US1314552A

US1314552A - Planoorapm co

Info

Publication number: US1314552A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 1936-09-02

Description

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. l9l8.

Patentd Sept. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'II B. WEXLER.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 19H]. v 1,314,552. PatentedSept. 2,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. 7

avwenroz 6 m I a fl x WW break mechanism.

TE STATES PAEENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN WEXLER, or BROOKLYN, NEW Sloan, assrenoa 'ro THE PEELLE COMPANY,

OF BROOKLYN, NEW ong, A oonroaerioiv'or New oRK.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ELEVATOR-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

7 *atented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed May 24, v1918. ,Serial No. 236,288.

To all calm m it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN dVEXLER, a citizen of the United $tates, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Mechanisms for Elevator-Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to controlling mechanisms for elevator cars, and more particularly to a mechanism actuated by the opening and closing of the doors of the elevator shaft, in a manner to permit power to be applied to the car only when all of the doors of the shaft are closed.

There has heretofore been used, a controlling mechanism of the type to which my invention relates, wherein the circuit applying power to the elevator car includes therein a make and break mechanism actuated by means common to all of the doors in a shaft. It has been found in practice that under some conditions of installation, the means for actuating the make and break mechanism can not be set with suflicient accuracy in relation to the several doors of a shaft, to insure the desired accuracy in the timing of the opening 61' closing of a door, and ofthe actuation of the make and break mechanism controlling the circuit to the car. Furthermore the connection between the actuating member for the make and break mechanism for the several doors is subject to slight stretch under elongation stresses, which also tends toward a loss of synchronism in the operation of the doors and of the make and initial movement of a door will so actuate iVhen the operation of.

the make and break mechanism in controlling the circuit through which power to actuate the car is derived, as to prevent the application of power to the car, and avoid possibility of a premature actuation of said make and break mechanism when closing the door and thus permit application of power to the car before the door is completely closed.

A controlling mechanism of the type to which my invention relates, utilizes a sliding weight acting upon the make and break mechanism, my invention contemplating the association with this weight of means where- ,by the make and break mechanism will. be actuated to prevent the application of power vto. the car before the load of the weight is transferred to the connecting strip or cable acted upon by the several doors, and said strip or cable .will be relieved from said load before conditions are such as to permit power ,towbc appli d .to the car. This construction relieves the door from the additional load of this weight when vthe operator starts to open it, and avoids the necessity for providing an excess movement of the weight with relation to the make and break mechanism, necessary to compensate for structural irregularities in the make .and break mechanism and in vthevarious doors, and the resultant slight dwell between the initial movement of the door and the actuation of the make and break mechanism, when opening the door.

The member for actuating the make and break mechanism, is so constructed andarranged, that it positively locks the weight in the position it assumes when the door is closed, and also serves as a lock to prevent the opening of a door until afterthe make and break mechanism has been so actuated as ,to prevent application of power to the car.

The invention consists primarily in a controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodyingtherein a controller operative from within a car, a plurality of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means to prevent said controller being made operative to apply power to the car, comprising an electric circuit, including therein a single make and break mechanism, a member movably mounted adjacent thereto, a thrust member carried by said movable member and adapted to operatively engage said make and break .mechanism whenall of said elevator doors in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary portion of an elevator shaft showing two doors of the truckable type, and having a controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention, applied thereto;

. Fig. 2 is a detailed view upon a larger scale of the make and break mechanism and the movable member actuating same;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of said mechanism'modified to adapt it to a controlling system for elevators employing a solenoid;

Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of an elevator shaft having therein doors of the telescoping type with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing -the invention' applied to laterally sliding doors; and Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a view of a portion of an elevator shaft employing double swinging doors and a cross-sectional view thereof upon a larger scale, a controllinginechanism made in accordance with my invention being shown in connection therewith.

Like letters refer tolike parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have shown an embodiment of the invention as applied to a type of door known as a truckable door, consisting of two door sections, a and Z), ar ranged at each door opening in the elevator shaft, said sections moving vertically in the sameplane, but in the opposite direction, when opening and closing the door. The said sections are provided with a suitable lock 0, operative when the doors are in the closed position.

that the various hanger bars 6 are all inthe same vertical plane and extend parallel with each other. This general construction is old and well known in this art, and merely exemplifies one type of door in con- The two sections are con nected by means of suitably mounted cables.

- cable i and the other arm of the bell nection with which my invention may be employed.

