US3014556A

US3014556A - Inclined elevator

Info

Publication number: US3014556A
Application number: US779718A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stelzer William
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-12-11
Filing date: 1958-12-11
Publication date: 1961-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 1978-12-26

Description

Dec. 216, 1961 w. STELZER INCLINED ELEVATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1958 INVENTOR. W414 All! Dec. 26, 1961 w. STELZER INCLINED ELEVATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1958 'IIIIIIII-IIEIK IN V EN TOR.

:ted tate Patented Dec. 26, 1961 1 fine 3,014,556 INCLINE!) ELEVATQR William Stelzer, 4351 Franklin Road Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Filed Dec. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 779,718 3 Claims. ((31. 187l2) The invention relates to inclined elevators suitable for mounting on stairs and more particularly to a novel construction where an elevator car is movable on a mono-rail mounted on top of a box-like structure housing the driving mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a track with a raised monorail, an elevator car riding on said monorail and having a platform or running board below said monorail and located to one side thereof, and a roller or wheel underneath said platform to ride on the side of said track, whereby a passenger riding on the elevator is enabled to stand on the lowermost portion of the elevator car and beside the track.

Another object is to make the track of a box-like structure suitable for housing the driving mechanism, so that the entire elevator structure consists of a single self-contained unit that may simply be placed on the stair.

Another object is to make the elevator car easily removable from the track by using the novel monorail construction and providing a flexible metal tape for hoisting the car instead of the usual cable, the metal tape being connected to the car only when in tension.

A further object is to provide means for arresting the car on the track when the tension in the metal tape is released.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings submitted for the purpose of illustration and not to define the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoined claims. In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an elevator incorporating the invention, the stairs and part of the elevator car being shown in section; v

FIG. 2, a sectional side elevation at the upper end of the track showing the drive mechanism;

FIG. 3, a section taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4, a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5, a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6, a section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7, a section of the car taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8, a fragmentary section taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 6. 7

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of elements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention iscapable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed'herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation. i

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the track I of the elevator rests on or is secured to the treads 2 of a stair 3 and is positioned against a wall 4 of the stair case as illustrated in FIG. 3. This track includes a side wall 5, inclined longitudinal members 6 and 7 spaced above and running parallel with stair 3, a cover plate 9, and a rail or monorail 10. The cover plate 9 is preferably removable, but the other elements of the track are well secured together to form a rigid structure To increase the rigidity and strength, a plurality of cross members 11 and 11' are tied to the other structural elements, and a longitudinal tie bar 12 secured to the cross-members 11 serves as a means for fastening the track to the treads of the stair, as with screws 14. The track I, together with wall 4 and stair 3 provides an enclosure within which there is sufiicient space to accommodate the drive mechanism of the elevator. In this showing the drive mechanism issimply represented by a drive shaft 15 carrying a drum 16 adapted to wind up a tape or ribbon 17 running over an idler pulley 18 to the elevator car 26 riding on track I and provided with a hand rail 19. The drive mechanism may also be constructed as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 779,719, filed with this application, or a conventional type may be used, as it forms no part of this invention. In order to connect the electric control circuit to the car, and to facilitate the easy removal of the car from the track, a plurality of bus bars 21 are embedded in grooves 22 as shown in FIG. 4, and these bus bars are engaged by contact shoes 23 consisting of springs fastened to a terminal block 24 which in turn is secured to the body 25 of car 20. A bracket 27 made of or covered with insulating material and extending from body 25 serves as a stop for shoes 23 to retain them when the car is removed from the track. In the operating position as shown in FIG. 5 the shoes 23 are clear of bracket 27. The car has two pairs of wheels or rollers 29 and 3t riding on rail 10 and carried by

pins

31 and 32 respectively, the latter being provided with anti-friction bearings and having one end pressed into body 25 to be firmly secured to it. The body 25 has an apron 34 whose lower end extends to form a running board 35 with a mat 36 on which the passenger stands. The running board acts as a cantilever and the load on it produces a turning moment about rail 10. To counteract this movement a wheel or roller 37 is mounted underneath the running board 35, and turns on a pin 39 extending from the underside of the running board to roll on side wall 5. A portion 39 of apron 34 is bent over to extend underneath the rail It) to engage the latter if the car is lifted up accidentally, but normally there is a clearance between extension 39 and the underneath of rail 10. As already stated, the car is suspended by a tape 17 Wound on a drum 16 to which it is fastened by a pin 13 and a set screw 13, the end being wound around the pin and then clamped by set screw 13'. The other end of the tape has attached to it abutting means in the form of a hook or tooth 40 engaged by a clutch lever 41 pivoted at 42 to the body 25. One arm of clutch lever 41 is pivotally connected at 44 to a link 45 which in turn is pivotally connected to a brake shoe 46 supported by body 25 to swing about pin 47. A spring 49 urges lever 41 against a stop 50 to thereby engage the brake shoe 46 with rail 10. In the normal released position when the shoe 46rests against terminal block 24 due to the weight of the car or the load, which overcomes the force of spring 49, the friction face 51, as seen in FIG. 6, has only a small clearance with rail 10. Brake shoe 46 and the elements associated with it form a safety mechanism to arrest the car by engaging rail 10 should tape 17 break. A second brake shoe 52 capable of endwise motion limited by

abutments

54 and 55 is positioned between apron 34 and the side of rail 10. The shoe 52 is made of a material having a low coefiicient of friction where it slides on the inside face of apron 34, and is provided with a lining 57 of a high coefficient of friction. A resilient retainer 59 holds th shoe in place when the car is removed from the track.

