SMOKE AND FIRE DETECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR SYSTEM

• US 3,773,145 A
• Filed: 03/25/1971
• Issued: 11/20/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John J. Drexler
• Original Assignee: John J. Drexler
• Inventors: Drexler, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilheany, Bernard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duncanson, Jr., W. E.
• Application Number:
  US05/128,003
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 187/29 318/480 337/401 200/61.02,61.03
• US Class Current: 187/277
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 13/26 between closing doors
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/024 where the abnormal operating condition is caused by an accident, e.g. fire

Abstract

An automatic elevator system having photoelectric means for preventing closing of the elevator door upon detection of an obstruction in the doorway. The system includes control means associated with the photoelectric means for detecting the presence of smoke in the elevator hatchway and conditioning the system as a result of such detection for an emergency mode of operation. The control means further includes means for detecting an abnormally high temperature in the hatchway for similarly conditioning the system. The system may be so conditioned as to cause the elevator car to automatically move to a preselected floor level, such as the main floor level, under such abnormal hatchway conditions.

Claims

1. In an automatic elevator system having an elevatOr car, means for automatically selectively positioning the car at different floor levels in a hatchway provided with access openings, and doors for selectively closing and opening the respective access openings to provide ingress to and egress from said car thereat, the improvement comprising:

photoelectric means associated with the respective doors for detecting an obstruction in an access opening when the door is open and preventing automatic closing of the door under such a condition; and

control means operatively associated with the door obstruction-detecting photoelectric means for modifying the operation of the elevator car positioning means as an incident of the detection of the presence of smoke in the hatchway by said door obstruction-detecting photoelectric means while the associated door is closed.

2. The automatic elevator system of claim 1 wherein said means for modifying the elevator car positioning means comprises means for causing said elevator car to be positioned at a preselected floor level.

3. The automatic elevator system of claim 1 wherein said means for modifying the elevator car positioning means comprises means for causing said elevator car to be positioned at a main floor level of said hatchway.

4. The automatic elevator system of claim 1 further including thermo-responsive means carried for movement with said elevator car for modifying the operation of the elevator car positioning means as an incident of sensing an abnormally high temperature condition at said elevator car.

5. The automatic elevator system of claim 4 wherein said thermo-responsive means comprises means for causing said elevator car to be positioned at a preselected floor level.

6. The automatic elevator system of claim 4 wherein said thermo-responsive means comprises means for causing said elevator car to be positioned at a main floor level of said hatchway.

7. The automatic elevator system of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a second photoelectric means operative only when the door is closed to detect the presence of smoke and modify the operation of the elevator car positioning means.

8. The automatic elevator system of claim 1 wherein said control means cancels all previously registered calls to floor levels other than to a preselected floor level as an incident of said detection of the presence of smoke.

9. The automatic elevator system of claim 1 wherein said control means prevents further calls to floor levels other than to a preselected floor level as an incident of said detection of the presence of smoke.

10. In an automatic elevator system having an elevator car, means for automatically selectively positioning the car at different floor levels in a hatchway provided with access openings, and doors for selectively closing and opening the respective access openings to provide ingress to and egress from said car thereat, the improvement comprising:

first photoelectric means associated with the respective doors for detecting an obstruction in an access opening when the door is open and preventing automatic closing of the door under such a condition; and

second photoelectric means operatively associated with said first, door obstruction-detecting photoelectric means for modifying the operation of said first photoelectric means and the elevator car positioning means as an incident of the detection of the presence of smoke in the hatchway by said second photoelectric means while the associated door is closed.

11. The automatic elevator system of claim 10 wherein said first and second photoelectric means define a single amplifier portion and respective first and second detecting means for providing a detection signal to said amplifier portion when said door is correspondingly respectively open or closed.