Patent · US10435043B2 · B2 · US

Funicular driven by a cable with two towing sections and method for controlling such a funicular

(11) Publication number

US10435043B2

(21) Application number

15/508,987

(22) Filing date

2015-09-04

(30) Priority date

2014-09-04

(43) Publication date

2019-10-08

(45) Date of grant

2019-10-08

(51) IPC

B61B 12/00; B61B 12/02; B61B 12/10; B61B 12/12; B61B 15/00; B61B 9/00; B61D 3/16; B61F 3/10; B61F 5/02; B65G 23/38

(52) CPC

B61B Railway systems; equipment therefor not otherwise provided for: 9/00, 12/007, 12/022, 12/026, 12/028, 12/105, 12/122, 15/00
B61D Body details or kinds of railway vehicles: 3/166
B61F Rail vehicle suspensions, e.g. underframes, bogies or arrangements of wheel axles; rail vehicles for use on tracks of different width; preventing derailing of rail vehicles; wheel guards, obstruction removers or the like for rail vehicles: 3/10, 5/02
B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 23/38

(73) Assignee

Agence Nationale pour la Gestion des Dechets Radioactifs ANDRA

(72) Inventors

Guillaume Cottard

(54) Title

Funicular driven by a cable with two towing sections and method for controlling such a funicular

(57) Abstract

A funicular intended particularly for transporting heavy loads between an upstream station (10) and a downstream station (12), comprises a track (14), preferably a railway, connecting the upstream station (10) to the downstream station (12), a vehicle (16) running on the track (14) and at least one towing cable (30) in closed loop having a first towing section (32.1) passing over a first pulley (20.1) of the upstream station and over a first return pulley (26) fixed to the vehicle (16) and a second towing section (32.2), in all ways separate from the first towing section and passing over the return pulley (26) and over a second pulley (20.2) of the upstream station (10).

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Claims (26)

A funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a track connecting the upstream station to the downstream station, a vehicle running on the track, wherein the funicular comprises at least one towing cable in closed loop having a first towing section passing over a first pulley of the upstream station and over a first return pulley fixed to the vehicle, a second towing section, which has no common part with the first towing section and passes over the first return pulley and over a second pulley of the upstream station, a first linking section extending between the first pulley of the upstream station and a first pulley of the downstream station, a second linking section extending between the second pulley of the upstream station and a second pulley of the downstream station, a first return section extending between the first pulley of the downstream station and a second return pulley situated on the vehicle and a second return section extending between the second pulley of the downstream station and the second return pulley, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one undercarriage having a track width for running on the track, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than half of the track width.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first return pulley in a circular arc of more than 120° and of less than 360°.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than half a width of the vehicle.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than two thirds of the track width.
The funicular of claim 1, further comprising at least one weight for tensioning the cable.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first pulley of the upstream station and around the second pulley of the upstream station in an arc of more than 120° and of less than 360°.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises at least one linking section, which, is a plan view, crosses the first towing section and the second towing section.
The funicular of claim 1, further comprising a first motor for the first towing section and second motor for the second towing section.
The funicular of claim 1, further comprising a first brake to lock the first towing section and a second brake to lock the second towing section.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a platform for transporting a load.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a rotation axis oblique in relation to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a rotation axis perpendicular to a transverse axis of the vehicle.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the two return pulleys have the same diameter.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the two return pulleys have rotation axes that are not identical.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the track is a railway.
The funicular of claim 2, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first return pulley in a circular arc of more than 160°.
The funicular of claim 2, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first return pulley in a circular arc of less than 200°.
The funicular of claim 3, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than two thirds of the width of the vehicle.
The funicular of claim 6, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first pulley of the upstream station and around the second pulley of the upstream station in an arc of more than 180°.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the return pulleys have rotation axes that are not parallel.
The funicular of claim 1, wherein the return pulleys have rotation axes that are secant.
A funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a track connecting the upstream station to the downstream station, a vehicle running on the track, wherein the funicular comprises at least one towing cable in closed loop having a first towing section passing over a first pulley of the upstream station and over a first return pulley fixed to the vehicle, a second towing section, which has no common part with the first towing section and passes over the first return pulley and over a second pulley of the upstream station, a first linking section extending between the first pulley of the upstream station and a first pulley of the downstream station, a second linking section extending between the second pulley of the upstream station and a second pulley of the downstream station, a first return section extending between the first pulley of the downstream station and a second return pulley situated on the vehicle and a second return section extending between the second pulley of the downstream station and the second return pulley, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one undercarriage having a track width for running on the track, further comprising a first motor for driving the first towing section and second motor for driving the second towing section independently from the first towing section.
A method of controlling the funicular of claim 22, comprising one of the following steps, carried out in an operational functioning mode: driving the first motor and the second motor so as to drive the first towing section and the second towing section at the same linear speed; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to cancel the rotation speed of the first return pulley; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to impose rotation on the first return pulley; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to impose a periodic rotation speed on the first return pulley; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to cause rotation of the first return pulley without any movement of the vehicle.
The method of controlling a funicular of claim 23, further comprising the following steps, carried out in a degraded operating mode; driving only one of the first and second motors, the other motor being stationary.
The funicular of claim 22, further comprising a first brake to lock the first towing section and a second brake to lock the second towing section.
A funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a track connecting the upstream station to the downstream station, a vehicle running on the track, wherein the funicular comprises at least one towing cable in closed loop having a first towing section passing over a first pulley of the upstream station and over a first return pulley fixed to the vehicle, a second towing section, which has no common part with the first towing section and passes over the first return pulley and over a second pulley of the upstream station, a first linking section extending between the first pulley of the upstream station and a first pulley of the downstream station, a second linking section extending between the second pulley of the upstream station and a second pulley of the downstream station, a first return section extending between the first pulley of the downstream station and a second return pulley situated on the vehicle and a second return section extending between the second pulley of the downstream station and the second return pulley, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one undercarriage having a track width for running on the track, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than half a width of the vehicle.

