US1891350A - Elevator control system - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20, E L GALE ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Ded. l, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 DEC. 20, L. E

ELEVATOR .CONTROL SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 3T INVENTOR ATTORNEY;

a l N a:

Filed Dec. 1, 1926 aux Dec. 20, 1932. E, GALE 1,891,350

ELEVATOR CONTROL'SYSTEM Filed Dec. 1, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet, 3

T 1! g1 gT T 3T INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 20, 1932. E L. GALE r 1,891,350 ELEVATORICONTROL SYSTEM I Filed Dec. 1, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mu I Eigj X i iv 1 1 7 7///////////l//////////// lll/ll/llllll/llll/l/l/A- INVENTOR ATTORN control system for a bank otelevators.

Patented Dec. 20, 1932 new roan, assreivon T0 GURNEYELEV OR cominn. a oonronarron or PENNSYLVANIA nmvns i Leann, or 'YGNKl-RS,

' PANY,-I1\TC.,'OF n r" T OFFICE EL-[ vas on CONTROL sYsrnM I npplieation filed Becemher 1, 1926. Serial No; 151,8 72.

My invention relates to elevators and more particularly to an intercepting push-button One ofthe objects of. the inventi 1 is to provide an intercepting control system in whichtho start of the car is effected manually by momentary actuation of a car switch'combined with selectively operable hall and car push-buttons which elfect only automatic car stops, which function differentiates it from other well knownsyst-ems wherein. such buttons control both starts and stops. 7

Another object ofthe invention is to provide anintercepting control for bank of elevators. comprising only a single set of hall but-tons, i. e.. one up and one down but ton perlandmg to dominate all the cars forming the bank, whereby momentary operation of said buttons 1' lers operable certain ele ments so that any [caret the bank first to reach si-iidlandings and Whose direction of movement corresponds to thebuttons pressed, will be autome.ticallyv intercepted at such landings.

Another object of the invention is to provide anintercepting control system compris ing selectively operable car buttonsand a system of circuits to effect automatic car stops successively at landings toward which the car is moving. These buttons may be set by the operator asthe passengers in the car call their floors, and for any one direction of car travehall set buttons remain ops erative during travel. of the car toward landings corresponding thereto, and each is re-set automaticallywhenthe car stop is effected attloors correspondiag thereto.

A still further object of the. invention is to provide means whereby each car operator may at will, when certain contingencies arise as for example when acar becomes fully loaded and no other stops are desired until the. limit of travel or-other predetermined point is reached, render ineffective with re-, spect to his particular car onlythe stopping functionofthe intercepting control as rendered operable byv actuation of the hall-but tons and in this manner, transfer the stopping effect of the intercepting control so that the second carto come along in the same direc-- sengers oil at desired landings.

tion as the first and providedits transfer means are not actuated, willbe subjected to said stopping effect. Hence withthe use of such transfer means, any car operator may at his election render'the hall-button system ineffective to stop his car and the latter will automaticallyreset individually in accordance with the'direction of car travel.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out more fully hereinafter, the novel combinations ofelements and arrangement of parts being claims. 1 1 y Referring now to theaccompanying drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates in diagrammatic manner, an intercepting automatic push-button control systemfor a bankof single speed elevators, withapparatus and a system of circuits arranged in accordance with the present invention; J I I Fig. 2 illustrates ina diagrammatic manpointed out in the appended her, an intercepting automatic push-button control system for a bank of elevators more particularly of the two speed type; and

Figs. 3, 4; and 5 illustrate modified forms of controlling apparatus to be used in conjunction with the presentintercepting control for a bank of elevators of the multiple speed type.

Referring now toFig. 1, three cars form the bank and arev designated A, Band C,

each of which is operated by its hoisting .motor M of anysuitable type through the intermediary of any well known system of driving sheaves, roping "or gearing (not shown). 1 The controllingjelements for one of the cars will nowbe designated and since they are the same for each car system, the designationfor one system will sufiice for all.

In the system illustrated herein the cars are shown as serving three floors designated 1, 2 and 3, and it will be understood that the system may serve as many other floors as may be desired and for the purpose of this description it will be assumed that floor 3 is an intermediate floor. Floor-stopping switches designated D may be of the type positioned in the elevator hatchway to be actuated automatically by movement of the car through the intermediary of a cam E fixed on the elevator car. Each stopping switch for intermediate landings comprises a pivotally supported switch arm 1 carrying contactors 4'3 and 6 (to-acting with fixed contactors 7 and 8. The contactors of the three sets of floor stopping switches of the combined bank of cars, control circuits which are dominated and rendered operable by a single set of hall-buttons comprising only two buttons per floor, designated 9 and 10 to effect up and down car stops for all three cars forming the bank, and in eiiect it may be said, therefore, that the hall-buttons function to intercept the cars at landings toward which they are moving, because otherwise the cars will pass by any landings whose corresponding car buttons are not set for stop by the car operator. Such intercepting function eliminates necessity for exercise of attentiveness on the part of the car operator and is rendered etiective without his knowledge and so eliminates the necessity for car signals whereby passengers designate their presence at landings.

The stopping switch arm carries an additional contactor 11 to coact with fixed contactors 12, the contactors of the stopping switches which form a set for each particular car s stem, controlling circuits which are indivi ual to their own particular car system solely. The circuits for each system are controlled by one set of selectively operable car buttons 13, 14 and 15 by means of which the car for either direction of travel is controlled automatically to stop successively at landings toward which it is moving and whose corresponding buttons are pressed.

According to the present invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, the floor stopping switches are actuated by a fixed cam E on the car in a well known manner according to standard practice. However, the manner in which they function in order to efi'ect automatic stops is materially diiierent in that their contactors are normally open-circuited and when a switch arm is actuated by the car cam, these contactors are engaged only momentarily to close certain circuits which momentarily energize certain elements. When the car reaches a landing, the cam actuates the switch arm so that its contactors assume a neutral position with respect to the up and down fixed contactors. Upon movement of the car to continue its travel, the cam will move the switch arm contactors to a point beyond the opposite set of fixed contactors to an open-circuited position.

