Abstract: Present invention relates to a hand rail driving pulley for a passenger conveyor. According to the invention, when difference between the moving velocity of a step and the moving velocity of a hand rail generates, by adjusting the radius of the driving pulley, the velocity difference can be synchronized without any change of new part. And present invention discloses a new installing method of elastic contacting ring inserted into a groove not the conventional adhering method, so when a worn contacting ring is changed, changing work can be done easily and simply.

Abstract: An escalator or travelling walkway, which connects a first story with a second story, has plates forming a walkway for conveying persons and objects. The travelling walkway is laterally bounded by balustrades. Each balustrade carries a moving handrail which advances at the speed of the plates. A balustrade pedestal supports the balustrades. Serving as a support for the plates are one or more support bodies having a beam lower edge, at which underneath bracing is arranged. The bracing may be in the form of tie rods, connected to ends of the support bodies and to the middle of the support bodies by a central support.

Abstract: An escalator or travelling walkway has a handrail at the top of a balustrade which is centrally supported and deflected by means of a support wheel which rotates about an axle and which has approximately the width of the balustrade. The axle is held by at least one carrier cheek which is connected to either a support construction for the handrail or the balustrade.

Abstract: An escalator or moving walkway has an inclined balustrade superstructure extending along the sides of a step or pallet belt between a first story and a second story. The upper edge of the balustrade has a handrail, which is fastened to a balustrade profile member, which is supported by a balustrade support. The balustrade profile member is connected to a base by means of an oblique extending inner facing. Illuminating equipment for illumination of the belt is arranged at the base, and supports portions of at least one of the balustrade base and superstructure. The illumination equipment is flush with the base to provide a continuous facing surface.

Abstract: A deterring device for deterring unsafe usage of a handrail part of an escalator or other conventional people moving devices. The deterring device includes an elongated body positioned in an overlying yet space relationship relative to the handrail. The body define an overriding surface having a generally concave shaped configuration for allowing intended users to grasp the handrail while blocking access to the handrail by other body parts of the intended users and blocking access to the handrail from the exterior of the people moving device.

Abstract: An escalator or travelling walkway has a handrail at the top of a balustrade which is centrally supported and deflected by means of a support wheel which rotates about an axle and which has approximately the width of the balustrade. The axle is held by at least one carrier cheek which is connected to either a support construction for the handrail or the balustrade.

Abstract: A device for transporting persons between spaced landings using pairs of drive rollers, preferably gears, having a flexible belt loop therebetween made to abut the handrail to move the handrail. Springs and idler gear can be used to maintain the abutting relationship. The drive rollers are carried by shafts mounted on bearings bolted to the fixed supporting structure.

Abstract: In a factory prefabricated drive system conversion unit for the handrail of an existing escalator, the drive system conversion unit includes a channel member adapted to be fixedly connected to an existing escalator structure, with a rotatable friction wheel being mounted between the channels and driven via a chain drive, having a plurality of pressing rollers, and a lever-operated tensioning device, with a set of cluster rollers, having a plurality of rollers, being mounted on a cluster roller base plate arranged on each side of the friction wheel, and also including a handrail turn around with a clamped roller chain having a plurality of both roller and chain links, as well as end pieces and intermediate guide members. Directionless cluster roller bases as well as directionless channels can also be utilized to simplify and speed up the conversion operation.

Abstract: A newel guide for supporting a passenger conveyor handrail traveling over a newel includes an integral one piece body and a plurality of rollers. The one piece body may be formed by an extrusion process and formed into the desired shape. In a particular embodiment, the one piece body incorporates an attachment portion, a deflector portion and a portion to retain the rollers. A transition piece is used between the newel guide and the handrail guide to smoothly transition between the guides. The transition piece has a profile to match the newel guide on one end and a profile to match the handrail guide on the opposite end.

Abstract: A one piece balustrade skirt panel is provided for a passenger conveying device having a plurality of moving treadplates. The skirt panel comprises a formed, seamless cross-sectional profile having a front surface, a back surface, a plurality of ribs extending between the front and back surfaces, and apparatus for maintaining the skirt panel in close proximity to the treadplates. The formed, seamless cross-sectional profile extends in the lengthwise direction.

