US2492010A - Zoned elevator system - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 20,, 1949 D. SANTIN! ZONED ELEVATOR SYSTEM' Filed Jan. 15, 1947 '7 Shets-Sheet 6 Cart CPA?

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INVENTOR KOZVZW ATTORNEY m T N A s m ZONED' ELEVATOR SYSTEM- Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 15, 1947 an an Dan/70 5am ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 20, 1949 ZONED ELEVATOR SYSTEM Danilo Santini, Tenafly, N."J., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 15, 1947, Serial No. 722,200

21 Claims. (01. 18'7-"-29) This invention relates to a flexible elevator system and it has particular relation to an elevator system wherein the floors served. by the system are divided into a low zone and a high zone. The elevators of the system are divided into a low zone group for providing preferred service for the low zone floors and a high zone group for providing a preferred service for the high zone floors under predetermined conditions.

In discussing an elevator system, it is convenient to designate one floor as a reference or parking floor. If the elevator system is associated with a large ship, the reference or parking floor may be the upper terminal such as the main or upper deck of the ship. As a further example, if the elevator system is designed to serve an underground structure such as a mine, the reference or parking floor again may be an upper terminal which in this case would be the ground terminal. However, for the purpose of discussion, it will'be assumed that the elevator system is installed in an office building wherein the reference or parking floor is the lower terminal or ground floor of the building. For examples of prior art elevator systems, reference may be made to Patents 2,376,113 and 2376,2125.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the invention, it will be helpful to set forth briefly a typical example of the service provided by an elevator system embodying the invention. If the system is installed in an office building, the traffic handled by the elevator system is predominantly in an up direction during certain periods. For example, immediately before the start of a business day most passengers travel from the reference or parking floor to various floors of the building and most of the stops of each elevator car are made in response to car calls. Under these circumstances, the traffic can be handled most expeditiously by connecting the circuits controlling all of the elevator cars to dispatch the cars from the reference or parking floor when loaded or at regular intervals and for operating the cars high call reversal.

When so conditioned, each car makes all stops in response to car calls and, on its way up, stops for all up floor calls. The car also is conditioned to reverse at the highest of the car or floor calls. When the car reverses at the highest down call, it promptly receives a start down signal and returns immediately to the ground floor stopping for all down calls on the return. Such operation of an elevator car is well understood in the art.

During regular business hours, the elevator sysstantially equal volumes. To handle such traffic, the elevator system may be reconnected for what may be termed oli-peak operation. When conditioned for off-peak operation, the cars make through trips between the upper and lower terminal floors and are dispatched successively from each terminal floor at regular intervals. A dispatcher may be provided which dispatches a car standing at either terminal floor as soon as another car arrives at that terminal floor. Conveniently, the dispatcher may be so designed that when two cars are located at the ground or lower terminal floor, the arrival at the ground floor of a third car may immediately dispatch one of the two cars already at the ground floor.

If desired, the elevator system may be so er-- ranged that if no elevator car is at the upper terminal floor at the time the dispatcher interval has elapsed the elevator car nearest to the upper terminal floor stops at its highest down call or car call, whichever is higher, receives a start down signal, and immediately starts for the ground floor. Dispatching systems of the foregoing type are well known in the prior art. If there are no down calls above the car nearest to the upper terminal floor, the car may continue towards the upper terminal floor and may be dispatched immediately on arrival at the upper terminal floor.

When the traffic is predominantly in a down direction, the elevator system is reconnected for zone operation. Such traffic may occur for example immediately after the close of a business day. In a zone system, the floors of the ofiice building are divided into an upper zone and a lower zone at a plane which may be termed the load center or center of gravity of the trafiic in the-building. In addition, the elevators are divided into a high zone or high rise group and a low zone'or low rise group for giving preferred service respectively to the high zone and low zone floors. The number of elevator cars placed in each group is determined by the traflic requirements of the specific ofiice building. Ordinarily,

Y the number of cars to be placed in the low zone group should not exceed one-half the total number of elevator cars, plus one.

The cars selected for the high zone group may operate as follows:

A. They take all of the up traiiic from the ground or reference floor and during their upward travel they answer all up floor or corridor calls and all car calls that may be registered between the terminals. 7 These cars run to the upper tern musthandle tramcin both directions insub- 65 terminal floor of the building.

B. When coming down, the high zone cars answer all the down calls between the upper terminal floor and the load center.

C. The high zone cars automatically by-pass all down calls below the load center.

D. The high zone cars are dispatched from the ground or reference floor at regular intervals and are dispatched from the upper terminal floor at desired intervals or preferably instantaneously on arrival.

E. If desired, the high zone cars may be operated high call reversal.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the high zone cars may be conditioned to assist the low zone cars under predetermined conditions. For example, if a low zone car by-passes a down call below the load center, a high zone car which is located above the load center at the time of the by-passing operation and which is returning to the ground floor is conditioned to pick up the by-passed down call unless one of the high zone cars is at the same time lay-passing its own calls, The assignment of a high zone car to assist the low zone cars continues until the first high zone car available to pick up the icy-passed low zone calls reaches the ground or referenc floor.

The cars selected for the low zone group operate as follows:

A. They do not take any up traffic at the ground or reference fioor and they automatically by-pass all or the up floor calls.

B. If at the time a low zone car leaves the ground or reference floor, there is a predetermined number or quota of down floor calls registered below the load center, the low zone car travels to the highest down call below the load center, reverses and is dispatched toward the ground or reference floor. During its return, it answers all low zone down floor calls.

0. If a second low zone car starts up before the first low zone car has travelled a predetermined distance after reversal in the down direction, the second low zone car reverses at the highest down call below the load center only if the number of down floor calls registered below the load center is greater than the number required for the first car. For example, the number of calls or quota required under these circumstances for the second car may be double the number required for the first car.

D. If a third car starts up from the reference floor before the first car has traveled the predetermined distance in the down direction, it does not reverse at the highest down floor call below the load center unless the number of down floor calls below the load center registered is still greater than the number required for the second car. For example, the number of registered down calls or quota for the third car may be three times that required for the first car. In other words, the quota for each car depends on the number of low zone cars which previously have been made available to pick up the registered down calls below the load center.

E. If when a low zone car starts up from the reference floor, there are insufficient down floor calls registered below the load center to equal or exceed the quota for the car, the car continues travelling above the load center to assist the high zone cars. Under these circumstances, the low zone car travels to the upper terminal floor and is dispatched towards the ground floor in a manner similar to that employed for the high zone cars. During its return to the ground floor, the low zone car answers all down floor calls, unless the down floor calls registered below the load center are sufficient to equal or exceed the quota for the car, whereupon the car by-passes the high zone down floor calls.

F. If a low zone car is traveling up above the load center when sufficient down floor calls below the load center are registered to satisfy the quota of the car, the car automatically reverses at the next down call or if no down call exists above the car, at the next floor, and is dispatched towards the ground floor. During its return, the low zone car by-passes all down floor calls above the load center and picks up all down floor calls below the load center.

G. Since the traihc is predominantly in the down direction, in order to give equal service to all of the floors, all of the cars in both the high and low zone groups are dispatched from the ground or reference floor at regular intervals. If the high zone cars operate on a through trip basis, they are dispatched from the upper terminal floor at regular predetermined intervals or preferably instantaneously on arrival. If the low zone cars reverse before reaching the upper terminal floor, they are dispatched instantly. Should a low zone car reach the upper terminal floor, it is dispatched at the same interval provided for the high zone cars. In other words, when cars reach the upper terminal floor, the dispatcher does not discriminate between low zone and high zone cars.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, if any floor call is by-passed by the operator of a high zone car, low zone cars at the ground or reference floor are assigned to travel to and reverse at the highest down call above the load center unless they have filled their quotas of down floor calls registered below the load center. As soon as the stopping relay of the first low zone relay car is picked up at the highest down floor call, (which takes place some distance from the floor) the remaining low zone cars which were assigned to assist the high zone cars are reset for quota control. Consequently, if the quota is filled for any of the reset low zone cars, such cars travel promptly to the highest down floor call below the load center. The low zone car that proceeded to the highest down floor call above the load center picks up all down floor calls on its return to the ground or reference floor. If a low zone car already is at the upper terminal floor when a high zone car bypasses a floor call, only such low zone car i assigned to assist the high zone cars. The remainder of the low zone cars continue subject to quota control.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a selective and flexible elevator system wherein the elevator cars are divided into two groups for providing preferred service respectively to two separate groups of floors and wherein when one of the groups is excessively loaded, one or more cars of the remaining group may be assigned to assist the excessively loaded group of cars.

