GB2279378A - Prefabricated shaft for lift or stairwell - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of forming a shaft, using preformed metal panels which are connected to a framework to form the shaft. The shaft is constructed by erecting the framework and panels gradually with a load bearing plate as a base. The shaft may be a lift shaft, the shaft being constructed around a lift which is mounted on a ram which moves the lift car. The wall panels may include a filler material for increasing the fire resistance of the constructed shaft. <IMAGE>

Description

People-Accommodating Cavity Shaft This invention relates to people-accommodating cavity shafts, particularly lift shafts. A shaft according to the invention is particularly convenient for installation in older, narrow buildings, such as Victorian houses converted into nursing homes or small hotels.

As a rule, older multi-storey buildings in the United Kingdom either lack lift facilities entirely or have non-standard lift installations, where the lift well is quite narrow so as to occupy a minimum amount of space. Recent regulations require that lifts be installed in certain office and residential buildings, nursing homes, hotels etc for the purpose of allowing convenient access for the disabled.

Stair lifts and the like are to be abandoned and replaced by vertical lifts installed to British Standard (BS).

Conventional shafts for such lifts are usually constructed from concrete blocks. The installation of such a standard shaft in an occupied building causes considerable disruption, is time-consuming and expensive and results in a bulky, permanent structure.

The required minimum size lift car is one accommodating 5-8 persons, whereby an 8-person lift has an internal width of 1.1 m and 1.4 internal depth. In conventional lift shafts a structural element providing a strength frame must be provided. This is usually in the form of an L-shaped member supporting the car, moving along a side wall with the car and acting as a cantilever. The wall on which the L-shaped member is mounted is usually a 225 mm concrete or 250 mm solid brick wall. With minimum internal shaft dimensions of 1.8 x 2.1 m, the external dimensions of an 8-person lift shaft would be 2.3 x 2.6 m including the walls. The cantilever needs to be supported from below by means of a stay.The shaft itself, being constructed of concrete or brick, has a considerable weight and a substantial foundation is consequently necessary for supporting it, typically 500 mm of concrete onto a compacted hard core onto new ground. All in all, approximately 2 m need to be excavated below the strength frame including the minimum BS distance of 400 mm between the underside of the car and the bottom of the pit required to prevent a person trapped under the lift from being crushed. Conventional lift shafts are, hence, quite massive structures.

In the event of a fire, conventional lifts cannot normally be used for evacuation of the building.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fireproof shaft which is lightweight, quick to assemble, requires a minimum of space and is considerably cheaper to install than conventional shafts.

This object is achieved by providing a "flat-pack" freestanding people-accommodating cavity shaft comprising preformed members which may be assembled on site.

Preferably, the preformed members consist of wall panels, a floor plate and structural support cage elements.

Each of the wall panels suitably receives a filler block of fire-resistant insulation material. Apart from thermal stability, this provides a better noise-insulation value than for a concrete block shaft. The filler blocks may be adhered to the metal panels.

Preferably, the wall panels are of two different types, a male and a female section. The male sections are preferably metal C-profiles, whereas the female sections are shallow U profiles with outwardly turned end flages. In a mounted position, the two kinds of panels are alternately disposed, the female flanges snugly overlapping the male flanges. A pair of panels are laterally connected, e.g. bolted together, at their mating longitudinal edges and similarly connected at their respective opposite longitudinal edge to another adjacent panel.

Commercial Unistrut channels provide an internal structural cage supporting the panels. The cage consists of uprights and ringbeams bolted round same, the ringbeams also being Unistruts but in shorter sections and turned 900 so as to be horizontal. Suitably, the uprights are joined to the panels by the same bolts which connect said panels, the uprights thus covering the panel joints. In this way, a particularly rigid structure is attained. All cables etc may be routed inside the Unistruts.

The width of the male and female panels, as well as the Unistrut members are all standard. Corner units, consisting of legs at a suitable angle to each other, are usually required but may be mass-produced in the same way as the male and female panels. The depth and width of the lift shaft may be adjusted by means of the dimensions of these corner units, specifically the lengths of the leg portions.

