Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66B—ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
  • B66B5/00—Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators
  • B66B5/02—Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators responsive to abnormal operating conditions
  • B66B5/16—Braking or catch devices operating between cars, cages, or skips and fixed guide elements or surfaces in hoistway or well
  • B66B5/26—Positively-acting devices, e.g. latches, knives

Definitions

• the invention belongs to the field of elevators.
• the invention relates to a safety device intended to prevent the fall of an elevator during telescoping and negative telescoping operations, that is to say downwards, from the mast of the elevator.
• the invention finds particular application in the field of elevators used in descents.
• the telescoping of an elevator mast is carried out by installing mast modules one on top of or under the other.
• the mast can be assembled from top to bottom, that is to say from an upper end of the mast to a low end of said mast, this is called negative telescoping, or telescoping down. , or on the contrary from bottom to top, we then speak of positive telescoping, or telescoping upwards.
• the downward travel of the cabin is limited by a mechanical stop, placed on the mast. This stop is removed during telescoping or telescoping of the mast and reassembled before commissioning.
• telescoping means a disassembly of the mast.
• the travel of the cabin is not limited downwards.
• a risk of the cabin falling in the event for example, of a malfunction of the safety systems already present, such as for example a parachute intended to engage in the event of detection of an overspeed of the cabin, or an electric detector end of mast intended to electrically stop the elevator when said detector, placed in the lower part of the elevator, no longer detects the mast supporting the elevator.
• a disadvantage of such braking devices is that they can slow down the elevator but not stop it, so that a fall from the elevator is still possible.
• Chinese patent application CN 103523630 discloses a safety device for an elevator intended for the assembly of an assembled crane pillar by placing mast elements on top of each other by means of lifting equipment.
• the cabin is installed along this base by means of guide elements.
• Other mast elements are then installed by the lifting equipment.
• the lifting is carried out by means of a hook placed above the elevator cabin , which rises along the mast elements already in place.
• the safety device described in this prior art makes it possible to avoid the exit from the cabin of the guiding elements which could occur in the event of an excessive stroke of the cabin.
• the device comprises a switch essentially formed by a rod positioned and maintained at a given distance above the cabin, and in contact with the mast, so that contact between the switch and the mast is interrupted before the cabin does not leave the guide elements.
• the switch is electrically connected to a motor unit of the elevator, so that, before the cabin has reached the top of the mast, the switch / mast contact is interrupted and the motor unit is cut off in energy, the cabin then ceasing its ascent, preventing the cabin from leaving the guide elements.
• Such a safety device makes it possible to stop the cabin to avoid an exit of the guide elements, but it is suitable for cabins moving in the direction of ascent and not in the direction of descent.
• the invention relates to an anti-fall device able to pass from an unlatched configuration to an engaged configuration to prevent the fall of an elevator capable of being set in motion along a rack of an elevator mast.
• the fall prevention device comprises a frame, a lever, a roller in connection pivot with said lever and fixed at a first end of said lever, said roller being able to roll on a smooth face of the rack, a cleat fixed at a second end of said lever, said cleat comprising a toothed part capable of cooperating with a toothed face of the rack and being connected to the frame by means of a compression spring, and at least one damper arranged on an upper part of said fall prevention device.
• the fall prevention device according to the invention is also in slide connection with the elevator.
• the fall prevention device comprises a counter-rack roller capable of rolling along the smooth face in the non-engaged configuration and capable of coming to bear on said smooth face in the engaged configuration.
• a toothing of the toothed part of the cleat and a toothing of the toothed face of the rack have the same pressure angle, which pressure angle is equal to a guide angle of the cleat formed by a direction of extension of the cleat with a direction of extension of the teeth of said cleat.
• the fall prevention device comprises at least one unlocking means to allow the passage of said fall prevention device from the engaged configuration to the non-engaged configuration.
• the at least one unlocking means comprises an unlocking screw, an unlocking nut and a guide body for said screw.
• the at least one unlocking means comprises a jack.