It is another object of the invention to provide an elevator system wherein low zone and high zone elevator cars provide respectively preferred service for low zone and high zone floors of a building and wherein by-passing of a low zone call by a low zone car conditions the high zone cars to pick up the by-passed call until the first available high zone car reaches the reference floor.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an elevator system wherein low zone and high zone cars provide preferred service respectively for low zone and high zone floors and wherein by-passing of a high zone call by a high zone car conditions a low zone car at the reference floor or travelling away from the reference floor without its quota satisfied to travel to the highest call above the load center.

it is a further object of the invention to provide an elevator system as defined in the preceding paragraph wherein the first low zone car to pick up its Stopping relay at the highest call above the load center resets the remainder of the low zone cars for quota control.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide an elevator system as defined in either of the preceding two paragraphs wherein the low zone car which reverses at the highest call abovethe load center, answers all down calls during its return to the reference floor.

It is astill further object of the invention to provide an elevator system as defined in any of the preceding three paragraphs wherein if a low zone car is at or adjacent the upper terminal floor with its quota unfilled, it alone is assigned to assist the high zone cars following the by-passing of the high zone call by the high zone car.

Other objects of our invention will become evident from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure l a diagrammatic representation of an elevator system embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the stationary contact segments and the moving brushes on a floor selector for one of the elevator cars embodied in Fig. 1, with the brushes disposed in the position they take when the car is stopped at the third floor.

Figs. 3, i and 5 collectively constitute a diagrammatic representation in straight-line style of the circuit connections for the two-car elevator system illustrated in Fig. 1. The figures should be assembled vertically in numerical order with Fig. 3 at the top.

Figs. 3A to 5A, inclusive, are key representations of the relays in Figs. 3 to- 5, inclusive, illustrating the coils and contact members disposed in horizontal alignment with their. positions in the straight line circuits of Figs. 3 to 5. Figs. 3A to 5A should be placed beside the'corresponding Figs. 3 to 5 to facilitate the location of the various coils and contacts.

Each relay coil or winding is identified by a relay reference character. Each set of relay contacts is identified by the proper relay reference character followed by a numberrepresenting the set of contacts.

The elevator system illustrated is'provided with four cars A, B, C and D for serving seven floors. This number of cars and this number of floors have been selected for the purpose of simplifying the disclosure as much as possible, but it is to be understood that the invention may be used for any reasonable number of cars in a bank serving any reasonable number of floors. For example, the invention would be suitable for an installation of six cars serving thirty floors.

For the sake of simplicity, the similar appara tus individual to each car is given the same reference characters except that the apparatus for cars B, C or D is given the prefix B, C, or D to indicate that it is for cars B, C or D instead of for car A.

vIn the discussion which follows, cars A and B are assumed to be connected for low zone operation, and cars 0 and D are assumed to be connected for high zone operation. The drawings show primarily cars A and C together with their associated circuits. It will be understood that the circuits for cars B and D are substantially similar respectively to the circuits for the cars "A and 0.,

Apparatus individual to car A DDown switch E-Slow-down inductor relay F-Stopping inductor relay GInductor holding relay H-High car call relay J-High call reversing relay K-I-Iigh floor call relay l\/ICar running relay P-Inductor plates R-Resistors SFloor call stopping relay TCar call stopping relay UUp direction switch V- I-Iigh speed relay WUp direction preference relay XDown direction preference relay QM-Quota modifying relay Z-Limiting relay TRZone transfer relay DR--Door relay l?AManual by-pass relay E B-Automatic by-pass relay.

PC--Transfer control relay GDR lDR

GUR

SUB

lUR

ZUR

PDAuxiliary transfer control relay common to all low zone cars PE-By-pass control relay common to all low zone cars Q-Quota relay common to all low zone cars Qfi Quota auxiliary relay common to all low zcne cars PF-By-pass control relay common to all high zone cars Down call-storing relays, common to all cars.

Up call-storing relays, common to all cars.

Apparatus in Fig. 1 of the drawings Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that a car A is arranged. to be supported in a'hatchway by a cable it which passes over a sheave H to a counterweight H2. The sheave Ii is mounted for rotation by a shaft l3 driven by a motor l4. A brake l5 of the usual spring-operated, electromagnetically-released type is provided for stopping further rotation of the sheave ll when the motor it is deenergized.

A floor selector it, of any suitable type, is provided for connecting the various electrical circuits of the system in accordance with the position of car A. The shaft I3 is extended to operate a brush carriage i"! on the floor selector is by mechanically rotating a screw-threaded shaft !8 on which the carriage ismounted. The carriage ii is provided with a number of brushes which are disposed upon movement of the car, to successively engage stationary contacts arranged in rows on the selector in position to correspond to the floors of the building. For simplicity, only two brushes, 32 and 42, and two rows of contact segments b2 and 92, etc., disposed to be engaged by them are illustrated in Fig. 1, but it will be understood that in the system to be described herein, as well as in practice, a much larger number of brushes and rows of contact segments is required. Other forms of selectors may be substituted for the selector shown, if desired.

A starting switch CS is mounted in the car to be operated by the attendant to start the car. When the car switch is rotated anticlockwise, it closes its contacts OS! to start the car for the direction for which it is conditioned to operate. When the car switch is centered, it leaves the control system of the car in such condition that the car can be stopped by operation of hall buttons at the fioor landings or stop buttons in the car. It is to be understood that the car may be operated by the car switch or that any suitable control means may be substituted for the car switch. The illustration of the car switch is used for simplicity in describing the system.

Car buttons 20, etc. (one for each floor) are mounted in the car, so that the attendant may, by operating them, cause the car to stop automatically at any fioor. The direction of operation of the car is controlled by relays W and X as will be described in connection with Fig. 3.

Hall buttons are mounted at the floor landings, in order that waiting passengers may cause the cars to stop thereat. An up button and a down button are provided at each floor intermediate the terminals. A down button is disposed at the top terminal and an up button at the bottom terminal. Fig. 1 illustrates only the up hall call button EU and the down hall call button 2D for the second floor.

In order to automatically effect accurate stopping of car A at the floors in response to operation of the stopping buttons 20, etc., in the car, or by operation of the hall call buttons 2U, 2D, etc., at the floor, a slow-down inductor relay E and a stopping inductor relay F are mounted on the car in position to cooperate with suitable inductor plates of iron or other magnetic material, mounted in the hatchway adjacent to each floor. Only the up plates UEP and UFP and the down plates DEP and DFP for the second floor are illustrated. Similar plates are provided for each floor, except that the top terminal has only up plates and the bottom terminal only down plates.

The inductor relays E and F, when their coils are energized, have normally incomplete magnetic circuits which are successively completed by the inductor plates as the car approaches a floor at which a stop is to be made. These relays are designed that energization of their operating coils will not produce operation of their contacts until the relay is brought opposite its inductor plate, thereby completing the relay magnetic circuit. Upon operation of the relay contacts (such as El or E2) they remain in operated condition until the relay operating coil is deenergized, even though the inductor relay moves away from the position opposite the inductor plate which completed its magnetic circuit. The plates should be so spaced in the hatchway as to provide desirable distances for slowdown and stopping of the cars at the floors. Other methods of controlling slowing down and stopping of the car may be used if so desired.

In the present system, which is given as an example of how the invention may be utilized, the various control circuits are so connected that the system will operate with a low zone or lower group of floors including the first, second, third and fourth floors and a high zone or high group of floors including the fifth, sixth and seventh floors. Floor one is considered as the parking or reference floor. The division between the two zones of floors is determined by making certain wiring connections with a low zone circuit 5|, as will be described later in connection with Fig. 5.

The cars and their control apparatus may be designed for operation, under certain conditions, as a high call reversal system in which the cars stop for up calls on their up trips but automatically stop and reverse at the highest down call when there is no service required above that highest down call. Such operation is well understood in the art. If the car attendant desires, for any reason, to go above the highest down call while on an up trip he can do so by pressing a car call button, 60, etc., for a floor above to cause the car to keep on up to such floor. However, at certain peak periods in down travel the system is adjusted or set to cause selected cars to serve down calls only in the lower floors when they exceed a predetermined number.