There is one hall-button at the lower floor, one at the upper floor (not shown), and two at each of the intermediate floors. In each car there are as many car buttons as there are floors served. All of these buttons are of the automatic re-set ty in which their contactors 16 are closed t; pressing a button and remain closed to maintain the circuit. Each has a winding 17 which is energized at the time its particular button completes its function of effecting a car stop, and thereby re-sets the button or, in other words, opens 1 its contactors 16.

A manually operable car switch 18 is adapted for actuation in a one-way direction from a neutral position as shown to effect start of y the car for either direction of travel as predetermined by up and down direction relays 19 and 20 respectively which are controlled and properly set by switches 21 and 22 actuated automatically by a cam 23 on the car when it reaches its limits of travel.

By movement of the car switch from its neutral position as shown, in a reverse direction to said one-way movement, operation of auxiliary direction relays 24 and 25 is efiected in a manner properly to set the direction relays 19 and 20 independently of the car operated hatchway switches 21 and 22, to estab lish direction for car travel in a reverse direction. When direction for reverse car travel is thus established, the car can then be started in said reverse direction by returnmg the car switch to neutral position and continuing its movement in the heretofore mentioned one-way direction. In this manner provision is made whereby the car operator may effect reverse operation of the car at will at any intermediate point of car travel. thereby eliminating necessity of running the car to the limits to effect such result.

Electro-magnetically operable reversing switches R and R control the hoisting motor M for up and down directions of car travel respectively and are provided with windings 26, 27 respectively, adapted by oneway movement of the car switch to be energized selectively as determined by whichever direction relay 19 or 20 is in closed position. A relay 28 having a winding 29 dominated by the car switchis provided with contactors 30 to control a self-holding circuit for the reversing switch windings which in effect means that the car starts are effected by momentary actuation of the car switch and thereafter the hoisting operation is continued automatically as effected by said relay 28.

An electro-ma netically operable stopping switch S is operable by momentary energization of its winding 31 to effect automatic stops by opening normally closed contactors 32 included in the common feed wire or said selfholding circuit for said reversingswitcli windings, the energization of said Winding 31 to control the car stops :being subject to the control of the selectively operable hall-bub tons and car buttons together with the floor,

stopping switches. A transfer switch 83 is provided whereby a car operator may at will reversing.

render ineliiective the stopping action of the intercepting control elements in so far as his particular car. is concerned, the effect being to transfer the stopping eiiect'to thenextvcar to come along in the same direction.

Operation of the elements through a complete cycle together with a detailed descripthe electrical circuits will now be described.

In the class oft-elevator service for which tl e present intercepting control system is intended, each car ordinarilyservesall landings from one end to the other end of travel before 1 For such service each. car has an operator to control the car starts by actuation of the car switch 18 and the car will stop automatically and successively at all landin toward which it is moving whose corresponding car buttons are pressed, the car buttons being set by the car operator when the car passengers calltheir floors. Passengers at the landings can by pressingthe up or down hall buttons, intercept the carof the haul: to reach. such landings, whose direction of travel corresponds to the h all-but,- tons pressed.

h To eli'ect start of a car the operator moves the car switch momentarily so tliat segment 8% engages contacts thus momentarily closing'anenergizmg c rcuit for the wind of one of the reversing switches,dependnis on n a v o which direction relay is closed. For the purpose of this description I will assume that a car B mat the landing 1 tor which pos t on thereof the cam 23 opens switch 22 to reset or open the clown direction relay 20 and close the up relay 19, (as fully described herein after), which thereby closes at the cont actors a circuit for the up reversing SWIl-CH wind ing 26 so that now the car'switch circuit energizes the upreversino; switch windin o "1 I the motor M in a well known manner.

26, and theup reversing switch will now close and initiate the hoisting operation by circuit for the up reversing switch winding 26 may be traced as follows :'from plus wire 42, contactor 4 .8, segment 34lto contactor 35, wire ofswitch S, wire 46, contactorslO of the up direction switch 19, wire 47, through up reversing switch winding 26 and thence by wire 48 to the minus main designated 49.

T he" circuit just traced includes t s relay inding 29 and reversing switch winding; in serie and the former now being energizer will close the relay contacts 30 the-root {closa self-holding. circuit including iiig windings 29 and 26 and in this manner the main as traced above system only and, tlie'r .30

The

14, relay winding 29, wire 15, cont-actors It w ll at this point be observed that the normally closed contactors32 of the stopping switch S are included in the self-holding circult 3ust traced for the up reversing switch winding and by rendering the energization of the winding-31. of the stop switch S sub- JQCt to the control of the car buttons andhall i push-buttons "and associated floor stop switches through a system of electrical circuits hercina l ter to be traced, said stop switch will, by. momentary energization of its wind- "ing 31 separate its contactors 32 to open said self-holding circu t and eflect stops of the car successively at all landings toward which it is moving whose car or hall push-buttons such ai'eset, correspond to movement of the car.

llowat this point reference will be made can to the systems for the othertwo cars A and G wh ch'forni the bank, because they each coinprise one of these stopping switches S, and

the system of circuits for all three switches a are cooroinated and interrelated in a manner subject to the control of the single set of hall push-buttons which comprises only one up and one down button for eachflooi' served.

However, thesysteni oi circuits for the stop switch S 01" any one car system as controlled by thecar buttons is individual to that car re, *ill not interfere with, orbe subjectedto interference from the hall-buttoncoiitrol circuits. I

The circuit for the winding 31 of any one of the switches S,talre that of the system for car B for exaniple,inay be traced from the plus wire 41, through winding 31, wire to the up. and down relay contactors 56,

57 respectively, whereat the circuit is divided to form two teed wires 58 and 59, controlled by the up and down contactors 56 and 57.

