WO2019059840A1

WO2019059840A1 - Apparatus for housing a lift counterweight and method for mounting the same

Info

Publication number: WO2019059840A1
Application number: PCT/SG2017/050473
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alister Ja BENNETT
Original assignee: Singapore Lift Company Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2017-09-20
Filing date: 2017-09-20
Publication date: 2019-03-28

Abstract

An apparatus for housing a lift counterweight and a method for mounting the apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a casing mountable in a lift shaft, the casing is configured to house a counterweight to balance a weight of a lift car and to form a passage for movement of the counterweight, and the casing comprises a rail for guiding movement of the lift car in the lift shaft.

Description

APPARATUS FOR HOUSING A LIFT COUNTERWEIGHT AND METHOD FOR

MOUNTING THE SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for housing a lift counterweight and a method for mounting the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional lift or elevator systems comprise guide rails for guiding movement of a lift car to prevent the lift car from rocking or deviating from its vertical path.

The weight of the lift car is balanced by a counterweight located within the lift shaft. The movement of the counterweight is guided by additional guide rails. The counterweight is a safety concern as it is exposed in the lift shaft and lift maintenance crew has to stay clear of its movement path to avoid accidents.

The guide rails for guiding movement of the lift car and the guide rails for guiding movement of the counterweight are separately mounted in the lift shaft. It may take a few days or a week to have such guide rails and other lift structures assembled in a lift shaft for each storey of a building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of an example of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for housing a lift counterweight, wherein the apparatus comprises a casing mountable in a lift shaft, the casing is configured to house a counterweight to balance a weight of a lift car and to form a passage for movement of the counterweight, and the casing comprises a rail for guiding movement of the lift car in the lift shaft.

In accordance with another aspect of an example of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for mounting the apparatus for housing a lift counterweight, the method comprising: mounting the casing at a storey level in a lift shaft; and moving the lift car to the storey level in the lift shaft to provide a person with a stepping platform to mount another one of the casing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be better understood and readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following written description, by way of example only and in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an apparatus according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 2A is a top view of the apparatus.

Figure 2B is a front view of the apparatus.

Figure 2C is a side view of the apparatus.

Figure 2D is a rear view of the apparatus.

Figure 3A is a front perspective view of a first bracket used to mount the apparatus.

Figure 3B is a rear view of the first bracket.

Figure 3C is a side view of the first bracket.

Figure 3D is a top view of the first bracket.

Figure 4A is a front perspective view of a second bracket used to mount the apparatus.

Figure 4B is a front view of the second bracket.

Figure 4C is a side view of the second bracket.

Figure 4D is a top view of the second bracket.

Figure 5A is a front perspective view of a lift car according to an example of the present invention.

Figure 5B is a top view of the lift car.

Figure 5C is a front view of the lift car.

Figure 6A is a front perspective view of support frame structures of the lift car.

Figure 6B is a top view of the support frame structures of the lift car.

Figure 6C is a side view of the support frame structures of the lift car.

Figure 7A is a front perspective view of a lift system assembled with the apparatus.

Figure 7B shows lift structures mounted on top of the lift car in the lift system. Figure 7C shows lift structures mounted below the lift car in the lift system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

All the dimensions of the elements present in the Figures of the present disclosure are provided in millimeters and are for illustration purposes only. They merely illustrate the dimensions of one example of the present disclosure. Other suitable dimensions are also possible.

A lift referred in the present disclosure may also be known as an elevator.

The term 'upward' as used herein will be understood to refer to extension or movement from a lower position to a relatively higher position. Whereas the term 'downward' as used herein will be understood to refer to extension or movement from a higher position to a relatively lower position.

