US3650356A

US3650356A - Hydraulically-actuatable elevator system

Info

Publication number: US3650356A
Application number: US886101A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rchard L Brown
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-12-18
Filing date: 1969-12-18
Publication date: 1972-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-21
Also published as: DE2062161A1; FR2074048A5; GB1308710A; CA930678A

Abstract

A hydraulically-actuatable elevator system wherein the vertically reciprocatable cargo-carrying carrier component is suspended from a lofty superstructure by at least one hydraulically-actuatable elongate piston of the generic casingplunger type. Forceable introduction of hydraulic fluid into the piston will decrease the piston overall elongate length causing the carrier component to ascend toward the overlying superstructure while controlled withdrawal of hydraulic fluid from the piston will increase the piston overall length allowing the weighty carrier component to descend. Novel control means enable the carrier component to be temporarily stationable at any selected elevation within the piston length range.

Description

United States Patent [451 Mar. 21, 1972 Brown [54] HYDRAULICALLY-ACTUATABLE ELEVATOR SYSTEM [72] Inventor: Rchard L. Brown, 1812 Pelton Avenue,

Bellevue, Nebr. 68005 [22] Filed: Dec. 18, 1969 [2]] Appl. No.: 886,101

[52] U.S.Cl ..187/17 [51] ..B66b 11/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..187/17, 8.59,9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 454,872 6/1891 Krell ..187/17 2,214,588 9/1940 Lagerquist ..187/17 2,647,590 8/1953 Anderson ..187/17 3,457,876 7/1969 Holden ..187/17 140,082 6/1873 Schuyler.... ..187/17 149,236 3/1874 Mackenzie. ..187/17 1,872,803 8/1932 Persson ..187/95 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,536,431 10/1968 France ..187/17 1,086,181 2/1955 France ..187/17 Primary Examiner-Harvey C. l-lornsby Attorney-George R. Nimmer [57] ABSTRACT 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented March 21, 1972 3,650,356

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 LQJ El L2]. A f 2| f 71 G I "wUmMW w J, man.

l////////// a z 4 IO f 4 4 42 H6. a

RICHARD L. BROWN INVENTOR- ATTORNEY m Patented March 21, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 RICHARD L. BROWN INVENTOR. W R )Q FIG. 2

ATTORNEY HYDRAULICALLY-ACTUATABLE ELEVATOR SYSTEM SPECIFICATION It is a general object of the present invention to provide a hydraulically-actuatable elevator system that is economical to build and install and that can be utilized in a wide range of environmental situations.

It is specific object to provide a hydraulically-actuatable elevator system that can be produced as an easily-assemblable readily-portable modular form whereby the elevator system can be readily installed into a'lofty shaftlike wellway located internally of a multistory building structure and can be employed with equal facility in an environment without the benefit of such internal shaftlike wellway; For example, the self-sustaining modular formithereof might be employed along the external wall of a building structure to service a'plurality of ledge-like elevations, or even moved about an internal floor of a warehouse to service loft-like storage bins.

It is another object to provide a hydraulically-actuatable elevator system wherein underlying substructures or anchoring means are not required for the hydraulically-actuatable piston components.

It is a further object to provide a simple, reliable, safe, and economical control means for temporarily stationing the carrier component at desired elevations.

It is yet another object to provide a hydraulically-actuat'able elevator system having exceeding economic advantage and reliability, particularly as appliedto the servicing of two consecutive floor levels, as in a conventional dwelling home, whereby offering needed low-cost reliable elevator service to the aged and infirm.

It is a further object to provide a low-cost easily-installed compact reliable elevator system adapted for use in low-rise apartment buildings whereby the marketability of upper story apartments is increased.

It is yet another object to provide an elevator system having an unusually low ratio of mass compared to the cargo weights manipulatable therewith.

With the above and other objects and advantages in'view, which will become more apparent as this description proceeds, the novel hydraulically-actuatable elevator system for use in combination with a two or more storied building structure generally comprises: an elevator car or similar weighty loadable platformed carrier member disposed within and vertically reciprocatable along a lofty frame member, said frame member having a superstructure upper portion; at least one hydraulically-actuatable elongate piston of the plungercasing type for suspending the elevator car or other loadable platform member from the superstructure, either the plunger or casing segment being attached to and extending downwardly from the superstructure; and pump means communicating with the hydraulically-actuatable piston whereby controlled introduction of hydraulic fluid into the casing interior will shorten the overall elongate length of the piston to cause the carrier member to rise to a desired level, appropriate valving ancillary to the hydraulic pumping means allow hydraulic fluid to be emitted from the'casing interior whereupon the carrier member descends as the piston elongates.

