Corner post platform assembly

A corner post platform assembly for supporting an elevator cab having door openings in two adjacent wall portions, including a safety brake assembly, a support frame, and a floating platform. The safety assembly includes mounting plate members at its opposite ends, upon which the support frame is mounted, and the floating platform is connected to the support frame via resilient spacer and mounting devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates in general to elevator cars, and more specifically to 
elevator cars in which the passenger cab has door openings in two adjacent 
wall portions. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Elevator systems of the traction type include a drive machine, an elevator 
car, and a counterweight. The elevator car and counterweight are each 
guided throughout their respective vertical travel paths in a hoistway of 
a building via guide roller assemblies mounted on the elevator car and 
counterweight, and guide rails in the hoistway. A safety brake on the 
bottom of the elevator car is arranged to be tripped by a governor upon a 
predetermined overspeed condition. The safety brake, when tripped, engages 
the elevator guide rails, and stops the elevator car. 
The elevator car has a generally rectangular configuration in cross 
section, with the guide rails conventionally being disposed adjacent to 
opposite sides thereof, at the midpoints of these sides. The safety brake, 
which includes two safety channels or planks, extends between the guide 
rails, and thus its longitudinal axis is oriented perpendicular to the 
planes which include the side portions of the elevator car. The safety 
channels form part of the support structure for the elevator passenger 
cab. 
The elevator car structure described to this point will accommodate front 
and rear door openings in the passenger cab. When front and side door 
openings in the passenger cab are specified, the conventional guide rail 
placement cannot be used as one of the guide rails would interfere with a 
side door opening. Thus, the guide rails are located at two diagonally 
opposite corners of the rectangular configuration of the elevator car, and 
the safety brake and its safety channels are oriented diagonally, relative 
to the passenger cab, in order to extend between the corner-mounted guide 
rails. This arrangement is referred to as the corner post platform and 
elevator car structure, because the vertical stiles which extend from the 
safety channels to the crosshead beam are at the corners of the elevator 
car. 
When the safety brake assembly is diagonally oriented, the platform 
structure which is mounted on the safety assembly, has two unsupported 
corners. Thus, a much larger moment is created because of the greater 
distance between the corners and safety channels, than when the safety 
channels are in the more conventional location. In order to support these 
corners, and to prevent flexing of the platform, it is common prior art 
practice to mount two additional channels on top of the safety channels, 
with these additional channels being oriented between the two diagonally 
opposite corners which are not supported by the safety channels. This 
arrangement, however, adds additional weight and cost to the structure. It 
also adds about 10 inches to the support structure height below the floor 
level of the platform, necessitating a deeper pit, which in some 
installations may present a problem. Further, the resilient isolating pads 
which are used to mount the platform to the support structure must be 
placed at two different elevations, i.e., at the level of the first set, 
or safety, channel members, and at the level of the second, or additional, 
set of channel members. This arrangement, through localized bending of the 
channels, platform, and isolation pads, still results in deflection of the 
two corners of the platform which are not directly over the safety 
channels. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Briefly, the present invention is a new and improved corner post platform 
assembly which is lighter, more rigid, less costly, and lower in vertical 
height, than corner post platforms of the prior art. First and second 
plate members, hereinafter referred to as safety plates, are attached to 
the conventional safety assembly, which includes two spaced safety 
channels and a safety brake. The safety plates, which are disposed 
adjacent to the ends of the safety assembly, each include flat mounting 
surfaces having two "arms" or portions which extend outwardly beyond the 
edges of the safety channels. These arms include elongated openings or 
slots. A support frame constructed of four angle members arranged to 
define a substantially rectangular outer configuration, is attached to the 
safety plates via bolts which extend through leg portions of the support 
frame and through the elongated openings in the "arms" of the safety 
plates. The longitudinal axis of the safety assembly extends between 
diagonally opposite corners of the support frame, with the elongated 
openings being oriented to allow a small rotational adjustment of the 
support frame relative to the safety assembly, which will enable the two 
door openings in the passenger cab to be properly aligned with, and spaced 
from, the associated hoistway door openings. 