The wire 58 connects in parallel all the up contactors of the floor stopping switches for any one car systemai d likewise'the wire 59 connects in. parallel all the down contactors of thefloor stopping switches for any one system, and the upaand down contactors of all three floor stopping switches at any one floor, are connected in parallel by wires 60 and 61 respectively controlled at each floor landing by the up and edownhall pushbuttonsS) and 10 respectively.

ln order, now to illustrate the manner in -'wliicli a'car is intercepted by actuation of the hall push-buttons let it be assumed that car B is now ascending from the first floor landing, carC descending from a landing above the 3. the landings.

third floor, and car A at rest at the first floor landing. Assume further that for car B none of the car buttons is set or pressed in which case the car B will ordinarily pass by By pressing the third floor up hall-button 9, all the floor stopping switches for the third floor of any car of the bank traveling in an ascending direction toward said landing are thereby rendered effective to effect a car stop at such landing, and hence any ascending car of the bank first to actuate its third floor stopping switch will be the car wh ch is intercepted.

Car B being the first will in its approach to the third floor landing bring the cam E into engagement with the stopping switch roller 63 to rock the floor stopping arm to close-circuit the up contactors 5 and 7 momentarily, the continued movement of the car causing the cam to disengage or open-circuit said contactors, so that the switch arm now assumes a neutral position with respect to the up and down contactors. The up contactors coacting in this manner, complete a momentary energizing circuit for the stop switch winding 31 and the stop switch S will now open its contactors 32 to open the selfholding circuit for the reversing switch winding and in this manner effect a car stop. The circuit for the winding 81 as completed may be traced as follows: from the plus main 41, wire 62, winding 31, wire 55, contactors 56, wire 58, up contactors 5 and 7 of the third floor stopping switch for car B, wire 64 to a junction 66 with the common up wire 60, through up push-button contactors 16, thence through winding 17 to the minus line. Since the circuit just traced includes the up push-button winding 17, the latter will 0perate to open its contactors 16 and in this manner it may be said the puslnbutton is reset. Car B in its ascent, will when moving away from each floor actuate each floor stopping switch to momentarily close and again open-circuit the down contactors 6 and 8, but such closing thereof is ineffective to complete a circuit to effect a car stop if a down" hall push-button is pressed because of the fact that for the B car system, the circuit for the stopping switch winding 31 as controlled by the down wire 59 etc., is now open at the down direction switch 20, which is not actuated to closed position until the car reaches the top floor landing. This ineffective circuit may be traced as follows: from wire 62 of the car B system, through winding 31, wires 55 and 59 now open-circuited at the contacts 57 of the down direction switch 20, the wire 59 including the lower contacts of the transfer switch 33 and connecting all down stop contacts (3 in parallel. The contacts 6 coact with their respective fixed contacts 8, each of which connects with the minus main 49 by way of its associated wire 61 down hall push-button contacts 16, and reset winding 17.

It will here be pointed out that since the up contactors of all three stopping switches at any one floor are connected by normall open circuits in parallel, and likewise with the down contactors, and the up and down feed wires 58 and 59 are rendered effective by the direction relays, the resent intercepting system as a whole, and t rough the agency of only one up and one down hall-button per landing, is operable to intercept at any landings the first car to reach it, and only such car will be intercepted whose direction of travel corresponds to the up or down button pressed, or in other words any car ascending is responsive only to up buttons at landings toward which the car is moving, and any car descending is responsive only to down buttons at landings toward which the car is moving.

\Vircs 60 and 61 are common to the up and down contactors respectively of all three stopping switches at any one floor, and include in circuit therewith the up and down pushbutton windings respectively, any such button will, therefore, be re-set whose direction corresponds to the direction of the car stopped, or in other words, an ascending car automatically re-sets any up hall-buttons, and a descending car automatically re-sets only down hall-buttons, such re-setting for the buttons of any one floor being effective simultaneously with the stopping or intercepting operation of the said first car.

The system of electrical circuits and apparatus as rendered effective by the car buttons to control car stops will now be described and for this purpose consider car B started from the first landing in the manner heretofore described. These car buttons me be set by the car operator in response to call for stop desired of the car passengers, and we will assume that car buttons 14 and 15 are set, they remaining in such set position after being momentarily pressed. Car B will now stop successivel at the second and third floor landings as e ected when the car cam E actuates the stopping switches at said floors to momentarily close the contactors l1 and 12. Such momentary closure of these contactors closes an energizing circuit for the winding 31 of the stopping switch S which circuit after passing through said winding includes the car buttons in parallel and is independent of the circuits controlled by the hall push-buttons and may be traced as follows :from the plus main 41, wire 62, through the winding 31, thence by wire 69, and to car button re-set magnet windings 17 in parallel, through the second floor car button contacts 16, wire 72, floor stopping switch contactors 11 and 12, and thence by way of wire 73 to the minus main. The energizing circuit for the winding 31 now being completed, effects operation of the stopping switch S to open its contactors 32 to effect a car stop in a manner as heretofore pointed out. In like manner, the actuated car button renders the third floor stopping switch" contactcrs l1 and 12 operable to control the energizing circuit for the winding 31to effect acar stop at thethird floor landing. It will be remembered that the circuit for the stopping switch winding 31 includes the car pushbutton winding, in'this instancethe winding for the car button corresponding to the sec ond floor, landing, which winding now being Y ener 'lzed wlll operateto reset or open-c1r-' cuit the vsecond floor car push-button contactors 16. In like manner, all car push-buttons which are set, will be automatically reset individually, and simultaneously with the stopping operation at landings corresponding thereto. Thus, a singleset of car buttons canbe used for both directions of'car travel I and-the fixed cont-actors 12 of the floor stop-- ping switches can be connected by a common wire. Even though the cont-actors 11 of the floor stopping switch arms are actuated for any one direction of car travel to engage both 'contactors 12 at anyone floor, in the first in-,

stance as the car moves toward thelanding in stopping, and in the second instance as the car after startingcontinues its movement awayfroin the landing, such second engage ment Wlll not have any effect because at such time, the corresponding car button is m re-set position as effected at the time the car stop 7 113 made.