In the drawing, wherein like characters refer to like parts in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical multistory building structure S," with which embodiments of the novel hydraulically-actuatable system elevator system might be employed.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing an embodiment of the novel hydraulicallyactuatable elevator system employed within a lofty shaftlike wellway W located internally of the building structure S.

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective elevational view of the hydraulicallyactuatable elevator system of FIGS. 2 and 3, particularly showing the desireable modular-like structural characteristics thereof whereby '-'the elevator system might'be employed within'theloftyfintemal wellway W, or with equal facility upon patio P" alongside'an external upright wall of typical building structure *8.

- FIG. 5 is a detail elevational sectional view of the hydraulically-actuatable piston component of FIGS. 2-4.

FIG/6 is a'schematic'view of 'the preferred hydraulic network for the hydraulically-actuatable 'elevator system.

FIG. 7 is-asectional elevational view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. l -showing schematically an alternate type hydraulicaIly-actuatable piston'for-the novel elevator systems herein.

The typical'multistory building structure S of FIG. 1 comprises three horizontal floorlevels A, B, and C, whereby each of the 'three stories for structure S extends upwardly from a said floor level. D indicates the ceiling level for the third story, slanted roof-R defining an attic atop'the third story. The foundation for structure S includes a concrete slab G with a horizontal surface upon which first floor level A rests. There is herein a lateral extension of concrete foundation G as an apron or patio P. Structure S might have one or more windows at each story level, herein four windows being arbitrarily shown at each story level. For the purposes of better describing an alternate use of the elevator system in its modular embodiment-clearly shown in FIG. 4, those windows J, K, and L in verticalalignment with patio P are herein provided with laterally extending "ledge-like balconies. A finite verticaldistance V exists between the upper surfaces of adjacent floor levels, e.g., A-B, B-C, C-D, whereby the height of each building story level is also substantially equal to V. The sectional elevational views of FIGS. 2 and 7 disclose a lofty vertical shaftlike wellway W extending uninterruptedly from the foundation G through lowest floorlevel A and upwardly therefrom through the floor level of an upper selected story, i.e., floor level C in FIG. 2, or-attic floor level D in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, the typical embodiment M of the novel hydraulically-actuatable elevator system might be disposed within lofty well way W, said lofty well way being provided within building'structure S by cutting a rectangular opening through each floor. Embodiment M of FIGS. 25 is arbitrarily designed to convey cargo or passenger loads between two arbitrarily selected adjacent floor levels, e.g., A and B. This two-stories" elevator system embodiment M will now be described in detail inasmuch as the general teachings and principles thereof are applicable to alternate elevator embodiments, including to embodiments for servicing three or more story levels.

As is common to elevator structures generally, elevator system M comprises a substantially horizontal weighty carrier -member, e.g., platform or deck l1, disposed within lofty wellway W and being adapted vertically reciprocate to the arbitrarily selected floor levels, e.g., A and B. Herein, the platform ll-is the loadable'deck of a lofty elevator car carrier member 10 vertically reciprocatably disposed within wellway W, said elevator car receptacle-l0 having upright walls including opposed sidewalls 12 whereby elevator car 10 has a finite overall car height between the roof l4 and deck 11 that is substantially equal to vertical distance V (between floor levels A and B). Elevator car 10 might typically comprise sliding doors 15 as the intervening upright walls between opposed sidewalls 12. The elevator car sidewalls 12 are preferably vertically grooved at l3 to accommodate therealong vertical track means, e.g., columnar rails 30, the elevator car at grooved portions 13 herein including rollers 16 to minimize the friction between elevator car 10 and said track means 30. As is most clearly indicated in FIG. 3, a tonguelike extension 11A of deck or platform 11 into region '31 provides the lower extremity of sidewall grooved portions 13.