Abstract: A speed variable moving sidewalk for conveying passengers includes an endless circulating path having inverting sections, a high-speed section and speed variable sections, and a large number of treadboards moving along the circulating path. Each treadboard can move independently as being guided by guide rails and has hooks on its underside which engage shafts of a driving chain for inverting section. The treadboard further has hooks on its underside which engage shafts of a rack chain in order to be driven in the high-speed section and a roller for transversely sliding relative to the neighboring treadboard. A handrail mechanism for the speed variable moving sidewalk includes: with the total length of the moving sidewalk being divided into plural portions, a multiple-number of independent moving handrail portions for allowing passengers to hold thereon, being arranged for the respective portions of the sidewalk while all of the moving handrail portions are arranged without overlapping with one another.

Abstract: Movement of the handrail on an escalator or moving walkway passenger conveyor is smoothed out by providing a totally elastomeric coupling between the conveyor step chain and the handrail drive mechanism. The handrail drive mechanism is a friction drive roller, or belt, which is driven by being connected to the step chain. The connection between the step chain and the handrail drive is provided by an elastomeric member which engages both a step chain-driven sprocket and the handrail drive mechanism. The elastomeric connection damps out jerks which are created by the chordal nature of the step chain and the main motor drive chain as the chains pass around chain return sprockets. The elastomeric connection therefore smooths out movement of the handrail.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an improved escalator handrail drive system. The system is a drive wheel with an uphill and downhill side, an escalator handrail wrapped around a portion of the drive wheel, and two pressure rollers. One pressure roller is positioned adjacent to the downhill side of the drive wheel and forms a first nip therebetween and the other pressure roller is positioned adjacent to the uphill side of the drive wheel and forms a second nip therebetween. The escalator handrail is driven by the drive wheel with the assistance of the uphill pressure roller and the downhill pressure roller applying pressure to the handrail as it passes through each of the first and second nips so as to ensure sufficient contact area between the drive wheel and the handrail. There are also at least two guide rollers with at least one positioned adjacent to the downhill side of the drive wheel and at least one positioned adjacent to the uphill side of the drive wheel.

Abstract: An illuminated information display is provided for a passenger conveying device comprising a light source, a housing, and a display panel for mounting on the outer decking of passenger conveying device balustrade. According to an aspect of the present invention, a balustrade for a passenger conveying device is provided comprising an illuminated information display. According to another aspect of the present invention, a balustrade outer decking is provided having a light source incorporated therein.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a balustrade for a passenger conveying device includes a frame, a left support arm, and a right support arm. The right and left support arms are attached to the frame and include apparatus for attaching the escalator balustrade. The attaching apparatus attaches the transportation apparatus to the escalator balustrade, thereby enabling the balustrade to be transported.

Abstract: Handrail turn around for escalators and moving walks. In this handrail turn around, rolling element bearings, press fitted on axle bolts can be assembled more economically in that lateral flanges of the reversing band are stamped so as to form nearly semicircular cutouts into which the axle bolts, with their press fitted rolling element bearings, can be snapped, with the cutouts having a narrow portion that is narrower than the diameter of the associated axle bolts, with a central flange on the axle bolt serving as an abutment for the rolling element bearings wherein each two of the opposed bent flanges are preloaded so that the axle bolts can readily be clamped, whereinafter after the insertion of the axle bolts, the reversing band is bent into its operative shape, with the handrail guide section also serving as a cover for the handrail turn around.

Abstract: A balustrade for a passenger conveying device is provided comprising a handrail, a plurality of balustrade panels, a base, and a clamp. The balustrade panels support the handrail. The base includes a skirt panel, apparatus for supporting the balustrade panels, and an inner decking for enclosing a portion of the support apparatus. The clamp, which includes a fastener and a biasing apparatus, attaches the inner decking to the skirt panel.

