Patents by Inventor James M. Draper

James M. Draper has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11745981
    Abstract: An elevator car or counterweight, comprising a frame, the frame including an upright structure in which a safety brake is mounted so as to allow for lateral movement of the safety brake relative to the upright structure; at least a first vertically or obliquely extending cantilever spring; wherein a first end of the first cantilever spring is mounted to the upright structure; and wherein the first cantilever spring is arranged such that a point remote from the first end provides a biasing force to the safety brake when the safety brake moves away from a default position. As the safety brake is mounted to allow for lateral movement relative to the frame, the safety brake essentially floats relative to the car or counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Javier Muñoz Sotoca, Tanjil Mustafa, James M. Draper
  • Patent number: 11124386
    Abstract: An adjacent safety configuration for an elevator includes a second pair of safeties displaced from a first pair of safeties by at least 0.1 seconds of travel time at a rated speed of the elevator. An adjacent safety configuration for an elevator including a second pair of safeties displaced from the first pair of safeties to provide a predetermined time period before the second pair of safeties pass over a point on a guide rail previously passed over by the first pair of safeties to permit the guide rail surface to decrease by a predetermined temperature. A method of spacing an adjacent safety configuration for an elevator system including de-rating a pair of trailing safeties with respect to a pair of leading safeties as a function of a rated speed of the elevator and a spacing between the pair of trailing safeties and the pair of leading safeties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard N. Fargo, Duan Liang, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, James M. Draper, Xiaodong Luo, Joe J. Liou
  • Publication number: 20200354192
    Abstract: An elevator car or counterweight, comprising a frame, the frame including an upright structure in which a safety brake is mounted so as to allow for lateral movement of the safety brake relative to the upright structure; at least a first vertically or obliquely extending cantilever spring; wherein a first end of the first cantilever spring is mounted to the upright structure; and wherein the first cantilever spring is arranged such that a point remote from the first end provides a biasing force to the safety brake when the safety brake moves away from a default position. As the safety brake is mounted to allow for lateral movement relative to the frame, the safety brake essentially floats relative to the car or counterweight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Javier Muñoz Sotoca, Tanjil Mustafa, James M. Draper
  • Patent number: 10407278
    Abstract: The present invention provides a safety device for elevators, which belongs to the field of elevator safety technologies. The safety device for elevators includes a housing; a safety piece having a guide rail groove, the safety piece being disposed in the housing; and asymmetric active and counter wedges that are slidably disposed on the safety piece at both sides of the guide rail groove, respectively. Moreover, the device further includes a U-shaped elastic element and a blocking piece that are disposed on the safety piece. The safety device for elevators can provide a relatively stable arresting force, is reliable in repetitive work, achieves high safety, is relatively easy as well as fast and efficient in restoration, and is especially suitable for high-speed elevators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Lifeng Zhang, James M. Draper, Byeongsam Yoo, Min Wang
  • Patent number: 9821983
    Abstract: An exemplary elevator braking device comprises a brake housing. A plurality of rollers are supported by the brake housing. The rollers are arranged to be positioned on opposite sides of a guiderail. The rollers are selectively moveable between a first position in which the rollers are spaced apart a first distance and a second position in which the rollers are spaced apart a second, smaller distance so that the rollers engage and roll along opposite sides of the guiderail. At least one biasing member is supported by the brake housing. The biasing member is associated with at least one of the rollers and biases the associated roller toward the other roller in the second position. A plurality of braking surfaces are supported by the brake housing. At least one braking surface is associated with each of the rollers. Each braking surface engages a periphery of the associated roller that faces the side of the guiderail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Justin Billard, James M. Draper, Anthony Cooney
  • Publication number: 20170261058
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an elevator safety spring is provided. The method includes determining a plurality of dimensional parameters of the elevator safety spring. The method also includes selecting a plurality of dimensions within the dimensional parameters. The method further includes manufacturing the elevator safety spring based on the selected parameters, the elevator safety spring having an I-beam cross-section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Shihemn Chen, Joe J. Liou, Andrzej Ernest Kuczek, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, Xiaodong Luo, David R. Polak, James M. Draper, John J. Kriss, Duan Liang, Patricia L. O'Coin, Aayush Desai
  • Publication number: 20170240381
