GB2387164A

GB2387164A - Footplate for use in lifts

Info

Publication number: GB2387164A
Application number: GB0207818A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roberto Zappa
Original assignee: Sematic SpA
Current assignee: Sematic SpA
Priority date: 2002-04-04
Filing date: 2002-04-04
Publication date: 2003-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2022-04-04
Also published as: GB0207818D0; DE20205297U1; GB2387164B

Abstract

A footplate (10) for lifts, in particular for doors of cabins and floors of passenger and service lifts comprising a first section (12), a second or intermediate section (14) joined to the first section (12) and an upper section (16) at least partly attached to the intermediate section (14) at one end.

Description

FOOTPLATE FOR USE IN LIFTS

This invention relates to a footplate for lifts.

More particularly the invention relates to a composite footplate for doors of cabins and of floors of passenger and service lifts in general.

It is well known that in lift installations the area where the cabin and the floor meet the associated flooring comprises a metallic footplate which consists of convex rectangular channels that guide the runners for the doors when opening and closing the doors.

The traditional footplates for the doors of cabins and floors used in lift installations have serious drawbacks mainly due to difficulties arising from their construction. These footplates are formed from tubes which are worked and welded onto angular support structures or other sections; alternatively these footplates are produced from metal bars subjected to repeated milling operations in order to obtain the desired configuration. In the latter case the difficulties of construction are considerable, in that particular millings are required to remove material and to shape the bar. The footplate obtained in this way in unnecessarily heavy which increases the production costs due to the high use of materials and the considerable waste.

A further disadvantage with the footplates referred to concerns the surface finishing operations which are required and which have to be carried out after they have been formed. These operations involve further production costs and time.

An object of this invention is to avoid the disadvantages referred to above.

.

A further object of this invention is to create a footpiate for doors of cabins and floors of lifts that does not require complicated operations and specialist equipment to produce it.

A still further object of this invention is to create an extremely compact footplate which is at the same time extremely rigid and can withstand impacts and stresses and to create a footplate that does not require surface finishing operations. Another object of the invention is to make available to the users a footplate that can guarantee a high level of reliability over time, as well as being easy to use and economical to install.

These and other objects are achieved by a footplate for the doors of cabins and floors, in particular for doors of cabins and floors of passenger and service lifts in general, that comprise of a first section, a second or intermediate section joined to the first section, and an upper section connected at least partly to the intermediate section at one end.

The constructional and functional characteristics of the footplate for the doors of cabins and floors according to this invention will be set out more fully in the following description given by way of example with reference to the

accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic representation of the cross-

section of a footplate according to this invention.

The footplate for doors of cabins and floors according to this invention is shown in its entirety at 10 and is made up of a number of formed sections, joined together at a number of points by means of welding, screws, rivets, or of equivalent types of fixing. In particular this footplate is made up of, in its preferred form of a first or lower section 12, a second or intermediate section ..

14, and a third or upper section 16, all having different sections within. The lower section 12 is constructed in metal such as iron or stainless steel and is of "L" shape in section. The longer arm, shown as 18, is aligned in parallel with the floor level around the area giving access to the cabin of the lift (not shown). Along this arm of the lower section 12 there is at least one clearance hole 20, of a shape and size, that is generally located in the central part of the arm and creates an access in the direction of the intermediate section 14.

This latter section, which is preferred to be of metal such as iron or stainless steel, is formed in a "U" shape in which the parallel vertical arms face upwards. The horizontal arm of the intermediate section 14, shown as 15, aligns with the upper face of the horizontal arm 18 of section 12, to which it is joined at the edge of the clearance hole 20 that has been formed in it; this joint can best be obtained by means of one or two welding points 22, or by a continuous annular or circumferential weld all the way around the opening 20.

The lateral extent of the intermediate section 14 is such that the vertical arms, shown as 14' and 14", align with the free end of the horizontal arm 18 of the lower section 12 and the vertical arm of the same respectively, the latter facing downwards and shown as 18'. The horizontal arm 15 of the intermediate section 14 is also provided with at least one clearance hole, shown as 24, intended to enable the footplate 10 to be fixed in its entirety to the cabin of the lift, or to the wall of the space in which the cabin moves by means of conventional brackets or its equivalent.

