EP4347470A1

EP4347470A1 - Elevator rail joint and method for assembling an elevator rail

Info

Publication number: EP4347470A1
Application number: EP21730173.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Harri Mäkinen; Mikael Haag; Markku HÄIVÄLÄ; Joonas JOKELA
Original assignee: Kone Corp
Current assignee: Kone Corp
Priority date: 2021-05-28
Filing date: 2021-05-28
Publication date: 2024-04-10
Also published as: CN117355472A; WO2022248062A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an elevator rail joint, comprising: a male clamp (3) attached to an end of a first elevator rail (1), the male clamp (3) having a protrusion (5) protruding in a longitudinal direction (L1), a female clamp (4) attached to an end of a second elevator rail (2), the female clamp having an opening (8) facing a longitudinal direction (L2) of the second elevator rail (2), the female clamp (4) is shaped as a counterpart of the male clamp (3) to receive the protrusion into the opening when the first and second elevator rails are arranged as an extension to each other. To obtain a joint which is simple to assemble and has excellent properties, the protrusion is provided with a shoulder (11) in a side surface (12) of the protrusion (5), and the female clamp is provided with a latch which is movable to a lock position where the latch engages the shoulder of the protrusion received in the opening to lock the male clamp (3) and the female clamp to each other.

Description

ELEVATOR RAIL JOINT AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING AN ELEVATOR RAIL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an elevator rail joint and to a method for assembling an elevator rail at an installation site in a building.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

[0002] A challenge with the assembly of an elevator at an installation site in a building is that a lot of parts need to be attached in the elevator hoistway. This is problematic, because depending on the height of the building, the elevator hoistway may have a significant height. Consequently, all parts that need to be attached to the elevator hoistway must be transported into the correct location, which may be heigh above the ground level of the building.

[0003] Handling of elevator rails require special attention, because the number of elevator rails needed is high, and the rails have dimensions and a weight requiring particular attention.

[0004] One previously known solution is to utilize an elevator rail joint where a male and female clamp is utilized. The male clamp is attached to an end of a first elevator rail. The female clamp is attached to an end of a second elevator rail. During assembly, the first and second elevator rails are arranged on top of each other such that a protrusion of the male clamp is received in an opening of the female clamp. In this way the first and second elevator rail remain aligned in the hoistway while brackets are used to attach them to a wall of the hoistway, for instance.

[0005] A problem with the above described solution is that occasionally vertical upwards directed forces may be directed towards the rail during operation of an elevator car. Such forces may occur in several different situations, such as during gripping during emergency braking, for instance. Consequently, there is a need to prevent the ends of the rails from moving vertically apart from each other, however, without making the assembly work more difficult than previously. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawback and to provide an elevator rail joint and an assembly method which improve the assembly work and the properties of the used joints. This object is achieved with a joint according to independent claim 1 and a method according to independent claim 11.

[0007] Use of a male clamp having a protrusion and a female clamp having an opening receiving the protrusion and a locking element which contacts the protrusion to lock the male clamp and the female clamp to each other, makes it possible to simply assemble an elevator rail by utilizing joints capable of handling vertical forces.

[0008] Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] In the following the present invention will be described in closer detail by way of example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which [0010] Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a first embodiment of an elevator rail joint, [0011] Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment of an assembly method,

[0012] Figure 5 illustrates a second embodiment of an elevator rail joint, and

[0013] Figure 6 illustrates a third embodiment of an elevator rail joint.

DESCRIPTION OF AT LEAST ONE EMBODIMENT

[0014] Figures 1 to 3 illustrate a first embodiment of an elevator rail joint. Figure 1 illustrates alignment of a first rail 1 and second rail 2 in an elevator hoistway, Figure 2 illustrates locking of a male clamp 3 and a female clamp 4 to each other, and Figure 3 illustrates attachment of female clamp 4 to a second rail 2.

