Abstract: A turbine blade comprising a pressure wall and a suction wall joined together at leading and trailing edges and having a root portion and a blade tip region, the walls further define a hollow chamber and through which cooling air is directed in use from the root portion to the blade tip region only, characterized in that at least one of the walls defines at least one cooling rib that extends outwardly from the wall into the chamber and at least a portion of the rib tapers between the root portion and a blade tip region.

Abstract: A turbine blade comprising a pressure wall and a suction wall joined together at leading and trailing edges and having a root portion and a blade tip region, the walls further define a hollow chamber and through which cooling air is directed in use from the root portion to the blade tip region only, characterised in that at least one of the walls defines at least one cooling rib that extends outwardly from the wall into the chamber and at least a portion of the rib tapers between the root portion and a blade tip region.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine blade (20) has cooling air holes (38) arranged in groups, the holes (38) in one group and which span that part of the leading edge (34) that spans the hottest part of the blade (20), are more closely spaced than the remainder of the holes (38), thereby ensuring the provision of the most cooling air, where it is most needed.

Abstract: A stage of turbine blades (40) in a gas turbine engine (10) is surrounded by an array of shroud segments (42). The upstream ends of the segments (42) have plenum chambers (54) into which cooling air is fed from a compressor (12) via one hole (66) of a pair of holes, the other being numbered (68). Air from the plenum chambers (54) passes out to film cool the interior surface of each respective segment (42). Air from holes (68) passes out to convection cool the exterior surface of each segment (42), which effect is enhanced by the provision of ribs (80) and fences (82).

Abstract: An air cooled guide vane (20) is provided with a stack of ducts (40) each of which converges towards its outlet end. Air flow turbulators (42) are positioned in ducts (40) and pressure losses in the air flow brought about by flowing over the turbulators (42), is recovered by the constricting effect of the ducts (40).

Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine blade (20) has cooling air holes (38) arranged in groups, the holes (38) in one group and which span that part of the leading edge (34) that spans the hottest part of the blade (20), are more closely spaced than the remainder of the holes (38), thereby ensuring the provision of the most cooling air, where it is most needed.

Abstract: A stage of turbine blades (40) in a gas turbine engine (10) is surrounded by an array of shroud segments (42). The upstream ends of the segments (42) have plenum chambers (54) into which cooling air is fed from a compressor (12) via one hole (66) of a pair of holes, the other being numbered (68). Air from the plenum chambers (54) passes out to film cool the interior surface of each respective segment (42). Air from holes (68) passes out to convection cool the exterior surface of each segment (42), which effect is enhanced by the provision of ribs (80) and fences (82).

Abstract: An air cooled guide vane (20) is provided with a stack of ducts (40) each of which converges towards its outlet end. Air flow turbulators (42) are positioned in ducts (40) and pressure losses in the air flow brought about by flowing over the turbulators (42), is recovered by the constricting effect of the ducts (40).

Abstract: When an elevator is running, the car door 27 is locked in the closed position by a brake shoe 12 which engages the edge of the door hanger 24 in response to a push-type solenoid 19 overcoming the force of a spring. When the door is not closed, a friction brake pad 11 contacts the door hanger surface to hold the door open for passenger boarding or to stop the door in case of failure of door operator power while the door is in motion.

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.

Abstract: Each of a pair of vertically and horizontally adjacent hoistways has an elevator car coupler roped through a traction machine to a counterweight so as to be able to raise and lower the elevator car within the related hoistway. A transition section joins the upper end of the lower hoistway with the lower end of the upper hoistway. A pair of guide rails are disposed on each side of the elevator system, including the upper hoistway, the transition section and the lower hoistway. Elevator cars are guided from the top of the upper hoistway to the bottom of the lower hoistway and/or vice versa by one of the pairs of rails. Power in the transition section is provided by a pair of LEMs, one on each side of the hoistways.

Abstract: An electronic motor drive produces a required motion profile for an elevator door operator actuated by a three-phase, line-powered linear induction motor (LIM) by means of an array of TRIAC switches producing selected forces from the LIM. The TRIAC drive is capable of producing acceleration, deceleration or free coast in either the open or close direction of door operation. When controlled by an algorithm such as a "time-optimal switch point" or "bang-bang" control, the TRIAC drive produces the required motions from the linear induction motor for elevator door operation. The motor windings may be switchable between delta and wye hookups to provide two distinct thrust levels. Phase angle modulation may be used to provide finer control of thrust.

