Patent Application
20190233253
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to elevator systems, and more particularly, to a bedplate for mounting a machine in a machine room of an elevator system.
Vertical travel of an elevator car is typically powered by a drive assembly that may be supported within an upper portion of an elevator hoistway by a support member, such as a bedplate for example. The drive assembly generally includes a traction machine composed of a gearless motor and a traction sheave, both of which may be mounted on a surface of the bedplate. Rotational torque generated by the motor is used to drive the traction sheave. Depending on the direction of rotation of the motor the traction sheave causes tension members to lift or lower the elevator car and counterweight vertically through the hoistway.
In conventional elevator systems, the counterweight is commonly positioned directly behind the elevator car, centered with the elevator car, or to the side of the elevator car, centered on the car rails. However, older elevator system may have an asymmetrical layout, where the counterweight centered on the car rails is not generally centered relative to the car. To modernize these older elevator systems using existing bedplate structures, a time consuming and costly relocation of the counterweight is required.
According to one embodiment, a deflector sheave mounting bracket for mounting a plurality of individual deflector sheaves of an elevator system includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and a plurality of support plates connected at a first end to the top plate and connected at a second, opposite end to the bottom plate. A plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of deflector sheaves is defined between pairs of adjacent support plates of the plurality of support plates. At least one opening of the plurality of openings is vertically offset and horizontally offset from another of the plurality of openings.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the at least one opening is vertically offset and horizontally offset from an adjacent opening of the plurality of openings.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments each of the plurality of openings is staggered.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments each of the plurality of support plates includes at least one groove formed therein, and the at least one groove of the pairs of adjacent support plates cooperate to define the plurality of openings.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments comprising the plurality of individual deflector sheaves, each of the plurality of individual deflector sheaves being mounted within one of the plurality of openings.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments each of the plurality of individual deflector sheaves is rotatable about an axis and the plurality of axes of the plurality of individual deflector sheaves are substantially parallel.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the plurality of support plates include protrusions and the top plate and the bottom plate include openings for receiving the protrusions.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the protrusions are deformed relative to the openings to restrict movement of the plurality of support plates relative to the top plate and the bottom plate.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments wherein the top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of support plates are permanently affixed.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of support plates are welded together.
According to another embodiment, a support member for use in a machine room of an elevator system includes a base having a car end and a counterweight end. The counterweight end is arranged substantially parallel to a wall of the machine room and is arranged at an angle relative to the car end. A first deflector sheave having a plurality of grooves is mounted to the base in an orientation generally parallel to the car end. The first deflector sheave is configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation. A deflector sheave mounting bracket is connected to the base and defines a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of individual second deflector sheaves. The plurality of openings is arranged in a staggered configuration substantially complementary to the angle of the counterweight end relative to the car end. A plurality of individual second deflector sheaves is mounted within the plurality of openings of the deflector sheave mounting bracket. Each of the plurality of individual second deflector sheaves is configured to rotate about a second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments each of plurality of openings is vertically offset and horizontally offset from an adjacent opening of the plurality of openings.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments each of the plurality of individual second deflector sheaves is rotatable about an axis and the plurality of axes of the plurality of individual second deflector sheaves are substantially parallel.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the axis of each of the plurality of individual second deflector sheaves is arranged within a first plane or a second plane, vertically offset form the first plane.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the deflector sheave mounting bracket further comprises: a top plate, a bottom plate, and a plurality of support plates connected at a first end to the top plate and connected at a second, opposite end to the bottom plate; the plurality of openings for receiving the plurality of individual second deflector sheaves being defined between pairs of adjacent support plates of the plurality of support plates.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments each of the plurality of support plates includes at least one groove formed therein, and the at least one groove formed in the pairs of adjacent support plates cooperate to define the plurality of openings.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the plurality of support plates include protrusions and the top plate and the bottom plate include openings for receiving the protrusions.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the protrusions are deformed relative to the openings to restrict movement of the plurality of support plates relative to the top plate and the bottom plate.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of support plates are permanently affixed.
In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, in further embodiments the top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of support plates are welded together.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains embodiments of the disclosure, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
Referring now to
The elevator system 20 also includes a counterweight 30 configured to move vertically upwardly and downwardly within the hoistway 22. The term counterweight 30 as used herein includes a counterweight assembly that may itself include various components as would be understood by a person skilled in the art. The counterweight 30 moves in a direction generally opposite the movement of the elevator car 24 as is known in conventional elevator systems. Movement of the counterweight 30 is guided by counterweight guide rails (not shown) mounted within the hoistway 22. In the illustrated, non-limiting embodiment, the elevator car 24 and counterweight 30 include sheave assemblies 32, 34, respectively, that cooperate with tension members 36 and a traction sheave 38 mounted to a drive machine 40 to raise and lower the elevator car 24. The drive machine 40 in the illustrated, non-limited embodiment, is suited and sized for use with flat tension members 36. The sheave assembly 32, shown in
The drive machine 40 of the exemplary elevator system 20 is positioned and supported at a mounting location atop a support member 50, such as a bedplate for example, in a portion of the hoistway 22 or a machine room. Although the elevator system 20 illustrated and described in herein has an underslung 2:1 roping configuration, elevator systems 20 having other roping configurations and hoistway layouts are within the scope of the disclosure.
