Abstract: A hoist positioning system includes an accelerometer attached to a hoist, a control unit for processing signals from the accelerometer and comparing the processed signals with reference data to determine a position of the hoist, a drive system for moving the hoist up and down, and a relay that is switched ON and OFF by a control signal from the control unit. When the relay is switched ON, power is supplied to the drive system from a high-voltage power source and the hoist is driven up or down. When the relay is switched OFF, power from the high-voltage power source to the drive system is cut off and the hoist stops moving up or down.

Abstract: An electric safety switch (3) resetting device (1) for the car safety device (5) of elevators includes a switch (3) shaped as a box attached to the lower skirt (9) of the car frame, near the car safety blocks (11). A mobile upper tongue (13) is engaged with a car safety block triggering lever (15), which tongue (13) can trigger the switch (3) under the action of said triggering lever (15) and reset it in the opposite direction when operated by the maintenance operator. A connecting rod arrangement (29) hinged to the tongue (13) can be remotely actuated by the operator using an actuator (35) while standing at the landing opening near the arrested elevator car, to drive said tongue (13) to a position that will reset the switch (3).

Abstract: An elevator speed governor for an elevator in which an elevator car (1) is attached to one end of a rope (2) having a counterweight (3) on the other end and driven by a motor (5) via the rope (2) comprises a motor current detector (15) that detects a motor current of the motor (5), a target speed determining section (11) that determines a target speed in accordance with the motor current detected by the motor current detector (15), and a motor control section (13) that controls the motor (5) so that the elevator car (1) moves at the target speed determined by the target speed determining section (11).

Abstract: A building is provided with a plurality of service zones each including a plurality of floors, and elevators each assigned to the floors included in a corresponding one of the service zones as service floors. The service zones are provided such that the floors included in each of the service zones are at least partially different from the floors included in each of the other service zones. In an event of a fire in the building, an evacuation control apparatus for the elevators controls the elevators to convey those stranded in the building to a common evacuation floor.

Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes a sensor (30, 36) for detecting the presence of an individual within a hoistway (24). A controller (32) prevents movement of an elevator car (22) whenever an individual is in the hoistway (24). A pit override device (34) provides an override signal to the controller (32) permitting movement of the elevator car (22) if someone is in a pit (26). A car top override device (38) selectively provides an override signal to the controller (32) permitting movement of the car. A disclosed example includes controlling at least one light (40) within the hoistway (24) in conjunction with movement or attempted movement of the elevator car (22).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an appliance for monitoring the safety of a transport system. The transport system includes a transport appliance and also a synchronous motor for moving the transport appliance. In the method, the motion information of the transport appliance is determined with two channels, and if the determined motion informations deviate from each other by more than the set limit value, an emergency stop is executed.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an elevator has a support device mounted on a car, a detection device for detecting the position of the car, and a control unit for controlling operation of the elevator based on information from the detection device. The support device has a rail holding member, which is displaceable with respect to the car and is guided by a guide rail located in a hoistway in which the car moves. The detection device is located on the rail holding member.

Abstract: A method of operating an elevator installation and the elevator installation include elevator doors actuated by an elevator drive according to a travel curve. At least one sensor unit detects pressure relationships and/or air flows. An evaluating unit determines a travel curve, which is optimal with respect to the detected pressure relationships and/or air flows, from a plurality of travel curves.

Abstract: A hydraulic elevator for an elevator shaft having guide rails for an elevator cab. The hydraulic elevator has no machine room and includes an assembly disposed between the guide rails and a tank, a pump mounted in the tank, a motor mounted in the tank for driving the pump, and a control valve unit mounted on the tank and in working relationship with the pump. One of the pump and the motor is disposed above the other of the pump and the motor. The hydraulic elevator further includes a hydraulic drive mounted on the tank, the hydraulic drive being configured to move the elevator cab by a cable; and an emergency operating and monitoring device disposed outside of the elevator shaft and connectable to the control valve unit by a measuring line.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator unit including an elevator car which is movable in an elevator shaft and is equipped with a braking device and a catching device encompassing catching elements. The elevator unit further includes a system for detecting signals used for determining an absolute position of the elevator car, a control circuit for detecting signals used for determining the speed or deceleration of the elevator car, and a circuit for evaluating the signals of the detection system and the control circuit. Based on the input signals, the evaluation circuit evaluates whether the speed of the elevator car lies within a predefined interval in the determined position and causes the braking device to be actuated via a first output of the evaluation circuit and/or the catching device to be triggered via a second output of the evaluation circuit according to the result of the evaluation.

Abstract: An elevator system where control appliances of the elevator system are fitted to communicate between themselves is described herein. The elevator system has a control arrangement for placing at least one control appliance into standby mode or for terminating the standby mode. The control arrangement is fitted to set the standby mode on the basis of at least one activation signal, as well as to send a control signal of the standby mode to at least one control appliance of the elevator system. Associated methods for fitting a standby mode into an elevator system are also described herein.

