US2016615A - Despatching system for banks of elevators and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct 8, 1935. R HE 2,016,615

' DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR BANKS OF ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE Filed June 3, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DESPATCHING SYSTEM FOR BANKS oF' ELEVATORS AND THE LIKE Henry Leopold Roger Roche, Paris; France, as-

signor to Socit Anonyme Etablissements Edoux-Samai'n, Paris, France 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to an electrical controlling device for calling or despatching passenger elevators or freight elevators, particularly adapted for installations comprising several ele- 5 vators and the latter being of the known type wherein at each floor is located a single call button, which is common to all the elevators. A selector and a registering apparatus are connected in a known manner, with the relays and contacts 10 for the control of the elevators.

My invention is particularly applicable to anelevator despatching system wherein a single button on each floor controls a plurality of elevators and records the floor signals as transmitted and 15 sends the first available car to the calling floor. My invention will be better understood from the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 shows the novel features of the system of my invention including the control relays and their wiring and,

Figure 2 shows the operating system of a bank of elevators to which my despatching system has been applied.

25 Inknown elevator controlling means of this type, the principal aim is to utilize in the most advantageous way possible, each unengaged car of a bank of elevators.

A somewhat satisfactory result may be had with 30 known installations by using cars of a relatively large capacity, for instance, sufficient to accommodate ten or more persons, and providing contrcl means adapted to stop the elevator car at an'intermediate floor during its travel, so that the car is brought to a stop at the floor where the call is made thereby allowing the passenger to board the elevator before the same continues the journey to its original destination.

Such elevator installations aim to provide for the transportation of a considerable number of passengers on one trip, which is, for example, the case in installations of large stores or buildings having a relatively large number of stories. In 45 practice, such known installations present numerous inconveniences, if the capacity of the cars is reduced to five or six persons.

During particularly rush hours, the upper and lower floors are alone practically served, because the care may be filled at the start and consequently unable to accommodate passengers at intermediate floors.

Therefore, the intermediate floors can never be assured of satisfactory service since the cars respend to calls according to a set order and the callsare not responded to in accordance to their priority.

Hence, in the known installations, an intermediar-y call, thatihacall originating at one of the intermediatefioors, can be responded to during 5 the travel ofthe car, and each passenger must pay especial attention when the car stops at a certain floor, and that because ofthe possibility that the car is responding to calls from intermediate floors- Therefore, the passenger cannot, under these conditionsbe certain that the car will first stop-at the floor desired.

Contrary to the known elevator controls, the present invention does not especially contemplate thesolutionof the problem of complete individual utilization ofcalling means for each car taken separately. In fact, the elevator installati'orpcompri'sing the novel control of the cars is distinguished from known installations above referredto by the following peculiarities:

l. The capacity of the cars-is relatively small, forexample, two'tofour persons, or in the case of a factory freight elevator, the loads may be divided in three or four parts.

2; When a car is first placed in motion by actuation of a: call button, in responding to this call, the car completely answers the call and reaches the desired floor. The calls originating at the intermediate floors have no effect on this car.

3. When'the cars are all occupied, the calls are first registered and responded to just as the cars become available and ina determined consecutive order. A call from a floor button will be responded to only after the control order signals from the cars are completely executed.

This=system is advantageously used with the type'of elevator car provided with a depressible floor platform upon which the passenger stands and which actuates a control circuit.

The users,.therefore, by means of the new sys- 40 tom; are served' individually so to speak. Consequently;.thenew' elevator installation is particularly devised for buildings having a relatively small number ofstories-and for relatively short car'travel-where it is not aimed to obtain a determined amount of performance from each. car per minutabutwhere due to the complete automatic feature of the installation, the passengers may run the elevators" themselves, which eliminates thene'cessity of an attendant.

The control elements' of the present system are the buttons arranged-in the cars, which in itself may be a known: arrangemenhthe buttons in each car being equalin number to that of the floors; According. to the present system, there is provided but one call button at each floor. A selector, which may be of any suitable known type, combined with registering means, forms a part of the control system of the elevators, and to realize the purpose of this system, the selector is connected to a set of relays suitably disposed.