To place the power for the elevator car under the control of the elevator doors, I include in the circuit to the controller E, upon the car, a make and break mechanism, including a plurality of cooperating electric contacts, one of which is adapted to have movement in relation to the other, and associate therewith, a movable member carrying a thrust member adapted to operatively engage said movable contact member when said movable member is in a definite relation to said switch mechanism, this thrust member being so controlled and connected with each of the doors in a shaft that when all of the doors are closed, the circuit a V door is again OlOSBdL This mechanism in the form of the invention shown 1n Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a bridge switch consisting of fixed contacts e and e mounted in a box 9 having abolt opening g in one wall thereof, and a contact f mounted upon a movable member f positioned between said fixed contacts and said bolt opening. The pivotal supporting member 7 is so mounted as to have a normal tendency to separate the contact f from the contacts 6 and e, the contact f being acted upon by the spring f to compensate for structural variations in the actuating mechanism for said switch and at the same time impart the desired rapid initial impulse to the movable arm f when the actuating mechanism becomes inoperative as to the switch.

Mounted in suitable guides adjacent the switch box 9 and at that side thereof, having the bolt opening 9 therein, is a weight it carrying a spring actuated, slidable thrust member h adapted to pass through the bolt opening g and engage the arm 7". The said thrust member is acted upon by a spring 71, and is provided with an extension 71, adapted to be engaged by one arm of the bell crank lever k pivoted at 72, to said sliding weight. The said weight h is connected by means of the flexible strip or crank lever 75-, with the several hanger bars I the said hanger bars ordinarily being made of angle iron, having an opening in one flange thereof through which the strip or cable i passes, and has a free sliding fit. The said strip or cable 2' carries a plurality of impact blocks 2" adapted to engage the under side of said hanger bars respectively, so that as the opening of one door imparts movement to the weight it through said strip or cable 11, and the lever k, the blocks i associated with the hanger bars of other doors, merely move from the operative relation thereto, so that the actuation of any door does not interfere with the other doors in a shaft.

To insure the desired movement of the strip or cable 1', I provide the lower end thereof with a weight which will always hold said strip or cable taut, while being of insufficient weight to overcome the tension of the spring 71*, the tension of which spring is insuflicient to sustain the load of said weight it.

Adjacent the switch box 9, I provide a stop it adapted to engage the said weight la in a position where the thrust member 71. will be accurately positioned in relation to the bolt socket g. The contacts 6-6 and the controller E, are included in the circuit supplying power to the car, by means of the conductor wires 7c-lc.

In Fig. 3 of the'drawings, I have illustrated the invention as applied to a type of elevator employing a shipper cable, the sole difference in structure between this form of the invention and that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 being a reversal of the relation of the contacts 6, e and f so that the circuit instead of being normally closed, will be normally open. In this form of the invention, the terminal wires lc-Jc instead of leading to the controller in the elevator car, lead to the terminals of the solenoid m, which solenoid controls a clutch member 472/ for controlling the shipper cable a by which the switch mechanism 0 is actuated from the car.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, I have illustrated the invention as applied to a door structure of the telescoping, counterweighted type, in which the two door sections, a and b have movement in parallel vertical planes and in the same direction, the opening and closing of the doors being facilitated by the counterweight 19. In this form of the invention, the blocks 2" upon the strip 2' instead of operatively engaging a hanger bar upon the doors, engage an extension 2 upon the counterweight p. In other respects the construction of the controlling mechanism is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it being understood, however, that the same manner of connecting the weight it with the door structure, might be employed in connection with an elevator, using a shipper cable, by the modification of the make and break mechanism as shown in Fig. 3 and heretofore described.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig, 5, I have illustrated the application of the invention to an elevator door of the laterally sliding type, this requiring merely the modification of the details in connecting the weight it with the door. The make and break mechanism is not illustrated in connection with this View, since a normally .closed circuit, such as that shown in Figs.

1 and 2, or a normally open circuit, such as that shown in Fig. 3, may be used according to the .type of elevator control employed.

In this form of the invention, I connect the strip or cable 2' with an endless strip 9 passing around suitable rollers r, r, r and r arranged in pairs at the top and at the bottom of the elevator shaft. Extending from, and secured to, the reach 9 of said enlcss strip 9, are branch strips 9 extending about rollers s and s at opposite sides of each door opening, to the reach 9 upon the other side of the door openings, to which they are secured. Said branch strip or cable passes through an opening in a bracket tcarried by the door proper to, having a free sliding fit in said bracket, and is provided with a block 1; adapted toengage said bracket.

