DESCRIPTION
ELEVATOR SPEED GOVERNING DEVICE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to an elevator speed governing device for detecting a state that the speed of a passenger car of an elevator reaches an abnormal speed more than a predetermined value.
Background Art Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of the layout of an elevator shaft in a machine-roomless type elevator system or a space-saving type elevator system. Fig. 2 is a front view of a conventional speed governing device for the elevator system of Fig. 1.
In this elevator system, there are a passenger car 102 and a balancing weight 103 both in an elevator shaft 101, which are connected to each other through a main rope 104. The main rope 104 is looped around a sheave of a hoisting device 105. The driving of the hoisting device 105 allows the passenger car 102 and the balancing weight 103 to move up and down.
Between the passenger car 102 in its elevating position and an elevator-shaft wall 106, a guide rail is arranged to guide the passenger car 102. A speed governing device 107 is arranged at the top of the guide rail through a bracket. Note, reference numeral 108 denotes a controller for controlling the operation of the elevator system as a whole.
As shown in Fig. 2, the speed governing device 107 is equipped with a governor sheave 111 that is rotatably supported by a pivot shaft 110 through a bearing. The pivot shaft 110 is carried by a casing 109. On the outer circumference of the governor sheave 111, an upper side of an endless governor rope 112 connected to the passenger car 102 is looped and rotates with the elevating motion of the passenger car 102. In the vicinity of the governor sheave 111 , a speed detecting switch 113
is arranged to detect an abnormal speed of the passenger car 102. A pair of fly weights 115 are rotatably supported on the governor sheave 111 through respective pins 114. Each of the fly weights 115 is provided, at its one end, with a switch working part 116. The fly weights 115 are made of castings and connected to each other though a link 117. When the governor sheave 111 rotates with the elevating motion of the passenger car 102, the fly weights 115 are also rotated about the pins 114 as rotating centers by centrifugal force.
A ratchet 118 is rotatably supported on the pivot shaft 110 carrying the governor sheave 111. The ratchet 118 is provided, on its outer circumference, with teeth that engage with claws of the fly weights 115. A hook 119 has one end fixed to the ratchet 118 and the other end engaged with a rope clamping mechanism 120.
When a descending speed of the passenger car 102 reaches an abnormal speed more than a predetermined value, the switch working parts 116 of the fly weights 115 touch the speed detecting switch 113 for activation, so that the controller 108 operates to stop the hoisting device 105.
If the passenger car 102 continues to fall in spite of the standstill of the hoisting device 105 and consequently, the speed of the passenger car 102 becomes more than a second predetermined value, the claws of the fly weights 115 engages with the teeth of the ratchet 118 for its rotation. Then, with the rotation of the ratchet 118, the hook 119 is rotated and disengaged from the rope clamping mechanism 120, so that the rope clamping mechanism 120 moves to lock on the governor rope 112. Consequently, through the intermediary of an arm lever, an emergency stop unit is activated to bring the passenger car 102 to standstill.
Disclosure of the Invention
In the elevator system of recent years, a so-called "space-saving" type elevator shaft having less constraint in selecting buildings has been
employed in many cases. Consequently, since the adoption of such a space-saving type elevator shaft causes the installation spaces for respective instruments to be narrowed, it is required to miniaturize the instruments. In order to miniaturize the speed governing device, it is necessary to downsize respective instruments, for example, governor sheave, casing, fly weights, etc. and also necessary to narrow installation spaces for the instruments.
In the conventional speed governing device, however, there is less degree of freedom in the shape of the device due to the fly weights made of castings and therefore, it was difficult to make the speed governing device having a thin and fine configuration.
Also in the functional aspect, due to large dimensional tolerance in the castings, there have been frequent instances that casting errors causes the weight of each fly weight and the position of a weighted center thereof to be deviated from their respective design values, exerting an influence on the rotational movement of the fry weights and deteriorating the operational accuracy of the speed governing device.
Under the circumstances, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an elevator speed governing device which can improve the operational accuracy while being small-sized.
