Platter lift
A ski lift is a mechanical device that moves the skier with skis uphill. In a broader sense, all transportation systems for winter sports on the slopes covered.
The ski lift in the true sense of belonging to the cable cars drag lift, drive means for transporting passengers, which on their skis or other sporting equipment ( snowboard, short skis, Firngleiter, ski bob ) on the ground and be pulled by a towing device uphill.
The lifts in summer can also be used to carry other occupied with their users exercise equipment (summer sledding, mountain bikes, Big Foot Roller, Bull carts, grass -Ski). Also tows are in bike parks for the transport of mountain bikers in addition to other cable cars used occasionally in summer toboggan run is a leading upwards Track Path (tub or Coaster rail) occasionally on the lift route fixed or removable installed.
- 2.2.1 rope tow or baby lift
- 2.2.2 Nutcracker lift
- 3.1 treadmill
- 3.2 Other
History
The first motorized ascent help at all was built on the Boedele in Vorarlberg, Austria, and went into operation in 1907. Of course, this construction was not to be compared with a modern ski lift today - it was rather a sort of carriage, which was drawn up the mountain to the principle of a winch by a cable of a motor. A working principle, which is mainly in Switzerland for decades should be used. Until the 1940s there was used sled funiculars, called " Funi ".
The first ski lift was built in Schollach in Eisenbach in the Black Forest from the innkeeper Robert Winterhalder and put into operation on 14 February 1908. Companies he was with water power through a mill wheel. The passengers talked it fixed by means of specially formed forceps on the hawser.
The first modern ski tow with selbsteinziehendem bracket ( originally in J- form) was taken on 23 December 1934 in Davos in operation. The system was developed by the Swiss engineer Ernst Constam who built it by Adolf Bleichert & Co.. Davos ski instructor Jack Ettinger improved the system by letting the manufacture of his father out of wood a prototype in which the individual temples were replaced by T-shaped double strap. Constam upgraded its Bolgenlift already for the second winter season (1935/1936) with these double-bridge to a " you - and He - lift " to.
Technology
Tows follow the terrain profile up to slopes of about 40 degrees and can go to flat curves. However Downhill route sections must be avoided if possible, because the skiers there " overtake " the tension clamp would and can get through the next jerk on train to fall.
The use of a T-bar lift requires a good balance of power and in pairs, transport a certain amount of skill and experience, driving with drag lifts on steep routes can be more demanding than for example a ride on a chairlift. Their advantage is mainly the cost structure, which is reflected in solitary lifts in the transport rates. In the early days of drag lifts were faster than chairlifts and thus were able to carry more passengers in the same time uphill and the skiers had to queue for so long before they could be taken.
Ski tow paths can be in contrast to cable car lines not crossed by the downhill skiers traveling without limitation, the runway use can thereby be impaired. As part of the upgrading of ski areas in terms of comfort and transport performance tows are often replaced by aerial cable cars of different types.
Tows stand on firm ground, but also on glaciers. The supports are usually designed to slope machine can prepare the lane. On special glaciers glacier towers are used. Longest ski tow is the drag lift Gandegg in Zermatt with a length of 3899 meters. The rope speed of drag lifts is up to 3.5 m / s (12,6 km / h), the flow rate up to 1440 people per hour. However, there are also tows for other purposes, for example to carry on Bob's summer toboggan or sled lifts for winter operation.
Tows with high rope guide
These are still distinguished in systems with fixed cable clamps and systems with dome clips.
Ski tow / anchor lift or platter lift
In drag lifts a high-strength steel cable runs ( revolving conveyor rope) in about three to four meters in height where Clamping yoke are mounted on a retractable cord. A distinction platter lifts with platter lift for one person ( usually on nursery slopes ) or bar lifts in the short or long versions for two people. An early, simple version of the drag lift was the pendulum drag lift, in which only two hangers were attached to the Rope. This commuted - similar to gondolas an aerial tramway - between entry and exit without station run back and forth, the direction of the facility was changed after each ascent.
Bar drag lift
A special form of the drag lift is widespread, especially in France genus of rod drag lifts that exists moving in a very fast (up to 4 m / s) detachable design. These lifts were mainly from the two French companies Pomagalski and Montaz - Mautino (now Gimar - Montaz - Mauntino ) were prepared.
Tows with lower cable guide
These lifts have no rope supports. The gradient of the lift route must largely follow the line of the chain slack rope.
Rope tow or baby lift
As cable or baby lift is called a revolving cable made of steel or plastic near the ground on which to hold the skier; They are colloquially known as " glove -eater " or " pony lift " due to wear. In order not to cling to the bare wire rope are often plastic handle attached, which move the skier on the buttocks. With simpler designs plastic nub or nodes are attached to the rope.
Lifts are also mostly used by beginners, can be found sporadically as a feeder between other lifts or slopes with short flat or uphill sections.
Nutcracker lift
A nutcracker lift (german nutcracker tow ), also called rucksack lift, is a fast on - and wound down the ski lift. It can be broken down within a short period of time on the snow-covered slope on and on. The mostly driven by an internal combustion engine lift takes its name must be of the form of Clamping device that bring the skier or rent for a fee from the ski area operator and with whom he anklemmt is a simple, high-speed wire rope itself. The clamping device is connected via a short wire piece having a belt around the waist of the elevator user.
Nutcracker lifts are especially prevalent in New Zealand to develop less frequented slopes.
Other transport equipment
Treadmill
As a treadmill or carpet lift is called a running at the bottom conveyor belt on which the passengers are transported standing with skis. In many cases it is also known by the product name magic carpet manufacturer Sunkid. It runs relatively slowly with 0.2 to 1.2 m / s and up to 30 percent steep slopes used. It is used by ski schools in the first days of beginners and children's courses as well as severely disabled and snowboarders, as well as connecting lift to other lifts. Treadmills open up rather short runway slopes, they are built from twelve meters in length. In alpincenter Bottrop but there is also a 400 meter track. For some time treadmills also be covered or made transparent in galleries, to protect the passengers from the weather.
Other
Next will be used as transport facilities for winter sports:
- Cable-cars as Chairlifts and
- Gondolas, as well as
Occasionally, more likely to be used on the mountain and snowmobiles ( skidoos ) or in the plane sleigh, pulling a rope with handles or nodes to hold by itself, so skiers and other winter sports enthusiasts can get dressed.
A very exclusive and expensive possibility is the transport by helicopter heliskiing in order to make descents on untouched slopes or in deep snow can.
Manufacturer
Large manufacturers are the Doppelmayr / Garaventa Group, Leitner and Poma and the company SunKid from Imst in the treadmills segment. Other currently active cable car makers are Loipolder control technology ( LST), BMF Bartholet, CCM Finotello, MEB Impianti and Inauen -Schaetti, which, however, mainly focus on the construction of specialty and small cable cars, which are often not used for skiing.
VAT
On 1 January 2008, the value added tax in Germany was reduced fees for ski lift and cable car from 19 to 7 percent, as local transport.