Patent Publication Number: US-9845226-B2

Title: Apparatus and method for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft

Description:
This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 15166560.1 filed on May 6, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an apparatus for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft according to the preamble of claim  1 . 
     The invention relates also to a method for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft according to the preamble of claim  16 . 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     An elevator comprises an elevator car, lifting machinery, ropes, and a counterweight. The elevator car is supported on a transport frame being formed by a sling or a car frame. The sling surrounds the elevator car. The lifting machinery moves the car upwards and downwards in a vertically extending elevator shaft. The sling and thereby also the elevator car are carried by the ropes, which connect the elevator car to the counterweight. The sling is further supported with gliding means at guide rails extending in the vertical direction in the elevator shaft. The gliding means can comprise rolls rolling on the guide rails or gliding shoes gliding on the guide rails when the elevator car is mowing upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft. The guide rails are supported with fastening means on the side wall structures of the elevator shaft. The gliding means engaging with the guide rails keep the elevator car in position in the horizontal plane when the elevator car moves upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft. The counterweight is supported in a corresponding way on guide rails supported with fastening means on the wall structure of the elevator shaft. The elevator car transports people and/or goods between the landings in the building. The elevator shaft can be formed so that one or several of the side walls are formed of solid walls and/or so that one or several of the side walls are formed of an open steel structure. 
     The guide rails are formed of guide rail elements of a certain length. The guide rail elements are connected in the installation phase end-on-end one after the other in the elevator shaft. The guide rails are attached to the walls of the elevator shaft with fastening means at fastening points along the height of the guide rails. 
     Also the landing doors have to be aligned when installed into the shaft. 
     When aligning elevator guide rails every bracket needs to be adjusted and the straightness of the guide rail is measured locally. Such a prior art system requires a lot of manual adjustment work and it may require multiple adjustment passes. The quality of the alignment will vary depending on the mechanic who is doing the alignment. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to present a novel apparatus for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft. 
     The apparatus for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing portion of claim  1 . 
     The method for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft according to the invention is characterized by what is stated in the characterizing portion of claim  16 . 
     The elevator shaft is provided with at least car guide rails at opposite side walls of the elevator shaft. The apparatus comprises: 
     a frame, 
     a first pair of actuators being positioned on a first side of the frame and a second pair of actuators being positioned on a second opposite side of the frame, each actuator comprising a support arm being movable in a second direction, each actuator being supported on the frame with a support mechanism being movable in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction, the second direction and the third direction extending in a coinciding plane or in parallel planes, 
     first gripping means being supported on the first side of the frame and second gripping means being supported on the second opposite side of the frame, the first gripping means being adapted to grip a first car guide rail and the second gripping means being adapted to grip a second opposite car guide rail, 
     whereby opposite car guide rails can be adjusted in relation to each other and in relation to the elevator shaft with the alignment apparatus. 
     The apparatus to be used in the method for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft comprises: 
     a frame, 
     a first pair of actuators being positioned on a first side of the frame and a second pair of actuators being positioned on a second opposite side of the frame, each actuator comprising a support arm being movable in a second direction, each actuator being supported on the frame with a support mechanism being movable in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction, the second direction and the third direction extending in a coinciding plane or in parallel planes, 
     first gripping means being supported on the first side of the frame and second gripping means being supported on the second opposite side of the frame, the first gripping means being adapted to grip a first car guide rail and the second gripping means being adapted to grip a second opposite car guide rail, 
     measuring means being attached to opposite sides of the frame in the vicinity of the first gripping means and the second gripping means, said measuring means being used to determine the position of the apparatus in the elevator shaft. 
     The method comprises the steps of: 
     adjusting the position of the first gripping means and the second gripping means in the second direction and in the third direction so that the desired distance between the car guide rails and the distance from the guide rails to elevator shaft walls is achieved, 
     installing the apparatus to an installation platform or to the elevator car top beam, 
     attaching the first gripping means and the second gripping means to respective car guide rails, whereby the distance between the car guide rails and the alignment of the car guide rails to each other is controlled, 
     installing guide rail brackets to approximate location by tightening the wall part of the guide rail bracket to the wall, by tightening the guide rail part of the guide rail bracket to the guide rail, and by leaving the connection fixings between the two rail bracket parts untightened, 
     arming the apparatus, whereby the actuators and the support mechanisms drive the apparatus into correct position based on the measurements made by the measuring means, 
     tightening the connection fixings between the two rail bracket parts, 
     disarming the apparatus, whereby the actuators are retracted, 
     unclamping the first gripping means and the second gripping means from the guide rails, 
     moving the installation platform or the elevator car upwards to the next bracket position. 