Figure 1 shows an apparatus 100 based on a scale 1 :55 for housing a lift counterweight (not shown in Figure 1) in a lift shaft (not shown in Figure 1). The apparatus 100 comprises a casing 102 mountable in the lift shaft. The casing 102 is configured to house or enclose a counterweight (not shown in Figure 1 ) to balance a weight of a lift car and to form a passage for movement of the counterweight. The casing 102 substantially covers the counterweight such that the counterweight is not exposed. The casing 102 comprises a rail 104 for guiding movement of the lift car in the lift shaft. The casing 102 may be made of wood, metal or composite materials, including fiberglass, carbon fiber, plastic and the like. The casing 102 may be made through injection molding. In the example of Figure 1, the casing 102 is a columnar structure with a hollow centre forming the passage.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the apparatus 100 comprises a plurality of the casing 102, more specifically, 3 casings 102. It is appreciated that any number of the casings 102 may be possible depending on the number of storeys a lift system being built has to serve and how the casings 102 are dimensioned. It is possible that only one casing 102 is required per storey or it may be that several casings 102 are required per storey. A lift system refers to all elements required for a lift to operate in a building.

The plurality of casings 102 are mountable adjacent to one another in the lift shaft. Each casing 102 mounted adjacent to another casing 102 in the lift shaft lengthens the rail 104 and lengthens the passage for the movement of the counterweight. Advantageously, the casing 102 encloses the passage in which the counterweight moves in as opposed to leaving the counterweight exposed, which is a safety concern to lift maintenance crew. The casing 102 also acts as a guide for the movement of the counterweight. In addition to addressing the safety concern, the casing 102 further comprises a rail 104 for guiding movement of the lift car. Hence, instead of mounting two separate guide rails in the lift shaft, one for the counterweight and one for the lift car, only one item i.e. the casing 102 needs to be mounted. This certainly cuts down assembly time of a lift system.

The casing 102 is mountable in the lift shaft using one or more brackets 106 and 108. Each bracket 106 or 108 is configured to attach to the casing 102 and attach to a wall (not shown in Figure 1) in the lift shaft to secure the casing 102 to the wall. In other configurations, the casing 102 may be configured or made with mounting features, such as having mounting holes, for mounting to the wall directly without need for use of brackets.

In the example of Figure 1, each casing 102 is mounted with a bracket 106 located midway along a length of one side of the casing 102 and another bracket 106 (not shown in Figure 1) located on an opposite side of the casing 102. The midway located bracket 106 is configured to attach to only one casing 102 and attach to the wall via fasteners such as screws, rivets, nuts, bolts and the like.

Each casing 102 is also mounted with a bracket 108 located at an edge of the casing 102 and mounted with another bracket 108 located on an opposite edge of the casing 102. Each of these edge located brackets 108 is configured to attach to one casing 102 and attach to an adjacent casing 102, as well as attach to the wall, via fasteners such as screws, rivets, nuts, bolts and the like. Hence, the edge located brackets 108 help to secure adjacently placed casings 102 together.

One or more lamp or light emitting device 110 may be attached to a side of the casing 102 that does not face the lift car when the lift car is in operation for lighting up the lift shaft. In the example of Figure 1, each of the plurality of casings 102 as shown is mounted with a lamp 110. The lamps 110 may be mounted or spaced along the length of the apparatus 100 such that there would be at least one lamp 110 corresponding to each storey of a building comprising the lift shaft.

Figure 2A shows a top view of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1 based on a scale 1:20. Figure 2A illustrates one possible cross-section of the casing 102, which is substantially rectangular. It is appreciated that other cross-sectional shape suitable for achieving the technical effect/result of the apparatus 100 is fine as well. Figure 2A shows a counterweight 210 enclosed in the casing 102. In the example of Figure 2A, the casing 102 comprises one or more guiding elements 208 located in the passage that is formed. The one or more guiding elements 208 provide a technical effect of guiding the movement of the counterweight 210. More specifically, each of the one or more guiding elements 208 is in a form of an extension extending into a space of the passage for a length of the passage that the counterweight 210 may move in. The extension is configured to be received in a slot 212 of the counterweight. The formed passage has a substantially rectangular cross-section. It is appreciated the passage may be formed with other suitable cross-sectional shapes.

Figure 2A shows that the casing 102 is configured with a side to confine a space 202 to accommodate electrical cables (not shown in Figure 2A). The side of the casing 102 that confines the space 202 does not face the lift car when the lift car is in operation. The electrical cables may be attached to the side of the casing 102 that does not face the lift car when the lift car is in operation and not left to hang or suspend in the space 202.

