Elevators

Functions & Mechanisms

Outline
Definition
Major Elevator Designs
Hydraulic Elevator System
Roped Elevator System
MRL

Definition

Compartment attached to a rope

Modern Passenger & Freight Elevators are more complex
Mechanical Systems
Control Mechanism
Safety Devices


Major Elevator Designs
Three Major designs are:


Hydraulic Elevator
Traction (Roped) Elevators
Machine room less
Hydraulic Elevator System
Lift car using a Hydraulic ram
The system has three main parts:

Tank (fluid reservoir)
Rotary Pump (powered by Electric Motor)
Valve (Between Cylinder & Tank)
Direct acting plunger or roped
Hydraulic Elevator System: Operations
Hydraulic Elevator System: Operations
Car Approached Floor:
Control System (CS) sends signal to Electric Motor (EM) To
gradually shut the pump
Pump off: No more fluid to cylinder
The fluid already in the cylinder can not escape as Valve is still
closed
Piston rests on fluid and stays where it is
To Lower Car:
CS sends signal to Valve
Fluid can flow to tank
Weight of car & cargo pushes down on piston: car descends
To stop car at any floor, CS closes the valve
Hydraulic Elevator System: Pros &
Cons
Pros
Easily multiply the relatively weak force of the pump to
generate stronger force needed to lift the car

Cons
Size of Equipment
Dig Deeper: 10 story building, dig at least 9 stories deep
Fairly inefficient: Takes lots of energy and do not reserve it, so
one have to regenerate energy on every turn
Rope Elevator System
Car is raised and lowered by Cable System

Main System Components
Control System
Electric Motor
Sheave
Traction steel ropes
Counterweight
Guide Rails
Cushion back

Rope Elevator System: Operations
Rope Elevator System: Operations
Traction steel ropes are attached to car and looped around sheave
The other end of rope is connected to a counterweight
Why CW?
To conserve energy: PE levels shift
To act as a see-saw

Sheave is connected to electric motor and it raises/descends the elevator according to
the motion of motor
Gearless Elevators: Motor rotates the sheave directly
Geared Elevators: Motor turns a gear train to rotate the sheave
Car and CW rides on guide rails along the sides of elevator shaft. No swaying back and
forth


Rope Elevator System: Gearless
Rope Elevator System: Geared
Rope Elevator System: Pros & Cons
Pros
Versatile
Efficient
More safety systems
Cons
Machine rooms must be air conditioned
Energy cost

Rope Elevator System: Comparison
Rise Limitations
300 feet (G)
Unlimited (GL)
Cost
150,000 200,000 (G)
200,000 + (GL)
Speeds
350-500 fpm (G)
500 1800+ (GL)

Safety Systems
Hollywood?
Line of Defenses
Rope System
Several length of steel material is used in each rope
Multiple ropes (between 4 & 8)
Powerful enough to deal with the weight of car and
counterweight
Safeties
Built in braking systems that can grab rail
It is activated by a governor if elevator moves too fast
Safeties: Governor System
Governor rope looped around a governor sheave
Connected to the car and another weighted sheave at
the bottom of the shaft
As car speed up so does the governor
Safeties: Governor Sheave
Mechanism
Outfitted with two hooked flyweights that pivot on pin
Flyweights can move freely back and forth & kept in
position by high tension spring
As car speed up .. Rotary movement of governor ..
Centrifugal forces moves the flyweight outwards (to the
outer edges of governor) against the spring
Flyweight hooked ends catch hold of ratchets mounted
to stationary cylinder sheave
Safeties: Governor Sheave
Mechanism
Safeties: Governor Sheave Break
Mechanism
Animation
Safeties: More Backups
Electromagnetic brakes (open position): Engages when
car stops
Automatic breaking system: Stop the car if it moves too
far, located the top and bottom
Shock Absorber System: piston mounted in oil filled
cylinder and acts as a giant cushion
Load sensors

Making Rounds?
Computer control
Buttons in car and floor
Vertical holes along the shaft (magnetic or light)

Building with many floor
Avoid reversing the elevator direction
Passenger traffic in specific times
Computer directs to the fastest elevator to desired floor
Compass (OTIS Vs. Schindler)
Automatic Doors
Machine Room Less
Reference
How stuff works?
Otis Elevators Mechanisms

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