IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO LIFT SHAFTS

Abstract: A lift shaft comprises a stack of self-supporting, prefabricated shaft modules whereby upper shaft modules are supported on lower modules. The lift shaft is made of one or more plain modules (1), a module in which a fully assembled lift car (2) and/or a not shown counterweight is temporarily supported for transit to the site and erection on site, a fully assembled upper lift motor room module (3) including winding apparatus (4) and electronic equipment (5) for the lift and a pit module (6) suspended from the module above. The lift shaft modules are designed so that they can be used as containers for fully assembled lift cars and/or counterweights between the factory and the building site so that a lift shaft module can be craned into position with complete car and/or counterweight.

Description: Description: IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO LIFT SHAFTS The invention provides a lift shaft comprising a stack of separate self-supporting prefabricated shaft modules, each module having a structural strength sufficient to support the module or modules above whereby the shaft can be supported from a lower module, an uppermost module containing winding apparatus for a lift car and a counterweight to raise and lower the car and a counterweight in the shaft and each module having door means operable in conjunction with the lift car to provide access to and from the car when the car is disposed in the respective module. Thus the lift shaft system defined above provides a much faster way of installing and commissioning lifts involving prefabricating lift shaft modules including lift motor rooms for erection on site. The lift shafts are made, preferably, of sheet steel sections which are joined together to form tubes with open tops and bottoms. These tubes are typically sized to meet individual building floor to floor height dimensions and the number of lifts required in each shaft. The only restrictions imposed on the sizing of the shafts is determined by transportation or crane capacity limitations. A lift shaft construction of this kind is known from the DD-PS 90 202. The shaft modules are made of sheet steel or plastics. The lowermost module is bolted on a base plate. The upper and lower peripheries of the modules have flange fittings with guide brackets. Once stacked the modules are bolted or bonded. The uppermost module contains the equipment to raise and lower the lift car in the shaft. The main disadavantage of the known lift shaft construction lies in the extensive requirement for skilled on site labour for lift installation work. Another disadvantage is that for the inherent equipment of the modules there is neither a weather proof nor a dirt proof protection during transport and on site installation work. The invention has the purpose of the creation of lift shaft modules enabli-ng an economical and simple erection of lift shafts. The advantage attained by the invention is to be seen substantially in that the lift shaft modules with all the equipment can be fitted under -factory conditions away from the building site. The lift shaft modules are designed so that they can be used as containers for fully assembled lift cars and/or counterweights between the factory and the building site so that a lift shaft module can be craned into position with complete car and/or counterweight. One of the modules is prefabricated with the lift car and/or counterweight installed and temporarily supported in the module for transport to a direction on site, the arrangement being such that once the module has been erected, the car and the counterweight are coupled to the winding means in the uppermost module and the temporary support for the car and the counterweight in the module is then released to enable the car and the counterweight to be raised and lowered in " the shaft. Each storey height lift shaft module leaves the factory as a sealed, weatherproof containerlike unit. The top and bottom openings of each lift shaft module are sealed with translucent glass fibre reinforced plastic (G.R.P.) covers. The bottom cover is removed on site shortly before each module is craned into position. The top cover remains until shortly before the next module is due to be placed in position. The ribs of the channel sections of the lift shafts are spaced and sized to facilitate the attachment on site of plasterboard sheets which provide the requisite fire resistance for the lift shafts. The design of the channel sections is such that they can be used as permanent shuttering for in-situ concrete lift shafts if required (as described in U.K. Patent No. 2015615) . The design of the joints between each lift shaft section is such that they can be plumbed and levelled quickly and accurately. Tolerances achieved are far lower than those normally possible for traditionally constructed lift shafts. The design of the joints is such that they provide seals against penetration of fire and smoke using a fire stop compound applied from both above and below the joint. The underside of the junction between the pressed metal formwork and the upper face of the lower steel angle is sealed using a gunned firestop mastic compound and then a liquid fire stop compound is applied to the top side of the pressed metal formwork. A resilient foam plastic strip (which also seals the joint between the lift shaft and the G.R.P. covers) prevents rainwater or fire stop compound in its liquid state from entering the lift shaft during the erection phase. The following is a description of same specific embodiments of the invention reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lift shaft according to the invention comprising prefabricated shaft modules; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the modules showing temporary cross-bracing and covers for transport; Fig. 3 illustrates the module of Fig. 2 in transport; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of part of a wall construction for each lift module; Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative section panel for the walls; Fig. 6 illustrates a joint between adjacent upper and lower modules; Fig. 7 illustrates an alternative floor construction adjacent the joint between the modules; Fig. 8 to 10 illustrate further constructional features and Fig.11 illustrates the arrangements of the lowermost module. In the Figs. 1 to 11 the lift shaft comprises prefabricated fully assembled shaft modules 1 including one ore more plain modules, a module in which a fully assembled lift car 2 and/or a not shown counterweight are temporarily supported for transit to the site and erection on site, a fully assembled upper lift motor room module 3 including winding apparatus 4 and electronic equipment 5 for the lift and a pit module 6 suspended from the module 1 above to lie in a preformed pit 7 in the lowermost part of the building. A temporary cross-bracing fixed to the top and the bottom for transit of the modules 1; 3; 6 is designated by 8 and a weatherproof temporary transluscent G.R.P. cover bolted to the top and the bottom for transport of the modules 1; 3; 6 is designated by 9. In transport the door opening of a module is located lowermost on a transport vehicle 10. A external facing of the lift shaft is shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 5 and 8 depict a plan of alternative wall panel profiles. The modules 1; 3; 6 have walls formed from vertically extending channel section members of galvanized steel sheets 11. They are rivetted or press jointed together side by side with the channels facing outwardly of the shaft whereby the basis of channels 12 form a continuous internal surface around the shaft. The joint 13 of the steel sheets is sealed by a mastic. In the channels 12 mineral wool 14 bonded to steel is provided to reduce sound transmission and drumming. Prepunched openings for services are designated by 15. Two thicknesses of plasterboard 16; 17 with lapped joints are screwed to the steel ribs 18 of the module. The joints of the outer plasterboards 16 are closed by a taperedged plasterboard 19. Details of a joint between adjacent upper and lower modules are shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The upper and lower peripheries of the modules 1; 3; 6 have encircling flanges 20 and the modules are stacked with spacer means in the form of shim plates 21 between the adjacent flanges 20. Compressible weather sealing strips 22 are located between the shim plates 21. Bolts and locating pins permit fast and acurate plumbing of the modules when installing them on site. On the inner side of the joint a preformed metal formwork 23 is provided and filled with a fire stop compound 24 and dryish concrete 25 to ensure a fire and smoke resistant joint between lift modules. At the level of the fire and smoke resistant joint a concrete floor 26 is formed. Figs. 9 and 10 depict lift shafts wall construction options. The module walls are used as permanent shuttering and rein¬ forcement for in-situ concrete lift shafts whereby the shaft wall consists of steel sheets 11 and a fill of in-situ concrete 27. Fig. 11 shows a vertical section trough the lowermost or pit module 6 extending into the pit 7 in the basement 28 of the building and being suspended from the module 1 of the first floor 29. The first floor module 1 is adapted to be supported in the structure of the building to support the modules 1; 3 of the shaft above. If necessary, the lift pit can be incor¬ porated into the pit module 6. If so, an integral floor 30 is provided in the lowermost module 6. The structural loads of the pit module 6 are carried to the module above and transferred to the adjacent floor structure.

