RAIL FOOT HOLDER FOR FASTENING A RAIL OF AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM

Abstract

A rail foot holder used in a method to fasten a rail of an elevator system in an elevator shaft has a contact body arranged in the elevator shaft in a stationary manner, at least one clamping part, and at least one intermediate part. The contact body defines a contact plane for a rail foot of the rail. The clamping part is connected to the contact body. The intermediate part is arranged between the clamping part and the contact body. When fastening the rail, a holding dimension between the clamping part and the contact plane can be set or changed for adaptation to the rail foot. The intermediate part has a fixed intermediate part height which, together with a clamping part height of the clamping part, determines the holding dimension.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A rail foot holder for fastening a rail of an elevator system in an elevator shaft, the rail foot holder having a contact body arranged in the elevator shaft, a clamping part and an intermediate part, whereby a contact plane for a rail foot of the rail is defined by the contact body, and whereby the intermediate part is arranged between the clamping part and the contact body, comprising: when the rail is fastened in the elevator shaft by the rail foot holder, a holding dimension between the clamping part and the contact plane can be set for adaptation to the rail foot and the intermediate part arranged between the clamping part and the contact body has a fixed intermediate part height which, together with a clamping part height of the clamping part, determines the holding dimension, whereby the holding dimension, in an assembled state of the rail and the rail foot holder, is firmly set between a point of contact or an area of contact on the clamping part and the contact plane; and whereby the clamping part is pivotable relative to the intermediate part around an axis that is oriented vertical to the contact plane, when the rail is fastened, to change the holding dimension.

17. The rail foot holder according to claim 16 including a side guide formed on the intermediate part on which, in the assembled state, the rail foot is guided along a longitudinal side of the rail foot that faces the intermediate part.

18. The rail foot holder according to claim 17 wherein the intermediate part can be set for adaptation to the rail foot when the rail is fastened parallel to the contact plane and the intermediate part is secured relative to the contact body stationarily in the assembled state.

19. The rail foot holder according to claim 17 wherein the intermediate part has at least one of a sliding insert that at least partially forms the side guide and a sliding means provided on the side guide in the assembled state.

20. The rail foot holder according to claim 17 including at least one strengthening rib formed on the contact body that supports the intermediate part in the assembled state on a side of the intermediate part facing away from the side guide of the intermediate part.

21. The rail foot holder according to claim 16 including a protrusion formed on the clamping part, wherein in the assembled state the point of contact or the area of contact is located between the protrusion and the rail foot.

22. The rail foot holder according to claim 21 wherein the clamping part has a contact plane determined by a contact surface between the clamping part and the intermediate part and the protrusion has a clamping plane, wherein the clamping plane extends slanted relative to the contact plane.

23. The rail foot holder according to claim 21 wherein the clamping part has a pivot range around the axis not greater than one of 90° and 120° for changing the holding dimension.

24. The rail foot holder according to claim 21 including a securing element that, in the assembled state, connects the clamping part relative to at least one of the intermediate part and the contact body so that the holding dimension is firmly set in the assembled state.

25. The rail foot holder according to claim 16 including a shoulder part holding the clamping part and the intermediate part together, in the assembled state, between the shoulder part and the contact body and a fastening means pushing the shoulder part against the contact body.

26. The rail foot holder according to claim 25 wherein the shoulder part has a distance section with a tubular geometry that, in the assembled state, extends through a through bore of the clamping part and through a through bore of the intermediate part and at least one securing pin formed on the shoulder part that protrudes over an end surface of the distance section and that, in the assembled state, engages in a cutout formed on the contact body.

27. The rail foot holder according to claim 16 wherein the clamping part provides a continuously variable clamping part height when the rail is fastened and as a result the holding dimension is correspondingly variable.

28. The rail foot holder according to claim 16 including a contact protrusion formed on the contact body on which contact protrusion the rail foot is at least indirectly supported in the assembled state.

29. A method for fastening a rail of an elevator system in an elevator shaft by at least one rail foot holder according to claim 16, comprising the steps of: arranging the contact body in the elevator shaft; arranging a side part of the rail foot between the contact plane provided by the clamping part and the contact body; and pivoting the clamping part to set the holding dimension in relation to the rail foot.