In the example of Figure 1 illustrated by Figure 2A, the rail 104 of the apparatus 100 is made up of a pair of tracks 112 located at opposite sides of the casing 102. Each track 112 is configured to extend laterally from the casing 102 and is configured to receive a guide shoe (not shown in Figures 1 and 2A) mounted on the lift car. The distance between opposite edges of the tracks 112 may be substantially the width of the lift car. Each track 112 may be an elongate bar attached to the casing

102 via fasteners such as such as screws, rivets, nuts, bolts and the like. Each track 112 may be a right angle metal bar and the like.

In the example of Figure 2A, the midway located bracket 106 and the edge located bracket

108 may be configured to mount the casing 102 such that there is a gap between the wall and the columnar body of the casing 102, which is forming the passage.

An example of a set of dimensions of the apparatus 100 illustrated in Figure 2A is as follows.

Bracket edge to opposite bracket edge distance: 1366.52 mm

Track edge to opposite track edge distance: 1115 mm

Bracket edge to track edge distance along a direction away from the wall: 323.70 mm

Cross-sectional width of enclosed counterweight passage: 200 mm

Cross-sectional length of the enclosed counterweight passage: 950 mm

Thickness of track extension extending from the casing body: 16 mm

Figure 2B shows a front view of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1. The front view shows major surfaces of each casing 102 that would face the lift car when the lift car is in operation. The major surface of each casing 102 is substantially rectangular in shape.

An example of a set of dimensions of the apparatus 100 illustrated in Figure 2B is as follows.

Length of each casing: 2500 mm

Width of each casing: 966.52 mm

Length of a side of each casing up to a closest edge of the edge located bracket 108: 2300 mm

Length of the side of each casing up to an edge opposite to the closest edge of the edge located bracket 108: 2700 mm

Distance between an edge of the edge located bracket 108 and an edge of the midway located bracket 106 that are closest to each other: 975 mm

Distance between an edge of the edge located bracket 108 and an edge of another edge located bracket 108 that are closest to each other: 2100 mm

Distance between an edge of the edge located bracket 108 and an edge of another edge located bracket 108 that are furthest to each other 2900 mm

Track edge to opposite track edge distance: 1115 mm

Figure 2C shows a side view of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1. Figure 2C shows that the rear side of each casing 102 may have a slot 214 to receive an extension 204 of an adjacent casing 102. Figure 2C also shows that the front side of each casing 102 may have a slot 216 to receive an extension 218 of an adjacent casing 102. Such slot and extension arrangements help to secure adjacently placed casings 102. Figure 2C further shows a side view of the gap (as described with reference to Figure 2A) to be formed between the wall in the lift shaft and the columnar body of the casing 102 through strategic mounting of the brackets 106 and 108 as shown in Figures 1 to 2C.

An example of a set of dimensions of the apparatus 100 illustrated in Figure 2C is as follows. End to end length of three casings 102: 7560 mm

Figure 2D shows a rear view of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1. Figure 2D shows that the rear of each casing 102 has at least one opening 206, specifically two openings in the example of Figure 2D, exposing the passage for movement of the counterweight. The at least one opening 206 is for air in the passage to escape through the gap described with reference to Figure 2C when the counterweight moves in the passage. It is appreciated that in other configurations, the rear of one or more of the casing 102 as described earlier may not be enclosed. That is, the rear side of the casing 102 that will be facing the wall is not covered and the passage for the counterweight will be formed with the front and sides of the casing 102 and the wall.