Elevator system M also comprises a superstructure disposed loftily above the upper arbitrarily selected floor level B, and from which superstructure the carrier member is suspended with intervening hydraulically-actuatable pistons. The superstructure, e.g., 20, has a fixed relationship with respect to building structure S, and is herein disposed loftily above the upper arbitrarily selected floor level B, said lofty distance being immediately above floor level C when the car height is substantially V. Although superstructure 20 is herein loftily elevated above upper floor level B as by means of attachment to upright rails 30, said superstructure might with equal facility be attached directly to structure S, e.g., to floor level C. A superstructure, e.g., 20, maintained in lofty fixed elevation above a shaftway, e. g., W, for a vertically reciprocatable carrier member, e.g., 11, provides a lofty frame member for the elevator system.

There are vertically extending track means portion 30 for vertically guiding the carrier member, e.g., 10, 11, said track means herein comprising a pair of lofty upright stationary columnar rails, e.g., 30, transversely spaced apart in substantial parallelism as within wellway W, elevator car being disposed within the inter-columnar spatial gap 39. Columns 30 extend upwardly from lower floor level A through second floor level B and the columnar upper end 33 is disposed above second story ceiling level C. Columns 30 preferably have the channel-iron configuration shown in the drawing, the elongate channelled interior side 31 of each said upright columnar rail facing intervening elevator car 10 and being disposed within grooved portions 13. The upper portion of rails 30 are rigidly tied together with transverse channel-iron header 21, said header 21 in attachment with said rails upper portions 33 providing a superstructure embodiment 20. As is indicated in FIG. 4, rails 30 might be additionally tied together with a horizontal rectangularly-annular structure 35, said annulus 35 surrounding elevator car 10 and rails 30 and being disposed at upper arbitrarily selected floor level B. Attached, as by welding, to the lower ends of the respective rails 30 are baseplates 32, said baseplates resting upon concrete slab substrate G. Thus, it can be seen that annulus 35 and header 21 rigidly joining rails 30 serve to provide the self-sustaining lofty frame member and a modular portable elevator system shown best in FIG. 4. Said modular portable form can be employed altematively, either within a lofty shaftlike wellway W located internally of a building structure S, or externally of building structure S as resting stably upon patio P to service ledge-like window elevations J, K, and L.

An exceedingly important aspect of this invention concerns the use of at least one hydraulically-actuatable piston for suspending the carrier member, e.g., l0, 11, from the lofty superstructure; moreover, forcible introduction of hydraulic fluid into the suspended piston shortens the piston overall longitudinal length causing the carrier member to ascend, emission of hydraulic fluid from the piston allows lengthening of the piston and the carrier member descends. The hydraulically-actuatable piston is of the generic dual-segment type, one segment being a tubular elongate casing, e.g., 52, that annularly surrounds the piston longitudinal axis, e.g., 51, 151, and also annularly surrounds at least the rearward portion of the other piston segment, e.g., unitary plunger 62, telescoping plunger 162. One of the piston segments is attached to and extends downwardly from the lofty superstructure, e.g., 20, while the other piston member is attached to the carrier member, e.g., l0, 11. An appropriate pump means, e.g., 100, is actuatably connected to the said hydraulically-actuatable piston, said pump means being adapted to forcibly introduce hydraulic fluid into the casing interior to shorten the overall piston length causing the carrier member to rise.

The hydraulically-actuatable elongate piston 50, which is admirably suited for the important elevator system embodiment M of FIGS. 24, is uprightly positioned along vertical longitudinal axis 51. Piston 50 comprises an upright elongate tubular casing segment 52 circularly annularly surrounding axis 51 and having a rearward end wall 53 as the casing rearward end and having a centrally open forward end wall 54 as the casing forward end whereby casing 52 has an elongate hollow interior. Piston 50 also comprises an upright elongate tubular plunger'segment 62 maintained in fixed elevation, said plunger 62 annularly surrounding (circularly) axis 51. There is a plunger rearward end 63 of fixed elevation and permanently disposed within the casing interior rearwardly of casing forward end wall 54 and a plunger forward end 64 fixedly attached to the lofty superstructure, herein at header 2!. The plunger rearward end takes the form of a solid circular shoulder portion 63 slidably engaging the entire annular internal elongate circular wall 55 of casing 52, and the centrally open casing forward end wall 54 slidably surrounds the narrowed preponderant tubular length 69 of plunger 62. Thus, casing 52 is vertically reciprocatably slidable along stationary plunger 62, the maximum longitudinal forward extendability of the unitary plunger 62 relative to casing 52 occurring when shoulder 63 is immediately rearwardly of casing forward end wall 54. The preponderant tubular length 69 is empirically chosen of sufficient length that the said maximum forward-extendability from casing forward end 54 is at least equal to said finite vertical distance V as indicated in solid line in FIG. 2. Moreover, there exists between plunger shoulder 63 and casing forward end wall 54 a longitudinally dimensionally variable hydraulic fluid compartment 56 within the forward portion of easing segment 52 commencing at casing forward end wall 54 and extending rearwardly to plunger rearward shoulder 63, an elongated condition of fluid compartment 56 existing when the piston is shortened as indicated in phantom line in Fig. 2.

