An open problem for high-speed airborne trolley cableways is how to cross line junctions while keeping a secure rolling hold on the supporting guideline. Existing approximations known to us do not guarantee hold in high speed dynamics.

A snatch block is a pulley designed to be clipped or hooked onto a working line (as opposed to a closed pulley through which the line must be threaded onto).

In principle a line or wheel of optimized snatch blocks can unclip and reclip at high speed across a line junction, with redundant working reliability. The design should allow local passive failure to clip, curve deviations. and a backup means of recovery, if the line is ever lost.

This mechanism concept enables uninterrupted high-speed travel along a long cable suspended from above by lifting kites. Its a nice doable experiment by cheap simple means.

• CoolIP*                      ~Dave Santos                 5 Dec 2012          Discuss:  AirborneWindEnergy/message/8137

Comment and development of this topic will be occurring here.       
All, send notes, links, drawings, and photographs!

• Terms and aspects:   
  • Will find variant: trolly for trolley.  
  • http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trolley
  • Safety with expert procedures are paramount in highly loaded line operations.
  •  
• Related links and concepts:
  • http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5188934_snatch-block-work_.html
  • SnatchBlockIMAGEtease
  • String transport
  • cable ropeways
  • cableways
  • circulating ropeways
  • Fatzer
  • Hilfs-Umlenkscheibe   (image tease)   imageteaseCableWays   and    moreCableWays
  •  
  • v
• Commentary is welcome:

  • Russian String Railway R&D This concept barely suggests what might be better done far higher with "airborne slackrope" trains like Alex Bolonkin  proposes.  The primary String Railway website: http://www.alternatetransport.com/index.html Gizmag coverage with comments: http://www.gizmag.com/unitsky-string-transport-rail-suspended/15300/ ~ DaveS                         Discuss: AirborneWindEnergy/message/8138

     
  •