SAFETY SYSTEM FOR A SERVICE SPACE WITHIN AN ELEVATOR SHAFT

Abstract

The invention concerns a safety arrangement of an elevator facility for safeguarding a work environment in an elevator shaft by actuating an actuator ensuring that an elevator car is not moving unintentionally during a safety situation, the elevator facility having a control system to which the safety arrangement is connected. According to the invention the safety arrangement comprises hydraulic activation means including a suspended floating platform being vertically movable, under which platform a sensing hydraulic cylinder is installed for activating the actuator upon loading of the platform.

Claims

1. A safety arrangement of an elevator facility for safeguarding a safety space in an elevator shaft by operating an actuator ensuring that an elevator car is not moving into the safety space, the elevator facility having a control system to which the safety arrangement is connected, wherein the safety arrangement comprises hydraulic activation means including a suspended floating platform being vertically movable, under which platform a sensing hydraulic cylinder is installed for operating the actuator upon loading of the platform.

2. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said actuator is a hydraulic cylinder moving therewith an activation part for engagement with a stopping element.

3. The safety arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said stopping element is a stopping block installed as stationary in relation to a height of the shaft wall.

4. The safety arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said stopping element activates an elevator car safety gear.

5. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the platform is levered pivotally by being hinged about a pivot lying at or outside of a rim of the platform.

6. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the platform is suspended in a floating manner on compressive means.

7. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the platform is supported by a spring by means of which the moving distance of the platform can be adjusted in response to the amount of load.

8. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a safety switch is integrated into the hydraulic activation means, so that when being triggered by a movement of the platform it sends a signal to the control system.

9. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic sensing cylinder and/or the actuator is/are single acting cylinder(s).

10. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is provided with a return spring.

11. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic activation means comprises a hydraulic pump resetting the safety arrangement by returning cylinder(s) back on starting position.

12. The safety arrangement according to claim 11, wherein via the pump and the actuator there is a loop circulating the hydraulic fluid until load is removed from the platform.

13. The safety arrangement according to claim 12, wherein there is provided a non-return valve in the loop preventing return flow from the actuator.

14. The safety arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the non-return valve includes a closing spring.

15. The safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic activation means comprises electrical means resetting the safety arrangement by returning cylinder(s) back on starting position.

16. An elevator system having the safety arrangement according to claim 1.

17. The safety arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the platform is levered pivotally by being hinged about a pivot lying at or outside of a rim of the platform.

18. The safety arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the platform is levered pivotally by being hinged about a pivot lying at or outside of a rim of the platform.

19. The safety arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the platform is levered pivotally by being hinged about a pivot lying at or outside of a rim of the platform.

20. The safety arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the platform is suspended in a floating manner on compressive means.

Description

[0026] Embodiments of the invention are shown in the figures and they are explained in the following description.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a safety arrangement,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a safety device, and

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a further safety device.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a safety arrangement 10 of an elevator facility. The safety arrangement 10 is capable of safeguarding a work environment in an elevator shaft. The safety arrangement 10 comprises a suspended platform 12 that is levered pivotally by being hinged about a pivot 26 lying at or outside of a rim of the platform 12. Therewith the suspended platform 12 is vertically movable upon loading the platform 12 for example by a servicing employee entering the platform 12 and causing a force F.

[0031] Under the platform 12 a hydraulic activation means in form of a sensing hydraulic cylinder 16 is arranged. The sensing hydraulic cylinder 16 is connected to an actuator 14, comprising a rod 20 for bringing an activation part 22 into engagement with a stopping element 24. Caused by the engagement between the activation part 22 and the stopping element 24 an elevator car (not shown) cannot move vertically in the elevator shaft.

[0032] The actuator may move a mechanical detent that has a counterpart fixed to the shaft wall or other stationary structure, or it may be mechanically connected to the safety gear linkage.

[0033] Further, the actuator can actuate the elevator safety gear either by mechanical linkage or by stopping the overspeed governor rope. In the latter case, the overspeed governor rope would correspond to the activation part 22 in FIG. 1.

[0034] Additionally, the platform 12 is supported by a spring 28 to adjust the moving distance of the platform 12 in response to the amount of a load and to adjust the activating force for the actuator 14. The spring 28 is arranged under the platform 12 adjacent the sensing hydraulic cylinder 16.

[0035] The sensing hydraulic cylinder 16 comprises a safety switch 30 that is capable of sending a signal to a control system when being triggered by a movement of the platform 12.

[0036] The actuator 14 is formed as a hydraulic cylinder which also comprises a safety switch 31 that is capable of sending a signal to the control system when being triggered by a movement of the platform 12 and respectively when being triggered by a movement of the rod 20 activated by the sensing hydraulic cylinder 16 engaging the activation part 22 with the stopping element 24.

[0037] Further the actuator 14 comprises a return spring 32 to disengage the activation part 22 and the stopping element 24 bringing the actuator 14 to its original position.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the actuator 14. The actuator 14 comprises the rod 20 capable of engaging the activation part 22 with the stopping element 24, the safety switch 31 capable of sending a signal to the control system when being triggered and the return spring 32 capable of disengaging the activation part 22 and the stopping element 24 bringing the actuator 14 to its original position.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment according to the invention with the actuator 14 and a hydraulic pump 34, operated by electronical motor or hand pump M, for resetting the safety arrangement 10 by resetting the actuator 14 and the sensing hydraulic cylinder 16 back to the starting position. Further, the embodiment comprises a non-return safety valve 36 with a closing spring 38 in the hydraulic line activating the actuator 14 and a hydraulic line for return flow.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0040] 10 safety arrangement [0041] 12 platform [0042] 14 actuator [0043] 16 hydraulic cylinder [0044] 20 rod [0045] 22 activation part [0046] 24 stopping element [0047] 26 pivot [0048] 28 spring [0049] 30/31 safety switch [0050] 32 return spring [0051] 34 hydraulic pump [0052] 36 non-return valve [0053] 38 closing spring