Having Specific Counterbalance Means For Load Support Patents (Class 187/404)
  • Patent number: 6785597
    Abstract: A process for monitoring load conditions on a lifting machine having a rated load moment includes determining an actual load moment of the lifting machine due a weighted load. The actual load moment may be determined by measuring a tilt pressure within a hydraulic tilt cylinder of the lifting machine, and then calculating the actual load moment from the tilt pressure within the hydraulic tilt cylinder. The location of a center of gravity of the weighted load is also determined by measuring a lift pressure within a hydraulic lift cylinder of the lifting machine, and then calculating the weight of the weighted load from the lift pressure. Once the weight is determined, the location of the center of gravity of the weighted load may be found using the actual load moment and the calculated weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Wiggins Lift Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce W. Farber, Liming Yue
  • Publication number: 20040094371
    Abstract: An elevator counterweight comprises a counterweight frame constructed from several vertical beams and at least three horizontal crossbars wherein the vertical beams penetrate the horizontal crossbars and form therewith several grid fields in which weight elements are arranged and fixed. The two outermost grid fields disposed above the lowermost horizontal crossbar are open towards the side and can each receive a counterweight guide shoe and a safety brake device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventor: Dario Augugliaro
  • Patent number: 6662905
    Abstract: An elevator includes a special propelling fluid dynamic device which uses as a plunger the duly balanced car counterweight. The car conveys people and things upwards and downwards within a vertical conduit or hoistway supported by a cable extending to an upper pulley. When changing the direction, a counterweight is extended to balance the car. The pulley is supported from the hoistway walls and is kept in a freely-rotating condition while the balanced counterweight is a hollow piston-counterweight, accommodated in the cylinder vertically disposed in the hoistway itself and adjacent to the car. Both are integral with the propelling fluid dynamic device that produces the upward and downward movements of the car, which is completed with a circuit having a fluid flow conduit and a driving pump coupled to the valve mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventor: Carlos Alberto Sors
  • Patent number: 6655898
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for simultaneously cycle-testing two wafer storage containers is provided. The two wafer containers are maintained in a counterbalance relationship to each other and cycled in a vertical up-and-down motion to simulate the forces of a selected overhead transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: David Liu-Barba, Simon Tong
  • Publication number: 20030183459
    Abstract: A self-balancing synchronization assembly has a support beam pivotally mounted on a guide rail adjacent a hydraulic elevator jack. A synchronization bracket is pivotally mounted at one end of the beam and a pair of synchronization cables is connected between the bracket and a telescoping part of the jack. A return cable is connected between the other end of the beam and the hoistway pit to balance the load and includes a turnbuckle for retensioning the synchronization cables. A second synchronization bracket can be pivotally mounted at the one end of the support beam to synchronize a three-stage jack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Karl B. Orndorff, Eileen W. Rossman
  • Publication number: 20030168290
    Abstract: In a normal operation mode, an upper counterweight (3a) and a lower counterweight (3b) are coupled together by an attachment/detachment device (4), and an operation is performed in this state. In a rescue operation mode, the upper counterweight (3a) and the lower counterweight (3b) are disconnected by the attachment/detachment device (4), and the lower counterweight (3b) is fixed to the counterweight guide rail by means of a fixing device (5). An operation is performed, using only the upper counterweight (3a). A control device is installed at a shaft position in the neighborhood of the top floor. If this control device becomes out of order, the serviceperson can move to a position which is near the control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: Kazuaki Miyakoshi, Masahiro Bunya
  • Patent number: 6397975
    Abstract: In an elevator installation based on the rucksack principle the elevator car is suspended laterally. The elevator car is supported by a car frame which is guided on the car guiderails and suspended on the suspension rope. The drive unit is located partly in a first wall niche and partly on a support. A traction sheave of the drive unit projects into the elevator hoistway. The elevator car is connected to the counterweight by the suspension rope which is guided over the traction sheave and deflector sheaves. Located above the drive unit in the first wall niche is a controller cabinet. The drive unit and the controller cabinet are accessible from the landing via a maintenance door. The drive unit and the controller cabinet are arranged diagonally on the bottom floor, as a result of which the hoistway cross section can be optimally utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Klaus Rütten