Referring now to the 'form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown the invention as applied to double swinging elevator doors, this form of the invention like that shown in Fig. ,5, requiring merely the modification of the connection between the weight k and the several doors in the shaft.

In this form of the invention, I employ a strip 9 having the same general arrangement as illustrated in connection with Fig. 5,this strip being endless and passing about rollers 7', r, r and r. The reach 9 is provided with blocks 10 adapted to be engaged by rings 10 carried by extension strips or cables 11) passing over the roller to, adjacent the door opening, and the roller 10 carried by one of the swinging doors a, and being connected with the other swinging door w of the pair. By this construction it is impossible to open either swinging door section at any door opening without interrupting the circuit to the controller, or closing the circuit to the solenoid, according to the type of control which may be employed.

The operation of the herein described device is substantially as follows Referring more particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs, 1 and 2 of the drawings, when all of the doors are closed, the weight it will rest upon the stop it and the spring 72, will project the bolt it through the bolt opening g, and against the movable arm 7" in a manner to force the contact f into engagement with the contacts e e, and thus close the circuit through which power to actuate the elevator is derived. Said spring will also exert a pull upon the connection strip or cable 2' which will bring each of the blocks a" thereon into close juxtaposition with its associated hanger bar I) It will. be observed that when the parts are in this position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the make and break mechashaft, however, and the operator opens the door, as the section a moves upwardly, and

the section 6 moves downwardly, the engagement of the hanger bar I) thereon with its associated block 2" exerts a pull upon the strip or cable 71 with the result that the bell crank lever or trigger it is actuated substantially instantaneously with the initial movement of the door to withdraw the bolt h from its operative relation to the arm f.

After the bolt has been so withdrawn, the weight his lifted, this movement resultlng in a positioning of the bolt which will prevent its reiingagement with said arm f.

Since the bolt it must be withdrawn to the full extent before lifting power can be applied to the weight h, it is apparent that since a material opening of the doors is de pendent upon the lifting of this weight, all of the doors in a shaft will be locked by said bolt until the make and break mechanism has been so actuated as to prevent the application of power to the car.

Since the tension of the spring k is insufficient to sustain the load of the weight it, but greater than that of the weight 7', there will be substantially no additional load placed upon the doors during the initial opening movement.

When any door is in the open position, the relation of parts of the controlling mechanism as to the make and break mechanism, and the parts appurtenant thereto, will be as shown in Fig. 2.

WVhen the parts are in this Position, power cannot be applied to the car until the opened door is closed, and the construction of the controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention is suchas to make it impossible to apply power to the car until the door has been closed.

The closing movement of the door permits the weight it to descend and causes the block 2" associated with the hanger bar of the door, to closely follow said hanger bar until said weight h engages the stop if when the bolt it will be alined' with the bolt opening 9. The strip or cable 2', as the Weight comes to rest, is relieved from the load of said weight before the make and break mechanism can be actuated to permit the application of power to the car, the actuation of this mechanism being dependent upon the final closing movement of the door under the control of the spring k quantity of movement required to cause the actuation of the bolt 71,, is determined by the relative leverage of the two arms of The the bell crank lever h It is therefore possible to reduce the quantity of movement which a door may have, before preventing application of power to the car, toa mini mum.

In closing the doors, the moving inertia thereof is ordinarily such as to insure the 7 doors coming together in the completely closed position, and the parts are so proportioned as to insure the projection of the bolt it through the opening 9, and against the arm 7, in a manner to close the circuit substantially instantaneously with thisimpact of the two doors, and so as to cause the interruption of the circuit if the doors rebound after this impact, without the lock 0 becoming operative to hold them closed. The bolt h will tend to prevent such a rebound, however.

The striker member 9 carried by the switch box 9, is provided to insure the retraction of the bolt h in the event of retardation of the weight it sufficiently to permit this bolt to be projected before the weight comes to rest.

