Ski lift apparatus

Claim 2

A loading station selector for an aerial lift having a lift cable and passenger carrier suspended from the cable, said selector comprising an elongate guide member A. with leading and trailing ends lying on a straight axis and sides which curve toward one another and meet at said leading and trailing ends, B. spaced between the lift cable and the ground in the path of travel of the carriers, C. mounted for limited pivoting movement in a generally horizontal plane between two operative positions in which its trailing end is offset to one side or the other of the vertical plane containing the lift cable so that successive oncoming carriers engage the sides of the member and are diverted sideways alternately to loading stations at each side of the guide member, and D. means for pivoting the guide member between its two operative positions when the successive carriers engaging it are proximate to the guide member pivot mount so that there is minimum sideways movement of the engaging carriers when the guide member pivots between its two positions, said member after said pivoting gradually guiding the engaging carriers back to said vertical plane prior to their disengagement from the member.

Claim 3

A loading station selector as defined in claim 1 and further including means positioned at both sides of the guide member in the path of travel of the carriers for controlling the pivoting means.

Claim 4

secured thereto, and

Claim 5

secured thereto, and

Claim 6

tending to maintain the two sections in axial alignment.

Claim 7

tending to maintain the two sections in axial alignment.

Claim 8

A loading station selector as defined in claim 2 wherein the pivoting means includes A. an upstanding post for supporting the guide member, B. ground support means for rotatively supporting the post, and C. a hydraulic actuator mounted in the ground support and linked to the post.

Claim 9

A loading station selector as defined in claim 1 and further including means for shutting down the lift if the guide member does not shift position as each chair diverted thereby leaves a loading station.

Claim 10

A loading station selector for an aerial lift having a movable lift cable and passenger carriers suspended from the cable, said selector comprising A. an elongate guide member having leading and trailing ends and having generally arcuate sides which are bowed toward one another, B. means for pivotally supporting the guide member in a generally horizontal plane between the cable and the ground and in the path of travel of the carriers, C. means for pivoting the guide member between two operative positions wherein its trailing end is situated slightly to one side or the other of the vertical plane containing the cable, and D. means for controlling the pivoting means so that the guide member pivots back and forth between its two operative positions when the successive carriers engaging it are proximate to the guide member pivot mount whereby successive carriers on the cable engage alternate sides of the guide member and are diverted sideways alternately to two different loading stations and the engaging carriers undergo minimum sideways movement when the member pivots between its two positions, said member after so pivoting gradually guiding the engaging carrier back to the vertical plane.

Claim 11

A loading station selector for an aerial lift having a movable lift cable and passenger carriers suspended from the cable, said selector comprising A. an elongate guide member having leading and trailing ends and having generally arcuate sides which are bowed toward one another, B. means for pivotally supporting the guide member in a generally horizontal plane between the cable and the ground and in the path of travel of the carriers, C. means for pivoting the guide member between two operative positions wherein its trailing end is situated slightly to one side or the other of the vertical plane containing the cable, and D. means for controlling the pivoting means so that the guide member pivots back and forth between its two operative positions when the successive carriers engaging it are proximate to the guide member pivot mount whereby successive carriers on the cable engage alternate sides of the guide member and are diverted sideways alternately to two different loading stations and the engaging carriers undergo minimum sideways movement when the member pivots between its two positions, said member after so pivoting gradually guiding the engaging carrier back to the vertical plane.

Claim 12

A loading station selector as defined in claim 5 and further including switches mounted adjacent the sides of the guide member for engagement by the carriers so as to initiate the pivoting of the guide member between its two operative positions.

Claim 13

A loading station selector as defined in claim 6 and further including A. means for moving the cable, and B. means for disabling the cable moving means whenever the guide member, while in one operative position, fails to switch to its other operative position upon passage of a carrier along one of its sides.

Claim 14

A loading station selector as defined in claim 5 wherein said carriers include A. a seat, and B. an articulated hanger connected between the seat and the cable so that the seat always hangs vertically even though the carrier is diverted sideways by the guide member.

Claim 15

A loading station selector as defined in claim 8 and further including means defining loading stations directly below the sides of the guide member at points midway therealong.

Claim 16

A loading station selector as defined in claim 8 wherein the hanger comprises A. an upper section, B. a lower section, and C. a hinge connecting the two sections, the hinge comprising a pair of flexible resilient plates

Claim 17

A loading station selector as defined in claim 10 and further including stops mounted on the hanger sections for limiting the pivotal movement between the two Hanger sections.

Claim 18

A loading station selector as defined in claim 10 and further including a flexible safety connection between the two hanger sections.