     A mechanic may move upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft on an installation platform during the alignment of the guide rails and the landing landing doors. The installation platform can be moved upwards and downwards by lifting means e.g. a hoist. The alignment apparatus can be supported on the installation platform when the mechanic moves between the support bracket locations in the elevator shaft. The mechanic stops the hoist at each support bracket location and uses the alignment apparatus to align the guide rail at said bracket location. The installation platform can be supported with gliding means on the two opposite car guide rails. The alignment apparatus makes it possible to align the two opposite car guide rails and/or the two counter weight guide rails and/or the landing doors in relation to the elevator shaft and in relation to each other. 
     The alignment apparatus will speed up the process-step of aligning the elevator guide rails and/or the counter weight guide rails and/or the landing doors compared to prior art methods. The alignment apparatus will also eliminate variations in the quality of the alignment. The quality of the alignment will be less dependent on the person performing the alignment. A trained technician can easily make a high quality alignment with the help of the alignment apparatus. 
     The alignment apparatus can be used in aligning the guide rails and/or counter weight guide rails and/or landing doors in a new installation and in re-adjusting the alignment of the guide rails and/or counter weight guide rails and/or landing doors in an existing elevator. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will in the following be described in greater detail by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in which 
         FIG. 1  shows a vertical cross section of an elevator, 
         FIG. 2  shows a horizontal cross section of the elevator shaft, 
         FIG. 3  shows a horizontal cross section of a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention, 
         FIG. 4  shows a horizontal cross section of a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention, 
         FIG. 5  shows a horizontal cross section of a third embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention, 
         FIG. 6  shows a horizontal cross section of a fourth embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a vertical cross section and  FIG. 2  shows a horizontal cross section of the elevator shaft. 
     The elevator comprises a car  10 , an elevator shaft  20 , a machine room  30 , lifting machinery  40 , ropes  41 , and a counter weight  42 . The car  10  may be supported on a transport frame  11  or a sling surrounding the car  10 . The lifting machinery  40  moves the car  10  in a first direction S 1  upwards and downwards in a vertically extending elevator shaft  20 . The sling  11  and thereby also the elevator car  10  are carried by the ropes  41 , which connect the elevator car  10  to the counter weight  42 . The sling  11  and thereby also the elevator car  10  is further supported with gliding means  70  at guide rails  50  extending in the vertical direction in the elevator shaft  20 . The elevator shaft  20  has a bottom  12 , a top  13 , a front wall  21 A, a back wall  21 B, a first side wall  21 C and a second opposite side wall  21 D. There are two car guide rails  51 ,  52  positioned on opposite side walls  21 C,  21 D of the elevator shaft  20 . The gliding means  70  can comprise rolls rolling on the guide rails  50  or gliding shoes gliding on the guide rails  50  when the elevator car  10  is mowing upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft  20 . There are further two counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54  positioned at the back wall  21 B of the elevator shaft  20 . The counter weight  42  is supported with corresponding gliding means  70  on the counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54 . The landing doors (not shown in the figure) are positioned in connection with the front wall  21 A of the elevator shaft  20 . 
     Each car guide rail  51 ,  52  is fastened with fastening means  60  i.e. brackets at the respective side wall  21 C,  21 D of the elevator shaft  20  along the height of the car guide rail  51 ,  52 . Each counter weight guide rail  53 ,  54  is fastened with corresponding fastening means  60  at the back wall  21 B of the elevator shaft  20  along the height of the counter weight guide rail  53 ,  54 . The figure shows only two fastening means  60 , but there are several fastening means  60  along the height of each guide rail  50 . The cross section of the guide rails  50  can have the form of a letter T. The vertical branch of the guide rail element  50  forms three gliding surfaces for the gliding means  70  comprising rolls or gliding shoes. There are thus two opposite side gliding surfaces and one front gliding surface in the guide rail  50 . The cross-section of the gliding means  70  can have the form of a letter U so that the inner surface of the gliding means  70  sets against the three gliding surfaces of the guide rail  50 . The gliding means  70  are attached to the sling  11  and/or to the counter weight  42 . 
