Wire rope, a support cable preferably for an aerial cableway.

[0001] The invention relates to a wire rope, preferably a cable according to the preamble of claim 1 for an aerial cableway.

[0002] As supporting wire ropes or cables in cable railways in more manifold - have proved manner and they are produced in different speech. For example usually with a steel wire cables such -, - or plastic core and this core strands stranded wires or strands having different cross-sectional shapes provided parallel or intersecting and stranded.

[0003] Such conventional wire cables are in use towards their operating state monitored continuously, for example guided by these cables on poles at regular intervals over its entire length be examined by visual inspection. Particular attention must be provided in the wire ropes, have occurred when for example thunderstorms in the area of cableway installations, smaller or larger damage because the related flash impacts caused by the wire ropes at the same. The cables must therefore thunderstorms in-consuming manner after each over their entire length gec-plotted are visually, ensure, at best these whether damage has occurred. On the other hand the risk exists in winter, ice sheets that form on the surface of the wire ropes and so that this can lead to malfunctions.

[0004] Further can also other operating failures arise, such as catching brake incursions, traction cable or jerky movements via supports flashovers rope etc just after such events must be carried out over the entire length of the cables visual checks.

[0005] Starting from these disadvantages of the present invention there is therein, a wire rope to create, in the various circumstances which in a simple manner in terms of its operating state can be monitored reliably.

[0006] This task according to the features of claim 1 dissolved is invention.

[0007] It is at least an optical waveguide in the outer region with a protective sheath preferably invention between two layers of longitudinal elements of the cable instead of a longitudinal element and said coated optical waveguide is designed in such a way each embedded, by optical measurements that this particular changes or damage by lightning or other Impacts are fixable in wire rope.

[0008] So as to obtain the significant advantage, that permanent monitoring of the invention wherein a monitor display to its operative condition by reliable wire rope or the like expensive visual inspections must be performed regularly and not allow.

[0009] Is also very advantageous optical waveguides incorporating such a local association of the change or the damage of the cable if possible.

[0010] Embodiments and other advantages of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. It shows:

Figure. 1 a stepwise cross-section of the individual layers of a wire rope according to the invention;

Figure. 2 and a cross section through a variant of a wire rope according to the invention;

Figure. 3 a further variant of a cable according to the invention in cross-section.

[0011] Figure. 1 shows a conventional wire rope 10 with a wire core 11 itself, each with three superimposed layers 13, 14, 15 from round wires as longitudinal members 12, 12 'and with an outer layer 16 with Z-shaped in cross-section along the longitudinal elements 12 17th elements, 12', 17 of the individual layers 13 of to 16 with an impact angle about the longitudinal axis A are stranded, wherein at least the outer layers 14 io 16 alternately in a cross or are aligned in the other direction.

[0012] Such a wire rope 10 is suitable primarily as suspension rope running thereon of air cable cars. It could be provided but also rail vehicles, are drawn by wire ropes, between the rails are guided on rollers or the like.

[0013] But it might act also a wire rope, for example for a roof structure which is used in particular for static sheetings. Wherein the longitudinal elements which could advantageously be placed side by side parallel wound wires without stranding or only slightly.

[0014] Invention plurality of optical waveguides are in the outer region 18 with a protective sheath 19 between two layers 14, 15 of longitudinal elements 12 of the wire rope 10 instead of each longitudinal element 12 embedded. This optical waveguide 18 are designed such, that with these optical measurements are carried out, in particular damage by lightning or other changes or Impacts on or in the wire rope 10 respectively determine to locate.

[0015] With these optical measurements from the different parameters of the optical fibers extending through the wire rope 10 18 10 cable can be determined. For example lightning could deduce the wire rope by the one optical waveguide 18 based on the heating in known Raman scattering are detected. By a pressure variation and/or brief but it could also a length in the optical waveguide 18 by other known measurement methods, as Brillouin, Rayleigh function or other, take place.

[0016] As optical waveguides are advantageously used in fiber optic sensors 18, each sensor and as a conduit for the purpose of the signals measured as a local definition of the at least one measured parameter in the wireline serve.

[0017] Takes place by a comparison of this conveniently values with actual values of the wire rope is normally in operation, so that the corresponding changes or damage detected on or in the wire rope, sighted and optionally can be repaired.