30. The method according to claim 29 including pivoting the clamping part around the axis until the rail foot is held without play to prevent twisting or tilting of the rail relative to a longitudinal axis of the rail, but the rail foot is held with a clamping force between the clamping part and the contact plane that permits longitudinal displacement of the rail relative to the rail foot holder, and securing the clamping part relative to the contact body when the holding dimension is set.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement with a rail foot holder and a further rail foot holder that are used to fasten a rail of an elevator system in an elevator shaft, in a schematic sectional view according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a clamping part of the rail foot holder, represented in FIG. 1 from the viewpoint designated as II, together with a side view of the clamping part.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows the clamping part and a shoulder part of the rail foot holder shown in FIG. 1 from the viewpoint designated as II.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement with a rail foot holder that is used to fasten a rail of an elevator system in an elevator shaft in a detailed schematic sectional view according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows the rail foot holder of the second exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 in a spatial, schematic explosion view.

[0039] FIG. 6 shows an elevator system in which at least one rail with a rail foot holder is fastened according to a possible embodiment of the invention in a detailed, schematic sectional view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement 1 with a rail foot holder 2 and a further rail foot holder 3 as well as a rail (elevator rail) 4 and a fastening body 5 in a schematic sectional view according to a first embodiment of the invention. Here, the fastening body 5 is arranged in an elevator shaft 6. The fastening body 5 may be part of a fastening structure 7, 7A (FIG. 6) here, which is arranged in the elevator shaft 6 in a stationary manner and which is connected for example with a shaft wall 8 (FIG. 6). Generally, the fastening body 5 is formed so that it can be set in relation to the shaft wall 8. This way, the dimension deviations of the elevator shaft 6 may be compensated. After the fastening body 5 has been set, the fastening body 5 is secured so that its location in the elevator shaft 6 is determined and therefore stationary. In a modified design, the fastening body 5 may, however, also be part of the arrangement 1 that comprises the two rail foot holders 2, 3.

[0041] The rail 4 comprises a rail foot 10. The rail foot 10 comprises a first side part 11 and a second side part 12. In this embodiment, the rail foot holder 2 is assigned to the first side part 11. The further rail foot holder 3 is assigned to the second side part 12. In the assembled state, the first rail foot holder 2 interacts with the first side part 11, and the second rail foot holder 3 interacts with the second side part 12, so that a bilateral fastening of the rail foot 10 to the fastening body 5 is achieved as it is shown in FIG. 1.

[0042] The design of the (first) rail foot holder 2 and the design of the further or second rail foot holder 3 correlate with each other in this exemplary embodiment. In this exemplary embodiment, both rail foot holders 2, 3 allow for an adaptation to the rail foot 10. In a modified design, a rail foot holder 2, 3 may be modified and in particular simplified as well.

[0043] The arrangement 1 has a contact body 15 that is assigned in this exemplary embodiment to the rail foot holder 2 and in which a further contact body 15′ is assigned to the further rail foot holder 3. The further contact body 15′ is designed in correspondence with the contact body 15 of the rail foot holder 2.

[0044] The contact body 15 comprises a contact area 16 that faces the rail foot 10 and that provides in this exemplary embodiment a contact plane 17 for the rail foot 10. The rail foot 10 has an underside 18 that faces the contact body 15 and that, in the assembled state, is aligned with the contact plane 17.

[0045] The rail foot 10 furthermore has an upper side 19 that faces away from the underside 18. The upper side 19 is divided here into a partial 20 on the first side part 11 and a partial 21 on the second side part 12.

[0046] The rail foot holder 2 comprises an intermediate part 22 and a clamping part 23. Furthermore, a shoulder part 24 is provided on which, in this exemplary embodiment, a distance section 25 is formed. The distance section 25 is formed in this exemplary embodiment as a tubular distance section 25. The distance section 25 may, specifically, have the shape of a hollow cylinder here. In general, the distance section 25 may be based on a tubular geometry where slits or other recesses may be inserted into the distance section 25.