The arrangement of the selector contact points is, in accordance with the present invention, preferably circular. However, it will be understood that the selector contact points may be arranged differently if a particular installation so requires. The contact brush or finger disposed radially of the circularly arranged selector contact points, revolves and passes successively over said points, which assures the successive response to all registered calls. The selector includes a contact point for each story for each elevator, and the contact points corresponding to the same story are arranged side by side.

In the operation of the system according to this invention, two cases may present themselves:

1. The presence of available cars.

2. All cars are occupied.

In the first case, when a call button of a certain floor is pressed, each one of the group of contact points of the selector which correspond to this floor and which are equal in number to the number of the elevators, is energized if the elevator corresponding to that contact point is available; the brush rotates and passes from contact point to contact point until it reaches the first live contact point. The engagement of the brush with the contact point results in setting in mo tion the elevator corresponding to said contact point. This elevator is then directed towards the floor from which the call was sent. As soon as it starts moving, the contact points correspond ing to this floor are deenergized. It is to be noted that the selector brush stops as soon as it reaches the first contact point which is live and resumes its movement only under the influence of another call which has been registered and only if there are available cars.

If all the cars are occupied, the calls coming from the various fioors are registered, that is, they prepare the circuits for the energizing of the selector contact points corresponding to said fioors, and for the operation of the selector, provided no car is then on its way to that floor at the time the button is pressed. Relays provided with holding contacts are employed. As soon as a car becomes available (due to the release of the depressible platform in the car, the closing of the doors, and the elevator stopping) the selector brush starts moving and passes from contact point to contact point until it reaches the first energized contact point. The available car corresponding to this contact point is then directed towards the floor corresponding to the call made and this deenergizes the registering relay corresponding to that fioor which is actuated by the floor button. The selector brush then stops due to the fact that there are no more available cars. If several calls are registered, as soon as this same car or another becomes available, the selector brush starts moving and stops anew upon the first live contact point and so on until all calls have been satisfied. It is to be noted that calls transmitted during the travel of the car have no influence on the latter but are simply registered until one of the cars becomes available. The controls from the buttons within the cars have priority over the calls originating from the fioors.

It is also to be noted that one of the floors, which is generally the lobby, will require more service than the others. It is therefore important that at least one elevator be always available at this lower floor. The present system satisfies this latter condition, in that the system operates in such a manner that if no one of the cars is at the lobby, a call for this floor is automatically registered by contacts mounted in the shaft and actuated by the car according to whether the car is or is not in its terminal position.

As soon as a call, automatic or button, from the lobby floor is executed and the car arrives at the lobby fioor, the car is held there and does not respond to calls from the upper stories so long as another car from the bank of elevators remains available. The car at the main floor becomes free to respond to calls only if the other cars are occupied. A call from an upper fioor will be responded to by a car left available at the upper fioors in preference to a car stationed at the main floor or lobby.

For a better understanding of the invention and to make the details likewise apparent, the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention.

The present system is composed of two parts. Figure 1 illustrates the novel features of the installation, and Figure 2 comprises known elements which are combined with the features represented on Figure 1. reference applied to the conductors on both figures, will permit to follow the circuits from one figure to'the other. i

In the example shown, it is supposed that there are four stories to be served and three elevators.

On the drawings, the relays have been designated by numerals and their contacts by small letters. Moreover, to facilitate reading of the drawings, the elements particularly pertaining to the elevator A have been designated by numerals terminating by I, 4, and I; the elements par ticularly pertaining to the elevator B have been designated by numerals terminating by 5, and 8; the elements particularly pertaining to the elevator C have been designated by numerals terminating by 3, B, and 9; and, the elements common to all elevators A, B and C have been designated by numerals terminating by cipher.

As will appear from Figure l, the selector MD is represented for clarity in two places. The ratchet wheel and the selector contact brush which have been shown in two places on the drawings represent the same arrangement. At the left, is seen the arrangement of the selector contact points and at the right the control mechanism of the selector brush.

For convenience in reference, certain of the more important groups of reference characters are here tabulated:

1, 8, 9 terminal shaft switches.

l4, l5, l6 terminal relays (respectively for cars A, B, C).

