US2746566A - Delay for directional preference control for parked elevator cars - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1956 E B THURSTON 2,746,566

DELAY FOR DIRECTIONAL PREFERENCE CONTROL FOR PARKED ELEVATOR CARS Filed Aug. 31, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

ERNESZ: E. THURSTON May 22, 1956 B. THURSTON DELAY FOR DIRECTIONAL PREFERENCE CONTROL FOR PARKED ELEVATOR CARS Filed Aug. 51, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 'M-h, .u DELAY FOR DLRECTIONAL PREFERENCE CONTROL FOR PARKED ELEVATOR CARS I r FOR DIRECTIONA PREFERENCE CONTROL FOR PARKED ELEVATOR CARS 6 Sheets- Shee't 4 DELAY FOR DIRECTI FOR PARKED ELEVATOR CARS Filed Aug. 51, 1955 ONAL PREFERENCE CONTROL.

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United States Patent DELAY FOR DIRECTIONAL PREFERENCE CON- TROL FOR PARKED ELEVATOR CARS Ernest B. Thurston, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Haughton Elevator Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,311 7 Claims. (Ci. 187-29) This invention relates to single or multicar elevator systems and it has particular relation to automatic multicar systems wherein elevator cars are started in response to operation of a service control located at each of the floors served by the elevator car or cars or by service controls located in the elevator car or cars.

In conventional multicar automatic elevator systems, it has been the practice to locate each of the elevator cars of a bank of cars in a separate hatchway. Each of. the hatchways is provided with a hatchway door for each of the floors served by the elevator car. The elevator cars operate between terminal floors and serve a plurality of intermediate floors. Each of the intermediate floors is conventionally provided with an up-service control and a down-service control which are common to all of the elevator cars. The upper terminal floor is provided with a down-service control and the lower terminal fioor is provided with an up-service control which again are common to all of the cars in the bank. In addition, each of the elevator cars is provided with a control for each of the floors served by the elevator car.

When no demand for service exists in the system, the elevator cars are at rest and all of the doors are closed. In response to operation of a service control, one of the elevator cars is conditioned to answer the demand for service from the operated service control.

In the conventional single or multicar automatic elevator system of the type herein discussed, a service control at an intermediate floor may be operated while an elevator car is at rest at such floor with its adjacent hatchway door closed. Under such circumstances, the operated service control merely opens the hatchway door and permits the entrance into the elevator car of a prospective passenger without establishing a direction preference for the elevator car.

In accordance with the invention, operation of a service control at an intermediate fioor while an elevator is parked at the floor with its hatchway doors closed operates not only to open the hatchway doors at the floor of the operated control, but additionally operates to immediately prevent, for a predetermined period of time, the establishing of a preference of direction for this car in response to any other floor service control. As soon as the prospective passenger enters and pushes a car control the preference of direction is established.

In multicar automatic elevator systems wherein the driving motors for the elevator cars are energized from energy-transforming devices, such as motor-generator sets, the energy-transforming devices may be de-energized when no demand for service exists for the elevator system. When the next demand for service is received, the motorgenerator set or other energy-transforming device for one of the elevator cars is started or energized. To prevent frequent starting operations of the motor-generator sets or other devices, a time delay may be provided which must elapse after the elevator car has answered all calls for service before the motor-generator set associated therewith may be shut down. In a multicar elevator systern, one of the elevator cars may be selected as the next car to answer the next demand for service from the system.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an elevator system wherein operation of a service control or hall button at a floor at which an elevator car is parked is effective for preventing, for a definite time interval, the establishing of a preference of direction for the elevator car by controls other than the car button control in that particular car.

Another object of the invention is to give the first passenger to enter a parked car priority in selecting the next direction in which the car shall go.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for disabling the directional preference selection mechanism of an elevator car when the car doors are opened in response to a floor call at the floor at which the car is parked and to hold such means disabled until the entering passenger has had time to select his destination floor.

According to the invention the directional preference relays are energized through either of two circuits, the first of which includes the car button controls and the second of which includes the fioor call relays. The circuit through the floor call relays is interrupted by a timing relay which is energized as soon as the car doors open in response to a call at the floor at which the car is then standing. The operation of this timing relay prevents for a limited period of time the operation of the directional preference relays in response to hall calls.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure I is a diagrammatic view of an elevator system comprising two cars serving a plurality of floors.

Figure II is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the means for registering calls from the car and from the floors.

Figure III is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the directional preference control circuits.

Figure IV is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the circuits employed for starting the car and for starting the motor generator set. The controls for starting or initiating the door operations are also included in this figure.

Figure V is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the stopping circuits that are effective for initiating the stopping of the elevator car in response to a call from the car or from a floor. The relays for operating the door operating motors are illustrated in this figure.

Figure VI illustrates the relay system for leveling the car as it approaches a floor.

Figure VII shows circuits including the relays that control the operation of the elevator driving motor.

These specific figures and the accompanying description are intended to illustrate the invention but not to limit its scope.

Referring now to Figure I an elevator system constructed to embody the improvements may comprise one or more cars 1 arranged to serve a plurality of floors. The car 1 is supported by cables 2 that are trained over a drive pulley 3 and connected to a counterweight 4. The drive pulley 3 is mounted on a motor shaft 5 of an elevator drive motor 6. The shaft 5 is also connected to a floor selector 7 by means including a slippable clutch or other adjusting means not shown in the drawings. A second or more cars are arranged similarly to that first described and similar reference numerals are used thereon distinguished merely by the addition of letters such as the letter b.

A series of hall buttons or hall service controls are provided there being one such control 8 for each of the terminal floors and a dual control 9 one up and one down for each of the intermediate floors. Furthermore, each car is provided with a car button control board 10 having buttons one corresponding to each of the floors to be served by the elevator.

