Elevator control system

• US 3,902,573 A
• Filed: 01/23/1974
• Issued: 09/02/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Administratrix Grove, Deceased Grove
• Original Assignee: Administratrix Grove, Deceased Grove
• Inventors: Grove, deceased, Grove, administratrix
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaefer, Robert K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duncanson, Jr., W. E.
• Application Number:
  US05/435,742
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 187/29
• US Class Current: 187/290
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/027 to permit passengers to leave an elevator car in case of failure, e.g. moving the car to a reference floor or unlocking the door

Abstract

An emergency control system is provided for an elevator installation which responds automatically to a power failure, low voltage condition, loss of phase, or the like, to move the elevator to a reference floor, and then to open the elevator doors and hold them open to permit passengers to leave the elevator. The system of the invention includes a battery activated source of power which is maintained charged when the elevator is in its normal operating condition. In the event of a power failure, the system automatically switches power from the battery activated source to appropriate controls in the elevator control system so as to move the elevator car automatically to a reference floor, and then automatically to open the elevator doors at the reference floor to permit the passengers to leave.

Claims

1. In an elevator system which includes a car, and circuit means connected to a main source of electric energy and including a plurality of individual electrically-operated controls for controlling up and down movements of the car, and in which said circuit means includes a further individual control for opening the doors of the car when the car reaches a reference floor level;

an emergency control system including;

an auxiliary power source including a battery;

first relay means coupled to said main source to be normally energized by electric power derived from said main source;

first contact means controlled by said first relay means and connected to said auxiliary power source for connecting said auxiliary power source directly to a first one of said individual controls in said circuit means upon the de-energization of said first relay means so as to produce movement of the car to a reference floor level;

second relay means;

second contact means controlled by said first relay means to cause said second relay means to be energized by said auxiliary power source upon de-energization of said first relay means; and

third contact means controlled by said second relay means to contact said auxiliary power source directly to said further individual control in said circuit means upon the energization of said second relay means to cause the doors of the car to open when the reference floor level is reached.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, and including a battery charging circuit coupled to said main source of electrical energy and connected to said battery for maintaining said battery in a charged condition.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes an inverter circuit included in said auxiliary power source for transferring the voltage of said battery to a different value, and in which said first contact directly connects the output of said inverter across said first control in said circuit means to produce movement of said car to a reference floor level.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes an emergency light connected in circuit with a second contact means of said first relay means to be energized upon the de-energization of said first relay means.

5. The combination defined in claim 1, and which includes fourth contact means controlled by said second relay means to disconnect said auxiliary power source from said first individual control in said circuit means when said second relay means is energized.

6. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said circuit means includes a level switch positioned to be actuated when the car reaches said reference floor level;

and which includes a second relay means in circuit with said level switch and with said first contact means to be energized when said first relay means is de-energized and when said level switch is actuated, and second contact means controlled by said second relay means and directly connected to said first individual control in said circuit means to stop movement of the car when said second relay means is energized.

7. The combination defined in claim 6, in which said circuit means includes electrically-operated door control means, and third contact means controlled by said second relay means and connected in circuit with said door control means to cause said door means to open the doors of the car when said second relay means is energized.