An apparatus includes a drum to draw in or let out a line and a motor and transmission coupled to the drum to apply a torque thereto. The transmission includes at least one stage of gearing to reduce a gear ratio of the motor relative to the drum. A shaft couples the motor to the transmission and a locking mechanism selectively locks the shaft to prevent rotation of the drum. In certain embodiments, a braking mechanism may be provided in addition to the locking mechanism to slow the motor when the motor is not applying torque to the drum. This may slow the motor sufficiently to enable engagement of the locking mechanism.

An apparatus includes a drum to draw in or let out a line and a motor and transmission coupled to the drum to apply a torque thereto. The transmission includes at least one stage of gearing to reduce a gear ratio of the motor relative to the drum. A shaft couples the motor to the transmission and a locking mechanism selectively locks the shaft to prevent rotation of the drum. In certain embodiments, a braking mechanism may be provided in addition to the locking mechanism to slow the motor when the motor is not applying torque to the drum. This may slow the motor sufficiently to enable engagement of the locking mechanism.

An elevator brake assembly including an asymmetrical brake comprising at least three brake segments, a brake activating device operably coupled to the asymmetrical brake, the brake activating device comprising a first activation element and a second activation element, wherein the first activation element is configured to activate one of the at least three brake segments, and the second activation element is configured to activate the remaining of the at least three brake segments.

The system for controlling the opening and/or closing of a normally-closed machinery brake opening by means of at least one magnetizing coil and closing by means of at least one closing spring comprises: at least one estimation and control loop according to the invention and at least one measuring and control circuit according to the invention, which are connected or can be connected to each other, and of which a) the estimation and control loop is configured to use an input (I(t)) produced by the measuring and control circuit, and b) the measuring and control circuit is configured to use the modulation reference (U.sub.GE) produced by the estimation and control loop for connecting the voltage (U.sub.9) to be connected over the magnetizing coil.

The system for controlling the opening and/or closing of a normally-closed machinery brake opening by means of at least one magnetizing coil and closing by means of at least one closing spring comprises: at least one estimation and control loop according to the invention and at least one measuring and control circuit according to the invention, which are connected or can be connected to each other, and of which a) the estimation and control loop is configured to use an input (I(t)) produced by the measuring and control circuit, and b) the measuring and control circuit is configured to use the modulation reference (U.sub.GE) produced by the estimation and control loop for connecting the voltage (U.sub.9) to be connected over the magnetizing coil.

A brake system for an elevator car includes a multiple of brake segments to control a timing and a rate of brake torque for deceleration of the elevator car, a first of the multiple of brake segments includes a first electromagnetic coil with a characteristic different than a second electromagnetic coil of a second of the multiple of brake segments.

A brake system for an elevator car includes a multiple of brake segments for deceleration of the elevator car and a brake control circuit operable to control operation of each of the multiple of brake segments to passively sequence activation of each of the multiple of brake segments.

A method and apparatus for monitoring an elevator drive brake wherein the method includes the steps of detecting a spring force (F.sub.s-closed) when the brake is closed, detecting a spring force (F.sub.s-open) when the brake is open, determining the difference between the two detected spring forces (F.sub.s), and comparing the difference between the two detected spring forces with at least one preset permissible force differential (F.sub.smin; F.sub.smax) to determine whether the brake is defective. The apparatus includes a force sensor for each brake spring to be monitored, and an electronic monitor that stores at least one preset permissible force differential (F.sub.smin; F.sub.smax) and, during operation, compares the at least one preset permissible force differential with an actual force difference (F.sub.s) between an open spring force (F.sub.s-open) and a closed spring force (F.sub.s-closed) as detected by the force sensor.

A method and apparatus for monitoring an elevator drive brake wherein the method includes the steps of detecting a spring force (F.sub.s-closed) when the brake is closed, detecting a spring force (F.sub.s-open) when the brake is open, determining the difference between the two detected spring forces (F.sub.s), and comparing the difference between the two detected spring forces with at least one preset permissible force differential (F.sub.smin; F.sub.smax) to determine whether the brake is defective. The apparatus includes a force sensor for each brake spring to be monitored, and an electronic monitor that stores at least one preset permissible force differential (F.sub.smin; F.sub.smax) and, during operation, compares the at least one preset permissible force differential with an actual force difference (F.sub.s) between an open spring force (F.sub.s-open) and a closed spring force (F.sub.s-closed) as detected by the force sensor.

An electromechanical actuator (1) includes a motor (3) driving a shaft (4), a piston (5) movable in an axial direction between a low and high positions and an upper sleeve (8) slidably mounted on the shaft (4) below the piston (5). A lower sleeve (7) is attached to the shaft (4) and radially extending arms (9) are attached to the shaft (4) between the sleeves (7, 8). Flyweights (10), elongated in the axial direction, are slidably mounted on the arms (9). Lower and upper ramps (11, 12) contact the axial ends of the flyweights (10) and start from one of the sleeves (7, 8) and extend away from the shaft (4) towards the other sleeve (7, 8) such that the flyweights (10) are interposed between the ramps (11, 12) to maintain the spacing of the sleeves (7, 8). An electromagnet (14) holds the piston (5) in the high position.