Leveling switches carried in a casing 11 either along: side of or on top of the elevator car 1 cooperate with magnetic vanes 12 arranged one at each floor along the hatchway f in addition, although not shown in the drawings, each of the cars is provided with doors and each of the landings is provided with hatchway doors, the doors being automatically opened and closed by motor operating means when the car arrives at the floor for the transfer of passengers. in order to meet certain safety regulations in regard to possible fires etc. in a building the car doors are closed automatically after a sulficient time for passengers to leave has elapsed. If there are no further calls for service the car remains parked with doors closed at the floor at which the last passenger left the car.

Electrical circuits for operating the elevator In the wiring diagrams, Figures ii to, VII inclusive, the various relays and contacts are shown in across the line diagrams so as to simplify insofar as possible the showing of the various circuits. The various relays are identified by letters distinguished by numbers if the relays are duplicated for each of the floors. The contacts operated by the respective relays carry the same letter designation as the relay itself. in order to identify and correlate the various relay operating coils and contacts a reference code has been included along the right of each of the diagrams. According to this code each, line of the wiring diagrams is numbered starting with the number 1; at the top of Figure Ii and continuing substantially in sequence to the number 113 at the bottom in Fig re VII. In the code adjacent the line showing the operating coil of a relay is a series of numbers indicating the lines in which the contacts operated by that relay coil are located. An underscored number indicates that the contacts identified thereby are closed when the coil is de-energized. Thus, for example, the car call relay corresponding tothe fourth floor and marked 4C appears in line 2 of Figure H. At the right the code numbers 28, 77 and 83. indicate that the contacts closed by this particular relay occur in line 28 of Figure III and in lines 77 and 830i Figure V.

Figure 11 illustrates the relays for registering hall and car calls. Also are shown the relays initiating thev door reopening and the timing relay that gives preference to the car calls when the doors are reopened in response to a floor call from the floor at which the car is parked. The equipment shown in Figure ll includes floor relay trip coils 1U, 21), ill etc. up through 4D, 4U and 5D. It also includes car button relay tripcoils 1C5C corresponding to car buttons CBl-CBS. These are the trip coils of latch relays adapted to store the calls. Also included are a car button relay CB anda floor or hall button relay door reopening relay DO, timer relay TA, and reset coils for the latch relays. Floor or hall call controls or push buttons HUl to HDS are shown as controlling the trip coils 1U-5D of the floor relays. Likewise the car buttons CB1 to CBS are shown controlling the trip coils 1C-5C of the car button relays.

To register a call from a floor the corresponding button is pushed. For example, to register an up call from the second floor the hall control button HUZshown in line 1?. is pushed so that current may flow from the line L1 through the coil of the hall button relay HB- in line 10, through a lead 15, and then through the now closedhall button contacts HUZ and the trip coil 2U of the second fioor up relay. The return side of each of the floor and car call relay coils is connected to the line L2; This current trips or unlatches the second floor up relay so that it closes its contacts shown in lines 33 and 80' thus preparing the stopping circuit for the car and calling thecar to the second floor. Current flow through this circuit energizes the hall button relay HB so that it closes its contacts HB in line 14 thereby allowing current to flow from the power supply lead L1 through the now closed HB contacts in line 14 and through a lead 16 to the coil of the door reopening relay DO shown in line 14. If the car is at the second floor the doors reopen in response to operation of the reopening relay DO. If the car is at another floor the car starts immediately, comes to the second floor, then opens its doors. The passenger gets into the car and registers his destination call by pressing the corresponding car button CB. This allows current to flow from the supply lead L1 through the car button relay CB in line 3, through. the now pressed car button and through the tripping coil of the corresponding car call relay. This trips the latch relay to register the destination call for that car. The car then automatically closes its doors and proceeds to the destination floor.

As the car answers each of its calls whether they be hall calls or car calls a brush 17 (Figure 11) of its selector machine 7 engages corresponding contacts 13 of the fioor selector so as to complete circuits through reset coils of the various latch relays indicated by the reference characters lCR, 1UP. for the first floor, 2CR, ZUR, ZDR for the second floor, etc. This circuit in line 20 also includes normally closed contacts of a brake relay BR and normally open contacts of an up-down relay UD. The brake relay contacts BK close to complete this circuit whenever a car stops at a floor. Likewise the updown contacts are closed as long as any call remains to be answered. Therefore, in the arrangement shown, each of the car or floor call relays is reset as soon as the call is answered provided there is still another call to be answered. The last call remains registered until there is a further demand for service.

Direction selection circuits Figure III shows the electrical circuits for selecting the direction of movement of the car in relation to the registered calls. The relays shown in this figure include an up selection relay Ul shown in line 25, a down selection relay. D1 in line 37, an up locking relay UL in line 33 and a down locking relay DL in line 41. Power is fed from the supply lead L1 to one or both of the up and down selection relays U1 and D1 depending upon theregistered calls and the position of the car. As shown along the left side of the diagram contacts 1C-5C of the car call relays are shown connected to the lead Ll through a lead 19, the car call contacts when closed being adapted to energize a series parallel. arranged circuit of normally closed cam operated switches SlD, SZD and S2U up to SSU. The selection relays U1 and D1 are connected between the ends of this series circuit of cam operated switches and the return lead L2.