Abstract: A linear induction motor utilizes a double-sided primary and a dual secondary to directly drive an elevator car door open and closed. The invention has the advantage of being compact: all magnetic-attractive loads are confined to a primary mount bracket, and all thrust loads are carried directly by the car header, not transferred to the cab. Also, high thrusts can be developed from a small space, i.e., short net working coil area, due to the double-sided primary winding and dual secondary arrangement. The configuration is basically simple, with a low moving mass and easy-to-fabricate parts, the primary core being particularly easily wound.

Abstract: An elevator door evacuation deterrent device in combination with a moving vane elevator door coupler having a pair of coupler vanes pivotally connected by links to form a parallelogram movable between a compressed position, an expanded interlock position and a third expanded overtravel locking position when the elevator car is outside a landing zone. A top end from one of the vanes projects upwardly and abuts a locking plate on the elevator car to limit movement of the car door in the overtravel locking position when the car is outside of a landing zone.

Abstract: A linear motor for operating an elevator door is energized using a bang-bang control strategy (10) wherein three-phase AC utility mains (16) are connected (29) directly to the linear motor primary (14) by means of a motor control (12) in response to control signals (26) provided under the direction of a control strategy (10), which may be microprocessor-based. Commands (24) from an elevator controller to open/close the elevator door cause the system to operate the doors and a sensor (22) provides feedback (28) by means of which the control (10) is able to determine switch points for switching the AC mains.

Abstract: An elevator hoistway door lock assembly comprises first and second lock subassemblies. Each lock subassembly has a rotatable latch mounted on a respective door hanger, a first and second catches are mounted on the hoistway for engagement with each respective latch, a first and second cam followers are fastened to the respective latches and movable between a first position in which each latch engages the respective catch in a locked position and a second position in which each latch is disengaged from the respective catch in an unlocked position so that the hoistway doors may be moved to an open position and each pair of electrical contacts for indicating a locked condition of the respective door when the contacts are electrically connected.

Abstract: The door or doors on an elevator cab are driven during their opening and closing cycles by a linear induction motor drive system. The primary of the linear motor is fixed to the cab assembly, and the secondary is mounted on the door hanger panel and moves with the door. In order for the secondary to maintain a proper spacing relative to the primary, a flexible connection is provided between the secondary and the remainder of the door. In this way, shifting of the door during its opening and closing movements will not cause misalignment of the secondary with respect to the primary.

Abstract: A coupling for causing an elevator car door to engage an elevator hoistway door includes a pair of vanes, each end of each vane pivoted on a link connecting it with the other vane, the links being disposed for rotation between said two vanes on an elevator car door thereby forming a parallelogram. The vanes extend vertically between four rollers which rotate about horizontal axles disposed at the top of the hoistway door, and which provide rotationally stiff coupling. A solenoid actuator can move one vane up to cause the parallelogram to shrink, into an uncoupled position. When the actuator is disenergized, a spring causes the parallelogram to spread so that the vanes are wedged between the rollers and the two doors are coupled together.

Abstract: An elevator door hold-close device in combination with a moving vane elevator door coupler having first and second vanes pivotally connected by links to form a parallelogram pivotally movable between a first compressed uncoupled position and an expanded coupled position. A structural member is fixed to the elevator car and has a friction pad configured for retentive engagement with a friction pad on the vane assembly to hold the car door closed against manual operation when the elevator car is in flight.

Abstract: The door or doors of an elevator are driven through their opening and closing cycles by one or more linear induction motor (LIM) assemblies in which the primary winding component of the LIM assembly is secured to the elevator cab structure and the LIM secondary component is secured to the cab door. If the cab has two oppositely moving doors, there will preferably be two separate motor drives, one for each door. In one embodiment, the motor components are arranged so as to create a normal force which is horizontal; and in another embodiment, the normal force created is vertical. A primary motor mount bracket is used which secures the primary winding component to the overhead component of the cab structure.