The leg portions of the two angle members disposed at opposite sides of the 
rectangular support frame are upstanding, in order to prevent interference 
with the safety assembly. The leg portions of the remaining two angle 
members are depending, in order to prevent interference with floor beams 
which reinforce a floating platform assembly. 
The floating platform assembly includes a floor member having first and 
second flat, major opposed surfaces, with side beams disposed about its 
periphery on the second major side, and a plurality of spaced, parallel 
floor beams which are also attached to the second major surface of the 
floor member. This platform assembly is mounted on the support frame via a 
plurality of resilient isolation pads. The two upstanding leg portions of 
the angle members extend into the cavity defined by the depending side 
beams on the floor member, between the side beams and a floor beam, thus 
meshing or interleaving portions of the support frame and platform 
assembly, to reduce the vertical dimension of the assembly. 
If the safety assembly does not include mounting brackets or angles for 
mounting the vertically oriented stiles, the safety plates may include 
depending portions which extend over the adjacent end of the safety 
assembly, with the stile mounting angles being secured to these depending 
portions.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is shown 
an elevator car 10 which includes a passenger cab 12 and a corner post 
platform assembly 14. The passenger cab 12 includes front and side door 
openings 16 and 18, respectively, in two adjacent wall portions, thus 
necessitating the corner post platform assembly 14, wherein the guide 
rails 20 and 22 are disposed at diagonally opposite corners of the 
elevator car 10. 
The corner post platform assembly 14, which is constructed according to the 
teachings of the invention, includes a base portion 24 for supporting the 
passenger cab 12, first and second vertically extending corner posts or 
stiles 26 and 28, which have their lower ends fixed to the base portion 
24, and a crosshead beam 30 which extends between, and is fixed to, the 
upper ends of stiles 26 and 28. 
FIGS. 2, 3, 3A and 3B more clearly illustrate the construction of base 
portion 24, with FIG. 2 being a cross-sectional view of base 24 taken 
between and in the direction of arrows II--II, and with FIGS. 3, 3A and 3B 
being exploded perspective views of base 24. All of the Figures will be 
referred to in the following description. 
Base portion 24 includes a safety assembly 32, a support frame 34, and a 
"floating" platform assembly 36. The safety assembly 32 is an elongated 
structure having first and second ends 29 and 31, respectively, and a 
longitudinal axis 33 which extends between its ends. Safety assembly 32 
includes the conventional set of safety planks or channel members, such as 
first and second spaced channel members 38 and 40, and a safety brake 42 
disposed between the spaced safety channels. U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,597, 
which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, 
discloses a safety brake of the type which may be used with the teachings 
of the invention, but any conventional safety brake may be used. The 
conventional safety assembly is modified, according to the teachings of 
the invention, to include first and second plate members 44 and 46, 
respectively, also referred to as safety plates 44 and 46. The safety 
plates 44 and 46 are disposed adjacent to the first and second ends 29 and 
31, respectively, of the safety assembly 32. Safety plates 44 and 46 are 
secured to the upper portion of the conventional safety assembly, such as 
by welding the safety plates 44 and 46 to the upper surfaces of the leg 
portions of the safety channels 38 and 40. 
It is essential that the safety plates 44 and 46 include flat major 
surfaces 48 and 50, respectively, disposed in a common horizontal plane, 
which surfaces extend outwardly beyond the safety channels 38 and 40 to 
form mounting "arms," such as mounting arms 52 and 54 on safety plate 44, 
and mounting arms 56 and 58 on safety plate 46. Each mounting arm includes 
two elongated openings or slots, such as openings 60 and 62 in arm 52, 
openings 64 and 66 in arm 54, openings 68 and 70 in arm 56, and openings 
72 and 74 in arm 58. The elongated openings are oriented such they provide 
rotational adjustment of the structure mounted on the safety plates, about 
a vertical, central axis 76 of the safety assembly 32. 