     The gliding means  70  engage with the guide rails  50  and keep the elevator car  10  and/or the counter weight  42  in position in the horizontal plane when the elevator car  10  and/or the counter weight  42  moves upwards and downwards in the first direction S 1  in the elevator shaft  20 . The elevator car  10  transports people and/or goods between the landings in the building. The elevator shaft  20  can be formed so that all side walls  21 ,  21 A,  21 B,  21 C,  21 D are formed of solid walls or so that one or several of the side walls  21 ,  21 A,  21 B,  21 C,  21 D are formed of an open steel structure. 
     The guide rails  50  extend vertically along the height of the elevator shaft  20 . The guide rails  50  are thus formed of guide rail elements of a certain length e.g. 5 m. The guide rail elements are connected in the installation phase end-on-end one after the other. It is time consuming to install the guide rails  50  so that they are properly aligned along the whole height of the elevator shaft  20 . The quality of the alignment will vary depending on the mechanic who is doing the alignment. 
     Variations in the alignment of the guide rails  50  will result in lateral forces acting on the gliding means  70  when the car  10  moves upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft  20 . These lateral forces might cause vibrations to the gliding means  70  and thereby also to the elevator car  10 . The vibrations acting on the elevator car  10  will also cause noise disturbing the passengers in the elevator car  10 . 
     The mechanic moves during the alignment of the guide rails  50  typically upwards and downwards S 1  in the elevator shaft  20  on a working platform attached to the transport frame  11 . The transport frame  11  is moved by lifting means connected to the transport frame  11 . The apparatus can be supported on the transport frame  11  when the mechanic moves between the support bracket  60  locations in the elevator shaft  20 . The mechanic stops the lifting means at each support bracket  60  location and uses the inventive apparatus to align the guide rails  50  at said bracket  60  location. The support brackets  60  are formed of a first part being attached to the wall of the elevator shaft and a second part being attached to the guide rail. The two bracket parts are attached to each other with connection means i.e. bolts and nuts. Loosening of the connections means makes it possible to adjust the two bracket parts in relation to each other. 
       FIG. 1  shows a first direction S 1 , which is a vertical direction in the elevator shaft  20 .  FIG. 2  shows a second direction S 2 , which is the direction between the first side wall  21 C and the second side wall  21 D in the elevator shaft  20  i.e. the direction between the guide rails.  FIG. 2  shows further a third direction S 3 , which is the direction between the back wall  21 B and the front wall  21 A in the elevator shaft  20  i.e. the back to front direction (BTF). The second direction S 2  is perpendicular to the third direction S 3 . The second direction S 2  and the third direction S 3  form a coordinate system in a horizontal plane in the elevator shaft  20 . One further important measure is the distance between the guide rails (DBG). 
       FIG. 3  shows a horizontal cross section of a first embodiment of an apparatus for aligning guide rails and landing doors in an elevator shaft. 
     The alignment apparatus  900  comprises a frame  100 , actuators  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  attached to the frame  100  and gripping means  411 ,  412 ,  421 ,  422  attached to the frame  100 . 
     A first pair of actuators  210 ,  220  is positioned on a first side of the frame  100  and a second pair of actuators  230 ,  240  is positioned on a second opposite side of the frame  100 . Each actuator  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  comprises a support arm  212 ,  222 ,  232 ,  242  being movable in a second direction S 2 . Each actuator  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  is supported on the frame  100  with a support mechanism  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  being movable in a third direction S 3  perpendicular to the second direction S 2 . The second direction S 2  and the third direction S 3  extend in a coinciding plane or in parallel planes. 
     First gripping means  411 ,  412  is supported on a first side of the frame  100  and second gripping means  421 ,  422  is supported on a second opposite side of the frame  100 . The first gripping means  411 ,  412  can grip a first car guide rail  51  and the second gripping means  421 ,  422  can grip a second opposite car guide rail  52 . 