2|, 22, 23, groups of hatchway door switches, one group for each car.

24, 25, 25 car door switches, one for each car.

30, 4B, 50, B0, floor button actuated registering relays (corresponding respectively to floors I, II, III, IV).

3|, 32, 33 car platform switches (respectively for cars A, B, C).

44, 45, 45 car door operated relays (also controlled by floor hatchway doors) (respectively for cars A, B, C).

41, 48, 49 intermediate relays (controlled respectively by relays 5|, 54, 44, by 52, 55, 45, and

The same characters of by 53, 5.6;. 46, for preparation and preliminary control of the selector actuator).

5I, 52, 53; carplatformactuated relays (respectively of'cars A, B, C)-.

54,55, 56' moving car actuated reversing; relays with delayed release (actuated when car is in motion) (respectively for'cars; A, 3,6).

10, 89, 90, I00 floor push buttons (one for each floor).

81, 88,, 89; 9|, 92, 93; 94, 95,96; 91, 98, 99 despatching relays, one for each floor. for each car, and controlled by the floor hatchway door.

I0 I I.04,,I01, II lzpush-buttons onpanel in car A.

I 02, I05, I08, I I2pushbuttons on panel incar B.

"13,106, I09, I I3; push buttons on panel in car C.

II8, I2I, I2'2-, I123, I,6.I, I62,. I63, brush on frictional contactors.

I24, I25, I26, I21, I28, I29, theusual elevator relays controlling motor and brake'circuits;

I3I, I32, I33, I51, I58, I59, rotating contactor disks.

I31, I38, I39} brake magnets.

I4I, I42, I43- elevator motors.

I44, I45, I46 elevator brake drums.

I6 0..- selector actuating relay.

I10, I80 step relays controlling theselector.

290 selector.

2 I 9, selector armature.

In accordancewith the invention, a call button 10,89, 99, I00, is placed at each floor, but for the sake of clarity, these buttons have not been rep resented at their normal: position. They have been shown adjacent the floor button actuated registering relays 30, 40, 59, and 60 which are controlled by these buttons. The action of these When the floor button relays 30, 49, 50, 60 are energized, they act to respectively closetheir contactsa, b, c, d, e.

The closingof contacts;39e, 49c, 50c, 606 results in the holding respectively of the corresponding relays 30, 40, 50, 60 by connecting them directly to the terminal P of the source of current without passing through the button 19, 80, 99, I00.

The closing of contacts 30a, 22, 0, contacts 46 a, b, 0, contacts 590., b, c, and contacts 60 a, b, c, resultsin respectively connecting one of the supply terminals otthe source of electric current with a series of contact points II, 12, 13, 14 to 83, by

means of the respective contacts 5Ia, 54a, 44a, 52a, 55a, 45a, 53a, 56a, 45a and of the groups of two circuits placed in parallel and certain of which comprise the respective contacts 4812,4919, contacts 490, 412), contacts 480, 41c and the others comprising the respective contacts I40, I50, I60.

Adjacent contact points H, 12, 13 to 83 there are placed other corresponding contact points 51,

i 58, 59,6I to 69 respectively which are connected 1 These relays are energizedeitherbythe-circuits hereinbefore described, or by action of the buttons; I .0.I, I04, I01, III,buttons I02, I05, I08, H2, andv buttons I03, I96, I09; II'3f, mounted on the panel in the car, and which, asv stated, have not been shown at, their normal location. The energization by these buttons takes place by means of the circuits: supply terminal P 440, 54c; circuit P 450, 55c; circuit P 460, 560. The closing of contacts 810., 9Ia, 94a, 91a, contacts 88a, 92a, 95a, 98a, and contacts 89a, 93a, 96a,.99a, results inv the respective holding of the corresponding. despatching: relays in connecting them by means of circuitP 440,. circuit P 450, and circuitP 460, to the supply terminal. P without passing through the buttons IEH to H3, or the special circuits of the selector contact points. According to the invention, the energization of despatching relays 61', 9|, 94. to 99 acts moreover to open their contacts I), hereinbefore mentioned.

