CONTAINING STRUCTURE FOR LIFT MACHINERY

Abstract: Containing structure (10) for a lift machinery, the structure being made of metal or other suitable material, consisting of a housing (18) in which at least one of the constituent walls is defined by leaves hinged to a permanent wall (14) of the building or to another wall of the housing (18). The object of the present invention is to provide a containing room or structure for lift machinery, occupying very little space and at the same time providing enough space for maintenance work. A permanent fixed room within the building for the lift machinery is not required.

Description: Containing Structure for Lift Machinery DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a containing structure for lift machinery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a containing structure or room for lift machinery, consisting of an expansible structure located, for example, in the doorway present in correspondence with each stop along the lift shaft. As is known, the construction of lift equipment for passengers and goods is regulated by specific standards which require that, amongst other things, a suitable room be provided for containing the electrical control cabinet and machinery, or power unit that powers the cage movement. So the dimensions of this room in relation to the space occupied by the equipment installed therein must be sufficient, and there must be a minimum amount of free space allowing access for the operative who carries out maintenance. This room must not, of course, be accessible to unauthorised persons and is therefore fitted with a lockable door. The creation of a room of this kind inevitably reduces the space available within the building for residential or shared use. The object of the present invention is the avoidance of the inconveniences recited in the foregoing. More particularly, the object of the present invention is to provide a containing room or structure for lift machinery, occupying very little space and at the same time providing enough space for maintenance work. Another object of the invention is to provide a containing structure as defined above that does not require the design and construction of a permanent fixed room within the building. Another object of the invention is to provide a containing structure with small dimensions to fit into the space which is for example left beside the lift shaft door. A further object of the invention is to provide a containing structure which accommodates all necessary machinery equipment in a single room to achieve an easy and time-saving maintenance. These and still other objects of the invention are achieved with the containing structure for lift machinery of the present invention which, made of metal or other suitable material, is characterised fundamentally in that it consists of a housing in which at least one of the constituent walls is defined by leaves hinged to a permanent wall of the building or to another wall of the housing. The lift machinery preferably consisting of a hydraulic drive system has a pumpunit, arranged with its axle in a vertical position to achieve a slim shape of the containing structure. The constructional and functional characteristics of the containing structure for lift machinery of the present invention will be made clearer in the following description, in which reference is made to the attached sheet of drawings depicting a preferred and non- limitative embodiment, in which: Fig.l schematically shows a lift shaft with the containing structure of the present invention. With reference to figure 1, the containing structure for lift machinery, indicated in entirety by 10, is located, according to a preferred, but not critically important, embodiment, in correspondence with a landing doorway 12 of a lift shaft bounded by permanent walls 14 and open on at least one side in correspondence with the access 16 to the landing. According to the invention, the containing structure 10 basically consists of a housing 18 advantageously made of metal, which houses an electrical cabinet and power unit of the type known per se; the housing 18, which may, for example, be parallelepipedonal, is composed of metal panelling of suitable dimensions with regard to thickness to form side walls, back wall, base and top or ceiling. The front wall, which constitutes the access door, is formed by a plurality of leaves hinged to each other so that they can be folded together and/or against the front face of the housing 18. Fig. 1 illustrates by way of example the containing structure 10, the front wall 18' of which consists of three leaves 20, 20' and 22 fully opened and oriented preferably at right angles to each other; the opening of these leaves causes the creation of a space 24 whose dimensions are such as to comply with the requirements of current regulations, especially as regards the amount of free frontal space. The same Figure 1 indicates the movement of said leaves by the arrows A, B and C; the said leaves 20, 22, in the proposed illustrative embodiment, are connected together and hinged, for example, along the vertical wall 26, while the leaf 20' is an independent element. Obviously, the leaves 20, 22 and/or 20' can be formed from a number of parts or panels hinged to each other and