The form of invention shown in Fig. 2, operates, as to the elevator doors, identically as heretofore described, the sole difference between the operation of this form of invention and that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, being that with the withdrawal of the bolt 7;, upon the opening of the door, the circuit is made instead of being broken, and with the closing of the door the circuit is broken instead of being made. When the circuit is closed the solenoid m is actuated to cause the clutch m to grip the shipper cable at in a manner to prevent its actuation, and when the circuit is open, the solenoid m will be de'e'nergized, thus permitting the'l05 actuation of the clutch member m in a manner to permit the cable'n to be actuated to apply power to a car.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the operation is identi 110 cal with that heretofore described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, the sole difierence being that the bolt h is actuated through the strip or cable 71 by the descent of the counterweight p instead of by the 115 descent of the door itself;

The actuation of the make and breakmechanism, in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, is identical with that hereupon the block 1;, which, through the branch strip or cable g will move the endless strip or cable {I about the various pulleys 9", 1", 1' and r This movement of the strip or cable 9 will, through the strip or cable 2', actuate- 130 the bolt h. The movement of the endless strip or cable 9 will result from the pull thereon fronr the branch strip 01' cable g thus causing an upward movement of the 5 reach and a downward movement of the reach 9". During this movement the blocks '0 associated with other doors in the shaft, will move away from their cooperating brackets 6.

Upon the closing of the door, the weight it and spring k will impart such travel to the endless strip or cable Q as to cause the block '0 of the open door to follow the door in its closing movement, and the blocks '0 upon other doors to resume their normal position in close juxtaposition to their 00- operating brackets.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs; 6 and 7, differs from that of the form shown in Fig. 5 merely in the manner in which the door applies the actuating power to the strip or cable 2'.

In this form of the invention, if either door 00 or :0 be open, it will exert a pull upon the strip or. cable w which, through the ring 10 will impart travel to the endless strip or cable 9 in a manner to actuate the bolt h and raise the weight it: This results from thepassing of the extension strip or cable to about the pulley w upon one door and attaching the end thereof to the other door. With this construction, it is impossible to move either door without exerting a pull upon said strip or cable w, and hence neither door can be opened without developing conditions preventing the application of power to the car, according to the type of control employed. When the doors are open, the parts will be in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

When any door in the shaft is opened, the several blocks w upon the endless strip or cable 9 associated with other doors, will move away from the ring a of the branch strip or cable 10 of that door.

, As the door is closed, the stresses upon the endless strip or cable 9 will be relieved, thus permitting the weight it to descend and the bolt h to be projected to actuate the make and break mechanism in a manner to permit the application of power to the car. The closing movement of the doors, will create slack in the extension strip or cable a, which slack will be taken up by the movement of the endless strip or cable q during the movement thereof, imparted thereto, by the weight k,- the spring h and the connection i.

It will be observed that in a controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention, the make and breakmechanismwill be actuated to prevent application of ower to the car before any door can have su cient movement to permit it to be opened to an 65 extent to permit fire to pass from or to, the

shaft, and that the bell crank lever h, or other trigger mechanism, may be so proportioned' and set as to act substantially simultaneously with the initial movement of the door. Since the plunger h will be with drawirfrom its operative relation to the makeand break mechanism before the load of the weight I); will be transmitted to the strip or cable 2', the stresses upon said strip or cable will not be such as to have any tendency toward elongation of the same prior to the actuation of said plunger.

will also be observed that the plunger h will be projected through the bolt opening 9 by'the action of the spring h, and not as a result of the movement of the weight b, so that there will bea slight dwell after the weight h reaches the limit of its downward movement, before the said plunger be comes operative, during which: interval thespring k will impart movement to the stri or cable 2' and its appurtenances, whic movement, however, will be a rapid movement, thus resulting in a quick make or break of the circuit, according to the typeof make and break mechanism used.

The make and break mechanism, being controlled entirely by the movement of the doors, may be so set as to'avoid' any possibility of the application of power to the car, except when the door is closed. While the strip or cable 2" is accessible to the car operator', it will be observed that it cannot be used by the operator in a manner to permit the application of power to the car so long as a door is open, since its movement", resulting in the actuation of' the makeand break mechanism to permit application of the power, is not possible without a closing movement of the door.

It is apparent that a controlling mechanism made in accordance with my invention is not only capable of application to various types of elevator doors, but may be readily applied to different types of doors in the same elevator shaft.

