Abstract:
A support structure for an escalator includes a bottom landing, a top landing, and a rise that interconnects the bottom and top landings. An improved truss design comprised of steel modules that are stamped or bent is used to form the rise, the top landing, and the bottom landing. The modules have closed sides, which increases the strength and stiffness of the truss while also providing the enclosure for internal escalator components. The modules are either formed as a single piece or formed from multiple pieces that are welded or fastened together. The modules are then secured to each other to form the rise, the top landing, and the bottom landing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to an improved support structure for an escalator that includes at least one stamping or pre-made module.  
           [0002]    Escalators are typically supported on truss structures having a common, well-known design. The trusses are made from multiple segments of tubular steel that are cut to specified lengths with certain angles cut on each of the ends. Each of these segments is fixtured so that adjacent segments can be manually welded in place. This is time consuming and requires a highly skilled work force, which results in high costs for building each truss.  
           [0003]    Once the truss is formed, brackets are attached to the truss to support tracks, exterior cladding, and other escalator hardware. Attachment of the brackets requires additional labor and usually requires shimming so that escalator components can be properly aligned when installed. Next the escalator components are installed at the factory and significant adjustments are made from outside of the truss to ensure that all components are properly and securely mounted. Finally, the exterior cladding is attached to cover the openings in the truss. The cladding adds cost and weight but does not provide any additional structural strength or stiffness.  
           [0004]    Depending on location, each escalator installation has different design requirements that can vary the length and angle of rise for the escalator, the truss must be specifically cut and assembled for each different installation. Because the above described assembly process is so labor intensive, the costs for building the truss structure can be very high.  
           [0005]    This invention provides an improved truss structure that provides a closed design that eliminates the need for exterior cladding while providing additional structural strength and stiffness. Further, the improved truss structure requires fewer components, is easy to assemble and install, and significantly reduces the number of brackets needed to attach other escalator hardware. The improved truss can also be assembled at the job site, which provides flexibility in shipping and allows truss components to be brought into existing building without difficulty.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    A support structure for an escalator includes a bottom landing support, a top landing support, and a rise that interconnects the bottom landing support to the top landing support. The rise includes at least one module.  
           [0007]    In one disclosed embodiment, the module for the rise is formed as a single piece stamping extending from the bottom landing support to the top landing support. The stamping has a U-shape with a horizontal base portion and a pair of vertical side portions. At least one reinforcement beam is secured to each side portion of the stamping to provide sufficient strength and stiffness for the rise.  
           [0008]    In another example, a portion of the truss length includes conventional diagonal support members. At each machine location, a module provides support. In one example, such modules comprise a steel sheet.  
           [0009]    In another embodiment, the module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules with each module formed as a single piece stamping. Each stamping has a U-shape with a horizontal base portion and a pair of vertical side portions. Attachment plates are used to secure one stamped module to the next to form the rise. Beams are installed on each side portion and extend along the length the stamped modules to provide strength and stiffness.  
           [0010]    In another embodiment, the module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules with each module formed from a plurality of stampings including a single bottom piece and a pair of side pieces welded to the bottom piece to form a U-shape. Attachment plates secure adjacent modules to each other. Beams are installed on each side portion and extend along the length the stamped modules to provide strength and stiffness.  
           [0011]    In another embodiment, the module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules with each module being formed from a pair of stampings welded together. At least one channel beam is secured along one vertical edge of the module for joining with a mating channel beam on one of the adjacent stamped modules.  
           [0012]    In another embodiment, the module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules with each module being formed from a first stamping having a generally vertical body portion with an angled upper edge and an angled lower edge and a second stamping having a generally vertical body potion with an angled upper edge and an angled lower edge. The first and second stampings being joined together such that the angled upper edges extend in opposing directions from each other to form an upper channel and the angled lower edges extending in opposing directions form each other to form a lower channel. Attachment plates join adjacent modules to each other. Beams are received in the upper and lower channels for reinforcing the rise.  
           [0013]    By using formed modules, installation time is reduced, costs are decreased, and consistent high quality is provided. The modules also provide flexibility in producing support structures of varying length that can be rapidly assembled from a common inventory of parts.  
           [0014]    The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is an escalator supported on a truss structure known in the art.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the inventive truss structure.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a magnified perspective view of a portion of FIG. 2 using a fastener attachment method.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a welding attachment.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of a truss structure.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the truss shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of a truss structure.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a truss structure.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a truss structure.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of a truss structure.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 11 is another example of a truss designed according to this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 illustrates an escalator supported on a known truss structure  20 . The truss  20  is made from multiple segments  22  of tubular steel that are cut to specified lengths. Each of these segments  22  is manually welded to adjacent segments to form the truss  20 . Typically, the truss  20  includes a bottom landing structure  24 , a top landing structure  26 , and a rise structure  28  that interconnects the bottom  24  and top  26  landing structures. Once the truss  20  is formed, brackets are attached to the truss to support tracks, exterior cladding, and other escalator hardware (not shown). Attachment of the brackets requires additional labor and usually requires shimming so that escalator components can be properly aligned when installed, which is time consuming and expensive.  
         [0027]    A unique support structure assembly  30  for an escalator is shown in FIG. 2. The support structure includes a bottom landing support portion  32 , a top landing support portion (not shown) similar to the bottom landing support portion  32 , and a rise portion  36  that interconnects the bottom  32  and top landing supports. The rise portion  36  includes at least one module. The module is preferably made from steel and can be created using bending or stamping processes that are well known in the art.  