Description

The invention relates to a funicular, particularly for transporting heavy loads, such as for example confinement hoods for radioactive wastes intended to be buried in an underground site.

Document FR 2 954 747 describes a funicular designed to transport radioactive wastes between an upstream overground station and a downstream station of an underground waste landfill facility. An inclined ramp connects the upstream station to the downstream station and materialises a rail transport track and one or several counterweight tracks. A wagon runs on the transport track whereas one or several counterweights run in the opposite direction on the counterweight track. The wagon and the counterweight(s) are connected by two cables that each pass over a driving pulley, in order to give the installation redundancy with a view to increasing its safety. In order to fix an end of each cable to the wagon, the latter is equipped with a winding drum and one gripping jaw per cable. This fixing method, extremely well tried and trusted, nevertheless has the drawback of taxing the cable in a way that accelerates its ageing.

Citations (28)

US413158A
US449466A
US767837A
US1412575A
FR699196A
US2523113A
CH415731A
US3827373A
FR2109225A5
US3747718A
US3789774A
US3877391A
DE2407273B1
DE2505561A1
US4078500A
GB2057991A
US4693186A
US4785739A
JPH03143764A
WO1994010023A1
US5626247A
EP0692418A1
JPH08133068A
US6170613B1
KR200382118Y1
FR2954747A1
WO2011080423A1
US8579261B1

