Patent ID: 7398863

Claim:
A safety device for braking an elevator car in an elevator system, the elevator system including at least one guide rail having at least one guide surface thereon, the safety device comprising: a retaining element; an abutment spaced from and fixed relative to said retaining element; a braking element movably positioned between said retaining element and said abutment and spaced a distance from said retaining element sufficient to accept a portion of a guide rail therebetween, said braking element having a rest position spaced from a guide surface of the guide rail; a lever mechanism connected to said braking element for moving said braking element from said rest position to a braking readiness position contacting the guide surface of the guide rail when the elevator car is stopped whereby when said safety device is mounted on the elevator car and said braking element is in said braking readiness position, subsequent downward movement of the elevator car causes said braking element be squeezed between the guide surface of the guide rail and said abutment for braking the elevator car; and an operating mechanism connected to said lever mechanism for selectively moving said braking element between said rest position and said braking readiness position when the elevator car is stopped and wherein a position of said braking element is changeable along a guide of said lever mechanism.