Abstract: A combined guide rail for an elevator system includes a car guide rail portion to guide an elevator car along an elevator car travel path and a counterweight guide rail portion to guide a counterweight of the elevator system along a counterweight travel path. A connecting portion extends from the car guide rail portion to the counterweight guide rail portion. The car guide rail portion, the counterweight guide rail portion and the connecting portion are formed together as a single unitary structure from a single piece of material.

Abstract: A car panel for an elevator car, a method for assembling an elevator car, and an elevator system are disclosed. The car panel of the elevator car includes a lower portion, the lower portion attached to a floor of the elevator car and an upper portion, the upper portion attached to a side panel by a hinge. The hinge allows the upper portion to displace, with respect to the lower portion, by rotating the upper portion inwardly about the hinge towards an interior space of the elevator car. Displacement of the upper portion, with respect to the lower portion, from rotating the upper portion inwardly about the hinge provides ingress to a hoistway of the elevator system.

Abstract: A combined guide rail for an elevator system includes a car guide rail portion to guide an elevator car along an elevator car travel path and a counterweight guide rail portion to guide a counterweight of the elevator system along a counterweight travel path. A connecting portion extends from the car guide rail portion to the counterweight guide rail portion. The car guide rail portion, the counterweight guide rail portion and the connecting portion are formed together as a single unitary structure from a single piece of material.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining an elevator with low overhead space and low pit space by positioning a car of the elevator to have a space from a vertical wall of a hoist-way, mounting a governor in the space between the car and the wall, and mounting a sheave to the car, wherein the sheave is positioned in a projection of the car to the wall.

Abstract: A device for stopping an elevator car travelling up or down along guiderails installed in a hoistway includes a chassis mounted on a side of the car, and an overspeed governor, a guiding device and safety gear mounted on the chassis. The overspeed governor detects when a car overspeed is occurring. The guiding device guides the elevator car along a guiderail. The safety gear is vertically aligned with the guiding device on the chassis and stops the elevator car by frictionally engaging the elevator guiderail, which passes through a channel formed in each of the safety gear and the guiding device. The safety gear causes the elevator car to stop by frictionally engaging the guiderail when the overspeed governor detects a car overspeed is occurring.

Abstract: An elevator car (2) comprises a cover (14; 40) extending over at least a portion of the top surface of the car (24). The cover (14; 40) is mounted on a resilient support (28, 42). The car (2) further comprises means (32; 44) for detecting displacement of the cover corresponding to the weight of a person being applied to the cover. If such displacement is detected, normal operation of the car (2) is prevented.