The disclosure relates to a guide rail to guide the car of an elevator system. The guide rail is designed as a section with a cavity (2a-2f) and/or integrated cooling fins to cool the guide rail.

A guidance mechanism for an elevator car is constructed and arranged to move along a lane defined at least in-part between two opposing first and second lane structures of a stationary structure. The guidance mechanism includes a first support structure supported by the first lane structure. The first support structure includes a first retainer face disposed between the elevator car and the first lane structure that substantially faces the first lane structure, and is spaced from the first lane structure. A first retention device of the mechanism is disposed, at least in part, between the first retainer face and the first lane structure. The first retention device is supported by the elevator car and is constructed and arranged to contact the first retainer face for limiting lateral movement of the elevator car away from the first lane structure and toward the second lane structure.

An elevator system is provided including a hoistway having a plurality of landings. An elevator car is configured to move within the hoistway between the plurality of landings. A plurality of guide rails guide movement of the elevator car and a counterweight within the hoistway. Each guide rail includes a base and a blade. A machine assembly is mounted within the hoistway and includes a traction sheave rotatable about an axis. The traction sheave is configured to drive movement of the elevator car between the plurality of landings. At least one of the plurality of guide rails is arranged in an overlapping configuration with the machine assembly such that a plane defined by the base of the guide rail is parallel to the axis and intersects a portion of the traction sheave.

A guide rail for an elevator system may include at least one rail element that is fastened by at least one fastening means to at least one shaft wall of the elevator system. The at least one rail element may be mounted in a movable manner in relation to at least one shaft wall. The at least one rail element can be moved in relation to the at least one shaft wall such that a space behind the at least one rail element and the shaft wall is accessible for inspection purposes. In some cases, the fastening means includes a hinge by which the rail element can swivel relative to the shaft wall.

An elevator system, including at least one first guide rail, which is oriented in a first, in particular vertical, direction, at least one second guide rail, which is oriented in a second, in particular horizontal, direction, a plurality of rotatable rail segments, wherein at least one thereof is transferable between an orientation in the first direction and an orientation in the second direction, at least one elevator cab, which is transportable along the guide rails and which, via the rotatable rail segments, is transferable between the different guide rails, at least one third guide rail, which is oriented in a third, in particular horizontal, direction, and wherein at least one of the rotatable rail segments is transferable between an orientation in the first or second direction into an orientation in the third direction.

A method for refinishing a surface structure of shaft material of an elevator, which extends along a shaft, enables the use of image data to determine an absolute position and/or speed of an elevator car. The elevator includes the elevator car, which is movable in the shaft, a camera, which is arranged at the elevator car and generates the image data from the surface structure, and an evaluating unit, which determines the absolute position and/or the speed of the elevator car from the image data. The surface structure is refinished at least locally in order to increase a distinctiveness of the surface structure in the image data. The shaft material can be, for example, a guide rail, a fastening element of the guide rail, or a shaft wall.

A conveying-path rotary switching unit that is a conveying path switching device includes a base, stators arranged along conveying paths for branching for a conveying carriage, a first conveying path provided on the base, and a second conveying path that is provided on the base and is different from the first conveying path. As for a conveying path on which the conveying carriage travels, the first conveying path and the second conveying path are switchable by rotation. The stators are used for both the first conveying path and the second conveying path in a shared manner.

A support device for supporting a rotary platform of an elevator. The support device includes a first form-fit engagement means at an end of a fixed first guide rail, said end facing the platform, a third form-fit engagement means at an end of a third guide rail fastened to the platform and rotatable with the latter. In an alignment of the platform to a first position, the first and third form-fit engagement means are arranged with respect such that, when the platform deflects, as around an axis arranged in a second direction, the third form-fit engagement means is supported on the at least one first form-fit engagement means.

Elevator braking systems. The elevator braking system comprises a wedge having a curved wedge bearing race and a clamping jaw having a curved jaw bearing race. The elevator braking system includes a roller bearing assembly. The assembly has two cages and a spacer maintains a space between the two cages. A plurality of rollers is rotatably coupled to the two cages. Each of the plurality of rollers is barrel shaped. A first side of the roller bearing assembly is configured to be coupled to the wedge via the curved wedge bearing race. A second side of the roller bearing assembly is configured to be coupled to the clamping jaw via the curved jaw bearing race.

A brake device for a traveling body of an elevator installation brakes on a rail having first and second braking profiles. The brake device includes a forcing element and a counter-support. The forcing element has first and second forcing working faces for acting on the first and second profiles respectively. The counter-support has a first counter-support working face for acting on the first profile, and a second counter-support working face for acting on the second profile. The first forcing working face and the first counter-support working face are arranged opposite one another at the first profile and the second forcing working face and the second counter-support working face are arranged opposite one another at the second profile. The forcing element is spread to bring the first forcing working face into contact with the first profile and the second forcing working face into contact with the second profile.