Suitable switching means, represented by the switch l9, may be provided on the cars or elsewhere to condition each elevator car to be dispatched at each terminal, or for operation as a high call reversal elevator, or for zone operation as discussed for example in the aforesaid patents. The invention relates particularly to improvements in zone operation and these will be discussed below in detail.

A push-button switch 21 is provided in car A to permit the attendant to by-pass the calls ahead of his car when it is loaded or whenever the attendant desires to operate the car straight through.

Apparatus in Fig. 2

Fig. 2 illustrates an enlarged view of the floor selector l6 of Fig. 1. In this figure, the various stationary contact segments are represented by rectangles and most of the contacting brushes by small circles. The brush carriage I! is shown by dotted lines in the position it occupies when the associated car is stopped at the third floor.

The contact segments a2 to at! on the floor selector are disposed to be successively engaged by the brush 3D to control the high car call relay H and by the brush 3| for completing stop circuits set up by the call push buttons in the car for up direction stops. The brush 30 should be long enough to bridge adjacent contact segments.

The contact segments b2 to 126 and the brush 32 are for connecting the circuits of the stop buttons 2U, etc., at the floor landings for up stops. The up contact segments 02 to 06 and the brush 33 are provided for connecting circuits for cancelling stop calls registered by the up hall call buttons 2U, etc. When connected for zone operation, the low zone cars do not answer up floor calls, but the up contact segments may be employed by these cars when the system is connected for normal operation or for up peak operation if the cars are to answer up floor calls under such operating conditions. The up contact segments all to :16 and the brush 34 connect circuits for the high call relay to be described later. The contact segments el to e4 and the brush 40 connect circuits for limiting relays to be described later. etc., and brush 4|, the down floor call contact segments g2, etc., and brush 42, and the down car call contact segments n2, etc., and brush 43 are provided for connecting circuits for the down direction in the same manner as described for the up direction.

On the right-hand side of the floor selector, a series of switches 52 to 56 are illustrated as disposed to be operated by a cam 49 on the carriage I! as it moves from its fioor to floor position, for the purpose of controlling a high car call circuit. A contact segment 63 is positioned for engagement by a brush 64 mounted on the carriage H when the carriage is between its first and second floor positions. A contact segment 65 is engaged by. a brush 66 mounted on the carriage I! when the carriage is at its seventh floor position. These contact segments and brushes assist in controlling certain relays as hereinafter pointed out.

A cam 60 on the carriage I! opens a switch 62 when the carriage is in either the first or second floor position. The cam 60 also opens a switch 6| when the carriage is in the first fioor position. These switches assist in controlling a quota adjusting relay QM.

Apparatus in Fig. 3

Referring particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be observed that control circuits are shown on the left-hand side which are individual to car i A and which are similar to the circuits of car B. At the right-hand side, the circuits shown are individual to car C and are similar to the circuits of car D.

The circuits shown in Fig. 3 for cars A and C may be identical. However, to simplify the drawings, the car C is not provided with a high call reversing relay and does not have relay contacts corresponding to the high call reversing relay contacts J l and J2 shown in Fig. 3 for the car A.

As shown, the motor I4 is provided with an armature [4A which is mechanically connected to the shaft l3 for driving the sheave H. The brake i5 is provided with a winding 20 which is energized on energization of the motor M. The motor l4 includes the usual shunt-type main field winding 54F, which is connected for energization across the direct-current supply conductors L-3 and L+3. The armature MA is connected for energize-tion by a loop circuit 22 to a generator G which is provided with an armature GA.

In order to control the direction and magnitude of the voltage generated by the generator armature GA, a separately-excited main field winding GF is provided for the generator G. A field resistor R! is included in the circuit of the field winding GF to provide speed control for the motor l4. The generator G is provided with suitable means such as a series field winding GS for correcting the speed regulation of motor B4.

The masterswitch CS located in car A is here shown connected to control the energization of the operating windings of an up reversing switch U and a down reversing switch D. The reversing switches U and l) are provided with contact members U2, U3 and DI, D3 for connecting the generator field winding GF to the conductors L3 and L-l-Zi in accordance with the direction in which it is desired to operate the car. When either'the up or the down-reversing switch U or The down cancel contact segments f2, 1

reverse the direction switches.

10 D is energized, the car running relay M is also energized to condition certain circuits for operation. The common portion of the circuits of the reversing switches U and D and the running relay M includes the usual safety devices indicated diagrammatically at 23.

A high-speed relay V is provided for shortcircuiting the resistor RI disposed in series circuit relation with the generator field winding GF for applying the maximum voltage to that winding when the car is operating at normal high speed. This relay is controlled by contacts U4 and D4 of the switches U and D on starting and by contacts El, E2 of the slowdown inductor relay E when stopping.

An upper and a lower mechanical limit switch VTU and VTD, are provided for interrupting the circuit of the high-speed relay V when the car reaches a proper slowdown point in advance of the upper and lower terminals, respectively, and an upper and a lower stopping limit switch STU and STD, are provided for opening the circuits of the reversing switches U and D at the terminal limits, in accordance with the usual practice.

An up direction preference relay W and a down direction preference relay X are provided for controlling the direction of operation of the car and performing certain functions in connection therewith. The operating windings of these relays are controlled by a top limit switch 30T, a bottom limit switch 303 and the high-call reversal relays. Each of the limit switches 311T and 30B is arranged to be opened when car A arrives at the corresponding terminal, thereby interrupting the circuit of the direction preference relay W or X corresponding to the direction of operation of the car. Also when the high call reversal relays operate while the car is between terminals, the relays W and X are operated to Hence the car attendant does not need to do anything except close or open the car switch CS and operate the car call buttons.

Although cars C and D may be provided with conventional circuits for reversing the cars at their highest calls, as previously pointed out, such circuits are not illustrated here.

The energizing coils for the slowdown inductor switch E and the stopping inductor switch F, are illustrated in this figure as arranged to be energized on operation of the contacts SI of a hall call stopping relay S, the contacts Tl of a car call stopping relay T or the contacts J I of a high call reversing relay J. (The operating coils for relays S and T are illustrated in Fig. 4 and the coil for relay J is illustrated in Fig. 5 and will be described in connection therewith.)

An inductor holding relay G is provided for maintaining the inductor relays in energized condition during a decelerating or stopping operation.

A door relay DR is illustrated as controlled by a plurality of door safety contacts. The relay DR may be used for various safety circuits, and it is also used for assisting in the control of the quota modifying relay QM and the high call reversing relay J shown in Fig. 5.

Apparatus in Fig. 4

The car buttons 20, etc., described in connection with Fig. 1, are illustrated with their holding coils Zcc, etc., and circuit in the upper part of Fig. 4, in connection with the high car call relay H and the stopping relay T. The coils 200, etc., are energized when the car starts in either direction to hold in the car buttons 20, 30, etc., as they are operated, until the direction of the car is reversed, so that the temporary operation of a car button by the attendant will cause it to remain in operated condition until the car is reversed. Energy for the various control operations is derived from the direct current conductors or buses L-|-4, L4 which may be extensions of the conductors L+3, L3.

The high car call relay H is used to prevent relay J (Fig. 5) from reversing the car at the highest registered down floor call when a stop call for a floor above is registered on the stop buttons in the car. It is connected by brush 3!] to the row of contact segments a2, etc., on the floor selector I6, so that it will be energized whenever a stop call is registered on one of the stop buttons in car A for a floor above the car. The switches 52, 56, inclusive, operated by the cam 49, are shown as disposed in the circuits of the car buttons to prevent energization of the relay H by operated stop buttons in car A for floors below that car. The cam 49 has a length suificient to bridge two of the switches.

Since no high call reversing relay is illustrated for the car C, a relay corresponding to the high car call relay H is not shown for the car C.

The car stopping relay T is connected to the up brush 3| engaging the row of contact segments a2, etc., and to the down brush 43 engaging the row of contact segments n2, etc.; so that, when a call is registered on a car button and the car approaches the energized contact segment corresponding thereto, relay T will be energized to stop the car by energizing the inductor relays F and E.

The floor or hall buttons 2U, 2D, etc., described in connection with Fig. 1 are shown with their circuits in the lower part of Fig. 4. Associated with each floor button is a call registering or storing relay by means of which the momentary pressing of the buttons will set up or register a stop call which will hold itself until it is answered by the stopping of a car at that floor for the direction of the registered call. The call registering relays are designated as ZDR to lDR for the down direction and as ZUR, 3UR and GUR for the up direction. For simplicity, the up direction registering relays and floor buttons for only the second, third and sixth floors are shown, as the up buttons and registering relays for the other floors will be readily understood.