The upper section 16 is constructed in metal such as stainless steel or other suitable material, the use of a plastic material not being excluded and is of a rectangular shape with areas that are both concave and convex.

In particular this upper section 16 has a convex area shown as 26 on the cross-sectional diagram, making up the part of the floor behind the doors of the lift. On the internal end, that is facing the cabin of the lift, the upper section 16 bends downwards through 90 to pass over the vertical arm 14' of the intermediate section 14, to which it is fixed by means of points or strips of weld 28. At the other end, that is facing the outside of the cabin, section 16 which has at least one concave element 30, with for example a regular rectangular cross-section, that forms the seat or track in which the doors of the lift run when opening and closing thereof. In front of this concave element 30 the upper section has a final bend that faces downwards to form a small concave element 32 that encloses a small cavity 34; the ideal width of this cavity is the same or slightly greater than the thickness of the vertical arm 14" of the section 14, which is located within it at the assembly stage before the welding 28 is carried out. The assembly of the sections 12, 14, and 16 as described above gives rise to the creation of a compact and rigid box section, with high moments of inertia in both the longitudinal and lateral directions The structural rigidity and compactness of the footplate is best achieved if the sections 12 and 14 are also joined together at other points, for example by means of rivets or screws 36 or by being welded together at suitable intervals; also this method of jointing can also be applied to section 16, the preferred location being along the line of the concave element 30.

Extending out of the bottom of the box section is the arm 18' of section 18, to form an extended longitudinal lip having the function of supporting, on installation, the conventional safety facing or panel.

4.

With the composite structure of the footplate 10 as described above, a sheet with a pre-finished surface, that is for example polished or satin, can ideally be used for the upper section 16; alternatively this section can also be made out of non-metallic materials, given the possibility of its rapid connection to the lower sections. In the latter case the welding 28 must obviously be replaced by screws, rivets, or by similar fastening.

The footplate for doors of cabins and floors of lifts according to the invention is constructed simply and rapidly starting from the sections, mainly conventional, whose construction and assembly do not call for specialist skills or equipment.

Furthermore the footplate is sufficiently rigid to resist any blows that may be inflicted upon it, for example in the event of misalignment between the cabin and the floor or as a result of the passage of loads such as trolleys.

It will be understood that the invention, as described above is set out in an exemplary and unrestricted manner, it being susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all however falling within the scope of the invention. lo,

Claims

1) A footplate for lifts, in particular for doors of cabins and floors of passenger and service lifts in general, comprising a first or lower section, a second or intermediate section joined to the first section, and an upper section at least partly connected to the intermediate section at one end.

2) A footplate according to Claim 1, comprising an upper section in the

shape of an "L" in which the longer arm of the "L" is aligned in parallel with the floor level and has at least one clearance hole that creates an access in the direction of the intermediate section, to which it is joined with points or strips of welding formed along the edge of the opening.

3) A footplate according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the intermediate section is in the shape of a "U" in which the vertical arms thereof face upwards and are aligned with the free end of the longer arm of the lower section and the shorter arm of the lower section facing downwards.

4) A footplate according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the horizontal arm of the intermediate section has at least one clearance hole for the fixing of the footplate itself with brackets or similar fastening to the cabin of the lift or to the walls of the space in which the cabin itself travels.

5) A footplate according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the upper section has a convex element in cross-section bent downwards at one is.

end through 90 in order to pass over the vertical arm of the intermediate section to which it is joined with points or strips of weld the opposite end of the above-mentioned upper section having at least one concave element forming the base that guides the doors of the lift and along which they run.

6) A footplate according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the upper section has, in front of the concave element, a downward bend that encloses a cavity whose width is equal or slightly greater than the thickness of the vertical arm of the intermediate section 7) A footplate according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the lower and intermediate sections are also joined together by means of rivets or screws or by welding, located at the concave element of the upper section. 8) A footplate according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein the screws or rivets join the lower and intermediate sections to the upper section.

9) A footplate according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the lower and intermediate sections are constructed in metal such as iron or stainless steel.

10) A footplate according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 wherein the upper section is constructed in stainless steel, iron, aluminium, or of plastics material. 11) A footplate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.