I "At this'point it will be no'tedthat the controlling circuit just traced for the stop winding 31 as controlled by the car buttons isindividual to the car B system only. Likewise the car button controlled circuits for the other I two car systems are individual'to those particular systems only. Hence, by such inde-r pendenceof the car button controlled circuits with respect to the parallel system, of circuits for the bank of elevators as controlledby the hall push-buttons, the car buttons and associated circuits of any one system will function to control thestopsfor the-car of that onesystem only, excepting under one certain circumstanceremote as to occurrence,

as when two cars travelinginthe same-direction reach oneand the same landing simulta-.

"neously to actuate their floor stopping switches, in which case the car not under con trol to'stop' at suchlanding, would stop togcther with the car whose car button is set for stop at such point. Furthermore, by such independence, absolute control of stops for each car by its buttons is retained and cannot be interfered with or canceled as, for example, by the automatic re-set operation of the hall buttons. It will be remembered that the first ear intercepted at a floorwill re-set,

the hall buttons, and hence, without this independence of clrcults, such re-settmg mlght cancelthe stop for-the same floor, as registered by'the car buttonof'the second car coming along'in the'samedirection, so the carwould not stop to let off its passenger unless the car buttonwas again pressed. I

An operator may for certain contingencies desire to transfer-the stopping effect of the parallel system of circuits and apparatus as rendered operable by thehall, push-button system, and to accomplish such result, he actuates the switch in the car'to'open both the up and down feed wire circuits ,58'and 59. Thedown"wiretcircuitis opened before it connects through switch 33 with the stop switches at all butthefirst floor, and the up wire circuit is; opened before it connects through switch 33 with the stop switches at all butthe upper floor. Since these feed wires 58 and 59 are subject to the control of thefloor stopping switches and hallpush-button system of circuits, such system by open circuitin'g said wires is thereby rendered ineffective even though the hallbuttons are pressed to effect astop of any car of the bank whose transfer switch is held open and such car may thereafter continue its direction of travel as express to either end landing at which. points the stopping, effect of the stopping switches is effective. How-. ever, as willbe noted, the system ofcircuit's and apparatus as controlled by the car buttons is independent of said transfer switch and so remains effective to elfectcar stops to.

let car pasengers off. Hence, by provision of such transfer switches an operator of any car can by actuating his switch at will at any intermediate point of car travel, render the intercepting control operative or inoperativewith respect to his particular car system. As will be noted, the operation of any one transfer switch effects the operation of its I car system only, so that ineffect, such actua tion merely transfers thestopping effect of i the intercepting system to thesecond car coming along-in the same dlrecti on as the first and provided its transfer switch 33is closed.

Coming now to. the up and down? direction relays 19 and 20 respectively, for establishing direction for cartravel as effected by car switch operation, the up relay ordinarily remains in closed position during entire'travel of thecarin ascending, and the ,down relay functionslikewise for descending direction. of cartravel. When the car reaches the top landing, the car cam 23 opens relay 20 which will open, and by closing its back contacts 38 close an energizing circuit for the up relay winding 39 which circuit may be traced as follows :-from the plus main 41, wire 75, contacts 38, wire 76, through up winding 39, wire 77, through back contacts 78 of the normally open auxiliary up relay switch 24, wire 80, thence through the switch 21 to the minus main by way of wire 81.

, The automatic setting and resetting of the direction relays by the car at the top and bottom landings having been pointed out, it will now be shown how the relays can be set by manual operation of the car switch to establish direction for reverse direction of car travel, such operation being effective at any intermediate point of car travel without actuation of the switches 21 and 22. To accomplish such result and assuming the up relay closed, the car switch segment 82 is actuated to engage contact 83, to close an energizing circuit for a winding 84 of the auxiliary up relay 24 whereby the latter will now operate to open its back contacts 78 thereby opening the energizing circuit for the up relay winding 39 and the up relay 19 will now close its back contacts 7 l and by so doing, cause the down relay 20 to close in the manner before described so that at this time the car switch can be moved back to its neutral position and its movement continued so that the segment 34 engages the contacts 35 and the feed circuit 45 will now be directed by way of the down relay 20 to energize the down reversing switch winding 27. The down relay 20 will close now because of energization of its winding 37 by a circuit which may be traced as follows: from the plus wire, wire 75. back-contacts 74 of the up direction switch, through winding 37, and to the minus wire 21 by way of the switches 25 and 22.

An initial energizing circuit for the down reversing switch winding 27 may be traced by way of the plus wire 42, contacts 43 and 35 by way of the car switch segment 34, wire 4-1, winding 29, wire 45, contacts 32 of the stop switch S, wire 46, thence through the down reversing switch winding 27 by way of the down direction switch 20, to the minus main 49. The car switch need only momentarily be moved to on position and again centered and the reversing switch winding is maintained energized independcntly of the car switch by way of the circuit 51, and self-holding contacts 30 for the winding 29 of the relay 28.

The energizing circuit for the winding 8i may be traced as follows :from the plus main 41, wires and 85, through auxiliary contacts 86 on the up relay 19. wire 87, back contacts 88 on auxiliary down relay 25, wire 90. through winding 84, wire 91 and thence through the car switch contacts to the minus main by way of wire 92. Theback contacts 7 8 may be constructed in any well known manner so that when the relay 24 operates, its top contacts 93 will close before the bottom contacts 7 8 open which sequence is necessary since the circuit for the winding 84 is dependent on the closure of the contacts 86 of the up relay 19 dependent in turn on the closure of contacts 78. The top contacts 93 close a self-holding circuit for the winding 84 extending through the car switch contactors, so that by holding the car switch actuated for a short interval gives the up relay time to reset itself and effect the setting of the down relay 25 before back contacts 95 of relay 2% are closed as effected by centering the car switch to open said selfholding circuit.

