US1844515A - Elevator signaling system - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1932. H. w. MATTINGLY ET AL ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 27. 1929 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD W. MATTINGLY, OF SWISSVALE, AND BIRNEY B. HINES, OF WILKINSB'URG,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOIRS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING i COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELEVATOR SIGNALING SYSTEM Application filed November 27', 1929.

Our invention relates to dispatching systems and floor-lantern signal systems for elevator cars.

It has been customary to provide a floor lantern adjacent to each elevator shaft at the terminal or loading floor, whereby it may be indicated which of the elevators is approaching the floor and preparing to take on passengers.

In prior elevator signaling systems, the floor lantern was usually energized by the arrival of the car at the terminal or loading floor and it remained lighted as long as the car stood at that Hoor. In such systems, the lantern was not extinguished until the car had actually moved away from the floor. Vheu a sufficient number of passengers had boarded the car at this terminal to fully load the car, or the operator decided to start the car from the floor for any other reason he closed the door against oli-coming passengers who had been attracted by the illuminated floor lantern; This was difficult for the operator and was disappointing to the passengers who were in a hurry to catch an elevator car and had been attracted by a false signl.

Many elevator systems include a dispatching system which gives a signal to each operator when it is time for him to start his car from the terminal landing as by flashing a light provided on each car for this purpose. If the operators obey the dispatching signals, the cars will leave the terminal iloor at regular intervals and in a certain order, whereby the best and most uniform service will be rendered. It is, however, diilicult for an operator to start promptly when passengers are still being attracted to his car by the illuminated l'loor lantern, and it may not be `iossible for the operator to leave immediately, under these conditions. As a consequence, cars are frequently thrown out of proper order and rotation by such delays. Further'- more, the usual dispatching signal, consisting merely of a flash of light, is of such short duration that it may not be seen by the operator.

An object of our invention is to remedy the Serial No. 410,117.

disadvantages of prior systems above set forth.

It is an object of our invention to provide an elevator-dispatching and Hoor-lantern system of such character that the floor-lantern signal will be extinguished as soon as the dispatching signal is given.

It is a further object of our invention to provide, in an elevator-dispatching system, means whereby the dispatching signal will be maintained until the car leaves the terminal floor at which it receives the signal.

Itis another object of our invention to provide, in an elevator-dispatching and floorlantern system, means whereby the floor lantern shall be extinguished as soon as the dispatchinor signal is received, and the dispatching signal will be maintained until the car leaves the terminal floor, whereupon the system will be restored to normal condition.

Our invention is more specifically disclosed in connection with a. system of the type disclosed in the application of FrankA E. Lewis, Serial No. 215,392, filed August 25, 1927, (case No. 18,280), but it may obviously be applied, as an improvement, to any elevatordispatching and floor-lantern system.

Our invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which The sole figure is a diagrammatic representation of our invention, as applied to a bank of three elevators.

Referring to the drawing, we have illustrated three elevator cars designated, respectively, as A., B and C, each of which may be suspended and operated by any conventional elevator apparatus (not shown). Each of the cars operates in a separate elevator shaft represented between the dotted lines appearing on the drawing.

A floor-selector switch is provided in connection with each car, each comprising a contact strip 10, the length of which is representative of the distance between the upper and thc lower floors, and a movable contact brush 13 having sliding engagement therewith. The movable brush 13 is mechanically connected to the car in such manner that its movements along the contact strip 10 will correspond to the movements or" the car along the shaft. Adjacent to one extremity of strip 10 is a Contact segment 11 in such position, relative to the strip 10, that the contact brush 13, when in its eXtreme position as when the corresponding car is at the terminal floor, will establish a conductive con-V nection therebetween. The contact strip 10 and contact brush 13 may constitute the usual floor-selector switch and, in conjunction with contact member 11, may serve also to control the floor lantern 30. A second similar selector switch 20, 21 and 22 is provided to extinguish the dispatching signal.

It will be noted that the elevator cars A, B and@ and their associated contact-brush members 13A and 22A; 13B and 22B; 13C and 22C are shown in various corresponding positions. The car A is shown at the terminal floor, and its corresponding contact brushes 13A and 22A are shown in the corresponding position where connection is established from 10A to 11A and from 20A to 21 A.