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US10435043B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Funicular driven by a cable with two towing sections and method for controlling such a funicular",
  "abstract": "A funicular intended particularly for transporting heavy loads between an upstream station (10) and a downstream station (12), comprises a track (14), preferably a railway, connecting the upstream station (10) to the downstream station (12), a vehicle (16) running on the track (14) and at least one towing cable (30) in closed loop having a first towing section (32.1) passing over a first pulley (20.1) of the upstream station and over a first return pulley (26) fixed to the vehicle (16) and a second towing section (32.2), in all ways separate from the first towing section and passing over the return pulley (26) and over a second pulley (20.2) of the upstream station (10).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a track connecting the upstream station to the downstream station, a vehicle running on the track, wherein the funicular comprises at least one towing cable in closed loop having a first towing section passing over a first pulley of the upstream station and over a first return pulley fixed to the vehicle, a second towing section, which has no common part with the first towing section and passes over the first return pulley and over a second pulley of the upstream station, a first linking section extending between the first pulley of the upstream station and a first pulley of the downstream station, a second linking section extending between the second pulley of the upstream station and a second pulley of the downstream station, a first return section extending between the first pulley of the downstream station and a second return pulley situated on the vehicle and a second return section extending between the second pulley of the downstream station and the second return pulley, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one undercarriage having a track width for running on the track, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than half of the track width.",
    "2. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first return pulley in a circular arc of more than 120° and of less than 360°.",
    "3. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than half a width of the vehicle.",
    "4. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than two thirds of the track width.",
    "5. The funicular of claim 1, further comprising at least one weight for tensioning the cable.",
    "6. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first pulley of the upstream station and around the second pulley of the upstream station in an arc of more than 120° and of less than 360°.",
    "7. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the cable comprises at least one linking section, which, is a plan view, crosses the first towing section and the second towing section.",
    "8. The funicular of claim 1, further comprising a first motor for the first towing section and second motor for the second towing section.",
    "9. The funicular of claim 1, further comprising a first brake to lock the first towing section and a second brake to lock the second towing section.",
    "10. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a platform for transporting a load.",
    "11. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a rotation axis oblique in relation to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.",
    "12. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the first return pulley has a rotation axis perpendicular to a transverse axis of the vehicle.",
    "13. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the two return pulleys have the same diameter.",
    "14. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the two return pulleys have rotation axes that are not identical.",
    "15. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the track is a railway.",
    "16. The funicular of claim 2, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first return pulley in a circular arc of more than 160°.",
    "17. The funicular of claim 2, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first return pulley in a circular arc of less than 200°.",
    "18. The funicular of claim 3, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than two thirds of the width of the vehicle.",
    "19. The funicular of claim 6, wherein the towing cable is wound around the first pulley of the upstream station and around the second pulley of the upstream station in an arc of more than 180°.",
    "20. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the return pulleys have rotation axes that are not parallel.",
    "21. The funicular of claim 1, wherein the return pulleys have rotation axes that are secant.",
    "22. A funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a track connecting the upstream station to the downstream station, a vehicle running on the track, wherein the funicular comprises at least one towing cable in closed loop having a first towing section passing over a first pulley of the upstream station and over a first return pulley fixed to the vehicle, a second towing section, which has no common part with the first towing section and passes over the first return pulley and over a second pulley of the upstream station, a first linking section extending between the first pulley of the upstream station and a first pulley of the downstream station, a second linking section extending between the second pulley of the upstream station and a second pulley of the downstream station, a first return section extending between the first pulley of the downstream station and a second return pulley situated on the vehicle and a second return section extending between the second pulley of the downstream station and the second return pulley, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one undercarriage having a track width for running on the track, further comprising a first motor for driving the first towing section and second motor for driving the second towing section independently from the first towing section.",
    "23. A method of controlling the funicular of claim 22, comprising one of the following steps, carried out in an operational functioning mode: driving the first motor and the second motor so as to drive the first towing section and the second towing section at the same linear speed; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to cancel the rotation speed of the first return pulley; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to impose rotation on the first return pulley; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to impose a periodic rotation speed on the first return pulley; driving the first motor and the second motor so as to cause rotation of the first return pulley without any movement of the vehicle.",
    "24. The method of controlling a funicular of claim 23, further comprising the following steps, carried out in a degraded operating mode; driving only one of the first and second motors, the other motor being stationary.",
    "25. The funicular of claim 22, further comprising a first brake to lock the first towing section and a second brake to lock the second towing section.",
    "26. A funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a track connecting the upstream station to the downstream station, a vehicle running on the track, wherein the funicular comprises at least one towing cable in closed loop having a first towing section passing over a first pulley of the upstream station and over a first return pulley fixed to the vehicle, a second towing section, which has no common part with the first towing section and passes over the first return pulley and over a second pulley of the upstream station, a first linking section extending between the first pulley of the upstream station and a first pulley of the downstream station, a second linking section extending between the second pulley of the upstream station and a second pulley of the downstream station, a first return section extending between the first pulley of the downstream station and a second return pulley situated on the vehicle and a second return section extending between the second pulley of the downstream station and the second return pulley, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one undercarriage having a track width for running on the track, wherein the first return pulley has a diameter greater than half a width of the vehicle."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention relates to a funicular, particularly for transporting heavy loads, such as for example confinement hoods for radioactive wastes intended to be buried in an underground site.\n\nDocument FR 2 954 747 describes a funicular designed to transport radioactive wastes between an upstream overground station and a downstream station of an underground waste landfill facility. An inclined ramp connects the upstream station to the downstream station and materialises a rail transport track and one or several counterweight tracks. A wagon runs on the transport track whereas one or several counterweights run in the opposite direction on the counterweight track. The wagon and the counterweight(s) are connected by two cables that each pass over a driving pulley, in order to give the installation redundancy with a view to increasing its safety. In order to fix an end of each cable to the wagon, the latter is equipped with a winding drum and one gripping jaw per cable. This fixing method, extremely well tried and trusted, nevertheless has the drawback of taxing the cable in a way that accelerates its ageing.",
  "cpc": [
    "B61B 9/00",
    "B61B 12/007",
    "B61B 12/022",
    "B61B 12/026",
    "B61B 12/028",
    "B61B 12/105",
    "B61B 12/122",
    "B61B 15/00",
    "B61D 3/166",
    "B61F 3/10",
    "B61F 5/02",
    "B65G 23/38"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B61B 12/00",
    "B61B 12/02",
    "B61B 12/10",
    "B61B 12/12",
    "B61B 15/00",
    "B61B 9/00",
    "B61D 3/16",
    "B61F 3/10",
    "B61F 5/02",
    "B65G 23/38"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Agence Nationale pour la Gestion des Dechets Radioactifs ANDRA"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Guillaume Cottard"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-09-04",
  "publication_date": "2019-10-08",
  "grant_date": "2019-10-08",
  "priority_date": "2014-09-04",
  "application_number": "US-201515508987-A",
  "family_id": "54062739",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US413158A",
    "US449466A",
    "US767837A",
    "US1412575A",
    "FR699196A",
    "US2523113A",
    "CH415731A",
    "US3827373A",
    "FR2109225A5",
    "US3747718A",
    "US3789774A",
    "US3877391A",
    "DE2407273B1",
    "DE2505561A1",
    "US4078500A",
    "GB2057991A",
    "US4693186A",
    "US4785739A",
    "JPH03143764A",
    "WO1994010023A1",
    "US5626247A",
    "EP0692418A1",
    "JPH08133068A",
    "US6170613B1",
    "KR200382118Y1",
    "FR2954747A1",
    "WO2011080423A1",
    "US8579261B1"
  ]
}

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