18 replies to this topic

[Adam]

Im doing a project on the development of chairlifts...

Does anyone know how detachable chairs are connected and disconnected to the line? i.e. what machinery is required for installation...

I also need to find out about the transportation of the chairs - if they are stacked usually and if they are assembled on site etc?

any advice much appreciated

[SkiBachelor]

Hey Adam, here are some pages that might help you out:

http://skilifts.org/...ll_pictures.htm
http://nw-skilifts.com/how.htm
http://www.madriverlifts.com
http://www.outbackconstruction.com

What do you mean by stacked Adam, I'm kind of confused? Do you mean piled together like on the chair parking rail or when they are dropped off at a resort to be assembled?

[Dr Frankenstein]

Adam said:

Does anyone know how detachable chairs are connected and disconnected to the line? i.e. what machinery is required for installation...

Leitner grip

Fistly, the guide roller (extreme right) stabilizes the chair then the other grip rollers enters in contact with a support rail. Then the grip lever is actionned by a suitably inclined rail, in the terminal. So the spring is compressed and the left jaw is opened. The rope gets out of the grip, and, when the rail finishes, the grip closes without rope (Except Doppelmayr). The same thing at the exiting.

There are different models of grips.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Older Doppelmayr... (DS)

...And the new one (DT)

Bachmann grip

[Dr Frankenstein]

In those ones, the guide roller is in the same time the opening roller.


Garaventa

Habegger

Girak

[Dr Frankenstein]

In this special one, the entire housing is spinned to open the grip.


Müller

This one is used on platters and T-bars, I don't know how it works.


Poma

[mbernstein]

arn't those pictures from dopp's book?

[SkiBachelor]

Nope, they came from Meier Michaels website. However, the Doppelmayr DT-104 detachable grip picture was on the cover of SAM a few years ago, but it's terms were in English and not German. I would like to know where to get my hands on these pictures in English.

[Dr Frankenstein]

In the Arthur Doppelmayr's thesis. Ask NWS to scan them.

[SkiBachelor]

So in the Arthur Book, there are different pictures of other companies grips?

[Tinel]

Von Roll VR 101


Giovanola/Habegger/WSO-Staedelilift/Von Roll

[liftmech]

Dr Frankenstein, on Apr 13 2004, 01:39 PM, said:

This one is used on platters and T-bars, I don't know how it works.


Poma

In this one, it's less of a detachable grip than an intermittent fixed grip. The 'button' is machined with grooves the diameter of the haul rope, and the lever attached to the button allows the stick to exert a downward twisting force on the button. When that happens, the rope is trapped in the grooves and the entire apparatus moves with the rope. To 'detach', the rope is deflected via the terminal sheaves while the buttons are guided into a rack that holds them off the rope. When a skier trips the auto-launch wand (on Storm King) or the operator pulls the release cord (older types), a set of fingers opens to allow the button to pass out of the rack and onto the rope again.

[liftmech]

Adam, on Apr 13 2004, 08:35 AM, said:

Does anyone know how detachable chairs are connected and disconnected to the line? i.e. what machinery is required for installation...

I also need to find out about the transportation of the chairs - if they are stacked usually and if they are assembled on site etc?

Installation machinery:
Helicopter (Skycrane, Bell 210 etc depending upon weight of towers)
Boom truck or crane (again, depending upon weight of machinery)
Every hand tool in your toolbox, and a few that aren't
Concrete
Forms in which to pour the concrete
Shovels with which to put the concrete back into the forms
More hand tools to replace the ones that fell in the concrete
Blueprints and profile (hopefully included with the chair)
Young, strong backs
Old, weak backs to tell the above what to do
Torch set to modify the terminals to fit
Grinder to smooth off torch cut so it doesn't look too bad
Paint to cover up the torch cut
Containers for water (or sandbags) for load test
Place to run and hide if load test goes horribly wromg
Busch or similar beverage to celebrate actually getting the damn thing up and running

Carriers are transported to the site on a flatbed trailer and are stacked upon each other as closely as possible. It usually takes a forklift and some dumb luck to separate them all. Aside from the grips, they arrive pre-assembled (much easier to do that at the factory). The grips are attached on site (although some companies may send them already on the chair head- just because I haven't seen that doesn't mean it doesn't happen )

[SkiBachelor]

Here is a picture of some carriers being constructed:

[Bill]

Quote

Busch or similar beverage to celebrate actually getting the damn thing up and running

Busch? What are you thinking... nasty ass beer... My choice... YOUNGS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT from England... (An Import) :)

[Dr Frankenstein]

Quote

So in the Arthur Book, there are different pictures of other companies grips?

Yes. (Giovanola, Garaventa, Leitner, Müller, Riblet, Yan, etc.)

[SkiBachelor]

Well I was able to work on the site some more tonight and here is a page that explains how detachable lifts work.

http://skilifts.org/...achgripping.htm
http://skilifts.org/...hable_grips.htm

[liftmech]

NWS, on Apr 14 2004, 09:10 AM, said:

Quote

Busch or similar beverage to celebrate actually getting the damn thing up and running

Busch? What are you thinking... nasty ass beer... My choice... YOUNGS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT from England... (An Import) :)

When you're buying for the whole crew, Busch is affordable :D I personally like a good Red Hook amber, but that's a northwest brew and hard to find in Colorado.

[Bill]

If its for the whole crew, I would payout for something good like Alaskan Amber or something like it. I will try and remember you if I get any extra Red Hook. I can always ship some to ya... :D