Abstract: An electronic indicator device 24 is disposed on the outer deck profile 20 of a passenger conveying device 10. The indicator device 24 includes a display 52 capable of displaying a symbol indicative of direction of operation and stopped operation of the passenger conveying device 10. The indicator device 24 comprises a post 30 attached at a lower end thereof to the outer deck 20 and having a display housing 42 attached at angle at an upper end of post 30. The electronic display 52 is disposed in the display housing 42. A base 26 is disposed on the outer deck 20 with the post 30 passing through an opening in the base 26. A transparent enclosure 44 having upper and lower openings is disposed over the base 26, the post 30 and the display housing 42, with the display 52 disposed within the upper opening of the enclosure 44.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved escalator handrail drive system. The system includes a drive wheel with an uphill and downhill side, an escalator handrail wrapped around a portion of the drive wheel, and two pressure rollers. One pressure roller is positioned adjacent to the downhill side of the drive wheel and forms a first nip therebetween and the other pressure roller is positioned adjacent to the uphill side of the drive wheel and forms a second nip therebetween. The escalator handrail is driven by the drive wheel with the assistance of the uphill pressure roller and the downhill pressure roller applying pressure to the handrail as it passes through each of the first and second nips so as to ensure sufficient contact area between the drive wheel and the handrail. There are also at least two guide rollers with at least one positioned adjacent to the downhill side of the drive wheel and at least one positioned adjacent to the uphill side of the drive wheel.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving a handrail of a passenger conveying device is provided, having a drive wheel and apparatus for pressuring the handrail against the drive wheel. The apparatus for pressuring includes a plurality of rollers, made of a polymeric material having a hardness range less than that of the handrail. Specifically, the polymeric material is made of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer having a Shore A hardness in a range equal to or greater than 62 and less than or equal to 68 Shore A.

Abstract: A balustrade handrail entry housing is provided for a balustrade having a base, a handrail, and a balustrade panel. The balustrade entry housing includes a frame, a shell, a channel formed within the frame for receiving the balustrade panel, apparatus for clamping the balustrade panel in the channel, and a face plate having apparatus for mounting a safety device for sensing obstructions entering the handrail entry housing around the handrail. The frame is independent of the balustrade base and the balustrade panel, and therefore may be positionally adjusted relative to both. The shell, which is independent of the frame, mounts on and is supported by the frame. The shell may be positionally adjusted relative to the balustrade base and balustrade panel.

Abstract: The moving handrail of an escalator or moving walkway is guided around the curved newel of the escalator balustrade by a plastic guide system. A metal base member is frictionally fitted onto the outer edge of the glass balustrade. An extruded aluminum profile is mounted in the upper and outer surface of the base. A series of spaced pads formed from a low coefficient of friction plastic are fixed to the profile to form the contact sliding surface for the handrail.

Abstract: A direct drive wheel to handrail contact drive assembly utilizes a pair of drive rollers which contact the handrail directly. The drive rollers are powered by a single drive shaft. A pair of pressure rollers oppose the drive rollers so as to press the handrail against the drive rollers. The pressure rollers are spring biased against the handrail. The drive assembly is used to drive the handrail of an escalator or moving walkway.

Abstract: A balustrade assembly is provided having a balustrade panel, a panel holder, a clamp for clamping the balustrade panel in the panel holder, and an apparatus for adjusting the vertical position of the balustrade panel, independent of the clamp.

Abstract: An escalator handrail drive system includes a powered drive belt which engages the underneath surface of the handrail along the return path of travel of the latter. A series of pressure rollers engage the outer surface of the handrail to press the latter against the drive belt. The pressure rollers are all biased against the handrail by a single spring. The drive belt is pretensioned by an adjustable pretension spring assembly which can apply a fixed pretensioning force to the drive belt which will not substantially change irrespective of whether the handrail is being driven in the "up" direction or in the "down" direction on the escalator.

Abstract: A glass escalator balustrade is mounted in an extruded metal channel which is secured to the escalator truss. Closed cell foam strips are disposed in contact with the balustrade panels. The strips insulate the balustrade from noises produced by the operating components of the escalator thereby rendering the escalator quieter for passengers. A layer of the sound insulating fiberglass nylon insulation is also adhered to the underside of the inner deck panels to insulate the latter from noise produced by the step rollers and step roller tracks.

