Coupling device intended to couple a vehicle to a traction cable of a transportation installation

Abstract

This coupling device ( 2 ) comprises a support body ( 4 ); a first clamping jaw ( 8 ); a clamping element ( 9 ) comprising a second clamping jaw ( 11 ) and a connecting portion ( 12 ), the clamping element ( 9 ) being hingedly mounted on the support body ( 4 ) between a clamping position in which the first and second clamping jaws ( 8, 11 ) are configured to clamp a traction cable ( 3 ) and a release position of the traction cable ( 3 ); a biasing device ( 25 ) configured to bias the clamping element ( 9 ) towards the clamping position; and an actuation lever ( 15 ) configured to actuate a displacement of the clamping element ( 9 ) between the clamping and release positions thereof, the actuation lever ( 15 ) being hingedly mounted on the support body ( 4 ) between a first stable position in which the clamping element ( 9 ) is in the clamping position, and a second stable position in which the clamping element ( 9 ) is in the release position.

1 . A coupling device intended to couple a vehicle, for example a cable car or a chairlift, to a traction cable of a transportation installation, the coupling device comprising at least:
 a support body,   a first clamping jaw fixedly mounted relative to the support body,   a clamping element comprising a second clamping jaw and a connecting portion connected to the second clamping jaw, the clamping element being hingedly mounted on the support body about a first hinge axis (A) between a clamping position in which the first and second clamping jaws are configured to clamp the traction cable and a release position in which the first and second clamping jaws are configured to release the traction cable,   a biasing device configured to bias the clamping element towards the clamping position,   an actuation lever configured to actuate a displacement of the clamping element between its clamping and release positions, the actuation lever being hingedly mounted on the support body about a second hinge axis (B), and   a declutch/clutch element mounted on the actuation lever, the declutch/clutch element being intended to cooperate with at least one declutch rail and at least one clutch rail extending along the displacement path of the coupling device,   the biasing device and the actuation lever being configured so as to define a plurality of stable positions of the actuation lever including a first stable position of the actuation lever in which the clamping element is in the clamping position, and a second stable position of the actuation lever in which the clamping element is in the release position.   
     
     
         2 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the biasing device and the actuation lever are configured so as to define a toggle. 
     
     
         3 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuation lever comprises a stop portion configured to cooperate with the support body when the actuation lever is in the first stable position. 
     
     
         4 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , wherein the biasing device comprises a first mounting portion hingedly mounted on the connecting portion about a third hinge axis (C), and a second mounting portion hingedly mounted on the actuation lever about a fourth hinge axis (D). 
     
     
         5 . The coupling device according to  claim 4 , which is configured so that, when the clamping element is in the clamping position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C), and so that, when the clamping element is in the release position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the opposite side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to the imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C). 
     
     
         6 . The coupling device according to  claim 4 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth hinge axes (A, B, C, D) are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         7 . The coupling device according to  claim 4 , wherein the biasing device further comprises a compression spring configured to bias the first and second mounting portions away from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The coupling device according to  claim 7 , wherein the second mounting portion delimits a housing in which the compression spring is housed at least partially. 
     
     
         9 . The coupling device according to  claim 7 , wherein the biasing device further comprises a guide rod around which extends the compression spring, the guide rod comprising a first end portion secured to the first mounting portion and a second end portion slidably mounted in a passage opening delimited by the second mounting portion. 
     
     
         10 . The coupling device according to  claim 7 , wherein the biasing device comprises a stop element configured to limit the expansion of the compression spring. 
     
     
         11 . The coupling device according to  claim 4 , wherein the actuation lever includes a first end portion hingedly mounted on the support body about the second hinge axis (B), a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second end portions, the second mounting portion being hingedly mounted on the intermediate portion of the actuation lever. 
     
     
         12 . The coupling device according to  claim 4 , wherein the actuation lever comprises a protective surface, and the biasing device and the actuation lever are configured so that, when the clamping element is in the clamping position, the protective surface is farther from the first and second clamping jaws than the compression spring. 
     
     
         13 . The coupling device according to  claim 1 , which is configured so that a passage of the actuation lever from its first stable position to its second stable position induces a pivoting of the actuation lever opposite to the first and second clamping jaws. 
     
     
         14 . The coupling device according to  claim 2 , wherein the actuation lever comprises a stop portion configured to cooperate with the support body when the actuation lever is in the first stable position. 
     
     
         15 . The coupling device according to  claim 2 , wherein the biasing device comprises a first mounting portion hingedly mounted on the connecting portion about a third hinge axis (C), and a second mounting portion hingedly mounted on the actuation lever about a fourth hinge axis (D). 
     
     
         16 . The coupling device according to  claim 3 , wherein the biasing device comprises a first mounting portion hingedly mounted on the connecting portion about a third hinge axis (C), and a second mounting portion hingedly mounted on the actuation lever about a fourth hinge axis (D). 
     
     
         17 . The coupling device according to  claim 14 , which is configured so that, when the clamping element is in the clamping position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C), and so that, when the clamping element is in the release position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the opposite side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to the imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C). 
     
     
         18 . The coupling device according to  claim 15 , which is configured so that, when the clamping element is in the clamping position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C), and so that, when the clamping element is in the release position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the opposite side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to the imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C). 
     
     
         19 . The coupling device according to  claim 16 , which is configured so that, when the clamping element is in the clamping position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C), and so that, when the clamping element is in the release position, the fourth hinge axis (D) is disposed at the opposite side of the first and second clamping jaws with respect to the imaginary straight line connecting the second and third hinge axes (B, C). 
     
     
         20 . The coupling device according to  claim 19 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth hinge axes (A, B, C, D) are substantially parallel.