Otis Elevator Company

Florence Picard

Peter L Herkel

Pascal Rebillard

Nicolas Fonteneau

Dirk Heinrich Tegtmeier

Andres Monzon

Frédéric Beauchaud

Gérard Sirigu

Thomas Coquerelle

Michel Beeuwsaert

Olivier Stanislas Dukacz

Jean-Noel Cloux

David Pillin

Fernando Del Rio

Dominique Goulet

Alain Simonot

An elevator car includes a foldable handrail mounted on top of the car. Safety switches are associated with the foldable handrail including a first safety switch and a second safety switch. The first safety switch is closed only when the handrail is folded in a fully retracted position. The second safety switch is closed when the handrail is unfolded in a fully deployed position. A safety chain is associated with the first and second safety switches for supplying power to an elevator drive system in a normal operation or an inspection operation depending on the state of the first and second safety switches.

Foldable handrail and safety switch arrangement on top of an elevator car

The elevator has a car movable vertically within a shaft between lower and upper end positions and a drive system coupled to a traction system for controlling movement of the car. A limit switch which is open when the car is in a selected distance range from one of the end positions. The limit switch forms part of a power line supplying power to the drive system for controlling movement of the car in a direction towards that end position in an inspection operation. Thus movement of the car is prevented only in that direction when the car is in the selected distance range in an inspection operation.

Elevator having a limit switch for controlling power to the drive system as an elevator car approaches a shallow pit or a low overhead

Growing community of inventors

Griselles, France

Florence Picard