Abstract: A method for performing a correction run by an elevator system having an elevator car following a loss of an elevator car position information includes: detecting a terminal landing magnet in response to the loss of the elevator position information; moving the elevator car away from a predetermined terminal landing until the terminal landing magnet is not detected; running the elevator car toward the predetermined terminal landing in response to not detecting the terminal landing magnet in said moving step; detecting two magnets simultaneously in response to running the elevator car toward the predetermined landing terminal; stopping the elevator car in response to simultaneously detecting the two magnets; and resetting the elevator position information in response to said stopping step.

Abstract: An elevator drive fault detector for detecting operational faults in an elevator drive having an inverter and only one circuit breaker includes a current sensor, a monitoring device, a control device and an operational control system. The current sensor provides a current sensor signal. The monitoring device determines if an operational fault exists in response to the current sensor signal and provides an operational signal. The monitoring device disables the operational signal if the monitoring device determines that an operational fault exists or if the elevator drive fault detector performs a system check operation. The operational control system provides both the run command and an operational check signal and is responsive to the operational signal such that if the operational signal is disabled then the operational control system opens the one circuit breaker and disables the run command such that the control device disables a PWM signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided which can reduce life cycle costs associated with wear on active horizontal suspension actuators for elevators and also reduce cost of such actuators. The method includes discriminating lateral movement of elevator due to car loading imbalance from that of movement due to building sway and operating the actuators only in the case of lateral movement due to car loading imbalance. The discriminating may comprise the steps of detecting a car position outside a deadband, and allowing changes in the actuators to counter the forces causing such positional changes only if the car position stays outside the deadband for more than a predetermined time, e.g., more than half the predetermined period of building sway, which is an architectural constant for a particular building.

Abstract: A system for regional and local supervision and monitoring of elevator equipment, that includes a modular system containing a service center set of equipment and an on-site set of equipment connected to at least one building. Communication between these sets of equipment is implemented using a remote communication link. A connection from an elevator car to a service center and from a service center to an elevator car is provided through the on-site equipment. A connection between an elevator car and a preselected service point can be established by the on-site equipment.

Abstract: An electrical branch bypass arrangement includes a first branch, a second branch and means for opening the first branch and for bypassing the second branch. Preferably, the means includes a plurality of plugs mechanically bundled together so that each of the plugs is spatially fixed with respect to one another and all of the plugs are movable as a unit.

Abstract: A system for regional and local supervision and monitoring of elevator equipment, that includes a modular system containing a service center set of equipment and an on-site set of equipment connected to at least one building. Communication between these sets of equipment is implemented using a remote communication link. A connection from an elevator car to a service center and from a service center to an elevator car is provided through the on-site equipment. A connection between an elevator car and a preselected service point can be established by the on-site equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing an evacuation journey of an elevator car includes at least one brake control apparatus mounted on the car and an evacuation drive. In the case of an interruption in the normal travel of the car, an evacuation journey is initiated by an evacuation control in the evacuation drive. The elevator brake is released and the evacuation control moves the car to the next floor at a reduced speed. On reaching the next floor, a brake pawl of the brake control apparatus pivots into a switching opening or runs up onto a switching cam and thus initiates the final braking of the car by actuation of a brake control contact. Upon arrival in the door zone, the car and floor doors are pushed partially open by a spring so that confined passengers can further open the doors and release themselves.

Abstract: An elevator system comprises a plurality of cars, and a group controller. A pair of multidrop communication links are connected with the cars such that, absent a communication break, a datagram transmitted by any car controller onto either link may be received by any or all of the remaining car controllers. Each car controller includes means for designating a primary link for each of the remaining cars, and means for rebroadcasting datagrams intended for another car on the primary link only when the datagram is received on a link other than the primary link.Preferably, each controller includes a means to determine when communications with another car, over the primary link, have been disrupted, and to switch the designation of primary link accordingly. In the preferred embodiment, a timer means is associated with each car, which is reset each time the car receives a datagram originating from that car.

Abstract: An elevator door monitoring system determines if any hatch door at any floor along an elevator shaft or any other door leading to the shaft is opened while an elevator cab is away from the door. The system includes a plurality of non-contact hatch door monitors, such as infrared proximity detectors. At least one monitor is positioned on the elevator shaft at a respective location generally opposite each hatch door along the shaft. Each monitor detects the opening of the respective hatch door without direct contact therewith, e.g., by directing radiation toward the door and measuring the distance to the door. If the distance is too great, indicating that the door is open and no elevator is present, the monitor produces an alarm signal. The alarm signal is sent to a control circuit which takes the elevator out of service and operates audible and visual alarms in response thereto.

