US1225962A - Safety device. - Google Patents

Description

F. HYMANS.

SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20. I914. 1,225,962. Patented May15,1917.

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YIVIANS.

SAFETY DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 20, I914.

Patented May 15, 1917.

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FREDERICK I-IYMANS, OF GLEN RIDGE, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR '10 OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A1 CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SAFETY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Application filed October 20, 1914. Serial No. 867,589.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK HYMANS, a citizen of the Netherlands, residing in Glen Ridge, in the county of Essex and Stateof New Jersey have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to safety devices for elevators and more particularly to that type of safety device or brake in which gripping jaws carried by the car or counterweight or both are adapted to grip stationary vertical guide rails or their equivalent in the hatchway.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide electro-mechanical apparatus of an improved type whereby the gripping jaws may be applied either automatically by means of an electrical governor or manually by means of a switch in the car, said apparatus furthermore being arranged to release the gripping jaws and maintain the same in an inoperative position.

Another feature of the invention resides in the means for controlling the electromechanical apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel combinations of elements and arrangement of parts being set forth in the appended claims.

Referring'to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically anv elevator car with my invention applied thereto, together with governor mechanism; and a system of electrical circuits; Fig. 2, shows partly in section, a plan view of the safety plank shown in elevation in Fig. 1, together with my improved electro-mechanical apparatus and a system of electrical cir cuits therefor.

In Fig. 1 is shown an elevator car C, beneath the floor of which is suitably mounted my improved safety device P. Clamps pivoted at 1, 1, and comprising clamping jaws, 2, 2, and 3, 3, are adapted to engage the stationary guides or T-rails, at, 4, and thus effect a stopping of the car. A coil spring 5 is adapted to actuate both sets of gripping jaws to engagethe guide rails through the connections comprising a lever 6 pivoted at 7, and additional link connections 8, 8. Now in the way of controlling the application of the gripping jaws. as well as effecting the release of the same from the guide rails, I have provided electro-mechanical apparatus of an improved construction which is designated by the reference letter A. This device in its entirety is carried by the safety plank and secured thereto in a suitable manner. M which is connected through the intermediary of connection B with the lever 6. The connections B. comprise a worm wheel 9, arranged loose on a shaft 10, and'provided with projecting pins 9, arranged to engage a trip device or stop pin 11. The pin 11 is held out the path of movement of the pins 91, by means of a spring 12, and is operated intoposition to be engaged by the said pins by means of an electromagnet 13, through the intermediary of the pivoted lever 14. A worm shaft 15, carrying a worm 15 is arranged to be moved axially from the normal position as shown, to the left. This result may be accomplished in numerous different ways, of which one consists in provide ing the shaft 15 with a square shank 16 on its right end, which shank fits a hub 17 of a spur gear 18. An additional spur gear 19,

forms a driving connection between the pilot motor and the gear 18. The gear 18 is rotatably mounted in a suitable standard such as 19, and the shaft 15, at its left end is suitably supported by a standard 20. It will now be seen that this arrangement permits imparting to the worm shaft a rotary motion and simultaneously an axial motion in the direction of the arrow. The lever 6 is operatively connected with the worm shaft 15 by means of a connection such as 21.

Around the sheave 22 of a governor G, passes an endless rope 23, which is held taut by means of a weighted sheave 24 at the bottom of the well. The governor rope is positively connected at 25 to the elevator car matically by means of an arm 6 on the lever 6. A main line switch is designated by the reference letter H, and a source of current supply is designated and A safety knife switch E is providedin the car for manual operation, and when oper- This device comprises a pilot motor ated to open position as illustrated in the drawing, effects the application of the gripping jaws to the guide rails. The partsas illustrated in the drawings are in relatlve positions attained with the gripping jaws in engagement with the guide rails, such and winding of the electromagnet 13 with the supply circuit. The circuit for the pilot motor is as follows: from the conductor, through the governor switch contacts 26, 26, conductor 29, through safety switch E, conductor 30, through switch D, conductor 31, to pilot motor, and from thence to the line, by way of conductor 32. The circuit for the winding of the electroinagnet is by way of the governor switch contacts and the safety switch, and from the junction 30 is connected in a. parallel circuit with the pilot motor. The pilot motor now receiving current will effect a rotation of the worm shaft 15 in a clockwise direction, we will say for example, looking from the right on the drawing. The worm wheel 9 being free to turn will thus be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction asindicated by the arrow, until one of the pins 9 comes into engagement with the stop pin 11, which has been actuated into engaging position by means of the electromagnet 13. The worm wheel 9 being held fixed against rotation by the pin llfresults in a movement of the worm shaft and worm axially in the direction of the arrow, thereby actuating the lever 6 to efiect the releasing of the gripping jaws from the guide rails. Now when the jaws are fully released, the arm 6' on the lever 6 opens the switch l), thus cutting off the current supply to the pilot motor, which will now come to rest. It will be noted that the electromagnet still receives current and thus maintains the pin in engaging position to hold the shaft 15 against return movement by 7 the action of the spring 5, thus maintaining the gripping jaws in their releasing posi tion, until the circuit for the winding of the electromagnet 13 is opened either by means of the governor or the safety switch E. Now in case the speed of the elevator car exceeds a predetermined limit, the governor G actuates the switch S and separates the contacts 26, thus opening the circuit for the winding of the electromagnet 13. The

electromagnet 13 now being denergized permits the spring to actuate the pin 11 out of engaging position, relatively with the pin 9. The spring 5 now forces the gripping-jaws into engagement with the guide rails thus effecting a stopping of the car.

