Safety blocking system for an elevator swinging door

Abstract: The patent deals with a safety system for blocking an elevator swinging door, to guarantee the closing and/or blocking of the door, made up of a blocking assembly mounted on the doorframe (4) this blocking assembly including a closure ratchet (8) which can be moved on the doorframe (4) between blocked and unblocked positions; an activator (10) of closer ratchet (8) mounted on the doorframe (4) and connected in operation to the closer ratchet (8) in that a rotation of this activator (10) of closer ratchet (8) results in the movement of the closer ratchet (8) between the mentioned blocked and unblocked positions; a key guide (12) covering activator (10) of the closer ratchet and including an opening (14) in the closer ratchet for access to activator (10) of closer ratchet; and an emergency key (22) having a nozzle (28) to come into contact with the activator (10) of closer ratchet and to turn the latter through said opening (14) of the key guide (12), it being possible to operate this key guide (12) to prevent the nozzle (28) of the key and activator (10) of closer ratchet from being released when this closer ratchet (8) is in the unblocked door position; a mechanism (52) to hold the closer ratchet in the unblocked door position when the floor door is open; and a trigger mechanism (34) to free the holding mechanism when the floor door is closed so that the closer ratchet returns to its door blocked position in order to block the door and the emergency key (22) returns to the initial position in which the nozzle (28) of the key can be disconnected from the ratchet activator (10) and can be removed from the doorframe (4.)

Description: Technical Field The present invention deals with a safety system for the swinging doors (vertical axis doors which open manually) used on elevator systems floors. The invention mechanically guarantees that it will only be possible to remove the emergency key from the door fastener when it is in the "blocked position." Background art Elevator floor swinging doors have an electromechanical bolt/fastener usually installed in the frame of the door, which has two related and interdependent functions, which are: to prevent operation of the traction machinery by normal operation devices unless the floor door is in the blocked position; and prevent the opening of the door on the floor side unless the car is stopped or stopping in the resting zone on that floor. To guarantee these two functions, the closer includes: a) an electrical contact, which is activated by two metallic pins fastened to the floor door which, when it is closed, sends a "closed floor door" signal to the car controller, freeing the lock of the car door; and b) another independent electrical contact "floor door closed" system also located in the same assembly. This other system activates the mechanical blocking of the door by a ratchet which moves horizontally penetrating an orifice in the side of the door and blocking it. There is also a lever connected to the ratchet axis where an electrical contract is activated when the ratchet is in "blocked position" sending the signal to the control indicating "floor door blocked." The unblocking of the door can be done in two ways: a) by the presence of the car at the floor (normal procedure), or b) by using an emergency key (exception/unusual or emergency procedure.) In the first way, which is the normal procedure, the closing device is unblocked when the car stops or is stopping at the floor, through a movable ramp located in the car, which pushes a lever connected to the axis that makes the ratchet retract, unblocking the door. This situation continues until the car leaves, which will only happen when the closed floor door electrical contact is activated. The the movable ramp immediately retracts freeing the closing lever which causes the ratchet to return to the "blocked position," activating the "floor door blocked" electrical contact and the car leaves. The second way, which is the object of this invention, only occurs under unusual or emergency circumstances, that is, the door is unblocked on the floor side with a special tool or emergency key. This key is introduced through a hole in the frame of the door and includes a triangular recess which fits on a triangular shaped pin situated in the closer. The recess remains over the key and couples with the closer pin. This triangular pin is connected to a lever that moves the blocking ratchet, unblocking the door lock when the key is turned. The door blocking of the door occurs when a trigger, located in the closer, under the electrical contact, is pushed by a pin attached to the door, thus freeing the ratchet. The closer ratchet has three positions: 1. Totally retracted (when activated by the car's ramp or by the emergency key turned and secured in this position.) 2. Intermediate position--or first stage (when the door is unblocked by the emergency key and is kept open without the car being present--in this situation the trigger is "armed.") 