Said contact points 11', 12, 13 to 83 and 51, 58, 59 to 69 may be respectively and successively placed in contactv (11 with 51, 12 with 58, etc.) by suitable means for example by the arrangement known as the step by step selector. This apparatus is circular and its mechanism is schematically illustrated at 200. Its electric actuating circuit comprises, as shown, the contacts 41a, 48a, 49a, and the contacts. 39d, 40d, 50d, d.

Corresponding to the position of the car at the main. floor or lobby are located three switch contacts 1, 8, 9 corresponding to the elevators A, B, C. These contacts close the respective circuits of terminal relays I4, I5, I6 each of these circuits being completely closed only if the respective contacts [5d, IISa, I612, I411, I51), I41) are likewise closed. These contacts are normally closed, but are opened if their respective terminal relays I4, I5, I6 are energized. It will be readily understood that such an arrangement causes the first elevator to reach the main floor to energize one of the corresponding terminal relays I4, I5 or I6. This energization prevents the subsequent energization of one of the other two terminal relays when a second car reaches the main floor which is supposed to be the floor I upon the drawings.

The energization of a terminal relay I4, I5 or I6 likewise acts to open one of the contacts I4d, I5d, I6d which are connected in series.

The excited terminal relay I4,. I5 or I6 likewise acts to open. the corresponding contacts I40,

I50, or I6c. It follows that the arrival of the first elevator car, at the main floor acts to open oneqof the two circuits feeding the current to the selector contact points-corresponding to said elevator car.

In accordance with the present invention, the contacts b of relays 5|, 54, 44, the relays 52, 55, 45; and the relays 53, 56, 46 respectively close the circuits of relays 41, 48, 49.

The moving car actuated reversing relays 54,

55, 56, and the car platform actuated relays 5!,

52, 53 are energized and their contacts I) respectively opened if the elevator car under consideration is moving or if the car platform is lowered under the-weightv ofa passenger. The car door operated relays 44, 45, 46 are deenergized and their contacts b opened if a door of the corresponding elevator is open.

It is to be noted that the moving car actuated reversing relays 54, 55, 56 are delayeddn releas ing upon being deenergized so that'when an elevator car stops at a floor, a passenger has time touse the car. and to.thus' control=,the-energization of the relay or relays SI, 52, 53 before the contacts of relays 54, 55, 55 are again closed.

The signaling devices have been represented upon the drawings only for the third floor to avoid complication of the drawings. The signalling system consists of a suitable number of electric lamps 99b, 94c, 95c, 96c, placed at each floor and respectively actuated by the floor button actuated registering relays 30, 40, 50, 60 and also by the despatching relays 81, 9|, 94, 91, the dispatching relays B8, 92, 95, 98 and the dispatching relays S9, 93, 99, 99. By means of the lighted lamps, it is possible for the prospective passenger to determine at each floor whether a call has been registered or whether a car is moving towards the particular floor and, if so, which elevator car.

The following explanation of the operation of the system will facilitate the understanding of the cooperation of the different circuits of the present system.

Let it be supposed that the three elevators A, B, C, are available and in the positions represented on the drawings. The elevator car A has reached the lowermost floor and has acted by means of the cam I placed on the counterweights 4, upon the switch contact 1, thus closing the circuit from terminal P conductor I ll, contact 1, conductor II, terminal relay I4, conductor I1, rest contacts IEia and I6a of terminal relays I5 and I6, supply terminal P occasioning the energization of terminal relay I4. The rest contacts Ma and I4!) are open thus preventing the energization of terminal relays I5 and I6, even if contacts 8 and 9 are closed by the respective action of cams 2 and 3. The elevator car C when reaching the main or terminal floor, closes the contact 9 but for the reason above mentioned, the terminal relay I5 remains unaffected.

The elevators A, B, C are available, that is, for each elevator which is stopped and at rest, the floor hatchway door operated switches, 2| for the elevator A, 22 for the elevator B, 23 for the elevator C, are closed as well as the car door switches 24, 25 and 26, and moreover, the movable platforms 21, 28 and 29 are not depressed and contacts 3i, 32, 33 are open.

