Abstract: In an elevator machine consisting of a drive motor, a drive shaft driven by the motor, a gear assembly to reduce the rotational speed of the motor, a brake, and a traction sheave transmitting the motion to the elevator car and counterweight by means of ropes, the drive shaft being supported at its ends by bearings, one of which is constituted by the toothing between the drive shaft and one or more intermediate gears belonging to the gear assembly, the gear assembly is located inside the traction sheave and the bearing arrangement at one end of the drive shaft comprises a self-aligning bearing and a self-aligning coupling between the motor and the drive shaft.