Abstract: The moving handrails of an escalator or moving walk-way are driven by a pair of linear powered belts which are positioned along a linear portion of the return path of travel of the escalator. Each handrail drive system includes a pair of drive belts which are entrained about a drive sprocket and an idler sprocket. The drive belts have toothed surfaces which engage teeth on the sprockets. The sides of the belts away from the toothed surfaces are smooth. The belts are moved along a rectilinear path which brings them into the underneath side of the returning handrail. A spreader forces the belts apart and into the side pockets on the handrail where they engage and drive the handrail. The drive system does not contact the outer surface of the handrail and does not move the handrail through a nip where it will bend.

Abstract: The guide rail for a moving handrail on an escalator or moving walkway is mounted on a glass balustrade by a mount assembly which includes a vibration-isolating gasket between the balustrade and the guide rail. The gasket is preferably formed from a closed cell foam material which isolates vibrations so that vibrations of the guide rail and handrail engendered by operation of the handrail do not cause the glass balustrade to vibrate. Controlling vibration of the glass balustrade quiets the escalator since the glass, if allowed to vibrate, will act as a loudspeaker which magnifies and broadcasts escalator handrail noise.

Abstract: The skirt and deck panels of an escalator or moving walkway are edge-lapped, and are detachably secured together by a plurality of screws and quarter turn locking nuts. The deck panels are provided with a series of round, spaced-apart screw holes, and the skirt panels are provided with a plurality of elongated slots which allow flexible alignment with the screw holes. Position stops are mounted on the ends of the screws to ensure that the locking nuts will repeatedly swing to their locking positions when the panels are secured together. The panels can thus easily be disassembled and reassembled in the field by service personnel.

Abstract: The step skirts and inner deck panels are fixed against outward deflection by a series of spacer pins which abut the balustrade mounting assembly beneath the deck panels, and which are secured to the skirt and deck panels. When the escalator is erected, the skirt and deck panels will be set relative to the sides of the steps so as to obtain the appropriate gap between the steps and the skirts. An overlapping portion of the deck and skirt panels is formed with an aperture, and a guide sleeve is fixed to the inner surface of the skirt panels in registry with the aperture. A pin is then pushed through the aperture and sleeve until it comes in contact with the balustrade mount assembly. The pin is then secured to the deck and skirts, and prevents deflection of the deck and skirts toward the balustrade mount assembly.

Abstract: An escalator or moving walkway handrail is guided along its path of travel over the curved newels of the escalator or walkway balustrades by a series of guide rollers mounted on a channel member which is fitted onto the balustrade newels. The channel member is generally U-shaped in cross section, and includes a bottom wall from which depend opposed side walls. The side walls are provided with a plurality of spaced slits which impart flexibility to the channel member. Sheet metal formed roller-mounting yokes are spot welded to the outside of the bottom wall, and the handrail guide rollers are mounted in the yokes. The channel member has straps on each end for fastening to handrail guides which lead to and from the balustrade newels. The guide assembly can be preassembled and bent around the newels on site when the escalator or walkway is installed.

Abstract: The balustrade and decks of an escalator or moving walkway are mounted on a conveyor truss via a plurality of anchor brackets which are welded to the truss at spaced apart locations thereon. Template brackets are secured to each anchor bracket to define the location of the outer deck, the inner top shirt panel, the balustrade clamps, and the return path handrail guides. Skirt jack bolt mounts are mounted on the anchor brackets below the return path of the handrail and are operable to provide for proper positioning of the inner side skirt panels relative to the steps. The handrail can be easily released from its return guides and removed from the interior of the decking by removing the inner top skirt panel. The assembly can be easily erected in the field and readily serviced.

Abstract: A passenger conveyor, such as an escalator or a moving walkway, in which a device for transmitting a change of direction of the movement of treadboards to a passenger by changing the passenger's sense of touch is provided in the vicinity of a boundary between a horizontal path and an inclined path. With this construction, a level difference between the adjacent treadboards is produced when the treadboard moves into the inclined path, thereby preventing the passenger from accidentally falling down.

