Abstract: An elevator guide system for flat rope tracking prevents the flat rope from hitting the shoulders on a rotating sheave to prevent premature degradation emitting objectionable sounds. The rope guide system includes one or more guide bodies having channels generally aligned with sheave grooves to which each block is adjacently positioned using a frame-mount. The guide bodies align the flat belt on entry into and exit from a sheave. The guide bodies may have a planar back surface, or a circular back surface, with the channel sidewalls disposed thereon and extending outwardly at right angles therefrom.

Abstract: A tension member termination device optimized for terminating flat tension members having compressible outer coatings, the device including a wedge and a socket each having cooperating surfaces positioned at a predetermined angle for clamping the tension member therebetween. The angle reliably secures the tension member while avoiding deleterious pressure and stress upon the tension member. The invention also provides a safety clamp for optional use with the tension member termination device.

Abstract: A tension member termination device optimized for terminating flat tension members having compressible outer coatings, the device including a wedge and a socket each having cooperating surfaces positioned at a predetermined angle for clamping the tension member therebetween. The angle reliably secures the tension member while avoiding deleterious pressure and stress upon the tension member. The invention also provides a safety clamp for optional use with the tension member termination device.

Abstract: A tension member termination device optimized for terminating flat tension members having compressible outer coatings, the device including a wedge and a socket each having cooperating surfaces positioned at a predetermined angle for clamping the tension member therebetween. The angle reliably secures the tension member while avoiding deleterious pressure and stress upon the tension member. The invention also provides a safety clamp for optional use with the tension member termination device.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a counterweight-drive assembly (26) having a motor (32) and drive pulley (36) mounted internally to engage a drive belt (42) for climbing or descending with respect thereto, resulting in raising or lowering of an elevator car (12) coupled to said counterweight-drive assembly (26).

Abstract: An elevator system includes a counterweight-drive assembly (26) having a motor (32) and drive pulley (36) mounted internally to engage a drive belt (42) for climbing or descending with respect thereto, resulting in raising or lowering of an elevator car (12) coupled to said counterweight-drive assembly (26).

Abstract: A termination method and apparatus for a flexible flat rope having a plurality of load bearing cords therein wherein an individual cords are substantially equally tensioned and potted in epoxy around an insert instructed to increase the holding strength of the termination.

Abstract: An elevator safety based on having the elevator lift-rod, under the influence of the elevator governor, cause to rotate approximately elliptical cams, called quasi-elliptical cams. The cams are wider in one orientation, just as an ellipse has a major axis, wider than its minor axis. The cams are positioned to push against a brake pad as they rotate so that the major axis of each cam changes orientation with the minor axis. The cams can be shaped to simulate a wedge-type safety, even one using a wedge with multiple ramp angles. With essentially no additional complexity, the cam safety can be designed to operate with a bi-directional governor, one which exerts, usually through an intermediate linkage, force on the lift-rod in either the up or down motion depending on the unintended motion of the elevator.

Abstract: An elevator rope speed monitoring assembly is disclosed. The rope speed monitoring assembly includes a plurality of sensors that monitor the movement of the individual ropes. The sensors output a signal indicative of the speed of the movement of the ropes. A controller compares the relative movement of the ropes and generates a warning signal if a sufficient deviation between relative rope speeds is detected.

Abstract: An elevator safety brake is provided comprising two cantilevers, a pivot, a spring, and a hold-off-engagement linkage. In one embodiment, the hold-off-engagement linkage is comprised of two upper struts, and two lower struts. When it is desired to slow or stop the elevator via the safety brake, the lower struts move from a first position in which the lower struts are substantially in alignment with one another and the cantilevers are in an open position, to a second position in which the lower struts are not substantially in alignment with one another and the cantilevers are in a closed position. When the cantilevers are in the closed position, the spring exerts a force via the cantilevers on the guide rail in order to decelerate the elevator.

Abstract: A cab having a wheeled carriage fixed thereto is moved between rails on an elevator car frame and similar rails on a wheeled bogey. The ends of the rails are scarfed in a complimentary fashion so as to provide a temporary half-lap joint between the rails of the bogey and the rails of the car frame. Motion is provided by linear motors having active primaries disposed on the car frame and the bogey and passive secondaries disposed on the cab carriage. Motor control is in response to position signals provided by magnetostrictive linear displacement transducers. The cab carriage includes rollers on vertical axes which contact the insides of the rails for guidance. The cab carriage wheels and rollers are disposed in pairs separated sufficiently so that at least one roller and one wheel of each pair is in contact with a full rail as the carriage crosses the rail joints between the car frame and the bogey.

Abstract: A method to fabricate an integrated elevator drive machine and brake assembly is disclosed. In the method, an outer wall segment of a drive machine housing is cast to form a base of a brake assembly. In casting the outer wall segment to form the base of the brake assembly, a metal blank of higher magnetic permeability is cast or embedded into the casing of the outer wall segment and is machined to form the base. Alternately, the casting of the outer wall segment may be dimensioned and configured so that the casting of the outer wall segment itself forms the base. The outer wall segment is secured for machining a bearing assembly counterbore and, without unsecuring the wall segment from the machining operation, the base of the disc brake assembly is machined to form the groove for housing a magnetic coil, a plurality of bores to house the brake springs, and a plurality of bolt bores.

