Patent ID: 6981575

Claim:
A guide rail safety device, for an elevator car riding on a non-metallic guide rail formed of concrete, the guide rail safety device comprising: a housing; a wedge disposed in the housing, the wedge having a friction surface aligned for contact with the non-metallic guide rail; at least one horizontal locator disposed in the housing, for engaging the wedge and urging the friction surface into contact with the non-metallic guide rail so that the friction surface is wedged against the non-metallic guide rail by motion of the elevator car along the non-metallic guide rail; and an actuator for triggering urging of the friction surface by the horizontal locator, wherein the friction surface is sized and the wedge is shaped so that, when urged by the horizontal locator into contact with the non-metallic guide rail, the friction surface is wedged against the non-metallic guide rail with a pressure of not more than approximately 50 psi on the non-metallic guide rail, arresting the motion of the elevator car.