Plunger segment 62 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore 65 along piston axis 51, said bore 65 having a forward terminus 66 permanently disposed forwardly of the casing forward end 54 so that the pump means will be able to forcibly introduce hydraulic fluid into bore 65 and ultimately into compartment 56 irrespective of the piston overall length, herein said bore forward terminus 66 being located at the threaded forward end 64 of plunger 62. Plunger bore 65 has a rearward terminus 67 permanently disposed within the casing fluid compartment 56 irrespective of the piston overall length, herein said bore rearward terminus 67 being disposed immediately adjacent to the forward side of plunger shoulder 63. For the elevator embodiment M of FIGS. 2-4, two of the aforesaid described hydraulically-actuatable pistons 50 are employed to suspend the elevator car carrier 10 from the lofty superstructure 20; the two pistons are structurally and dimensionally similar, the casing length 53-54 of each piston being substantially equal to the car height and to finite given distance V. The two respective pistons 50 are uprightly disposed on opposite sides of elevator car 10 within vertically grooved portions 13 and also disposed within the upright interior side 31 of channel-iron rails 30. The lower rearward end 53 of the respective piston casings 52 are of substantially coelevation at the elevator car deck 1 1, said casing rearward end walls 53 abutting against horizontal extensions 11A. At-

tachment of casings 52 to elevator car 10 at 11A is herein accomplished by an integral stud 57 extending rearwardly of the casing rearward end walls 53, said stud 57 passing vertically through deck portions 11A and secured thereat with nuts 58. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, there is an air exhaust port 59 through each rearward end wall 53 and thence downwardly through elevator car deck extensions 11A. The threaded upper forward end 64 of the respective piston plunger segments 62 are of substantial co-elevation at superstructure 20, plunger forward end 64 being threadedly engaged with superstructure transverse header portion 21 immediately adjacent to the upper end extremity 33 of the respective rail columns 30. Thus, it can be seen that when hydraulic fluid is forcibly introduced as with a suitable pump means along plunger bore 65 into casing fluid chamber 56 and against casing forward end wall 54, the casing segment and attached elevator car 10 are forced to ascend, as to service the second story as indicated in phantom line in H0. 2. Conversely, when the pump means is deactuated, i.e., fluid flow toward the pump means is permitted, the casing 52 weighted by elevator car carrier 10 moves by gravity downwardly along axis 51, and hydraulic fluid flows gradually forwardly along plunger bore 65, until the first floor level A is attained as indicated in solid line in FIG. 2.

There are control means positioned between the pump means, e.g., 100, and the at least one hydraulically-actuatable piston, e.g., 50, so that the elevator car loadable deck is temporarily stationable at a desired floor level, one such control means being schematically illustrated in FIG. 6. There is an outlet-pipe 102 for the hydraulic fluid reservoir 101 communicating with pump 100, said reservoir also being provided with an inlet pipe 103. Downstream of pump 100 is a pressure relief valve 104, the primary branch of 104 proceeding to a first one-way check valve 105 and the secondary or overflow branch of 104 proceeding to inlet pipe 103. There is an upsignal" herein as first electrical switch 98 (which might be located within elevator car or at the second story of structure S) which actuates pump 100, and while pump 100 remains actuated, the fluid delivered by pump 100 will flow from 105 to proximal check valve 106 which is herein positioned adjacent to electrically-actuatable solenoid 107. From proximal valve 106, which will permit fluid to flow therethrough toward 116 (during those durations when switch 99 is off), fluid delivered by pump 100 proceeds through hosing 116 connected to the respective plunger bores at 66 causing the pistons 50 to longitudinally shorten and the elevator car 10 to ascend. When the elevator car deck 11 is at co-elevation with second floor level B, the casing upper forward end 54 might actuate a parallel branch 98A of electrical switch 98 to deactuate pump 100, whereupon the elevator car would remain indefinitely at the phantom line position of FIG. 2 (fluid flow through valve 109 being impossible until switch 99 is subsequently actuated). Elements 104-109 are desirably located within a cabinet 120 at superstructure 20.