The hall or floor call relay contacts lU-SD are energized from the lead Lit through normally closed contacts TA in line 26 and then through a lead 20 connected to the various contacts. The other sides of these hall relay contacts are connected to the corresponding car call con tacts and thus to the corresponding points in the series circuit of cam operated switches. Thus the registration of a call energizes the corresponding junction in the series circuit of cam operated switches. For example, a first floor call energizes junction 2-1 while a second floor call energizes junction 22, a third floor call energizes junction 23, a fourth floor call energizes junction 24, and a fifth floor call energizes junction 25. Cams 26 and 27 of the floor selector machine 7 are arranged to open certain of the cam operated switches to isolate the junction corresponding to the position of the car in the hatchway. Thus, in theposition shown with the car at the third fioor the junction 23 is isolated from the remaining portions of the series circuit. Two cams are usedand certain of the switches are duplicated so that accurate control of both opening and closing of the circuits between the various functions may be accurately controlled regardless of variations in floor spacing.

With the car at the third iloor position, as illustrated, the junction 23 is isolated so that a call car or a floor call at that floor cannot operate either of the direction preference relays U1 or D1. However, calls at the other floors can energize the corresponding selection relays. Thus, the up direction preference relay U1 is energized as long as a call exists above the car whether that call be for up service or down service. Likewise, the down direction preference relay D1 is energized as long as a call for service exists below the position of the car.

Directional locking relays U1 and D1 are also shown in Figure 111. These relays are energized from the lead through contacts UF or DF of up or down field control relays of the motor generator set driving the elevator motor. Thus, if the car is conditioned for upward travel the contacts UF close to start the car upwardly. This allows current to flow from the lead 20 through the now closed contacts UF in line 38 and the operating coil UL to energize the direction locking relay UL. This circuit is completed to the return lead L2 by way of normally closed contacts DL of the down direction locking relay. Likewise, the down direction locking relay DL may be energized by way of the down field relay contacts DF in line 41 and the normally closed up locking relay contacts UL. The locking relays when energized close their UL or. DL contacts in lines 39 or 4t) to provide an electrical seal or lock. This locking circuit is controlled by normally open contacts T of a timing relay. The timing relay T coil shown in line 117 of Figure VII of the drawings is a relay arranged to remain energized for a brief time after each demand of service. Thus, the direction locking relay coils UL and DL are maintained in their respective energized conditions until no further demand for service exists in the direction that is set up. When the last call in that direction is answered the relay T, a timer relay, drops out thereby allowing a new directional preference to be set up.

Car starting c0ttrr0ls.Alternating current portion Figure TV shows the alternating current operated relay timer contacts, and other controls that are used to provide the starting and timing operations for starting a car in response to a call for service. The relay equipment shown in this figure includes:

A door reclosing relay GL1 controlling the door reclosing operations when a car is to be parked at a floor with the door closed;

Door reopening time relay DTO providing a brief interval of time to distinguish between hall calls at the floor at which the car is parked and other hall calls;

Timer T1, in line 53, arranged to time the interval before the door is reclosed following the last call for service;

Timer MGT, in line 55, arranged to measure a longer time interval after the last call is answered before shutting down the motor generator set;

Relays U and UU, lines 55 and 56, arranged for transmitting signals to start the car in the up direction; similar relays D and DD in lines 59 and 60 control the transmission of start signals in the down direction;

Auxiliary locking time relay TA1 in line 63 for controlling the directional locking time relay T shown in Figure Vii, lne 117;

Emergency control relay EM in line 64 provides for shutting down other parts of the equipment in case the control circuits are inoperative for any reason;

Motor generator starting relays LS and LSA in lines 65 and 67 for controlling the starting of the motor generator set;

And a service relay UD in line circuits as long as there is a call movement of the car.

A description of the cooperation of these elements with 68 for closing certain for service requiring r 6 the remainder of circuits is deferred until the remaining" circuits have been briefly described.

Car stopping circuits Figure V illustrates the circuits employed to cause the elevator car to answer calls registered by the floor and car call relays. This equipment includes an up direction brush 30, shown at line 79, cooperating with up lane contacts 31 of a floor selector machine which contacts are selectively energized through the contacts of the corresponding up floor and car call relays. Also included is a brush 32, line 85, cooperating with down lane selector machine contacts 33, these contacts 33 being energized through the corresponding contacts of the down floor and car call relays. The relays shown in Figure V include a slow down relay HS appearing at line 85, auxiliary door closing control relay CLA appearing at line 90, retiring cam relay at line 91, door closing relay CL in line 92, and a door opening relay OP in line 93. The door opening and door closing relays OP and CL have contacts which operate the motor arranged to control the door movements. Limit switches a, c, d (lines 92, 93 and 94) are operated by the car door as it reaches various points of travel so as to de-energize each relay when its function has been accomplished. The slow down relay HS is energized whenever the corresponding brush 30 or 32, selected by instantaneous direction control relay U or D depending upon the direction of travel, reaches an energized contact or when the car reaches a terminal floor and the directional relays U1 or D1 are released to complete the circuits from the lead L1 directly to the slow down relay HS. The circuit from the slow down relay to the return lead L2 is completed through the starting signal relay contacts UU or DD depending upon the direction of travel. The slow down relay HS seals itself in through its contact in line 89 as soon as it is energized and remains energized until the direction starting signal contacts UU or DD open as the car comes to a stop. The slow down relay HS, through conventional motor control circuits causes the motor to slow down preparatory to stopping at a floor.