Thus it will be seen that for movement of the car in either direction, direction is established for reverse car travel by one way movement of the car switch segmcntBl from its normal position, and as determined by whichever up or down direction relay is closed at the time the car switch is actuated, such closed relay being the factor which renders the actuation of the auxiliary relays 24 and 25 selectively operable by the one way movement of the car switch lever and said relays thereby operate to open or re-set whichever direction relay is closed, and to set or close the other one.

Referring to the car and hall push-buttons, since they are of the self re-setting type and their contactors and operating windings are included in the energizing circuit of the winding 31 of the stopping switch S, it is desirable in order to insure cnergization of the winding 31 to somewhat prolong the duration of contact between such contactors at the time of re-setting and such result may be effected in any well known manner as for example by provision of a somewhat elongated contactor as illustrated.

Circuits for the system of car B are shown complete as are also circuits for the bank of cars such as are interconnected. However, circuits for certain elements of the other two car systems, such as are individual to their particular systems, are not shown since to show same would be mere duplication of the car B system and tend toward complication of the drawing.

Reference will now be made to Fig. 2, which illustrates the intercepting push-button control system for a bank of three cars, the hoisting motor M and control for each being arranged for two speed operation; Selective speed change devices for the three car sys tems are designated G, H and K. The stop operation for the three car systems is controlled by the three sets of floor stopping switches L, M and N positioned in the elevator hatchways and actuated by their retracti've car cams 0. Each of these is in effect a.

double cam held in an inoperative position by a spring 96, and actuated to operative position by an electro-magnet 9? controlled automatn cally to assume said operative position only as the cars approach landin s at which stops are to be made a s'controllee bythe ear and i hall push-buttons.

In connection with Fig. 2, it will be mentioned that-while the fast and slow speed controlling devices togetherwlth their intercon- I nected controlling circuits for all three cars other elements as are shown complete, it isthought necessary for a clear understanding of theinvention, to illustrate for only one of the car systems such go to complete one car sys tem.

. Such additional elements comprise up and "down reversing switches R, R and an accelerating magnet 196 which operates in a around a resistor in the circuit of the slow field winding as effected by an electro-magnetically operated fast and slow speed switch from a contactstrip109, is givena reciprocat buttons 13, 14: and 15 101, having a winding125whose energizing circuit in turn is controlled by a normally closed electronnagnetically operable auxiliary'speed change-switch P having a winding 102 whose energizing circuit is controlled by the selective speed change device G.

The selective speed change device comprises a worm 1O3 rotatablein accordance with the movement of the car through any well known type of connection as for example an endless chain, or cable, or a pair of tapes, connected'to the car and engaging sprocket wheels, sheaves or reels at the ends of the car run, and operatively connected to the worm. Rotation of the worm'is adapted toimpart a reciprocating' movement to up'and down contacors 104iand 105'respectively to engage fixed contactors 106 and 107 corresponding to the floors, one set for up and'one setfor down directing of car travel. Contact strips 121 and 122 serve as feeders fori said'contactors 1041 and 105. An additional contactor108fed ing movement together with, the contactors 10-1and 1021' This eoacts with two sets of fixed contactors 146 to control'an independ{ ent circuit subject to the control of the car of the same type'as in Fig. 1. Up ancVdown hall push buttons designated 111 and 112 respectively in this 111- stance control a mechanical interlocking arm 11 1,'wh1ch normally locks an arm 115 in pos1- tron shown. to retain contactors 116 open-circuited, said contactors being closed by pressing abutton to energize a winding'1l7 to unlock the arm 115. The hall push-button contactorsarethus set to maintaincircuits to effeet operationof the auxiliary speed switch 1? 7 as controlled throughthe agency of the selective speed'ehange device G and in this manner automatic slow-down of the car 1s effected when a car is within a predetermined range (as determined by the selective speed change device) of any landing toward which the car s moving and at which stops are desiredas selectively controlled by the car and hall push-buttons. Simultaneously with the slow said contactors are closed momentarily, and

subsequently the cam movesto retracted position and so releases the floorstopping switch to permit it to returntonormal position to open-circuit its of aweight'orspring-120. I n

The circuiti'or the winding 102 of the auxiliary speed change switch P divides at the car ccontrolled' iup and down contaccontactors through the action tors" 56 and 57 to provide up and down feed wires 123 and 124 connected to the fup and down feeder strips 121 and 122 respectively, so that all up contactors of the speed controller iorf any one car system are in parallel and fed by wayof the feeder 121 and contactor 104, and, likewise, the down contactors ,are'in parallel andfedby wayof the feeder122 andcontactor 105. However, the

up;contactors of all three selective speed change devices for any one floor, are connected in parallel by the wires 160, and the down contactors are similarly connected by wires 161, and since these circuits are subject to the control of the up and down hallpush-button controlled contactors, means are provided wherebyactuation of hall butvs 1 down operation a winding 118 is energized tons at any landings, renders the speed f change device G eii ective so thatany car of thebank which is travelingtoward a landing and in the directioncorrespondingto the button pressed,and is the firstcar to come along, will be automatically slowed down apredetermined distance from the landing as deter mined by the adjustment of its selective speed. change device and will be subsequently .topped by the actuation of the floor stopping switch in the hatchway. j I

Closing of one or the other of the reversing switches R or R, to effect car starts is accomplished bymomentary actuation oi the car switch 18 andthe relay 28 functions, the circuits being the same as in Fig; 1. I will assume now the car is started and ascending from the first floor landing. The accelerating magnet will now function in a well known manner to actuate its arms to shortcircuit the starting resistance and series field winding, and its last arm closes contactors 135 to close a circuit for the winding 125 of the fast speed switch 101, which switch will now open its eontactors to introduce the resistance 100 in the circuit of the shunt field winding of the hoisting motor and in this manner the motor will be caused to operate at its maximum speed or we will term it fast speed. The circuit for the winding 125 of the fast speed switch may be traced as follows :-from auxiliary contact 126 fed from the reversing switch disk 127, wire 128, through the winding 125, wire 129, contacts 135, wire 130, through contactors of the auxiliary speed switch P, and thence by wire 131 to the minus line. It will he noted that the circuit just traced included the normally closed contactors of the auxiliary speed switch P, hence when said switch P opens its contactors, the fast speed switch winding is thereby de-energized and the speed switch will again close its contactors 101 and thereby effect slow speed operation of the motor by short-circuiting the shunt field resistance.