[0015] The male clamp 3 is attached to an end of the first elevator rail 1. A protrusion 5 protrudes in a longitudinal direction L1 of the first rail 1. In figures it has by way of example been assumed that the male clamp 3 additionally comprises a second 6 and a third 7 protrusion, which also protrude in the longitudinal direction of the first rail. However, this is not necessary in all implementations. [0016] The female clamp 4 is attached to an end of the second elevator rail 2. An opening 8 facing a longitudinal direction L2 of the second elevator rail 2 is provided to the female clamp 4. The female clamp 4 is shaped as a counterpart of the male clamp 3 to receive the protrusion 5 into the opening 8 when the first 1 and second 2 elevator rails are arranged as an extension to each other, as illustrated in Figure 1 . In the figures it has by way of example been assumed that the female clamp 4 additionally comprises a second 9 and a third 10 opening to receive the second 6 and third 7 protrusions of the male clamp.

[0017] The protrusion 5 is provided with a shoulder 11 in a side surface 12 of the protrusion 5. In the illustrated example the shoulder has been implemented by machining a groove to the protrusion. Consequently, at the location of the shoulder the width (or diameter in case of a cylindrical protrusion) of the protrusion increases.

[0018] The female clamp 4 is provided with a locking element in the form of a latch 13, as illustrated in Figure 2, for instance. Figure 2 illustrates to the left the situation when the ends of the first and second elevator rails are aligned and facing each other, and the ends have been brought close enough to each other for the protrusion 5 of the male clamp 3 to initially enter the opening 8 of the female clamp 4. To the right Figure 2 illustrates the situation when the ends have been brought even closer to each other, until the shoulder 11 of the protrusion 5 has passed the latch 13, such that locking becomes possible.

[0019] The locking element in the form of a latch 13 is movable within the female clamp 4 along a channel 14 located in a side wall of the opening 8. In practical implementations the channel may be perpendicular, or almost perpendicular, to the opening 8. Consequently, the latch 13 may be moved into the lock position illustrated to the right in Figure 2. In this position the latch 13 protrudes partially into the opening 8 and engages the shoulder 11 of the protrusion 5 which is received in the opening 8. Due to contact between the latch 13 and shoulder 11 , the protrusion remains locked in the opening, which also locks the first rail 1 with the male clamp 3 to the second rail 2 with the female clamp 4. In order to release this locking, the latch 13 may be moved in the channel 14 to a release position, to the left in Figure 2, where the latch does not protrude into the opening 8 and allows the shoulder to pass the location of the latch.

[0020] In Figure 2 the locking element in the form of the latch 13 is provided with an upwards protruding part 22 which may be manually moved by a user in order to change the position of the latch 13 within the channel 14. However, this protruding part is not necessary in all embodiments, and therefore not illustrated in Figure 3.

[0021] In Figure 3 attachment of the female clamp 4 to the second rail 2 is illustrated. In this example, the attachment is carried out with bolts 16 protruding through holes in the second rail 2 such that the bolts can engage threads in holes 17 of the female clamp 4. Similarly, the male clamp 3 can be attached to the first rails with bolts 16.

[0022] In Figure 3 it is by way of example assumed that a spring 18 is utilized in connection with the latch 13. This is, however, not necessary in all implementations, as the latch 13 may be moved in the channel 14 also without use of a spring.

[0023] In Figure 3 the latch 13 is first inserted into the channel 14 of the female clamp 4, and subsequently the spring is inserted into the channel 14. After this the second rail 2 and the female clamp 4 are attached to each other, due to which the spring force of the spring presses the latch 13 towards the lock position, where the latch 13 protrudes into the opening 8.

[0024] In order to still simplify locking between the protrusion 5 and the latch 13, preferably the latch 13, the protruding end of the protrusion 5 or both are chamfered. In the example illustrated in Figure 2, both the latch 13 and the protruding end of the protrusion are chamfered 19. Due to this, when the protrusion 5 is moved all the way into the opening, already a minimal contact between the protruding end of the protrusion 5 and the latch 13 will cause the latch to move out of the opening into the release position within the channel 14. A spring 18 in the channel 14 will at this stage become compressed, and subsequently, when the shoulder 11 has passed the latch 13, the spring force will move the latch 13 to the lock position where the latch 13 engages the shoulder 11 of the protrusion.

