Patent ID: 7543690

Claim:
A cable brake for an elevator for halting a cable strand comprising: a fixed brake plate; a moveable brake plate mounted to permit the cable strand to pass between said fixed brake plate and said moveable brake plate; a spring means connected to said moveable brake plate; a release mechanism connected to said moveable brake plate wherein actuation of said release mechanism releases said spring means from a pre-stressed condition and permits said spring means to move said moveable brake plate toward said fixed brake plate to a braking position to apply a braking force generated by said spring means to the cable strand; and a return mechanism connected to said moveable brake plate for moving said moveable brake plate from the braking position and away from the cable strand to a normal operating position to remove the braking force, said return mechanism including adjusting means for pre-stressing said spring means and setting the normal operating position of said moveable brake plate, wherein said spring means is connected between a first pressure plate at said moveable brake plate and a second pressure plate, said adjusting means selectively moving said second pressure plate along a path between two end positions relative to said first pressure plate for pre-stressing said spring means in the normal operating position.