LIFTING DEVICE FOR LIFTING A PAYLOAD WITHIN AN ELEVATOR SHAFT IN A CONTROLLABLE MANNER

Abstract

A lifting device for lifting a payload within an elevator shaft in a controllable manner has a platform to be fixed in the elevator shaft, a holding device to be fixed to the payload, a lifting cable attached to the holding device, a securing cable secured to the holding device (such as, for example, a pulling device secured to the platform), and a catching device secured to the platform. The pulling device actively and controllably displaces the lifting cable relative to the platform. The lifting device displaces the securing cable in the event of a relative movement between the holding device and the platform such that the securing cable remains tensioned. The securing cable and the catching device are configured such that the catching device blocks a further relative movement between the securing cable and the catching device in the event that the lifting cable fails.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A lifting device for lifting a payload within an elevator shaft in a controllable manner, the lifting device comprising: a platform adapted to be fixed in an elevator shaft; a holding device adapted to be fixed to a payload; a lifting cable attached to the holding device; a pulling device secured to the platform; a securing cable interacting with the holding device at a first coupling point and with the platform at a second coupling point; a catching device; wherein the pulling device actively and controllably displaces the lifting cable relative to the platform; wherein the lifting device displaces the securing cable relative to the catching device when there is a relative movement between the holding device and the platform such that the securing cable remains tensioned between the first coupling point and the second coupling point; and wherein the catching device blocks a further relative movement between the securing cable and the catching device when the lifting cable fails.

16. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the holding device includes a shackle and the securing cable and the lifting cable are attached to the shackle.

17. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the catching device is secured to the platform and the securing cable is secured to the holding device.

18. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the catching device is secured to the holding device and the securing cable is secured to the platform.

19. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the catching device blocks a further relative movement between the safety cable and the catching device when a relative speed between the securing cable and the catching device exceeds a predetermined speed limit value.

20. The lifting device according to claim 19 wherein the predetermined speed limit value is greater than a maximum speed to be controlled at which the pulling device can displace the lifting cable.

21. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the lifting device includes a deflection device secured to the platform, wherein the securing cable runs from a first end thereof secured to the holding device upward to the deflection device and from the deflection device downward to a second end of the securing cable, and wherein a counterweight is secured to the second end of the securing cable.

22. The lifting device according to claim 21 wherein a weight of the holding device is greater than a sum of a weight of the counterweight and a weight of the securing cable.

23. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the securing cable is tensioned between the second coupling point on the platform and a position below the catching device, and wherein the catching device is secured to the holding device and interacts there as the first coupling point with the securing cable.

24. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the securing cable has a first end and an opposite second end, the first and second ends being secured to the platform, wherein the lifting device includes a deflection device secured to the platform and over which deflection device the securing cable runs, wherein the catching device is secured to the holding device and interacts there as the first coupling point with a first region of the securing cable running between the first end and the deflection device, and wherein the securing cable is weighted down and held under tension by a counterweight acting in a second region of the securing cable between the deflection device and the second end.

25. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the catching device blocks further relative movement between the securing cable and the catching device only when a relative speed between the securing cable and the catching device exceeds a specified speed limit value in a movement direction in which the holding device secured to the securing cable is displaced downward.

26. The lifting device according to claim 15 wherein the securing cable has a carrying capacity sufficient to hold a total weight of the payload and the holding device.

27. An elevator system comprising: an elevator car displaceable within a lower region in an elevator shaft; and a lifting device according to claim 15 arranged in the elevator shaft above the lower region.

28. The elevator system according to claim 27 being operable before a completion of the elevator shaft to displace the elevator car and to lift payloads above the elevator car by the lifting device.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG. 1 shows an elevator system comprising a lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a holding device for a lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows an elevator system comprising a lifting device according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows an elevator system comprising a lifting device according to a further alternative embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] The drawings are merely schematic and not true to scale. In the various figures, identical reference signs refer to features which are identical or have an identical function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates an elevator system 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The elevator system 1 is designed as a climb elevator. In this case, an elevator shaft 3 is not yet completely finished in a building that is still under construction.

