Comment agit le câble tracteur d'un téléphérique

Many studies, and even official regulations use the name ‘balance cable’ to describe one of the two ends of the traction cable of a telpher. This definition implies that the end of the cable referred to as balance cable plays a minor part in the efficient running of the telpher. The author shows this interpretation is not justified, in the sense that the two ends of the cable are mechanically equivalent and indispensable to the system. The article shows also that the counter-balance cannot be used as a device adjusting stress during operation, this effect being obtained only through the action of the driving pulley.