To further minimise the space required for the lift, a previously known tambour-type lift door travelling round the sides of the car may be used instead of sliding doors. With such a rolling front, no extra lateral space need be reserved to accommodate the doors in an open position. In order to reduce the lateral dimensions in conventional lifts, the clear entrance to a lift car is usually a tunnel, the opening at the entrance threshold partly being blocked by the doors, thus being narrower than the internal car width. The utilisation of tambour doors, however, avoids this problem, allowing practically the full car width to be utilised for access from the landing.

The exterior of the shaft is self-finished in that it provides an appealing metal surface. The narrow joints between panels may, however, be filled with filler to smoothen the surface in preparation for painting or wallpapering.

A lift shaft according to the invention is particularly suitable for buildings of up to 5 storeys, i.e. circa 18-20 m of travel.

The shaft is particularly suitable for use with a hydraulic ram type lift drive, as disclosed in our copending UK Patent Application No 9212870.1. The hydraulic ram would then suitably be fitted in the base prior to erection of the shaft, the lift car put in place and the shaft enclosure sat on to a load-bearing floor plate, the shaft thus being constructed around the lift car. Alternatively, the lift car may come in sections which are assembled inside the lift shaft.

The use of the shaft in a hydraulic ram lift means that the gravity load of the car is not transferred to the shaft.

This is because the ram pushes the car upwards in a perfectly balanced fashion, the car being guided in shoes on the inner side walls of the shaft. The shaft is consequently subjected to a minimum of stress. Accordingly, the gauge of the walls may be considerably reduced (typically to 22 mm) and the supporting structure may be eliminated. The external measurements of an 8-person lift is then typically a depth of 1.668 m and a width of 1.28 m.

The erection of a lift installation comprising a hydraulic ram and a shaft according to the above can be effected with particular speed and ease. The hydraulic ram is first put in place and the lift car mounted thereon. Subsequently, the cladding panels are erected around the car to make the shaft.

Its height is gradually increased, cutting through ceilings where necessary. The installation creates minimum disturbance and minimum building mess from mortar, bricks and the like. This order of assembly is convenient, but not the only possible one. If required, the shaft can be erected before the lift car is installed. In this case, the car would have to be brought into the shaft in sections and assembled inside it.

The shaft is particularly versatile in that it may be given almost any cross section. Its shape may be designed to suit particular external shapes of lift cars, existent structures in a building, or simply different aesthetical preferences.

Accordingly, it may be rectangular, circular, cruciform etc.

Several lift cars, either independent or collective, i.e.

having the same landing controls, may be accommodated in one and the same well, the cars suitably being accessible from different sides of the shaft.

The lift shaft may, of course, also be erected on the outside of a building, which eliminates the necessity of drilling openings in floors, but naturally requires door openings to be provided in the wall of the building. Applications where no drilling or other alterations to existing structures might be necessary, such as e.g. at industrial sites, are also envisaged.

Furthermore, a shaft according to the invention may replace existing substandard lift shafts, the comparatively thin walls of the new shaft allowing a wider lift car to be installed. Alternatively, the new shaft may simply be constructed adjacent a disused one.

According to one embodiment of the invention the structure accommodates both a lift shaft and lobbies in front of the lift doors on each floor. These lobbies may be fitted with fire dors, leading to the rest of the floor, which close automatically in the event of fire. Since the walls are composed of fire-resistant material, the entire shaft structure would constitute a fireproof enclosure. In this way, a safe haven, effectively sealed off from the remaining building, is formed, wherein people may seek refuge while waiting to be evacuated. As an alternative to a lift, the shaft may be used to provide staircase access.

All lift equipment, power supply etc would suitably be located inside the safe haven, ensuring that the lift remains operable at all times. The structure preferably has its own air supply and suitably the air volume in both the lift shaft and the lobbies is kept at positive pressure so as to prevent smoke from entering. Apertures to accommodate this larger structure would have to be opened up in the building and the lobbies would have their own flooring, suitably based on Unistruts forming floor beams.

Suitably the lift-and-lobby shaft has the external shape of a "T", the lobby being located in the wider "cross-stroke" of the T. Once inside the lobby, the occupants have reached safety and may either wait for the lift to become available and evacuate the building via same, or safely wait in the lobby until they can be rescued by the fire brigade. By ensuring that it has a suitably fire rating, e.g. a 4-hour rating, the shaft according to the invention would be likely to remain standing as a fire-proof tower, should the surrounding building burn to the ground around it.

