GRAVITY GOODS ROPEWAY
Glossary of Terms Used
1. Haulage ropes: Ropes which oscillate back and
forth in between the sheaves. This provides
the traction force and hauls trolleys on the
track ropes. The haulage ropes are usually
smaller than the track ropes in diameter. The
core of the ropes is made up of jute fibre that
makes it more flexible.
2. Track ropes: Ropes that are designed,
manufactured or used solely for supporting
trolleys to move on a gravity ropeway. They
are ropes along which the trolleys by means
of pulleys slide up and down the top and
bottom stations of the ropeway system. The
flexibility of the track rope is lesser than that
of the haulage rope because wire strand or
independent wire ropes are used as its core.
The diameter of the track rope is designed
based on the slope profile and considering the
safety factor. The diameter of the track rope is
normally larger than the haulage rope.
3. Trolleys: These are wooden or mild steel
baskets or carriages that are used for carrying
the goods in the ropeway system. Trolleys
move on pulleys along the track ropes. Their
sizes and shapes vary according to the nature
of the transportation loads.
4. Tower/thrust pillars: These are steel or
concrete structures erected at the upper and
lower stations to support the track ropes. The
saddles are placed on top of the towers to run
the ropes. The tower at bottom station also
serves as the shock/thrust absorber in the
case of brake fail or while the operator fails to
apply the brakes in time. It helps to avert the
risk to the operator and minimize the breakage
of track ropes and other accessories. The
tower at the upper station helps to provide
the clearance required for the trolleys at the
upper landing platform.
5. Top and bottom stations: They are loading and
unloading platforms at the top and bottom end
of the gravity ropeway system. Each station
consists of a sheave with bearings at each
end, trolley landing platform, space for goods
handling (weighing, storing and queuing) and
a small office room with a shed (overhead roof)
to shield/protect from weather conditions.
6. Sheaves: These are the cast iron circular
wheels with a groove along its edge for
holding hauling ropes. They are fixed at each
station of the gravity ropeway, around which
the hauling ropes oscillates. These cast iron
sheaves can withstand the peripheral velocity
of 40 m/sec.
7. Brake: It is a simple wooden brake used to
control the speed of the moving trolley, which
is attached to the sheave at the bottom
station. A rubber or wooden brake shoe is
popularly used for the brake.
8. Wire: The wires in the wire rope are the thin
filaments/strings winded in a certain direction
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