Abstract: An elevator machine having an outer wall, a rotatable output shaft with a sheave mounted thereon and a brake assembly for braking the output shaft and sheave. The brake assembly has a base integrally formed with the outer wall adjacent the output shaft. A metal base of the brake assembly is cast or embedded within the outer wall. Alternately, the outer wall forms the base of the brake assembly, The integrally formed base has a groove for housing a magnetic coil of a disc brake assembly. The base also has a plurality of bores for housing the brake springs and a plurality of bores for bolting the disc subassembly to the base. The disk brake assembly is fabricated by casting or imbedding a metallic blank of higher magnetic permeability into the casting of the outer wall to form the base thereof.

Abstract: An elevator governor rope brake assembly is disclosed for slowing governor rope movement upon the occurrence of unintended movement of an elevator cab. The assembly comprising a governor sheave over which a governor rope passes, with a pivotally mounted brake disposed about its outer circumference on a pivot arm for slowing the governor rope movement. The pivotally mounted brake being capable of pivoting along a clockwise and counter-clockwise arcuate path, each of the arcuate paths intersecting the outer circumference of the governor sheave at symmetrical locations at an angle sufficient for the pivotally mounted brake to engage the governor rope with sufficient force to slow the governor rope movement. Spring loaded releasing detents are used for initially positioning the pivotally mounted brake vertically. Flyweights on the governor sheave actuate the detents and release the pivotally mounted brake from the initial vertical position upon the occurrence of unintended movement of the elevator cab.

Abstract: An elevator car includes a car frame and a platform assembly having a composite platform and a support frame. The composite platform includes upper and lower metallic sheets with a oriented strand wood layer therebetween and bonded to the sheets. The support frame includes a perimeter structure and a pair of centrally located stringers. The composite platform is rigidly attached about its outer edges to the perimeter structure and extends unsupported between the centrally located stringers and the perimeter structure. In a particular embodiment, the elevator car includes a door frame extending from the car frame and platform assembly and which is isolated from the cab of the elevator car.

Abstract: A safety brake apparatus for a vehicle traveling in an elevator hoistway is provided, comprising a first link, a pair of second links, a connector rod, and an intermediate link. The first link is pivotly attached to a first side member of the vehicle. The connecting rod extends through the first and second side members, pivotly mounted within each side member. One of the second links is fixed to the connecting rod on the first side member side of the vehicle and the other second link is fixed to the connecting rod on the second side member side of the vehicle. The intermediate link is pivotly attached to both the first and second links on the first side member side of the counterweight. Each second link is connected to a safety brake. Actuating the first link causes the intermediate link to rotate the second links and therefore the connector rod, and causes the second links to actuate the respective safety brake.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for installing and balancing an elevator car is disclosed. The method for installing and balancing an elevator car situated in a hoistway where cables attach to the car, is characterized by the following steps: providing an adjustable connector attached to the elevator car having two degrees of adjustable motion; positioning the connector to a desired location underneath the car, connecting the cables to the adjustable connector, and balancing the elevator car with an adjustable weight which is also attached to the underside of the elevator car. The apparatus for installing and balancing an elevator car having cables attached to its underside includes: (1) an adjustable connector attached to the elevator car having two degrees of adjustable motion; and, (2) an adjustable weight which attaches to the underside of the elevator car and is used to balance the car.

Abstract: Movement of an elevator cab drive sheave is controlled by a disc brake assembly which is operably connected to the output shaft and sheave of the elevator drive machine. The disc brake assembly can act as an upward or downward safety brake, and can also serve as the operating brake for normal operation of the elevator. The brake assembly can be retrofitted onto an existing elevator system, and its operation is not affected by any gear degradation in the machine drive gears.

Abstract: Movement of an elevator cab drive sheave is controlled by a multiple disc brake assembly which is operably connected to the output shaft and sheave of the elevator drive machine. The disc brake assembly can act as an upward or downward safety brake, and can also serve as the operating brake for normal operation of the elevator. The brake assembly can be fitted onto a substantially conventional existing elevator system, and its operation is not affected by any gear degradation in the machine drive gears.

Abstract: Movement of an elevator cab drive sheave is controlled by a disc brake/load weighing assembly which is operably connected to the output shaft and sheave of the elevator drive machine. The disc brake assembly acts as the operating brake for normal operation of the elevator, and can also serve as an upward or downward safety brake. The brake assembly can be retrofitted onto an existing elevator system, and its operation is not affected by any gear degradation in the machine drive gears. The brake when it is set acts to impart movement to a torque arm which is operably connected to a load cell mounted on the machine bedplate. The load imparted to the load cell is proportional to the weight of the cab and its occupants. The load cell is connected to the elevator controller and imparts a load signal to the controller each time the cab stops.