US1907967A - Elevator car - Google Patents

Description

W. H. HIMES May 9, 1933.

ELEVATOR CAR Filed Dec. 20, l929 5 Sheets-Sheet l s e V R .m u m m E T m r .m e 4 7 e Y 3 z a B W w a a w m; 7 9 H W 4 a a 3 5 w 7 a 4 a a z a u W. H. HIMES ELEVATOR CAR May 9, 1933.

Filed Dec. 20 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR h/a/'erH. H/rnes.

AITTORNEY W. H. HIMES ELEVATOR CAR May 9, 1933.

Filed Dec. 20, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INV E NTO R h/a/fer H. iii/nes.

'ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1933 N N umre) STATES PATenr FFICE i i. .wAmm H.. HIMns, oF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR rownsmmerronsn j neserme& :aAn'nrAc'rUmnG oonenm, A'CORPORATION onrnnnsvnvnnm ELEVATOR CAR Application filed December 20,' 1929. Serial No. %15,481.

i s `lVlyinvention relates to elevator cars, pari i ticularlyrtoelevator 'cars for freight service and more particularly to suchconstructon u offreght elevator cars as to impartinher- 5:ent rigiditythereto, and specifically to the 'Construction of a` freight `elevator car 111 s which interfastened i members connect diagonally opposite corners of the car platform to edfect inherent rigidity of the car.

4 u In' freight e'levators, it has long `been a r: recognized problem to constrnct a car in such manner as` to resist the `distorton effects caused `n synntnetralloading of the car platformu* With the recent advent of automobile par-King and storage buildings, in which the automobiles are elevated to upper orlower floors of the building; designersof elevator cars have again been confronted with this problem; Heretofore,` the platforme for i -ele'vator cars have been of a grid-like constrnction,` that is; of a Construction comprsi\ ring a quadrangular frame having cross members connecting opposite sides of'the frame i i and (lisposed perpendicular thereto. The rigidity of such platform for elevator cars,

' `while perhaps sufi icient for passenger elevator cars, has been insufiicient to resist the --warpingefect on the platform caused by the unsymmetricalloading thereof. This lack of-igidity of the elevatorplatform of the i old grd type is a serious problem in a multiple-car platform on which two or more automobiles are to be loaded side by side and an automoble enters the car platform entirely to one side of the platform@ center line. The i platform, as well as the entire elevator car, is distorted, and the vertical braces oneach side of the elevator car, known in the art as u te clevator car itself which has hitherto never obtained in any of the elevator car structures. By reason of the specified structure, an equal distribution of stresses on the guide rals and stile members et each end of the elevator car is effected and a reduction in the wear onthe guide rails and on the stile members is ensured.

The use of members connecting` diagonally opposite corners of an elevator platform presented the additional problem incidentto the efecting of the joinderof a third member *thereto, that is, the joinder of the safetyplatform member and` the two intersecting members connectng diagonally opposite corne's at the point of intersection of thevlatter two members n a practical and economical way without sacrficmg any of 'the strength of the joint, and my invention discloses a solution thereof. j

It is, therefore, the objectof my ,invention to construct an elevatoncar platform which has its diagonally opposite corners connected i by interfastened members to impart an inherent rigdty to both the platform and the elevator car itself, and an` equal dstrbuton of theloading stresses between the guide rails -which engage the stilemembers of the elevator car.

Another object of my invention is to so eifect the intersection of twostructural members as to permit j oinng a third structural member to them at the intersection thereof without sacrificingany of the strength ofthe joint at such intersection. i i

. The mventon, both` as'` to its organization i and its method of operation, together with addtional objects` and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the i accompanyng drawings in which Fgure l is a perspective view showing an elevator car constructed according to the principles of my invention and positioned in a hatchway within which it moves;

Fg. 2 is a perspective view of one' of the structural members connecting diagonally i opposite corners of the elevatorcar platform,

portions of the structural .members being cut away` in order to eifect a onder wih the shown in Fg 2, and

.Fig. 4 is a composte perspective view of the structural members shown in Figs. 2

and 3, and shows the manner in which the safety platform members pass through the intersection 'of those two members;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View illustrating, by solid and broken lines, respectively, the unloaded and the loaded positions of an elevator car having no members connecting diagonally opposite corners of the car platform, and I 1 Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View illustratng, by solid and broken lines, respectvely, the unloaded and loaded positions of an elevator car having interfastened members connecting diagonally opposite corners of the car platform.