  • Publication number: 20020046908
    Abstract: The invention provides a compensation weight for an elevator system, in the form of an extended cable. The compensation weight comprises at least one carrying organ, at least one weighted element, wherein the weighted element contains a mixture of plastic material and at least one of a pulverized metal salt and a pulverized metal chalcogenide with a density about or greater than 2.3 g/cm3, and an extended, flexible sheath. According to another aspect, the invention provides a compensation weight for an elevator system, in the form of a flat cable. It comprises one or more weighted elements, one or more lengthily extended carrying organ, a flexible sheath, and a plurality of hollow spaces encased by said sheath for the reception of the one or more weighted elements and the one or more lengthily extended carrying organ. The at least one carrying organ and at least one weighted element are designed to be separately and respectively in different hollow spaces encased by the sheath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Juergen Strauss, Thomas Bauer, Hans Gerhard Dahm
  • Patent number: 6193018
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Helmut Schröder-Brumloop, Jean Marc Ferrary, Armando Servia, Pascal Rebillard, Richard J. Ericson
  • Patent number: 6138799
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Helmut Schroder-Brumloop, Jean Marc Ferrary, Armando Servia, Pascal Rebillard, Richard J. Ericson
  • Patent number: 6085874
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a counterweight assembly having a plurality of drive machines having integrally formed drive wheels adapted to frictionally engaged a guide rail for driving the counterweight assembly along the guide rail to effect movement of an elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Yasunobu Uchino, Kenji Nakagawa, Hirofumi Yuda, Masaharu Ueda, Yasuhisa Shioda, Takayuki Nagashima
  • Patent number: 6035974
    Abstract: A modular, prefabricated elevator includes column-like guide modules (10) extending between a foundation module (13) and a head module (2) and attached to a building by fastening modules (11), and an elevator car (5) that is connected by support cables (3) with counterweights (9) running in the guide modules (10). A stationary drive for the car (5) is in the form of one or two drive modules (12) combined with the head module (2) or with the foundation module (13) and integrated into the modular system in this manner. Through appropriate selection of the number of drive modules (12), the mode of suspension and the motor power, a wide range of use is covered with respect to conveying load and speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Invento AG
    Inventors: Utz Richter, Christoph Liebetrau
  • Patent number: 6006865
    Abstract: A lift installation or assembly in which a lift cage and counterweight are driven by cables of a drive unit, which is arranged in a lift shaft. A carrier yoke is arranged at the upper ends of first and second guide elements. For mounting, maintenance and repair operations the drive unit can be pivoted into the lift shaft by means of a rotary mechanism arranged at the carrier yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Urs Ammon
  • Patent number: 5988322
    Abstract: An elevator cage including a cage frame, a cage chamber fixed on the cage frame, and a liquid vibration absorber fixed between the cage chamber and the cage frame. The liquid vibration absorber includes a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber, and the inner volumes of the first and second liquid chambers are variable according to elastic deformation, respectively. The liquid vibration absorber further includes an orifice portion communicating between the first and second liquid chambers and a liquid filled inside of the first and second liquid chambers and the orifice portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kousei Kamimura, Akira Motoe
  • Patent number: 5984052
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a control system that determines the amount of load of the car, and that determines the operating speed profile of the car based upon the amount of load in the car. In a particular embodiment, the control system includes a load weighing device and uses the weight of the car to determine the selection between two operating speed profiles: a normal operating speed profile and a reduced operating speed profile. The control system compares the measured live load to a pre-selected threshold, such as the car weight plus twice the percentage balancing multiplied by the rated full load of the elevator system. If this threshold is exceeded, then the reduced operating speed profile is selected. In this way, reduced balancing may be used. The selected percentage balancing may be determined empirically or estimated by taking into account the building size, usage and other operational characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Jean-Noel Cloux, Jean-Pierre Pougny, Jean-Pierre Menard