Coming now to the control of the auxiliary fast speed switch P, assume the car is ascending to the third floor landing in which case the worm 103 actuates the contactors toward the left hand. When the car reaches a point a predetermined distance from the landing as determined by adjustment of the contactors of the selective speed change device G, the up contactor 104:, will by momentary engagement with the third floor contactor on the speed controller close an energizing circuit for the auxiliary speed switch winding 102, which circuit may be traced as follows :from a plus feed 136, through winding 102, wire 137, up direction relay contactors 56, thence to the third floor contactor on the selective device G by way of the feed wire 123, feeder strip 121, up contaetor 104:, to fixed third floor contactor 106, thence by the common up wire 160 to the third floor up push-button contactors 116, wire 138, thence through the reset winding 118 which will now function to open-circuit or re-set the contactors 116. The auxiliary speed switch P will now close its top contactors 139 to close at contacts 141 a self-holding circuit for its winding 102, said self-holding circuit including the auxiliary contactors 140 of whichever reversing switch is closed, so that in this manner the switch P is maintained closed with its normally closed cont-actors 101 open-circuited, after the speed controller G opens the initial energizing circuit just traced and until the reversing switch is open to effect a car stop.

The self-holding circuit for the winding 102 is the same as above traced to the wire 137 from which it branches and extends through contacts 139 of switch P and contacts 140 of whichever reversing switch is closed and thence to the minus wire.

The car cam O is held in its inoperative position by the s )ring 96, until the slow down operation is e ect-ed by operation of switch P, and the latter by operating, closes at contactors 141, an energizing circuit for the cam magnet 97 and the latter will now actuate the cam to an operative position so that its upper section or half will as the car approaches the third floor landing, actuate the floor stopping switch in the hatchway and thereby momentarily close said switch and when the car is substantially level with the landing, said cam will release the switch to permit it to return itself to normal or open position. Since this energizing circuit for the cam magnet is dependent on the closing operation of the switch P, and the latter is now controlled by the closed reversing switch, it will be seen then that the cam magnet will be (lo-energized by opening of the reversing switch and the cam will then be moved to its normal or inoperative position.

By momentary closure of the third floor stopping switch contactors 119, an energizing circuit is thereby closed for the winding 31 of the stopping switch S and the latter will now open its contactors 32 to open the self-holding circuit for the up reversing switch winding, and by so doing, effect opening of the reversing switch to cause the car to he brought to a stop.

The momentary energizing circuit for the winding 31 may be traced as follows :--from the plus wire 136, wire 142, through winding 31, wire 143, through floor stopping switch contactors 119, to wire 14% connecting all the floor stopping switches of any one floor in parallel, and thence by a common returnwire 145 to the minus line.

In a like manner the car controlled buttons control the energizing circuit for the auxiliary speed switch winding 102 through the agency of the set of contactors 108, 109, and floor contactors 146, controlled by the selective speed change device G, and since these contactors and circuits are independent of the hall button controlled circuits, the absolute control of the car stops by the car buttons is retained in a manner and for the reasons stated in the description of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the intercepting control system embodies apparatus and a sys tem of circuits as constructed and arranged for multiple speed control, and to give an illustration of one well known type, each hoisting motor M is operated on a system identified in the elevator art as a variable voltage control, which is essentially the well known Ward Leonard system. This system comprises more essentially a motor generator set T, the generator being electrically connected by wires 147 to the armature brushes 148 of the hoisting motor M. Speed regula-,

tion' of the hoisting motor is efiected by varying the degreeofstrength of the generator field winding-149 through the agency of a set of graduatedresistors 150, and reversal of the hoistingmotor is effected by reversing the direction" of current flow through said field winding of the generator, this being controlled by any suitable type-of reversing means which in the present instance are illustrated as I switches R, R".

' The reversing switch mechanism and speed regulating resistors are controlled by a modified form of switch mechanism somewhat like a car switch comprising a segment 153 t0,co-

actwith two sets of contactors, one set for upland one for downidesignated 151 and 152 respectively, such elements and their functions being well known and needing no further description. However, the] car i switch segment according to the presentinmaintain the segment 153 in full actuated position corresponding to maximumor fast speed'operation of the hoistlngmotor. The

self-holding circuitfor thewinding 154 may be tracedas follows :from a plus wire 162, wire 163, relay, contactors 30, wire 164, through relay winding 29, wire 165, contac tors 166 o-f a slowdown-initiatingswitohW,

wire 167, up direction relay contactors 56, wire 168, winding 154 and thence to the minus I linejby wayof wire 169,." The self-holding circuit just traced includes the normally closed contactors 166, so'that byopening the circuit at thispoint the up winding 154 is deenergized and the automatic slow-down operation of thehoisting motor is initiated.

The energizing circuit for the winding 170 is controlled by the selective speed change de-' vice Gfwhich functions in the same mannerasrin Fig. 2, subject to the control ofthe hall and carpush-buttons, and in this case initiatming theslowdownbyeifecting the de-enere gization of the actuating winding 154 to release thesegment153. i c j g Theworm 103 of the selective speed change deviceG in "this instance is actuated by an endless chain 171 connected to the car at 172.