[0047] In the assembled state, a protrusion 26 formed on a clamping part shoulder 27 of the clamping part 23 lies against a contact 28 on the partial area 20 of the upper side 19 of the rail foot 10. The contact is a point of contact 28 or an area of contact 28 that allows for a small-sized contact. This results in a holding dimension H between the protrusion 26 and the contact plane 17 with which the first side part 11 of the rail foot 10 is held. In the assembled state, the holding dimension H is firmly set.

[0048] The intermediate part 22 has an intermediate part height h which is firmly set by the geometry of the intermediate part 22 and which is additively included in the holding dimension H. In addition to the intermediate part height h, a clamping part height k results on the clamping part 23 which is included in the holding dimension H as well. The holding dimension H results from the sum of the intermediate part height h and the clamping part height k. A value of the clamping part height k may be positive or negative here.

[0049] During the assembly, the clamping part 23 is pivotable by an axis 29 of the rail foot holder 2. The clamping part height k may be varied by such pivoting. This may be realized in such a way, for example, that the protrusion 26 is formed opposite to a pivoting direction 30 (FIG. 2) with a varying height v. Since the point of contact 28 is at least substantially stationary on the upper side 19 of the rail foot 10 when the clamping part 23 is pivoted in the pivoting direction 30, the clamping part height k decreases accordingly as the height v of the protrusion at the point of contact 28 increases. This decreases the holding dimension H accordingly.

[0050] Depending on the design of the clamping part 23, the clamping part height k may always be added to the intermediate part height h to obtain the holding dimension H. This corresponds to a preferred embodiment because, this way, the total height of the rail foot holder 2 can be reduced along its axis 29 and thus a compact design achieved. In embodiments that are modified accordingly, the clamping part height k may even be a negative amount or always make a negative contribution to the holding dimension H. Therefore, the clamping part height k may also be included in the holding dimension H in a subtractive manner so that the holding dimension H may be smaller than the intermediate part height h. In particular in designs in which the clamping part height k can reduce the intermediate part height h (as well), the clamping part height k may also simply be referred to as the clamping part contribution k. The holding dimension H is therefore ultimately determined by a predetermined intermediate part height h of the intermediate part together with the clamping part height k of the clamping part 23, whereby the clamping part contribution k may have positive or negative values.

[0051] The rail foot holder 2 comprises a fastening means 35 that is designed in this exemplary embodiment as a screw bolt 35. During assembly, the shoulder part 24 is pushed against the contact body 15 by means of the screw bolt 35 and a nut 37 supported at the fastening body 5 by means of a washer 36 to secure the clamping part 23. Then, the holding dimension H is firmly set in the assembled state. In the assembled state, the shoulder part 24 is supported at the contact body 15 by means of the clamping part 23 and the intermediate part 22. To ensure a secure clamping, the distance section 25 is shortened. A front side (support surface) 38 of the distance section 25 is recessed correspondingly.

[0052] In the same way, the further rail foot holder 3 comprises an intermediate part 22′, a clamping part 23′, a shoulder part 24′ with a distance section 25′, on which a front side 38′ is formed, a screw bolt 35′, a washer 36′, and a nut 37′. Here, the clamping part 23′ is pivotable in the respective manner around an axis 29′ of the further rail foot holder 3. Furthermore, a clamping part shoulder 27′ with a protrusion 26′ is formed on the clamping part 23′. On the protrusion 26′, a contact 28′ in the form of a point of contact 28′ or an area of contact 28′ is determined relative to the partial surface 21 of the upper side 19 of the rail foot 10 on the second side part 12, when the rail foot holder 3 is mounted to the rail 4.

[0053] On the further rail foot holder 3, a holding dimension H′ may be set between the contact 28′ and a contact plane 17′ of the further contact body 15′. The holding dimension H′ is comprised here of the intermediate part height h′ of the intermediate part 22′ and a clamping part height k′ of the clamping part 23′. Here, the intermediate part height h′ always makes an additive contribution to the holding dimension H′. The contribution k′ that is contributed by the clamping part 23′ to the holding dimension H′ is preferably included in the holding dimension H′ in an additive manner. The clamping part 23′ may, however, be formed so that the contribution k′ is deducted from the intermediate part height h′ over at least a partial area to set the holding dimension H′.