An example of the dimensions of each opening 206 illustrated in Figure 2D is as follows. Length of each opening 206: 950 mm

Width of each opening 206: 486.41 mm

Details of the edge located bracket 108 of Figure 1 are illustrated in Figures 3A to 3D. Figure 3A is a perspective view based on a scale 1 :5 of the edge located bracket 108 of Figure 1. The edge located bracket 108 is a right angle bracket (substantially L-shaped in the present example) with 2 planar sides 302 and 312. The edge located bracket 108 has a pair of corner braces 304 (substantially in the shape of a right angle triangle in the present example) located at two edges of the edge located bracket 108, and has a raised corner brace 306 located at the center of the edge located bracket 108. The planar sides 302 and 312 have the same length but the width of one of the planar sides is shorter than the width of the other planar side. The planar side with shorter width 302 has 2 pairs of elongate holes 308 for mounting the edge located bracket 108 to the casing 102 of Figure 1. The raised comer brace 306 is located between the pairs of elongate holes 308. The planar side with the shorter width 302 is to be mounted to the casing 102. The elongate holes 308 allow adjustment of the distance of the gap (described earlier with reference to Figure 2A and Figure 2C) between the wall and the columnar body of the casing 102. The planar side with longer width 312 has 3 evenly spaced circular holes 310 for mounting the edge located bracket 108 to the wall.

Figure 3B is a rear view of the edge located bracket 108 of Figure 1.

An example of a set of dimensions of the edge located bracket 108 illustrated in Figure 3B is as follows.

Distance between the centers of the four elongate holes 308 that are furthest from each other:

300 mm

Distance between the centers of each pair of the elongate holes 308: 60 mm

Radius of each of two rounded corners of each of the elongate holes 308: 7 mm

Length of each elongate hole 308 excluding the radiuses at the rounded corners: 50 mm

Width of the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with shorter width 302: 120 mm

Radius of each of two rounded corners of the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with shorter width 302: 16 mm

Figure 3C is a side view of the edge located bracket 108 of Figure 1.

An example of a set of dimensions of the edge located bracket 108 illustrated in Figure 3C is as follows.

Thickness of the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with shorter width 302: 8 mm

Thickness of the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with longer width 312: 8 mm

Angle made by each corner brace 304 with respect to the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with longer width 312: 30 degrees

Figure 3D is a top view of the edge located bracket 108 of Figure 1.

Distance between an edge of the edge located bracket 108 and center of the circular hole 310 closest to the edge, in the direction along the length of the edge located bracket 108: 70 mm

Distance between an edge of the edge located bracket 108 and center of the circular hole 310 closest to the edge, in the direction along the width of the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with longer width 312: 40 mm

Distance between the centers of two circular holes 310 located closest to each other: 130 mm

Thickness of each of the pair of corner braces 304 located at the two edges of the edge located bracket 108: 8 mm

Width of the raised corner brace 306: 112 mm

Diameter of each circular hole 310: 16 mm

Length of the edge located bracket 108: 400 mm

Width of the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with longer width 312: 200 mm

Radius of each of two rounded corners of the planar side of the edge located bracket 108 with longer width 312: 16 mm

Details of the midway located bracket 106 of Figure 1 are illustrated in Figures 4A to 4D.

Figure 4A is a perspective view based on a scale 1 :5 of the midway located bracket 106 of Figure 1. The midway located bracket 106 is a right angle bracket (substantially L-shaped in the present example) with 2 planar sides 402 and 412, and has a pair of corner braces 404 (substantially in the shape of a right angle triangle in the present example) located at two edges of the midway located bracket 106. The planar sides 402 and 412 have the same width but the length of one of the planar sides is shorter than the length of the other planar side. The planar side with shorter length 402 has a pair of elongate holes 408 for mounting the midway located bracket 106 to the casing 102 of Figure 1. The planar side with the shorter length 402 is to be mounted to the casing 102. The elongate holes 408 allow adjustment of the distance of the gap (described earlier with reference to Figure 2A and Figure 2C) between the wall and the columnar body of the casing 102. The planar side with longer length 412 has 2 evenly spaced circular holes 410 for mounting the midway located bracket 108 to the wall.

Figure 4B is a front view of the midway located bracket 106 of Figure 1.

An example of a set of dimensions of the midway located bracket 106 illustrated in Figure 4B is as follows.

