Abstract: Transport refrigeration apparatus including a condenser section containing an inverted U-shaped refrigerant condenser coil which defines a central opening which functions as a fan chamber having a vertically oriented air discharge side. A propeller fan is disposed in the central opening of the condenser coil which draws air through the condenser coil and discharges it through the vertically oriented discharge side of the opening. A metallic grille is disposed across the air discharge side of the central opening, with the grille having a plurality of horizontally spaced, vertically oriented louvers which straighten the discharge air flow in vertical planes and reduce short circuiting of the discharge air back into the condenser coil. The louvers are spaced by a dimension selected to enable the metallic grille to perform the function of a protective or safety grille across the fan chamber.

Abstract: A method for assigning hall calls to a plurality of elevator cars on the basis of the estimating the time of arrival (ETA) of each elevator car at the floor of the hall call to be assigned. A new hall call is assigned to the car having the lowest ETA. A previously assigned hall call is reassigned to a car having a lower ETA than the car presently assigned to serve the call when the lower ETA is lower by a value T. The average call waiting time (AWT) is calculated using a selected period of time to tabulate the number of calls and cumulative call waiting time, and this calculated value is compared with the desired AWT for the elevator system. The value of T is changed when the calculated and desired values of ETA have a predetermined relationship.

Abstract: A method of assigning hall calls to a plurality of elevator cars in an ETA strategy in which up hall calls are scanned upwardly and down calls downwardly. A hall call floor at which the scan has stopped for the purpose of assigning or reassigning a hall call at the floor is called a "scan floor". The floor of the advanced position of the car being considered for assignment is called the "AVP floor". In order to favor the clustering of closely adjacent stops in a given car, and thus minimize car bunching, when a car has an intervening stop between the AVP floor and the scan floor, either the travel distance between the AVP floor and the scan floor, or the travel distance from an intervening stop to the scan floor, is used to develop a dynamic bias for the ETA of the associated car. The dynamic or variable bias is inversely proportional to the travel distance, i.e., the number of floors, between the relevant floors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring and protecting a transport refrigeration system, and a load in a load space to be conditioned by the transport refrigeration system. The temperature of the air discharged by the transport refrigeration system into the load space is compared with the returning air temperature to provide a signal D responsive to the algebraic difference. Signal D, which represents the actual conditioning mode, is compared with the commanded conditioning mode of the transport refrigeration system, and also with reference values selected according to whether or not the selected set point temperature of the load space is above or below a predetermined heat lock out temperature, to detect improper operating modes and other malfunctions of the transport refrigeration system, as well as insufficient refrigerant charge.

Abstract: Transport refrigeration apparatus including a metallic frame having first and second upstanding end portions, an upstanding back portion, and a horizontally oriented portion which extends between the upstanding end portions and the upstanding back portion. The metallic frame includes first and second spaced end members each having first and second integral portions. The first integral portions form part of the upstanding back portion, and the second integral portions form the first and second upstanding end portions. The second integral portions function as support arms for refrigeration components of the apparatus, with each having a generally triangular configuration which includes a horizontally oriented lower side, a vertically oriented back side, and a flanged side. The flanged side includes a horizontally oriented lower portion which flares upwardly via a smoothly radiused intermediate portion to join an upper portion which slopes towards the vertically oriented back side.

Abstract: An air conditioning unit (12) for a bus (10) which includes a roof mounted evaporator (36) having first and second transversely spaced evaporator sections (38, 40).

Abstract: A transport refrigeration system including a compressor, an evaporator, a condenser, an air mover assembly for the evaporator and condenser comprising fans and/or blowers, and a prime mover for the compressor having first and second selectable speeds. The speed of the air mover assembly is mechanically interlocked with the speed of the prime mover via a pulley driven speed changer, to eliminate the possibility of overspeeding of the air mover assembly. The speed changer changes the speed of the prime mover by a mechanical movement which cannot be made without tension in the pulley belts automatically changing the pulley ratio of the speed changer, to maintain a substantially constant speed for the air mover assembly, notwithstanding a change in prime mover speed.

Abstract: An elevator dispatching method which estimates the time of arrival (ETA) of each car at the floor of a hall call to be assigned. A building profile of average door cycle times per floor, over predetermined periods of the day, is tabulated and used in the ETA calculations, to provide more accurate ETA values and thus a lower average call waiting time.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the handling of coincident calls in an elevator system which employs ETA strategy in assigning hall calls to a plurality of elevator cars. The method dynamically biases the ETA value of a car having a car call for the floor of the hall call being assigned, with the bias being applied to favor assignment of the hall call to the car having the coincident car call. The amount of the bias is inversely proportional to the car travel distance between the advanced position (AVP floor) of the elevator car and the floor associated with the hall call (scan floor). The relative effect of the bias is predetermined for each floor by preselection of a constant K used in the bias calculation.

Abstract: Diesel engine control apparatus which automatically completes an engine preheating circuit in response to actuation of a momentary contact switch, but only if a predetermined Diesel engine safety circuit is closed. An engine-ready indicator is actuated after a warm-up time responsive to engine temperature. The engine preheating circuit is opened a predetermined period of time after the engine-ready indicator is actuated, or when an engine start switch is actuated, whichever occurs first. Should the preheat circuit still be closed for some reason when the Diesel engine safety circuit opens upon normal running of the Diesel engine, the safety circuit will open the preheat circuit.