The down call registering relays, when energized, close circuits to the row of contact segments 92, etc., and the up registering relays, when energized, close circuits to the row of contact segments cbZ, etc., on the floor selector so that the contact segment for a floor for which a call is registered is energized as long as the call exists.

A car stopping relay S is shown as connected to the down brush 42 engaging segment 92, etc. (Since the car C is responsive to up calls, its car stopping relay CS is connected not only to the down brush C42, but to the up brush C32 which engages the segments cb2, etc.) When the car approaches a floor in a down direction for which a down call is registered, the corresponding brush engages the energized contact segment for that floor and thereby causes the relay S to be energized, which, in turn, energizes the inductor relays F and E of that car to effect the stoppin of that car at that floor.

It will be recalled that the car A is a low zone car and does not answer up calls. Consequently,

12 the up floor buttons in Fig. 4, are shown associated only with the relay CS of car C. However, up contact segments M to 126 may be provided for the car A to facilitate reconnection of a low zone car for normal, high zone or other operation.

A cancellation coil is wound in opposition to each call registering coil and connected to the cancellation contact segments on the floor selector. The up cancellation coils are designated as ZURN; etc., connected to the up segments C02, etc., of the car C, and the down cancellation coils as 2DRN, etc., connected to the down segments f2, etc., of all of the cars. As the brush C33 moves over the segments C02, etc., of the car C, and the brush 5| (or C li) moves over the segments f2, etc., (or cf2, etc.), they energize the cancellation coil for any floor at which a car stops to answer a stop call.

Contacts of the relays G, M,'W and X are shown for controlling the connections of various circuits. It is believed that such contacts may be traced readily on the drawing and that their purposes will be apparent from the discussion herein presented.

Apparatus in Fig. 5

Fig. 5 embodies the high floor call relay K, the high call reversing relay J, the quota relay Q and the transfer relay TR together with the operating circuits therefor. The circuits for cars A. and 0 shown in Fig. 5 for the most part are dissimilar.

The high floor call relay K of car A is provided for controlling the operation of the high call reversing relay J for that car in accordance with the existence or non-existence of registered floor calls above it. In order to get a reversal of a car at a call, it is necessary to energize its relay K. This relay is connected to the 1 supply conductor L+5, through either the high call reversal indicator circuit 53 for the high zone or through the low zone circuit comprising a conductor 5| and its auxiliary conductor Elc, depending upon whether relay TR is deenergized or energized. The circuits 50, El and 51a are common to all the low zone cars. Arrows indicate conductors which extend from these common circuits to the corresponding transfer relay contacts for the car B.

The circuit 5%] includes back contacts of the down call registering relays arranged in series relation according to the natural sequence of the floors and it is connected at floor points with the contact segments 012, etc., through back contacts of the transfer relay TR. Consequently, when the relay TB is deenergized and car A is traveling on circuit 5%, the relay K for car A will not be energized as long as a down call exists at any floor above the floor of the contact segment on which the brush 34 rests, but as soon as the brush reaches a segment with no stored down calls above it, a circuit for the relay is completed and it is energized.

The circuit 5! includes back contacts of only the down call registering relays for the fioors included in the lower zone and they are arranged in series according to the natural sequence of the floors and the circuit is connected floor points with the contact segments d2 Elf through front contacts of the relay TR. A conductor 1| connects the top contact segment d i for the low zone through the transfer relay contacts TRS directly to the supply conductor L-Hi. Therefore, when the relay TR is energized, the relay K will not be energized as long as a down call exists at a floor in the low zone above the car butas soon as the car reaches the uppermost registered down call in the low zone or as soon as the car reaches the top floor of the low zone, its relay K- will be energized.

The circuit Bland the contacts therein provide a means for dividing the floors into zones. The 'number of floors included in'the low zone is determined by the number of lower floors havin 'thelr hall call registering relay contacts included "in the low zone circuit 5!. The high zone in cludes the floors above the low zone. If it is desired to include more floors, in the low zone, then back contacts of the down hall call registering relays for more floors'are included in circuit 5|. For instance, if it is desired to change the presentsystem to a low zone of five floors, this can be effected simply by moving the pair of back contacts 5DR2 of the down call registering device SDE for the fifth floor into the low zone: circuit 5i (Fig. 5) in a manner'similar to the contacts 4DR4 and by eliminating the contacts 5DR4 and 6DR5 from the circuit 5la, so thatthe low zone cars will reverse in response to a predetermined number of down hall calls for the lower five floors instead of the lower four floors. The conductor H would be moved to connect the conductor 12 (which is associated with the fifth floor contact segment 115 through .thetransfenrelay contacts TR4) to the supply conductor L+5. 'Also,. a contact segment for the fifth fioo would be provided in the e-row for each of the door selectors. For example, a contact segment would be' located above the contact segment e4 I for the car A and above the contact segment Ce4 for the car C to control automatic bypassing by these cars in a manner which hereinafter will be set forth. In accordance with the invention, the auxiliar circuit 51a is a branch of circuit 5i and includes back contacts for the down call registering devices (such as 5DR2) for the floors above the low zone. Each intermediate down floor call registeringrelay between the low zone and the upper terminal floor has front contacts connecting the supply conductor L+5,'and the contact segment-for. the floor through front contacts of the transfer. relay. For example, the contact segment. d5.is connected to the supply conductor L+5through the transfer relay contacts TBA, the conductor 12 and down floor call registering relay contacts 5DR4'. As a further example, the contact segment d6 is connected to the supply conductor L+5 through the transfer relay conh tacts TRZ, a conductor I3'and the down floorcall registering relay contacts EDRA. The conductor 12 is connected in-succession through the back contacts 5DR2- and 6DR5 to the conductor 13.

In a somewhat similar manner, the conductor to the relay K is energized when the car reaches the next floor. Additionalfloors readily can be included in the circuit 5Ia.- For example, let it be assumed that the;,fourth flooris to be included therein? The conductor tlwisz-moved to-iconnect; the conductor contacts 4DR4 are omitted.

removed or disconnected.

14 15 to the supply conductor L+5, and the back Front contacts of the down call storing relay 4DR ar employed for connecting the conductor M to the supply conductor L+5 in the same way whereby the back contacts 5DR4 connect the conductor 12 to the supply conductor L+5. In addition, back contacts of the down call storing relays 4DR and 5DR are successively connected in series between the conductors M and '12 in the same manner whereby the back contacts 5DR2 and GDRE connect the conductors l2 and 13. These changes should be accompanied by removal or disconnection of the fourth floor contact segment in the erow of each floor selector. For example, the contact segment e t for the car A and the contact segment Ce l for the car 0 should be Such contact segments control automatic bypassing of the cars and their function will be discussed in greater detail below. These changes result in movement of the load center to a position between the third and fourth floors.

When a low zone car leaves the lower terminal on a trip, it starts up on the circuit ill, but is incapable of actuating the reversing relay J. If a sufiicient number of down calls are registered in the low zone to operate the quota device, that device may render the reversing relay J eifective so that the low zone car will stop and reverse at the highest down call in the low zone, or at the lowest down call in the upper zone (or at the next floor in the upper zone if no upper zone calls are registered), depending upon the position of the car in the hatchway, at the time the quota is filled.

The transfer relay TB is provided for transferring the relay K from control by the circuits 5| and 5m to control by the circuit 50 when a high zone car bypasses a call in the high zone, and a low zone car is available for assisting the high zone cars. The low zone car then enters the high zone and reverses at the highest down call. The high call reversing relay J is provided for so preparing the circuits of car A that it will reverse direction of operation of the car at the floor corresponding to the highest registered down call when; the transfer relay TB is deenergized. When the transfer relay is energized, the relay J initiates a reversal at the highest registered down call in the low zone, or at the lowest down call in th high zone, or at the next floor in the high zone if the car A is traveling up in the high zone at the time the transfer relay is energized and if no down calls exist above the car. The relay J stops the car by closing its contacts Jt-in the-circuit of the inductor relays E and F (Fig. 3) andit then reverses the stopped car by opening its contacts J2 in the circuit of the up direction preference relay W (Fig. 3)

The quota relay Q is provided for totalizing the down calls in the low zone. It is common to all the lowzone cars and its energized operation is determined lay the number of down calls in existence and the number of low zone cars e en giza on of the quotarelay is "controlled lty ioliiral ity' of branch "circuits, each offiwhic incltidea duota'resi'stor, such as B2, are c'ofi'tiolled by contacts operated by tlie-down'Lflb6r"Ca]l"'relayS, such as ZDR, in the low zone, and by aplurality'of branch circuits ach ofwhichincludes a resistor, such as 'RB'andwhich arenontrolled byc'ont'act's operated by th'e quota -inodifying relay QM. I-he quota 15 relay and the resistors together with their connections are so designed and controlled that the relay will be responsive not only to the number of registered down calls that exist in the low zone, but also to the number of low zone cars that are traveling in the up direction.