• the invention also relates to an elevator comprising an anti-fall device according to the invention.
• the invention also relates to an assembly composed of an elevator according to the invention and an elevator mast comprising a rack, the elevator moreover comprising at least one pinion intended to cooperate with said rack to allow movement of said elevator. along said rack, the anti-fall device of the elevator being able to cooperate with the rack.
• FIG. 1 A shows an elevator installed on a mast in a configuration in which the elevator cabin is entirely placed on the mast.
• FIG. 1 B shows an elevator installed on an elevator mast in a configuration in which the cabin is fully lowered below an altitude of the lower end of the mast.
• FIG. 2A shows the engine unit of the elevator in a front view.
• FIG. 2B shows the engine unit of the elevator in a rear view.
• FIG. 3A shows a front view of the fall prevention device according to the invention, installed on the elevator, in an unclipped configuration, with cover.
• FIG. 3B shows a front view of the fall prevention device according to the invention, installed on the elevator, in a transient engagement configuration, without cover.
• FIG. 3C shows a front view of the fall prevention device according to the invention, installed on the elevator, in an engaged configuration, with cover.
• FIG. 4 shows a rear view of the fall prevention device according to the invention, in an engaged configuration.
• FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the fall prevention device according to the invention.
• FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of the teeth of the rack and the fall prevention device according to the invention.
• an elevator 1 comprising a cabin 10 and a driving unit 1 1 is placed on a mast 2 during negative telescoping.
• the mast 2 is composed of a set of mast modules 20 of substantially square section and assembled from top to bottom.
• the installation of a mast module 20 under another mast module is carried out by placing the elevator in a low position in which a low floor 100 of the cabin 10 is caused to descend to a lower altitude at a lower end 21 of the mast during assembly, or telescoping.
• the lower end 21 is suspended, that is to say that it is not in contact with the ground, a distance between the ground and the lower end 21 being generally greater than a height of the elevator.
• elevator is meant an apparatus intended to transport people or loads in a vertical direction corresponding to a direction of movement of the elevator along the mast.
• An elevator can for example be an elevator or a freight elevator.
• the elevator 1 is able to move along the mast 2 in a direction of ascent or in a direction of descent, by means of a rack and pinion system comprising at least one pinion 1 14 associated with the riser 1 and a rack 22 associated with the mast 20.
• the elevator 1 is set in motion along the mast 2 by the drive unit 1 1 which comprises in particular a motor assembly 1 10 driving at least one pinion 1 14, and a parachute 1 1 1 intended to brake the elevator in the event of overspeed.
• "Overspeed" means a descent speed greater than a maximum nominal descent speed of the elevator.
• the drive unit 1 1 also comprises two mechanical stops 1 12 capable of coming into contact with a low mechanical stop placed a few tens of centimeters from the lower end 21 of the mast 2, thus making it possible to prevent the elevator 1 from going too low, thus avoiding an exit of the at least one pinion of the rack and a fall of the elevator.
• the lift stroke is not limited and there is therefore a risk of the lift falling. This is for example the case when the bottom stop is removed to install an additional mast module 20.
• An anti-fall device 3 makes it possible to limit or even prevent the risks of falling in the absence of a low mechanical stop.
• the fall prevention device 3 is placed at the level of a rectangular recessed part 1 15 of a lower part of the motor unit 1 1.
• the fall prevention device 3 comprises a frame 30, a lever 31, a roller 32, a cleat 33 and two shock absorbers 34.
• the lever 31 is in pivot connection 310 with the frame 30 around a connecting axis substantially perpendicular to a face of the mast 2 along which the elevator is caused to move.
• the roller 32 is integral with a lower end of the lever 31 and in pivot connection with said lever, along a connecting axis substantially parallel to the connecting axis of the pivot link 310 between the lever 31 and the frame 310.
• the roller 32 is placed on an inner face of the lever 31, said inner face corresponding to a face oriented towards the mast, so that said roller is able to roll on a smooth face 220 of the rack 22 opposite to a toothed face 221 of said rack .