Abstract: A system for position loss recovery for an elevator car includes a plurality of pairs of encoded floor magnets that uniquely identify each floor. Upon restoration of power, the encoded floor magnets are sensed by an encoded floor sensor and the precise floor location of the elevator car is determined.

Abstract: A procedure supplies and modifies the data required in the control system of an elevator and for displaying the instructions needed for installation, maintenance and adjustment on a display comprised in the control system. The parameter data of the elevator control system and the instructions for each person carrying out maintenance work are stored in a separate storage unit. When modification or maintenance work is being carried out, a communication link is established between the storage unit and the data storage means of a control unit included in the control system. The data stored in the storage unit is read and saved in the control unit and the modifications and actions required by the data read from the storage unit are carried out in the control unit.

Abstract: A door safety circuit for monitoring of story doors in lift installations. The door safety circuit includes a transmitter that produces a non-electrical signal which is guided by a series of conductor portions. The non-electrical signal may be transmitted through a first conductor partial portion to a latching device of a first story door, depending upon the latched state of the first story door, the signal may be either transmitted to a second conductor partial portion, which may be included within the latching device, or no longer transmitted. If the signal is similarly transmitted through a plurality of conductor partial portions and serially connected story door latching devices, the circuit may indicate that each story door is properly latched. The circuit may also include a plurality of sensors coupled to a failure recognition circuit for monitoring each conductor partial portion.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for detecting the operative status of each of a series of remote stations connected to a main control in an elevator system includes a step or apparatus for causing the main controller to develop a roll call signal which is transferred to a first of the series of remote stations, transmitting an operative status reply signal from the remote station to the main controller if the remote station is functional following receipt of the roll call signal by the remote station, transferring the roll call signal to a next of the series of remote stations after the reply signal is sent to the main controller, and continuing to transmit an operative status reply signal until each of the remote stations has done the same, if operative.

Abstract: An elevator includes an evaluation unit. A pair of position pick-ups are connected to the cable assembly and/or driving pulley of the elevator and coupled to the input of the evaluation unit. The elevator is accelerated or decelerated for checking adhesion of the cable onto the driving pulley (traction sheave). The motion parameters of the cable assembly and the driving pulley are sensed separately, and the drive capability can be determined therefrom.

Abstract: Operational data of an elevator are constantly and successively stored in RAM of a terminal supervisor unit. If the elevator develops a malfunction which lasts for a predetermined time, this malfunction is detected and reported from the terminal supervisor unit to a supervisor center, together with relevant data, such as the place of occurrence of the malfunction, the code number of the elevator in question and the kind of malfunction. The data relevant to the malfunction are collected at a time point when predetermined specific data indicate that a malfunction is likely. For this purpose, malfunction-indicating states of the specific data are preset and stored in a preset value storage unit, for each possible kind of malfunction, and are constantly compared with the corresponding actual data. By collecting relevant data before actual determination of a malfunction, an investigation for a cause of the malfunction through an analysis of data can be performed more accurately.

Abstract: A speaker system is provided adjacent to the gate of each of a plurality of elevator cars on each floor of a building. The speaker systems announce messages such as the car number of the next car in either direction, the estimated time of arrival of the car, that the car is full, the approximate delay for service by the next car to come, the car number and floor numbers being served by each loading elevator during up peak with channeling, the up calls are prohibited during up peak, the delay for service by the next car, and that all elevators should not be used in the case of fire or other emergency. Speaker systems are put on the doors of each stairwell on every floor, thereby to direct passengers toward the stairs in case of emergency. The system not only provides information and identification, it also provides audible, directional cues to assist the passengers in locating the service which they are to seek.

Abstract: In a two-way ring elevator communications system, characterized in that a controller is associated with each elevator to process inter-elevator messages and the controllers of the elevators are linked together in serial fashion on a two-way communications system so that the messages of each controller are passed along to and processed by each of the other controllers in two directions on two independent rings, whichever of the two rings is properly functioning is used at full capacity but if neither ring is properly functioning then both rings are operated at reduced capacity, the reduction being carried out by reducing the time between reassignments of elevator hall calls.

