According to an emergency brake device for an elevator, a brake body is capable of coming into and out of contact with an outer periphery of a sheave which is rotatable, and is capable of being displaced to a rotation direction of the sheave while maintaining a contact with the outer periphery of the sheave. Further, the brake body is arranged between the sheave and a gripper metal. The gripper metal includes an inclined portion which is caused to incline with respect to the outer periphery of the sheave. When the brake body is displaced in the rotation direction of the sheave, the brake body is meshed between the outer periphery of the sheave and the inclined portion. To the brake body, a connecting portion capable of being displaced with respect to the sheave is connected. The connecting body is displaced in a direction in which the brake body comes into and out of contact with the outer periphery of the sheave by a brake drive device.