signal the brake actuating means upon such failure, control line means accessible to passengers in the carriages running substantially the length of the track, control switch means adjacent one end of the track operable to start, stop and reverse the direction of drive of the power means, said control line means being connected to the control switch means and operable to selectively actuate said control switch means upon being manipulated by a passenger in one of the carriages, switch actuating means carried by each carriage and operable to contact and actuate said control switch means to deenergize the power means when such carriage reaches the end of the track at which the control switch means is located, safety switch means including a safety switch and switch operating means positioned between the control switch means and the adjacent end of the track, and means on the carriages to contact said safety switch operating means to open the safety switch and deenergize the power means in the event the carriage passes beyond the control switch means without deenergizing the power means.

Claim 14

A lift comprising an inclined elongated track including an elongated upwardly facing channellike member having a web and a pair of upwardly extending flanges angularly connected to opposite longitudinal edges of said web, a pair of carriages carried by said track and movable along opposite sides thereof, each carriage having a rack which is fastened to such carriage at an angle resulting in the carriage assuming a substantially upright position, a plurality of rollers journaled on each rack and received in said channellike member in rolling engagement therewith at the juncture of said web and one of said flanges, the rollers on one carriage rack being in rolling engagement with a different flange than the other carriage rack to permit the carriages to move along the tack on opposite sides thereof without obstruction from the other carriage, one of said carriages being positioned at the one end of said track when the other of said carriages is positioned at the other end of said track, power transmission means connected between the carriages and the power means, brake means on the carriages to selectively lock the carriages to the track, brake actuating means operable to cause application of the brake means upon failure of the power means or power transmission means, means to signal the brake actuating means upon such failure, control line means accessible to passengers in the carriages running substantially the length of the track, control switch means adjacent one end of the track operable to start, stop and reverse the direction of drive of the power means, said control line means being connected to the control switch means and operable to selectively actuate said control switch means upon being manipulated by a passenger in one of the carriages, switch actuating means carried by each carriage and operable to contact and actuate said control switch means to deenergize the power means when such carriage reaches the end of the track at which the control switch means is located, safety switch means including a safety switch and switch operating means positioned between the control switch means and the adjacent end of the track, and means on the carriages to contact said safety switch operating means to open the safety switch and deenergize the power means in the event the carriage passes beyond the control switch means without deenergizing the power means.

Claim 15

A lift as defined in claim 11 and further characterized in that said power transmission means comprises a pair of cables connected between the power means and the carriages, contact elements in engagement with the cables, means biasing the contact elements toward the cables, a safety switch, means connecting the contact elements with the safety switch and operable to actuate the safety switch to deenergize the power means upon movement of one of the contact elements upon slackening of the corresponding cable to result in deenergization of the power means.

Claim 16

A lift as defined in claim 11 and further characterized in that said power means comprises a reversible electric motor, an electric circuit connecting said motor to a source of power, said control switch means comprising a three-position switch and operative in said circuit in one position to deenergize the motor, in a second position to apply current of one polarity to the motor, and in the third position to apply current of the opposite polarity to the motor, said safety switch being a two-position switch between the motor and the power source and operable in one position to close the circuit to the power source and in the other position to open the circuit to the power source.

Claim 17

A lift as defined in claim 11 and further characterized in that said control switch means includes a control switch, a pivotal member positioned adjacent to one end of the track, contact means on the pivot member movable to one side or the other of the track depending upon the direction of drive of the power means to be in alignment with the switch actuating means on the approaching carriage, linkage connecting said pivotal member with said control switch, contact of said contact means with the switch actuating means on one of the carriages resulting in pivoting of the pivotal member and movement of the linkage to actuate the control switch to deenergize the power means.