3. The "blocked" position--or second stage (when the closer trigger is disarmed, freeing the ratchet.) The emergency key should be used only in exceptional cases, such as: repairs, inspection, maintenance of the elevator system or to recover some object that has fallen into the elevator shaft; and in emergencies, for example a passenger trapped in the car due to the car stopping outside of the floor area. This can happen due to various factors, such as lack of electricity, failure of the controls and other factors. Even when the car is not stopped at the floor, in the previous technology, the door can be unblocked with the use of the emergency key by inserting it into the lock located in the doorframe and turning it so that the blocking ratchet is moved until the door is unblocked. Keeping the key in the same position, the door can be opened manually and the key can then be released so the ratchet assumes the first stage position. The door possesses systems that guarantee its automatic closing in such a way that when the door is released, it returns automatically to the "blocked" position and one of the door pins activates the trigger, which frees the closer ratchet, which is in the first stage, to move into the second stage or "blocked" position. It is possible to remove the door key regardless of what position the closer ratchet is in. Disclosure of the invention In the invention, the emergency key can only be removed from the doorframe when the closer is in the blocked position. It involves a safety system which requires the key user to close the door until it is blocked in case there should occur some failure in the swinging door's automatic closing system, so that it fails to block. In this case, the door closer ratchet is found in the first stage and the invention prevents the removal of the key from the door, so the user will have to manually push the door until it is blocked by the closer ratchet which assumes the second stage or "blocked" position. The invention involves a security system for closing the swinging door, consisting of a device called a guide and an emergency key which remains in the door until the door is closed and blocked. The invention will be quickly become more evident from the fillowing illustrative description taken together with the attached drawings. Brief description of the drawings Figure 1 is a front view elevation of the key guide which is mounted in the frame of the elevator floor door; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the key guide taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a lateral elevation of the emergency key adapted for use in this invention; Figure 4 is a front elevation of the emergency key; Figure 5 is a blown-up lateral elevation, partial cross-section of the components of the door closer; Figure 6 is a fragmented front elevation of the floor ddorframe showing the key inserted in it to unblock the door; Figure 7 is a top plan view of the door when it is opened with the key located in the frame; Figures 8-13 are front elevation top plan views of the door, of the key in the frame showing the various phases of the positions of the key and the door when the door is closed and open; Figure 14 is a front elevation of the blocking mechanism showing the connection between the closer ratchet and the key mechanism when the door is blocked; Figure 15 is a laterial elevation view of the blocking mechanism as seen from the right side of Figure 14; Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 14 but showing the mechanism when the door is unblocked; and Figure 17 is a lateral elevation of the blocking mechanism as seen from the right side of Figure 16. Best mode for carrying out the invention Referring to Figures 1-5, what is represented is the door closer and the emergency key incorporating the invention. The closer assembly, generally denoted by the number 2 and mounted in doorframe 4 includes a box 6 on which the components of the closer are mounted. A closer ratchet 8 is mounted on the box 6 to slide when the latter is coming or going. The activator 10 of the closer ratchet is mounted on box 6 and projects from it. The activator 10 preferably has a triangular transverse cross section. A key guide 12 is mounted on the box 6 covering activator 10. As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the key guide 12 has a generally triangular opening 14 through its front face 16 which opens into circular chamber 18. Activator 10 of the ratchet projects into the circular chamber 18, as seen in Figure 5. Access to the triangular opening 14 in the key guide 12 is obtained by way of opening 20 in the front face of doorframe 4. The emergency key 22 has an arm 24 and a staff 26 which ends in a nozzle 28. Nozzle 28 has a triangular external profile and a triangular recess 30. Nozzle 28 is inserted through the opening in the triangular guide 14 for telescopic action of the activator of the ratchet within recess 30 of the nozzle. The configurations of activator 10 and of recess 30 of the nozzle are complementary so that rotation of the key 22 and nozzle 28 result in rotation of activator 10 which serves to draw back the closer ratchet 8 and open the door. Figures 6-13 illustrate the manner in which key 22 operates for the purpose of unblocking floor door 32 of the elevator. Nozzle 28 of the key is inserted through opening 20 of the doorframe and within key guide 12. The key is then turned clockwise causing ratchet activator 10 to turn, and thus drawing back closure ratchet 8. This frees the door 32 to be opened. As seen in Figures 12 and 13, nozzle 28 of the key ends up unaligned with opening 14 of the key guide when key 22 is turned so that door 32 is open. A holding mechanism which will be described in detail below, operates for the purpose of restraining ratchet 8 in its drawn back position so long as the door 32 is open, thus keeping key 22 in its turned position. Key 22 therefore cannot be removed from the key guide 12 if door 32 is open. When door 32 is closed again, an unstopping pin 34 located in the door frees ratchet 8 to return to its blocked position and makes key 22 pivot back to a vertical position so that the key 22 can be removed from doorframe 4. In this manner, key 22 cannot be removed prematurely before door 32 is closed and blocked. The chances of leaving the door accidentally unblocked are thus substantially reduced. Referring to Figures 14-17, therein illustrated are details of the internal operation of closer 2. In Figure 14, the ratchet is shown in its extended blocking position which it occupies to secure the