• the cleat 33 is integral with a high end of the lever 31 and connected to said lever by a shaft 333, and is fixed relative to said lever.
• Cleat 33 is placed on the side of the inner face of the lever 31, so that a toothed portion 334 of said cleat is able to cooperate with a toothed face 221 of the rack 22.
• a compression spring 330 connecting the frame 30 to the cleat 33 exerts a force aimed at bringing the said cleat of the rack.
• a cover 331 is fixed to the frame 30 for example by means of screws.
• the cover 331 has a substantially oblong guide hole 332 for guiding the shaft 333 connecting the cleat 33 to the lever 31 and allowing this assembly to rotate around the pivot link 310.
• the cover 331 contributes with the frame 30 in guiding the cleat 33 when said cleat is driven by the lever 31.
• the cover 331 provides lateral guiding of the cleat 33.
• a guide path 335 of the frame 30 ensures with the cover 331 the guiding of the cleat 33.
• the guide path 335 is welded to the rest of the frame 30, and has a "U" section.
• the guide path 335 extends in an extension direction identical to an extension direction of the cleat 33.
• the fall prevention device 3 is in slide connection with the drive unit 11 of the elevator.
• the slide link between said device and said drive unit allows a relative translational movement of one of these two elements along a vertical axis relative to the other element.
• the slide connection is provided by the presence on the frame 310 of four oblong holes 300, in each of which is inserted a pin 1 13 of the drive unit 1 1.
• the shock absorbers 34 are fixed to an upper part of the frame 30 of the fall prevention device, by fixing means, for example of the screw / nut type.
• the shock absorbers 34 have a substantially cylindrical shape.
• the roller 32 In an unconnected configuration of the fall prevention device 3, illustrated in FIG. 3A, the roller 32 is in contact with the smooth face 220 of the rack 22 and capable of rolling along this smooth face in the event of movement of the elevator.
• the lever 31 is substantially stationary and the cleat 33 does not cooperate with the rack 22, so that the fall prevention device 3 does not oppose a movement of the elevator 1 and accompanies the movement of the elevator by rolling the roller 32 along the rack.
• FIG. 3B illustrating a transient configuration of the fall arrest device.
• the moment created by the force exerted by the spring 330 on the cleat 33, around the connecting axis of the pivot link 310 brings said cleat into contact with the rack, so that the teeth of the toothed part of said cleat cooperate with the toothed face 221 of said rack, thus immobilizing the fall prevention device with respect to the rack 22.
• the fall prevention device 3 is then in configuration engaged. Consequently, the descent of the elevator is limited.
• the elevator can continue to descend, by the sliding link existing between the drive unit and the fall prevention device, until the drive unit 1 1 comes into contact with the shock absorbers 34 placed on a upper part of the fall prevention device, which shock absorbers are then compressed so that they brake the descent of the elevator until said elevator is completely stopped.
• a length of the oblong holes 300 is advantageously equal to a length of a shock absorber, so that the travel of the pins 1 13 is not limited during the braking phase of the elevator, or compression of the shock absorbers, leading to the '' complete lift stop.
• a pressure angle a is defined as being the angle formed by the slope of the teeth relative to a direction of extension of said teeth, horizontal in this case.
• a guide angle w of the cleat 33 which angle is formed by the direction of extension of the cleat 33 with the horizontal direction of extension of the teeth of the cleat, is substantially equal to this pressure angle, which allows on the one hand optimal meshing between the teeth of the rack 22 and the teeth of the cleat 33, the directions of extension of the teeth remaining parallel during the movement of said cleat, and on the other hand to compensate for the horizontal force exerted by the rack on the cleat due to the weight of the elevator and the pressure of the teeth of the rack on the cleat, thus preventing the cleat from being moved away from the rack.
• a counter-rack roller 35 takes up a thrust force exerted by the cleat 33 on the rack 22 due to the weight of the elevator 1 resting on the anti-slip device. in order to avoid damage to the rack.