     The frame  100  is composed of three support beams  110 ,  120 ,  130  i.e. two parallel longitudinal support beams  120 ,  130  and a cross beam  110  being perpendicular to the longitudinal support beams  120 ,  130 . The cross beam  110  connects the longitudinal support beams  120 ,  130  at a longitudinal middle point of the longitudinal support beams  120 ,  130 . The horizontal cross section of the frame  100  forms a letter H. There are four actuators  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  supported on the frame  100 . The longitudinal support beams  120 ,  130  extend in the third direction S 3  in the elevator shaft  20 . The cross beam  110  extends in the second direction S 2  in the elevator shaft  20 . The cross beam  110  can have a telescopic structure provided with an actuator so that the distance between the two longitudinal support beams  120 ,  130  can be adjusted. This is needed in order to be able to adapt the apparatus  900  to the distance between the guide rails in each elevator installation. It would naturally on the other hand be possible to provide each of the gripping means  411 ,  412 ,  421 ,  422  with actuators so that the position of the gripping means  411 ,  412 ,  421 ,  422  in the second direction S 2  would be adjustable. 
     The first pair of actuators  210 ,  220  is supported on opposite end portions of the first longitudinal support beam  120 . The second pair of actuators  230 ,  240  is supported on opposite end portions of the second longitudinal support beam  130 . Straight lines extending between the middle points of the actuators  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  form a rectangle. 
     Each actuator  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  is advantageously a cylinder-piston actuator. The cylinder  211 ,  221 ,  231 ,  241  is attached to the frame  100 . One end of the support arm  212 ,  222 ,  232 ,  242  is attached to the piston inside the cylinder  211 ,  221 ,  231 ,  241  and the opposite other end of the support arm  212 ,  222 ,  232 ,  242  extends outwardly from the cylinder  211 ,  221 ,  231 ,  241 . 
     Each actuator  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  is supported on the respective longitudinal support beam  120 ,  130  with a support mechanism  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340 . 
     Each support mechanism  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  comprises a toothed longitudinal rack  311 ,  321 ,  331 ,  341  attached to the frame  100  and a drive means  312 ,  322 ,  332 ,  342  comprising a pinion and a servo motor driving the pinion. Each actuator  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  is on the one hand locked to the frame in the second direction S 2  and on the other hand movable in the third direction S 3  along the frame  100 . The toothed longitudinal rack  311 ,  321 ,  331 ,  341  extends along the longitudinal direction of the respective longitudinal support beam  120 ,  130  of the frame  100 . The support mechanism  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  locks the actuator  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  to the longitudinal support beam  120 ,  130  in the traverse direction of the longitudinal support beam  120 ,  130  i.e. in the second direction S 2 . The support mechanism  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  is on the other hand movable along the longitudinal support beam  120 ,  130  in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal beam  120 ,  130  i.e. in the third direction S 3 . This means that each actuator  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  is movable with the support mechanism  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340  in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal support beam  120 ,  130  i.e. in the third direction S 3 . 
     The first gripping means  411 ,  412  are positioned on an outer edge of the first side of the frame  100  i.e. on the longitudinal middle point of the first longitudinal support beam  120 . The second gripping means  421 ,  422  are positioned on an outer edge of the second side of the frame  100  i.e. on the longitudinal middle point of the second longitudinal support beam ( 130 ). 
     The first gripping means  411 ,  412  comprises two opposite jaws  411 ,  412  that are movable in the third direction S 3  towards each other and apart from each other. The second gripping means  421 ,  422  comprises also two opposite jaws  421 ,  422  that are movable in the third direction S 3  towards each other and apart from each other. The jaws  411 ,  412  of the first gripping means  411 ,  412  can grip on opposite side surfaces of the first car guide rail  51 . The jaws  421 ,  422  of the second gripping means  421 ,  422  can grip on opposite side surfaces of the opposite second car guide rail  52 . 
     A measuring means  510 ,  520  is attached to each of the longitudinal support beams  120 ,  130  in the vicinity of the gripping means  411 ,  412  and  421 ,  422 . The measuring means  510 ,  520  are used to determine the position of the alignment apparatus in the elevator shaft  20 . 
     The position of the alignment apparatus  900  in relation to the shaft  20  can be determined in various ways. 
     A first possibility would be to use traditional wires as plumb lines in the elevator shaft. The position of the wires could then be measured by a contactless measurement. The measuring means  510 ,  520  could be contactless measurement means surrounding the wires and detecting the position of the wires within the internal area of the measuring means  510 ,  520 . 
     A second possibility would be to install light sources e.g. laser transmitters forming virtual plumb lines on the bottom  12  of the elevator shaft  20  and to use position sensitive detectors as the measuring means  510 ,  520  on the alignment apparatus  900 . The position of the alignment apparatus  900  can be determined based on the hitting points of the light beams on the position sensitive sensors  510 ,  520 . 