Abstract: The main disconnects for energizing a drive motor for an elevator may be controlled by a circuit having a safety chain, an inspection device, a circuit board and a coil for the main disconnect wherein the safety chain provides a safe condition signal to the inspection device which in turn provides a plurality of mode signals to the circuit board which evaluates the mode signals in order to provide a circuit breaker control signal to the circuit breaker coil. In turn, the circuit breaker coil either opens or closes the main disconnect.

Abstract: Elevator horizontal vibrations are actively controlled by retrieving data stored in memory indicative of the out-of-straightness of the elevator car's guide rails. The stored data is compiled during a learning run by summing the car's relative displacement with respect to the rail with a doubly integrated acceleration signal indicative of the car's deviation from true vertical.

Abstract: An elevator control apparatus determines an estimated car delay when the elevator car stops at or passes an elevator hall and controls an operation of the car using the obtained estimated car delay. The elevator control apparatus includes an input data conversion unit for converting traffic data, including position of the car, direction of movement, and car calls and hall calls, such that it can be used as input data of a neural net. An estimated car delay operation unit includes an input layer for taking in the input data, an output layer for outputting the estimated car delay, and an intermediate layer provided between said input and output layers in which a weighting factor is set. An output data conversion unit converts the estimated car delay output from the output layer such that it can be used for a predetermined control operation. The estimated car delay operation unit constituting a neural net.

Abstract: An elevator hoistway rail profile is made by summing a doubly integrated car horizontal acceleration signal with a relative rail-car displacement signal and storing the summed signal according to the vertical position of the car in the hoistway.

Abstract: A portable transducer for detecting physical parameters during testing of an elevator's emergency stop device. In particular, acceleration and time values of a passenger and/or freight elevator are obtained. The transducer comprises a sensor, a timer associated to the sensor, and memory. The transducer can be connected to an evaluation unit to download data after the test is complete. The transducer is easy to handle and can have various test applications independent of the special conditions of the elevator, the transducer is transportable, can be removed from the elevator car, and contains a trigger component to initiate measurement and storage of data into the buffer memory.

Abstract: A system for regional and local supervision and monitoring of elevator equipment, that includes a modular system containing a service center set of equipment and an on-site set of equipment connected to at least one building. Communication between these sets of equipment is implemented using a remote communication link. A connection from an elevator car to a service center and from a service center to an elevator car is provided through the on-site equipment. A connection between an elevator car and a preselected service point can be established by the on-site equipment.

Abstract: An automatic elevator system having car movement controls, door controls, a door operating mechanism for automatically opening and closing at least the car door and first switch contacts operable when the car and hoistway doors are closed to permit the car to move from a floor in combination with further switch contacts which are operable in accordance with the positions of the doors and which prevent the car from moving from a floor when the first switch contacts are operated before the further switch contacts to prevent movement of the car from a floor when the first switch contacts have been operated or shunted by unauthorized persons or by a short circuit and other means to protect against failures of other circuits operated by the first switch means and further switch means.

Abstract: A method for sensing and digitally recording the movements of a plurality of elevator cars in conjunction with the sensing and digital recording of a plurality of on-off electrical signals from the associated elevator control system utilizing a portable computer. A separate analysis computer is then used to integrate such recorded information into a graphic presentation for the purpose of evaluating elevator system operation.

Abstract: An elevator control apparatus capable of reducing the risk of passengers being confined in an elevator car and capable of preventing damage to equipment as well as danger to passengers. The apparatus includes a safety circuit for detecting an abnormality of the elevator, a flip-flop for storing the operation of the safety circuit, a door-openable region detecting circuit for detecting that a position at which the car is stopped is within a region within which the door of the car can be opened, a control circuit for effecting a rescue operation on the basis of the outputs of the flip-flop and the door-openable region detecting circuit. After an operation of the safety circuit a control circuit continuously outputs a signal for canceling the memory of the flip-flop 35 after the passage of a first predetermined period of time until a second predetermined period of time passes. After the passage of the second predetermined period of time, the elevator car is prohibited from starting.

Abstract: The invention obtains the weight of an elevator car in a manner which is minimally dependent on the distribution of the load within the cab by means of a load cell and support sandwiched between a first and second plate, the load being shared between the load cell and support. Threaded rods pass through the first and second plates, as well as through a space between the first and second plates, and further pass through hitch springs and support the car. The upper ends of the rods are connected to the hoist ropes. The load weighing apparatus further includes a pair of rod positioners which keep constant the lateral displacement of the rods one from another. The load cell and support are not enclosed by the rods, yielding the further advantage that a mechanic has easy access to the load cell for its maintenance.