In Fig. 1, is shown an elevator car 5 n a hatchway comprisng vertically disposed structural members 6 held in spaced relation to each other by the horizontally disposed structural members 7. The elevator car 5 comprises a platform defined by structural members 8, welded, bolted or otherwise suitably fastened together to constitute a quadrangular frame and members 9 and 10 which connect diagonally opposite corners of the quadrangular frame defined by the members 8, and angle bar members 11 constitutng an additional support between members 8 and the intersecting members 9 and 10. The members 9 and 10 are suitably fastened together and to the members 8 at the corners of the quadrangular frame in a suitable manner, such as by welding or bolting'. Portions of the members 9 and 10 are cut away, as shown in Figs. 3 and 2, respectively, so that they may fit together. That is, the lower fiange 16 of themember 10 is cut away at 15 to receive the lower flange 35 of the member 9, and a' slot 13 is cut in the web 12 perpendicularly to the flange 16 so that its opposite sides engage opposite sides of the web 14 of the member 9. The upper flange 18 of the member 9 is cut away, as shown at 17, in Fig. 3, to receive the upper flange 36 of member 10.

A rectangular hole 19 is cut in the web 12 of the member 10 and is so located that two opposite sides are parallel to the flanges of that member. A similar rectangular hole 20 is'cut in the web 14 of the member 9 and is correspondingly located.

Channel members 21 and 22, constituting a safety plank 37, extendthrough the opening formed by the holes 19 and 20 at the intersection of the two members i 9 and 10, as shown in Fig. 4. The two members 9 and 10 are suitably fastened together, either by welding along the edges of the joint or by other suitable means, as well as being welded to the safety- platform channel members 21 and 22 and the members 8 of the quadrangular frame.

The safety- plank channel members 21 and 22 project beyond the members 8 at opposite ends of the quadrangular frame and their opposite ends are attached, respectively, as by welding or boltng, to vertically disposed channel members 23 and 24, technically known in the art as stiles.

Bracing members 25 rigidly connect the top of the stile 23 to the corners of the quadrangular frame on the same end of the elevator car to maintain the former in perpendicular relation to the member 8.

Bracng members 26 rigidly connect the top of the stile 24 to corners of the quadrangular frame at the same end of the car to support the former in perpendicular relaton to the member 8 at that end.

A cross head 27, comprising the channel members 28 and 29, serves to connect the top ends of the stiles 23 and 24 rigidly together.

The stiles 23 and 24 are lined with a suitable bearing material (not shown) to engage the vertically disposed guides 30 and 31, re-

spectively, which are attached to the members' 7 constituting portions of the hatchway, to l guide the elevator car 5 in its up and down movements.

A cable 32 is suitably attached to the cross head 27, passes over a drum of the driving motor (not shown) and is suitably fastened to a counterweight 33 which engages guides 34 to move up and down in a vertical path.

In order to fully understand the basic prmciple of my invention, an analysis of the loaded and the unloaded positions of the elevator car and the various structural members comprising it will be set forth. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, which are diagrammatic views representing, respectively, anelevator car without and with interfastened members 9 and 10 connecting diagonally opposite corners of the car platform. Corresponding members in the two figures are designated by the same numerals and, in both figures, these numerals correspond to those used for corresponding members represented in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of analysis, let it be assumed that a concentrated load W is impressed downwardly at one corner of the carplatform frame comprising members 8, as indicated in Fig. 5, representing an unsymmetrical loading of the platform.