  • Patent number: 5899300
    Abstract: Mounting apparatus for a traction machine disposed in a hoistway includes a pair of beams that extend through the hoistway to the pit. One of the beams includes a mounting plate disposed at the top of the beam and to which the machine is fastened. The elevator car frame is engaged with guide rails that are functionally separate from the beams. In a particular embodiment, the guide rails are retained to the beams by clips. The clips retain and position the guide rail without subjecting the guide rails to the load of the traction machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: William T. Miller, Dwight G. Covey, Larry S. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5857545
    Abstract: An elevator system has a plurality of elevator cars traveling upwardly in one hoistway and downwardly in an adjacent hoistway, the cars being propelled in a series of overlapping segments, each segment including a pair of couplers roped to counterweights and driven by elevator traction machines. A variant uses a closed loop rope with a pair of couplers to transfer elevator cars from a counterweighted coupler of one segment to a counterweighted coupler of an adjacent segment. An upper passenger landing moves cars on overhead trolleys and a lower passenger landing moves cars on dollies to take them from a hoistway through unloading and loading stations and back to another hoistway. The elevator car roller guides are releasable to permit lateral movement of cars to and from landings. A latched spring buffer and/or a LEM decelerate and accelerate unbalanced counterweights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: David W. Barrett, John F. Cassidy, Jr., George A. L. David, Ernest P. Gagnon, Richard E. Peruggi
  • Patent number: 5833031
    Abstract: An appendable elevator for the transport of persons and goods can be attached to an outside surface (2) of a wall (16) of a building (1) and includes a self-driven car (5) which runs on a pair of vertically extending guide modules (10). The guide modules (10) are attached at lower ends to a foundation module (12) and at upper ends to a shaft head module (13) to form an inherently stiff and transportable frame. Counterweights (18) are mounted in the guide modules (10) and are attached to the car (5) by cables (19) which engage deflecting rollers (14) mounted on the shaft head module (13). Fastening modules (11) are attached to the guide modules (10) and telescopically mount shaft doors (22). Drive wheels (7), supporting wheels (8) and guide rollers (9) as well as wiring and control equipment are mounted in and on the car (5) to form a prefabricated elevator system which is attached by extending the fastening modules (11) into contact with the building (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Christoph Liebetrau, Utz Richter
  • Patent number: 5823298
    Abstract: Traction sheave elevator in which the drive machinery together with the traction sheave is placed in an elevator shaft provided with guide rails for the elevator care and the counterweight. The hoisting ropes go upward from the traction sheave. The elevator comprises two diverting pulleys mounted on an upper part of one of the guide rails, the first one of the diverting pulleys carrying a hoisting rope portion going from the traction sheave to the elevator car while the second one carries a hoisting rope portion going from the traction sheave to the counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventors: Esko Aulanko, Harri Hakala, Jorma Mustalahti
  • Patent number: 5788018
    Abstract: Elevators operating in hoistways serving landings at different floor levels of multi-story buildings are each provided with a compensation or comp sheave engaged in the lower bight of the rope, at the lower end of the elevator hoistway, with all or most of the weight of the comp sheave and its bearings and support assembly being carried by the lower rope bight, providing traction and transmitting tension force to the rope. The comp sheave assembly may include a motor drive machine and brake, providing traction drive at the lower hoistway end, and the consequent tension control can replace the elevator's conventional counterweight. An adjustable comp sheave support assembly achieves tension adjustment in the rope, reducing rope tension when desired, and readily adjusting rope tension for quick releveling of the elevator to compensate for loading changes as they occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Arnold Mendelsohn, John K. Salmon, deceased
  • Patent number: 5788017