A fire-proof shaft according to the above is particularly valuable in nursing homes and the like where disabled or bedridden people need to be evacuated.

A shaft according to the present invention may find other applications than being associated with a lift. There is for example a growing demand for the provision of additional lavatories in some buildings, for instance office buildings.

A shaft according to the invention may be used for providing cublicles for toilets, pantries, utility rooms or the like on each floor of a building. The provision of water supply, drainage etc would be greatly rationalised in such a column.

In this case, Unistruts would again be utilised as cross bars on which flooring would be applied at suitable levels.

If required, the shaft may be disassembled and re-erected at another location.

The invention will be further described in relation to the accompanying drawings, showing in: Fig. 1 an exploded view of the wall components; Fig. 2 a perspective view of the component in Fig. 1 in an assembled position; Fig. 3 a top sectional view of a shaft according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 a perspective view of a structural support cage for the shaft in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a perspective view of a lift shaft under construction; and Fig. 6 a top sectional view of a shaft according to another embodiment of the invention, constituting a safe haven and/or escape route in case of fire.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the wall of the shaft comprises male panels 10, female panels 12 and structural support members 14, preferably C-profile "Unistruts". The male panel 10 is constituted by a metal C-profile 16 and a filler block 18. The female panel 12 is likewise constituted by a metal profile 20 and a filler block 22. The female profile, however, is in the shape of a "U" with outwardly turned flanges 24, 26, i.e. bent 1800 in relation to the male falnges 28, 30. All metal profiles suitably have holes 32, 34, 36 for receiving bolts or the like.

Turning now to Fig. 2, the wall elements are shown in their assembled state. The filler blocks 18, 22 are fitted and secured in the profiles 16, 20 e.g. by means of an adhesive.

This is preferably done prior to delivery to the site.

Female flange 24 is positioned in overlapping relationship with male flange 30, whereupon Unistrut 14 is placed over the joint, its bolt holes 36 in register with holes 32, 34, and the whole assembly bolted together. Next, another male panel is joined in similar fashion to female flange 26 and the procedure repeated until the entire wall is erected.

Fig. 3 is a section through a rectangular shaft 38 which is particularly suited for accommodating a lift car and which in addition to panels 10, 12 comprises corner pieces 40. The corner pieces 40 have a pair of legs extending at a suitable angle to each other, normally 900. Panels 10, 12 as well as Unistruts 14 all have standard dimensions. The corner pieces 40, however, need to be specially manufactured, but as they can be produced in large quantities this is no problem.

Indeed, the respective lengths of the legs, i.e. x and y respectively, may be customised so as to precisely adjust the depth a and width b of shaft 38 or the width c of door opening 42. Reference numeral 44 indicates horizontal Unistrut sections which are anchored to the uprights, thus acting as stays.

Fig. 4 shows a support cage 46 which may result from arranging the Unistruts 14, 44 in a grid-like fashion. The illustrated cage is for use in a two-storey building, showing door openings 42 at two suitable levels. This cage structure provides a convenient means for mounting accessories, such as guiding shoes for the lift car, or accommodating cables etc.

A hydraulic piston arrangement 48 for use with a lift is outlined below cage 46.

Fig. 5 illustrates how the panels 10, 12 and 40 may be mounted in situation around a lift car 56, also showing the floor plate 64 on which the shaft 38 rests.

Inf Fig. 6 an alternative shaft 50 according to the invention is shown. In this shaft, in the figure having the shape of an inverted "T", a lobby area 52 is provided in conjunction with a lift shaft 54, in which a lift car 56 travels. The lobby forms part of the free-standing shaft, its walls being constructed in the way which has been described above, and further has a Unistrut floor structure. The lobby is suitably of sufficient dimensions to, with suitable safety margins, comfortably accommodate the maximum number of people expected to occupy the floor in question at any given point in time, unless, of course, there are several similar lobbies per floor. The entrance to the lobby 52 from the rest of the floor 58 is via fire doors 60, which will close automatically in the event of fire.Since the walls are made of fireresistant panels the shaft will then constitute a fireproof safe haven where those present on the floor can seek safety.