• the counter-rack roller 35 is a roller in pivot connection with the frame 30 of the fall-prevention device, capable of rolling on the smooth face of the rack in the non-engaged configuration, and coming to bear against the smooth face of the rack in configuration engaged, in which it is substantially immobilized relative to said frame.
• the fall prevention device 3 is then unlocked by means of at least one unlocking means comprising a guide body 36, an unlocking screw 37 and an unlocking nut 38.
• the unlocking screw 37 is inserted in the L-shaped guide body 36 projecting from the frame 30.
• the locking nut 38 is conventionally placed on a threaded part of the unlocking screw.
• the unlocking screw abuts against the lever 31, so that a screwing of the unlocking screw makes it possible to counterbalance the action of the spring 330 on the cleat 33 by exerting a force on the lever opposing the action said spring.
• the stopper 33 is thus released from the rack 22 and the lever 31 is made to pivot so as to place the roller 32 set back from the rack.
• the fall prevention device 3 is no longer immobilized relative to the rack, and said device as well as the elevator can be raised until the roller 32 arrives at an altitude at least equal to that of the lower end 21 of the mast 2.
• the unlocking screw is then unscrewed, possibly removed, in order to allow the roller 32 to return to contact with the rack, by the action of the spring 330 on the cleat, and therefore on the lever.
• Such a method of resetting the configuration that is not engaged is carried out manually.
• the resetting in configuration not engaged is carried out automatically.
• the shock absorbers 34 decompress and under the effect of the vertical force directed upwards and combined with the pressure angle and the guiding angle of the cleat, the cleat 33 disengages from the rack 22.
• the roller 32 comes into contact with the lower end of the rack, corresponding substantially in altitude to that of the lower end 21 of the mast 2, the teeth of the rack 22 and the cleat 33 are in contact at their peaks.
• the release of the rack stopper made it possible to pivot the lever 31 so that an axis of rotation of the roller 32, corresponding to its pivot connection axis, is placed back from the smooth face, as illustrated in FIG.
• a length of the lever 31 and a diameter of the roller 32 must be adapted so that said roller is in contact with the lower end of the rack when the cleat and said rack are almost entirely released from each other and in contact only by the tops of the teeth.
• the length of the lever 31 determines the horizontal and vertical position of the axis of rotation of the roller 32. This axis must be horizontally distant from the plane passing through the smooth face of the rack 22, towards the outside of the rack 22.
• the axis of rotation is at a distance of 1 1 mm, in a horizontal plane, from the smooth face of the rack 22.
• the vertical position is linked to the diameter of the roller which must be sufficient to come into contact with a low edge of the smooth face of the rack during the rise, and allow a clearance between the roller and said low edge when the teeth of the rack 22 and of the cleat 33 are in contact by their vertices, such a clearance allowing avoid damage to the fall prevention device or even to the lift when the configuration is not engaged.
• the diameter of the roller 32 is 70mm.
• shock absorbers 34 as well as their mechanical characteristics may vary, in particular these shock absorbers are dimensioned as a function of the weight to be damped and the impact speed.
• unlocking means for example a jack.
• the invention finds particular application in the field of elevators used in descents.
• a gallery or vertical shaft that allows access to mining works is called a "chute”.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Types And Forms Of Lifts (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=66690564

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Citations (4)

• 2018
  • 2018-12-21 FR FR1873852A patent/FR3090610B1/fr active Active
• 2019
  • 2019-12-18 PL PL19824316.4T patent/PL3898482T3/pl unknown
  • 2019-12-18 PT PT198243164T patent/PT3898482T/pt unknown
  • 2019-12-18 AU AU2019410026A patent/AU2019410026A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2019-12-18 EP EP19824316.4A patent/EP3898482B1/fr active Active
  • 2019-12-18 WO PCT/EP2019/086069 patent/WO2020127567A1/fr unknown
  • 2019-12-18 ES ES19824316T patent/ES2930345T3/es active Active

Patent Citations (4)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events