[0054] The foot rail 10 comprises on its first side part 11 a first longitudinal side 41 and on its second part 12 a second longitudinal side 42. The first longitudinal side 41 on the first side part 11 faces the intermediate part 22. The second longitudinal side 42 of the rail foot 10 on the second side part 12 faces the intermediate part 22′.

[0055] A side guide 43 is formed on the intermediate part 22 on which, in the mounted state, the rail foot 10 is guided along its longitudinal side 41. Accordingly, a side guide 43′ on the intermediate part 22′ makes it possible to guide the rail foot 10 on its second longitudinal side 42.

[0056] A strengthening rib 44 is formed on the contact body 15 that supports the intermediate part 22 in the assembled state on a side 45 perpendicular to the contact plane 17 and facing away from the side guide 43 of the intermediate part 22. In addition to the fastening of the intermediate part 22 by means of the shoulder part 24, the forces that occur may therefore be braced by means of the supporting rib 44 as well. For the intermediate part 22′, a corresponding supporting rib 44′ is formed on the side 45′ of the intermediate part 22′ on the contact body 15′.

[0057] The rail foot holders 2, 3 can therefore be set in this embodiment together with the respective contact bodies 15, 15′ so that they can be attached to a precisely determined width of the rail foot 10. Longitudinal holes are, for example, arranged in the fastening body 5 for this purpose.

[0058] Alternatively, the two contact bodies 15, 15′ may be made from one piece. In this case, however, the lateral support ribs 44, 44′ must be left out to allow for a setting of the intermediate parts 22, 22′ at the width of the rail.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows the clamping part 23 of the rail foot holder 2 shown in FIG. 1 from the viewpoint identified as II, and in the same FIG. 2 a lateral sectional view is shown along line A-A. The clamping part 23 comprises a through bore 50 through which the distance section 25 extends in the assembled state. Accordingly, a through bore 51 (FIG. 1) is formed on the intermediate part 22. In this exemplary embodiment, the through bore 50 is expanded by an optional groove 52. The design of the groove 52 may, at the most, prevent a pivoting around the axis 29 to a pivoting range 53. Here, a suitable rib may engage in the groove 52 at the distance section 25. An unlimited design may be realized as well in which there is no groove 52.

[0060] In this exemplary embodiment, a dotted line 54 illustrates a design of the protrusion 26. Here, a width b of the protrusion 26 decreases in the pivoting direction 30 from as, hereby accordingly, as shown in the lateral sectional view, the height v of the protrusion 26 decreases as well. In other words, the variable height v is achieved by having a clamping plane E2 that is determined by the course of the protrusion 26 run to a contact plane E1 that lies against the intermediate part 22 in a slanted manner. By rotating or pivoting the clamping part, the resulting clamping height is varied at the point of contact with the rail foot. Consequently, during assembly, the clamping part 23 can be pivoted in the pivoting direction 30 until the side part 11 of the rail foot 10 is at least substantially without play, but held with a practically disappearing clamping force between the clamping part 23 and the contact plane 17. In the example of FIG. 2, the height v of the protrusion 26 corresponds at the same time to the clamping part height k of FIG. 1.

[0061] FIG. 3 shows the clamping part 23 and the shoulder part 24 of the rail foot holder 2 shown in FIG. 1 from the viewpoint identified as II. During the assembly, the shoulder part 24 is secured by means of the fastening means 35. When the holding dimension H is set, the clamping part 23 is secured to the clamping part shoulder 27 by means of a securing element 55. This means that, after the fastening, the clamping part 23 can no longer pivot. This prevents in particular a displacement caused by shearing forces that occur during operation. This way, the holding dimension H is firmly set. By means of the shoulder part 24, the clamping part 23 is then secured to the contact body 15 and can no longer pivot around the axis 29. A possible security element 55 is a pin, for example, which is inserted after the assembly. When necessary, the pin or the fastening element 55 may be pushed through the clamping part 23, the intermediate part 22, and the contact body 15 until it reaches the fastening body 5. This way, the entire rail foot holder 2 may be protected against a displacement.