Abstract: A circulating circular escalator has a vertically-oriented rotatable cylinder extending between upper and lower floors. An annular stairway having a plurality of steps is disposed about the rotatable cylinder. An annular cam member is disposed around the rotatable cylinder for camming and guiding the steps to move along the stairway, and a landing board extends over each of the upper and lower horizontal runs of the stairway. The stairway includes a lower horizontal run at a lower floor level, an upper horizontal run at an upper floor level, and ascending and descending sloped runs connected between the lower and upper runs. The sloped runs may be used for conveying passengers, or either one of the runs may be used as a return run. The inner sides of the steps are attached to the rotatable cylinder for rotation therewith, the steps each being independently vertically slidable relative to the rotatable cylinder.

Abstract: A passenger conveyor comprises a moving handrail mounted on a guide rail provided around a balustrade and a handrail driving device for driving the moving handrail to move circulatively. The moving handrail is constituted by a core member and a surface decorative member which is removably attached, i.e. removably engaged, to the core member, and the core member is driven by the handrail driving device. The moving handrail may be constituted by a core member and a surface decorative member which are formed separately and joined together.

Abstract: The balustrade of an escalator or moving walkway is mounted on a conveyor truss via a plurality of anchor brackets which are welded to the truss at spaced apart locations thereon. Template brackets are secured to each anchor bracket to define the location of the balustrade clamps. The balustrade clamps employ a pivoting wedging action to lock the balustrade in place in its support channel. The assembly can be easily erected in the field and readily serviced.

Abstract: The handrail drive utilizes one or more pairs of drive chain sprockets and idler sprockets which form a nip over which the drive chain moves. The drive chain and idler sprockets are mounted on rotating drive shafts which in turn are eccentrically mounted in rotatable bushings. The drive rollers will automatically tighten on the handrail as friction increases between the rollers and handrail due to increased resistance to movement of the handrail. The rotatable bushings on each drive sprocket and its associated idler sprocket are connected together to ensure that chain tension equalizes between each drive and idler sprocket so that no drive chain slack will occur.

Abstract: A moving handrail on an escalator or the like is driven by pairs of rollers which form a nip through which the handrail moves. The rollers are eccentrically mounted so as to automatically tighten the nip in response to resistance to movement of the handrail. The roller or rollers which contact the underside of the handrail are rotatably driven by power sprockets, while the roller or rollers contacting the outer or exposed surface of the handrail are idler rollers which are not rotated by the power sprockets so as to lessen scuffing of the exposed surface of the handrail by the rollers.

Abstract: The escalator handrail guide rail assembly includes a metal base which can be snap fitted onto a glass escalator or walkway balustrade. A low friction plastic strip is fitted onto the top of the base for contact with the handrail, and a metal reinforcing piece is snap fitted onto the base over the plastic strip to hold the latter in place, and to reinforce the plastic strip. The reinforcing piece is formed from two identical interleaved strips which can be attached to and detached from the base without the use of any tools more specialized than a rubber mallet and without the use of separate fasteners such as screws, bolts, or the like.

Abstract: An escalator or moving walkway handrail is driven by a pair of linear belts which engage opposite sides of the handrail along the return path of travel thereof. The belt that engages the underside of the handrail is a powered drive belt, and the belt that engages the upper-side of the handrail is a pressure or reaction belt. Both belts are held against the handrail by a set of biased pressure rollers which urge the reaction belt against the handrail. The belts serve to convert line contact with the pressure rollers into area contact with the handrail thereby spreading out the driving forces acting upon the handrail.

Abstract: An air supporting system is provided for a handrail of a passenger conveyor and includes a plenum. An air supply provides air flow to the plenum. A guide is mounted on one side thereof to the plenum. The guide includes at least one air pocket. A handrail is slidably engaged with the guide. An orifice through the guide allows air to pass from the enclosed space to the air pocket. The air in the pocket generates pressure and lift to the handrail as it is driven to decrease friction between the handrail and the guide and to support the handrail above the guide.