Certain conventional safety brakes include mounting brackets or angles at 
opposite ends to which the stiles 26 and 28 may be attached, while other 
safety brakes require that such mounting brackets be attached thereto. If 
the safety plates 44 and 46 are to be associated with the latter type of 
safety brake, each may include an integral, upstanding portion, such as 
portion 78 on safety plate 44, which includes mounting brackets or angle 
members 80 and 82 fixed thereto, such as by welding or by nut and bolt 
assemblies. As shown in FIG. 1, fasteners, such as a bolt 84 and a nut 86, 
may be used to secure the stiles to the mounting brackets. 
Support frame 34 includes first and second right angle members 88 and 90, 
respectively, also referred to as side angles, and third and fourth right 
angle members 92 and 94, respectively, also referred to as tie angles. 
Side angle 88 includes first and second leg portions 96 and 98, 
respectively, with the first leg portion 96 being horizontally oriented, 
and with the second leg portion 98 extending vertically upward from the 
horizontal leg portion 96. In like manner, side angle 90 includes a 
horizontally oriented leg portion 100, and an upstanding leg portion 102. 
Side angles 88 and 90 each have first and second ends, such as first and 
second ends 104 and 106 on side angle 88, and first and second ends 108 
and 110 on side angle 90. Side angles 88 and 90 are disposed in spaced, 
parallel relation, with tie angle 92 extending between the first ends 104 
and 108 of the side angles, and with the tie angle 94 extending between 
the second ends 106 and 110. The four angle members are secured in this 
window-frame configuration, such as by welding, with appropriate clips and 
straps, 112 and 114, respectively, being welded to the upper surfaces of 
adjacent side and tie angles, in order to reinforce the weldment. The tie 
angles 92 and 94 each include horizontally oriented leg portions, such as 
leg portions 116 and 118, respectively, and depending leg portions 120 and 
122, respectively. The vertically oriented leg portions on the tie angles 
are depending in order to prevent interference with floor beams of the 
floating platform assembly 36, as will be hereinafter explained. 
The support frame 24 thus provides a strong, rigid assembly which has a 
generally rectangular outer configuration, with its sides all being equal, 
i.e, a square, or with adjacent sides being unequal, i.e., a rectangle. 
The angles further define a central opening or window portion 124. 
The horizontally oriented leg portions of the side and tie angles of the 
support frame 24 include a plurality of openings which are to be aligned 
with the elongated openings in the safety plates, such as openings 126 and 
128 through horizontal leg portion 116 of tie angle 92 which are to be 
aligned with elongated openings 60 and 62, respectively, in safety plate 
44, and openings 130 and 132 in leg portion 118 of tie angle 94 which are 
to be aligned with elongated openings 72 and 74, respectively, in safety 
plate 46. The openings in the horizontal portions 96 and 100 of side 
angles 88 and 90, respectively, which are to be aligned with openings 68 
and 70, and openings 64 and 66, are not shown. 
The support frame 24 is secured to the safety plates 44 and 46 via eight 
nut and bolt assemblies, such as bolt 134 which is to extend through 
aligned openings 126 and 60, and nut 136. As hereinbefore mentioned, the 
elongated openings are oriented to permit rotational adjustment of the 
support frame and floating platform, in order to provide quick and easy 
orientation of the door openings in the passenger cab with the associated 
openings in the hoistway. It will be noted that the longitudinal axis 33 
of the safety assembly 32 extends between diagonally opposite corners of 
the support frame, and thus between guide rails 20 and 22, as shown in 
FIG. 1. 
Floating platform assembly 36 includes a floor member 140 having first and 
second major opposed, horizontally oriented flat surfaces 142 and 144, 
respectively, with its major surfaces being joined via perpendicularly 
oriented edges. Its edges define a substantially rectangular outer 
configuration, which is generally the same configuration as the 
rectangular configuration of the support frame 24, except slightly larger. 
