Patent ID: 7975807

Claim:
An elevator climbing system, comprising: a plurality of stationary roller chains having individually addressable links, wherein at least one of said roller chains is a drive chain, wherein at least one of said roller chains is a stabilizer chain, wherein said stationary roller chains are substantially linear, and wherein opposing end sections of at least one of said stationary, substantially linear roller chains is constructed to anchored to an adjacent surface or structure; and a platform constructed to traverse said stationary, substantially liner roller chains, said platform further comprising: a motor having an axle; a plurality of paired guide rollers, said guide rollers in each of said pairs being axially spaced and coaxially parallel; a plurality of sprockets having radially projecting teeth, each of said sprockets being offset substantially perpendicularly from said axis of said paired guide rollers, wherein said paired guide rollers cause said roller chain to firmly engage said sprocket respectively, wherein at least one of said sprockets is a drive sprocket attached to said axle, wherein at least one of said sprockets is a stabilizer sprocket connected via a linkage to said drive sprocket, wherein said linkage includes a first linking sprocket attached to said axle of said motor, a second linking sprocket attached to a second axle having opposing ends and a linking chain forming a loop and engaged with said first and second linking sprockets, said stabilizer sprockets attached to each opposing end of said second axle such that said drive sprocket and said stabilizer sprockets are driven at substantially equivalent rates; a closed loop hydraulic dampening assembly coupled to said axle of said motor for dampening purposes and emergency descent capabilities, wherein said dampening assembly includes a hydraulic fluid reservoir in fluid communication with a dampening pump, an adjustable relief valve in fluid communication with and positioned between said dampening pump and said hydraulic fluid reservoir for restricting fluid flow along a first flow path to said dampening pump from said hydraulic fluid reservoir when said platform traverses said stationary, substantially linear roller chains in a first direction, a unidirectional check valve in fluid communication with and positioned between said dampening pump and said hydraulic fluid reservoir for free fluid flow along a second flow path to said dampening pump from said hydraulic fluid reservoir when said platform traverses said stationary, substantially linear roller chains in a second direction, and hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic fluid reservoir and said dampening pump; and a braking assembly coupled to said axle of said motor.