Elements

99, 107, 108, and 109 are employed (pump 100 through switch 98 being off and pistons 50 being in the retracted shortened form) when it is desired to have the elevator car carrier descend. There is a constant-volume outlet valve 109 interposed between proximal valve 106 and inlet pipe 103, said valve 109 being capable of delivering a selected constant volume rate of fluid therethrough when the control arm thereof (indicated as a radial member in FIG. 6) is actuated. Adjacent to valve 109 and mechanically connected to the control arm thereof is an electrically actuatable gear motor 108, electrical power to element 108 being controlled through a down-signal" switch 99 (which might be located within elevator car 10 or at the first story or structure S). When switch 99 is actuated, and assuming that switch 98 and pump 100 remain deactuated, solenoid 107 through switch 99 allows fluid to flow through valve 106 toward constant-volume valve 109, said valve 109 being made to pass fluid therethrough only when gear motor 108 is actuated with switch 99. Thus, so long as switch 99 remains on, the weighted casing 52 will gradually push fluid through bore terminus 66 at the selected volumetric rate through valve 109 into reservoir 101 via inlet pipe 103, allowing elevator car 10 to slowly descend. When deck 11 is at co-elevation with lower floor level A, the deck 11 might actuate a parallel branch 99A of switch 99 to deactuate elements 107-109 whereupon the elevator-car would remain indefinitely at the desired elevation, as indicated in solid line in FIG. 2. The procedure of this and the immediately preceding paragraph could be repeated to elevate and lower the elevator-car carrier by appropriately respectively shortening or lengthening the hydraulically-actuatable pistons, e.g., 50. If a break in the fluid lines between internal bore 66 and valve 106 should occur, minimizing the size of bore rearward terminus 67 would prevent a dangerously rapid descent of the elevator car carrier.

As is indicated in FIGS. 2-6, and particularly in FIG. 4, the hydraulically-actuatable elevator system of the present invention is amenable to easy assembly and modular-like portability. For example, FIG. 4 readily indicates that the entire elevator assembly lends itself to ready insertion and installation into the internal shaftlike wellway W ofa typical building structure S. Moreover, it can be readily seen from FIGS. 2 and 4 that baseplates 32 of the said self-sustaining portable elevator assembly might rest upon a substrate, e.g., patio P, located extemally of typical building structure S whereby the elevator might service the balcony-like ledges of windowed elevations .l, K, and L. Inasmuch as the lowest extremities, e.g., baseplates 32, of the novel elevator system are positionable only a few inches below the lowest serviceable level, e.g., A, it can be readily seen-that an exceedingly important advantage of the elevator system herein is its unusual ease of installation; prior art elevator systems generally necessarily extend some distance below the lowest serviceable level, such downward extensions requiring expensive excavations or other substructure, wasted space, and cumbersome installation procedures. The rails 30, together with transverse header 21 and rectangular annulus 35, provide a unitary lofty portable self-sustaining frame member including track means for the vertically reciprocatable carrier, e. g., 10, whereby the embodiment M is readily employable either within a building shaftway W or external' to the building as upon patio P. Moreover, as compared to columnar hydraulically-actuatable pistons of the prior art, the novel suspended hydraulic pistons herein exhibit surprisingly greater structural strength per unit of piston mass.

While the preceding description has thus far been concerned with the servicing of two adjacent floor levels, e.g., A and B, B and C, etc., the elevator system herein is amenable to the servicing of various floor levels of a three or more storied building structure. For example: assuming for purposes of illustration that the vertical distance between each of three or four consecutive floor levels is substantially said given distance V, the longitudinal length of the piston casing 52 and of the piston plunger 62 of FIGS. 2-5 might each approximate some convenient multiple of V such as 2V; also assuming that control-means analogous to that of FIG. 6 are employed therewith; and further assuming that the plunger forward end 64 is suspendably attached to a superstructure, e.g., 20, located adjacent to ceiling level of the uppermost serviceable story; the vertically reciprocatable carrier, e.g., 10, would be readily stationable at any one of several arbitrarily chosen elevations located below the supporting superstructure.

