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Title: Elevator system
Claims: Claims:
We claim as our invention: 1. An elevator system, comprising: a structure having a hatchway and a landing, an elevator car, means mounting said elevator car for movement in said hatchway from a position displaced from the landing to a predetermined position adjacent to the landing, said elevator car having an opening, closure means for controlling passenger movement between the car and landing through said opening, marker means associated with the landing indicative of an allowable displacement zone of the elevator car from the landing within which the closure means may be actuated to allow passenger exit from the car, in the event the elevator car stops for an unscheduled length of time at a position other than level with said landing, and electromechanical means responsive to said marker means, including means carried by said elevator car for detecting said marker means, and for mechanically preventing actuation of said closure means, at least to an extent which would enable passenger exit from the car, when the elevator car is outside said allowable displacement zone. 2. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical means includes a member operable between first and second positions with the first position contacting said closure means, at least when an attempt is made to actuate the closure means, to prevent movement thereof to a point which would enable passenger exit from the car, and with the second position being a non-contacting position. 3. The elevator system of claim 2 wherein the electromechanical means includes solenoid means, with said solenoid means controlling the operable member, and wherein energization of said solenoid means operates the member to its second position, and deenergization of said solenoid means operates the member to its first position. 4. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical means includes first and second means fixed for relative movement closely adjacent to one another when the closure means is operated from a passenger blocking position to a passenger unblocking position, and third means operable between first and second positions, while guided by said first means, with the first position of said third means being a blocking position which prevents the second means from passing said first means, and the second position being an unblocking position. 5. The elevator system of claim 4 wherein the first and second means are spaced to enable the closure means to be moved by a predetermined dimension small enough to prevent passenger exit, when the third means is in its blocking position. 6. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical means includes a solenoid having an armature which is in a first position when the solenoid is deenergized, and in a second position when it is energized, with the first position preventing passenger exit from the elevator car. 7. The elevator system of claim 6 wherein the electromechanical means includes first and second spaced members having aligned openings for guiding the armature of the solenoid, with the armature extending through both openings when the solenoid is deenergized, and through only one opening when it is energized. 8. The elevator system of claim 7 wherein the electromechanical means includes a member carried by the closure means disposed to strike the armature of the solenoid at a point between the first and second spaced members, when the solenoid is deenergized and an attempt is made to actuate the closure means in a direction which would allow passenger exit from the elevator car, and to pass freely between the first and second spaced members when the solenoid is energized. 9. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical means includes a solenoid having an armature which, when the solenoid is deenergized, is in the first position which inhibits operation of the closure means, and, when the solenoid is energized, is operated to a second position which enables normal operation, and including means for overriding the inhibit. 10. The elevator system of claim 9 wherein the means for overriding the inhibit includes means outside the elevator car for mechanically operating the armature from its first to its second position. 11. The elevator system of claim 10 wherein the means outside the elevator car includes a cable linked to the armature, wherein actuation of the cable operates the armature to its second position. 12. The elevator system of claim 9 wherein the means for overriding the inhibit includes switch means which, when actuated, energizes the solenoid without regard to the location of the elevator car relative to the marker means. 13. The elevator system of claim 12 wherein the switch means includes a key switch carried by the elevator car. 14. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical means includes a solenoid having an armature which, when the solenoid is deenergized, is in a first position which inhibits operation of the closure means, and when the solenoid is energized, is operated to a second position which enables operation of the closure means, wherein loss of electrical power results in deenergization of the solenoid. 15. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical means includes a solenoid having an armature, which, when the solenoid is deenergized, is in a first position which inhibits operation of the closure means, and which, when the solenoid is energized, is operated to a second position which enables operation of the closure means, and including a first power supply for the solenoid, and an emergency power supply for the solenoid in the event the first power supply should fail. 16. The elevator system of claim 15 wherein the emergency power supply is responsive to the first power supply, with the emergency power supply automatically being connected to the solenoid circuit upon failure of the first power supply. 17. The elevator system of claim 1 including leveling means, and wherein the marker means associated with the landing is associated with said leveling means. 18. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the marker means includes a cam, and the electromechanical means responsive to the marker means includes a switch actuatable by said cam. 19. The elevator system of claim 1 including a plurality of landings, each having marker means associated therewith, and including means for causing the means carried by the elevator car to detect the marker means to detect only the marker means associated with the landing at which the elevator car is to make a stop, at least while the elevator car is moving. 20. The elevator system of claim 19 wherein the means carried by the elevator car to detect the marker means will detect the marker means associated with any floor, once the elevator car stops, notwithstanding an unscheduled stop adjacent to a non-target floor. 21. The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the electromechanical means includes a solenoid having an armature whose longitudinal axis is vertically oriented, first bracket means having at least two spaced leg portions having aligned openings for guiding and providing lateral support for the armature, and second bracket means carried by the closure means which passes through the spaced leg portions of the first bracket means when the solenoid is energized, and which is blocked from such passage when the solenoid is deenergized. Other info: Inventors: Dorman, John G. (Randolph, NJ) Balbo, Anthony M. (Millburn, NJ) Randall, Charles E. (Boiling Springs, PA) Sette, Robert A. (Gettysburg, PA) Application Number: 06/375249 Filing Date: 1982-05-05 Publication_date: 1984-03-13 Assignee: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP (US) Primary Class(es): 187/331 187/57 Other Classes: B66B13/08; B66B13/02; B66B13/16 US Patent Ref:
Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Truhe V, J. Assistant Examiner: Duncanson Jr., W. E. Attorney: Lackey D. R. Claims:
We claim as ou |
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