Abstract: An elevator system is shown that includes an elevator shaft (12) in building (10) and a plurality of elevator cars (C.sub.1, C.sub.2 and C.sub.3) that are movable up and down within the shaft along vertical axis (20). The elevator cars are independently movable by drive motors (D.sub.1, D.sub.2 and D.sub.3) attached to the cars through hoisting cables (24, 28 and 34). The motors are controlled by motor controllers (MC.sub.1, MC.sub.2 and MC.sub.3) which, in turn are controlled by a computer (62) having as inputs service and destination requests, load weight and car location. Different operating modes are shown (FIGS. 5-8) including one in which serviced floors (F.sub.1 through F.sub.16) are serviced by no more than one elevator car at a time, and the cars travel sequentially from one end floor to the other end floor (FIGS. 5 and 6). Simultaneous servicing of a plurality of different floors is shown (FIGS.

Abstract: An elevator passenger car including a car frame, a cage mounted to the car frame and an anti-vibration tuber member positioned between a bottom face of the cage and a lower portion of the car frame for supporting the cage. The elevator passenger car further includes a load sensing unit for measuring a passenger loading of the passenger car and a control device connected to receive the passenger loading for comparing the passenger loading with a passenger car resonance loading range to generate a control signal based on a comparison result. The elevator passenger car also includes an adjustment device positioned between the bottom face of the cage and the lower portion of the car frame for receiving the control signal from the control device and for adjusting a natural frequency of the passenger car based on the control signal by co-operating with the anti-vibration rubber member. Resonance of the passenger car with an externally applied frequency force is then avoided.

Abstract: All N parameters of an induction machine equivalent circuit may be determined by providing a stator voltage such that the induction machine produces no torque, measuring a stator current for at least N-1 frequencies, determining the tangent of the angle .phi. between the stator voltage and stator current at said frequencies, and solving N-1 equations R(.omega.)tan.phi.+X(.omega.)=0, given one of the parameters, said frequency values and said associated values for tangent .phi., where R(.omega.) and X(.omega.) are the real and imaginary components of the complex stator impedance of the induction machine.

Abstract: An elevator signal transmitting apparatus of the invention has a parent station provided in a machine room so as to control signal transmission, a plurality of child stations respectively provided in halls so as to control signal transmission, first and second balanced transmission lines each having one end connected to the parent station, first and second unbalanced transmission lines each having one end connected to the plurality of child stations, a first interface unit connected to the other ends of the first balanced transmission line and of the first unbalanced transmission line so as to convert the balanced signal input from the parent station through the first balanced transmission line into an unbalanced signal and output the unbalanced signal to the plurality of child stations through the first unbalanced transmission line, and a second interface unit connected to the other ends of the second balanced transmission line and of the second unbalanced transmission line so as to convert the unbalanced si

Abstract: Orthogonal sets (26, 28) of coils (21-24) are each connected for differential response to an alternating magnetic field in a taut wire (20) disposed adjacent a rail (76) in an elevator hoistway. The wire is powered with AC current (34, 38) which is also used (40, 44) to synchronously demodulate the response of the coils to the alternating magnetic field so as to produce an output signal (58, 67) indicative of the position of the coils with respect to the taut wire. The coils may be in a holder (70) which is resiliently urged (72) toward the rail, with the wire passing through a hole therein within the coils, or mounted on an elevator which also has a contactless rail position sensor (110-112). Variation in current adjacent the coils is measured by additively coupling the coils (FIGS. 8, 9) which may be used to compensate the position measured by the coils (FIG. 11). Rectangular coil cross sections, as well as preferred coil spacing and dimensions are shown.

Abstract: A LAN elevator network includes (a) a pair of redundant car buses for exchanging signals with car control system elements, (b) a pair of redundant group buses for exchanging signals with the redundant car buses by means of a car-group bridge, and (c) with a pair of redundant building buses, which exchange messages with a building controller, by means of a group-building bridge. Communication among all nodes on the car bus, group bus, and building bus occurs by means of a single protocol. Each communications element on a bus communicates with the bus by means of a communications coprocessor including a transmitter and a receiver.