Abstract:
A multiple function cross-head for an elevator is horizontally disposed at the upper ends of two vertical stiles that form an elevator car frame. The cross-head supports a door header, door hanger assembly, door operator assembly, and a cross-beam. The cross-beam supports a sheave assembly which engages a rope in an elevator system to raise and lower the elevator car in a shaftway.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/353,173, filed Jan. 28, 2003, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention is directed to the field of elevator systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an integrated door header forming a multiple-function elevator cross-head.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Elevator systems typically include an elevator car, an elevator door, and a door operator for opening and closing the door to the car. A conventional roped elevator system is shown schematically in FIG. 1.  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 shows a car  10  supported by a sling  20 . The car stops at a number of landings  40 . The car rests on a platform  45  which is supported by the sling  20 . The car  10  is guided by a pair of guide rails  50  (one of which is shown) on opposite sides of the car. A pair of sheaves  60  and  65  are rotatably mounted above the cab on a pair of horizontal shafts  63  and  67 . The shafts are supported by overhead support beams (not shown). One end of a hoist rope  69  is mounted to the sling substantially at the midpoint of the crosshead  25 , corresponding to the center of mass of the elevator car. The other end of the rope is attached to a counterweight in the hoistway (not shown). The car is driven by the rope  69 , which passes around and is guided by sheaves  60  and  65 .  
           [0005]    Sliding elevator doors or panels  70  are usually hung on a door hanger  80  which comprises a rolling assembly  85  fastened to the top of each of the door panels. The rolling assembly  85  supports and allows horizontal sliding movement of the doors  70 , and is actuated by a door operator. A track  87 , upon which the door hanger  80  rolls, is part of the door hanger assembly.  
           [0006]    A door header  90  (shown in partial cross-section) serves as a structural part of the frame to support the door hanger  80  and vertical struts or stiles  95 . Thus, sling  20 , cross member  25 , vertical stiles  95 , and door header  90  separately support the structure of the elevator cab and the other components. A roped hydraulic elevator having these components is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,872.  
           [0007]    Multiple weight-bearing and structural components in the elevator cab add weight to the elevator system. It would be desirable to reduce the number of separate elements forming the elevator system in order to simplify the construction of the elevator, and to reduce the weight of the cab.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention is an improved elevator system in which the functions of the sling, cross-head, and door header have been combined into an integrated cross-head. The inventive cross-head provides structural integrity to the elevator car, as well as a suitable location for the door operator and the door hanger. Thus, these structural and functional components of the elevator car are combined integrally at one location near the door in a compact manner. The cross-head can be used in conjunction with the triangulated elevator support structure described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/353,173, filed Jan. 28, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0009]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a three-function cross-head supports a sling of an elevator car. The cross-head comprises a header member horizontally disposed at the upper ends of two vertical stiles located near the entryway to the cab. The header supports a door hanger assembly for supporting one or more sliding elevator doors. The header also supports a door operator assembly for driving the one or more elevator doors between an opened and a closed position. A portion of the cross-head can also serve as a pick-point for hoisting the elevator cab. For example, a beam supporting a sheave assembly can be connected to the header. One end of the beam is connected to the header, and the other end includes one or more elements comprising the sheave assembly. The sheave, beam and header move vertically in unison.  
           [0010]    In another embodiment of the invention, a three-function cross-head has a member horizontally disposed at the upper ends of two vertical styles. An elevator tension member, such as an elevator drive rope, is affixed to the header. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 shows a conventional elevator system, in which a door header, door operator, and a sling having a cross-member are present as separate elements.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an elevator car system according to the present invention, in which a diagonal sling is attached to a multi-function cross-head.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the Figures, wherein like reference numerals correspond to like elements. The expressions “multi-function cross-head” and “three-function cross-head” both refer to the inventive cross-head described in this specification.  
         [0015]    In the figures, the new cross-head has been shown as having a center-opening door. Nevertheless, any kind of sliding door can be used with the present invention. For example, the doors can be single-speed doors, double-speed doors, side-opening doors, or any other kind of sliding elevator doors. In addition, the doors can be swinging elevator doors.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention comprising the inventive multi-function cross-head  150  as part of a diagonal sling  100 . The cross-head  150  has a horizontal member disposed at the upper ends of two vertical stiles  140  (only one of which is shown). The cross-head  150  supports a door header, door hanger assembly  160 , door operator assembly  170 , and a cross-beam  180  that is connected to a sheave assembly  199  for moving the elevator car  120  vertically.  
         [0017]    Sling  100  comprises two diagonal braces  109  on opposite sides of the elevator car  120  (only one brace is visible in the Figures). One end  110  of the brace  109  is secured to one section of the platform  119 . The other end  130  of the brace  109  is affixed to a diagonally opposite section of the crosshead  150 . Stiles  140  are fastened to cross-head  150  on opposite sides of the cab  120  to form the vertical members of a car frame. The cross-head  150  serves as a door header and supports the door hanger assembly  160  and the door operator  170 .  
         [0018]    Door panels  175  are hung on the door hanger, and door operator  170  drives the elevator doors to between an opened and a closed position. One end of a cross-beam  180  is attached to the cross-head  150 . A sheave assembly  199  is mounted to the second end of the cross-beam  180  and drives the elevator rope or tension member  185 . The sheave assembly comprises any number of sheaves, such as  190  and  195 . The elevator rope  185  is connected to a counter-weight (not illustrated) and to beam  180 . A motor moves the rope  180  and in turn moves the car  120  up or down.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the cross-head. The cross-head  150  serves several functions, including housing a door header, a door hanger  160 , and a door operator  170 . Elevator doors or panels  175  are hung on door hanger  160 . The door hanger  160  comprises rolling assembly  215  fastened to the top side of the door panel  175 . Track  217 , on which the hanger rolls, is part of the door hanger  160 . The rolling assembly  215  is actuated by the door operator  170  which is mounted on the same cross-head  150 . The door operator  170  comprises a motor driven device for opening and closing the door panels  175 .  
         [0020]    The cross-head also serves as a pick-point for attaching the car to the rope  180 . The cross-head  150  is fastened to stiles  140  on opposite sides of the car  120 . The stiles  140  form vertical members of a frame that supports the elevator car  120 . Diagonal brace  109  forms a part of the sling for supporting the cab. Car  120  is guided by a pair of guide rails  210  on opposite sides of the car  120 . One end of beam  180  is fastened to a stabilizing point on the cross-head  150 , and elevator rope  185  is secured to the other end of the beam  180 . The rope  185  wraps around sheave assembly (shown generally as  199 ). The sheave assembly comprises a plurality of rotatable sheaves. The sheaves, e.g.  190  and  195 , communicate with the other sheaves of the assembly through rope  185 . The rope  185  moves the sheave assembly  199 , the beam  180 , and the integrated cross-head  150 , and thereby the elevator car, vertically in unison.  
         [0021]    While the invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.