This chain performs a double function;'first, it actuates the device G, and, second, it causes thesegment 153 to return slowly'to its cenelectron-magnetically operated of the car,

ter position when the magnet 154 is de-ener gizedlf This is accomplished by rollers 173 on the chain which are'arranged to engage up and down retroactive cams 174,175 which are mechanically connected with the segment to causethe'movement of the car to control the movement'otthe segment; One

or the other of these cams, dcpendent'on the direction of ear travel, will coact witha roller as the car approaches a landing to prevent the quick return of the segment by :its center mg springs 177. As the car continuesto move towardflthe landing, the roller permits the cam to swing on its'pivot and permits the gradual automatic return of the segment. In this manner, the speed of the hoisting motor is gradually reducedyand the car brought to a state of rest. I l i The connections between the cams and segment 153 comprise'a pair of bell crank levers 178 and 179 connected by'a'pa'ir: of rods 180 i fulcrumed at one end 181 to the segnientand I de'pending'to form an angle and connecting at their other end to the bell crank levers. The up and and down cams are connected to levers 182 and 183respectively and plvotally supported at176, eachlever .atits end being slotted and through pins 184 connects with its respective bell crank. By means of these'connections, movementof the I segment 153 in either direction from its neu tral position as effected by magnets 1'54 and 155, efiiect s only a one-way or unidirectional rocking movement of both cams to such positions as not to be engaged by suchrollers on the chain as correspond to the landings which the car passes by. fFurtherinore', if car either in ascending or descending overruns a landingat which it should stop, the roller will thereby engage a cam and through the conhectioq j described, actuate the sage ment, 153 in a reverse direction and inthi s manner eflect a reverse movement of the car and return it to a1evel"wit h the landing Furthermore, if during loading or unloading the landing, a roller will coact with the cams to effect a return movement of the car to a level with the landing. i i p 1 In Fig. 3, only one car system of a bank of cars is showncomplete in so far as is necessary for a clear understanding of the present invention, and in view of the detailed description valready'given for the selective speed it should move from, a level with change device G, together with thehalland car button controlled circuits as embodied in s Fig. 2, it isnot thought necessary to repeat in deta'illsuch description for said elements as embodied in Fig- 3, nor to go further with illustration. s T i z 3 H i As an alternative type of mechanismtobe substituted for and having the same function as the 'plu'ralityofstopping switches Lof the type positioned in the elevator. hatchway as illustrated in Fig. 2, an automaticselective stop controlling mechanism X of the unitary type as illustrated in Fig. 4, may be employed. This unitary stop mechanism comprises a series of pivotally supported floor control switches 200 adapted for rotation bodily by a member 201 to which the switches 200 are connected by brackets 202 for independent adjustment. The member 2011 is adapted for rotation at a relatively slow rate and .in proportion to the movement of the car. Such rotation may be effected by oper atively connecting the speed change worm shaft 103 with the shaft 203 through the intermediary of a suitable type of gear reduction mechanism as,.for example, a sprocket and chain connection 20st.

Rotation of the floor controller switches by the member 201 brings the switches into position successively to coact with a retractive cam 205 11ormally held in retracted position by a spring 206 and actuated to an operative position to engage a switch roller 207, by means of an electroanagnct 210 which by rocking a lever 208 rotates a cam 209 into position to push in a guided rod 211 to which the cam 205 is attached.

When the unitary stop mechanism'is substituted for the floor stopping switches of Fig; 2, the cams O and magnet 97 of Fig. 2 are not used and the magnet 210 of Fig. 1 replaces the magnet 97 in the circuit as shown for the latter. Thus the magnet 210 will be energized in proper order or sequence to move the cam 205 to operative position. Vith the car approaching the landing in descendin the roller of the stopping switch corresponding to the floor stop, will engage the cam face 212 to close the floor switch contactors momentarily and by so doing effect a car stop in the same manner as do the floor stopping switches of Fig. 2. With the ear approaching alanding in an ascending direction, a floor switch is closed to eflect a car stop through its roller engaging the cam face 213.

The spring 206 retains the ca n 205 in an iuoperative or. retracted position so as not to be engaged by rollers of the floor switches corresponding to the landings which the car passes by. a

I As illustrated in Fig. 5, an alternative arrangement may be employed for controlling car stops of the two speed system illustrated in Fig. 2. This consists of a single nondirectional retractive switch 220 of a novel construction together with independently adjustable up and down cams and 222 respectively at each landing and, all in a common plane in the hatchway. The-switch and coacting cams are controlled automatically and selectively to control car stops for allfthe landings.

i The stop switch comprises ajpair of pin oted switch arms 226, each carrying a contactor 223 held normally closed (or in circuit-closing position) by a relatively li ht spring 224. One of said arms carries a ml or 225. The two switch arms are normally held with the contactors 223 closed in a retractive position with rollers 225 out of the plane of the cams by a relatively heavy spring 227 so that the switch will not be actuated at floors which the car passes by. An electro-magnet 228actuates the two switch arms as a unit with the contactors 223 closed so that the roller will be in position to coact with a hatchway cam at the desired floor landing. By such coaction, one of the switch arms is actuated to open-circuit said contactors and break the self-holding circuit for an energized reversing switch winding and effect automatic car stop.

In embodying this Fig. 5 arrangement of car stop controlling mechanism in the Fig. 2 system of circuits, the single switch on the car replaces the stop switch of Fig. 2 in the self-holding circuit of the reversing switch windings and all the hatchway switches to control car stop. The car cams O are also eliminated. The electro-magnet 228 is substituted in the circuit shown for the cam actuating magnet 97 inFig. 2 to be controlled selectively by the speed chan e mechanism. Thus the stop switch is controdled automatically to move to a non-retracted position and functions selectively to effect car stops at any point or points determined by actuation of the car and hall push-buttons.