    Abstract: An elevator system includes one or more rails fixed in a hoistway and an elevator car configured to move through the hoistway along the one or more rails. The system includes one or more braking systems having one more braking surfaces secured to the elevator car and frictionally engageable with one or more rails of the elevator system. One or more actuators are operably connected to the one or more braking surfaces configured to urge engagement and/or disengagement of the one or more braking surfaces with the rail to stop and/or hold the elevator car during operation of the elevator system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Harold Terry, Leandre Adifon, Richard N. Fargo, David J. Lanesey, Anthony Cooney, James M. Draper, Jamie A. Rivera, SR., Justin Billard, Zbigniew Piech
  • Patent number: 9663327
    Abstract: An elevator system includes one or more rails fixed in a hoistway and an elevator car configured to move through the hoistway along the one or more rails. The system includes one or more braking systems having one more braking surfaces secured to the elevator car and frictionally engageable with one or more rails of the elevator system. One or more actuators are operably connected to the one or more braking surfaces configured to urge engagement and/or disengagement of the one or more braking surfaces with the rail to stop and/or hold the elevator car during operation of the elevator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Harold Terry, Leandre Adifon, Richard N. Fargo, David J. Lanesey, Anthony Cooney, James M. Draper, Jamie A. Rivera, Justin Billard, Zbigniew Piech
  • Publication number: 20170066628
    Abstract: The present invention provides a safety device for elevators, which belongs to the field of elevator safety technologies. The safety device for elevators includes a housing; a safety piece having a guide rail groove, the safety piece being disposed in the housing; and asymmetric active and counter wedges that are slidably disposed on the safety piece at both sides of the guide rail groove, respectively. Moreover, the device further includes a U-shaped elastic element and a blocking piece that are disposed on the safety piece. The safety device for elevators can provide a relatively stable arresting force, is reliable in repetitive work, achieves high safety, is relatively easy as well as fast and efficient in restoration, and is especially suitable for high-speed elevators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Lifeng Zhang, James M. Draper, Byeongsam Yoo, Min Wang
  • Publication number: 20170057783
    Abstract: An adjacent safety configuration for an elevator includes a second pair of safeties displaced from a first pair of safeties by at least 0.1 seconds of travel time at a rated speed of the elevator. An adjacent safety configuration for an elevator including a second pair of safeties displaced from the first pair of safeties to provide a predetermined time period before the second pair of safeties pass over a point on a guide rail previously passed over by the first pair of safeties to permit the guide rail surface to decrease by a predetermined temperature. A method of spacing an adjacent safety configuration for an elevator system including de-rating a pair of trailing safeties with respect to a pair of leading safeties as a function of a rated speed of the elevator and a spacing between the pair of trailing safeties and the pair of leading safeties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Richard N. Fargo, Duan Liang, Tahany Ibrahim El-Wardany, James M. Draper, Xiaodong Luo, Joe J. Liou
  • Patent number: 8939262
    Abstract: An elevator system includes an electronic system capable of triggering a machine room brake and an electromagnetic safety trigger with low hysteresis and with minimal power requirements that can be released to engage safeties, when car over-speed and/or over-acceleration is detected. The electromagnetic trigger may be reset automatically and may be released to engage the safeties, during the reset procedure. The system includes a processing system that is configured to decrease response time and to reduce the occurrence of false triggers caused by conditions unrelated to passenger safety, such as passengers jumping inside the elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Greg A. Schienda, Daryl J. Marvin, Harold Terry, James M. Draper, Anthony Cooney, Jose M. Carballo
  • Patent number: 8827044
    Abstract: An elevator system 40 includes an over-acceleration and over-speed protection system capable of triggering a machine room brake and a safety trigger when over-speed or over-acceleration conditions are detected. The system includes a speed detector 42 and an acceleration detector 44. Based upon sensed speed and sensed acceleration, the controller 48 calculates a filtered speed of an elevator mass such as an elevator car 16 or counterweight, and compares the filtered speed to the threshold speed to determine whether an over-speed condition has been reached. The controller 48 activates a machine room brake when an over-speed condition exists, and engages an elevator safety 70A, 70B when it determines that the elevator mass is still in an over-speed condition after the machine room brake has been activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Daryl J. Marvin, Greg A. Schienda, Harold Terry, James M. Draper, Anthony Cooney, Jose M. Carballo
  • Patent number: 8631909
    Abstract: An electromagnetic safety trigger 46 includes a link 72 kinematically connected to a safety 70A, 70B of an elevator system mass, such as an elevator car or counterweight. An electromagnet 76 mounted on a linear actuator 74 is magnetically coupled to the link 72, and a spring 78 is connected between the link 72 and the elevator mass. The electromagnet 76 can be triggered to release the link 72, which allows the spring 78 to move the link 72 to engage the safety 70A, 70B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: James M. Draper, Greg A. Schienda, Harold Terry, Daryl J. Marvin, Anthony Cooney, Jose M. Carballo
  • Publication number: 20140008157