[0025] It should be observed that though it has by way of example been illustrated in the figures that only one of the protrusions has a shoulder and only one of the openings has a latch, it is naturally possible that also one or more of the other protrusions has a shoulder locking to an additional latch. The number of protrusions which locks to a corresponding latch has an impact on how large vertical forces the joint locking is capable to handle, due to which the number may be increased if larger vertical forces can be expected during the lifetime of the elevator installation. [0026] Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment of an assembly method. The assembly method of Figure 4 can be implemented by utilizing the elevator rail joint explained in connection with Figures 1 to 3.

[0027] In step A, a first rail 1 with a male clamp 3 in an end and a second elevator rail 2 with a female clamp 4 in an end are transported into an elevator hoistway. In practical implementation when an elevator rail is assembled of a plurality of elevator rails, more than two rails are usually needed. In that case the intermediate rails, which will be located in a position between the first and the second rail, preferably have in their opposite ends one male clamp and one female clamp.

[0028] Attachment of the clamps to the elevator rails prior to transporting the elevator rails into the elevator hoistway is advantageous, because that minimizes the number of separate parts and assembly work that needs to be done under challenging conditions at a significant height in an elevator hoistway. [0029] In step B, one of the first rail 1 and the second rail 2 is attached in the elevator hoistway in a vertical position where the end with the male 3 or female 4 clamp is located uppermost. The attachment may be implemented with traditional brackets that attach the elevator rail to a wall of the hoistway, for instance.

[0030] In step C, the other rail of the first 1 and second 2 elevator rails which has not yet been attached, is lowered in a vertical position with the male 3 or female 4 clamp located lowermost on top of the attached elevator rail. During lowering, a protrusion 5 of the male clamp 3 is received into the female clamp 4. In case of an embodiment according to Figures 1 to 3, the protrusion may be provided with a shoulder 11 is a side surface of the protrusion.

[0031] In step D, the male clamp 3 and the female clamp 4 are locked to each other with a locking element provided to the female clamp which contacts the protrusion. In case of an embodiment according to Figures 1 to 3, the locking element is in the form of a movable latch 13 which engages the shoulder 11 of the protrusion 5 in a lock position. At this stage the first and second rails are preliminary connected to each other as extensions to each other with a joint that subsequently during user of the elevator is capable of handling also forces directed vertically.

[0032] In step E, the other rail is attached to the hoistway. This attachment may be implemented by using traditional brackets that attach the elevator rail to a wall of the hoistway, for instance. [0033] The precise way of carrying out the assembly work may vary case by case. In many implementations it is advantageous to at first attach in step B the first elevator rail 1 in a lowermost position and with the male clamp 3 located uppermost. Subsequently, the second elevator rail 2 is in step C lowered on top of the first elevator rail in a position where the female clamp 4 is located lowermost. However, also other options are possible.

[0034] Additionally, in order obtain a simple way of carrying out the locking step of step D when the locking element is in the form of a movable latch, the female clamp is preferably provided with a spring 18 which by a spring force presses the movable latch towards the lock position.

[0035] Figure 5 illustrates a second embodiment of an elevator rail joint. The embodiment of Figure 5 is very similar to the one explained in connection with Figures 1 to 3 and this rail joint may be utilized to implement the method explained in connection with Figure 4. Therefore, in the following the embodiment of Figure 5 is mainly explained by pointing out the differences between these embodiments.

[0036] Figure 5 illustrates the first elevator rail 1 and the elevator rail 2 attached to each other by the male clamp 3' and the female clamp 4'.