All lift equipment, power supply etc, generally indicated by 62, is located inside the shaft, which also has its own air supply. As a further safety measure, the volume of air in the shaft is kept at positive pressure to prevent smoke from entering. Instead of accommodating a lift, the shaft may house a staircase.

The installation of a shaft according to the invention is very rapid, indeed, typically 12 hours for a two-storey installation. The components of the shaft are all such that a quiet, inexpensive and clean installation may be effected.

Indeed, where a hydraulic drive system is applied, the operation of the lift in service may be rendered very quiet by the remote arrangement of the pump.

The shaft according to the invention further provides considerably financial advantages in that the approximate cost of a lift shaft installation according to the invention is a mere fraction of that of a conventional shaft.

Claims (30)

1. A method for installing a cavity shaft of a building, wherein the wall of the cavity is created by bringing preformed panels on site and assembling them to lie side by side and on top of each other.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the panels are erected on a load-bearing floor plate, gradually increasing the height of the shaft and cutting through ceilings or walls where necessary.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shaft is constructed around an installed lift car previously mounted on an hydraulic ram taking the lift car loads, thereby removing the need for the panels to bear this load.

4. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a lift car is assembled inside the erected shaft.

5. A people-accommodating cavity shaft of a building, said shaft comprising preformed members assembled on site.

6. A cavity shaft according to claim 5, said shaft accommodating a lift in such a way that the need for the walls to bear the load of said lift is removed.

7. A cavity shaft according to claim 6, wherein said lift is hydraulically driven.

8. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 5-7, wherein the preformed members consist of wall panels, at least one floor plate and structural support cage elements arranged in such a way as to provide entry openings at suitable levels.

9. A cavity shaft according to claim 8, wherein each of the wall panels receives a filler block of fire-resistant insulation material.

10. A cavity shaft according to claim 9, wherein said filler blocks are adhered to said wall panels.

11. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the wall panels are made of metal.

12. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the wall panels are of two alternating types, a male and a female section.

13. A cavity shaft according to claim 12 wherein the male sections are C-profiles and the female sections are shallow U-profiles with outwardly turned end flanges.

14. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 8 to 13, wherein the wall panels are connected, e.g. bolted together, along their longitudinal edges.

15. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 8 to 14, wherein commercial Unistrut channels provide an internal structural cage supporting the preformed members.

16. A cavity shaft according to claim 15, wherein the cage consists of uprights and horizontal ringbeams.

17. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 6 to 16, wherein tambour-type lift doors, travelling round the sides of the lift car, are utilised.

18. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 6 to 17, wherein guide shoes for the lift care are mounted inside the shaft.

19. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 6 to 18, wherein the shaft accommodates a plurality of lifts, which may operate independently or collectively.

20. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 6 to 19, wherein said shaft replaces an existing shaft.

21. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 5 to 20, wherein said shaft serves as a fire-proof safe haven, accommodating stairs or a lift as well as lobbies on each floor of a building.

22. A cavity shaft according to claim 21, comprising fire doors, which automatically close in the event of a fire, thereby sealing off the fire-proof enclosure from the rest of a building.

23. A cavity shaft according to claim 21 or 22, wherein all lift equipment, including power supply, is located inside the fire-proof enclosure.

24. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 21 to 23, wherein said shaft has its own air supply.

25. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 21 to 24, comprising means to maintain the air volume in the shaft at positive pressure to prevent smoke from entering.

26. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 21 to 25, wherein the shaft is in the form of a "T", the lobbies being accommodated in the wider cross-stroke of the "T".

27. A cavity shaft according to claim 5 to 26, serving to provide cublicles for toilets, utility rooms or the like on each floor of a building.

28. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 5 to 27, wherein the shaft is erected on the outside of a building.

29. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 5 to 28, wherein the cross-section of the lift shaft is adapted to suit particular requirements, e.g. the external shape of a lift car, existing structures in a building or aesthetical preferences.

30. A cavity shaft according to any of claims 1 to 29, wherein the external joints between the structural elements allow the application of a filler material in preparation for painting or wall-papering.