Abstract: An elevator system includes guide rail mounted machine and a sheave assembly that accommodates a guide rail within a hoistway. The inventive sheave assembly includes individual sheave portions rotatable along a common axis. At least two of the sheave portions are spaced apart along the shaft and a portion of the guide rail extends toward the axis beyond a plane formed tangent to the outer diameter of the sheave portions.

Abstract: An elevator system comprises a hoistway (4), an elevator car (2) arranged to move vertically within the hoistway and a drive machine (10) arranged in the hoistway outside the travel path of the car (2) or vertical projection thereof. The car (2) is coupled to the machine (10) by a rope (18) which is guided by a pair of idler sheaves (26, 28) so as to pass under the car (2). The idler sheaves (26, 28) have a diameter of less than 120 mm. The disclosed arrangement allows both overhead space and pit depth to be minimised.

Abstract: An elevator car includes a foldable handrail mounted on top of the car. Safety switches are associated with the foldable handrail including a first safety switch and a second safety switch. The first safety switch is closed only when the handrail is folded in a fully retracted position. The second safety switch is closed when the handrail is unfolded in a fully deployed position. A safety chain is associated with the first and second safety switches for supplying power to an elevator drive system in a normal operation or an inspection operation depending on the state of the first and second safety switches.

Abstract: The elevator has a car movable vertically within a shaft between lower and upper end positions and a drive system coupled to a traction system for controlling movement of the car. A limit switch which is open when the car is in a selected distance range from one of the end positions. The limit switch forms part of a power line supplying power to the drive system for controlling movement of the car in a direction towards that end position in an inspection operation. Thus movement of the car is prevented only in that direction when the car is in the selected distance range in an inspection operation.

Abstract: The elevator has a car movable vertically within a shaft between lower and upper end positions and a drive system coupled to a traction system for controlling movement of the car. A limit switch which is open when the car is in a selected distance range from one of the end positions. The limit switch forms part of a power line supplying power to the drive system for controlling movement of the car in a direction towards that end position in an inspection operation. Thus movement of the car is prevented only in that direction when the car is in the selected distance range in an inspection operation.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a hoistway defined by a surrounding structure. An elevator car and counterweight are located in the hoistway, and a drive motor is located between the elevator car and a sidewall of the hoistway. The drive motor drivingly couples and suspends the elevator car and counterweight via at least one flat rope or belt.

Abstract: The elevator has a car movable vertically within a shaft between lower and upper end positions and a drive system coupled to a traction system for controlling movement of the car. A limit switch which is open when the car is in a selected distance range from one of the end positions. The limit switch forms part of a power line supplying power to the drive system for controlling movement of the car in a direction towards that end position in an inspection operation. Thus movement of the car is prevented only in that direction when the car is in the selected distance range in an inspection operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an Elevator car (3) guiding device for an elevator without a machine room and with a drive motor (5) mounted on a top side wall of the shaft, wherein the elevator car (3) is guided by means of opposed top and bottom guide elements (9) integral therewith and sliding or rolling on car guide rails (11), characterized in that at least the top car guide element (9) standing in the vertical projection of the drive motor (5) or of the bracket thereof is attached to the car (3) at a lower height than the opposite guide element (9), so as to enable the translation of the car (3) in the shaft (7) at a higher height where the upper part (29) of the car can stand opposite the drive motor (5) or the bracket thereof.

Abstract: The machine room according to the invention with a flat rope or thin rope drive machine is, characterized in that the elevator controller device (19) is placed near the machine frame (17) equipped with the return pulleys and is higher than the floor (11) of the machine room by at least the same height as that of the machine frame (17), and in that a work platform (29) is arranged in front of the controller device (19), over or on the machine frame (17), at least on part of its upper part, so as to allow operator access to the controller device (19) from said platform (29)

Abstract: The counterweight according to the invention for an elevator with a frame (1) comprising two vertical U-shaped posts (3) parallel and opposed to each other and connected to each other by at least one upper cross-beam (5) and one lower cross-beam (7), wherein the wings of the vertical posts accommodate flat ballast weights forming a mass and piled up on each other in the frame (1), is characterized in that the upper ballast weights (11?a, 11?b), at least those located at a higher height than that of the conventional tilted assembly of the lower one-piece ballast weights (11?), comprise at least two parts interlocked with each other so that they can be successively assembled by interlocking them in a plane and in rows between the two posts (3), said interlocking providing a good lateral stiffness to avoid the lateral escape of said two interlocked ballast weight parts (11?a and 11?b) out of said frame (1) during counterweight displacement.