         [0028]    In one embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the module is formed as a single piece stamping  38  that extends from the bottom landing support  32  to the top landing support. The single piece stamping  38  is formed with a U-shape including a horizontal base portion  40  and a pair of vertical side portions  42 .  
         [0029]    Reinforcement beams  44  are secured to each side portion  42  of the stamping  38 . In the preferred embodiment, the reinforcement beams are four inches by four inches with a quarter of an inch wall thickness. The reinforcement beams  44  provide additional rigidity and structural support for the escalator. Preferably a pair of beams is installed in each side portion  42  with one beam at the upper edge  46  and one beam at the lower edge  48  as shown in FIG. 9, however, a single beam  44  or more than two (2) beams  44  could be installed at each side  42 . The bottom  32  and top  34  landing supports can be formed from similar stamped structures or traditional welded steel tubing trusses can be used.  
         [0030]    In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 9, the steel module for the rise  36  is formed as a plurality of stamped modules  50 . Each module  50  is formed as a single piece stamping having a U-shape with a horizontal base portion  52  and a pair of vertical side portions  54 . A plurality of attachment plates  56  are used to secure one stamped module  50  to the next stamped module  50  to form the rise  36 . The attachment plates  56  can be fastened, welded, or joined to the modules  50  by methods well known in the art. Any number of modules  50  can be used to form the rise  36  depending on the length and angle of orientation for the rise. Preferably, the rise  36  is formed from four (4) modules  50  that are secured to each other with the attachment plates  56 . Beams  44  for reinforcing each side portion  54  are mounted to extend along the length of each stamped module. The bottom  32  and top  34  landing supports can be formed from similar stamped structures or traditional welded steel tubing trusses can be used.  
         [0031]    In an alternate embodiment, shown in FIG. 10, the module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules  60 . Each module  60  is formed from a plurality of stamped pieces including a single bottom piece  62  and a pair of side pieces  64  welded perpendicularly to and along edges  66  of the bottom piece  62  to form a U-shape. Attachment plates  56  are used to secure one stamped module  60  to the next stamped module  60  to form the rise  36 . Beams  44  for reinforcing the modules  60  are mounted to extend along the length the rise  36 . The bottom  32  and top  34  landing supports can be formed from similar stamped structures or traditional welded steel tubing trusses can be used.  
         [0032]    Another example is shown in FIG. 11. In this embodiment, portions of the structure near machine components include modules as support members. The illustrated example has a steel sheet  120  that preferably is welded in place. The module sheet  120  replaces tubular members adjacent to the drive machine.  
         [0033]    In an alternate embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, the steel module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules  70  with each module  70  formed from a pair of stampings  70   a ,  70   b  welded together about the circumference. The stampings  70   a ,  70   b , include diagonal reinforcement portions  72  that are integrally formed within the stampings  70   a ,  70   b  as one piece. Channel beams  55  are secured along opposing vertical edges  76  of each of the modules  70 . The channel beams  55  are preferably C-shaped, however, other beam configurations could also be used. The channel beam  55  from one module  70  is joined to a mating channel beam  55  on an adjacent stamped modules  70 . The channel beams  55  can include a plurality of openings  78  for receiving fasteners  57  shown in FIG. 3, or the beams  55  can be welded together as shown in FIG. 4. Preferably, the bottom  32  and top  34  landing supports are also formed from similar stamped modules  70 .  
         [0034]    Another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, is similar to the embodiment of FIGS.  2 - 4 . The steel module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules  70  with each module formed from a pair of stampings  70   a ,  70   b , as discussed above. In this embodiment, multiple reinforcement portions  72  are integrally formed within the module  70 .  
         [0035]    In another alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the steel module is formed as a plurality of stamped modules  80  with each module  80  formed from a pair of stampings  82 ,  84 . The first stamping  82  has a generally vertical body portion with an angled upper edge  86  and an angled lower edge  88 . The second stamping  84  also has a generally vertical body potion with an angled upper edge  92  and an angled lower edge  94 . The pair of stampings  82 ,  84  are mirror images of one another and are joined together such that the angled upper edges  86 ,  92  extend in opposing directions from each other to form an upper channel  96 . The angled lower edges  88 , 94  also extend in opposing directions from each other to form a lower channel  98 . Attachment plates  56  are used to join side edges  100  of the body portions to adjacent stamped modules  80  in a manner similar to that discussed above. Preferably, the bottom  32  and top  34  landing supports are also formed from similar stamped modules  80 .  
         [0036]    In the preferred embodiment, the angled upper  86 ,  92  and lower  88 ,  94  edges are at a forty-five degree angle with respect to the vertical body portions so that the channels  96 ,  98  are formed as a right angle, i.e. a ninety degree angle, when the first stamping  82  is joined to the second stamping  84 . A first beam  102  is received in the upper channel  96  and a second beam  104  is received in the lower channel  98  for reinforcing the rise  36 . Steel stamping manufacturing processes are well known in the art. Any type of steel stamping process can be used to form the stamped modules that are used for the escalator support structure. The steel stamping modules allow for easy assembly and installation of an escalator in older buildings that are being renovated. The modules also reduce the number of brackets and attachment hardware while providing the required structural strength and stiffness.  
         [0037]    The foregoing description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that certain modifications are possible that would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope of protection given for this invention.