In an elevator apparatus, a safety device is activated using a force that is generated by a mass body that includes sheaves and a rope, if acceleration of a car reaches an abnormal acceleration set value. A tensioning sheave that can be moved vertically in order to apply tension to the rope is included among the sheaves. A vertical vibration suppressing apparatus that is connected to the tensioning sheave allows vertical displacement of the tensioning sheave during normal operation while also suppressing vertical vibration of the tensioning sheave if the acceleration of the car reaches the abnormal acceleration set value.

In an elevator apparatus, a safety device is activated using a force that is generated by a mass body that includes sheaves and a rope, if acceleration of a car reaches an abnormal acceleration set value. A tensioning sheave that can be moved vertically in order to apply tension to the rope is included among the sheaves. A vertical vibration suppressing apparatus that is connected to the tensioning sheave allows vertical displacement of the tensioning sheave during normal operation while also suppressing vertical vibration of the tensioning sheave if the acceleration of the car reaches the abnormal acceleration set value.

In a double-deck elevator, a car apparatus includes: a main frame; an upper car and a lower car that are disposed inside the main frame so as to be able to move vertically; and a car suspending body that suspends the upper car and the lower car on the main frame so as to counterbalance each other. A stopper sheave is disposed on a lower portion of the main frame. A flexible stopper cord-like body is wound onto the stopper sheave. The stopper cord-like body is connected to the upper car on a first side of the stopper sheave and is connected to the lower car on a second side of the stopper sheave.

In a double-deck elevator, a car apparatus includes: a main frame; an upper car and a lower car that are disposed inside the main frame so as to be able to move vertically; and a car suspending body that suspends the upper car and the lower car on the main frame so as to counterbalance each other. A stopper sheave is disposed on a lower portion of the main frame. A flexible stopper cord-like body is wound onto the stopper sheave. The stopper cord-like body is connected to the upper car on a first side of the stopper sheave and is connected to the lower car on a second side of the stopper sheave.

Stall condition in an elevator is potentially dangerous situation if it causes slack to the ropes of the elevator. In such situation a counterweight or elevator car does not move even if the hoisting machine is still operating. This situation may be prevented by stopping the elevator as early as possible after detecting such stall condition. The detection of the stall condition is based on monitoring the torque generated by the hoisting machine of the elevator. When rapid change in the torque is detected a stall condition is suspected. The elevator may be stopped or an alarm may be launched when the stall condition is suspected.

A break detection device includes a sensor, an abnormal variation detection unit (22), a storage unit (20), an arithmetic unit (23), and a break determination unit (24). The arithmetic unit (23) increases a determination score when the abnormal variation detection unit (22) detects occurrence of an abnormal variation when a car (1) passes a position stored in the storage unit (20). The arithmetic unit (23) decreases the determination score when the abnormal variation detection unit (22) does not detect the occurrence of the abnormal variation when the car (1) passes the position. The break determination unit (24) determines whether or not a broken portion is present in a rope on the basis of the determination score.

A break detection device includes a sensor, an abnormal variation detection unit (22), a storage unit (20), an arithmetic unit (23), and a break determination unit (24). The arithmetic unit (23) increases a determination score when the abnormal variation detection unit (22) detects occurrence of an abnormal variation when a car (1) passes a position stored in the storage unit (20). The arithmetic unit (23) decreases the determination score when the abnormal variation detection unit (22) does not detect the occurrence of the abnormal variation when the car (1) passes the position. The break determination unit (24) determines whether or not a broken portion is present in a rope on the basis of the determination score.

A linear actuator assembly having a flexible tether that runs along a guide track. The flexible tether has a first segment and a second segment, wherein a predetermined tension exists in the flexible tether. A restraining mechanism is coupled to the flexible tether that automatically engages the guide track when the tension in the flexible tether drops below a predetermined threshold. Accordingly, if the flexible tether were to break, the load carried by the linear actuator would lock in place and would not fall under the force of its weight.

A vibration damping device for reducing vibration of an elevator rope includes a displacement amplifier arranged around a region from a first portion of the elevator rope drawn and a second portion of the elevator rope drawn from an opposite side of one or more sheaves in parallel with the first portion. The displacement amplifier is configured to amplify a displacement of each of the first portion and the second portion of the elevator rope. The device also includes a limiting member that controls displacement amplification performed by the displacement amplifier such that the displacement of the first portion or the second portion amplified by the displacement amplifier does not become greater than a first displacement, which is a displacement of the elevator rope by which the elevator rope is not allowed to return to an equilibrium position of the vibration.

An elevator includes a car, a counterweight, a rotatable drive member, and one or more suspension ropes interconnecting the car and the counterweight and passing over the rotatable drive member. Each of the suspension rope(s) has a first rope section on the first side of the drive member and a second rope section on the second side of the drive member, the first section(s) of the rope(s) being connected to the car to suspend the car. The second section(s) of the rope(s) are connected to the counterweight to suspend the counterweight. Drive machinery controls rotation of the drive member. The elevator includes a rope tension sensor mounted on the counterweight and arranged to sense tension of the second section(s) of the rope(s). The rope(s) include(s) electrically conducting member(s) extending continuously along the length of the rope(s) forming an electrically conducting connection between the car and counterweight. The rope tension sensor is functionally connected with the drive machinery via said electrically conducting connection between the car and counterweight such that reduced rope tension of the second rope section(s) sensed by the rope tension sensor triggers the drive machinery to brake rotation of the drive member and/or to stop rotating the drive member.