Abstract: A feedback controlled elevator door control system 30 having motoring and generating modes, including a DC motor 35 connected to a DC power supply 36 via a power bridge circuit 68. Protective features include a dynamic current limit reference 200 having a magnitude which changes with motor speed; control 116 for providing an object detection safety-stop speed pattern having parameters which are selectable independent of the door stopping portions of normal opening and closing speed patterns; a bridge monitor 66 which prevents the changing of door commands when motor reversal could cause a bridge short; a power supply monitor 40 which blocks door commands when the control voltage is below standard; and an over-voltage protection monitor 38 which protects against excessive voltage build-up on DC power supply components when the bridge circuit 68 pumps power back to the DC power supply 36 during a generating mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for smoothly stopping an elevator car at a target floor in an elevator system which utilizes a speed pattern to control car speed via a speed feedback control loop. When the elevator car reaches a predetermined slowdown point relative to a target floor, the speed pattern is changed towards a predetermined minimum non-zero value, with the non-zero value being selected to insure that the car will reach the floor in the event of error in the arrangement used to change the value of the speed pattern. The speed pattern value is then independently forced to a value indicative of zero car speed in response to a detector which detects the actual presence of the elevator car as it reaches a predetermined small dimension from the target floor, to stop the car at floor level, before a holding brake is applied.

Abstract: A handrail for transportation apparatus, such as escalators and moving walks, which includes an elongated, extruded elastomeric member having first and second wear strips fixed to inner surfaces of the elastomeric member for contacting a handrail guide. Each wear strip has a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, including a bight and spaced leg portions, and , in addition to providing low friction wear surfaces, the configuration aids the handrail in resisting derailment from a handrail guide. At least one leg portion of each wear strip has a plurality of spaced slots, or thin webs, which extend inwardly from the end of the leg to facilitate flexing of the elastomeric body member while traversing curved portions of a handrail guide. In another embodiment, a plurality of relatively short, discrete wear strips are spaced apart to collectively define an elongated wear strip, with the spacings being selected to function as flexiblity imparting slots.

Abstract: A storage file for diskettes and the like which includes a container, first and second side rail members, a cover, and a lock for locking the cover to the container. The storage file is arranged to be supported by a support rail which has a horizontally extending slot. When the storage file is supported by the support rail and locked, the container is simultaneously locked to the support rail by an arrangement which requires the cover to be lifted from its closed position before the container can be removed from the support rail. The storage file may be used to store floppy or rigid diskettes by arrangements which include racks for rigid diskettes which support the diskettes by their lower edges, and dividers for floppy diskettes.

Abstract: A transport refrigeration system including a compressor, a prime mover for the compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator blower assembly. The evaporator blower assembly includes a shaft driven by the prime mover, a first blower fixed to the driven shaft, a second blower journaled for rotation about the driven shaft, and a clutch for coupling and decoupling the first and second blowers. The volume of air moved through the evaporator and into the conditioned space or cargo area is thus selectable based upon need of the transport refrigeration system, without the necessity of changing the speed of the prime mover. The resulting savings in power realized when only one blower is being driven is automatically translated into fuel savings and/or increased cooling capacity.

Abstract: An evaporator coil heat exchanger assembly of a refrigeration system, such as a transport refrigeration system, which includes an electrical heating element for rapid defrosting of the evaporator coil with its attendant refrigerant carrying tubes and cooling fins. The electrical heating element is quickly attached to the collective edges of the cooling fins by a plurality of low cost spring retainer clips which have one portion which extends between two closely spaced cooling fins to hook a refrigerant carrying tube, and another portion which holds the heating element against edges of the cooling fins with a spring force. The spring retainer clips may be just as quickly removed should the heating element require replacement. Each spring retainer clip is formed from a single piece of metallic wire having first and second curved end sections, and an intermediate portion which functions both as a spring and as a handle.

Abstract: A radiator overflow container for receiving liquid at pressures above atmospheric, including a plastic body portion and a cylindrical or tubular metallic orifice. The metallic orifice has first and second axial ends, and inner and outer surfaces which define an opening which extends between the first and second axial ends. The metallic orifice has the first axial end embedded in the plastic body portion with a plastic-to-metal interface which includes an annular plastic portion which extends into the opening to define an annular, plastic sealing surface. A radiator cap, engageable with the second axial end of the metallic orifice, includes a depending portion which extends into sealing engagement with the annular, plastic sealing surface, to place the plastic-to-metal interface outside the higher-than-atmospheric pressure operating enviroment of the radiator overflow container.

Abstract: An electrified desk and space dividing panel assembly which includes an electrical raceway at the bottoms of the panels, an electrical service trough at back edge of the desk, and an electrical upfeed arrangement which interconnects the electrical power and communication circuits in the raceway with terminal blocks and receptacles in the service trough. The electrical upfeed arrangement, in addition to the electrical cables, includes a housing having telescopically engaged sections which enables the housing to lock to both the service trough and a baseboard cover on the raceway, while simultaneously adjusting the housing to the height of the service trough above floor level. A cover for the service trough includes two or more independent lid assemblies, each of which is mountable in one of four different orientations.

Abstract: A method for providing a load compensation signal for the drive motor control loop of a traction elevator system which includes an elevator car, a counterweight, and a drive which includes a drive motor, brake, and traction drive sheave. The brake is mounted to provide an indication of the direction of unbalanced brake torque, with the method including the step of detecting unbalanced brake torque when the elevator car is stationary. A car load compensation signal is provided in response to the detecting step, with the compensation signal transferring the unbalanced torque from the brake to the drive motor, building up the motor current to provide motor torque sufficient to hold the car stationary while the brake torque is reduced to zero. The method then continues by using the motor current to provide car loading signals for use by the supervisory control portion of the elevator system.