     A third possibility would be to install a robotic total station on the bottom  12  of the elevator shaft  20  and to use reflectors as measuring means  510 ,  520  on the alignment apparatus. The position of the alignment apparatus  700  can be determined with the robotic total station, which measures the position of the reflectors on the alignment apparatus  900  and thereby the position of the alignment apparatus  900 . 
     A fourth possibility would be to install light sources e.g. laser transmitters on the bottom  12  of the elevator shaft  20  and to use digital imaging devices as measuring means  510 ,  520  on the alignment apparatus  900 . The digital imaging devices  510 ,  520  could be provided with a reflective or transparent screen at a distance in front of the photosensitive sensor of the digital imaging device. The reflective or transparent screen could easily be made greater than the photosensitive sensor of the digital imaging device making the possible hitting area for the light beam greater. The digital imaging device can take electronic images of either the light beam hitting the photosensitive sensor of the digital imaging device or of a pattern created by the light beam on the reflective or transparent screen. The position of the alignment apparatus  900  can be determined from the electronic images taken by the digital imaging device. 
     The actuator means  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  are moved outwardly so that the outer ends of support arms of the pistons  212 ,  222 ,  232 ,  242  are pressed against the respective walls of the elevator shaft  20 . The position of the alignment apparatus  900  in relation to the elevator shaft  20  can thereafter be changed by adjusting the actuator means  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  and by adjusting the position of the actuator means  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  on the alignment apparatus  900  with the drive means  312 ,  322 ,  332 ,  342  in the support mechanism  310 ,  320 ,  330 ,  340 . 
     The alignment apparatus  900  can be operated by a mechanic through a control unit  800 . The control unit  800  can be attached to the alignment apparatus  900  or it can be a separate entity that is connectable with a cable to the alignment apparatus  900 . There can naturally also be a wireless communication between the control unit  800  and the alignment apparatus  900 . The control unit  800  is used to control the actuators  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  and the drive means  312 ,  322 ,  332 ,  342 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a horizontal cross section of a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the alignment apparatus comprises further a separate first auxiliary apparatus  600  for aligning counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54 . The first auxiliary apparatus  600  is attached to the apparatus  900  for aligning guide rails. The first auxiliary apparatus  600  comprises a frame being composed of three beams  610 ,  620 ,  630 . The three beams  610 ,  620 ,  630  are formed by a longitudinal beam  610  and two perpendicularly from each end portion of the first longitudinal beam  610  extending beams  620 ,  630 . The perpendicular beams  620 ,  630  are attached from one end to the first longitudinal beam  610 . 
     The first auxiliary apparatus  600  comprises further first auxiliary gripping means  641 ,  642  positioned on the outer end portion of the first perpendicular beam  620  and second auxiliary gripping means  651 ,  652  positioned on an outer end portion of the second perpendicular beam  630 . The first auxiliary gripping means  641 ,  642  comprises two opposite jaws  641 ,  642 . The second auxiliary gripping means  651 ,  652  comprises also two opposite jaws  651 ,  652 . The jaws  641 ,  642  in the first auxiliary gripping means  641 ,  642  are movable in the second direction S 2  towards each other and apart from each other. The jaws  651 ,  652  in the second auxiliary gripping means  651 ,  652  are movable in the second direction S 2  towards each other and apart from each other. The jaws  641 ,  642  in the first auxiliary gripping means  641 ,  642  can grip on opposite side surfaces of the first counter weight guide rail  53 . The jaws  651 ,  652  in the second auxiliary gripping means  651 ,  652  can grip on opposite side surfaces of the second counter weight guide rail  54 . The first auxiliary apparatus  600  is used for align the counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54 . 