The FIG. 7 schematic view refers to modified hydraulicallyactuatable piston which might be employed alternatively to piston type 50 for use in servicing three or more storied building wherein the aggregate or cumulative elevation to be serviced by the vertically movable carrierexceeds twice the elongate length of piston casing 52. For example, in FIG. 7 there is shown three consecutive serviceable floor levels A, B, and C, each separated by finite distance V and wherein the length of casing 52 is substantially V. Instead of the unitary fixed-length unitary plunger segment 62, the plunger segment 162 of piston 150 is of the conventional multi-section telescoping type comprising herein inner plunger section 162B telescopically associated with 'outer plunger section 162A, the longitudinal length of each section 162A and 1628 being substantially V. The inner plunger section 1628 is of analgous structure and performance to unitary plunger 62 including an internal bore therealong having a forward end 66 at 64; inner plunger segment 1628 at its forward end 64 is suspendably attached from an appropriate superstructure, e.g., 20, as in the case of unitary plunger 62, whereby inner plunger segment 162B remains at constant elevation. As hydraulic fluid is forcibly introduced into orifice 66, the entire plunger section 162A moves downwardly rearwardly of telescopically associated fixed plunger section 1628, and ultimately 162A reaches floor level B; upon continued fluid introduction, casing 52 then moves downwardly rearwardly of plunger section 162A and ultimately reaches floor level A. Thus, the shortest form of piston 150 provides carrier service to floor level C as indicated in solid line in FIG. 7, the intermediately extended form of piston 150 with inner plunger section 1628 fully extended with respect to plunger section 162A provides carrier service to floor level B, and the fully extended form of piston 150 with both plunger sections 162A and 1628 fully extended relatively forwardly of casing 52 provides carrier service to floor level A. The lengths of the casing segment 52, and the lengths and member of telescopically associated plunger sections might be empirically chosen to provide carrier service to four or more floor level elevations.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the hydraulically-actuatable elevator system will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

1. A hydraulically actuatable elevator system in combination with a multi-story building structure having a lower arbitrarily selected story extending upwardly from a horizontal floor level therefor and having an upper arbitrarily selected story extending upwardly from a horizontal floor level therefor whereby a finite vertical distance exists between the said arbitrarily selected floor levels, said building structure including a lofty vertical shaft-like wellway extending loftily uninterruptedly from the floor level of the lower selected story upwardly through the floor level of the upper selected story,

said hydraulically-actuatable elevator system comprising:

A. A weighty carrier member having a horizontal lower platform and a pair of opposed upright sidewalls, said carrier member being disposed within said wellway and being adapted to vertically reciprocate along the wellway and between the arbitrarily selected floor levels;

B. A vertically extending track means guide for the carrier member comprising a pair of lofty upright columns transversely spaced apart in substantial parallelism within the wellway, said columns extending upwardly from the lower selected floor level and through the upper selected floor level, the upper portions of the respective columnar track means providing a superstructure that has a fixed relationship with the building structure and that is disposed above the upper selected floor level, said respective columnar track means vertically guiding the carrier member at the opposed upright sides thereof;

C. A pair of elongate hydraulically-actuatable pistons of the dual-segments plunger-casing type employed for suspend ing the carrier member from the superstructure, said pistons being rigidly permanently spaced apart in substantial parallelism and alongside the respective parallel columns, the respective plunger segments being attached to and extending downwardly from the said superstructure and the respective casing segments being rigidly perpendicularly attached to the carrier member platform; and

D. Pump means communicating with the casing component of the respective dual-segment pistons whereby controlled introduction of the hydraulic fluid into the casing interior will rearwardly retract the plunger with respect to the casing to shorten the overall elongate length of the piston causing the carrier member to rise to a desired level, controlled withdrawal of the hydraulic fluid from the casing interior causing an overall lengthening of the piston allowing the weighty attached carrier member to descend.

2. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the upper arbitrarily selected story of the building structure has a ceiling level whereby there exists a ceiling height for the said upper selected story above the floor level therefor; wherein the superstructure is disposed above the ceiling level of the upper selected story; and wherein the rearward end of the respective vertically reciprocatable casing segments are of substantially co-elevation.

3. The elevator system of claim 2 wherein each of the lofty stationary parallel columns comprises upright channel-iron rails, the upper portion of the said rails together with a trans versely extending header attached to the rails providing the superstructure, the elongate channeled side of each said upright rail extending along vertically grooved sidewall portions of the intervening elevator car; wherein the forward upper end of the respective plunger segments are of substantially co-elevation at the superstructure, the forward terminus of the respective plunger bores being at the plunger forward end, the rearward terminus of the respective plunger bores being at the plunger shoulder portion; wherein the upright pistons suspended from the superstructure are disposed along the elongate channeled side of the respective channel-iron rails; wherein the elongate height of the respective casing segments are substantially equal to each other; and wherein the casing rearward ends are disposed at the elevator car loadable deck.