    Abstract: The subject matter of the patent relates to an elevator with an elevator cage 10 guided in rucksack-type manner on a mount frame and a counterweight 15 connected to said elevator cage through a cable control. Therein two equiaxed rolls 20, 21 are disposed on said counterweight and two rolls 16, 18 parallel to the axes are disposed one beside the other on the upper crossbeam and equal numbers of ropes are guided about one roll each on the counterweight and on the crossbeam, wherein the rope ends acting on the guide section of said elevator cage are defined at the lateral ends of said guide section in symmetry with the central axis of said elevator cage. The individual ropes 25a, 25b, 26a, 26b, over their entire lengths run in parallel with one another in one plane within the mount frame 4 guiding said elevator cage 10 and said counterweight 15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Wittur Aufzugtell GmbH & Co
    Inventors: Horst Wittur, Hubert Wilhelm Fischer
  • Patent number: 5636712
    Abstract: A friction wheel drive apparatus for a self-propelled elevator car movable in an elevator shaft can be mounted on the top side or bottom side of the car. The drive apparatus is connected with a counterweight by a force transmission device for balancing the car weight and a portion of the conveyed load. The force transmission device is fastened to and guided at the drive apparatus such that a force generated by the counterweight, the weight of the car and the weight of the conveyed load is applied as a contact pressure to urge a friction wheel of the drive apparatus against a travel track surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Muller, Christoph Liebetrau, Utz Richter, Jurgen Kastle, Albrecht Morlok, Helmut Heizmann
  • Patent number: 5624169
    Abstract: A rack for storing a plurality of recording media in a stacked configuration. The rack includes a platform upon which a stack of recording media can be positioned. The platform is movably mounted to a support assembly for supporting the platform relative to a surface. A biasing assembly urges the platform towards an upper portion of the support assembly and permits an insertion of additional recording media into a portion of the stack positioned upon the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Inventor: Bobby W. Bishop, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5573084
    Abstract: A rotating elevator motor provided with a traction sheave is placed in the counterweight of an elevator suspended from ropes. The sector-shaped stator of the motor has a diameter (2*Rs) larger than that (2*Rv) of the traction sheave and the elevator ropes are passed through the open part or parts of the stator. This structure allows the use of traction sheaves of dif ferent diameters with rotors of the same diameter. Still, the length of the motor remains small and the motor/counterweight of the invention can be accommodated in the space normally reserved for a counterweight in an elevator shaft. The motor shaft is placed in the counterweight substantially midway between the guide rails and the same number of ropes are placed on both sides of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventor: Harri Hakala
  • Patent number: 5566785
    Abstract: An elevator suspended by ropes is provided with a rotating elevator motor placed in a counterweight of the elevator. The motor has a traction sheave. A gear system is not necessarily needed, because the structure and placement of the motor allow the use of a motor having a large diameter and a high torque. Because the length of the motor remains small, the motor and counterweight can be accommodated in a space normally reserved for a counterweight in the elevator shaft. The motor shaft lies in the counterweight substantially midway between the guide rails. The number of ropes is equal on both sides of a plane going through a center of the guide rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventor: Harri Hakala
  • Patent number: 5509503
    Abstract: A method for controlling rope sway in an elevator is provided. In the first step a car is provided for travel in a hoistway, wherein the hoistway includes a pair of opposed vertically extending walls between which the car travels. The car includes a center of gravity having an x coordinate and a y coordinate. In the second step, a counterweight is provided for traveling between the hoistway walls. The car and the counterweight are connected to one another by a plurality of ropes. In the third step, a first number of ropes are attached to the car a distance away from the x coordinate of the car. In the fourth step, a second number of ropes are attached to the car a distance away from the x coordinate, equal to the distance the first number of ropes are away from the x coordinate, on the opposite side of the x coordinate as the first number of ropes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: John K. Salmon
  • Patent number: 5501300
    Abstract: A mover vibration absorbing device for a linear motor elevator is described. The device includes top and bottom frames provided on top and bottom of a counter support unit respectively. A plurality of top steel plates are coupled to flanges of the top and bottom frames respectively. Top and bottom support members are provided on top and bottom surfaces of a hollow cylindrical mover of the linear motor respectively. A plurality of bottom steel plates are coupled to flanges of the top and bottom support members respectively. Top and bottom vibration absorbing rubbers each are interposed between an associated top steel plate and an associated bottom steel plate. Bolts and nuts are adapted for fixing the top steel plates to the flanges of the top and bottom frames and for fixing the bottom steel plates to the flanges of the top and bottom support members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kil H. Cho