Distance between an edge of the midway located bracket 106 and center of the elongate hole 408 closest to the edge: 45 mm

Distance between the centers of the pair of the elongate holes 408: 60 mm

Radius of each of two rounded comers of each of the elongate holes 408: 7 mm

Length of each elongate hole 408 excluding the radiuses at the rounded corners: 50 mm

Width of the planar side of the midway located bracket 106 with shorter length 402: 120 mm

Radius of each of two rounded corners of the planar side of the midway located bracket 106 with shorter length 402: 16 mm

Thickness of each of the pair of corner braces 404 located at the two edges of the midway located bracket 106: 8 mm

Width of the midway located bracket 106: 150 mm

Figure 4C is a side view of the midway located bracket 106 of Figure 1.

An example of a set of dimensions of the midway located bracket 106 illustrated in Figure 3C is as follows.

Thickness of the planar side of the midway located bracket 106 with shorter length 402: 8 mm

Thickness of the planar side of the midway located bracket 106 with longer length 412: 8 mm

Angle made by each comer brace 404 with respect to the planar side of the midway located bracket 106 with longer length 412: 30 degrees

Figure 4D is a top view of the midway located bracket 106 of Figure 1.

An example of a set of dimensions of the midway located bracket 106 illustrated in Figure 4D is as follows.

Distance between an edge of the midway located bracket 106 and center of the circular hole 410 closest to the edge, in the direction along the width of the midway located bracket 106: 35 mm Distance between an edge of the midway located bracket 106 and center of the circular hole 410 closest to the edge in the direction along the width of the planar side of the midway located bracket 106 with longer length 412: 40 mm

Distance between the centers of the two circular holes 410 located closest to each other: 80 mm

Diameter of each circular hole 410: 16 mm

Length of the midway located bracket 106: 200 mm

Radius of each of two rounded corners of the planar side of the midway located bracket 106 with longer length 412: 16 mm

Figure 5A to 5C shows an example of a lift car 500 that can be used with the apparatus 100 of Figure 1 in a lift system.

Figure 5A shows a front perspective view of the lift car 500. The lift car 500 is made of a composite material, such as fiber glass or carbon fiber, or it could be formed of a honeycomb core sandwiched between sheets of aluminium or the like. Advantageously, composite materials are typically stronger (for example, around 10 times stronger), for the same mass of conventional materials such as steel. This would allow the lift car to be lighter while still retaining a similar strength.

For example, taking the average person to weigh 75kg, a conventional lift car with 10 people will weigh around 1500kg, whereas a lift car made of composite material with 10 people will weigh around

900kg.

The lift doors (not shown in Figures 5A to 5C) may also be made from a composite material, which reduces the weight from, for example, 100kg (for steel doors) to around 10 - 15kg (for composite doors). The lift car 500 of Figure 5A is not mounted with doors yet and Figure 5A shows an opening 505 at a location for mounting the lift doors.

The apparatus 100 of Figure 1 can be used with any type of counterweight and lift car. However, in the case of smaller dimensions of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1, it would lead to a smaller passage for the counterweight to move in. As the passage is smaller, the counterweight may have to reduce weight to operate in the smaller passage. Hence, for lighter counterweights, a lightweight lift car should be used. The lift car 500 described herein is an example of a lightweight lift car.

The cross-sectional area of the lift car 500 may be configured so as to comply with at least the European standards outlined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which stresses the importance of having sufficient space available for wheelchair manoeuvring.

The lift car 500 comprises a steel frame 510 and several Aluminium Honeycomb (AL HC) panels, namely, an AL HC top panel 504, an AL HC rear panel (Not visible in Figure 5A), several AL HC side panels 502 covering each side of the lift car 500, an AL HC bottom panel 506, and smaller AL HC panels 501 adjacent to the opening 505. The steel frame 510 forms a skeletal structure of the lift car 500. For example, each of these AL HC panels may have a thickness of about 25 mm. Use of AL HC panels provide a lightweight lift car that is significantly lighter than the weight of conventional lift cars. AL HC panels are used to make aeroplanes and are hard, strong and safe to use for lifts. A lightweight lift car may have a weight of about 100kg to 400kg

If the lift car 500 is completely made of AL HC panels, the lift car 500 may be too light for operation with a counterweight. Hence, the steel frame 510 of the lift car 500 is made of steel to increase the weight of the lift car 500.