    Abstract: An elevator system includes one or more rails fixed in a hoistway and an elevator car configured to move through the hoistway along the one or more rails. The system includes one or more braking systems having one more braking surfaces secured to the elevator car and frictionally engageable with one or more rails of the elevator system. One or more actuators are operably connected to the one or more braking surfaces configured to urge engagement and/or disengagement of the one or more braking surfaces with the rail to stop and/or hold the elevator car during operation of the elevator system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Harold Terry, Leandre Adifon, Richard N. Fargo, David J. Lanesey, Anthony Cooney, James M. Draper, Jamie A. Rivera, Justin Billard, Zbigniew Piech
  • Publication number: 20120222918
    Abstract: An exemplary elevator braking device comprises a brake housing. A plurality of rollers are supported by the brake housing. The rollers are arranged to be positioned on opposite sides of a guiderail. The rollers are selectively moveable between a first position in which the rollers are spaced apart a first distance and a second position in which the rollers are spaced apart a second, smaller distance so that the rollers engage and roll along opposite sides of the guiderail. At least one biasing member is supported by the brake housing. The biasing member is associated with at least one of the rollers and biases the associated roller toward the other roller in the second position. A plurality of braking surfaces are supported by the brake housing. At least one braking surface is associated with each of the rollers. Each braking surface engages a periphery of the associated roller that faces the side of the guiderail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Justin Billard, James M. Draper, Anthony Cooney
  • Publication number: 20120000731
    Abstract: An elevator system 40 includes an electronic system 48 capable of triggering a machine room brake and an electromagnetic safety trigger 46 with low hysteresis and with minimal power requirements that can be released to engage safeties 70A, 70B when car over-speed and/or over-acceleration is detected. The electromagnetic trigger 46 may be reset automatically and may be released to engage the safeties 70A, 70B during the reset procedure. The system includes an over-speed and over-acceleration detection and processing system that is configured to decrease response time and to reduce the occurrence of false triggers caused by conditions unrelated to passenger safety, such as passengers jumping inside the elevator car 16.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Greg A. Schienda, Daryl J. Marvin, Harold Terry, James M. Draper, Anthony Cooney, Jose M. Carballo
  • Publication number: 20120000729
    Abstract: An elevator system 40 includes an over-acceleration and over-speed protection system capable of triggering a machine room brake and a safety trigger when over-speed or over-acceleration conditions are detected. The system includes a speed detector 42 and an acceleration detector 44. Based upon sensed speed and sensed acceleration, the controller 48 calculates a filtered speed of an elevator mass such as an elevator car 16 or counterweight, and compares the filtered speed to the threshold speed to determine whether an over-speed condition has been reached. The controller 48 activates a machine room brake when an over-speed condition exists, and engages an elevator safety 70A, 70B when it determines that the elevator mass is still in an over-speed condition after the machine room brake has been activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Daryl J. Marvin, Greg A. Schienda, Harold Terry, James M. Draper, Anthony Cooney, Jose M. Carballo
  • Publication number: 20120000732
    Abstract: An electromagnetic safety trigger 46 includes a link 72 kinematically connected to a safety 70A, 70B of an elevator system mass, such as an elevator car or counterweight. An electromagnet 76 mounted on a linear actuator 74 is magnetically coupled to the link 72, and a spring 78 is connected between the link 72 and the elevator mass. The electromagnet 76 can be triggered to release the link 72, which allows the spring 78 to move the link 72 to engage the safety 70A, 70B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: James M. Draper, Greg A. Schienda, Harold Terry, Daryl J. Marvin, Anthony Cooney, Jose M. Carballo
  • Patent number: 6457569
    Abstract: A rotary actuated overspeed safety device is provided for elevators. The overspeed safety device comprises a pair of pivotally mounted counterweights linked by a pivotally attached coupling rod and a wheel that rollably engages a guide rail. The counterweights are pivotally mounted to the wheel in a parallel plane configuration. Centrifugal force causes the pivotally mounted counterweights to pivot outward toward an actuator as the wheel spins. The overspeed safety device is triggered when the pair of pivotally mounted counterweights engages an actuator. The actuator is a housing that is engagably connected to an elevator safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: James M. Draper, Richard E. Kulak
  • Patent number: 6296080
    Abstract: In an elevator safety braking device, a variable traction mechanism in a rotary actuator allows the drive wheels of the rotary actuator to operate at a reduced preload during normal elevator operation. When engaging, a higher preload is necessary. In the event of safety braking, the variable traction mechanism increases the preload on the drive wheel to ensure timely and proper safety engagement. The variable traction mechanism therefore allows the drive wheels to be subjected to a reduced preload during normal operation, thus relaxing the design criteria for the drive wheels while maintaining reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: James M. Draper, Richard E. Kulak