Commercial Zip Line Return

No fries

No fries

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Location
Fort Mill
OK, This is not my problem but I sometimes get involved with things I shouldn't but I enjoy. I just finished up framing 8,000 SF of platforms for a Trampoline Park in Rock Hill. This is their 5th or 6th one but the first with a Zip Line. The Contractor that installed the zip line did minimal work and the owner wants to make it more efficient. Currently there is no way to retrieve the trolley after use. Essentially he has two staff members one at the start and another at the end to return it. He was asking for a solution for a return system that would only require a staff member at the start. It must be durable, no pinch points, preferably automatic, or minimal effort. He went and bought a fishing pole (LMAO) to try, it works as long as the trolley doesn't spin around the cable with it would do nearly every time. Obviously not a viable solution for the application.

Any Ideas, I know someone on here has a solution

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You know that toy car you used to have as a kid that you would roll backwards to wind it up and when you let it go it would drive itself forward???

Need that same technology on the trolley so as the kids use the zip line it winds up the trolley and it self retracts to the start when they let go.

Or, a small electric motor on the trolley that uses a pressure switch to return it to the start once the kid lets go. Maybe use the trolley wheels spinning o charge a small battery that powers the small motor.
 
Secondary follow line on a float right above. One end on passenger end the other attached to a weighted pulley system. Use pulleys the lesson the required travel for equal in and out. Also will double up the perceived return load for less required weight. Simple no electronics, no employee contact, less failpoints.


In my head it works.

Edit differentiate the pulley sizes like gears....even better mecahincal advantage.
 
Maybe a 2A with it connected to the PTO to run the hydraulic pump?!

I did think about a spring like garage door or window regulator. Probably too much force and not enough travel. Same with a bungee.

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A rope attached to the trolley with a pulley and an appropriate weight to pull it back to the start would likely be the simplest and most cost effective.
 
Reid said:
or put the anchor points on hydraulics so you can lift and lower either end to make the trolley return to the lowest point.
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If you did this people could line up at both ends and use the zip line both ways, reducing wait times by half.
 
Could you add a second rope above it with another pulley? Nothing carrying a load, just so it won't spin around the current rope. Give you more options for retrieval.

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If you run a line above like a clothes line (pulley at each end, tied in a loop, tether the trolley to the line above. Same basic idea as the weighed pulley line. Then use a motor coupled to one of the pulleys to return. I really like the self contained inertia charged return idea though.. could use monofilament line to couple trolley to line above in case someone snags it, it'll break.
 
Add a return rope to pull it back, and a keel weight to keep the trolley from spinning. Keeping the return loop at a high-ish angle would keep things tidy and would help keep the trolley from spinning too. If it's indoors, mount the return line at the highest point possible above/behind the startpoint.

You could even run a low tension loop with pulleys at a higher elevation (edit: @a_kelley just posted same idea above), so could just use a friction drive on the return loop instead of a spool/unspool system.
 
Posted this in 2014 when @drkelly was doing something similar:
Lurch830 said:
Another return idea that would require twice as much cable. Build two ziplines (same lengths, different directions) and connect the seats with a rope that goes around a pulley so when you zip down line1, seat2 returns on its own & vice versa. Not the greatest idea but if you're going to have the coolest playground around, might as well go big.
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You don't have to do different directions, just parallel the lines with a pulley or two at the start.
 
I think the weighted tag line above the trolley is the most feasible. Also a keel weight. Just have to keep the safety and liability in mind as thousands of kids will use and nearly anything could happen. If the rope is low it could pose hanging hazard. Roof is 25' high and platform is 12' so some room is available.


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Lurch830 said:
Posted this in 2014 when @drkelly was doing something similar:


You don't have to do different directions, just parallel the lines with a pulley or two at the start.
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I like the parallel line but not enough platform or room for an additional column. Wonder about the friction of a clothes line design not really a zip line anymore.


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Make a catwalk along the wall and the line starts at the other end. To ride you must carry the trolley back to the employee who starts the ride...BUT it needs to have an employee at each end for liability purposes...lol
 
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What about a powered return trolley? It would activate and push the trolley back to the stop and return to the other end on its own.. no extra lines involved and separates the return mechanism from the trolley itself..

Alternatively use a second trolley to do the same but attach it to the loop line above as discussed above in previous post of mine..
 
No fries said:
I think the weighted tag line above the trolley is the most feasible. Also a keel weight. Just have to keep the safety and liability in mind as thousands of kids will use and nearly anything could happen. If the rope is low it could pose hanging hazard. Roof is 25' high and platform is 12' so some room is available.


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Could also raise the cable and extend the handles down below the trolley. Extending that piece will do similar to the keel weight.
 
Two Parallel Ziplines, Trolleys tied together around a pulley at the start, when one goes down, it will pull the other back to the start, simple and reduces wait times for customers.
 
zuke said:
Two Parallel Ziplines, Trolleys tied together around a pulley at the start, when one goes down, it will pull the other back to the start, simple and reduces wait times for customers.
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Would that not rely on the trolley going to the end of travel? I'm thinking you would end up with both stuck in the middle if done that way, no?
 
Model rocket engine, when the trolley hits the stop it fires off the ignitor, [emoji23] I've got nothing else.

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