In the AL HC top panel 504, there is present an opening 508 for mounting an escape hatch (not shown). On the side of the AL HC top panel 504 at the rear of the lift car 500, two guide shoes 512 are mounted. The guide shoes 512 are configured to engage the pair of tracks 112 of the rail 104 of the apparatus 100 in Figure 1. The rail 104 of Figure 1 and the guide shoes 512 cooperate to guide movement of the lift car 500 in the lift shaft and prevent the lift car 500 from rocking or deviating from its vertical path. The AL HC top panel 504 includes a raised structure 515 meant for mounting to a lift mechanism (not shown in Figures 5A to 5C) that links the lift car 500 to the counterweight and lifts or lowers the lift car 500. The lift mechanism may include a motor, pulleys, ropes, chains, belts and the like. It is appreciated that such lift mechanism and how the counterweight is linked to the lift car is known to a person skilled in the art.

Figure 5B shows a top view of the lift car 500. The top view reveals two safety gears (or brakes) 514 mounted to the rear and at the bottom of the lift car 500. Like the guide shoes 512, the safety gears 514 are each configured to engage each of the pair of tracks 112 of the rail 104 of the apparatus 100 in Figure 1. The safety gears 514 are activated to brake the lift car 500 by engaging one or more of the tracks 112 of the rail 104 as and when required. The safety gears 514 may be mechanically and/or electrically activated.

Although two guide shoes 512 and two safety gears 514 are shown in Figure 5B, it is appreciated that in other configurations there could be just one guide shoe 512 or one safety gear 514, or there could be more than one guide shoe 512 or safety gear 514.

In Figure 5B, examples of the dimensions of the escape hatch opening 508 and the lift car 500 are provided. The length of the escape hatch opening 508 is 600 mm and the width of the escape hatch opening is 400 mm. The length and width of the lift car 500 in the top view are 1506 mm and 1481 mm respectively.

Figure 5C shows a front view of the lift car 500. The AL HC rear panel 509 is revealed.

Examples of the dimensions of the opening 505 and the lift car 500 are provided in Figure 5C. The length of the opening 505 is 2400 mm and the width of the opening 505 is 900 mm. The height of the lift car in the front view is 2616 mm.

Figure 6A shows an example of the skeletal steel frame 510 of the lift car 500 in Figure 5A. Dimensions of the steel beams are provided for illustration purposes. An 8 mm thick steel plate 602 mounted at the rear of the lift car 500 on the raised structure 515 is used for mounting to a pulley of the lift mechanism (not shown in Figure 6A). Similarly, an 8 mm thick steel plate 603 is provided at the front of the lift car 500 on the raised structure 515 for mounting to another pulley of the lift mechanism. The raise structure 515 is raised using two top located 80 x 50 x 3 mm hollow section (top) beams 606. The top of the skeletal steel frame 510 is formed using 70 x 70 x 3 mm steel angle (top) beams 604. The sides of the skeletal steel frame 510 are formed using 70 x 70 x 3 mm steel angle (side) beams 604. The bottom of the skeletal steel frame 510 is formed using 70 x 70 x 3 mm steel angle (bottom) beams 610 and reinforced using two 80 x 50 x 3 mm hollow section (bottom) beams 612. In the present example, the guide shoes 512 and the safety gears 514 are made to form part of the skeletal steel frame 510. For instance, they may be welded to the skeletal steel frame 510.

Figure 6B shows a top view of the skeletal steel frame 510 of Figure 6A. Figure 6B shows examples of the dimensions of the skeletal steel frame 510. For instance, the width of the 8 mm thick steel plate 603 along a rear side of the lift car 500 is 340 mm. The distance between the two 80 x 50 x 3 mm hollow section (bottom) beams 612 may be 658 mm apart. Examples of the length and width of the skeletal steel frame 510 are 1506 mm and 1481 mm respectively. Figure 6C shows a side view of the skeletal steel frame 510 of Figure 6A. An example of the height of the skeletal steel frame 510 in the side view is 2624 mm.

