THE FUNICULAR TO THE SKIER

FUNICULAR TO THE SKIERFor tourists and skiers in big mountains with difficult terrain and significant elevation usually put a chairlift. At its traction-bearing rope they have special hangers with one or two armchairs. The length of such lifts is limited to 1.5—2 km: experience has shown that the rise in excess of time 10-15 minutes, can during winter lead to trouble — frostbite unprotected skin, especially the face.

 
As for the so-called “small” mountains, here most efficient use of the cable car with the drags. Such tow lifts often design and lovers, using the most ordinary materials and simple mechanisms. Despite the simplicity and unpretentiousness, they can lift a mountain on a small track up to 500-700 skiers per hour.
 
The proposed description and a diagram of a homemade portable lift, which has worked well, working for several seasons on the ski slopes in the suburbs.
The development of ski slopes of small mountains and ravines most convenient to start with the use of compact rope “elevators”, are fabricated using thin steel cable and a two-stroke internal combustion engines. This lifter is easy to transport to the place of riding, for example, in the trunk of the car. Setting it on the slope forces 2-3 people less than half an hour. And the work of the cableway at a length of 150-200 m can provide a motor, having a capacity of 6-12 HP.
 
The most suitable for this purpose engines from scooter Vyatka VP — 150, “Tula” — T-200M.. them a distinct advantage — the presence of a transmission that changes the speed of the traction cable, and thus the skier up the slope. We must keep in mind that all engines should be with forced cooling system.
 
Fig. 1. Mobile rope tow for skiers
 
Fig. 1. Mobile rope tow for skiers:
 
1 — the handle of the slides, 2 — tank-canister, 3 — leading nal, 4 — kick starter engine, 5 — silencer 6 — bracket, 7 — reverse unit 8 — pull cable, 9 — engine, 10 — slide chamber of the carburetor 11 is the covering of the bottom of the frame, slide, 12 — automatic gas 13 — drive pulley, 14 — frame-sled lift 15 — cable-brace, 16 — pin.

 
Fig. 2. Automatic gas
 
Fig. 2. Automatic gas:
 
1 — the leading shaft, 2 — the base for the driving mechanism of the machine of gas, 3 — cable sheath spool, 4 — spool cable carburetor, 5 — lever, 6 — fixing roller, 7 — roller base, 8 — peregibalsa roller, 9 — directional spool valve chamber of the carburetor.

 
The engine of the VP-150M, for example, is easily installed on the frame-sled with a skin of sheet aluminum on the bottom (Fig. 1), and since he is a so-called block “motor wheel”, axle is pushed just drive pulley of the lift instead of the removed wheel. The canister with a fuel above the carb so fuel can flow into the supply system by gravity. Draining the remains of it after work can be facilitated, by placing a fuel line tap. As shown by operation, the consumption of two-stroke mixture engine equipment automatic gas does not exceed 1 to 1.5 l/h.
 
Design a simple machine (Fig. 2) the following: on the shaft of a driving pulley is attached to the base, on which there are rollers for the driving mechanism. On the axis of the base roller is a lever, one end bearing peregibalsa movie, with the other connected to the cable spool carburettor. Load of the bending force of the traction cable, at idle W the course is balanced by a force of specially chosen springs the carb. If you increase the load (lift the skier) peregibalsa roller rises up, turns the lever and pulls the rope, raising the spool, and automatically increasing the engine speed. With no load it runs at minimum adjusted revs, which saves fuel and, in addition, makes it easier for the skier to grip the cable bracket.
 
The frame of the sled attached with rope-brace to the pin, deeply scored in the ground, or standing near the tree; thanks to this lift hold on the slope. In the same way is mounted and a reverse block. The cable is stretched between the driving pulley n the opposite block. Usually use galvanized cable Ø 4—mm and it is removable eccentric clip. In the inoperative position during transport of the hoist — rope should retract into the handle frame. During operation of the portable lift requires no support to maintain the rope. However, care must be taken that the branch cable is not entangled, not rubbing on rocks, crashed deep in snow.
Important the installation of the exhaust muffler to reduce noise, which, of course, will make a vacation more enjoyable.
 
The construction of various variants of the lifts shown to ensure weight within 60 kg, including here and working fuel reserve — 10 l-Lift at the same time allows you to climb the mountain of 10-15 skiers.
 
Now consider the design of drags — special devices with which the skier grasps three and thus can climb up the hill. The clips are permanently fixed to a moving rope or cable mounted.
 
Simple hinged clip lever type operate on the principle of jamming or bending the moving wire rope (Fig. 3). Can be they and with eccentric mechanism (Fig. 4). A lever consist of a metal triangular plate somewhat elongated shape and a pair of bushings on the bolts. Bushing set at a certain distance from each other, usually equal to 1.25 diameter of cable that can be securely clamped between them. The corners of the plate are rounded, and the long end thereof on a ring fastened belt.
 
Fig. 3. The yoke lever type
 
Fig. 3. The yoke lever type:
 
1 — towing cable, 2 — plate yoke, D16T, 3 — bushing, brass, 4 — bolt М6х25, 5 — belt 6 — ring belt.

 
Fig. 4. Yoke eccentric type
 
Fig. 4. Yoke eccentric type:
 
1 — strip, PCB, 4 PCs, 2 — rivet Ø3 mm steel, 4-piece, 3 — arm, steel, 2 PCs, 4— pull cable, 5 — ring, steel, 6 —rivet Ø6 mm, steel, 2 PCs.

 
AN EXAMPLE OF THE CALCULATION OF THE FUNICULAR
 
The eccentric yoke more complex designs, but it is easier to grab the rope when “landing” on the lift. It consists of two metal arms with pads of the PCB and the metal of the earring between them. The inner ends of the arms have a shallow notch, rounded and delivered to the earring eccentrics, whose role is played by steel rivets. In the manufacture of such yoke must be remembered that the distance between the ends of the clips are selected strictly definitely depending on the diameter of the cable.
 
Before you climb the mountain with the help of a tug, learn how to use the clip. Remember that it is unacceptable to do on the belt loop and push there hand or to wind the belt on the brush, it is also impossible to take the rope with your hands even with gloves or mittens; place of “landing” on the lift and off should be equipped with horizontal platforms. Now take the bow in the arm, with bushings down to another attach the strap. Install the yoke on the cable and gently pull the strap until the cable will slip, but if it is harder to pull, the clip will jam the rope and goes with him up. This point is most crucial: if you weaken the tension, the clip can come off. To avoid this, but try to adjust the belt tension by hand. Before you start moving up, step forward, this will soften the jerk, will reduce the load on the engine, and it will be easier to land.
 
As we neared the rotator lift, it is necessary to release the cable from the yoke. It is enough to slightly loosen the belt tension by myself at first a little forward and then quickly straight them. You can also make an energetic step forward, pushing ski to slightly overtake a moving cable: then the belt will SAG and bow falls. Remember that you cannot leave the belt without releasing the clip from the grip, the cable can sprinit, and then the belt will be wrapped around the cable. At best it will be cut in the swivel block in the worst possible accident with failure of the lift.
 
Yu. a. ZOTOV, N. SHERSHAKOV

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