Terminal iioor lanterns 30A, 30B, 30G, etc. are provided, one on the outside of each corresponding elevator shaft, where they may be seen by prospective passengers. Illumination of one of the lanterns indicates to the approaching passengers which one of the cars is ready to receive them. The lanterns are controlled by the contacts 13, 22 which move in accordance with the movement of the corresponding car, whereby a floor lantern is illuminated as soon as its car moves into loadlng position at that floor.

Each car carries a dispatching signal 31 which is operated to give an indication to the operator that it is time to start his car from the floor. A dispatching device D for controlling these signals 31 may comprise any suitable commutating device 1 for successively energizing a plurality of circuits at regular intervals and a motor for driving the same.

Any suitable speed-reducing connecting means may be provided between the motor and the Commutating device. The dispatcher is represented diagrammatically at the upper left-hand portion of the drawing.

c Our system is best understood with reference to an assumed operation thereof. Assuming that the elevator car A has arrived at the terminal floor, the contacts 13A and 22A, movable in connection therewith, will occupy the lowermo'st position, as shown, whereby a connection is established Jfrom 10A to 11A and 20A to 21A. The connection of Contact strip 10A to Contact segment 11A establishes an energizing circuit for the corresponding floor lantern 30A which is now illuminated to indicate to approaching passengers that car A is ready to take on passengers, which circuit extends from line conductor L1, by way of conductors 8 and 9, through contact strip 10A and Contact brush 13A, to Contact segment 11A, conductor 15, normally closed contacts a of relay 100A, conductor 16, lantern 30A and conductor 17, to line conductor L2.

The commutator 1 of the dispatcher D is driven continuously by the motor lvl to establish connections i'rom line conductor L1 to the conductors 38, 48 and 58 successively. However, the circuit to the dispatching signal of any car will not be completed unless its associated contact brush and contactsegments 21 and 22 are in Aigagiing relation. The contact brush and segments 21A and 22A of car A are engaging, hence, its dispatching signal 31A will be energized when the corresponding conductor 33 is energized by a circuit which extends from line conductor L1, through conductor 33, brush 34, shaft 35, commutating segment 3G, brush 37, conductor 38, contact strip 20A, contact brush 22A, contact segment 21A, conductors 43 and 42, signal 31A and conductors 39 and i7, to line conductor L2. The winding ot relay lOOAfwill be energized simultaneously with the signal 31A through a circuit which eX- tends in parallel therewith from contact segment 21A, through conductor 43 and the winding of the relay 100A and, by way ot conductors 44 and 19, to the line conductor1 L2. Relay 100 now pulls up, opening its normally closed contact members a and thereb opening the circuit to floor lantern 30A. nsequentially, the floor lantern is extinguished as soon as the dispatching signal is given, irrespective of when the car leaves the floor. The prospective passengers, no longer being attracted` to car A, the operator will be able to close the doors and start the car from the floor more promptly than if the passengers continued to force their way toward his car. Furthermore, the passengers will be spared the disappointment of receiving a false signal and attempting to board a car just as the door is being closed.

Simultaneously with the opening of the contacts a of relay 100A, just discussed, occurs the closing of normally open contacts b. This completes a self-holding circuit for the relay and dispatching signal which will be traced subsequently. As a result oi this self-holding circuit, the dispatching signal persists is certa-in to attract the attention ot the operator, whereas a signal of short duration might be overlooked.

The self-holding circuit may be tracer Jfrom line conductor L1, through conductors 3 and 46, through contacts ZJ and, by wav of conductor 47, to conductor 38, through contact strip 20A, contact brush 22A, contact segment 21A, conductor 43, winding 100A and conductors 44 and 19, to line conductor L2. Consequentially, the relay 100 will remain energized through itsown contacts and car actuated members 21A, 22A and 20A. This will maintain the energization of dispatching signal 31 'from line conductor L1,

through 8, 46, contacts b, conductors 4T and 38, contact strip A, brush 22A, segment 21A, conductor 42, signal 31A, and conductors 39 and 17, to line conductor L2 which is in parallel with the circuit through the Winding from contact segment 21A. When the car leaves the floor, the bridging contact 22A, which moves in connection therewith, Will be moved out of engagement with :21A

` thereby breaking the self-holding circuit for relay 100A which will then drop out opening the contacts b and also deenergizing the dispatching signal 31A. When the relay 100 drops out the normally closed contacts a will again be closed thereby restoring the system to normal and preparing it for subsequent operations.