able to be oriented in any direction to form the perimeter walls of the space 24. The bases of the various leaves, which are raised slightly of the floor surface, can be provided with wheels, balls or equivalent means for facilitating the opening and sliding of the leaves themselves, which when open form the space 24. The latter is provided with a lock or bolt (not illustrated) , which is preferably disposed on the leaf 20' and can engage with the corresponding catch disposed on the edge of one side of the housing 18. For maximum space saving the housing 18 is located beside the doorway 12 and in front of the space provided for the opening of automatic shaft doors 28, replacing a piece of shaft wall. During operation of the lift, the leaves 20, 20' , 22 which form the front wall 18' of the housing 18 are folded together and in the direction of the housing itself, the resulting total dimensions of which are, as a consequence, extremely small. When the attendance of staff is required for maintenance or repair involving access to the electrical cabinet and/or to the power unit, the leaves 20, 20' , 22 are opened and oriented towards the outside, for example, with a mutually perpendicular arrangement, and define the space 24 dimensioned according to the current standards; the operative positions himself inside this space and can close the leaf 22, which acts as a door, using the same lock which serves to close the complete assembly, or an independent lock or bolt located on the inside front of one and/or the other of said leaves. For a lift with a payload of 630 kg the containing structure 10 has a width of only 500 mm, so that the space beside the door is sufficient to place it. The housing 18 contains all the necessary equipment for a hydraulic lift machinery including a oiltank 30, a pumpunit 32 inside the oiltank connected to a pressure tube 34 leading to a jack arrangement inside the shaft, power supply, valves and control equipment. The oiltank is about 300 mm x 500 mm x 1200 mm. The hole machinery is not higher than a building floor, in the described embodiment about 1900 mm. Nevertheless full access to all machine parts is provided for the operative. The invention as described above and claimed below is proposed, however, purely illustratively, it being understood that the same can be susceptible of many modifications and variants which yet remain within the scope of the inventive concept. For example the leaves can be only solitary and the space for the operative can be secured by barriers. It will be understood, in particular, that structural reversals or alternative positionings of the components or parts that together make up the containing structure for the lift machinery of the present invention are possible.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Containing structure (10) for a lift machinery, the structure being made of metal or other suitable material, characterised in that it consists of a housing (18) in which at least one of the constituent walls is defined by leaves hinged to a permanent wall (14) of the building or to another wall of the housing (18) . 2. Containing structure according to claim 1, characterised in that said housing (18) is located in correspondence with a landing doorway (12) of a lift shaft bounded by permanent walls 14 and open on at least one side in correspondence with the access (16) to the landing. 3. Containing structure according to claim 2, characterised in that said housing (18) is located beside the doorway (12) and in front of the space provided for the opening of the automatic shaft doors, replacing a piece of shaft wall. 4. Containing structure according to claim 1, characterised in that said housing (18) contains the necessary equipment for a hydraulic lift machinery including a pumpunit (32) and control equipment. 5. Containing structure according to claim 1, characterised in that said wall consists of leaves (20), (20'), (22) and forms the front face (18') of the housing (18) . 6. Containing structure according to the preceding claims, characterised in that it has at least one lock or bolt for locking the leaves (20), (20'), (22) to each other and to the housing (18) . 7. Containing structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the opening of the leaves (20), (20'), (22) and the joining together along a vertical axis defines a space (24) oriented to the front with respect to the lift machinery. 8. Containing structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that one or more of the leaves (20), (20'), (22) consists of a plurality of elements or panels. 9. Containing structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that, the leaves (20), (20'), (22) are provided with an isolation layer to prevent sound emission. 10. Containing structure according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that, when the leaves (20), (20'), (22) are closed up, the housing (18) has a dimension substantially equivalent to the space occupied by the lift machinery.

Inventors: BONNARD LUC A, MARTINI ANGELO, BONNARD, LUC, A., MARTINI, ANGELO
Applicants: BONNARD LUC A, GMV S P A, INVENTIO AG, MARTINI ANGELO, BONNARD, LUC, A., GMV S.P.A., MARTINI, ANGELO
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B66B11
IPC codes: B66B7, B66B11, B66B13