Such elements of an elevator system as door contacts and door locking means, a cam magnet to control the same, automatic limit stops and so forth, together with their associated circuits have not been incorporated herein since those skilled in the art may readily make such embodiment without departing from the spirit or scope of the present inven tion. Various modifications in details and arrangement of the parts shown herein might readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Hence, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction and arrangement of parts as shown.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In an intercepting control system, the combination with a bank of cars. a hoisting motor for each car, up and down reversing switches for each hoisting motor. each having a. winding and a self-holding circuit therefor to effectfloor to floor movement of the car automatically, subsequently to car start as efi'ected manually, a stop switch in said self-holding circuit having an operating winding, car controlled up and down direction switches. for each car actuated at the cars limits to establishcdirection for reverse car travel, an energizing circuit for said step switch operating winding of each systemdivided at said direction switches to form up and down circuits, floorcontrol circuit-controllers for each car operable automatically in accordance with the cars position to control said up and down energizing circuit,

' all of said circuit-controllers for any one landingwhich correspond as to direction being electrically interconnected, one up and one down push-button actuated contactors for each intermediate landing to control respectlvely said up and down energizing circuitsto control stop of all the cars whichform the bank, so that any carof the bank which is first to reach landings at which but; tons are set and whose direction of travel corresponds to buttons set will be automatically intercepted at such landings byactuation of said stop switch for such first car, by causing its associated self-holding circuit to open, said contactors remaining in actuated posi-,

tionvwhen the buttons'are released, a re-set winding for each hall push-button in said up and down circuits arranged to be energized by anysuch first car which is so stopped to re-set the button which effected the stop, a set ofcar button actuated conmotors for each carto control an additional energizing circuit for said stop-swltch opcrating windingto control the'latter whereby each set of car buttons controls its own car exclusively to effect automatic stops thereof successively at all landings toward wh ch car travel is directed, said car-button contactors remaining in actuated position when pressed,

and means controlled automatically by each car to re-set its own set of car buttons, and

a. transfer switch for each car operable manually atwill to open said h'a-ll push-button controlled energizing circuit forsaidisto-p switch winding of its individual system only,

whereby the stoppine'effect ofsa id; all-buttons is rendered ineffectiveland the car will.

controlled circuits and apparatus to control the hoisting motor. up and down direc-v .tlonal switches each having an operating winding, means operableby the car at its limits toopeuan energizing circuit of one wind- 'ing to open its switch and to close an energlzing circuit for the other winding to close its switch to establish direction for car travel in a reverse direction, and car switch operable in a one-way direction from center position to effect car startsfor either direction e of car-travel as determined by thesetting of said direction switches by the car, and means operable by movementof said car switch from its center position in a I'GVGISQ;(lll'QCiTlOll to said above one-way movement. to re-set said direction switches to establish:- direction for car travel in a reverse direction to that as effected by the car settlng at'its l1m1ts.-

3. In an intercepting control system foran elevator motor having variable speed regula- I tion, the combination with the car, a hoisting motor, a speed cont-rolling switch controlled to effect floor movement of the car automatically and at its fast speed rate, electro-magnetic'means tocontrol said switch, means to control an energizing circuit for said electromagnetic'means to effectopera-tion ofsaid speedswitchto effect automatic slow-downs Y selectively andsuccessively at predetermined pointsrelated to'landings toward which the car is moving comprising car and hall pushbutton controlled contactors, all which con respond to landings toward which the car is moving and to its direction of travel remain ing in actuated or set position when their buttons are released and being re -set individually, and circui -controlling mechanism actuable-in accordance with the position of the car to control the energizing circuit for said electro-magnetic means as rendered operable by such, car and push-buttons as are in actuated or set position.

4. In an interceptingcontrol system for an elevator motor having variable speed'regulation, 'thecombination with the car, a hoistr ing motor, a speed controlling switch, a

speed-change switch to control-said speed -CO11i3l0ll1ng' SW1bCl1 to effect floor -to floor movement of the car automatically and at its fast speed rate, electro-magneticmeans to actuate said speed-change switch, means to control an energizing circuit for said electrona-gnetlc means to actuate sa d speed-change switch to effect operation of said speed controlling switch to {effect automatic slowdowns selectively and successively at pre determined points related to landings toward which the carismoving comprising car and 3 hall push-button contactors', all which correspond to landingstowardwhich the car is moving and to its directionof travel remainingfin actuated or set' position when their buttons are released and belngautomatically re-set the car, car controlledcircuit-controllers normally open-c1rcu1ted and closing a circuit momentarily in accordance with the cars position to momentarlly energize said electromagne'tic means, and means rendered effective bysaid speed-changev switch to effect car stops comprising cam actuated floor stop circuit-controllers controlled in accordance with the cars position. v

5.111 an intercepting control system for a bank of cars having multi-speed regulation,

each car system comprising a single circuitcontroller in the car torender effective fast speed operation which is maintained independently ofrsaid circuit-controller so that travel of the car is continuedautomatically, meanscomprisinga self-holding circuit to maintain" said automatic car. movement, an

electro-magnetically operable switch in said maintaining circuit, means'to control anenergizing circuit for said switch to efiect peration thereof to effect automatic slow-down, comprising car and hall push-button controlled circuits and apparatus, the hall pushbuttons being maintained in actuated position when manually released, said circuits for any one landing which correspond as to direction being interconnected so that any one button at any landing will effect automatic slow-down of the first car to reach a predetermined point related to the landing provided the direction of car movement corresponds to the button actuated, a re-set winding for each hall-button, and means whereby any such first car of the bank to be sloweddown closes energizing circuits for said reset windings whereby said buttons which elfect slow-downs are automatically re-set.

6. In an intercepting control system, the

combination with the car, a hoisting motor, a switch in the car to control its starts only, a single switch to control all car stops for both directions of car travel, ear and hall push-buttons, and normally open-circuited floorcont-rol circuit-controllers controlled in accordance with car position to control said stop switch to effect car stops successively and selectively at landings toward which the car is moving.

7. In an intercepting control system, the combination with the car, a hoisting motor, a motor closing switch mechanism therefor having an operating winding, a self-holding circuit for said winding, and a single normally closed circuit-controller in said circuit, controlled automatically in either direction of car movement and in accordance with car position to open said circuit to effect car stops selectively at predetermined points.

8. In an intercepting control system, the combination with the car, a hoisting motor, a single switch in the car to control car starts only, a single circuit-controller to control car stops only for both directions of car movement and for all landings, and car actuated circuit-controllers to control said single circuit-controller to effect stops successively and selectively at any landings toward which the car is moving.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of October, 1926.

ERNEST L. GALE.

Images