The following relays are energized:

For the elevator A, the terminal relay I4 as above indicated and the car door relay 44 and the intermediate relay 41; elevator B, car door relay 45 and intermediate relay 48; elevator C, car door relay 46 and intermediate relay 49. That is, for the elevator A, the circuit passing by the circuit terminal P conductor I0, conductor 34, car door switch 24, conductor 31, floor hatchway door operated switches 2 I, conductor 4 I, car door relay 44, circuit terminal P energizes the car dOOr relay 44, and the circuit from terminal P through contacts Eli) and 54b, contact 44b, relay 41, circuit terminal P excites the intermediate relay 41. Analogous circuits energize the relays corresponding to the elevators B and C.

The buttons 19, B0, 99, and I00 are the call buttons for the various floors there being one button per floor. In order to eliminate useless complication of the drawings, these buttons have not been shown at their usual positions. These call buttons cause the energization of their respective floor button actuated relays 30, 40, 50, and I50 which registers the call and, due to their holding contacts 39c, 49c, 50c, and 60a, remain energized as long as the following circuits remain closed. For floor button relay 39: conduc tor IIII, rest contacts 81b, 88b, 8%, supply terminal P for relay 4U: conductor I20, rest contacts 9Ib, 92b, 9%, supply terminal P; for relay 50: conductor I30, rest contacts 94?), 95b, 96b, supply terminal P for relay 69: conductor I40, rest contacts 91b, 93b, 9%, supply terminal P Each of these circuits is opened as soon as one of the three elevators is directed towards the floor corresponding to the floor button registering relay which controls this circuit. The despatching relays 91, 88, 89 and 9| to 99 are in fact, the relays for elevators A, B, and C which correspond to particular floors. For example, the relay 95 is energized when. the elevator B is directed towards the third floor, as will be more fully described hereinafter..

It will be appreciated that the contact points H, 14, 11, 8I of the selector which correspond to the elevator A, can not be energized, since the terminai relay I4 itself is energized and the contact He opened, unless the circuit passing through 84, rest contacts 49b, 4811, contact 44a, rest contacts 54a and 5m, supply terminal P is closed. In this case, only the contact points corresponding to certain floors or calls which are registered, will be energized clue to contacts 39a, 40a, 50a, and 60a. In order that the contacts 49b, 48b may be closed, it will be necessary that the relays 49 and 48 be deenergized, for

which purpose it will be necessary that the elevators B and C be occupied. For example, the elevator B is not available and the relay s9 is deenergized either if the contact 451) is open or if the rest contact 551) is open, (elevator in motion) or if the rest contact 52b is open (with a passenger in the car and the movable platform depressed) as will hereinafter appear.

If the call button 99 of the 3rd floor is pressed, the circuit I39 passing through rest contacts 94b, 95b, 99b being closed, the floor button actuated relay 59 registers the call and remains energized due to its holding contact 59c, even if the floor button 90 is no longer pressed. An auxiliary contact controlled by this relay, but shown on the drawings as 90a only for floor button 99, illuminates an indicating light or signal 99b placed adjacent the call button and indicates thus that the call is registered. The three eontacts 59a, 50b, 500, are closed, and the contact points 18, 19 are energized. The contact point 11 is not energized because the circuit 84 passing through rest contacts 49b, 48?), ( intermediate relays 49 and 48 energized, elevators B and C available) and the circuit 84 passing through the rest contact I40 (terminal relay I4 energized) are open. The floor button actuated relay 5!] likewise closes its contact 59d. The elevators A, B, and C being available and intermediate relays 41, 48, 49 being energized, the contacts 41a, 48a, 49a arranged in parallel are closed. The circuit passing through circuit terminal P parallel contacts 41a, 48a, 49a, conductor iSil, contact 50d, electromagnet Hill of the selector, selector step relay I19, terminal P is closed. The selector armature Hi9 is at this moment in the unaetuated position shown in Fig. i. and its end which is opposite to the end which is acted on by the electromagnet is in ratchet engagement with a ratchet wheel of the selector 2%. The. current is insufiicient for the electromagnet I89 to attract its armature, but sufficient for the selector step relay I10 to close its contact Ilfla. The secondary selector step relay I99 is energized, its armature Ia shunts the winding of 75 relay I10, and terminal P is connected directly to selector winding I60 so that armature 2I0 of selector 200 is actuated and acts on the ratchet wheel. The step relays I10 and I8!) release, the armature 2H3 resumes its rest position and the selector brush advances over a contact point, which process is repeated. The contact point I8 is reached, the circuit passing through I8, 55, despatching relay 95, conductor II5, brush H8,

contactor disk 532, contact I22, rest contacts.

