Patent ID: 7717236

Claim:
An elevator, comprising: A hoisting machine; A set of hoisting ropes; A traction sheave; An elevator car; Elevator car guide rails; and A brake; wherein the hoisting machine comprises a brake wheel with a braking surface, wherein the hoisting machine engages the set of hoisting ropes via the traction sheave in order to move the elevator car along the elevator car guide rails, wherein the brake is configured to affect rotational movement of the traction sheave, wherein the brake comprises: a brake frame; a brake shoe between the brake frame and the braking surface; a brake plate between the brake frame and the brake shoe; and a wedge piece between the brake plate and the brake shoe; wherein in a normal braking situation or in an emergency braking situation, a member of the brake frame is configured to urge the brake plate against the wedge piece in order to move the brake shoe toward the braking surface, and wherein in the emergency braking situation, when the elevator car is moving upward, the brake shoe is configured to move in a direction of rotation of the braking surface, and the movement of the brake shoe in the direction of rotation of the braking surface is configured to lighten a normal force between the brake shoe and the braking surface.