We have now considered an operation of the system in Which as the car A approached and stopped at the terminal floor, its floor lantern A Was energized but remained energized only until the dispatching signal 31A was energized. The floor lantern was eX- tinguished When the dispatching signal was energized but the latter Was maintained by a self-holding circuituntil the car left the floor.

The operation of the system in connection with cars B and C is similar to that set forth in connection With car A and Will not be repeated. The same reference numerals are applied to the equivalent elements in connection with each car except for the addition of a character A, B or C to designate with which car the element is associated.

The embodiment yof our invention described is merely illustrative and is susceptible of many changes and substitutions in the arrangement of the apparatus described.

' Wye, therefore, do not desire to be limited to the details shown, except as defined in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when the car is positioned at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, and means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car for deenergizing the floor lantern for that car.

2. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when the car arrives at the Hoor, a

dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, and

means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car for deenergizing the floor lantern for that car including cooperating means for maintaining the floor lantern in a deenergized condition.

3. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when the car arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car for deenergizing the floor lantern for that car and means for restoring the system to normal When the car leaves the loading floor.

4. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern When the car arrives at the loor, a dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predeterminedplan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car for deenergizing the floor lantern for that car including cooperating means for maintaining the floor lantern in deenergized condition, and means for deenergizing said maintaining means and restoring the system to normal when the car leaves the loading floor.

5. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading iloor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when the car arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, and means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal to maintain the energization thereof.

6. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its Hoor lantern When the car arrives at the floor, a

dispatching system for starting thecars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal to maintain the energization thereof, and means for deenergizing the dispatching signal and restoring the system to normal When the car leaves the loading floor.

7. In a signaling system for a-plurality of elevator cars operable past a'loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern When the car arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a. signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energization of t-he dispatching signal :'t'or a car for deenergizing the floor lantern for that car including cooperating means for maintaining the dispatching signal energized.

8. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading ioor for indicating that the corresponding car -is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its ioor lantern When the car arrives at the door, a dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the saine, means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car for deenergizing the ioor lantern for that car including cooperating means f for maintaining the dispatching signal energized and the iioor lantern deenergized.

9. In a signaling system for a plurality of elevator cars operable Vpast a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicatingthat the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when the car arrives at the floor, a dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to apredetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car for deenergizing the floor lantern 'for that car including cooperating means for maintaining the dispatching signa-l energized, and means for deenergizing said dispatching signal and restoring the system to normal when the car leaves the loading floor. y

l0. In asignaling systemfor a plurality of elevator cars operable past a loading floor, a floor lantern for each car at said loading floor for indicating that the corresponding car is prepared to receive passengers, means individual to each car for energizing its floor lantern when the car arrives at the oor, a

dispatching system for starting the cars in a certain order according to a predetermined plan including a signal carried by each car and means for energizing the same, means actuated in response to the energization of the dispatching signal for a car to deenergize the iioor lantern for that car including cooperating means for maintaining the dispatching signal energized and the floor lantern deenergized as long as the car stands at the loor, and means for deenergizing said dispatching signal and restoring the system to normal when the car leaves the loading floor.

ll. In a signaling system for an elevator car operable for a plurality of floors, including a loading floor, a floor lantern at the loading floor for indicating that the car is prepared to receive passengers, mea-ns for energizing the said floor lantern when the car is at the said loading floor, a dispatching signal, means for energizing the dispatching signal to indicate to the car attendant that the car should leave the loading floor, and means operably responsive to energization of the dispatching signal for restoring the floor lantern to its deenergized condition.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto subscribed our names this 22nd day of November, 1929.

HARGLD IV. HATTINGLY. BIRNEY B. HINES.

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