it will be noted that a quick initial applica tion of the gripping jaws is efiected, since the only resistance ofiered to the spring 5 is that of returning the worm 15 from its extreme left hand position to its position as shown in the drawing. The switch S is locked in an open position by meansof the latch 27, thus the releasing of the gripping jaws is prevented, until the latch is released manually. 7

It will now be seen that with my improved arrangement the application of the gripaing jaws will be effected either automatically in case of excess car speed, or may be controlled manually from the elevator car.

Tt'will be noted that the present safety device difiers from other electrically conrolled safety devices, in that the same is not put in operation every time the elevator car is stopped at the different floors, but is heldinreleased position and put in operation'either automatically in case of excessive speed or manually by means of the safety switch in the car. Furthermore the safety device is put in operation at least twice daily irrespective of the above noted instances, such operations thereof being effected at the close of elevator service at night, by opening the main line switch, and also again in the morning when the elevator is put in service by closing the main line switch. This operation of the safety device twice daily, keeps the movable parts ingood working order, and guards against such parts becoming inoperative by being rusted, etc.

Although I show my invention applied to a direct current system, the same is equally applicable for alternating current systems. l urthermore I wish not to be limited to the precise details of construction and arrangement of parts as herein shown and described, since various modifications may obviously be made bythose skilled in the art without departing from the spirit'and scope of my in vention. V

lfhat I claim as new and desire to secure Letters Patent of the United States is l. in an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, a spring operated car brake, an electrical switch actuating speed governor, electro mechanical apparatus controlled thereby for controlling the application of the brake, and means for maintaining the said electrical switch in open position when the car speed is excessive.

2. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, a car brake, means for applying the brake, electro-mechanical apparatus operatively associated with the car brake, a governor, and means comprising a switch and circuits controlled thereby for effecting the application of the brake by the aforesaid 'means. and for effecting the release thereof by means of the electro-mechanical apparatus. V

3. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, a car brake comprising brake members carried by the car and cooperating guide rails, a spring for applying the brake, electro-mechanical apparatus for releasing the brake members and maintaining the same in released position, a speed governor, and means comprising an electric switch and a system of electrical circuits for eflecting the application of the brake members by means of the spring'when the car speed is excessive.

i. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, car brake, a spring for applying the brake, and means comprising a rotary electric motor and mechanical connections for effecting the release of the brake.

5. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, a car brake comprising members carried by the car and cooperating guide rails, means for applying the brake, and means for releasing the brake members carried by the car, the said means comprising a rotary electric motor and power transmitting connections between the said motor and the brake members carried by the car.

6. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, a guide rail, a device carried by the car adapted to grip the rail, a spring arranged to cause the said device to grip the rail, and means for releasing the gripping device, the said means comprising a rotary electric motor and power transmitting con nections between the motor and the gripping device, said connections being arranged to permit the application of the gripping jaws by the spring without transmitting motion to the said rotary motor.

7. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, a car brake, comprising members carried by the car and cooperating guide members, a spring for applying the brake, means comprising a rotary electric motor and power transmitting connections between the motor and brake members for releasing the brake members, and an electrically operated trip device for holding the brake members inoperative.

8. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, guide rails, a device carried by the car adapted to grip the'rails, means for operating the said device to grip the rails, an electrical governor, and means controlled thereby for efiectingthe said operation of the gripping device, and electro-mechanical means for releasing and maintaining the same inoperative.

9. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, guide rails, a device carried by the car and adapted to grip the rails, a spring for operating the gripping device, a governor, an electric switch operatively associated therewith, and a rotary electric motor and connections between the motor and gripping device, said connections being arranged to permit the operation of the gripping device by -means of the spring and without transmitting motion to the rotary motor, and being arranged to efiect the release of the gripping device by means of the rotary motor.

10. In an elevator, the combination with an elevator car, a car brake, means for applyin the brake, a governor, an electric switch operatively associated therewith, means comprising a rotary electric motor and power transmitting connections between the motor and brake for operating the brake to an inoperative position, an electrically operated trip device controlled by the said governor for holding the brake in said inoperative position.

11. In an elevator, the combination with a car, a car brake, means for operating the brake, means comprising a rotary electric motor and connections between the latter and said brake for ope 'ating the latter to an inoperative position a trip device for holding the brake in said inoperative position,

electromagnetic means for operating the trip device, and means for controlling the operation of the said electromagnetic means either automatically by means of a switch operating governor, or manually by means of a switch in the car.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK HYMANS.

WVitnesses:

WALTER C. STRANG, JAMES G. BETHELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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