SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ELEVATOR GUIDE RAILS

Abstract: A profiled shaft structure for use in an elevator shaft, which can be fixed to the building at points around the shaft space. The structure consists of one or more profiled shaft elements (1) connected together, said profiled structure functioning in the elevator shaft as a load-bearing structure. Formed in the profiled structure is a protruding part (6) functioning as a counterweight guide rail and the profiled structure can be provided with a car guide rail (8, 15). A supporting structure for an elevator, comprising two profiled shaft structures mounted at a distance from each other.

Description: SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ELEVATOR GUIDE RAILS The present invention relates to a profiled shaft structure as defined in the preamble of claim 1 and to a supporting structure as defined in the preamble of claim 16. When an elevator is to be built in an existing apartment house, the size and location of the elevator have to be considered with special attention. The elevator is often placed in a staircase, in which case the space available is limited. Such a solution is only possible in the case of small eleva- tor structures. It is possible to place the elevator beside the stairs or partly in their place. In some cases, the stairs have to be removed to some other place. If the space available for the elevator shaft is small, then it is necessary to find shaft constructions requiring as little space as possible. If a new elevator shaft is built in an old building or if an old shaft is extended to reach a level clearly below the lowest floor, then this will also be a significant cost factor. As is known, the elevator shaft is provided with separate guide rails for the car and the counterweight. The elevator and its counterweight travel in the elevator shaft along the guide rails guiding them, on which they are supported by means of sliding guide shoes. When all the guide rails supporting the elevator and counterweight are located as a con- tinuous structure on one side of the elevator car, the arrangement is called "rucksack suspension". In general, elevator guide rails and the various adjustable brackets used to hold them are separate parts, requiring some space in the lateral direction of the shaft. Specification US 6012554 presents a profiled guide rail element for use in an elevator shaft, combining the parts serving as car and counterweight guide rails into the same structure. The guide rails consist of separate parts which are connected to each other by means of certain fastening ele- ments. The profiled element comprises a U-shaped part to which are attached L-shaped parts which together form guide rails for both the counterweight and the car. This prior-art solution for forming the guide rails consists of several parts and is disadvantageous in respect of space utilization. Neither is the prior-art solution applicable as a load-bearing structure in the elevator shaf . The object of the invention is to disclose a shaft structure that can be accommodated in a space as small as possible and which can be constructed economically and quickly. As for the features characteristic of the invention, reference is made to the characterization parts of claims 1 and 16. As for other features characteristic of the invention, reference is made to the sub-claims. The object of the invention can be achieved by integrating the guide rails for the counterweight and the car into the same structure, a so-called profiled shaft structure. The profiled shaft structure to be mounted in an elevator shaft can be fixed to the building at points around the shaft space, and the structure consists of one or more successive lengths of profiled shaft structure connected endwise together. The profiled structure functions in the shaft as a structure supporting the elevator, and the profiled element is provided with a protrusion extending in the direction of the shaft and functioning as a counterweight guide rail, which profiled element can be provided with a car guide rail. According to an embodiment, the profiled elements have been formed from an elongated metal plate by bending the plate in relation to its longitudinal axis. It is also possible to produce the profiled element of the invention by roll forming or by extruding e.g. from aluminum. The profiled shaft element is preferably manufactured from a single piece of durable material, such as steel, machined to shape. Using the profiled element makes it possible to save shaft space and minimize the costs. The material, installa- tion and maintenance costs are reduced as a single piece is used instead of many pieces. According to the invention, the profiled structure is open toward the direction where the counterweight is located. When two profiled structures are mounted opposite to each other on either side of the shaft, they will together form a load-bearing structure of the elevator, being supported on the floor at the shaft bottom and attached by other parts to fixed building structures. The profiled structures bear all the forces applied to them from the elevator, and both the machine and the counterweight are placed in the space between the profiled structures. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the profiled shaft element comprises a back part and, projecting in the same direction from the back part, a front part and an end part, both being substantially perpendicular to the back part, with an edge part extending inward from the end part, adding to the rigidity of the structure. According to an embodiment of the invention, the edge of the front part of the profiled element is further bent so as to form a projection which functions as a car guide rail. Between the back part and the projection, a connecting piece can be provided to render the structure more rigid. According to an embodiment of the invention, the profiled element comprises a mounting bracket preferably extending in- ward from the front part of the profiled element in a direction parallel to the back part, allowing a car guide rail to be attached to the outer surface of the mounting bracket . According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the profiled shaft element comprises a back part and, projecting in the same direction from the back part, a front part and an end part, both being substantially perpendicular to the back part, with an edge part extending inward from the end part, adding to the rigidity of the structure. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the projection function- ing as a counterweight guide rail has been formed by working a portion of the back part of the profiled element into a triangular shape in cross-section, allowing an advantageous distribution of the forces applied to the guide rail. Sliding guides attached to the counterweight can be easily mounted on the projection so that they can slide along the guide rail. According to an embodiment, the projection forming the counterweight guide rail can be formed by working a portion of the back part of the profiled element into a substantially rectangular shape in cross-section. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the supporting structure for an elevator comprises two profiled shaft structures mounted at a distance from each other. The profiled structures bear all the forces applied to them from the elevator. When two profiled shaft structures are mounted opposite to each other on either side of the shaft, they form together a load-bearing structure supporting the elevator, resting on the floor at the shaft bottom and fastened by other parts to fixed structures of the building. According to a preferred embodiment, the profiled structures can be con- nected to each other. According to the invention, the elevator machine and the counterweight can be placed substantially between the profiled structures. The distance between the counterweight guide rails provided in the profiled shaft elements is larger than the distance between the car guide rails. As the profiled structure forms the counterweight guide rails, the width of the counterweight can be increased and therefore its height reduced, which means that less shaft space is needed in the vertical direction. According to an embodiment of the invention, the structure comprises a mounting bracket preferably extending inward from the front part of the profiled element in a direction parallel to the back part. According to an embodiment of the invention, a guide rail for the elevator car can be mounted on the mounting bracket. In this way, preferably the same piece can be used both as a counterweight guide rail and as a mounting surface for the car guide rail. According to an embodiment of the invention, the profiled shaft element can be provided with a tightening element placed between the mounting bracket and the back part to strengthen the structure. Tightening elements are placed in the profiled shaft structure at certain distances between them. By using a load-bearing structure consisting of two profiled structures, it will be possible to use elevator cars of different widths with it. The total width defined by the pro- filed elements is 1000 mm, on which it is possible to suspend e.g. cars having a width of 800, 900 or 1000 mm. Cars of different widths are mounted on the profiled elements by moving the cladding walls surrounding the profiled elements farther apart. Preferably the same profiled structure of the inven- tion can be used in the implementation of many elevator solutions. The cladding walls are attached to the profiled elements using certain fastening elements, such as bolts. The profiled structure is fastened directly to the fixed structures of the building. A structure having a height corre- sponding to the shaft height and consisting of profiled elements according to the invention can be easily and quickly erected and it can be assembled as a prefabricated member at factory or installed from components on site. In addition, it allows easier assembly of the elevator. By using a profiled element as provided by the invention, a compact shaft structure assembly is achieved while saving shaft space. In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Fig. 1 presents a profiled shaft element according to the invention in top view. Fig. 2 presents another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 illustrates the connection of the profiled shaft elements to each other in the shaft . Fig. 4 shows how the profiled shaft structure is disposed in the shaft . Fig. 1 presents a top view of the profiled shaft element 1 of the invention, which is a cross-sectional view of the struc- ture in Fig. 3, taken along the dotted line A-A. The profiled element comprises a back part 9 extending in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, with an end part 2 projecting in a substantially perpendicular direction from the back part and an edge part 3 extending inward from the end part at a cer- tain angle to stiffen the structure. Further, the structure comprises a front part 4 projecting from the back part, with a mounting bracket 5 extending in a substantially perpendicular direction from the front part to allow a car guide rail 8 to be attached to its outer surface. Further, wrought from the back part 9 is a protruding part 6 which functions as a counterweight guide rail, guiding the guide shoes 7 of the counterweight. The profiled shaft element 1 is mounted longitudinally in the elevator shaft, and individual profiled elements can be connected to each other so as to form a profiled shaft structure extending through the entire height of the elevator shaft. The car guide rail 8 is fastened to the mounting bracket 5. Depicted in the figure is also a fastening element 11, which are used to connect the separate profiled shaft element lengths to each other. Tightening ele- ments 12 are fixed to the profiled structure at given distances to maintain the rigidity of the structure. Fig. 2 presents another embodiment of the invention. According to this embodiment, a profiled element consisting of a single piece has been bent so as to form both a counterweight guide rail 6 and a car guide rail 15. The structure is braced by a connecting piece 14 fixed to the profiled element by means of fastening elements 13, such as e.g. bolts. The profiled element also comprises a back part 9 from which an end part 2 projects in a direction perpendicular to the back part, with an edge part 3 extending inward at a given angle from the end part. Further, projecting from the back part is a front part 4 with a projection 15 protruding from it, forming a car guide rail. Fig. 3 illustrates the manner in which the profiled elements 1 are fastened to each other in the longitudinal direction of the elevator shaft by means of fastening elements 11 placed at the juncture between