For example, let it be assumed that seven or more floors are included in the low zone, and that car A is conditioned as a low zone car and is going up. As long as no down call is registered in the low zone, the relay Q is not energized. If only one down call in the low zone is registered, the relay Q still remains unoperated because sufficient current does not flow through the one connected resistor to actuate the relay As soon as two down calls in the low zone are registered, sufficient current flows through the two connected resistors in parallel to actuate the relay Q. The resistors and the relay Q are normally designed to operate the relay Q whenever two down calls in the low zone exist and only one low zone car is going up; to require two more calls (i. e., a total of four calls) for a second car entering the low zone after the first car has been selected and. is still in the low zone, and to require two more calls (i. e., a total of six calls) to operate for a third car entering the low zon after the first two cars have been selected and are still in the low zone. This is effected because operation of the quota relay operates relays QM, BQM, etc., to add additional resistors R5, R5, etc., in parallel with the relay Q.

Since only three down hall buttons are shown in the low zone, it may be assumed, for illustrative purposes, calls suflice to pick up the quota relay Q alone, and three registered low zone down calls suffice to pick up the relay Q when the resistor R is connected thereacross.

The quota-adjusting relay QM is provided for so controlling the branch circuits of the relay Q as to energize that relay in accordance with the number of low zone cars in the low zone and the number of down floor calls registered in the low zone.

If two cars are in the low zone when two low zone down calls are registered, the quickest acting relay QM or BQM will be energized and its car will be reversed and the other car will not be reversed until more low zone down calls are registered.

When the car A leaves the first floor, the transfer relay TR is energized as a result of engagement of the contact segment 63 by the crush 54. This means that the high call floor relay K is associated with the circuits 5| and 51a. However, energization of the transfer relay TR also opens contacts TRH. As long as the contacts TRH, QM5 and J5 are open, the high call reversing relay J cannot be energized, and the car A will run from the ground floor to the upper terminal floor. In order to condition the high call reversing relay J for energization. either the contacts TRH or the contacts QM5 must be closed.

Closure of the contacts QM5 is controlled in part by the quota relay Q. Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that energization of the quota relay Q closes contacts Q! to energize a quota auxiliary relay QA. Energization of the quota auxiliary relay QA opens contacts QAl to introduce a resistor R! in series with the winding of the quota relay Q. The resistor reduces the cur-- rent flowing through the winding of the quota relay Q and the relay drops out to open its conthat two registered low zone down tacts Ql as soon as contacts QM3 close. Opening of the contacts Ql deenergizes the auxiliary relay QA and reestablishes the shunt path across the resistor R1. Consequently, the quota relay is conditioned for a subsequent operation, but as long as the contacts QM3 remain closed the quota relay Q is bridged by the resistor R5.

When the auxiliary relay QA is energized, it also closes contacts QA2 which are associated with the quota modifying relay QM. If the car A is at the ground floor, the transfer relay TB is energized (or the relay will be energized as the car A leaves the ground floor) and the contacts TRM consequently are closed. The up preference relay contacts W9 are closed but the switch ti is open and the door relay contacts DR2 may be open. As soon as the doors of car A are closed, the relay QM is energized and establishes a holding circuit through contacts QM4, W8 and DR2.

The transfer relay TR has a first holding circuit which is completed through the contacts TR! and PFZ. Energization of the quota modifying relay QM establishes a second holding circuit for the transfer relay through the contacts TREE and QM2. The latter holding circuit is independent of the auxiliary bypass relay contacts PFZ.

The holding circuit for the quota modifying relay QM is controlled by several contacts. After the car A leaves the ground floor, the switch 5! closes to prevent subsequent opening of the door relay contacts DR2 from interrupting the holding circuit of the quota modifying relay QM. Consequently, until the car A completes its low zone assignment, the contacts QM3 remain closed to modify the response of the quota relay Q.

When the car A reverses to return to the ground floor, the up preference relay contacts W8 and W9 open. Upon return return of the car A to the second floor, the switch 62 is reopened by its cam to interrupt the holding circuit for the quota modifying relay QM. Deenergization of this relay restores the circuits associated with the quota relay Q to the condition illustrated in Fig. 5. By lengthening or shortening the cam 60 of the switch 62, the position of the car A at the time the quota relay is restored may be adjusted as desired. In the present case, restoration takes place when the car A reaches the second floor.

Referring again to the high call reversing relay J, the closure of the quota modifying relay contacts QM5 conditions the relay J for energization. If the car A is moving in an up direction, the up direction preference relay contacts W6 are closed. Assuming that no car call buttons are actuated, the high car call relay contacts H! are closed. Consequently, upon closure of the contacts K! of the high call reversing relay J, the car A will be reversed.

If the car A is in the low zone conditioned to move in an up direction at the moment the quota modifying relay contacts QM5 close, the car will reverse at the highest registered down call in the low zone. Such reversal results from energization of the high floor call relay K through the brush 3 and the circuit 55. Unless the bypass switch 2! is manually actuated, the car A will pick up all down calls during its return to the ground floor.

Should the car A be conditioned to move upwardly in the high zone at the time the contacts QMS close, it will reverse at the lowest down call above the car as a result of energization of the relay K through the brush 34 and the circuit 51a.

17 If no down call exists above the car A'at this time, the high floor call relay K will be energized through the brush 3 3 and the circuit 5141 at the next floor to complete an energizing circuit for the reversing relay J.

When the high call reversing relay J is energized, it establishes a holding circuit through contacts I-Il, J3, we and J5. Stopping of the car deenergizes the up direction preference relay W to close the contacts W1 and open the contacts Wt Since the doors start to open before the relay W is deenergized, the door relay contacts DR! maintain the holding circuit and the high call reversing relay J remains energized until the doors of the car A are reclosed to separate the contacts DB! of the door relay.

Assuming that the car A is in the high zone at the time operation of the quota relay Q results in a reversal of the car, it is desirable that the car return promptly to the low zone without making any intermediate stops. Such operation is provided by a load center or limiting relay Z. Energization of the relay Z is derived through the contact segments cleli, the brush to and front contacts Xi of the down direction preference relay X. The brush 45 may be designed to bridge the distance between the successive contact segments el-e i. It will be noted that the limiting relay Z is energized only when the car A is moving down in the low zone.

Contacts Z! of the limiting relay Z in cooperation with front contacts QM-l of the quota modifying relay and front contacts X3 of the down direction preference relay X control the energization of a by-pass relay PB. When the by-pass relay PE is energized, its contacts PBl (Fig. l) are open to prevent energization of the floor call stopping relay 8. Consequently, as long as the by-pass relay PE is energized, the car A will not stop for floor calls.

If the quota modifying relay is deenergized, the hy-pass relay PB is also deenergized, and the car A can answer floor calls unless the manual by-pass switch 27! is actuated. However, if the quota modifying relay QM is energized while the car A is in the high zone, and if the car A is traveling down, the by-pass relay PB is energized and the cannot answer floor calls. When the car A reaches the low zone, the limiting relay Z is energized through the contact segments ei to ed to open its contacts Z! This deenergizes the bypass relay PB which closes its back contacts PB! (Fig. 4:) and permits the car A to answer down iioor calls in the low zone.

A. high zone car, such as the car C, normally by-passes down floor calls in the low zone. Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that a limiting relay CZ is connected through front contacts CX9 of the down direction preference relay for the car C to a brush C46 which coacts with contact segments Ce! to Ce l. Consequently, when the high zone car C is traveling down in the low zone. the limiting relay CZ is energized to close its contacts CZI. If hack contacts CPG! of a by-pass control relay CPG are closed, closure of the contacts CZI completes an energizing circuit for a by-pass relay CPB. The by-pass relay CPB thereupon opens its back contacts CPBI fFig. l) and prevents energization of the floor call stopping relay CS of car C. The purpose of the by pass control relay CPG is to prevent energization of the by-pass relay CPB under certain conditions wherein the car C is assigned to answer down floor calls in the low zone.

