Abstract:
An elevator shuttle includes a plurality of elevator hoistways (14, 19, 24) which overlap, the elevator car frames (13, 21, 25) traveling in each hoistway including two decks per cab being carried by the car frame, plus an extra deck on car frames (20) in other than the highest (24) and lowest (14) hoistways. This allows cabs (C) traveling simultaneously, upwardly, in three or more hoistways to pass cabs (A, B) simultaneously traveling downwardly in those hoistways. The cabs may be loaded and unloaded while in the hoistway (Figs. 1, 13, 21) , or while in off-hoistway landing areas (Fig. 28). Embodiments include one cab per hoistway and two cabs per hoistway; three hoistways and four hoistways.
Abstract:
To prevent elevator rope stretch effects when a horizontally transferable elevator cab (18) is rolled onto and off of an elevator car frame (10), an elevator car/floor lock (31) includes a bolt which extends across the interface between the car frame and the building and engages a strike. Jack screw and solenoid embodiments are shown. The bolt may extend from the car frame to the building (Figs. 1-4) or from the building to the car frame (Fig. 5).
Abstract:
An elevator cab X is moved from alanding TL to a car frame (11) simultaneously with moving a cab Y from the car frame (11) onto a landing TR. Double deck car frames (11a) may be utilized with cars P, Q going in the opposite direction of cars X, Y as they are transferred between the car frame and corresponding landings.
Abstract:
Elevator cabs A-C move upwardly through three or more contiguous overlapping hoistways 38-40 in the upper decks of double deck car frames 41-43, and move downwardly through the hoistways in the lower decks (or vice versa). To switch between decks, the cabs are offloaded from the hoistways into auxiliary elevators 50, 51 at the terminal ends of the shuttle, and are moved to be adjacent to the other deck by the auxiliary elevator and loaded thereon for the trip in the opposite direction. A second embodiment has additional auxiliary elevators 64, 65 and additional cabs D, E so that loading and unloading of passengers do not delay movement of the cabs in the hoistways.
Abstract:
To prevent elevator rope stretch effects when a horizontally transferable elevator cab (18) is rolled onto and off of an elevator car frame (10), an elevator car/floor lock (31) includes a bolt which extends across the interface between the car frame and the building and engages a strike. Jack screw and solenoid embodiments are shown. The bolt may extend from the car frame to the building (Figs. 1-4) or from the building to the car frame (Fig. 5).
Abstract:
A first slidable auxiliary pinion (58a) on the bottom of a horizontally moveable elevator cab A disposed on a car frame (14) or a landing is moved out from under the cab toward another car frame (13) or landing by means of a motorized pinion (56) until it engages a motorized pinion (57) on the adjacent car frame (13) or landing, which then pulls the auxiliary pinion and the entire cab toward the other car frame or landing until a main rack (45) fixed to the bottom of the cab engages a motorized pinion (34) on the other car frame (13) or landing, which pinion then pulls the entire cab onto the other car frame or landing. The auxiliary racks (58a, 58b) may be mounted on a common auxiliary rack member (58), or may be separate. The auxiliary motorized pinions (55, 56, 57) may be bidirectional, or may be unidirectional and mounted on the same shaft with main pinions (32a, 32c; 33a, 33c; 34a, 34c).
Abstract:
A particular elevator is commandeered to transfer an emergency cab F to (or near) a floor where an alarm has been sounded. The commandeered car is brought to the floor FF where the emergency cab is parked. The fire cab is exchanged for the normal cab C on the commandeered car, and is then carried to (or near) the alarm floor for responding to the alarm. Passengers in the normal cab may exit through landing doorways (23). Emergency personnel have access to the alarm area through emergency hoistway doors (27). A rack and pinion horizontal motive means for moving the cabs is illustrated.