Figure 7A shows a front perspective view of a lift system 700 assembled with the lift car 500 of Figure 5A, a lift mechanism 703 for moving the lift car 500 and a variant apparatus 701 similar to the apparatus 100 of Figure 1. The variant apparatus 701 is similar in design as the apparatus 100 but brackets 718 used to mount a plurality of casings 102 of the variant apparatus 701 are of different design and are mounted at different positions along the casing 102 of the variant apparatus 701. Reference numeral 102 of the apparatus 100 is reused in the variant apparatus 701 to show similarity in the casing 102. The variant apparatus 701 also has an opening 716 configured to expose a counterweight 726. The opening 716 is located at a ground storey or in a pit of the lift shaft, which the lift system 700 is built. The opening 716 enables the counterweight 726 and a counterweight buffer 714 to be serviced. The opening 716 may be covered up once servicing is completed. As an example, the counterweight 726 may be 1.5 times the weight of the lift car 500 carrying maximum load.

The lift car 500 is mounted to pulleys 706 and belts 704 of the lift mechanism 703. The belts 704 may comprise of continuous belts or looped belts. Ropes and/or chains might be used in place of the belts 704. The lift mechanism 703 comprises two beams 710 mounted orthogonally with respect to the length of the variant apparatus 701. The two beams 710 are mounted to the highest point of the variant apparatus 701. A motor 708 (not entirely visible) is used to drive the belts 704. Since the lift car 500 in the present example is meant to be much lighter than a conventional lift car, the motor 708 does not need to provide as much power to drive the belts 704 to move the lift car 500. For example, a conventional lift typically requires around 240V of power, whereas the present lift system example requires 24V DC. This may allow the motor 708 to be smaller, and thus takes up less space within the lift shaft compared to conventional lift motors or hydraulic systems for lifting the lift car. The belts 704 are linked to the counterweight 726. The lift car 500 is fully assembled with lift door rails 720 and a lift door 712.

Figure 7B shows in more details the top portion of the lift car 500 in Figure 7 A, along with the pulleys 706 and belts 704 of the lift mechanism 703. The lift car 500 has top guides 728 for engaging a pair of tracks 112 of a rail 104 of the variant apparatus 701. Reference numerals 104 and 112 of the apparatus 100 are reused in the variant apparatus 701 to show similarity in the tracks 112 and the rail 104. The top guides 728 have slightly different design as the guide shoes 512 of the lift car 500 in Figure 5A but have similar function as the guide shoes 512.

Figure 7C shows in more details the bottom perspective view of the lift car 500 in Figure 7A. Underneath the lift car 500 are bottom guides 724 (with similar function as the guide shoes 512 of the lift car 500 in Figure 5A) for engaging the pair of tracks 112 of the rail 104 of the variant apparatus 701. In the example of Figure 7C, the safety gears 514 discussed earlier in Figure 5B are not present. In place of the safety gears 514 is one safety clamp (or brake) 732 placed only on one track 112 of the rail 104. The safety clamp 732 has the same function as each of the safety gears 514 and may be mechanically or electrically activated. In the example of Figure 7C, there are lift door rails 720 on opposite sides of the lift car 500. Hence, it is possible for the lift car 500 to have lift doors 712 on the opposite sides.

The safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732 discussed in the present disclosure help to prevent any uncontrolled movement, particularly downward movement, of the lift car 500. Sensors (not shown) may be located at one or more locations within the lift mechanism 703 to detect, among other parameters, the speed of movement of the belts 704 in use. If the belts 704 are moving at a predetermined, or safe, speed, the safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732 remain deactivated. The safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732 may be coupled to an electromagnetic device which is energised during normal operation (with the safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732 deactivated). However, if the sensors detect that belts 704 is moving too fast, an "over speed^*, or if the movement of the belts 704 is generally uncontrolled, particularly when the lift doors 712 are open (i.e. at landing), then the power to the electromagnetic device is cut and the safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732 is/are activated. In use, when activated, the safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732 clamp securely onto the rail 104 of the apparatus 100 or variant apparatus 701, which prevents any downwards or upwards movement of the lift car 500 and thus prevents any downwards or upwards movement of the lift car 500. It will be appreciated that safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732 of this type exist and suitable such devices will be known to a person skilled in the art.