Figure VI.-Leveling controls This figure shows the circuits for the various relays used in controlling the travel of a car as it approaches a floor. The equipment included is an up leveling control relay LU, a down leveling control relay LD, an auxiliary leveling control relay which is controlled by the up and down leveling relays LU and LD, and a slow speed leveling control relay 2L. These are direct current operated relays operated from the alternating current circuit by way of rectifiers 30, 31 and 32. The leveling relays are controlled by magnetically actuated switches HLU, HLD, 2LU and 2LD arranged in the leveling control box or housing 11 on the side of the car and are actuated by proximity with the iron vanes 12 arranged in the hatchway. The leveling switches HLU, HLD and 2LU and 2LD take over the slow speed and final leveling of a car after the initial slow down has been initiated by the slow down relay HS shown in Figure V. The magnetic switches HLU, HLD, 2LU and 2LD are arranged in order in the housing 11 with HLU at the top of the housing, 2LU and 2LD spaced apart near the middle of the housing and HLD at the bottom of the housing. As the car is proceeding upwardly in the shaft the switch HLU is first operated as the top of the housing 11 comes opposite the bottom of the vane 12. This initiates the second stage of the slow down for the floor. It also completes a circuit to maintain the elevator motor operating in the desired direction but at slow speed. Further travel of the car closes first the switch 2LU and then the switch 2LD. When both are closed the relay 2L is energized to start the final slow down speed range and also start the opening of the car doors (see contacts 2L in line 93). Finally as the car approaches and comes level with the floor the top magnetic switch HLU opens as it passes the top end of the vane thus causing the car to stop. Should the car overrun slightly the bottom magentic switch HLD closes to reverse the direction of the car to cause it to return toward the floor level. Thus, the car is finally brought to rest with the switches HLU and HLD opposite the ends of and just beyond the range of cooperation with the magnetic vane.

Motor generator set controls for operating the elevator motor Figure VII shows a few of the relays and their contacts that are used for controlling the direct current portions of the equipment particularly the relays which control the forward and reverse operation of the elevator drive motor and the relay that controls the electromagnetic brake. As shown in Figure VII the brake relay BK appearing in line 113 is energized to release the electromagnetic brake that holds the elevator motor fixed as long as the car is stopped at a floor. The generator field direction relays UF and DF in line 112 and 113 control the application of direct current to the generator field and thus determine the direction in which the elevator operates. The motor starting relay M in line 114 is controlled through a timing relay MT (line 113) which in turn is operated by contacts of the brake relay BK. The motor starting relay M comes in or is energized shortly after the brake relay is energized. Relays LR and AR are part of the motor generator starting controls while the timing relay T shown in line 117 is part of the time control which determines the length of time that a car will stand before it can reverse.

Operation The cooperation of the various relays and their eifect in controlling the operation of the elevator is best described by following the sequence of events as the various relays operate in starting the car, causing it to travel to answer a signal, and the stopping of the car in response to the signal as well as the time of operation of the doors in opening and closing and in reopening in response to hall calls at the floor at which the car is parked.

Assuming first that the car is standing at the first floor and that it has been standing there long enough that the motor generator set has been shut down and there are no calls registered. Alternating current power is supplied so that the circuits shown in Figures II, III, IV, V and VI are alive. The circuits shown in Figure VII, which are direct current operated are energized by the exciter generator of the motor generator set and are dead until the exciter comes up to voltage as the set is started. Assume now that down calls are registered from the third floor and from the fifth floor. These calls are registered by pushing the corresponding hall button controls RD? and HDS so as to trip or unlatch the hall call relays 3D and 5D. As the first one, in time, to be pushed was pushed the hall button relay l-IB, line 1%), closed its contacts in line 14' to energize the door reopening relay DO. Relay DO then opens its contacts in line 50, Figure IV, so as to de-energize the door reclosing relay GL1. Relay CL1 thereupon drops out thereby opening its contacts CL1 in line 50 to cut off the supply of power to the door reopening time relay TDO in line 51.

The tripping of the hall call relays 3D and 5D also completed circuits from L1 and lead at lines 32 and 26, respectively, to energize the direction selection relay U1 in line 25. Relay U1 thereupon closes its contacts U1 in line 63 so as to energize immediately the up-down or service relay UD in line 68. The service relay UD thereupon immediately closes its contacts UD in line 52 so as to complete a circuit to the door reopening time relay DTO before that relay releases thereby holding the relay energized even though the door reclosing relays GL1 has been released.

The operation of the up direction U1 relay also completes a circuit preparatory to starting the car. This circuit starting from the power lead L1 in Figure IV leads through emergency stop contacts, then through a safety switch at which is operated by the edge of the door so as to. open it if there is any interference with the edge of the door. The safety switch 40 is by-passed by limit contacts C as the door closes and the edge hits the door jamb. From this point the circuit continues through a manually operable door hold push button 41, normally closed contacts OP of the door opening relay and then through LR contacts in line 56 which contacts are closed as long as the motor generator set is running. From the LR contacts the circuit continues through a lead 42 to normally closed starting time relay contacts TR in line 69. From the TR contacts the circuit continues through normally closed directional locking relay contacts DL in line 62, then through lead 43 upwardly through now closed up selection relay contacts U1 in line 56, then through the coils of up signal relays U and UU and finally through normally closed contacts DD of the down direction signal relays in line 54 and then to the return line by way of a motor generator protective relay contact MG? in line 65.

Simultaneously with this chain of events the operation of the UD or service relay in line 68, which was operated as soon as the signals were registered, closed its UD contacts in line 66 to initiate the starting of the motor genorator set. From the alternating current lead L1 current can flow through the now closed UD contacts in line 66, through the motor generator stop button, through the coil of the motor starting auxiliary relay LSA, through the safety controls and back to the return lead L2. The operation of the motor starter auxiliary relay LSA closes its contacts LSA in line to energize the motor starting switch LS.

The motor starting switch L8 is a power relay arranged to connect the three-phase alternating current drive motor for the motor generator set in Y-connection to the threephase power line. As soon as the motor generator set comes up to speed and the exciter generator builds up voltage, D. C. power is applied from the exciter to leads L3, L4 of Figure VII. Since the starter relay LS is energized direct current may flow from the lead L3 in Figure VII through the now closed LS contacts in line 113 to the coil of an acceleration relay AR in line 116. The acceleration relay AR by closing its contacts AR in line 114 completes a circuit from the direct current lead L3 through the now closed auxiliary starting relay contacts LSA to the acceleration relay coil AR to maintain itself energized. As soon as the acceleration relay AR is energized it opens its contacts AR in line 65 to break the circuit to the motor starting switch LS. This switch thereupon drops out to disconnect the Y-connection for the motor generator set motor and simultaneously opens its LS contacts in line 113 and closes the next set of LS contacts in the same line so. as to complete a circuit through the LSA contacts, AR contacts, and the now closed LS contacts to energize the motor running switch LR in line 115. The motor running switch connects the alternatingcurrent three-phase motor in delta to the line so that it runs at full power.