4. The elevator system of claim 3 wherein the building stories selected are consecutively adjacent, the height of the lower story being substantially equal to said vertical-distance, and the ceiling height of the upper story being substantially equal to said vertical-distance; wherein the height of the piston casing segment is substantially equal to the said vertical distance; wherein the forward extendability of the plunger segment is at least equal to the said vertical distance; and wherein the respective upright sidewalls of the elevator car immediately adjacent to the channel-iron rails are vertically grooved to accommodate therealong the said respective rails as track means for the elevator car.

5. The elevator system of claim 3 wherein there are control means positioned between the pump means and the hydraulically-actuatable pistons so that the elevator car loadable deck is temporarily stationable at any selected elevation between and including at the arbitrarily selected floor levels, said control means comprising the following elements:

A. an up-signal actuatably connected to a proximal check valve at the plunger forward end to permit hydraulic fluid to flow through the plunger bore into the casing fluid chamber to push the plunger shoulder toward the casing rearward end and cause the elevator-car to rise; and

B. a down-signal actuatably connected a constant-volume valve located between said proximal check valve and the hydraulic fluid reservoir for the pump-means, the weight of the suspended elevator car forwardly extending the plunger and allowing hydraulic fluid to flow from the easing fluid chamber through the plunger bore, thence through the proximal check valve, through the constantvolume valve, and into the fluid reservoir for the pump means.

6. The elevator system of claim 3 wherein there is at least one building story intervening between the two arbitrarily selected stories; and wherein the plunger segment is of mu]- tisection longitudinally telescoping configuration, the fully extended length of the telescoping plunger segment exceeding the length of the casing segment; and wherein there are control means positioned between the pump means and the hydraulically-actuatable pistons so that the elevator car loadable deck is temporarily stationable at any selected elevation between and including at the arbitrarily selected floor levels.

A modular hydraulically-actuatable elevator system including a vertically reciprocatable elevator car carrier member having a substantially horizontal loadable deck platform portion whereby the elevator car deck portion is adapted to vertically reciprocate between a pair of substantially horizontal stationary levels including a lower level station and an upper level station separated by a vertical distance, said modular hydraulically-actuatable elevator system comprising:

A. An upright lofty portable frame member having a lower portion adapted to stably support the frame directly upon a substrate and having an upper portion disposed loftily above said frame lower portion, said frame including a pair of lofty upright substantially parallel channel-iron rails, and transversely extending header connecting the upper portions of said rails;

B. An elevator car carrier member having a loadable deck platform portion, said elevator car being vertically reciprocatably disposed between the parallel rails of the frame member, the elongate channeled side of each said rail facing the elevator car and extending into vertically grooved portions of the elevator car to provide a vertical guide track means;

C. A pair of hydraulically-actuatable upright pistons of the dual-segments plunger-casing type for suspending the elevator-car from the frame member upper portion, the plunger segments being suspended from the frame upper portion and the casing segments being attached to a common elevation at the elevator car, the respective pistons

Claims

1. A hydraulically actuatable elevator system in combination with a multi-story Building structure having a lower arbitrarily selected story extending upwardly from a horizontal floor level therefor and having an upper arbitrarily selected story extending upwardly from a horizontal floor level therefor whereby a finite vertical distance exists between the said arbitrarily selected floor levels, said building structure including a lofty vertical shaft-like wellway extending loftily uninterruptedly from the floor level of the lower selected story upwardly through the floor level of the upper selected story, said hydraulicallyactuatable elevator system comprising: A. A weighty carrier member having a horizontal lower platform and a pair of opposed upright sidewalls, said carrier member being disposed within said wellway and being adapted to vertically reciprocate along the wellway and between the arbitrarily selected floor levels; B. A vertically extending track means guide for the carrier member comprising a pair of lofty upright columns transversely spaced apart in substantial parallelism within the wellway, said columns extending upwardly from the lower selected floor level and through the upper selected floor level, the upper portions of the respective columnar track means providing a superstructure that has a fixed relationship with the building structure and that is disposed above the upper selected floor level, said respective columnar track means vertically guiding the carrier member at the opposed upright sides thereof; C. A pair of elongate hydraulically-actuatable pistons of the dual-segments plunger-casing type employed for suspending the carrier member from the superstructure, said pistons being rigidly permanently spaced apart in substantial parallelism and alongside the respective parallel columns, the respective plunger segments being attached to and extending downwardly from the said superstructure and the respective casing segments being rigidly perpendicularly attached to the carrier member platform; and D. Pump means communicating with the casing component of the respective dual-segment pistons whereby controlled introduction of the hydraulic fluid into the casing interior will rearwardly retract the plunger with respect to the casing to shorten the overall elongate length of the piston causing the carrier member to rise to a desired level, controlled withdrawal of the hydraulic fluid from the casing interior causing an overall lengthening of the piston allowing the weighty attached carrier member to descend.