Conductive rails may be provided as the tracks 112 of the rail 104, for example, to deliver 24DC electrical power to the inside of the lift car 500 to power, for example, the internal lighting of the lift car 500 or to electrically operate the safety gears (or brake) 514 or clamp 732. This configuration provides a significant advantage in respect of prior art lift/elevator systems, because it eliminates the need for trailing electrical cables. An advantage of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1 and the variant apparatus 701 of Figure 7A is that K is easy to assemble or mount compared to separate mounting of individual guide rails for the counterweight and individual guide rails for the lift car in the case of prior art. A method for mounting the apparatus 100 or 701 may have the steps as follows. A step of mounting the casing 102 of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1 or the variant apparatus 701 of Figure 7A at a storey level in a lift shaft, and another step of moving the lift car to the storey level in the lift shaft to provide a person with a stepping platform to mount another one of the casing 102. The top of the lift car may advantageously act as a stepping platform for a lift assembly crew to assemble the casing 102.

Conventional lift cars are very heavy and thus usually not prefabricated and brought to site but are assembled within the lift shaft. Assembling such heavy lift car takes up time. In the case of a lightweight lift car, the lift car can be prefabricated to a final form or close to the final form before moving it to the storey level in the lift shaft for mounting the casing 102 of the apparatus 100 of Figure 1 or the variant apparatus 701 of Figure 7A. In this case, a false car typically used during lift assembly need not be used and there is no time taken up for assembling a lift car in the lift shaft. The lightweight lift car may be winched or lowered into the lift shaft via a crane or winching device. In the case of prior art, it may take a few days or a week to have guide rails and other lift structures assembled in a lift shaft for each storey of a building. However, in the case that a lightweight lift car is used and the lift system is assembled with the apparatus 100 of Figure 1 or the variant apparatus 701 of Figure 7A, the assembly time can be shortened significantly to, for instance, a day for each storey. Advantageously, the apparatus 100 of Figure 1 and the variant apparatus 701 of Figure 7A simplify lift system installation or assembly. Overall, the cost required for lift system installation or assembly is reduced if the method for mounting the apparatus 100 or 701 is used.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description of the apparatus of the invention is intended to be purely illustrative of the principles of the invention, rather than exhaustive thereof, and that changes and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that the present invention is not intended to be limited other than as expressly set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for housing a lift counterweight, wherein the apparatus comprises

a casing mountable in a lift shaft,

the casing is configured to house a counterweight to balance a weight of a lift car and to form a passage for movement of the counterweight, and

the casing comprises a rail for guiding movement of the lift car in the lift shaft.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the casing is mountable in the lift shaft using one or more brackets and each bracket is configured to attach to the casing and attach to a wall in the lift shaft to secure the casing to the wall.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing is configured with a side to confine a space to accommodate electrical cables, wherein the side of the casing does not face the lift car when the lift car is in operation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the electrical cables are attached to the side of the casing that does not face the lift car when the lift car is in operation.

5. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more light emitting device is attached to a side of the casing that does not face the lift car when the lift car is in operation.

6. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of the casing, the plurality of the casing are mountable adjacent to one another in the lift shaft, and each casing mounted adjacent to another casing in the lift shaft lengthens the rail and lengthens the passage.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each casing is mountable in the lift shaft using one or more brackets and one bracket is configured to attach to one casing and to attach to an adjacent casing.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein one of the plurality of the casing has a slot to receive an extension of an adjacent casing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein each of the plurality of casings is mounted with one or more light emitting devices.

10. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the casing comprises one or more guiding elements located in the passage to guide the movement of the counterweight.

11. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more guiding elements comprises an extension extending for a length of the passage that the counterweight moves in, and the extension is configured to be received in a slot of the counterweight.

12. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lift car comprises a skeletal steel frame and aluminium honeycomb panels.

13. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the casing comprises an opening to expose the counterweight.

14. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rail is conductive for delivering electrical power.

15. A method for mounting the apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising:

mounting the casing at a storey level in a lift shaft; and

moving the lift car to the storey level in the lift shaft to provide a person with a stepping platform to mount another one of the casing.