Now the elevator motor field is properly energized so that the field protective relay contacts FP in line 113 are closed and the emergency devices are all in proper order so that the EM contacts are closed. The closure of the signal relay contacts UU in line 112 which close as the result of the starting signal traced through the relay coils at line 55 allows current to fiow at line 113 through the brake relay coil BK, through the up field relay UF, through the now closed UU contacts at line 112 and through the gate switch and other safety switches to the return D. C. line L4. The closure of the UF relay in line 112 connects the generator field for up direction to drive the elevator motor and the operation of the brake relay disengages the brake to permit the elevator motor to start. The completion of the field circuit for the generator through the operation of the UP relay does not immediately energize the mclor since that is delayed by the operation of the motor timing contacts MT in line 114 which close as soon as the brake closes and thus energizes the motor starting switch M in line 114 which controls the final operations for setting the elevator motor in motion.

The ordinary variable voltage controlling arrangements are used to control the acceleration of the car and operation at full speed as it travels up the hatchway.

The elevator is now under way in the up direction so that it is time to establish the directional locking relays UL and DL. Since the motor generator up field control relay UF at line 112 in Figure VII is now energized it closes its UF contacts in line 38 so as to complete a circuit from the lead 20 through the UP contacts and the up direction locking relay coil UL and then through normally closed down direction locking contacts DL to the return lead L2. Up direction locking relay UL thereupon is energized and closes its contacts UL at line 39 so as to complete a holding circuit from the lead 20 through now closed timer contacts T and the now closed UL contacts. The timer contacts T of the directional preference timer are arranged to remain closed during the normal passenger transfer interval so that the car will not reverse erratically as it answers intermediate calls.

As the car proceeds upwardly and the earns 26 and 27 of the fioor selector machine pass the third floor level the closure of the cam operated switches S2U or S3D allow current to flow from the lead L1 through the lead 20, the now closed down signal contacts 3D to the junction 23 and down to the directional selection relay D1. D1 is thereupon energized but it has no immediate effect on the operation since the directional locking relay UL has been energized thereby opening its contacts UL in line 60 to prevent any flow of current to the down direction signal relays D and DD. The car does not stop at the third floor even though a down signal is there registered because it is traveling in the up direction with the up signal relay contact U in line 79 closed and the down signal relay contact D in line 85 open. Therefore, it bypasses the third floor and proceeds upwardly. As it passes the fourth floor and approaches the fifth floor the cam 26 opens the cam operated switch SSU thereby de-energizing the direction relay U1 in line 25. U1 upon releasing closes its normally closed contacts U1 in line 75 thereby completing a circuit from the lead L1 through the U1 contacts in line 75, through the up direction relay contacts U at line 79, and then through leveling time relay contacts TL in line 35, the coil of the slow down relay HS, and finally through the now closed contacts UU to lead L2. Slow down relay HS seals itself in through its contacts in line 89. The operation of the slow down relay HS causes the appropriate resistances to be inserted in the generator field circuit to cause the elevator motor to slow down. The operation of the slow down relay HS, in addition to other relays, causes the release of the leveling time relay TL in line 105 so as to prepare circuits to the leveling relays 2L, LD and LU. These relays are not immediately operated, however, since they are also controlled by the magnetic switches HLU, HLD, 2LU and 2LD. As the car in slowing down approaches the fifth floor the first magnetic switch HLU comes opposite the fifth floor vane and is operated so as to complete a circuit through the up leveling relay LU. This relay thereupon closes its contacts at line 110 so as to maintain the circuit for the up field relay UF after the contacts UU open or after the doors start to open. It also opens its contacts in line 111 to prevent the down field relay DF from being energized. It will be noticed that rectifiers 30, 31 and 32 are used in series with the LU, LD and 2L relays in order to use sensitive D. C. relays and contacts of the magnetic switches. Condensers connected in parallel with the relay coils act as filters to smooth out the current impulses.

The operation of the leveling relay LU also opened its contacts in line 57 thereby breaking the circuit by which the directional relays U and UU were held closed. These relays U and UU, which were first energized by way of contacts of the starting time relay TR in line 60, were transferred to a holding circuit comprising the brake contacts BK and the leveling relay contacts LU and LD at line 57 as the elevator started on its trip. The leveling relay LU by breaking this holding circuit and de-energizing the directional relays U and UU transfers the motor control to the leveling relays. As the car approaches the floor at a slower speed the 2LU magnetic switch operates and then finally the 2LD switch, these operating when the car is about eight inches from the floor. The closure of the 2LD switch operates relay in line 107 which closes its 2L contacts in line 93 to energize the door opening relay OP.

It should be noted that door timing relay DTO (line 51) was de-energized as the car started by operation of the motor timing relay MT opening its MT contacts in line 53. Therefore the door starts to open with the car approximately eight inches from the floor and approaching the floor level. As the car reaches floor level the first magnetic switch HLU passes beyond the end of its range of cooperation with the vane 11 thereby releasing the relay LU and since that relay was now controlling the generator field relay UP and brake relay BK in lines 112 and 113 the motor is stopped and the brake is applied. Should the car overrun slightly the bottom magnetic switch HLD is energized by the cooperation with the vane 11 so as to energize the down directional leveling relay LD which by the circuits in lines 113 and 111 operates to release the brake and energize the down generator field relay DF for down movement of the motor.

