A method of operating a multi-car elevator system for a fire service sequence including the steps of: controlling, using a control system, a plurality of components of the multi-car elevator system, the controlling includes operating at least one of a first elevator car and a second elevator in at least one elevator lane; confirming the first elevator car is free of occupants; moving the first elevator car to a parking area; and confirming the second elevator car is free of occupants.

An elevator system consisting in a platform steel floor fixed to four bogeys guiding the descent or ascension of the platform onto the two steel H beam or steel linear motion track profiles. The elevator is operated by a remote or pad control transmitting signals with a wire or with a wireless frequency signals to a motorised mechanical engine or electric winch at the ground level of structure, if not being manually operated and controlled. The motorised mechanical engine or electric winch unrolls one or a set of normal operation cables to allow the descent of the elevator platform and the sliding o f t he bogeys along the lateral guiding tracks. The motorised mechanical engine or electric winch rolls the set of normal operation cables to allow the ascension of the elevator platform and the sliding of the bogeys along the lateral guiding tracks. The set of operating cables drives a fixed pulley on a driving steel shaft at the top of the structure or elsewhere on the elevator system. On the driving steel shaft is also there one or many steel drums or pulleys to allow unrolling and rolling of a second independent steel cable standing for a first emergency safety brake device activated by one or many inertia brakes which stops rotation on steel shaft at excessive speed rotation of steel shaft if a fracture or breaking happens on the set of operating cables and engage the free falling of the elevator platform. The set of safety cables is attached to steel hooks fixed to the shock-proof steel plate attached underneath the elevator platform by compression springs and guided by steel rods inserting steel bushings. The shock-proof safety steel plate is retained by two fixed steel cables attached to elevator platform and to a steel hook half ring or U-Bolt mounted on the shock-proof safety steel plate.

The second emergency safety brake device is engaged when the two spur gears collides together after the compression of the springs or of any other kind of shock absorber when the set of safety cables ask to stop the free felling of the shock-proof steel plate and because the two opposite spur gears are taking two different directions onto the steel gear track or gear rack with teeth and also having then two different rotation direction; one spur gear is going down and the other spur gear is stopping its rotation. When the emergency break is applied for the elevator to stop its free falling, the safety trap on elevator floor can be lifted manually and be blocked by engaging the retainer steel arm in the corner steel angle and sided steel plate to allow the person to evacuate by the ladder bars fixed on the structure and the ladder bar underneath safety trap.

A brake disc release device, a turning device, and an elevator rescue package and method. The brake disc release device comprises: an actuating mechanism; a gear connected to a first end of the actuating mechanism; a first slider capable of sliding along a first guide piece and comprising a rack portion for engagement with the gear and a first wedge portion; a second slider capable of sliding along a second guide piece and comprising a second wedge portion for engagement with the first wedge portion of the first slider; and a pulling cable having a first end connected to the second slider and a second end connected to the brake disc.

A rescue apparatus for an elevator includes a brake control unit having input terminals for connecting to a power supply, output terminals for connecting to a magnetizing coil of an electromagnetic brake, at least one controllable brake opening switch associated with at least one of the input terminals and adapted, in an open state, to prevent supply of current from the power supply to the magnetizing coil and, in a closed state, to allow supply of current from the power supply to the magnetizing coil, a control cable including one or more control signal wires and a remote control panel for operating the at least one brake opening switch, the remote control panel being coupled via the control cable to the brake control unit.

The invention concerns a rescue apparatus, an elevator as well as a retrofit kit. The rescue apparatus comprises a brake control unit having input terminals for connecting to a power supply, output terminals for connecting to a magnetizing coil of an electromagnetic brake, at least one controllable brake opening switch associated with at least one of the input terminals and adapted, in an open state, to prevent supply of current from the power supply to the magnetizing coil and, in a closed state, to allow supply of current from the power supply to the magnetizing coil. The rescue apparatus further comprises a control cable comprising one or more control signal wires and a remote control panel coupled via the control cable to the brake control unit.

A system and method of balancing elevator car emergency power in an elevator system is provided. The method includes switching a first feeder group of elevator cars from building power provided through a first building power feeder to back-up power provided through a back-up power source, switching a second feeder group of elevator cars from the building power provided through a second building power feeder to the back-up power provided through the back-up power source, selecting, using an elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the first feeder group of elevator cars, selecting, using the elevator controller, at least one elevator car from the second feeder group of elevator cars, and powering the selected elevator cars from the first feeder group and the second feeder group using the back-up power from the back-up power source.

A method for moving an elevator car of an elevator for evacuating passengers from the elevator car in the event of a power failure, wherein a brake blocks a vertical movement of the elevator car, includes the steps of: applying an electrical pulse or a plurality of electrical pulses to the brake of the elevator car to release the brake and unblock the vertical movement of the elevator car, the brake being released for as long as the particular electrical pulse is applied to the brake; determining a covered height which the elevator car has covered during the application of the particular electrical pulse; comparing the determined covered height with a predetermined distance; and terminating the application of the particular electrical pulse to the brake when the determined covered height is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance.

An elevator brake control system (10) is described, in particular for controlling an elevator brake in a machine roomless elevator, the elevator including a drive machine drivingly coupled to an elevator car for moving the elevator car between a plurality of landings in a hoistway, and an elevator brake having at least an engaged condition for holding the elevator car at a fixed position in the hoistway, and a released condition for allowing the elevator car to move along the hoistway; the elevator brake control system (10) comprising a first safety device (T1) and a second safety device (T2), each of the first safety device (T1) and the second safety device (T2) responsive to detection of a failure in any sub-system of the elevator, such as to bring the elevator brake into its engaged condition in response to detection of such failure; wherein each of the first safety device (T1) and the second safety device (T2) comprises a power semiconductor switching device.

A method of operating an elevator system is presented. The method comprises controlling, using a controller, a plurality of components of the elevator system. The controlling comprises operating at least one of an internal power source, an elevator car, a drive unit, a power conversion device, and a brake. The method also comprises detecting, using the controller, when an external power source is unavailable; deactivating, using the controller, the power conversion device when an external power source is unavailable; and determining, using the controller, a mode of the elevator car. The mode includes at least one of a motoring mode and a near balance mode. The method further comprises connecting, using the controller, to an internal power source, when at least one of the motoring mode and the near balance mode is determined; and increasing, using the internal power source, voltage of the drive unit.

In a system and method for an automatic rescue operation of an elevator car in an elevator system, the elevator system includes a hoisting machine and a battery-operated rescue drive device configured to provide power signals to the hoisting machine and/or hoisting machinery brakes. A load sensor is configured to gather elevator car load information, and the rescue drive device is configured to select, based on the elevator car load information, a first rescue run or a second rescue run.