Such an unsymmetrica-l loading may occur when the front wheels of an automobile rest on the car entirely at one side of the center line of the platform, in being driven thereon,

'or when the rear wheels of the automobile in' Fig. 5. Because of the fact that struci ::lcavngsitg or when thei automobile isentirely' aon the platform whollyat one side of. theplat i iio-rm s` scenter line,` or i when the automobila; being whollyon the platform in a position,- 5^not entirely at one sideof theplatfornrs mcenterswline, of such character as to'effect i ;unequalloads upon thezfront andarearxpairs ofwheels. i

as is` indicated in Fig. 5, a sufiicient load at* mone corner thercof causes that corner to move mdownwardly relative to\` the others, premising ithatno supporting force other: than thequacl nrangular frame itself is eifectve. That is,

mthisone corner :wllnleave the plane `of the -G'OthBI'tlthTG corners` which, in` eficct, neans that the platform frame assnmes a warped or ndistorted ishape. i .ai Assuming then` that the corner-,at `which ethe concentrated load lV is impressed, moves downwardly, and also thatthe vertical members 23wand 24 remain perpendicular to the` u members 8 at thercorresponding -ends of the W 5: :car since i the triangular Construction comprising thetwo .bracing members 25 and the s bottomimcmber 8 may be considered to be a rigidbodyfl it will be seen that the member 23 will `bc nclinecl` at an angle X from the :'ori'ginal verticalposition which it occupied a::andlithuswthe car itself, will assume e dis-. Utorted shape, as Ishownby the doted lines in' -Fig, 5. l i

i tObviously,*the res-training 'force tending h topreventcmovement of'the car tothis distorted position lies n the force exerted by 'the vertically disposed guide rail which the' -stile 23 ;engagesw It is nnderstood that a mrsmallportion of` the:` loaclWV `is transmitted 40 indirectlyl to theguide rail which the stile 24 engages, but it Will be clear that, nevertheless, l lthe major p'ortionofthe load is carried by -the vone' guide' rail engaged by` the stile ai-and theother guide raihengaged by. the stile ;r24`, contributcs a much smaller-share of` the supporting force for the load VV. The direct result of this distortion effect' of unsym- -metricalloadingisthe excessive wear on the one guide rail and the corresponding stile, as

well as the extra amount of power required `lto move the car. clearly,` then, from a nechanical design as well a s from a main- !tenance and a cost-of-operation" standpoint, i the use of an elevator i car of the foregoing type `ofconstructon, is undesirable.

nReferring now to Fg. 6 `and assuming thata concentrated load =W is impressed at; a corner of the` car u platform corresponding to that corner at which the load is impressed 35355 a rigid body. That is, more specificallyg` efl'ect an inherent rigidity'ofthe car platsince 'members 9 and 10.* do not"bend,' (the depth` of the ;members .9` and 10 is suchthat, theoretically, no bending may beassumed),

4 it willbe understood that adownward move:

ment of 'one endofmember 9, as 'when aload is'mpressed thereon, results-Ldirectlyu in a proportionate downward "movement of both ends of; member 10,` which amount' of move- .Jun It wll be understood that, with aHquadm rangular*iframe for the car platform, such-;s

ment is equal to the downward movement of the .center ofmember lowhich is,` in :tur-n",

;equal to the amount of downward movement of the center of-member 9, since the centers .of the two members 9 and"l0umay,for the ,purposc'of our analysis, be consideredaiden tical. Thus, members 9 and 10. cause'the car platform to be, in effecta rigid body, since all four corners of the platform frame re- ,main always in the sameplane. Aswill (be remenbered, this was notvtrue of the car members 25. and the member 8 on oneend and the two members 26` and' the member& on the other end maybe consiclered rigid bodies, it follcws that, upon the impression' ofthe loadW, both of` thexstiles 23 and 2454 are causecl to incline equal angles Y 'from` the original vertical `position which they occupiecl because angle Z between the endmembers 8, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig; 6, ancltheir original positions as shown sby the solid lines, is the same oneach side 'of the `car.

r There' are several 'conclusions to `be `drawn from the fact'that the members 23 and 24 are inclinecl equal angles Y from their original positions. One is that .the load isequally: distributed upon each of the stiles 23 and 24;` and, therefore, the .supporting forces .eX erteclby the guide railswhich they engage are' equal. vAnother is that, for the same load` WV, (otherconditions being the same in the two cases), the supporting forces exerted by the guiderails engaging the`stiles"23 and %in -Fig, 6 are about one-half of the force exerted by the one guide rail,*'which stile 23 engagcs in Fig. 5. Another is that there is no distortion of the shape of the car, as in Fig. 5.

s It will, therefore', be seen that my inven interfastened members, connecting 'diagonally opposite corners of the car platform, which form and the car itself and cause an equal distribution of stresses between the stiles on each end of the car and the guide railswhich they-engage, aswell` as prevent distorton'of the car :and 'platform i by unsymm'etrical loading of` the car and platform.