[0037] Similarly, as in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, a protrusion 5' of the male clamp 3' protrudes into an opening 8 of the female clamp 4'. In this embodiment a locking element is provided in the form of a bolt 13'. The bolt 13' is movable in a threaded hole in a side wall of the female clamp 4' and the opening 8 by rotation of the bolt 13'. Consequently, by rotating the bolt 13' inwards in the threaded hole, the locking element can be moved perpendicularly in relation to the protrusion 5' into a lock position where it contacts the protrusion 5' and locks the protrusion 5' into the opening 8 of the female clamp 4'.

[0038] As illustrated in Figure 5, the outer side surface of the protrusion 5' may be smooth. Despite of this, by tightening the bolt 13' to contact the protrusion 5' with a sufficient force, the locking of the male clamp 3' and female clamp 4' is obtained, due to friction, for instance.

[0039] Alternatively, it is possible to provide the protrusion 5' with a similar shoulder 11 as in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, in which case the bolt 13' can engage the shoulder and obtain locking by requiring a smaller force in tightening the bolt 13'.

[0040] In many implementations one single bolt 13' in the female 4' clamp is sufficient to obtains locking. However, in the illustrated embodiment it has by way of example been assumed that the female clamp is provided with two bolts 13'. Additionally, in the illustrated example it is by way of example assumed that also the male clamp 3' is provided with two similar bolts to attach the protrusion 5' to the male clamp. This is, however, only by way of example, as in praxis other type of attachment may be utilized to attach the protrusion 5' to the male clamp 3'.

[0041] Figure 6 illustrates a third embodiment of an elevator rail joint. The embodiment of Figure 6 is very similar to the one explained in connection with Figure 5 and it can be utilized when implementing the method explained in connection with Figure 4. Therefore, in the following the embodiment of Figure 6 is mainly explained by pointing out the differences between these embodiments.

[0042] Similarly, as in the embodiment of Figure 5, a protrusion 5" of the male clamp 3" protrudes into an opening 8 of the female clamp 4". The protrusion 5" may have a smooth outer surface and it has a leading threaded end 20" and is dimensioned to extend via the opening 8 through the entire female clamp 4". The female clamp 4" is provided with a locking element in the form of a nut 13" which engages the leading threaded end 20", which protrudes out of the female clamp 4", and locks the male clamp 3" and female clamp 4" to each other.

[0043] The lower end of the protrusion 5" may be fixedly attached to the male clamp 3", such as by welding at location 21", for instance. It is also possible to utilize similar bolts as illustrated in Figure 5 to attach the protrusion 5" to the male clamp. Alternatively, also the lover end of the protrusion 5" may have a thread, and a second nut may be provided on this thread in order to attach the male clamp 3" and the female clamp 4" to each other by the protrusion 5" and the two nuts. In that case the protrusion 5" has a sufficient length to extend completely through both the male clamp 3" and the female clamp 4" via the openings 8 provided in both of them.

[0044] It is to be understood that the above description and the accompanying figures are only intended to illustrate the present invention. It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention can be varied and modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Elevator rail joint, comprising: a male clamp (3, 3', 3") attached to an end of a first elevator rail (1 ), the male clamp (3, 3', 3") having a protrusion (5, 5', 5") protruding in a longitudinal direction (L1 ) of the first elevator rail, and a female clamp (4, 4', 4") attached to an end of a second elevator rail (2), the female clamp having an opening (8) facing in a longitudinal direction (L2) of the second elevator rail (2), the female clamp (4, 4', 4") is shaped as a counterpart of the male clamp (3, 3', 3") to receive the protrusion into the opening when the first and second elevator rails are arranged as an extension to each other, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the female clamp (4, 4', 4") is provided with a locking element which contacts the protrusion (5, 5', 5") received in the opening (8) to lock the male clamp (3, 3', 3") and the female clamp (4, 4', 4") to each other.