profiled elements. The figure shows a view at the upper end of the shaft. The figure also shows the tightening elements 12 used to stiffen the structure. Disposed at the upper end of the shaft are mounting elements 10 serving to hold the machine of the elevator between the profiled structures. Fig. 4 shows how profiled shaft structures support an eleva- tor. The landing doors comprised in the elevator system are mounted in the surrounding structures in a conventional manner and are not shown in the figure. Neither does the figure show the cladding elements surrounding the elevator, nor the car, which is placed in a car frame 18 supporting it. The figure shows how the drive motor 16 is mounted on a transverse supporter 19 connected to the profiled elements 1. All rope pulleys guiding the ropes, the traction sheave 24 of the drive motor, the counterweight rope pulley 22 and the car rope pulley 23 are located on the same side in relation to the elevator car. The counterweight 17 is placed between the profiled elements 1. It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that different embodiments of the invention are not limited to the examples described above, but that they may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Profiled shaft structure for use in an elevator shaft, which can be fixed to the building at points around the shaft space, characterized in that the structure consists of one or more lengths of profiled shaft element (1) connected endwise together, said profiled structure functioning in the elevator shaft as a structure supporting the elevator, which profiled element is provided with a protruding part (6) extending in the direction of the shaft and functioning as an elevator guide rail. 2. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the profiled element comprises a protrusion (6) extending in the direction of the shaft and functioning as a counterweight guide rail, and which pro- filed element can be provided with a car guide rail (8,15) 3. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 2, characterized in that the profiled shaft element has been formed from an elongated metal plate by bending the plate in relation to its longitudinal axis. 4. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the protrusion (6) formed in the profiled element functions as a guide rail of the counterweight of the elevator. 5. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that the profiled shaft element (1) has been produced from a single piece worked to shape. 6. Profiled shaft structure as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that that the profiled structure is open toward the direction where the counterweight is located. 7. Profiled shaft structure as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profiled ele- ment comprises a back part (9) and, projecting in the same direction from the back part, a front part (4) and an end part (2) , both being substantially perpendicular to the back part, with an edge part (3) extending inward from said end part. 8. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 7, characterized in that the edge of the front part (4) of the profiled element is further bent so as to form a projection (15) which functions as a car guide rail. 9. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that a connecting piece (14) can be placed between the back part (9) and the projection (15) to render the structure more rigid. 10. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 7, charac- terized in that it comprises a mounting bracket extending inward from the front part (4) in a direction parallel to back part (9) , allowing a car guide rail (8) to be fastened to its outer surface. 11. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 7, charac- terized in that the protrusion (6) functioning as a counterweight guide rail has been formed by working a portion of the back part (9) of the profiled element into a substantially triangular shape in cross-section. 12. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 7, charac- terized in that the protrusion (6) functioning as a counterweight guide rail has been formed by working a portion of the back part (9) of the profiled element into a substantially rectangular shape in cross-section. 13. Profiled shaft structure as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a mounting bracket (5) extending inward from the front part (4) in a direction parallel to the back part (9) . 14. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 13, characterized in that a guide rail for the elevator car can be mounted on the mounting bracket (5) . 15. Profiled shaft structure as defined in claim 13, charac- terized in that the profiled shaft element can be provided with a tightening element (12) placed between the mounting bracket (5) and the back part (9) to stiffen the structure . 16. Supporting structure for an elevator, which structure can be fixed to the building at points around the elevator shaft, characterized in that the profiled shaft structure consists of one or more lengths of profiled shaft element connected endwise together, said profiled structure functioning in the elevator shaft as a structure supporting the elevator, which profiled structure comprises a protrusion extending in the direction of the shaft and functioning as a counterweight guide rail and which profiled structure can be provided with a car guide rail and the supporting structure comprises two profiled shaft struc- tures mounted at a distance from each other. 17. Supporting structure as defined in claim 11, characterized in that the profiled shaft structures can be connected to each other. 18. Supporting structure as defined in claim 11 or 12, char- acterized in that the elevator machine (16) and the counterweight (17) can be placed substantially between the profiled structures. 1-9 • Supporting structure as defined in claim 11, 12 or 13, characterized in that the distance between the counter- weight guide rails (6) formed in the profiled shaft elements is larger than the distance between the car guide rails (8, 15) .

Inventors: HEINONEN JONAS, KARIMIES MARTTI, MAEKIMATTILA SIMO, HEINONEN, JONAS, KARIMIES, MARTTI, MAEKIMATTILA, SIMO
Applicants: HEINONEN JONAS, KARIMIES MARTTI, KONE CORP, MAEKIMATTILA SIMO, RAUTARUUKKI OY, HEINONEN, JONAS, KARIMIES, MARTTI, KONE CORPORATION, MAEKIMATTILA, SIMO
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B66B7
IPC codes: B66B7