Abstract: An elevator system includes guide rail mounted machine (16) and a sheave assembly (32) that accommodates a guide rail (38) within a hoistway. The inventive sheave assembly includes individual sheave portions (54) rotatable along a common axis. At least two of the sheave portions are spaced apart along a shaft (50) and a portion of the guide rail extends toward the axis beyond a plane formed tangent to the outside diameter of the sheave portions.

Abstract: An elevator system includes guide rail mounted machine and a sheave assembly that accommodates a guide rail within a hoistway. The inventive sheave assembly includes individual sheave portions rotatable along a common axis. At least two of the sheave portions are spaced apart along the shaft and a portion of the guide rail extends toward the axis beyond a plane formed tangent to the outer diameter of the sheave portions.

Abstract: The invention relates to an Elevator car 93) guiding device for an elevator without a machine room and with a drive motor (5) mounted on a top side wall of the shaft, wherein the elevator car (3) is guided by means of opposed top and bottom guide elements (9) integral therewith and sliding or rolling on car guide rails (11), characterized in that at least the top car guide element (9) standing in the vertical projection of the drive motor (5) or of the bracket thereof is attached to the car (3) at a lower height than the opposite guide element (9), so as to enable the translation of the car (3) in the shaft (7) at a higher height where the upper part (29) of the car can stand opposite the drive motor (5) or the bracket thereof.

Abstract: The counterweight according to the invention for an elevator with a frame (1) comprising two vertical U-shaped posts (3) parallel and opposed to each other and connected to each other by at least one upper cross-beam (5) and one lower cross-beam (7), wherein the wings of the vertical posts accommodate flat ballast weights forming a mass and piled up on each other in the frame (1), is characterized in that the upper ballast weights (11?a, 11?b), at least those located at a higher height than that of the conventional tilted assembly of the lower one-piece ballast weights (11?), comprise at least two parts interlocked with each other so that they can be successively assembled by interlocking them in a plane and in rows between the two posts (3), said interlocking providing a good lateral stiffness to avoid the lateral escape of said two interlocked ballast weight parts (11?a and 11?b) out of said frame (1) during counterweight displacement.

Abstract: An elevator system includes guide rail mounted machine (16) and a sheave assembly (32) that accommodates a guide rail (38) within a hoistway. The inventive sheave assembly includes individual sheave portions (54) rotatable along a common axis. At least two of the sheave portions are spaced apart along a shaft (50) and a portion of the guide rail extends toward the axis beyond a plane formed tangent to the outside diameter of the sheave portions.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a control system that determines the amount of load of the car, and that determines the operating speed profile of the car based upon the amount of load in the car. In a particular embodiment, the control system includes a load weighing device and uses the weight of the car to determine the selection between two operating speed profiles: a normal operating speed profile and a reduced operating speed profile. The control system compares the measured live load to a pre-selected threshold, such as the car weight plus twice the percentage balancing multiplied by the rated full load of the elevator system. If this threshold is exceeded, then the reduced operating speed profile is selected. In this way, reduced balancing may be used. The selected percentage balancing may be determined empirically or estimated by taking into account the building size, usage and other operational characteristics.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining if an elevator car is level with respect to a landing comprises: a first magnet disposed proximate to the landing; a second magnet disposed proximate to the landing; a sensor for providing a level signal in response to detecting a minimum flux region formed by the first and second magnets; and a processor for determining if the elevator is level with respect to the landing in response to the level signal. Each magnet has a first and second magnetic pole. The first and second magnets are adjacently aligned such that the first magnetic pole of the first magnet is adjacent to the first magnetic pole of the second magnet, and the second magnetic pole of the first magnet is adjacent to the second magnetic pole of the second magnet.