It is not my intention to limit the inven-' tion to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention what I claim as new, and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1-. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a controller operative from within a car, a plurality of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means to prevent said controller being made op'era- 125' tive to apply power to the car, comprising an electric circuit, including therein a s ng gle make and break mechanism, a member movably mounted adjacent thereto, a thrust member carried by said movable'member and.-

adapted to operatively engage said make and break mechanism when all of said elevatordoors are closed, means disposed between said make and break mechanism and said movable member, whereby movement of said member is prevented until said thrust controlled by the opening and closing of any member is disengaged from said make and break mechanism, and a connection between said thrust member and each of said elevator doors, whereby said electric circuit is of said doors.

27A controlllng mechanism for elevator cars embodylng therein a controller opera tivefrom within a car, a plurality" of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means controlling the application of power to the car, comprising'an electric circuit, including therein a single make and break mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, a movable member cooperating therewith and adapted to make and break the circuit therethrough, a switch box having a bolt opening through the wallthereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within said box, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box, a thrust member carried by said movable member,

and adapted to 'be moved thereby into, or

out of, alinement with said bolt opening, said thrust member being adapted to operatively engage said first named movable member when projected through said'bolt opening, and a connection between said thrust -member and each of said elevator doors,

whereby said electric circuit is controlled by the opening and closing of any of said doors.

3. 'A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a controller operat1ve from within a car, a plurality of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means controlling the-application of power to the car, comprising an electric circuit, including therein a single make and break mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, a movable member cooperating there with and adapted to make'and break the circuit therethrough, a switch box having a bolt opening through the wall thereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within said box, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box,'a thrust member carried by said movable member,- and' adapted to be moved thereby into,jor out of, alinement with said bolt opening, said thrust member being adapted to operatively engage said first named movable memberwhen projected through said'bolt opening, a trigger mechanism operative upon said thrust member, strip connected with said trigger mechanism and extending adjacent "all the doors in a shaft, and cooperating means carried by said strip and each door of a shaft, w e by i dr ele t irw tis controlled by the opening and closing of any of saiddoors.

4. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a controller Opera'- t1ve from wlthln a car, a plurality of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means controlhng the application of power to the car, comprising an electric circuit, including therein a single make and break mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, a movable member cooperating therewith and adapted to make and break the circuit therethrough, a switch box hav ing a bolt opening through the wall thereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within said box, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box, a spring v actuated thrust member carried by said movstrip and each door of a shaft, whereby said 7 electric circuit is controlled by the opening and closing of any of said doors.

5. A controlling mechanism for elevator cars embodying therein a controller operative from within a car, a plurality'of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means controlling the application of power to. the

car, comprising an electric circuit including therem a single make and break mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, a movable member cooperating therewith and adapted to'make and break the cir 'cuit therethrough, a switch boxhaving abolt opening through the wall thereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted within said box, a member movably mounted adjacent said switch box, .a slidable thrust member carried by said movable member and having a projection; thereon, said thrust member being adapted to be moved by said 'movable member into, or out of, alinement withsaid bolt opening, a spring adapted to normally project said thrust member through said bolt opening into ,operative engagement with said movable contact, a strip extending adjacent all the doors in said shaft, a bell crank lever, one arm of which is connected with said strip and the other arm of which is adapted to operatively engage the projec-' tion upon said thrust member, and cooperating means carried by said strip and each door of a shaft, wherebysaid electric circuit is controlled by'the opening and closing of any of said doors.

6. A controlling mechanism for elevator re embo y h r a sen -roller pe a-v tive from within a car, a plurality of elevator doors in an elevator shaft, and means controlling the application of power to the car, comprising an electric circuit including therein a single make and break mechanism consisting of a plurality of electrical contacts, a movable member cooperating therewith and adapted to make and break the circuit therethrou h, a switch box having a bolt opening throng the wall thereof, said make and break mechanism being mounted Within said box, a sliding weight mounted adjacent said switch box, a slidable thrust member carried by said weight and having a projection thereon, said thrust member being adapted to be moved by said weight into, or out of, alinement with said bolt opening, a stop adapted to arrest movement of said weight when said thrust member is in alinement with said bolt opening, a spring adapted to normally project said thrust member through said bolt opening into operative engagement with said movable contact, a strip extending adjacent all the doors in said shaft, a bell crank lever, one arm of which is connected with said strip and the other arm of which is adapted to operatively engage the projection upon said thrust member, and cooperating means carried by said strip and each door of a shaft, whereby said electric circuit is controlled by the opening and closing of any of said doors.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 22nd day of May,

1918, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN WVEXLER. Witnesses:

F. T. WENTwoR'rH, A. E. RnNsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.