[0018] The protective sheath 19 with the one or more optical waveguides 18 is approximately that of a longitudinal elements 12 with an external diameter dimensioned 14 in the same situation. This outside diameter is slightly smaller but preferably selected.

[0019] At least by alternately crossing this stranded layers 14 of to 16 of the longitudinal members 12, 12' and the smaller outer diameter of the protective sheath 19 with the lightguides are another advantage compressive loads by the adjacent longitudinal elements on the protective sheath 19 largely eliminated. The wires are capable of crossing the 15 by bearing on the wires 12, 12' and 14 thus form a bridge in the region of the protective sheath capable of 19. The wires of the layer 13 on the inside of the protective sheath but can run parallel to those of the layer 14.

[0020] As a further special indicia are in position with the protective sheath 19 14 alternately wires 12 ', 12 with a larger or a smaller diameter disposed, wherein the wires 12' with the larger diameter between the wires of the inner layer 13 and those with smaller diameters above a respective wire of the inner layer 13 extend the. On both sides of the protective cover 19 extending wires 12' are provided with the larger diameter, so that the protective sleeve having a diameter approximately that of the thinner wires 12 is further protected.

[0021] It is also advantageous, when this situation with the protective sheath 19 14 total twelve or more elements are provided, because it is the load on the protective sheath minim.

[0022] The protective sheath is made with a thin wall thickness between 0.1 and preferably metallic tube and 1.0 millimeters dimensioned, a sufficient passage of heat -, cold -, pressure - and/or other physical quantities to allow. The metallic pipe as a gas -, UV radiation - and water-impermeable layer of the optical waveguide be formed. Further in the metal tube 19 and said light waveguides is a filler 18 19', such as a gel or an adhesive, inserted.

[0023] Wherein a wire rope according to Figure 20. 2 is the only difference with respect to the wire rope according to Figure. 1 the number of the layers 24, 25 is chosen to be less. Optical fiber 22 in a protective sheath as in Figure 23 also are otherwise. 1 and this is therefore not explained in detail subsequently provided more closer. The outer diameter of the protective sheath 23 is less than that corresponding to the respective longitudinal elements 21 dimensioned. By the alternately preferably cross stranded layers 24, 25 in turn resulting minime a compressive stress on said protecting sheath 23.

[0024] Figure. 3 shows a wire cable 30, the same as the wire rope itself according to Figure 10. 1 is arranged, wherein only the outermost layer 16 Z-shaped in cross section with the longitudinal elements 17 is omitted. It is therefore in this Figure. 3 reference symbols as in Figure. 1 used. Invention are also optical waveguide 18 19 instead of a longitudinal element integrated into a protective casing 12.

[0025] These light guides 18, 22 at one or both ends of the cable are preferably associated with corresponding plug, which in turn leads are connectable with an evaluation unit, so that the measurements in the wire rope can be visualized and adequately processed.

[0026] In the application of the invention in particular for wire ropes of a stadium or the like can for example static sheetings truss construction by the optical waveguide together with said longitudinal expansions and other physical quantities measured statically undeterminable Impacts and excessive loads from wire ropes are detected with high accuracy, which was impossible to anhin.

[0027] The invention is explained with the above embodiments demonstrated sufficiently. But it could be illustrated by other variants. Instead of each longitudinal element such more than one protective cover could also be integrated in the wire rope.

[0028] The protective sheath with the optical fibers extending therein could also theoretically made of plastic or metal multilayer plastic pipe and connected to be produced.

[0029] In the protector sheath could also of course additionally one or more optical fibers for other applications, for example data transmission purposes to be embedded.

[0030] The longitudinal wires and/or strands with a round as elements can, Z is -, - I in, wedge - shaped cross or otherwise be.

[0031] Accordingly can for applications, for example where such a wire rope due to looping close specifically it must be flexible, as a stranded rope strand in this are incorporated, i.e. these longitudinal elements each with a plurality of strands twisted wire is used as the at least one optical fiber with the protective sheath instead of a strand consisting of the plurality of embedded wires. In principle could only be replaced by the optical fiber but also a wire of the braid.

[0032] The longitudinal elements of the individual layers according to Figure. 1a Figure. 3 with an impact angle about the longitudinal axis A are stranded, wherein at least the outer layers alternately in one or in the other direction crossing advantageously may be aligned.