The document describes two types of bi-cable aerial ropeway systems - continuous and reversible. The continuous system uses two fixed track ropes and a traction rope to haul carriers along the ropes. Carriers are clipped onto the traction rope and run on wheels along the track ropes. The reversible system uses one or two track ropes to haul carriers from the loading station and return them on the same rope. Continuous systems can transport carriers over long distances while reversible systems are shorter and have lower capacities.

1. Aerial Ropeway
• Bi-cable Aerial Ropeway System

2. Bi-cable Aerial Ropeway System
• The bicable ropeway uses either one or two stationary highly tensioned
track ropes, when two ropes are used the system is called twin cable, to
support the carrier, which is hauled along by the lighter traction rope.
• This system is almost always operated using detachable clip carriers.
• The bicable ropeway has two distinct subdivisions :-
a] Continuous system
b] Reversible system.

3. Continuous System
• The bi-cable continuous system, consists of 2 fixed track ropes a heavy rope on the loaded
side, and usually a somewhat lighter rope on the return side in material transport
applications.
• The carriers are suspended from a 2 or 4 wheeled carriage which along the track rope.
• The carriage is also clipped to a continuous light traction rope. Carriage are over type if the
haulage rope is above the track rope, and under type if the haulage rope is above the track
rope, and under type if the haulage is below. The latter is more common because of
somewhat greater flexibility regarding grades.
• The traction rope passes around a large diameter powered sheave at one terminal and a
similar idler sheave at the other. The track ropes are carried on saddles located on
intermediate towers.

4. Continuous System
• At the terminals the carriers are usually released automatically from the traction rope.
The traction rope grips are of the detachable type and actuated mechanically or by the
weight of the load acting through the grip on the traction rope. With most systems,
auxiliary wheels attached to the carriage run onto inclined rails at main stations to
release the grip.
• The carriers are thus transferred from the track rope to a running rail, from which they
pass either to the return rope or to a second section of the ropeway.
• Loading and unloading of the carriers usually takes place at the terminals, but loads can
be dumped at any point along the length of the system. In any substantial commercial,
installation, loading, unloading, and transfer are automatic.

5. Continuous System
• Uniform spacing of the carriers for the designed capacity of the ropeway is obtained by an
automatic timing device at the loading station.
• Track support ropes are ordinarily anchored at one end and tension maintained by freely
suspended weights at the other. The large diameter [10 to 15 feet] idler sheave at the return
terminal of the traction rope is mounted on a trolley and tension maintained in this rope again
by a suspended counterweight. Traction ropes on short ropeway sections [up to ¼ mile] are
sometimes tensioned by springs.
• Long bi-cable ropeways are divided into sections which rarely exceed 5 miles, and each section
has its own endless traction rope and drive. Carriers are dis engaged from the hauling rope and
are either pushed or transferred automatically from one section to the next. Changes in direction
may be introduced at these points.

6. Continuous System

7. Continuous System

8. Reversible Bi-cable System
The chief difference of this system from the conventional continuous bi-cable is that the carrier leaves and returns
to the loading station on the same track rope.
There may be only carrier and one track rope, the latter usually known as the double reversible system. Thus with
the double reversible bi-cable, when one carrier is at the terminal, the other is at discharge point, and the carriers
usually one loaded, the other empty pass each other in transit.
This is a short length system for very special applications, and normally is of low capacity. It is used to form
rubbish dumps, to dispose of industrial wastes, in collieries, and for passenger transportation. The sing reversible
system would have a capacity of about 20 tons per hour and a maximum length of 800 yards. The double
reversible system would have twice the above capacity, but since they are a “to and fro” operation, the capacity
varies inversely to the distance travelled.

9. Reversible Bi-cable System