Abstract: The handrail drive has opposed rollers which are movable toward and away from each other due to their eccentric mountings. Two sets of such opposed rollers are used to drive the handrail. Each set of rollers is equipped with its own drive chain to increase the efficiency of each set of drive rollers with ultra high loads. The drive is particularly suited for moving high load escalator and moving walkway handrails.

Abstract: Indicating apparatus for passenger conveyor includes an indicating body arranged near a platform of the conveyor and outside a balustrade panel. The indicating body is located and secured at a position where the upper edge thereof is downwardly apart from a frame which is mounted on the upper edge of the balustrade panel for supporting a moving handrail.

Abstract: The newel guide for an escalator or moving walkway is formed from a curvilinear self-lubricating plastic cage which serves as a race for a plurality of steel ball bearings. The ball bearings are freely rotatable in appropriate recesses formed in the plastic cage, and the handrail inner surface contacts the ball bearings and slides over them around the newel.

Abstract: The outer and inner side decks of a curved escalator are connected at its inner end to the balustrade, and includes a horizontal top panel which extends outwardly away from the balustrade, and outer vertical curved in plan side panel which extends downwardly from the outer edge of the top panel. These deck panels are secured to inner support components of the deck. The corner of the deck where the top and side panels meet is covered with a plastic trim molding which covers the screws fastening the side panel to the underlying supports, and which snaps onto catches which are hidden on the underside of the top panel. An attractive corner is thus formed free of unsightly screws, bolts, or other fasteners.

Abstract: The handrail drive utilizes one or more pairs of drive rollers which form a nip through which the handrail moves. The drive rollers are mounted on rotating drive shafts which in turn are eccentrically mounted in rotatable bearings. The drive rollers will automatically tighten on the handrail as friction increases between the rollers and handrail due to increased resistance to movement of the handrail. The rotatable bearings are connected together to ensure that each roller tightens equally on each side of the handrail so that the handrail is not bent through an S curve as it passes through the drive roller nip.

Abstract: The handrail drive is a mangle-type drive wherein the handrail passes through the nip of a pair of opposed drive rollers. A plurality of drive roller pairs may be used. The drive rollers are keyed to rotatable shafts to which drive sprockets are also keyed. The drive sprockets are rotated by an endless chain which in turn is driven by one or more powered sprockets. The drive roller shafts are journaled in rotatable bearings which are mounted in a mechanism housing with the bearings being eccentrically mounted in the housing with respect to the drive roller shafts. The housing is divided into two halves, each mounting one of the rollers in a drive roller pair. The two housing halves are hinged together so that the nip of each drive roller pair can be opened by pivoting one half of the housing away from the other half of the housing.

Abstract: The balustrade of a linear or curved escalator has upper and lower edges that are curved in elevation between the horizontal landing portions and the constant slope inclined medial portion of the escalator. The radius which defines the upper and lower balustrade curves is developed so as to have the maximum value possible without producing a discontinuity in the vertical distance between the escalator handrail and the escalator tread surface which would be noticeable by a passenger on the escalator.

Abstract: The balustrade for transportation apparatus, such as an escalator or a moving passenger walkway contains upright balustrade panels directly laterally guiding tread elements, such as steps or tread plates so as to dispense with both of the conventionally employed inner balustrade decks with their associated inner deck covers. A respective stable support profile member connected with a support body and arranged at both sides of a transport element, such as a step or tread plate band receives the base of the associated balustrade panel. The heads of screws or threaded bolts required for fastening the associated balustrade panel are arranged counter-sunk in openings of such balustrade panel. Apart from the savings in cost realized with the invention it is also possible to reduce the entire structural width of the transportation apparatus.

Abstract: The handrail guide is suitable for use on very thin escalator balustrades, such as are typically made of glass or the like. The handrail-contacting-track surface is formed from a low friction plastic material. The plastic track member is affixed to a mount base which clips onto the balustrade, and the track is reinforced by a recessed steel strip plate fastened directly to the base through the track.