I25e, the actuating winding of lift motor control relay I28, and the terminal P is closed. The floor despatching relay 95 and the lift motor control relay I28 of the elevator B are energized. The despatching relay 95, due to its holding contact 95a remains energized even if the contact points I8, 65 are disconnected; provided, of course, the safety car door actuated contact 450 remains closed. The despatching relay 95 by its auxiliary contact 95k lights the luminous signal 550 at the floor III, indicating thus to the person making the call at that floor, that the elevator B is responding to the call.

The despatching relay 55 opens its contact 55b thus causing the opening of the circuit passing through the floor button relay 5E], conductor I30, contacts Mb, 95?), 95b, and the floor button relay 5i] releases. The contact 55d opens and, as it is supposed that the registering floor button actuated relay 5!) alone is excited (floor button relays 30, 40, 65 being unactuated), the selector mechanism receives no current and therefore instantly stops, the brush remaining upon the contact points 55, I8. The condenser I95 serves to regulate the speed of the selector. The motor control lift relay I28 closes its contact (1 which, from terminal P through the conductor I35 energizes the moving car relay 55. The rest contact 55b opens and the relay 48 releases, the elevator B is in use. The electromagnet of the brake for the elevator B is energized due to the closure of contact Iildc. The brake drum I45 is released. The terminal ll of the motor is energized. The other two motor terminals I52 and I55 are likewise energized through the contacts I252) connecting the supply terminal P to I52, and through contact IZZila connecting the supply terminal 1 to I55. The operation of the motor causes the elevator car to move by means of cables in the usual manner. The two contactor disks I32 and I58 are displaced proportionally to the car, being actuated by the car by known reduction means. The disks rotate until an instant when the brush contactor Itii assumes a position between the two disks. This causes interruption of the circuit, the despatching relay 95 and the relay I28 release, the brake is actuated, the motor is disconnected and the elevator B stops at the third floor. The delayed action moving car relay 55 releases gradually thus reestablishing its contacts a, b, c, with a certain retarded action permitting the passenger to have time for opening the door. The circuit passing from the supply terminal P through rest contacts 522), contact 451), thus remains open and the relay A8 remainsunactuated (the elevator not being available) In fact, if the contact 55b closes, the opening of the door of the elevator B at the third floor has opened the circuit of car door operated relay 45 which releases thus opening contact 455. The passenger enters the car and consequently depresses the movable car platform of car B. The contact 32 is closed and allows energization of car platform actuated relay 52 which, through its rest contact 521) which opens, keeps the intermediate relay 48 unactuated even though the closure of the doors brings about the energization of car door operated relay 45 and the closing of contact 451). The elevator B remains unavailable for calls made from the floors.

The passenger presses the car button I55 for the second floor, this button, for sake of clarity, has not been shown as in the elevator car, but adjacent the despatching relay 52 corresponding to the second floor and which is controlled by that button. The actuation is made in the manner hereinbefore described, but the circuit coming from the despatching floor relay 92 passes through the friction contact I52, the motor control drop relay I25, to return to the supply terminal P Upon arriving at the second floor, that is, floor II, the passenger steps out of the car. The relay 52 actuated by the movable car platform releases, and when the doors are closed, the energization of the car door relay 45 closes the contact 45b, which energizes the intermediate relay 48. The elevator B then becomes available.