Platform assembly 36 includes a plurality of beam members welded thereto. 
For example, a front beam 146 is secured adjacent to the edge 148 on the 
side of door opening 16. The front beam 146 contacts the second major 
surface 144 of the floor member, and it extends outwardly past edge 148. 
The portion which extends outwardly past edge 148 includes a formed 
portion 150 for receiving an extruded aluminum sill configured to accept 
the door gib associated with door opening 16. In like manner, a similar 
beam member 152 is fixed to floor member 140 along the edge which is 
adjacent to the door opening 18 in the passenger cab 12. C-shaped beam 
members 154 and 156 are fixed to the second surface 144 adjacent to the 
remaining two major edges of the floor member. Beam members 154 and 156 do 
not extend past their associated edges of the floor member, as these edges 
are not associated with door openings. The corners of the floating 
platform adjacent to the stiles 26 and 28 are cut off. A short C-shaped 
beam 158 may be fixed to floor member 140 adjacent to stile 26, and a 
plate member 160 may be disposed across the cut-off corner adjacent to 
stile 28. 
As best shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of floor beams are also fixed in 
spaced, parallel relation to the second major surface 144 of floor member 
140. These floor beams include first and second side beam members 162 and 
164, respectively, and a plurality of additional floor beam members 166 
disposed intermediate the first and second side beam members. The side 
beam members 162 and 164 are dimensioned, in the vertical direction, as 
viewed in FIG. 2, to enable them to function as part of the mounting 
structure. As will be hereinafter explained, they cooperate with a 
plurality of resilient, isolating pad members 170 to provide the 
"floating" aspect of the platform. A plurality of studs 172 are welded to 
the lower surfaces of the side floor beams 162 and 164. Each pad member 
170 includes upper and lower metallic plate members 174 and 176, disposed 
in spaced relation, with a block 178 of resilient material disposed 
between and fixed to the spaced plate members 174 and 176. The block of 
resilient material may be any suitable material, such as rubber or 
polyurethane. The upper plate member 174 includes a pair of holes or 
openings 175 for receiving studs 172, and the lower plate member 176 
includes a pair of depending threaded stud portions 180. The horizontal 
leg portions 96 and 100 of the side angle members 88 and 90 each include a 
plurality of spaced, elongated openings 182. The pad members 170 are 
attached to the threaded, depending studs 172 via nuts 173, and the 
depending studs 180 of the isolating pad members 170 are aligned with the 
elongated openings 182 and inserted therethrough. Nuts 184 are coupled 
with the studs 180 to secure the floating platform 36 to the support frame 
34 without any direct metallic connection or contact. The openings are 
elongated in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the upstanding leg 
portions 98 and 102 of the side angles 88 and 90, respectively, to permit 
adjustment of the floating platform in this direction. 
It should be noted that the upstanding leg portions 98 and 102 of the side 
angles extend into the cavity defined by floor member 140 and the 
perimetrical beams of the platform assembly 36. Thus, the upstanding leg 
portions do not add to the height dimension of the base portion 24. The 
upstanding leg portions are interleaved between the side floor beams and 
the adjacent perimetrical beams, with leg portion 98 being disposed 
between front beam 146 and side floor beam 162, and leg portion 102 is 
disposed between the rear beam 156 and the side floor beam 164. 
The tie angles are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of 
the floor beams, and thus their vertically oriented leg portions are 
directly downwardly in order to preclude any interference. They do not add 
to the height dimension of the base portion 24, however, as they do not 
extend below the lower edges of the safety channels 38 and 40. 
In summary, there has been disclosed a new and improved corner post 
elevator car structure which has a base portion having approximately the 
same height dimension as the base portion of the more conventional side 
post car structures. Further, the new and improved corner post elevator 
car structure is rigid, providing adequate support at the corners which 
are not disposed over the safety assembly, precluding objectionable 
deflection at these corners when the passenger cab is loaded.