[0060] In a lower region 5 of the elevator shaft 3, the elevator system 1 is already being operated in order to transport passengers such as construction workers or objects such as building materials between lower floors of the building. For this purpose, the elevator system 1 has an elevator car 7 which can be displaced within the lower region 5 of the elevator shaft 3 using a drive machine 9. For this purpose, the drive machine 9 is held on a platform 11 temporarily fixed in the elevator shaft 3. The drive machine 9 can displace cable-like suspension means 13, on which the elevator car 7 is suspended, upward and downward.

[0061] In an upper region 15 of the elevator shaft 3, i.e. above the platform 11 delimiting the lower region 5 at the top, the elevator system 1 has a lifting device 17 according to the invention. Using the lifting device 17, objects can already be conveyed as payloads 23 through the upper region 15 of the elevator shaft 3 during the construction of the building. The lifting device 17 is designed to also lift heavy objects such as guide rail segments 35 weighing more than 100 kg within the upper region 15 of the elevator shaft 3. Precautions are taken to reliably prevent such heavy objects from falling and thus endangering the elevator car 7 located underneath.

[0062] For this purpose, the lifting device 17 has an additional platform 19. This additional platform 19 is arranged near an upper end of the at least partially completed elevator shaft 3 and is fixed in the elevator shaft 3. For this purpose, the platform 19 can be temporarily and reversibly detachably anchored in the walls of the elevator shaft 3 using fixing means 21 such as screws, bolts, or the like. Alternatively, the platform 19 can be fixed within the elevator shaft 3 using suitable fixing means 21.

[0063] The lifting device 17 also has a pulling device 25 secured to the platform 19, a catching device 27 also secured to the platform 19, a lifting cable 29, a securing cable 31, and a holding device 33.

[0064] As shown enlarged in FIG. 2 and shown by way of example in a perspective view, the holding device 33 is designed to hold the payload 23, for example in the form of a guide rail segment 35, or to be secured thereto at least temporarily and detachably. For this purpose, the holding device 33 can be formed with an angled sheet metal 37 in which a recess 39 is formed. A shape of the recess 39 can be substantially complementary to a cross-sectional shape of the guide rail segment 35 acting as a payload 23. In the example shown, the sheet metal 37 can be slid with its recess 39 over the guide rail segment 35, and then a stop plate 41 can be temporarily secured to the guide rail segment 35 with screws 43 above the metal sheet 37. The screws 43 can be screwed into drill holes in the guide rail segment 35 which are provided for later attachment of the guide rail segment 35 to the walls of the elevator shaft 3. In this way, the guide rail segment 35 can be fixed to the holding device 33 as a payload 23. Furthermore, the holding device 33 shown has a further bore in which a shackle 45 is held. Using the shackle 45, one end of the lifting cable 29 can be secured to the holding device 33, for example using a carabiner 47.

[0065] Starting from the holding device 33, the lifting cable 29 then runs to the pulling device 25 secured to the platform 19. The pulling device 25 is configured to actively and controllably displace the lifting cable 29 relative to the platform 19. For this purpose, the pulling device 25 can be designed as a cable winch, in particular as a continuous cable winch or tirak hoist. An operation of the pulling device 25 can be controlled using a controller (not shown). The lifting cable 29 can be composed of a plurality of steel strands as a steel cable and can have a diameter of 8 mm, for example.

[0066] The securing cable 31 provided in addition to the lifting cable 29 in the lifting device 17 is intended to secure the payload 23, i.e. to prevent the payload from falling in the event that the lifting cable 25 fails.

[0067] For this purpose, the securing cable 31 is also secured to the holding device 33 with a first end. For example, the securing cable 31 can be attached to the same shackle 45 to which the lifting cable 29 is also attached. Alternatively, a further shackle or the like (not shown) can be secured or arranged on the holding device 33 for this purpose. Starting from the holding device 33, the securing cable 31 then runs upward to a deflection roller 51 serving as a deflection device 49. The deflection device 49 is held on the platform 19 and can rotate about an axis of rotation. The securing cable 31 runs over a lateral surface of the deflection device 49 and then down to a counterweight 53 which is secured to a second end of the securing cable 31. Between the deflection device 49 and the counterweight 53, the securing cable 31 still runs through the catching device 27.

