Abstract: A rope pulling machine is convertible into a walking machine, and has a machine frame composed of a pulling station movable back and forth and a gripping station connected to the pulling station via a main cylinder/piston arrangement, the pulling and gripping stations each having an auxiliary cylinder/piston arrangement for a gripper, and the two grippers are linked via bearing shafts to the auxiliary cylinder/piston arrangement. The grippers have clamping jaws aligned in a rope direction and linked via bearing shafts to the pulling and gripping stations, respectively. The bearing shafts are designed as detachable shafts, making the grippers exchangeable with walkers having the same bearing points and bearing shafts and which form a walk station and a slave station. The walkers have pawls engaging a rack alternately, and running gears guided on the rack.

Abstract: A clamping device comprises a holder in which an actuation arm is movable in a longitudinal directions. A fixed clamping jaw is carried by the holder and a movable clamping jaw is arranged within the holder opposite to the fixed clamping jaw and it is supported by at least two longitudinally spaced lever members which have a first pivotal connection to the holder, a second pivotal connection to the movable clamping jaw and a third pivotal connection to the actuator arm. An actuator is connected to the arm to move it backwardly and forwardly for opening and closing the jaws. The pivotal connecting points of the levers are chosen so that the pivotal points are disposed at substantially right angles to each other. The pivot pins are cylindrical hinge pins and the line between the pivotal connection of the lever to the jaw and to the fixed holder makes an angle of 45.degree. to the horizontal so that a larger distance between the points of support is possible.

Abstract: A suspension bridge has a pair of horizontally spaced towers between which is spanned a main catenary cable. A flexible spacer element, normally a cable, extends along the main cable between the towers and is provided with generally equispaced spacers. Respective hanger assemblies are fixed at the spacers and can slide on the main cable between the towers. Respective upright hangers defining a vertical plane with the main cable have upper ends connected to the hanger assemblies and lower ends and are provided with adjusters between these ends for shortening and lengthening the distance therebetween. Respective girders are secured to the lower ends and extend generally perpendicular to the plane and respective path sections extend generally horizontally and each have one end hooked over a respective one of the girders and another end hooked over an adjacent girder.

Abstract: An apparatus for hauling in and letting out a flexible element such as a cable comprises a generally stationary housing defining a cable path and having a predetermined number N equal to at least three of grippers spaced in a row and shiftable along the path. These grippers can be clamped on the element in the path by respective actuators which can displace the grippers parallel to the path in a pulling direction and in an opposite letting-out direction. A controller responsive to gripper position and connected to the actuators operates them sequentially. Thus all but one of the grippers is first clamped on the element and the one gripper is unclamped from the element. Then the clamping grippers are displaced by the respective actuators with the element in one direction at a rate V.sub.w through a distance S/(N-1) while simultaneously the nonclamping gripper is displaced oppositely through a distance S along the element at a rate V.sub.r equal substantially to 2.multidot.V.sub.

Abstract: A traveling assembly, especially a wheel suspension, for a vehicle capable of rolling and stepping or walking travel upon a regular or uneven surface, e.g. for cranes, excavators, construction, earth-moving, mining and other machinery in which wheels are articulated at the ends of legs which, in turn, are pivotally connected to a support structure. The legs themselves are formed with telescoping support elements which can be extended and retracted while a fluid-pressure cylinder can be provided to pivot the arm which is articulated to the lower end of the leg and which carries the wheel.

Abstract: A rolling and stepping vehicle capable of serving as a platform for a variety of working elements, e.g. a crane or an excavator, has a central support provided with a plurality of outwardly extending traveling legs. Each traveling leg is swingable relative to the support about a respective vertical axis and is subdivided into an outrigger shank and a support shank articulated together. The support shanks can have extensible rams and are provided with rolling elements, e.g. wheels or tracks.

Abstract: A wheel support (outrigger) for a rolling and stepping vehicle, especially a crane, excavator or like agricultural, industrial or construction machine in which a leg carries a wheel and is, in turn, connected by a parallelogrammatic linkage to a knuckle which articulates the parallelogrammatic linkage to the vehicle chassis. A further knuckle is provided between the wheel or its leg and the parallelogrammatic linkage. The wheel-carrying outrigger is swingable in a vertical plane while the first knuckle is provided with a vertical pivot axis on the chassis. The outrigger is also provided with an actuating device, preferably a fluid-powered cylinder, which swings the outrigger.

Abstract: A cable guide comprises a support defining a pair of intersecting pivot axes which are inclined to the horizontal. A pair of wheels are each rotatable on the support about a respective one of the axes and each has an inside face turned toward the inside face of the other wheel and formed by an outer frustoconical region and an inner planar region. These inside faces approach each other most closely at a location above the intersection of the axes and the frustoconical outer regions are parallel to this location. An elastomeric disk is secured to the inner region of each inside face by means of a plate and is of a thickness such that the two elastomeric disks are pressed tightly together at the location at the top of the guide so as to form a groove adapted to receive and guide a cable.

Abstract: A brake apparatus with variable braking force for cable cars having a brake mount or housing connectable with a cable car by a connection shaft and including at least one pressure released catch brake. The catch brake has brake jaws which can be applied with a predetermined brake pressure to a guide track of the cable car, and a brake release for releasing the brake jaws in counter action to the brake pressure. Also provided is a first brake release pressure generator connected with the brake release, an actuable brake applying device connected with the brake release; at least one brake force measuring device coupling the brake mount with the connection shaft for ascending travel of the cable car and at least one other brake force measuring device coupling the brake mount with the connection shaft for descending travel.

Abstract: A cable connection with slack cable-brake release for an aerial cableway, wherein a traction cable and possibly a counter cable are secured to the travelling mechanism or carriage of the aerial cableway and a brake mechanism of the aerial cableway is automatically released by a brake release mechanism influenced by the cable traction upon decrease of the cable traction to a predetermined minimum value. The tensioned or traction cable is guided over a damping mechanism arranged at the travelling mechanism for overcoming the oscillations of the cable and after wrapping about a cable drum is attached to the travelling mechanism. The traction cable in an oscillation-free range is deflected by a force measuring device which for a predetermined value of the cable-contact force which is proportional to the cable traction brings about the response of the brake release mechanism.