Referring now to
As is known, opposed ends of the tension members 36 are terminated in the elevator system 20 at dead end hitches 70 and 72. A plurality of dead end hitches 70, each being configured to connect to a car-side 36a (
The drive machine 40, configured to rotate about an axis of rotation R, is mounted near the car end 52 of the support member 50 in an orientation substantially parallel thereto. In the illustrated, non-limiting embodiment, the drive machine 40 is mounted to the upper surface 68 of the support member 50; however the drive machine 40 may be arranged at another location about the support member 50, such as within the hollow interior 51 thereof for example. The traction sheave 38 (
An deflector sheave 76 (best shown in
A plurality of substantially identical individual deflector sheaves 80 are mounted to the support member 50 adjacent the counterweight side 58. Each individual deflector sheave 80 has a single groove 82 configured to receive one of the plurality of tension members 36 of the elevator system 20. The individual deflector sheaves 80 may be mounted within the hollow interior 51 of the support member 50.
Each of the individual deflector sheaves 80 is configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation T. The first axes of rotation T of the plurality of individual deflector sheaves 80 are substantially parallel to one another and are generally parallel to the axis of rotation R of the drive machine 40 and the axis of rotation S of the deflector sheave 76. Each of the plurality of individual deflector sheaves 80 is generally aligned with a corresponding groove 78 of the deflector sheave 76. The individual deflector sheaves 80 are arranged in a staggered configuration such that a distance between each deflector sheave 80 and an adjacent counterweight dead end hitch 72 associated therewith is substantially the same. As a result, the distance between the deflector sheave 76 and each of the individual deflector sheaves 80 gradually increases from the first side 60 of the counterweight end 58 to the second side 62 of the counterweight end 58.
After wrapping about a quarter of the circumference of the deflector sheave 76 and a quarter of the circumference of the individual deflector sheaves 80, the tension members 36 extend vertically to a deflector sheave 34 mounted to the counterweight 28, and then back to the support member 50 to connect to dead end hitches 72. The deflector sheaves 80 are generally aligned with grooves (not shown) on the counterweight sheave 34. In one embodiment, the individual deflector sheaves 80 and the counterweight sheave 34 on the counterweight are arranged such that a portion of the circumference of the each deflector sheave 80 is substantially coplanar with a portion of the circumference of the counterweight sheave 34. Although the support member 50 is described with a plurality of individual deflector sheaves 80, elevator systems where only some of the deflector sheaves 80 receive a tension member 36 are within the scope of the disclosure.
With reference now to
Each support plate 102 has at least one elongated groove or cutout 108 formed therein for receiving a rotatable deflector sheave 80. As shown, the support plates 102 are generally arranged in pairs having identical and aligned grooves formed therein. Accordingly, a distance between the plates 102 within the pair corresponds to a width of a deflector sheave 80. To couple the deflector sheaves 80 to the mounting bracket 100, a keeper plate 107 may be located adjacent each side of the deflector sheave 80 in overlapping arrangement with a corresponding support plate 102.
Further, the deflector sheave mounting bracket 100 is configured to position the plurality of deflector sheaves 80 at multiple positions, such as within a first horizontal plane and a second horizontal plane offset vertically from the first horizontal plane. As shown in
To assemble the deflector sheave mounting bracket 100, the plurality of support plates 102 are connected to the top plate 104 and the bottom plate 106. It should be understood that the top plate 104 and the bottom plate 106 may be portions of the support member 50. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of support plates 102, the top plate 104, and the bottom plate 106 is formed with a plurality of openings 120 and/or corresponding tabs or protrusions 122. The protrusions 122, such as extending from the support plates 102 are receivable within the openings 120 formed in the top plate 104 and the bottom plate 106. Deforming the protrusions 122, i.e. such as by bending the protrusions 122 parallel to the adjacent surface of the top plate 104 or bottom plate 106, may further restrict separation of the support plates 102 from the top plate 104 and bottom plate 106. Once assembled, the support plates 102, the top plate 104, and the bottom plate 106 are then permanently affixed, such as via a welding operation for example.
After being permanently assembled, a coating, such as a powder coating for example, may be applied to the deflector sheave mounting bracket 100 to prevent rust and other degradation or wear of the deflector sheave mounting bracket 100. The plurality of grooves 108 may then be further machined to ensure proper alignment of the plurality of deflector sheaves 80 and the deflector sheaves 80 may then be installed into all or a portion of the grooves 108. In embodiments where one or more pairs of support plates 102 include cooperating grooves 108 that do not contain a deflector sheave 80, the empty grooves are typically located adjacent either the first side 110 or the second side 112 of the mounting bracket 100. As a result, each of the plurality of deflector sheaves 80 is mounted to the deflector sheave mounting bracket 100 at a pair of support plates 102 directly adjacent another pair of support plates 102 containing a deflector sheave 80.
By arranging the counterweight side 58 of the support member 50 substantially parallel to an adjacent hoistway wall (
While the disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