door. Ratchet 8 has a cleft that receives the upper part of a lever 36 which itself is mounted to pivot in the interior of box 6. Lever 36 is requested in the counter-clockwise direction by spring 38. In this manner, closer ratchet 8 is drawn in the direction of its extended fastening position. Activator 10 is secured with a cotter to lever 36. A sliding pin 40 projects from lever 36. A spindle 42 is mounted for rotation within box 6. The return cam roller bearing 44 and an arm of lever 46 that detect the presence of the elevator car stopped at the floor are mounted on the spindle 42 and are operable to make spindle 42 turn when the car is going to stop at the floor. Spindle 42 bears a plate 48 that is connected to lever 36 by a rigid wire clamp 50. The action of the spring 38 that solicits lever 36 in the counter-clockwise direction, results in clamp 50 dragging plate 48 down in such a way that spindle 42 is impelled around its axis in a clockwise direction as seen in Figure 15. Latch 52 is mounted on a spring guide 54 to execute a rotation induced by gravity on the spring in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Figure 15. When ratchet 8 is in its extended fastening position, latch 52 enters into contact with sliding pin 40, as is seen in Figures 14 and 15. This contact keeps latch 52 from pivoting around spring guide 54. Figures 16 and 17 show how the latch 52 operates to hold closer ratchet 8 in its drawn position after being drawn whether by operation of cam roller 44 and the arm of lever 46, or by use of emergency key 22 which turns ratchet activator 10. In any case, sliding pin 40 moves up and separating from latch 52 allowing the latch to pivot around spring guide 54 to a position just below sliding pin 40 as represented in Figures 16 and 17. When latch 52 and sliding pin 40 are disposed in this manner lever 36 and ratchet 8 are secured in their drawn positions in which the floor door can be opened. Once lever 36 is held in the position shown in Figure 16, the activator 10 and key 22 will be held in the position shown in Figure 11. Referring to Figure 5, once distance A on nozzle 28 of the key is greater than distance B between an extremity of activator 10 and the junction between circular chamber 18 and triangular opening 14 of key guide 12, key 22 cannot be removed from the doorframe until lever 36 and ratchet 8 are held in their drawn back positions. In order to free sliding pin 40 from latch 52, floor door 32 must be closed completely. When door 32 is completely closed, tripper pin 34 moves through opening 35 in doorframe 4 (see Figure 6), enters in contact with latch 52 and pushes the latter clockwise around spring guide 54 back to the position shown in Figures 14 and 15. This released sliding pin 40 and allows spring 38 to make ratchet 8 and lever 26 return to their respective positions shown in Figures 14 and 15, in which door 32 will be secured in closed condition. When lever 36 returns to its normal secured position, the configurations of activator 10 and opening 14 of the key guide will be aligned in such a way that key 22 can be removed from doorframe 4. It can be easily perceived that the combination of door latch and emergency key as modified above, will prevent the person in charge of maintenance person from accidentally forgetting to, or neglecting to, close and secure the floor door after performing some service, because, if the door is not completely closed and secured, the maintenance person will not be able to remove the emergency key from the doorframe. As the key cannot be removed from the doorframe, the maintenance person will automatically inspect the door to find out why it is not closed and secured. It shoud be clear that other, not triangular, forms of keys, key guides and activators can be used to obtain the objectives of this invention. The essence of the invention is simply that the key will not be able to be removed from the doorframe unless the door is closed and secured.

Claims: Safety/security system for blocking a swinging elevator door, made up of a blocking assembly mounted on the doorframe (4), this blocking assembly containing a closure ratchet (8) which can be moved on doorframe (4) between blocked and unblocked positions; an activator (10) of closer ratchet (8) mounted on the doorframe (4) and connected in operation to the closer ratchet in that a rotation of this activator (10) of closer ratchet (8) results in the movement of the closer ratchet (8) between the mentioned blocked and unblocked positions characterized by a key guide (12) covering the activator (10) of closer ratchet and including an opening (14) in the same for access to the activator (10) of closer ratchet; and an emergency key (22) having a nozzle (28) to come into contact with the activator (10) of closer ratchet and to turn the latter through said opening (14) of the key guide (12), it being possible to operate this key guide (12) to prevent the nozzle (28) of the key and the closer ratchet activator (10) from being released when this closer ratchet (8) is in the unblocked door position; a mechanism (52) to hold the closer ratchet (8) in the unblocked door position when the floor door is open; and a trigger mechanism (34) to free the holding mechanism when the floor door is closed so that the closer ratchet (8) returns to its door blocked position in order to block the door and the emergency (22) key returns to the initial position in which the nozzle (28) of the key can be disconnected from the ratchet activator (10) and can be removed from the doorframe (4.)

Inventors: CALDEIRA EDUARDO MAGALHAES, MARTINEZ SEVERO FERNANDEZ, CALDEIRA, EDUARDO MAGALHAES, MARTINEZ, SEVERO FERNANDEZ
Applicants: OTIS ELEVATOR CO, OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B66B13
IPC codes: E05B35, B66B13, E05B11, E05B65