Otis Elevator Company

Joseph Al LeDoux

James Thompson Beals

Paul Bennett

Mark Steven Thompson

Dat T Nguyen

Philip H McCluskey

Michael C Lang

David W McKee

Fred J Lussier

Richard J Ericson

Anthony Cooney

Samuel C Wan

An elevator safety brake for stopping an elevator car is provided with a brake shoe having a carbon-carbon composite friction surface for contacting an elevator guide rail surface to provide a stopping force. The friction surface of the brake formed from the carbon-carbon composite exhibits a consistent high friction and low wear suitably accommodating high speed, high load elevators installed in very tall buildings.

Carbon--carbon composite elevator safety brakes

An elevator safety brake is provided comprising two cantilevers, a pivot, a spring, and a hold-off-engagement linkage. In one embodiment, the hold-off-engagement linkage is comprised of two upper struts, and two lower struts. When it is desired to slow or stop the elevator via the safety brake, the lower struts move from a first position in which the lower struts are substantially in alignment with one another and the cantilevers are in an open position, to a second position in which the lower struts are not substantially in alignment with one another and the cantilevers are in a closed position. When the cantilevers are in the closed position, the spring exerts a force via the cantilevers on the guide rail in order to decelerate the elevator.

Safety brake

Growing community of inventors

Plantsville, CT, United States of America

Joseph Al LeDoux