When the car A is traveling down, trafiic in the low zone may be so heavy that the operator must actuate his manual by-pass switch 21 to by-pass one or more down floor calls. Under these circumstances it may be desirable temporarily to assign a high zone car, such as the car C, to assist the low zone cars. To this end, certain relays are provided for controlling energization of the by-pass control relay CPG.

It will be recalled that actuation of the manual by-pass switch 2? of the car A energizes the relay PA to open the contacts PAl (Pig. l) which prevents energization of the floor call stopping relay S. In addition, energization of the relay PA closes its contacts PA: (Fig. 5) which with back contacts PM of an auxiliary by-pass relay PF completes an energizing circuit for an auxiliary by-pass relay PE. Each of the other low zone cars, such as the car B, has contacts, such as the contacts BPAZ, of a by-pass relay similarly connected in parallel with the contacts PAZ.

The auxiliary by-pass relay PF is controlled in part by the manual by-pass switches of the high zone cars, and performs two functions. If closure of the manual hy-pass switch of the high zone car energizes the relay Pr before energization of the auxiliary by-pass relay Pei, the relay PF prevents assignment of a high zone car to assist low zone cars. Also the relay PF conditions the low zone cars to assist the high zone cars under certain conditions. These functions will be discussed in greater detail below.

Returning to the auxiliary by-pass relay PE, energization of this relay opens contacts PEI to prevent the relay PF from being energized at a subsequent time to carry out the functions set forth in the preceding paragraph. In addition, contacts PEZ of the relay PE coact with the contacts OX1 of the down direction preference relay for the car 0, the contacts CPBZ of the bypass relay CPB for the car C and the contacts DPGI of the by-pass control relay for the car D to establish an energizing circuit for the bypass control relay CPG. If the down direction preference relay CX is energized, if the by-pass relay CPB is not already energized (i. e., the car C is above the low zone) and if the by-pass control relay DPG of the car D is not already energized, closure of the contacts PE? energizes the bypass control relay CPG to open its contacts CPGl. This prevents energization of the by-pass relay CPB when the car C enters the low zone and permits the car to pick up low zone down iioor calls.

When the by-pass control relay CPG is en ergized, it closes its contacts CPG2 to establish a holding circuit across the contacts PEZ. Consequently, the relay CPG remains energized until the contacts CX'F are opened upon arrival of the car C at its ground terminal.

The number of high zone cars which can be assigned at one time to assist the low zone cars is determined by the interlocking of the by-pass control relays (such as the relays CPG, DPG) of the high zone cars. In the present case, only one car can be assigned at one time. Each of the by-pass control relays has back contacts in series with the windings of the remainder of the bypass control relays. Consequently, the first bypass control relay to be energized prevents energization of the remainder of the by-pass control relays. For example, if the by-pass control relay of the car D is energized first, it opens the contacts DPGI to prevent energization of the bypass control relay CPG.

As previously pointed out, the car A has contacts PA2 of its by-p-ass relay PA arranged to control in part the energization of the auxiliary by-pass relay PE. Each additional low zone car, such as the car B, has contacts, such as the contacts BPAZ, of a relay similar to the by-pass relay PA arranged in parallel with the contacts PA2 for controlling similarly the energization of the auxiliary by-pass relay PE.

Turning now to another aspect of the invention, trafiic for the high zone cars may become so heavy that the operator of one of the high zone cars, such as the car C, may actuate his manual by-pass switch C2! to bypass certain floor calls. It will be recalled that actuation of the switch C21 energizes the by-pass relay CPA and opens the contacts CPAI (Fig. 4) to prevent energization of the floor call stopping relay CS. Under these circumstances, if the low zone cars are not unduly loaded, it may be advisable to assign a low zone car temporarily to assist the high zone cars. This is one of the functions of the auxiliary by-pass relay PF.

When the by-pass relay CPA is energized, it closes contacts CPA? which control the energization of the auxiliary by-pass relay PF through back contacts PEI of the auxiliary by-pass relay PE. Therefore, if the relay PE is not already energized as a result of a manual Icy-passing operation by one of the low zone cars, the closure of the contacts CPAZ energizes the auxiliary bypass relay PF'. Each of the other high zone cars, such as the car D, has contacts, such as the contacts DPA2 of a by-pass relay connected in parallel with the contacts CPAZ.

Energization of the auxiliary by-pass relay PF opens contacts PFI to prevent a subsequent manual by-passing operation of one of the low zone cars from opening the contacts PEI to deenergize the relay PF. In addition, energization of the auxiliary by-pass relay PF opens the contacts PFZ.

When the car A leaves the ground floor, the transfer relay TB is energized by engagement of the contact segment 63 by the contact brush 64 (if it is not already energized). cuit for the relay is established through its front contacts TRI2 and the back contacts PFZ of the auxiliary by-pass relay PF. This conditions the car A for control by the circuits 5| and fila in the manner previously discussed.

Assuming that the car A has left the ground floor, opening of the contacts PFZ results in deenergization of the transfer relay TR and conditions the car A for control by the circuit 58, which is a high down call reversal circuit. will be recalled that deenergization of the transfer relay TR is accompanied by closure of the contacts TRI l. Such closure conditions the high call reversing relay J for operation when the car is traveling up and the contacts HI and Kl are closed. Consequently, the car A enters the high zone and operates high down call reversal to assist the high zone cars. When the car returns to the ground floor, engagement of the contact segment 63 by the brush 64 reenergizes the transfer relay TR and restores the car to control by the circuits 5| and 51a.

It should be noted that if the quota modifying relay QM is energized the contacts QM2 are closed to shunt the contacts PFZ. Under such conditions, the opening of the contacts PFZ cannot affect the transfer relay TR and no low zone car is'assigned to assist the high zone cars. However, after the transfer relay TR has been deenergized, the contacts TRIZ are open and closure of the A holding cir- 20 contacts QM2 of the quota modifying relay cannot affect the transfer relay. Therefore, operation of the quota relay Q after a low zone car has been assigned to assist the high zone cars cannot cancel the assignment.

After a low zone car has accepted an assignment to assist the high zone cars, the remaining low zone cars are restored for control by the quota relay Q. Such restoration is effected by an auxiliary transfer control relay PD which has front contacts PDi for energizing the transfer relay TR independently of the contact segment 63 and the brush 64.

Energization of the auxiliary transfer control relay PD is independently effected by a separate transfer control relay associated with each of the low zone cars. For example, the car A has a transfer control relay PC which, when energized, closes contacts PC2 to energize the auxiliary transfer control relay PD. Similarly, the car B has contacts BPC2 of a similar transfer control relay connected in parallel with the contacts PCZ.

Contacts J6 and TRIS respectively associated with the high call reversing relay J and the transfer relay TB control the energization of the transfer control relay PC. If the car A is assigned to assist the high zone cars following a by-passing operation of a. high zone car, the back contacts TRl3 are closed. As soon as the high call reversing relay J is energized, its contacts Jii close to complete an energizing circuit for the transfer control relay PC through the contacts TR! 3. The resulting energization of the relay PC closes the contacts P02 to energize the auxiliary transfer control relay PD. The relay PD, when energized, closes its contacts PD! and restores the remainder of the low zone cars to control by the quota relay. Since the high call reversing relay J is energized when the car A is at an appreciable distance from the floor at which it reverses (possibly two or more floors away) the remainder of the low zone cars are restored to quota control as soon as convenient.

Energization of the transfer control relay PC also opens contacts PC3 to prevent energization of the quota modifying relay QM. This prevents closure of the contacts QM l of the quota inedifying relay and allows the car A to answer all down calls during its return to the ground floor.

When the transfer control relay PC is energized, it additionally closes contacts PCi which cooperate with the contacts Z2 of the limiting relay to establish a holding circuit for the relay PC. When the car A moving downwardly enters the low zone, the limiting relay Z is energized to open its contacts Z2 and deenergize the transfer control relay PC. This restores the car A for control by the quota modifying relay QM and the quota relay Q.

If a low zone car is adjacent the upper terminal floor when the manual by-pass switch of a high zone car is actuated, it is preferable that no other low zone car be specifically assigned to assist the high zone cars. To this end, the contact segment 55 is positioned for engagement by the brush t6 when the car A is adjacent to its upper terminal floor. The contact segment and brush shunt the contacts J6 and cooperate with the back contacts TRIS to establish an energizing circuit for the transfer control relay PC.