In Figure V the limit switches a, c, and d are shown in their positions for the door open. Limit switch a is set to open just as the door reaches closed position or slightly before. Limit switch 0 is set to open as the door approaches open position to de-energize the door open relay OP. Limit switch d opens just before a as the door approaches closed position. Thus limit switch d ensures that the doors will open to full position once they start to open. Incidentally with the opening of the doors or the energization of the brake a stopping time or what may be called a starting time relay TR, not shown in the drawings, is energized. This relay has contacts shown at line 60 which prevent the establishing of a starting signal until the timing relay drops out thus providing a certain interval of time for passenger transfer after the doors open as the car stops before the car can be started again.

The car having stopped at the fifth fioor and opened its doors the intending passenger at the fifth floor enters the car and selects the fioor to which he desires to go. Suppose that this is the first floor. The passenger registers his floor selection by pushing the car button CB1, in line 5, thereby tripping the latch relay 1C. As long as he holds his finger on the button he also energizes the car button relay CB at line 3 which closes its contacts in line 63. This completes a circut from lead 42 which is energized from the alternating current power line L1 by way of the stop controls and the door switch 40, door open control button 41, door relay contacts OP in line 57 and the motor generator set control relay LR. From this lead 42 current flows through 2LR contacts (contacts of time delay relay that is energized when the car starts and releases after the car stops and has had time to reverse if necessary to level itself with the floor) in line 62, through the car button relay contacts CB in line 63, the auxiliary door closing control relay contacts CLA and the coil of the directional locking time auxiliary relay TAl, then through the up or down directional locking relay contacts in line 62 or 63. The locking time relay TAl thereupon is energized and opens its contacts TAl in line 117 to de-energize the locking timer relay T. After a brief time interval this relay then releases to open its contacts T in line 39 thereby unlocking the direction locking relay UL. As soon as relay UL is released current may flow through the car button relay contacts CB at line 63, through the normally closed up locking relay contacts UL in line 60 and through the D1 contacts in line 59 to energize the down direction starting relays D and DD at lines 59 and 60. Thisv may occur even though the starting time relay TR has not yet released.

As soon as the starting down direction relay DD picks up it closes its contacts at line 113 to energize the brake relay B1 1 and the down generator field control relay DF. These relays therefore condition the elevator controls for downward travel. As soon as the brake relay operates to close its contacts at line 113 it energizes the motor timing relay MT which in turn closes its contacts at line 114- to energize the main motor starting relay M. The elevator thereupon starts in its downward direction. It should be noted, however, that the circuit through the brake relay and the down direction field relay DP was not completed until the gate closed to close the gate contacts in line 1513. As the down generator field relay DF closed for downward travel of the car the directional locking relay DL was energized and since the timing relay T has again been energized, as the auxiliary locking time relay TAl was released as the car started, the down direction locking relay DL sealed itself in through the directional timin relay contacts T of line 39.

As the car proceeds downwardly its brush 32 meets the selector machine contact 33 corresponding to the third tloor. Since the car is moving down the down direction relay D is energized so that current may now flow through the bypass relay contacts 8? in line 78 through the now closed fioor relay contacts 3D in line 84, through the brush 32 at line 85, the down relay contacts D, the leveling timer contacts TL, the coil of the slow down relay HS, and contacts DD of the down direction relay DD to the return line L2. it should be noted that the auxiliary control relay CLA was energized as soon as the down starting relay contacts DD closed. As soon as the slow down relay H5 is energized it seals itself in through its contacts in line 39 and conditions the controls to deceierate the car. The operation of the slow down relay HS as previously mentioned allows leveling timer contacts TL in line 1&5 to close thereby preparing the icveling relays to take over the control of the stopping of the car. As the down direction magnetic switch HLD first reaches the top of the third floor magnetic vane it closes or energizes the leveling relay LD. This relay thereupon breaks the circuit (line 57) holding the down direction relays D and DD at lines 59 and 610 closed. It will be recalled that the circuit for holding these relays is transterred from the initiationg circuits in lines 6%) and 63 to the circuit at line 5'7, which includes the brake contacts BK and the leveling relay contacts. As the down signal relays D and DD release the circuit for the slow down relay HS is interrupted so that the relay HS is released. As the car proceeds further towards the third fioor the magnetic switches 2LD and ZLU close to operate the final leveling relay 2L which, as previously mentioned, closes its contacts at line 93 to start the opening of the doors. The final leveling occurs when the magnetic switch ZLD passes the bottom end of the vane thus decnergizing leveling relay L1) to interrupt the how of current through tl c brake relay BK and the down generator field relay DP line 113. As thedoors reach their open position the intending passenger on the third floor enters and registers his call on the car button terminal board. in so doing by pushing the car button he energizes the car button relay CB so as to provide a start signal for the elevator. in this case since the down direction locking relay BL is already energized one does not have to wait for the direction locking timing relay to time out and allow the car to start. As the car approaches the first iioor the selector machine cam opens the cam operated switch 8RD thereby tie-energizing the. directional relay D1 at line 3'7. D1 thereupon closes its contacts in line 88 12 to initiate the slow down and final stopping at the first floor.

As the car arrived at the third floor in answer to the down call its brush 17 in line 19 (Figure II) completed a circuit from the L1 lead through the reset coil 3DR of the third floor relay and then through the brake relay contacts BK in line 29 and the up down relay contacts in the same line. Thus as the car stopped at the third floor in answer to that call the floor relay was reset to cancel the signal so that another car, if more than one is operating, will not stop at that floor until another signal is subsequently registered. The down call at the fifth floor was similarly canceled as it was answered.