[0062] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement 1 with a rail foot holder 2 that is used to fasten a rail 4 in an elevator shaft 6 in a detailed, schematic sectional view according to a second embodiment of the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the contact body 15 of the arrangement 1 is formed as a part of the rail foot holder 2, while a further contact body 15′ is provided for the further rail foot holder 3. On the contact body 15, at least one contact protrusion 60 is formed in this exemplary embodiment on which the rail foot 10 is supported on its underside 18 in the assembled state. This provides direct support. In a modified design, indirect support may be provided, for example by arranging an intermediate layer on the underside 18 of the rail foot 10. This provides at least indirect support.

[0063] A point or line-shaped contact 61 for the rail foot 10 is realized on the support protrusion 60. The contact plane 17 is then defined together with further such supports that correspond to support 61 on further rail foot holders that correspond to the rail foot holder 2. The rail foot holder 2 is then positioned relative to the contact plane 17. Here, the contact plane 17 does not necessarily have to be located on the contact protrusion 60 because, in a modified embodiment, a space formed by one or more contact layers is conceivable.

[0064] FIG. 5 shows the rail foot holder 2 of the second embodiment from FIG. 4 in a spatial, schematic explosion view. In this embodiment, securing pins 62 are provided on the distance section 25 that protrude over the front side (support surface) 38. To simplify the illustration, only the securing pin 62 is identified. During the assembly, the securing pins 62 are inserted into the respectively formed cutouts 63 of the contact body 15. To make the illustration easier to understand, only the cutout 63 is identified here. In the assembled state, the securing pins 62 then extend into the respective cutouts 63. This way, a form-fitting connection is realized between the clamping part shoulder 27 and the contact body 15.

[0065] In this embodiment, the side guide 43 is realized as a convexly shaped surface 43 on the intermediate part 22. During the assembly, a suitable sliding means may be applied to the side guide 43. Furthermore, the side guide 43 may be formed on a sliding insert 64 (FIG. 4) inserted into the intermediate part 22. This way, improved sliding properties may be realized for the rail foot 10.

[0066] FIG. 6 shows an elevator system 100 in which a rail 4 with a number of rail foot holders 2, 2A is fastened in an elevator shaft 6 in a detailed, schematic sectional view. The rail foot holders 2, 2A may here be formed in accordance with the first embodiment described in FIG. 1, the second embodiment described in FIG. 4, or in accordance with any of the modifications mentioned. In this exemplary embodiment, the fastening body 5 is part of a fastening structure 7 which is fastened to a side 70 of the shaft wall 8. The fastening body 5 is connected with the fastening structure 7 so that it can be set. Accordingly, a fastening structure 7A with a fastening body 5A is provided for the rail foot holder 2A. The contact plane 17 is defined on the underside 18 of the rail foot 10 of the rail 4 by means of the rail foot holders 2, 2A.

[0067] The rail 4 may be used as a guide rail 4 and/or retarder 4. Here, a diagram of an elevator car 71 is shown that is suspended on a suspension means 72 in the elevator shaft 6. A guide roller 73 attached to the elevator car 71 may act together with the rail 4 for example. Any guide forces occurring during operation may then be reliably transferred from the rail 4 to the shaft wall 8 by means of the rail foot holders 2, 2A.

[0068] If the dimensions of the building change due to a settling of the building, temperature-related length changes, or the like, relative changes in length may occur between the shaft wall 8 and the rail 4. Such changes in length occur along an extension 74 of the rail 4. The rail foot holders 2, 2A allow here a compensation of the length because the rail 4 can slide through the rail foot holders 2, 2A along its extension 74.

[0069] Consequently, both a reliable fastening of the rail 4 in the elevator shaft 6 is realized as well as an advantageous movement of the rail 4 along its extension 74 to compensate for relative changes in length.

[0070] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and the modifications described.

[0071] 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.