An evacuation strategy support system using an occupant evacuation elevator (OEE) capable of supporting an evacuation strategy so that information on a number of occupants is recognized by real-time occupant monitoring and thus occupants on each floor may use stairs and the occupant evacuation elevator to safely and quickly evacuate when a disaster situation occurs in a skyscraper and thus the occupants use the occupant evacuation elevator to evacuate, capable of monitoring occupant information on each floor in real time and supporting calculation of an evacuation capacity of the occupant evacuation elevator to establish an evacuation strategy to allow safe evacuation and early reaction in an overall skyscraper to be performed, and capable of optimizing the calculation of the evacuation capacity of the occupant evacuation elevator applicable to an initial stage of a design of the skyscraper, and a method thereof are provided.

An elevator includes an elevator motor; a motor drive for the elevator motor having a frequency converter including a rectifier bridge, an inverter bridge and a DC link in between, which frequency converter is controlled via a controller, the rectifier bridge being connected to AC mains via three feed lines including chokes, and the rectifier bridge being realised via controllable semiconductor switches; a contactor being located between the feed lines and AC mains; and a backup power supply at least for emergency drive operation. An emergency control is associated with the motor drive, which emergency control is configured to perform an automatic emergency drive. The emergency control is connected to a manual drive circuit having a manual drive switch for a manual rescue drive. The elevator includes a motion sensor connected to the emergency control, whereby the emergency control is configured to activate a brake and/or gripping device of the elevator in case the car speed during a manual rescue drive exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

There is provided an ascension aid for a wind turbine comprising a cabin, a catch unit which co-operates with a securing cable as a securing means and a testing unit for testing the functionality of the catch unit. The testing unit has a base plate, a closure counterpart holder, a closing member and an actuating element coupled to the closing member. By actuation of the actuating element the closing member and the closure counterpart holder clamp the securing cable and the closing member and the closure counterpart holder move upwardly along the base plate. Upon release or de-activation of the actuating element the closing member releases the securing cable and the catch unit trips.

A method for testing an elevator hoisting machine brake with a preselected test load TL includes confirming empty elevator car positioned at a test location s.sub.test; obtaining information of elevator balancing B; obtaining information of friction F.sub.r of the elevator at the test location s.sub.test; determining required assisting test torque T.sub.M of a hoisting machine motor based on said test load TL, balancing B and friction F.sub.r; opening one of the brakes while keeping rest of the brakes engaged in braking position, applying torque with the motor at most up to the required test torque T.sub.M, measuring movement of the elevator car, and if movement of the elevator car was detected, generating a signal indicating degraded condition of one or more hoisting machine brakes.

A method for testing an elevator hoisting machine brake with a preselected test load TL includes confirming empty elevator car positioned at a test location s.sub.test; obtaining information of elevator balancing B; obtaining information of friction F.sub.r of the elevator at the test location s.sub.test; determining required assisting test torque T.sub.M of a hoisting machine motor based on said test load TL, balancing B and friction F.sub.r; opening one of the brakes while keeping rest of the brakes engaged in braking position, applying torque with the motor at most up to the required test torque T.sub.M, measuring movement of the elevator car, and if movement of the elevator car was detected, generating a signal indicating degraded condition of one or more hoisting machine brakes.

The invention concerns a brake control apparatus and a method of controlling an elevator brake. The brake control apparatus comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series with each other for selectively supplying current from a power source to an electrically operated actuator of an elevator brake. The control pole of the first switch and the control pole of the second switch are associated with an elevator safety circuit. The brake control apparatus further comprises a first monitoring circuit configured to indicate operation of the first switch and a second monitoring circuit configured to indicate operation of the second switch.

The invention concerns a brake control apparatus and a method of controlling an elevator brake. The brake control apparatus comprises a first switch and a second switch connected in series with each other for selectively supplying current from a power source to an electrically operated actuator of an elevator brake. The control pole of the first switch and the control pole of the second switch are associated with an elevator safety circuit. The brake control apparatus further comprises a first monitoring circuit configured to indicate operation of the first switch and a second monitoring circuit configured to indicate operation of the second switch.

An illustrative example embodiment of system includes at least one detector that detects a horizontal position of elevator roping at a selected vertical location. The detector provides an indication of the horizontal position at the selected vertical location in two dimensions. A processor determines at least an amplitude and a frequency of sway of the elevator roping in each of the two dimensions at the selected vertical location based on the indication from the detector.

An illustrative example embodiment of system includes at least one detector that detects a horizontal position of elevator roping at a selected vertical location. The detector provides an indication of the horizontal position at the selected vertical location in two dimensions. A processor determines at least an amplitude and a frequency of sway of the elevator roping in each of the two dimensions at the selected vertical location based on the indication from the detector.

A method for moving an elevator car of an elevator to evacuate 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 following steps: transmitting electrical power to the brake of the elevator to release the brake and enable the vertical movement of the elevator car, the brake being moved and held in a large number of positions, ranging between a fully closed position and a fully opened position, according to the electrical power transmitted; determining an actual speed at which the elevator car is moving; comparing the actual speed with a target speed; and adjusting, in particular increasing or reducing, according to a deviation of the actual speed from the target speed, the electrical power transmitted to the brake, so that the actual speed substantially corresponds to the target speed.