After the passengers left the car at the first floor suppose that another passenger immediately enters the car and desires to travel to the third floor. By operation of the car button CB3 he registers his call for the third floor and at the some time operates the car button relay CB to start the starting cycle in operation as previously described. After slowing down and: arriving at the third door the doors open and the passenger leaves.

Assume now that there are no further calls for service in which case both the U1 and D1 relays in Figure III are tie-energized. Since both relays are now de-energized the service relay contacts UD in line 52 are open and the service rela' contacts UD in line 53 are closed. Deenergization of the service relay UD does not stop the motor generator set since its control circuit is maintained through the motor run relay contacts LR and motor generator timer contacts MGT in line 68. Furthermore, the door reclosing relay CL1 is de-energized so that its contacts in line 53 are also closed. This permits current to flow through a motor driven door rcclosing timer T1 in line 53. After interval of time somewhat longer than the ordinary passenger transfer timing interval the motor driven timing relay Tl operates to close its contacts T1 at line 51 thereby energizing both the door reopening time relay DTO and the door reclosin'g relay GL1. Door rcclosing relay GL1 thereupon completes a circuit through its contacts CLll to hold itself energized and at the same time de-energizes the motor driven door reclosing timer T1 by opening its contacts T1 at line 53.

The closure of the door reclosing relay DL1- in line 59 causes it to close its contacts in line 9-2 and simultaneously open its. contacts CL1 between lines- 91, and 92. The closure of the GL1 contacts in line 92 energizes the door close relay C1 in line 92 so that the doors close. immediately. This leaves the elevator car parked at the floor with the doors; closed and since there is no signal registered requiring, travel of the car the directional preference relays, U1 in line 25 and D1 in line 37 are. deenergized. During. this time: the motor generator timing relay MGT in line 55 is energized through the now closed in-service relay contacts UD in line 53. This timer is set for a longer time interval than the door recloser timer and when it. times out it opens its contacts MGT'in line 68'therehy de-energizing the motor generator control relays to shut downthe motor generator set. As the motor generator run relay LR drops out with the release of the auxiliary starting relay LSA the motor generator run relay LR contacts LR in line 56 open to deenergize the timer MGT as. W611 as the starting control circuits. This leaves the entire elevator system shut down except for alternating current power supplied to the alternating current portion of the control system. This condition is the same as that assumed at the start of the description of the operation.

Since the car was left standing at. the third floor and the doors are closed the; car may respond: to any hall call in. the manner-previously described provided that the call is from a. floor other than the third floor.

Response of parked car to calls from same' floor Assume. that an intending passenger on the third. floor desires elevator service and presses either the up or down hall call button at the third floor Since it is desirable that he be given preference in the selection of direction of elevator travel over another passenger who may press another hall button in the interim between the time that the third floor passenger pressed his button and the time that he could enter the car and register his destination call certain auxiliary circuits according to the invention are included in the control. These auxiliary circuits provide that if a call is registered from a hall control button when the car is standing at that floor with its doors closed the doors will reopen and simultaneously the direction selection control circuits from other floor relays will be cut ofi so that no energization of the up-down preference relays U1 or D1 may be made from such other floors until after a time interval sufficient to allow the third floor passenger to enter the car and register his destination call. The car button relays are not cut off from the control circuit and therefore a directional preference is registered immediately upon the pressing of a car button.

The sequence of operations to provide this type of control may be followed by tracing the signals through the circuits and observing the response of the various parts of the circuit. As the third floor hall button is pressed, whether it be an up call or a down call, the corresponding floor relay coil 3U or 3D is energized to trip the corresponding floor relay. Simultaneously the current flow through the tripping coil also flows through the hall button relay HB in line 10 so that it immediately closes its contacts in line 14 to energize the door reopening relay DO. Also note that the closure of the third floor relay contacts 3U or 3D in lines 30 or 32 of Figure III does not energize the up or down selection relays U1 or D1 since the cams 26 or 27 hold the cam-operated switches on either side of the third floor junction open. It will be remembered that these relays or one of the relays operate immediately upon the registration of a car call or a hall call for a floor other than the one at which the car is standing and that these relays select the first call and ignore the second until all the calls requiring travel in the first direction are answered.

Returning to the door reopening relay D in line 14, which is energized as long as a hall button is held pressed, it will be noted that the door reopening relay DO opens its contacts D0 in line 50 to thereby de-energize the auxiliary door close relay GL1. The auxiliary door close relay GL1 thereupon opens its contacts in line 50 to de-energize the door re-opening timer relay DTO in line 51 and at the same time opens its contacts CL1 in line 92 and closes its contacts between lines 91 and 92. The door reopening timer relay DTO in line 51 thereupon starts its timing cycle and if it opens its contacts in line 52 before the inservice relay, energized from the directional preference relays, is energized to close its UD contacts in line 52 the door timer relay drops out to close its contacts in line 93 thereby energizing the door opening relay OP. It will be remembered that the final leveling contacts or slow speed leveling relay contacts 2L remain closed as long as a car is standing at the fioor so that the circuit for the door opening relay OP is completed at line 93 as soon as the timing relay releases. The timing interval for the door reopening timer DTO is quite short it being only long enough to distinguish between calls from the floor at which the car is parked and other calls. These calls are distinguished upon whether or not the directional preference relays U1 or D1 is operated to operate the inservice relay UD.

Immediately upon the energization of the door opening relay OP in line 93, in the absence of energization of the service relay UD in line 68, current flows in line 15 through the now closed door opening relay contacts OP, through the now closed service relay contacts UD and the coil of a preference timing relay TA. This timing relay is energized only during the opening of the doors and is de-energized as soon as the doors reach full open position provided that the motor generator set is running. If

the set is not running then a holding circuit is completed in line 16 through normally closed running contacts LR and timer relay contacts TA. This holding circuit holds the timing relay TA energized until the motor generator set is brought up to operating speed. As long as the timing relay TA is energized and during its timing interval after it is de-energized and until it releases, its contacts TA in line 26 are open thereby de-energizing the directional preference circuits through the contacts of the floor relays. This prevents response to any other floor relay during this time interval.