2. The elevator rail joint according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion (5) is provided with a shoulder (11 ) in a side surface (12) of the protrusion (5), and the female clamp (4) is provided with a locking element in the form of a latch (13) which is movable to a lock position where the latch engages the shoulder of the protrusion received in the opening to lock the male clamp (3) and the female clamp (4) to each other.

3. The elevator rail joint according to claim 2, wherein the female clamp (4) is provided with a channel (14) in a side wall of the opening (8), and the latch (13) is movable in the channel between the lock position where the latch protrudes into the opening (8) and a release position where the latch does not protrude into the opening (8).

4. The elevator rail joint according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the female clamp (4) comprises a spring (18) with a spring force pressing the latch (13) towards the lock position.

5. The elevator rail joint according to claim 4, wherein the latch (13), a protruding end of the protrusion (5), or both the latch and the protruding end of the protrusion are chamfered (19) such that contact between the latch and the protruding end of the protrusion (5) moves the latch against the spring force of the spring (18) when the protrusion is received into the opening (8).

6. The elevator rail joint according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the male clamp (3, 3', 3") is attached to the first elevator rail (1 ) by bolts (16), and the female clamp (4, 4', 4") is attached to the second elevator rail (2) by bolts (16).

7. The elevator rail joint according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the male clamp (3, 3', 3") is additionally provided with a second (6) and a third protrusion (7) protruding in a longitudinal direction (L1) of the first elevator rail (1 ), and the female clamp (4, 4', 4") has additionally a second (9) and a third (10) opening facing in a longitudinal direction (L2) of the second elevator rail (2) to receive the second (6) and third (7) protrusions into the second and third openings when the first and second rails are arranged as an extension to each other.

8. The elevator rail joint according to one of claims 1 or 6 to 7, wherein the female clamp (4') is provided with a locking element in the form of a bolt (13') which is movable to a lock position where the bolt contacts the protrusion (5') received in the opening (8) to lock the male clamp (3') and the female clamp (4') to each other.

9. The elevator rail joint according to one of claims 1 and 6 to 7, wherein the protrusion (5") has a leading threaded (20") end and is dimensioned to extend via the opening (8) through the entire female clamp (4"), and the female clamp (4") is provided with a locking element in the form of a nut (20") which engages the leading threaded (20") end protruding out of the opening (8) in the female clamp (4") and locks the male clamp (3") and female clamp (4") to each other.

10. A method for assembling an elevator rail, the method comprises: transporting (A) into an elevator hoistway a first elevator rail (1) with a male clamp (3, 3', 3") in an end of the first elevator rail, and a second elevator rail (2) with a female clamp (4, 4', 4") in an end of the second elevator rail, attaching (B) one of the first and second elevator rails (1 , 2) in the elevator hoistway in a vertical position where the end with the male or female clamp (3, 3', 3"; 4, 4', 4") is located uppermost, c h a ra c t e r i z e d in that the method comprises: lowering (C) the other one of the first or second elevator rails (1 , 2) in a vertical position with the male or female clamp (3, 3', 3"; 4, 4', 4") located lowermost on top of the attached elevator rail (1 , 2) such that a protrusion (5, 5', 5") of the male clamp is received into an opening (8) in the female clamp, locking (D) the male clamp (3, 3', 3") and the female clamp (4, 4', 4") to each other with a locking element of the female clamp (4, 4', 4") which contacts the protrusion (5, 5', 5") in a lock position, and attaching (E) the other one of the first and second elevator rails (1 , 2) in the elevator hoistway.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the protrusion (5) is provided with a shoulder (11) in a side surface of the protrusion, and the locking element is in the form of a movable latch (13) which engages the shoulder of the protrusion (5) in the lock position.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11 , wherein the first elevator rail (1) is first attached in the hoistway in a position where the male clamp (3, 3', 3") is located uppermost, and the second elevator rail (2) is lowered on top of the first elevator rail in a position where the female clamp (4, 4', 4") is lowermost.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, comprising providing the female clamp (4) with a spring (18) which by a spring force presses the latch (13) towards the lock position.