Claims: Patent claims: 1. Lift shaft comprising a stack of separate self-supporting prefabricated shaft modules (1; 3; 6), each module having a structural strength sufficient to support the module or modules above whereby the shaft can be supported from a lower module, an uppermost module (3) containing winding apparatus (4) for a lift car (2) and a counterweight to raise and lower the car (2) and the counterweight in the shaft and each module having door means operable in conjunction with the lift car (2) to provide access to and from the car (2) when the car (2) is disposed in the respective module, characterised by means for using the modules (1; 6) as containers to carry the fully assembled lift car (2) and counterweight between the factory and the building site so that the modules (1; 6) and the inherent car (2) and counterweight can be craned into position on site. 2. Lift shaft according to claim 1, characterised by means for coupling the fully factory assembled lift car (2) and counterweight supported in the erected modules (1; 6) to the winding apparatus (4) and means interacting with the winding apparatus (4) for releasing car and counterweight of their temporary support. 3. Lift shaft according to claim 1, characterised by means for integrating the modules (1; 3; 6) in the structure of the building. 4. Lift shaft according to claim 3, characterised in that the modules (1; 3; 6) have walls formed from vertically extending channel section members (11) secured together side by side with the channels (12) facing outwardly of the shaft whereby the basis of the channels (12) form a continuous internal surface around the shaft. 5. Lift shaft according to claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the upper and lower peripheries of the modules have encircling flanges (20) and the modules are stacked with spacer means (21) between the adjacent flanges (20) of upper and lower modules and sealing strips (22) between the flanges (20) . 6. Lift shaft according to claims 3, 4 and 5, characterised in that means are provided at joints between adjacent modules to seal the joints against penetration of fire and/or smoke. 7. Lift shaft according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the next to lowermost module (6) of the shaft is adapted to be supported in the structure of the building to support the modules (1; 3) of the shaft above and the lowermost module (6) of the shaft is sus¬ pended from the module above to extend into a lift pit (7) in the lower part of the building.

Inventors: POWER LESLIE, PREWER JOHN, POWER, LESLIE, PREWER, JOHN
Applicants: INVENTIO AG
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: B66B7, E04B1, E04F17