Let it be assumed that the car A is adjacent the upper terminal when the manual by-pass switch C21 is actuated. The resultant energization of the by-pass relay CPA closes the contacts CPA2 to energize the auxiliary by-pass relay PF 21 (this assumes that the auxiliary by-pass relay contacts PEI remain closed). If the quota modi fying relay QM is deenergized, the energization of the relay PF opens its contacts PF2 to deenergize the transfer relay TR. When the transfer relay TR is deenergized, the contacts TRI3 close and connect the transfer control relay PC across the supply conductors L+5, L-5 through the brush 66 and contact segment 65. The resulting energization of the transfer control relay PC closes the contacts PCl to establish with the contacts Z2 a holding circuit for the relay PC. The contacts PCZ also close to energize the auxiliary transfer control relay PD. The relay PD closes its contacts FBI to reenergize the transfer relays 3 of all low zone cars. However, the transfer con trol relay PC also has opened its contacts PC?) to prevent energization of the quota modifying relay QM. This permits the car A to answer all down calls on its return to the ground floor despite subsequent energization of the quota relay Q. The remainder of the low zone cars are subject to control by the quota relay Q. When the car A arrives at the low zone on its return to the ground floor, the energization of the limiting c relay Z opens the back contacts Z2 to deenergize the transfer control relay PC. Consequently, the relay PC opens its contacts P02 to deenergize the auxiliary transfer control relay PD and closes its contacts PC? to permit energization of the quota modifying relay QM.

It is believed that the invention will be understood more clearly by reviewing briefly typical operations of the elevator cars. These operations will be discussed only for the system as designed to serve trafiic which is predominantly in a down direction. In other words, the system is connected as shown in the drawings for zone operation. It will be recalled that low zone cars, such as cars A and B, give preferential service to the low zone floors l, 2, 3 and 4. High zone cars, such as the cars C and D, give preferential service to the high zone floors 5, 6 and I.

Basic operation, car C Although the high zone car C may be connected to operate high car reversal, it will be assumed for the purpose of discussion that it operates on a through trip basis.

ground or reference floor. Moreover, they answer all up calls at all floors. They are dispatched at intervals on arrival at the ground or reference floor and are dispatched instantly on arrival at the upper terminal floor.

Assuming that the car C is at the ground floor with its doors open to receive passengers, the up direction preference relay CW (Fig. 3) will be energized. This is true for the reason that ar-.

rival of the car at the ground or reference floor actuates the limit switch C3013 which is opened to deenergize the down direction preference relay CX. Closure of the back contacts CXZ of the relay CX establishes an energizing circuit for the, up direction preference relay CW across the supply conductors CL+3, CL3 through the back contacts CD6 of the down switch and the closed contacts of the upper limit switch 030T.

Closure of the doors of the car C results in, energization of the door relay CDR, and closure of the car switch CCS completes an energizing circuit for the up direction switch CU and the car running relay CM. This circuit may be traced .from the supply conductor CL+3 through the switch CCS, front contacts CWI of the up direc- It will be recalled that the high zone cars take all up passengers from the tion preference relay, back contact CFI of the stopping inductor relay, closed contacts of the limit switch CSTU, the winding of the up switch CU, the winding of the car running relay CM and the safety devices C23 to the supply conductor CL3. Energization of the up switch CU results in establishment of a holding circuit therefor through the front contacts CU5 of the switch.

The switch CU also closes its contacts CUl to release the brake Cl 5 and closes its contacts CU2, CU3 to energize the field winding CGF with proper polarity to initiate movement of the car C in an up direction. It will be recalled that closure of the contacts CU2, CU3 energizes the field winding CGF through the resistor CRI.

The high speed relay CV is energized in response to closure of the contact CU l of the up switch through the limit switch CVTU and the back contacts CEI of the slowdown inductor relay. This results in closure of the contact CV! to shunt the resistor CR1 and conditions the car C for high speed operation.

Car C runs up at full speed and stops for all up fioor calls or all up car calls. It will be recalled that an up floor call results in energization of the floor call stopping relay CS (Fig. 4) to close the contacts CSl (Fig. 3). Furthermore, a car call results in energization of the car call stopping relay CT (Fig. l) to close the contacts CTI (Fig. 3). Closure of either of the contacts CS! or CT! energizes the slowdown inductor relay winding CE, the stopping inductor relay winding CF and the inductor holding relay CG which closes its contacts CG! to maintain the windings energized. While these windings are energized, if the car C passes an up plate CUEP (Fig. 1), contacts CE! (Fig. 3) are opened to deenergize the high speed relay CV. This results in the slowing down of the car C. As the car C passes the up plate CUFF (Fig. 1) the stopping inductor relay CF picks up to open its contacts CF! and consequently deenergizes the up switch CU and the car running relay CM. The resulting opening of the up switch contacts CUZ and CU3 deenergizes the field winding CDF and the opening of the contact CU! results in application of the brake to stop the car C at the desired floor. The deenergization of the car running relay CM results in opening of the contacts CM! and deenergizes the slowdown inductor relay CE, the stopping inductor relay CF and the inductor holding relay G. After the car C has stopped for an up call, it is restarted in the manner previously discussed.

When the car (3 arrives at the upper terminal floor, the car call stopping relay CT (Fig. 4)

is energized from the contact segments Call of the associated floor selector. Energization of the car call stopping relay CT results in the stopping of the car at the seventh floor in the manner previously discussed. Arrival of the car C at the seventh floor results in opening of the upper limit switch GMT (Fig. 3) to deenergize the up direction preference relay CW. This relay consequently closes the back contacts CW2 to energize the down direction preference relay CX (the con tacts CUt and the lower limit switch C353 are closed). This conditions the car C for a return to the reference or ground floor.

At the expiration of the predetermined dispatching interval (which may be instantaneous in the present case), the car C receives a dispatching signal and the operator closes his doors to energize the door relay CDR. It will be recalled that this relay is energlzcd when the doors 75ers closedand deenergized when the doors are opened. The operator closes the car switch CCS to energize the down switch CD and the car running relay CM. The energizing circuit may be traced from the supply conductor CL+3 through the car switch CCS, front contacts CXl of the down directionpreference relay, back contacts CF23 of the stopping inductor relay, closed contacts of the bottom limit switch CS'ID, the windings of the down switch CD, the car running relay CM and the safety devices C23 to the supply conductor Clix-3. Contacts CD of the down switch CD close to establish a holding circuit for the switch. In addition, the down switch CD closes its contacts CD2 to release the brake CIE and closes its contacts CD! and CD3 to energize the field winding CGF and start the car Con its down trip. Closure of the contacts CD4 of the down switch energizes the high speed relay CV to shunt the resistor CR! and condition the car C for high speed operation.

As the car C moves toward the ground or reference floor, car calls result in the .energization of the car call stopping relay CT (Fig. 4) to stop the car C at the desired floor. Furthermore, down floor calls which are registered for the high zone energize the floor car stopping relay CS (Fig. 4) of the car C to stop the car at the desired floor in order to accept passengers desiring transportation to a lower floor. The relays CT and CS operate in a conventional manner to stop the car C at the desired floor. After completion of the desired stop, the car C may be started in a conventional manner to proceed towards the ground or reference floor.

Entry of the car C into the lower zone results in engagement of the contact segment C24 (Fig. 5) by the brush on to energize the limiting relay CZ. The limiting relay closes its contacts CZI to energize the automatic by-pass relay CPB. This assumes that the back contacts CPGI of the by-pass control relay are closed. It will be recalled that if the car C is conditioned to answer down floor calls in the lowzone, the contact CPGl are open to prevent energization of the automatic bypass relay CPB.

Energization of the automatic by-pass relay CPB opens its back contacts CPBI (Fig. 4). Such opening prevents energization of the fioor call stopping relay CS. As a result, the car C cannot answer down floor calls in the low zone and proceeds directly to the ground floor. It can, of course, stop at low zone floors in response to car calls.

As car C approaches the ground floor, the car call stopping relay CT is energized by engagement of the contact segment Chi (Fig. 4) by the brush C43 to stop the car C at the ground or reference floor in a conventional manner. Also in approaching the ground floor, the down direction preference relay CX (Fig. 3) is deenergized in response to opening of the bottom limit switch 0393. In opening, the down direction preference relay CX not only conditions the up direction preference relay CW for energization, but it opens its contacts CXQ (Fig. 5) to deenergize the limiting relay CZ. Opening of contacts CZI of the limiting relay deenergizes the by-pass relay CPB to permit the car C to stop on its next upward trip at desired floors.