  • Patent number: 5476159
    Abstract: A linear motor supporting apparatus for a linear motor elevator capable of greatly dampening a load from a stator when a relative displacement of the stator and guide rails occur, includes a linear motor including a rotor and a stator; a tensile force adjusting device, disposed below the stator, for adjusting a tensile force upon the stator; and a stator displacement adjusting device, disposed between the tensile force adjusting device and a supporting frame, for greatly reducing a load upon the stator by moving the stator by as much as a relative displacement between the stator and the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kil H. Cho
  • Patent number: 5469937
    Abstract: The invention relates to a traction sheave elevator with drive machine below, comprising an elevator car (1) moving along elevator guide rails (10), a counterweight moving along counterweight guide rails (11), a set of hoisting ropes (3) supporting the elevator car and the counterweight, and in the bottom part of the elevator shaft a drive machine unit (6) comprising a traction sheave (7) driven by the drive machine and engaging the hoisting ropes (3). The drive machine unit (6) of the elevator is placed below the path of the counterweight (2). In the direction of the thickness of the counterweight, the drive machine unit (6) is placed substantially inside the shaft space extension required by the counterweight (2) on its path, including the safety distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventors: Harri Hakala, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 5435417
    Abstract: In this invention, an elevator motor (6) provided with an external rotor (17) and a traction sheave (18) is so implemented that it simultaneously constitutes the counterweight (26) of a rope-suspended elevator (1). In this motor/counterweight structure, rotating induction motors can be used. A gear is not necessary because the construction of the invention and the placement of the motor allow the use of a motor with a large diameter and therefore a high torque. As the length of the motor still remains small, the motor/counterweight of the invention can be accommodated in the space normally reserved for a counterweight in an elevator shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventor: Harri Hakala
  • Patent number: 5425464
    Abstract: A palletizing apparatus has a horizontally displaceable carriage movable on a horizontal member of a frame. A counter-weight is received in one or each of a pair of uprights and is connected via a cogged belt to the lifting slider which is provided with a deflecting roll or pulley about which the belt passes. The support member or lift slider carries the pickup head. The drive for the horizontal movement of the carriage thus does not have to displace the counterweight or counterweights which are provided to balance the weight of the lifting slider and the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: MSK-Verpackungs-Systeme Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Reiner W. Hannen, Nobert P. Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 5388947
    Abstract: The mechanical vehicle restraining device of the present invention secures a truck or other parked vehicle to a loading dock by locking onto the vehicle ICC bar thereby securing the vehicle. The device includes a base mounting plate mounted on the face of the loading dock wall and a hook positioned to move vertically within a frame guide attached to the base mounting plate. A counterbalance weight is positioned to move vertically within a second frame guide adjacent to the hook frame guide. The hook and the counterbalance weight are connected by a flexible cable. By manually depressing the hook, the hook moves down and the counterbalance weight moves up to engage a latching device. When the latching device is released, the counterbalance weight moves down thereby raising the hook until the hook engages the ICC bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Inventors: John F. Ancel, deceased, by Colette Ancel, legal representative
  • Patent number: 5377787
    Abstract: A platform (1) comprising a fixed structure (2) and a plate (3) movable in translation comprising four corners (4). Each corner (4) of the plate is secured to a vertical translation structure (5) which ends in a counterweight (6). A fixed structure comprises three guideposts (7, 14, 21) which coact with three translation structures (5). A support arm (9) is disposed in the upper portion of the platform (1) which coacts with the fourth translation structure (5). In this way, a fourth guidepost is avoided, so that ready access is provided to the space below the plate. At the same time, the plate is supported at all four corners and so is securely arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Inventor: Philippe Chabrier