     The car guide rails  51 ,  52  and the counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54  can be aligned in the same process step with the alignment apparatus  900  due to the first auxiliary apparatus  600  that has been attached to the alignment apparatus  900 . This second embodiment of the alignment apparatus  900  can be used when the counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54  are positioned on the side wall  21 D of the elevator shaft  20 . Another possibility is to align the car guide rails  51 ,  52  and the counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54  in separate consecutive process steps. The position of the counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54  does not normally change in different elevators, which means that there is no need for further adjustments in the first auxiliary apparatus  600 . There could naturally be additional adjustment possibilities for the gripping means  641 ,  642 ,  651 ,  652  in the first auxiliary apparatus  600 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a horizontal cross section of a third embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention. This third embodiment differs from the second embodiment only in the position of the first auxiliary apparatus  600 . The longitudinal beam  610  of the first auxiliary apparatus  600  is attached to the ends of the longitudinal beams  120 ,  130  of the apparatus  900 . This third embodiment can be used when the counter weight guide rails  53 ,  54  are positioned on the back wall  21 B of the elevator shaft  20 . The first auxiliary apparatus  600  could be adjustable in the second direction S 2  in relation to the main apparatus  900 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a horizontal cross section of a fourth embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention. This fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the apparatus  900  comprises further a separate second auxiliary apparatus  700  for aligning landing doors. The second auxiliary apparatus  700  is attached to the apparatus  900 . The second auxiliary apparatus  700  comprises a frame being composed of three beams  710 ,  720 ,  730 . The three beams  710 ,  720 ,  730  are formed by a longitudinal beam  710  and two perpendicularly from each end portion of the longitudinal beam  710  extending beams  720 ,  730 . The perpendicular beams  720 ,  730  are attached from one end to the first longitudinal beam  710 . The perpendicular beams  720 ,  730  are provided with first auxiliary fixing means  741  and with second auxiliary fixing means  751 . The first auxiliary fixing means  741  and the second auxiliary fixing means  751  can be used to attach the landing door package  80  to the second auxiliary apparatus  700 . The door sill alignment and the upright alignment are used as reference positions for the alignment of the door package  80 . There could be a possibility to adjust the height of the second auxiliary apparatus  700  in relation to the main apparatus  900 . This adjustment possibility could be manual or automatic. Such an adjustment might be needed in order to position the door package  80  at the right height in relation to the door sill. The installation and positioning of the door packages  80  can be done in a separate process step after the guide rails are ready. The measuring means  510 ,  520  determine the correct position of the apparatus  900  and thereby also the correct position of the door package  80 . 
     The apparatus  900  can be mounted on an installation platform or on the elevator car that is movable in the first direction S 1  upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft  20 . The installation platform can be supported on the car guide rails  51 ,  52  with suitable gliding means. A hoist suspended from the top  13  of the elevator shaft  20  can be used to move the installation platform upwards and downwards in the elevator shaft  20 . The apparatus  900  can be operated manually by a mechanic or automatically by the control unit  800 . 
     The apparatus  900  is clamped to the two opposite car guide rails  51 ,  52  with the first gripping means  411 ,  412  and the second gripping means  421 ,  422 . The distance between the guide rails (DBG) and the alignment of the opposite car guide rails  51 ,  52  to each other is now controlled. The support bracket  60  bolts i.e. the bolts between the two parts of the support brackets are then opened at both sides of the shaft  20  so that the car guide rails  51 ,  52  can be moved. The apparatus  900  is now controlled to the correct position based on the position measured with the measuring means  510 ,  520 . The car guide rails  51 ,  52  on opposite sides of the elevator shaft  20  will then be adjusted to their correct position in relation to the elevator shaft  20 . The frame of the alignment apparatus  900  is stiff so that the two opposite car guide rails  51 ,  52  will be positioned with the apexes facing towards each other when the first gripping means  411 ,  412  and the second gripping means  421 ,  422  grips the respective guide rail  51 ,  52 . There is thus no twist between the two opposite car guide rails  51 ,  52  after this. The distance between the two opposite car guide rails  51 ,  52  is determined by the distance between the gripping means  411 ,  412 ,  421 ,  422  in the second direction S 2 . The support bracket  60  bolts can be tightened when the alignment is done. The first gripping means  411 ,  412  and the second gripping means  421 ,  422  can then be opened and the actuators  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  retracted so that the alignment apparatus  900  is free to be transported to the next support bracket  60  location. 
     The apparatus  900  can be used to align guide rails  51 ,  52 ,  53 ,  54  and doors  80  during an installation phase and/or during a separate alignment phase. 
     The use of the invention is not limited to the type of elevator disclosed in the figures. The invention can be used in any type of elevator e.g. also in elevators lacking a machine room and/or a counterweight. The counterweight is in the figures positioned on the back wall of the elevator shaft. The counterweight could be positioned on either side wall of the shaft or on both side walls of the elevator shaft. The lifting machinery is in the figures positioned in a machine room at the top of the elevator shaft. The lifting machinery could be positioned at the bottom of the elevator shaft or at some point within the elevator shaft. 
     It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as the technology advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.