Basic operation, car A It will be recalled that the low zone car A accepts no passengers at the ground or reference floor and it answers no up floor calls. If the quota relay for the low zone cars is not energized, the car A runs to the upper terminal floor andis dispatched in the same manner employed for the high zone cars. During the down trip, car A answers all down calls both in the high zone and in the low zone.

If the quota relay is energized before the car A enters the high zone, the car runs high call reversal in the lower zone.

If the quota relay is energized while the car A is traveling up in the high zone, the car reverses at the next down floor call or if no down floor call exists above it, it reverses at the next floor to return directly to the low zone where it answers down floor calls.

Turning now to a more detailed description of the basic operation of the car A, it will be assumed that the car is at the ground or reference floor. Under these conditions, as the car leaves the ground floor, engagement of the contact segment 6!} (Fig. 5) by the brush 65, assures energization of the zone transfer relay TR. When the car A leaves the ground or reference floor, the transfer relay TR is maintained energized by a holding circuit which extends through the front contacts TR! 2 of the transfer relay and the back contacts PF2 of the by-pass control relay PF. As long as the transfer relay TB is energized, the car A operates on the circuits 5| and Eia.

In order to start an upward trip, the operator of car A closes his doors and operates his car switch CS (Fig. 3). The operating sequence for starting the car A is similar to that discussed for the car C.

Since the floor call contact segments D2 to 176 (Fig. 2) of the car A are disconnected when the car A is conditioned for low zone operation, car A does not answer up calls as it leaves the ground or reference floor. Consequently, the car A 40 travels directly to the upper terminal floor and stops at the upper terminal floor in a conventional manner. Actuation of a single down floor button in the low zone does not affect the upward travel of the car A for the reason that closure of only one of the contacts of the down call storing relays ZDR, SDR, 4BR does not cause the quota relay Q (Fig. 5) to pick up.

The car A is dispatched from the upper terminal floor in the same manner discussed with 50 reference to the high zone cars. During its return to the ground floor, the car A answers all down calls whether in the high zone or in the low zone. Such down floor calls result in energization of the floor call stop-ping relay S (Fig. 4) u to stop the car at the desired floors in a manner which will be apparent from the foregoing discussion.

Quota operationcar A in low zone Let it be assumed next that while the car A isin the low zone, down floor calls are registered for floors 2 and 3. These calls result in closure of the contacts 2BR and 333R (Fig. 5) of the down call storing relays and sufficient current passes through the quota relay Q to cause this relay to pick up. The resulting closure of the contacts Ql energizes the auxiliary quota relay QA to open contacts QAI and close contacts QA2. Opening of the contacts QAI introduces the resistor R1 in series with the winding ofthe quota relay Q in order to facilitate drop out of the quota relay when a resistor is subsequently connected across the quota relay and the resistor R1.

Since the transfer relay is energized, the contacts TRI 4 are closed and if car A is at the ground floor or traveling upwardly the contacts W9 of the up direction preference relay will be closed. If the contacts PC3 of the transfer control relay also are closed, closure of the contacts QAZ energizes the quota modifying relay QM. The quota modifying relay thereupon closes its contacts QM3 to connect the resistor R in parallel with the winding of the quota relay Q and the resistor R1. This drops the current through the winding of the quota relay Q sufficiently to cause the relay to drop out and open its contacts Ql. Opening of the contacts Ql deenergizes the auxiliary quota relay QA to close contacts QAI. Consequent y, the quota relay Q will remain deenergized until more than two down floor calls are registered in the low zone.

Energization of the quota modifying relay QM also closes contacts QM4 which in cooperat on with the contacts W8 of the up direction preference relay complete a holding circuit for the quota modifying relay around the contacts QA2 and W9.

It will be noted that if the car A is at the ground floor, the quota modifying relay QM is not energized until the doors are closed to close the door re ay contacts DRZ. However, when the car A leaves the ground floor, the switch Bl closes to maintain energization of the quota modifying relay despite subsequent opening of the doors and of the contacts DRZ.

The quota modifying relay QM also closes contacts QM! to maintain the transfer relay TR energ zed despite subsequent openings of the contacts PFZ of the by-pass control relay. Since the transfer relay TR is maintained energized. car A must continue to operate on the circuits 5| and 5Ia.

It should be noted further t an energization of the quota modifying relay QM closes contacts QM5 to condition the high call reversing relay J for energization. Since the car A is assumed to be traveling in an up direction, the contacts W6 of the up direction preference re ay are closed and the high call reversing relay J will be energized if the contacts HI of the high car call relay remain closed and the contacts Kl of the high floor call relay are closed.

Since the contacts 3DR3 of the down call storing relay 3BR are open, the high floor call relay K cannot be energized at the contact segment d2 for the second floor. However, as soon as the brush 34 engages the contact segment d3 for the third floor, an energizing circuit is completed for the high floor call relay K. This circuit may be traced from the supply conductor L+5 through a conductor H, back contacts 4DR4 of the down call storing relay for the fourth floor, contacts TR8 of the transfer relay, the contact segment d3, the brush 34, the front contacts W5 of the up direction preference relay and the winding of the high floor call relay K to the supply conductor L-5.

When the high floor call relay K is energized, the circuit for the high call reversing relay J is completed and may be traced from the conductor L+5 through the winding of the high call reversing relay J and the contacts HI, Kl, W6, and QME to the supply conductor L5. A holding circuit for the relay may be traced from the supply conductor L+5 through the winding of the relay J and the contacts HI, J3, J4, DRI and J5 to the supply conductor L-5. Therefore, the relay remains energized until the doors of the car A are closed at the third fioor to open the contacts DRI. (The doors start to Open before the car A reaches its stopping inductor plate. Consequently the door relay back contacts DRI close before the contacts W6 open.)

Energization of the high call reversing relay J closes the contacts J l to energize the inductor 5 holding relay G, the slowdown inductor relay E and the stopping inductor relay F (Fig. 3). Such energization of the inductor relays results in the stopping of the car A at the third floor in a conventional manner.

It will be recalled that as the car stops, the car running relay M is deenergized and consequently opens its contacts M2 (Fig. 3). Since the contacts J2 of the high call reversing relay also are open, the up direction preference relay W is deenergized and closes its contacts W2 to energize the down direction preference relay X. Consequently, the car A is conditioned for a return to the ground floor. When the operator of the car closes his doors and operates the car switch CS, the car A will return to the ground floor stopping at the second floor in a conventional manner to pick up the down call at the second floor.

It will be noted that when the quota modifying relay is energized, it closes contacts QMI which are in series with the automatic by-pass relay PB. However, since the contacts X8 which are also in series with the relay PB are open, the relay remains closed and permits the car A to stop at the third floor. When the car A reverses at the third floor, the contacts X1 or the down direction preference relay close to energize the limiting relay Z. The resulting opening of the contacts Zl prevents energization of the by-pass relay PB and permits the car A to pick up the down cal1 at the second floor.

When the car A reverses at the third floor, the contacts W8 of the up direction preference relay open but the holding circuit for the quota modifying relay QM remains closed through the mechanical switch 62. When the car A reaches the second floor, the switch 62 is opened by its cam 60 to deenergize the quota modifying relay QM. It should be noted that the deenergization of the quota modifying relay QM results in an opening of the contacts QM3 and again permits energization of the quota relay Q by two registered down floor calls in the lower zone.

Quota operationcar A in high zone If at the time the car leaves the ground floor on an upward trip, a down floor call is registered only for the second floor, the quota relay Q does not pick up. Consequently, the car A can enter the high zone. Let it be assumed that immediately after the brush 34 (Fig. 5) leaves the contact segment d5, down floor calls are registered for the third, fifth, and sixth floors. Since two registered calls are received from the 6 low zone, the quota relay Q picks up and successively effects the energization of the auxiliary quota relay QA and the quota modifying relay QM in the manner previously discussed. Since the car is traveling in an upward direction, closure of the contacts QM! of the quota modifying relay cannot effect energization of the automatic by-pass relay PB (i. e., contacts X8 are open). Also, closure of the contacts QME conditions the high call reversing relay J for energization.

When the brush 34 engages the contact segment (16, an energizing circuit for the high floor call relay is established which may be traced from the supply conductor L+5 through the contacts GDRA (which are closed because a down floor call has been registered on the sixth floor), the

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