` i Furthermore, "my invention comprises an elevator car platform in which a third structural member is joined to two intersecting members connectng diagonally opposite corners of the platform' at the intersection of the latter two members without sacrificing any of the strength of the joint.

a I do not wish to be restricted to the specific i structural details and arrangem'ent of parts, as herein 'set forth,' since other modifications thereof may be efected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limtations shall be imposed as are set forth in the appended 'claims I claim as my invention: 1. In an elevator, a car including a plat- L form comprising structural members'defining a quadrangular frame and additional intersecting membersfastened together at their intersection for connecting diagonally opposit e corners of said frame to give inherent rigidity to said frame, and a supporting 'sling for said platform, said sling conprisingamember disposed to pass through the *intersection of said intersecting members.

2. In an elevator, a car including a platform comprising structural members defining a quadrangular frame, a supporting sling for said platform disposed perpendicularly thereto and comprising a pair of stiles, .a crosshead connectng the top ends of said v stiles, a safety plank connecting the bottom ends of said stiles and fastened to said platform, bracing. members connecting said platform and said stiles, intersecting members fastened together and conneoting diagonally opposite corners of said quadrangular frame to distribute mechanical stresses and impart ,an inherent rigidity to said car, 'the said `safety plank extending through the intersection of said intersecting members.

3. In an e evator, a car including a platform comprising structural members definng a quadrangular frame, a supporting' sling for said platformdisposed perpen- `dicularly thereto and comprising a pair of stiles, a crosshead connecting the top ends of said stiles, a safety plank connecting the bottom ends of said'stfles and fastened to said platform, bracing members connecting said platform and said stiles, intersecting members fastened together and connecting diagonally opposite corners of said quadrangular frame to distribute mechanical stresses between said pair of stiles and impart an inherent rigidity 'to said car, the said safety plank passing through the intersection of said intersecting members and fastened thereto.

4:. In an elevator system, means'defining a hatchway, a car movable therein., means for moving said car, guide rails mounted in said hatchway for gudmg said car, said car 1ncluding a platform comprising structural members denng a quadrangul ar frame, said car also including a supporting sling for said platform disposed perpendicularly thereto and comprising a pair of spacedapart 'stiles which engage said guide rails, a crosshead connecting the top ends of said stiles, a safety plank connecting the bottom ends of said stiles and fastened to said platform, said car also including bracing members connecting said platform and said stiles and intersecting members fastened together and connectng diagonally opposite corners of said quadrangular frame to distribute mechanical stresses between said pair of stiles and thereby impart an inherent rigidity to said car, the said safety plank extending through the intersection of said intersecting members.

5. In an elevator system, a means defining a hatchway, a car movable therein, guide rails mounted in said hatchway for guiding said car, said car including a platform comprising structural members defining a quadrangular frame, said car also including a supporting sling for said platform disposed perpendicularly thereto and comprising a pair of spa ced-apart stiles which engage said guide rails, a crosshead connecting the top ends of said stiles, a safety plank connecting the bottom ends of said stiles and fastened to said platform, said car also including bracing members connectingsaid platform and said stiles and intersecting members fastened together and connecting diagonally opposite corners of said quadrangular frame to distribute the mechanical stresses between 'said pair of stiles and impart an inherent rigidity to said car, the said safety plank eX- tending through the intersection of said intersecting members and fastened thereto.

6. A platform comprising' a quadrangular frame and interfastened intersecting structural members disposed to rigidly connect diagonally opposite corners of said "frame, said structural members each having' an opening extending transversely therethrough at the intersection thereof to provide a passageway through the intersection.

7. A platform comprising a quadrangular frame and interfastened intersecting structural members disposed to rigidly connect diagonally opposite corners of' said frame, said structural members each having an opening extending transversely therethrough at the intersection thereof in substantially' symnetrical relation to the neutral aXis of the corresponding member, the openings cooperating to provide a passageway through the intersection.

In testimony Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of December, 1929.

WALTER H. HIMES.

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