Abstract: An evacuation control apparatus for an elevator controls, in an event of a fire in a building provided with an elevator that is assigned to a plurality of floors as service floors, an operation of the elevator. The evacuation control apparatus for the elevator has an evacuation operation performing portion, a determination portion, and an evacuation operation resuming portion. The evacuation operation performing portion sets at least one of the service floors as a rescue floor, and performs evacuation operation for the elevator to convey those stranded in the building from the rescue floor to an evacuation floor. When a predetermined termination condition is fulfilled during evacuation operation, the determination portion determines that evacuation operation should be terminated.

Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, a brake control device has a first brake control portion for operating a brake device upon detection of an abnormality to stop a car as an emergency measure, and a second brake control portion for reducing a braking force of the brake device when a degree of deceleration of the car becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value at a time of emergency braking operation of the first brake control portion. The second brake control portion detects emergency braking operation of the brake device independently of the first brake control portion.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a lift cage, which is provided with a belt having markings disposed along the length thereof. A device for detecting at least the position, optionally, also the speed and the acceleration of the elevator cage, which is used to scan the markings, comprises a detector which is secured to the elevator cage and is displaced therewith. The detector is, preferably, arranged in such a manner that it detects the markings in one section of the belt which extend from the underloop of the carrier rollers on the elevator cage directly to a fixed point of the belt.

Abstract: A lift drive unit has at least one monitoring device for monitoring unallowed raising of a lift cage. The drive unit has a motor unit and a deflecting unit. If a counterweight supported by the deflecting unit, for example rests on a shaft pit buffer, the deflecting unit is unloaded and is raised by way of a spring element of the monitoring device. A sensor of the monitoring device detects the movement of the deflecting unit and switches off the motor of the drive unit via a safety circuit.

Abstract: When a long-period-earthquake occurs, an elevator is controlled to ensure that an abnormality is positively judged and that the elevator can be safely and promptly returned to a normal operation. For this purpose, by providing a usual seismic sensor and a long-period seismic sensor that detects long-period components of the shakes of a building, which are not detected by the usual seismic sensor, at two stages, an earthquake emergency return operation is performed when the seismic sensor has gone into action and when a first level has been detected by the long-period seismic sensor, a long-period-earthquake emergency return operation, which involves giving a notice to outside the elevator and inside a car, is performed.

Abstract: In a building, a service zone including a plurality of floors is set. The building is provided with an elevator that is assigned to the floors in the service zone as service floors. In an event of a fire in the building, an evacuation support apparatus for the elevator controls the operation of the elevator to convey those stranded in the building to an evacuation floor. The evacuation support apparatus has an emergency control device and an evacuation guidance device. The emergency control device has a rescue floor setting portion for setting at least a predetermined one of the service floors as a rescue floor, and an evacuation operation command portion for controlling the elevator such that evacuation operation is performed to vertically reciprocate a car between the rescue floor and the evacuation floor.

Abstract: A method for restricting the output of an electrical drive and for protection of an elevator are provided. The electrical drive includes a motor as well as a power supply appliance of the motor. In the method for restricting the output of an electrical drive the stator voltage vector is restricted to its limit value restricting only the component of the stator voltages in the direction of the q axis. In the protection of an elevator, the elevator includes a machinery brake, a safety brake of the elevator car, and also an electrical drive. The protection method includes determination of at least one limit value, restriction of the output of the electrical drive on the basis of at least one determined limit value, and restriction of the movement of the elevator car on the basis of at least on determined limit value.

Abstract: An elevator traffic control technique includes destination grouping that is selectively implemented during selected traffic condition. One example includes determining when up peak traffic conditions exist. If so, the passenger-to-car assignments are grouped based upon the passengers' desired destinations, which are determined before the passengers enter elevator cars, Arranging sectors responsive to current traffic conditions in one example is based upon elevator passenger traffic patterns over the most recent five minutes.

Abstract: Electronic circuits and methods are provided for remote control of a locomotive in a model railroad layout having an interruptible DC power supply coupled to the railroad track. The locomotive motor is isolated from the track so as to allow use of polarity reversals on the track power signal for controlling remote effects in the locomotive such as sound effects. An on-board electronic state generator is provided in the locomotive for maintaining one at a time of a predetermined set of states, at least one of the states having a corresponding remote effect associated therewith. Remote control signals such as a reverse in polarity of the DC track power signal are used to clock the state generator to a desired state, thereby permitting control of a plurality of remote effects using only the traditional DC power supply interface. The locomotive motor is controlled by a motor reverse unit so that the motor direction is controllable independently of the polarity of the DC power signal applied to the track.