Coming back to the initial state, if it is now supposed that two calls are simultaneously made and registered by floor button actuated relays 55 and 59 (calls from floors III and IV), as hereinbefore mentioned, the brush passing over the contact points 55'I8 sends the elevator B to the floor III and deenergizes the floor button actuated relay 55. The floor button actuated relay 50 remaining energized and maintaining its contact d closed, keeps the selector rotating through the circuit passing by the conductor I55, rest contact I50, contact 46a, rest contacts 55a and 53a, supply terminal P for the elevator C is supposed to be available. The brush continues its movement until it reaches the contact points 69, 83 and. the elevatorC answers the second call in the same manner as done by the elevator B. Its corresponding despatching floor relay 99 is energized and the floor button actuated relay 60 returns to the unactuated position stopping the selector. The elevators B and C being in use, the intermediate relays 48 and 49 are released, the rest contacts 48b and 4% close the circuit which shunts the contact I lc which is at the moment opened. In case of a new call, for example at floor II, the contact point I4 is excited and the elevator A, supposedly available, will respond to this call although the terminal relay I4 is energized, because the elevators B and C are not available.

If none of the elevators A, B, C are available, the registering of a call, for example by the floor button actuated relay 3! only has the effect of preparing the energization of contact points II, I2, and I3 by the closing of contacts 35a, 35b, 30c, and the control of the selector by the contact 38d. The contact point H for example will really be energized only by the closing of the circuit passing through the conductor 84, rest contact I 40, contact 44a, rest contacts 54a and 5Ia, that is if the elevator A becomes available. The selector will be actuated if one of the circuits passing through the conductor I55! and the contact 41a or through the conductor I55 and the contact 48a, or alternatively through the conductor I58 and the contact 49a, is closed, that is if one of the elevators becomes available.

The control of the automatic recall to floor I takes place if the conductor 22!), indicated in dotted lines, is provided with suitable shunt connections. The control of registering relay 3!! which is normally made by the floor call button, is in this case made not by the call button III of the floor I, but by the circuit passing through the conductor 220, the rest contacts lGd, ld, Md and the supply terminal P This control, therefore, occurs only if no elevator is stationed at the floor I. If an elevator is at the first floor, one of the contacts 1, 8 or 9 is closed. The corresponding terminal relay l4, I5, or I6 is energized and one of the rest contacts Md, l5d or "id is opened, and no automatic order is registered to send a car to the first floor, this control action will also take place if one of the elevators is traveling in the direction of the floor I when the conductor I I0, rest contacts 81b, 88b or 89b is opened and the relay deenergized.

It will appear that it is impossible to pass the contact points of a certain floor, for example floor III, without causing the elevator to answer a call made from that floor, if the registering floor button actuated relay 5!) corresponding to that floor has been energized by transmitting the call. In fact in order that the selecting contact brush may move, it is necessary that at least one elevator be available, and consequently, there will be in the example chosen at least one of the three contact points 11, I8, 19 which will be excited, and the control will be operated in the manner hereinbefore described.

It will be obvious that it is impossible to answer twice a call from one floor before the selector brush has passed once over all the contact points corresponding to every other floor and consequently, satisfy all the calls registered for said other floors. This is assured because the contact points of all the elevators of the bank correspond ing to a single floor are arranged side by said in the successive arrangement of the contact points.

The movement of the brush is made always in the same direction, and consequently it will be evident that if the elevators are all available, it is always the elevator having in the group of contact points corresponding to a floor, the first contact point to be engaged, which will in preference answer the call, unless its elevator is stopped at the floor which is calling, terminal relay I4, or l5 or IE being energized. In practice, since the elevators are rareley stopped together at the same floor, it is possible to evenly distribute the trailic to be handled by the elevators.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising a plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays being connected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electrically actuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected for succeessively actuating said despatching relays through said contact points respectively, the contact poins corresponding to' the same floor being positioned adjacent each other, and individual means actuatable by the operation of each of said cars connected for controlling the despatching relays corresponding to said car through said selector according as said car is or is not in use.

2. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising a plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays being connected for actuating said car motors, a 5 step-by-step electrically actuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected for successively actuating said despatching relays through said contact 10 points respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floor being positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each car actuatable by the presence of a passenger therein,

a plurality of car platform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, a plurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatable by the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registering holding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, and inter mediate relays connected between said other relays for operating said selector when a call from a said floor button is registered on a said floor call relay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car at rest corresponding to said calling floor.

3. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising a plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays being connected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electrically actuatable se- 30 lector comprising a plurality of engageable contact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected for successively actuating said despatching relays through said contact points respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floor being positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each car actuatable by the presence of a passenger therein,

a plurality of car platform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, a plurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatable by the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registering holding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, and intermediate relays connected between said other relays for operating said selector when a call from a said floor button is registered on a said floor call relay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car at rest corresponding to said calling floor, and said floor call register- 5 ing holding relays being adapted for storing unrespondable calls and being connected to said other relays for partially preparing said other relays to complete the response to an unresponclable call so stored as soon as a car becomes at 50 rest and available, and for rendering said preparation uneiiective as to a particular floor as soon as a car is despatched to that floor.

l. In an automatic elevator despatching system tem for a bank comprising a plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays being connected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electrically actuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected for successively actuating said despatching relays through said contact points respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floor being positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each car actuatable by the presence of a passenger therein, a plurality of car platform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, a plurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatable by the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registering holding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, a plurality of terminal switch means respectively actuatable by each of said cars when stopped at a principal floor, a plurality of terminal relays respectively actuatable by said terminal switch means, and intermediate relays connected between said other relays for operating said selector when a call from a said floor button is registered on a said floor call relay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car at rest corresponding to said calling floor, and said terminal relays being respectively connected for automatically registering a floor call to said principal iloor whenever no car is stopped at said principal floor.

5. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising a plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for each fioor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays being connected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electricallly actuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected for successively actuating said despatching relays through said contact points respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floor being positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each car actuatable by the presence of a passenger therein, a plurality of car platform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, a plurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatable by the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registering holding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, a plurality of terminal sadtch means respectively actuatable by each of said cars when stopped at a principal floor, a plurality of terminal relays respectively actuatable by said terminal switch means, and intermediate relays connected between said other relays for operating said selector when a call from a said iloor button is registered on a said floor call relay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car at rest corresponding to said callin floor, and said terminal relays being respectively connected for automatically registering a iioor call to said principal floor whenever no car is stopped at said principal floor, said relays being so connected that no car at rest unoccupied at said principal floor is despatched in response to a call from another floor so long as a car is available at rest at another floor.

6. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising a plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays being connected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electrically actuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected for successively actuating said despatching relays through said contact points respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floor being positioned adjacent each other, individual means actuatable by the operation of each of said cars connected for controlling the despatching relays corresponding to said car through said selector according as said car is or is not in use, and a plurality of individual despatching visual signals at each of said floors corresponding respectively to each of said elevators and actuatable individually respectively by the closing of a corresponding despatching relay to indicate the despatching of the particular responding elevator to the calling floor.

'7. In an automatic elevator despatching system for a bank comprising a plurality of elevator cars, tractive motors for said cars respectively, a single button on each floor served by said cars, a plurality of groups of despatching relays comprising one group for each floor and each group comprising one relay for each car, said despatching relays being connected for actuating said car motors, a step-by-step electrically actuatable selector comprising a plurality of engageable contact points corresponding respectively to said despatching relays and connected for successively actuating said despatching relays through said contact points respectively, the contact points corresponding to the same floor being positioned adjacent each other, switch means in each car actuatable by the presence of a passenger therein, a plurality of car platform relays respectively actuatable by said switch means, a plurality of moving car delayed release relays respectively actuatable by the movement of each car, a plurality of floor call registering holding relays respectively actuatable by said buttons, intermediate relays connected between said other relays for operating said selector when a call from a said floor button is registered on a said floor call relay to actuate the despatching relay of an unoccupied available car at rest corresponding to said calling floor, and a plurality of individual despatching visual signals at each of said floors corresponding respectively to each of said elevators and actuatable individually respectively by the closing or a corresponding despatching relay to indicate the despatching of the particular responding elevator to the calling floor.

HENRY LEOPOLD ROGER ROCHE.

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