As soon as the third floor passenger enters the car he may press the car button corresponding to his destination floor thereby registering that call and energizing the car button relay to initiate a starting of the car. As he pressed the car button relay and registered his call the corresponding car button relay was tripped so as to close its contacts shown in Figure III and thereby energize either the up selection relay U1 if he desired upward travel or the down selection relay D1 if he desired downward travel. The energization of either of these relays energizes the in-service relay UD in line 68 which through the circuits in lines 65 to 68 and 113 and 115 starts the motor generator set if it were not running and if it were running it through the circuits of Figure IV starts the car.

If the motor generator set were already running the operation would be the same except that the timing relay TA in line 15 would start its timing interval from the time that the door reached open position.

One or more cars may be simultaneously operated in this manner as is well known by paralleling the selector machine contacts that correspond to the stopping circuits for the various floors as shown in Figure V. Also the floor relays may be common to all of the elevators while the car button relays are individual for each car. Likewise the control circuits in the remaining figures are duplicated for each of the cars.

The improved control circuit effectively prevents the annoyance that results when an intending passenger enters an idle car and presses a car call button and then the car starts off in the opposite direction. This it does by disabling or disconnecting the hall call directional preference circuits until the entering passenger has had time to register his call from the car button.

Various modifications may be made in the details of construction and in the circuit diagrams without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In an automatic pushbutton controlled elevator, in combination, means responsive to hall buttons for registering hall calls, means responsive to car buttons for registering passenger destination calls, means for signaling the position of such calls with respect to the elevator car, means for closing the elevator car doors after the car has served the last call, means responsive to said signaling means for conditioning the elevator for movement toward the calling floor, and timing means operatively connected to said hall call registering means and said conditioning means and arranged to delay the response of the conditioning means when said conditioning means are deenergized and a hall call is registered at the floor at which the car is then located.

2. In an automatic pushbutton controlled elevator, in combination, means responsive to hall buttons for registering hall service calls, means responsive to car buttons for registering destination calls, means for signaling the location of such calls with respect to the car location, means responsive to said signaling means for conditioning the elevator for car travel toward the calls, means for closing the elevator car doors after the last call has been served, and timing means operated by re-opening of the doors in response to a hall call at the floor at which the car is located for disconnecting said signaling means from said hall call registering means for a limited period of time.

3. In an automatic pushbutton controlled elevator, in combination, means responsive to hall buttons for registering hall service calls, means responsive to car buttons for registering destination calls, means for signaling the location of call with respect to the location of the car, directional controls responsive to said signaling means, means for closing the elevator doors and deenergizing the directional controls after the last call has been served and no further calls are registered, and timing means operated by the opening of the doors in response to a floor call from a floor at Which the car is standing when no directional controls are energized for temporarily disconnecting said signaling means from the control of said hall call registering means.

4. In an automatic pushbutton controlled elevator, in combination, means responsive to hall buttons for registering hall service calls, means responsive to car buttons for registering destination calls, means for signaling the location of calls relative to the location of the elevator car, direction of travel control means responsive to said signaling means, means for closing the elevator car doors as the car is parked at a floor after serving the last call and the directional control means are deenergized, and timing means responsive to the re-opening of the doors inresponse to a hall signal at the floor at which the car is parked adapted to temporarily open the circuits through the hall call registering means to said signaling means, whereby an intending passenger at the floor at which the car is parkedris given time to register his destination on the car button means in preference to hall calls registered subsequent to his hall call and prior to his destination call.

5. In an automatic pushbutton controlled elevator, in combination, means responsive to hall buttons for registering hall calls, means responsive to car buttons for registering destination calls, means for signaling the position of the calls with respect to the car, means responsive to said signaling means for determining the direction of travel of the car, means for closing the doors of the car When there is no demand for service, timing means operable by opening of the doors after they have been closed because of no demand, said timing means being adapted to interrupt operation of the signaling means form the hall call registering means for an interval of time, and means for holding said timing means in operated condition during the time the elevator is being returned to service from a de-energized condition.

6. In an automatically controlled pushbutton elevator system, means responsive to hall buttons for registering hall calls, means individual to each ele 'ator and responsive to car buttons for registering destination calls, means for signaling the position of the calls with respect to the position of the car, means for conditioning the directional controls of the car to answer the call in accordance with the signals from the signaling means, means for deenergizing the directional controls and closing the elevator doors when there is no further demand for service, and timing means responsive to the opening of the doors of an elevator car the directional control of which is deenergized adapted to interrupt temporarily the response of the directional control of such car to signals registered in said hall signal registering means.

7. In a control for an automatic elevator system, in combination, a plurality of floor relays responsive to hall buttons for registering floor calls, a plurality of car relays individual to each car and responsive to car buttons for registering destination calls, circuit means for each car including contacts operated according to elevator car travel and contacts on said relays for signaling the location of calls relative to the location of the car, means for determining the direction of travel according to said signal circuit means, saiddirection determining means being tie-energized when no calls for service remain unanswered, means for closing the doors of a car after the last call hasbeen answered, a time delay relay that is energized as the doors are opened in response to a call and said direction determining means are de-energized, and contacts on said time delay relay that open when the relay is energized that are connected in circuit with contacts on said floor relays for relaying temporarily the response of the direction determining relays, whereby an intending passenger is afforded time to enter and select his direction of travel in preference to calls from other floors.

No references cited.

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