In operation, when the drive shaft 15 turns counterclockwise the elevator car ascends, and when it turns clockwise the car descends. Normally, the safety mechanism assumes the position shown in FIG. 5, where the friction elements are disengaged. If the tape 17 breaks, the spring 49 contracts and brings shoe 46 into contact with rail 10, whereby the self-energizing action forces the shoe into full engagement as soon as the initial frictional engagement is made, so that spring 49 is required to make only the initial contact and therefore can be very light. In the locked position where the car is arrested the safety mechanism assumes the position shown in FIG. 8. Brake shoe 52 and its lining 57 are pressed against rail 18 and the end abuts against stop 54. The reason the shoe 52 is pressed against rail 10 is that shoe 46 lifts car 28 away from face 60 of rail 10 until shoe 52 is engaged. The release of the car from the locked position is effected by pushing the car 20 upwardly along the track a short distance. This causes the shoe 46 to swing back to the original position shown in FIG. while shoe 52 slides on the inner surface of apron 34 because the friction there is less than between lining 57 and rail 10. It may even be desirable to lubricate shoe 52 where it contacts apron 34 to further facilitate release of car 20 from the locked position. The car may be removed from the track simply by sliding it upwardly until it has left the track. Nomanipulation is required to separate the tape and the electrical connection from the car since these are connected merely by abutment and therefore disconnect automatically. Replacement of the. car onto the track is made in the same way, sliding it on the track from the top landing.

The placement of the running board at the lowermost portion of the car and the location of the supporting wheels or rollers at a higher elevation lends considerable stability to the car and makes it unnecessary to provide additional guides such as used in conventional constructions. The weight of the load acting on the running board 35 simply biases the car more firmly onto the track. It is usually desirable to make the track as narrow as possible in order not to encumber the stairway; therefore, the track is of just sufficient width to house a drive mechanism, but there is no objection to a certain height of the track, as it would prevent a person from stepping on it when descending the stairs on foot. It is obvious that the stability is greatly increased with the height of the track and the pressure of wheel 37 against wall 5 is reduced because of the greater spread between wheel 37 and

wheels

29 and 30.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an inclined elevator mounted on a stair adjacent a wall of a building, in combination, a hollow track positioned on the stair and adjacent the wall of the building to form an enclosure, said track being of sufiicient size to house a drive mechanism for the elevator, a monorail having surfaces angularly disposed to each other and being secured on top of said track, an elevator car having a body, a plurality of wheels revolubly supported by said body and arranged to ride on said monorail, said wheels engaging said monorail on said surfaces being angularly disposed to each other to be guided on said monorail, at least one additional wheel revolubly supported by said body and rolling on said track at a lower portion of said track to oppose lateral forces resulting from a turning moment of said car about said monorail, said car being so disposed that a load carried by said car produces a moment about said track where said lower wheel is forced against said track to resist said moment, a running board extending from said body in a direction away from said track so that a load placed on said running board produces a definite turning moment of said body about said monorail, a tape to tow and suspend said elevator car, driving means including a drum within said track, an idler pulley revolubly supported at the upper end of said track to support said tape, said tape having one end secured to said drum and another end provided with abutting means, and clutch means on said elevator car adapted to engage said abutting means in a direction to pull said elevator car upwardly and to be readily disengageable when the tension in said tape is released.

2. An elevator including an inclined track having walls, driving means within said walls, at least one rail on top of said track, an elevator car having a plurality of wheels rolling on said rail and guiding said elevator car, said elevator car having a body extending downwardly on one side of said track, a horizontally positioned running board serving as a platform on which a passenger can stand extending from said body at a substantial distance below said wheels in a direction away from said track so that a passenger standing on said running board produces a definite turning moment of said car about said rail, and at least one wheel revolubly supported by said body underneath said running board to rest against and roll on one of said walls of said track so as to oppose said turning moment, a brake secured to said body and adapted for frictional engagement with said rail, resilient means to bias said brake to engage said rail, means responsive to the tension in said towing means to keep said brake disengaged, and means to facilitate the disengagement of said brake after it has become locked due to breakage of said towing means.

3. In an inclined elevator mounted on a stair adjacent the wall of a building, in combination, a hollow track positioned on the stair adjacent the wall of the building to form an enclosure, said track being of sufficient size to house a drive mechanism for the elevator, a rail secured on top of said track, an elevator car having a body, a plurality of wheels revolubly supported by said body and arranged to ride on said rail, at least one additional wheel revolubly supported by said body and rolling on said track at a lower portion of said track to oppose lateral forces resulting from a turning moment of said car about said track, a tape to tow and suspend said elevator car, driving means including a drum within said track, an idler pulley revolubly supported at the upper end of said track to support said tape, said tape having one end secured to said drum and another end provided with abutting means, and clutch means on said elevator car adapted to engage said abutting means in a direction to pull said elevator car upwardly and to be readily disengageable when the tension in said tape is released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 377,266 Naylor Ian. 31, 1888 850,136 Cole Apr. 16, 1907 1,462,741 Crow July 24, 1923 1,927,194 Wood Sept. 19, 1933 2,207,544 Knudsen July 9, 1940 2,246,502 Bramsen June 24, 1941 2,563,260 Miller Aug. 7, 1951 2,832,436 Roberts Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 778,091 Great Britain July 3, 1957