The object of the present invention described above can be accomplished by a speed governing device for an elevator, comprising: a governor sheave rotatably supported by a casing; a governor rope endlessly looped on an outer circumference of the governor sheave and connected to a passenger car; a speed detecting switch arranged in the vicinity of the governor sheave; a fly weight formed by a plurality of members in combination and rotatably supported by the governor sheave, the fly weight being rotated by centrifugal force with rotation of the governor sheave; and a switch working part provided on the fly weight to abut on the speed detecting switch for activation when a rotating speed of the governor
sheave exceeds a predetermined value.
According to the present invention, since the fly weight is formed by a plurality of members in combination, it is possible to fabricate the fly weight having optimal shape and weight with ease, whereby the operating accuracy of the speed governing device can be improved with its miniaturization.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings.
Brief Description of Drawings
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an example of the layout of an elevator shaft in an elevator system;
Fig. 2 is a front view of a speed governing device in a conventional art; Fig. 3 is a partially-sectional front view of an elevator speed governing device in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a partially-elliptical right side view of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view explaining the moving range of a fly weight of the first embodiment; Fig. 6 is an enlarged front view of the fly weight of the first embodiment;
Fig. 7 is a right side view of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a bottom view of Fig. 6;
Fig. 9 is a front view of a part of the fly weight in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 10 is a front view of another part of the fly weight of the second embodiment;
Fig. 11 is a front view of another part of the fly weight of the second embodiment; Fig. 12 is a side view of a switch working part in accordance with the
third embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 13 is a bottom view of a switch working part of Fig. 8.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in detail.
As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a speed governing device 1 of this embodiment includes a governor sheave 4 rotatably supported by a pivot shaft 3 through a bearing. The pivot shaft 3 is carried by a casing 2. On the outer circumference of the governor sheave 4, an upper side of an endless governor rope 5 connected to the passenger car 102 (see Fig. 1) is looped and rotates with the elevating motion of the passenger car 102.
In the vicinity of the governor sheave 4, a speed detecting switch 6 is arranged to detect an abnormal speed of the passenger car 102. A pair of fly weights 7 are rotatably supported on the governor sheave 4 through respective pins. Each of the fly weights 7 is provided, at its outer circumference, with a switch working part 8.
The fly weights 7 are each formed by combining a plurality of metallic plate materials and connected with each other through a link 9. When the governor sheave 4 rotates with the elevating motion of the passenger car 102, the fly weights 7 are also rotated about the pins as rotating centers by centrifugal force.
A ratchet is rotatably supported on the pivot shaft 3 carrying the governor sheave 4. The ratchet is provided, on its outer circumference, with teeth that engage with claws of the fly weights 7. A hook has one end fixed to the ratchet and the other end engaged with a rope clamping mechanism 15. Note, reference numeral 10 designates a cover for covering the upper side of the casing 2 for the safety of a worker.
In the speed governing device 1 constructed above, when a descending speed of the passenger car 102 reaches an abnormal speed more than a
predetermined value, the switch working parts 8 of the fly weights 7 touch the speed detecting switch 6 for activation, so that the controller 108 (see Fig. 1) operates to stop the hoisting device 105 (also see Fig. 1).
If the passenger car 102 continues to fall in spite of the standstill of the hoisting device 105 and consequently, the speed of the passenger car 102 becomes more than a second predetermined value, respective designated portions of the fly weights 7 engage with the teeth of the ratchet for its rotation. Then, with the rotation of the ratchet, the hook is rotated and disengaged from the rope clamping mechanism 15, so that the rope clamping mechanism 15 moves to lock on the governor rope 5.
Consequently, through the intermediary of an arm lever, an emergency stop unit is activated to bring the passenger car 102 to standstill.
Fig. 5 shows an example of a space S established in accordance with the layout of respective instruments. This space S has a cross section whose extent allows the fly weights 7 to move about the pins as the rotational centers by centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the governor sheave 4.