3. The elevator system of claim 2 wherein each of the lofty stationary parallel columns comprises upright channel-iron rails, the upper portion of the said rails together with a transversely extending header attached to the rails providing the superstructure, the elongate channeled side of each said upright rail extending along vertically grooved sidewall portions of the intervening elevator car; wherein the forward upper end of the respective plunger segments are of substantially co-elevation at the superstructure, the forward terminus of the respective plunger bores being at the plunger forward end, the rearward terminus of the respective plunger bores being at the plunger shoulder portion; wherein the upright pistons suspended from the superstructure are disposed along the elongate channeled side of the respective channel-iron rails; wherein the elongate height of the respective casing segments are substantially equal to each other; and wherein the casing rearward ends are disposed at the elevator car loadable deck.

5. The elevator system of claim 3 wherein there are control means positioned between the pump means and the hydraulically-actuatable pistons so that the elevator car loadable deck is temporarily stationable at any selected elevation between and including at the arbitrarily selected floor levels, said control means comprising the following elements: A. an up-signal actuatably connected to a proximal check valve at the plunger forward end to permit hydraulic fluid to flow through the plunger bore into the casing fluid chamber to push the plunger shoulder toward the casing rearward end and cause the elevator-car to rise; and B. a down-signal actuatably connected a constant-volume valve located between said proximal check valve and the hydraulic fluid reservoir for the pump-means, the weight of the suspended elevator car forwardly extending the plunger and allowing hydraulic fluid to flow from the casing fluid chamber through the plunger bore, thence through the proximal check valve, through the constant-volume valve, and into the fluid reservoir for the pump means.

6. The elevator system of claim 3 wherein there is at least one building story intervening between the two arbitrarily selected stories; and wherein the plunger segment is of multisection longitudinally telescoping configuration, the fully extended length of the telescoping plunger segment exceeding the length of the casing segment; and wherein there are control means positioned between the pump means and the hydraulically-actuatable pistons so that the elevator car loadable deck is temporarily stationable at any selected elevation between and including at the arbitrarily selected floor levels. A modular hydraulically-actuatable elevator system including a vertically reciprocatable elevator car carrier member having a substantially horizontal loadable deck platform portion whereby the elevator car deck portion is adapted to vertically reciprocate between a pair of substantially horizontal stationary levels including a lower level station and an upper level station separated by a vertical distance, said modular hydraulically-actuatable elevator system comprising: A. An upright lofty portable frame member having a lower portion adapted to stably support the frame directly upon a substrate and having an upper portion disposed loftily above said frame lower portion, said frame including a pair of lofty upright substantially parallel channel-iron rails, and transversely extending header connecting the upper portions of said rails; B. An elevator car carrier member having a loadable deck platform portion, said elevator car being vertically reciprocatably disposed between the parallel rails of the frame member, the elongate channeled side of each said rail facing the elevator car and extending into vertically grooved portions of the elevator car to provide a vertical guide track means; C. A pair of hydraulically-actuatable upright pistons of the dual-segments plunger-casing type for suspending the elevator-car from the frame member upper portion, the plunger segments being suspended from the frame upper portion and the casing segments being attached to a common elevation at the elevator car, the respective pistons being located within the respective channel-iron rails; and D. Pump means actuatably connected to the respective duaL-segments hydraulically-actuatable pistons and adapted to introduce hydraulic fluid into the casing interior to rearwardly retract the plunger into the casing to cause the elevator car to rise along and to be vertically guided by the respective parallel rails of the relatively stationary upright frame member.