The present invention relates to a method and equipment for the evacuation of lift passengers trapped in a lift cage which is stuck, wherein the lift cage is moved to a story or to a position near a story.
An auxiliary travel device for lifts has become known from laid-open specification DE 26 40 137 which, in the case of a lift cage remaining stuck, makes an emergency alighting from the lift cage possible for the passengers trapped in the lift cage. A rotatable roller on which a reserve length of the support cable is wound up is arranged at the lift cage. The roller is operable from the lift cage by way of a transmission. The support cable is unwound by rotation of the roller and the lift cage moved to the next lower story at which the passengers can leave the lift cage.
A disadvantage of such known equipment is that the emergency evacuation is not easily performed by the lift passengers themselves. Children or older passengers may be overtaxed by the operation of the roller for lengthening of the support cable. In addition, the support cable length necessary for the lift operation has to be reset by a skilled operator after an emergency evacuation.
The present invention is intended to remedy the disadvantages of the prior art, and provides a method and apparatus by means of which passengers trapped in a stuck lift cage can be simply and safely evacuated. It is known to allow an imbalance between the lift cage and a counterweight to move the lift cage in an emergency condition. When the lift cage is in equilibrium with the counterweight, however, no force imbalance exists. In accordance with the present invention, in an emergency situation where a lift cage in equilibrium with the counterweight is stuck, a force imbalance is created and applied to the lift cage to allow the lift cage to be moved without powering the elevator drive.
The advantages achieved by the invention are essentially to be seen in that an expensive emergency drive acting by way of the drive pulley on the drive cable is not necessary for the evacuation of the lift passengers. It is further of advantage that existing shaft fittings can be used for the evacuation. The evacuation can be readily carried out by simple means.
The present invention is explained in more detail by reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
The endless limiter cable 19 is tensioned by means of a deflecting roller 21 arranged in a shaft pit 20, wherein a roller axle 22 is pivoted at one end at a fulcrum 23 and carries a counterweight 24 at the other end.
If, however, the lift cage 2 together with the lift passengers is in equilibrium with the counterweight 4, the lift cage 2 remains stationary when the brake is released. In this case an additional force K has to act on the lift cage 2 for the evacuation of the lift passengers. The friction forces of the drive unit 6, the counterweight guides and the lift cage guides are overcome by the additional force K and the lift cage 2 is drawn downwardly.
For producing the additional force K a cable pull 25 can be used, which is connected at one end to the limiter cable 19 and anchored at the other end in the shaft pit 20. A traction cable 26 of the cable pull 25 is connected to the limiter cable 19 by means of a manually-operable cable clamp 27 and is connected with an anchorage point 29 of the shaft pit 20 by means of an anchoring cable 28. In the case of weight equalization between the lift cage 2 together with the lift passengers and the counterweight 4, one person releases the brake of the drive unit 6 and a further person climbs into the shaft pit 20 and actuates a crank 30 of the cable pull 25, whereby the lift cage 2 is drawn by means of the cable pull 25 to the second-uppermost storey. If the lift cage 2 automatically moves downwardly after overcoming the friction, the lift cage can be braked by means of the brake of the drive unit 6. In an emergency case the limiter cable 19 blocks, and the safety brake 16 engages, as soon as the cable clamp 27 reaches the roller axle 22.
For producing the additional force K there can be provided, instead of the cable pull 25, a cable or belt 43 which is arranged at the lift cage 2 and preferably anchored in the shaft pit 20 and which in the operational case can be unrolled and extended by the upward movement of the lift cage 2 and rolled up and retracted by the downward movement of the lift cage 2. In the case of weight equalization between the lift cage 2 together with the lift passengers and the counterweight 4, one person releases the brake of the drive unit 6 and a further person climbs into the shaft pit 20 and draws the lift cage 2 by means of the cable or belt to the second-uppermost story. This procedure is suitable particularly for smaller lift installations with smaller lift cages. The cable or belt can be arranged at the counterweight 4 instead of at the lift cage 2. The lift cage 2 is then drawn to the next-higher story.
As shown in
Only one person is necessary for the evacuation of the lift passengers in the variants of embodiment of
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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01810076 | Jan 2001 | EP | regional |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
604360 | Bell | May 1898 | A |
1167140 | Willis | Jan 1916 | A |
1206764 | Rover | Nov 1916 | A |
6196355 | Fargo et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6336523 | Ozeki et al. | Jan 2002 | B1 |
6352136 | Shih | Mar 2002 | B1 |
6364066 | Bolch et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6425461 | Wang | Jul 2002 | B1 |
6427809 | Bammert | Aug 2002 | B2 |
6464041 | Chen | Oct 2002 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
261971 | Jul 1913 | DE |
26 40 137 | Mar 1978 | DE |
3446657 | Aug 1985 | DE |
1407529 | Jun 1965 | FR |
4-7284 | Jan 1992 | JP |
87708 | Mar 1990 | LU |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20020100645 A1 | Aug 2002 | US |