[0068] Due to the counterweight 53 and the deflection of the securing cable 31 at the deflection roller 51, the securing cable 31 is thus always kept under tension. In other words, the counterweight 53 ensures that the securing cable 31 never sags slackly even if its opposite end is lifted together with the holding device 33 attached thereto using the lifting cable 29. In particular, a region of the lifting cable 29 running between the holding device 33 and the catching device 27 always remains tensioned.

[0069] The catching device 27 is configured for this purpose and interacts with the securing cable 31 in such a way that it does not block any relative movement between the securing cable 31 and the catching device 27 in the event that the lifting cable 29 fails.

[0070] For this purpose, the catching device 27 can be designed as a so-called Blocstop load arrester 55. The securing cable 31 runs through such a load arrester 55. The load arrester 55 can be designed in such a way that it directly detects a failure of the lifting cable 29 and then blocks the movement of the securing cable 31. Alternatively, the load arrester 55 may be configured to indirectly detect the failure of the lifting cable 29 by the fact that the securing cable 31 passes through the load arrester 55 at a relative speed exceeding a speed limit value, and then to block the movement of the securing cable 31. The speed limit value can be selected, for example, in such a way that it is greater than a speed at which the pulling device 25 can displace the lifting cable 29 upward as quickly as possible.

[0071] FIG. 3 shows an elevator system 1 with an alternative lifting device 17. In this embodiment, the securing cable 31 is fixed to the platform 19 at one end. An opposite end of the securing cable 31 is loaded with a counterweight 53 so that the securing cable 31 is always kept under tension. Alternatively, the securing cable 31 may have its lower end attached to another elevator component such as the lower platform 11 and be placed under tension. The securing cable 31 runs through a catching device 27 in the form of a load arrester 55 which is secured to the holding device 33. When the holding device 33 is slowly lifted by the pulling device 25 together with the payload 35, the catching device 27 can move along the tensioned securing cable 31. In the event that the lifting cable 29 breaks, the catching device 27 blocks, so that the payload 23 is held on the securing cable 31 via the holding device 33 and the catching device 27 and is prevented from falling. The lifting device 17 having a securing cable 31 running in this way can be installed in a particularly simple manner.

[0072] FIG. 4 shows an elevator system 1 with a further alternative embodiment of a lifting device 17. The securing cable 31 is attached to the platform 19 with its two ends. Furthermore, a deflection device 49 in the form of a deflection roller 51 is arranged on the platform 19. A first region of the securing cable 31 runs between the first end of the securing cable 31 and the deflection roller 51 through the catching device 27 attached to the holding device 33 in the form of a load arrester 55. A second region of the securing cable 31 runs between the deflection roller 51 and the second end of the securing cable 31 and is kept under tension by a counterweight 53 attached to it. With such an embodiment, the securing cable 31 can prevent the payload 35 from falling in many cases even if not only the lifting cable 29 but also the securing cable 31 itself should tear in one of its partial regions.

[0073] With embodiments of the lifting device 17 described, payloads 23, in particular heavy guide rail segments 35, can already be conveyed in the upper region 15 of the elevator shaft 3 during the construction phase of a building and in particular while the elevator car 7 is already being used as a means of transport in the lower region 5 of the elevator shaft 3. While the payload 23 is being lifted using the pulling device 25 and the lifting cable 29, the payload 23 is always secured against falling with the aid of the securing cable 31, for example if the lifting cable 29 unexpectedly fails. The securing cable 31 is kept under tension using the counterweight 53 and is blocked in its movement by the catching device 27 in the event of a failure of the lifting cable 29 and is thus fixed relative to the platform 19.

[0074] After the payload 23 has been lifted within the elevator shaft 3 to a target height, the holding device 33 can be detached from the payload 23. A weight of the counterweight 53 together with a weight of the securing cable 31 should be smaller than a weight of the holding device 33, in particular in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, so that the holding device 33 can be lowered in the elevator shaft 3 due to its own weight even after the payload 23 has been detached in order to be able to secure a payload 23 to it again. For example, with a counterweight weighing 8 kg and a securing cable of 40 m in length with a linear weight of 0.5 kg/m, i.e. a securing cable weight of 20 kg, the weight of the holding device 33 can be at least 30 kg.

[0075] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as “comprising,” “having,” etc. do not preclude other elements or steps, and terms such as “a” or “an” do not preclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps which have been described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above.

[0076] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.