Each of the fly weights 7 is formed to have an optional shape that allows the fly weight 7 to rotate to a direction approaching the outer circumference of the governor sheave 4 within an area that the fly weight 7 does not project from the space S. Additionally, each of the fly weights 7 is formed thinner than a thickness T (see Fig. 4) of a gap between the casing 2 and the governor sheave 4 in view of avoiding an interference of the fly weight 7 in rotation with other instruments, for example, the governor sheave 2, the casing 2 and so on.
As shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the fly weight 7 has a plate-shaped fly weight body 7a in the form of a boomerang. In order to compensate a short weight of the fly weight resulting from the formation of the plate-shaped fly weight body 7a, plate-shaped weights 7b, 7c are attached to one side of the fly weight body 7a, at both ends thereof, by means of welding, glues or
the like.
In spite of the formation of the fly weight 7 accommodated in the space S and the gap having the thickness T, since the fly weight 7 can be fabricated to have optimal shape and weight easily, it is possible to improve the operating accuracy of the speed governing device and also possible to miniaturize the same device as a whole. Further, since the fly weights of the embodiment are manufactured with ease in comparison with castings requiring expensive installation, such as molding dies, the installation and manufacturing cost can be saved. The second embodiment of the invention will be described below.
Figs. 9 to 11 are front views of constituents of the fly weight in accordance with the second embodiment. Note, in the following embodiments (the second and third embodiments), elements identical and similar to those of the first embodiment will be indicated with the same reference numerals respectively and their overlapping descriptions are eliminated.
According to the second embodiment, the fly weight body 7a is provided with a plurality of screw holes 7aa that penetrate the fly weight body 7a in its thickness direction. While, slots 7ba, 7ca are formed in the weights 7b, 7c respectively. These slots 7ba, 7ca are formed in a manner that respective shaft parts of screws 16 screwed into the corresponding screw holes 7aa can engage with the slots 7ba, 7ca slidably in the longitudinal directions of the slots 7ba, 7ca.
With the constitution mentioned above, by loosening the screws 16 fixing the weights 7b, 7c to the fly weight body 7a, it becomes possible for the weights 7b, 7c to move in the longitudinal directions of the slots 7ba, 7ca. Thus, since the position of a gravity center of the fly weight 7 can be adjusted, it is possible to adjust the timing of the switch working part 8 to activate the speed detecting switch 6.
Further, since the fly weight body 7a of the embodiment has additional screw holes 7aa formed in positions that do not overlap with the weights 7b,
7c, it is also possible to add new weights to the fly weight body 7a, whereby the weight of the fly weight 7 can be altered as occasion demands. Conversely, in a modification of the second embodiment, the fly weight body 7a may be provided with slots while forming screw holes in the weights 7b, 7c. Then, the similar effects could be realized.
The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 12 is a side view of the switch working part of the third embodiment. Fig. 13 is a bottom view of the switch working part of Fig. 12.
According to the third embodiment, the switch working part 8 includes a block 11 as an attachment member, a shaft 12 projecting from the end face of the block 11, a nut 13 fixed on the shaft 12 so as to overlap with a through-hole 12a formed at the leading portion of the shaft 12 and a bolt 14 as a colliding member, which is screwed into the nut 13. The switch working part 8 is fixed on the fly weight body 7a at its optional position by means of welding, glues or the like. In operation, when the bolt 14 collides with the speed detecting device 6, it is activated,
According to the third embodiment, since the degree of freedom in the layout of the switch working part 8 is increased, the layout of respective instruments forming the speed governing device 1 is also facilitated. In conclusion, according to the present invention, since the fly weight is formed by a plurality of members in combination, it is possible to fabricate the fly weight having optimal shape and weight with ease, whereby the operating accuracy of the speed governing device can be improved with its miniaturization. Finally, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing descriptions are nothing but three embodiments of the disclosed speed governing device for an elevator and various modifications and therefore, various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims.
Industrial Applicability
With the configuration of the present invention, since the fly weight is formed by a plurality of members in combination, the elevator speed governing device can improve the operational accuracy while being small-sized.