Otis Elevator Company

USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Mukunda B Pramanik

Gerald E Johnson

Ary O Mello

John K Salmon

Sib S Ray

Rajendra V Mistry

Brian L Carnell

John D Fansler

A bidirectional overspeed device is provided for an elevator system having an elevator car for travel within a hoistway along a guiderail. The elevator includes a governor rope running from a governor sheave at the top of the hoistway to a tension sheave at the bottom of the hoistway, and a bidirectional overspeed device. The bidirectional overspeed device comprises a bidirectional governor, a first safety brake, a second safety brake and a bidirectional linkage apparatus. In the event of an overspeed condition in either direction, the bidirectional governor clutches the governor rope, thereby operating the bidirectional linkage apparatus which connects the governor rope to the safety. Depending on the direction of the car travel, the linkage apparatus is either pulled upward or downward. Consequently, either the first or second safety is engaged and the elevator car is stopped.

Mechanical overspeed safety device

A glass escalator balustrade is mounted in an extruded metal channel which is secured to the escalator truss. Closed cell foam strips are disposed in contact with the balustrade panels. The strips insulate the balustrade from noises produced by the operating components of the escalator thereby rendering the escalator quieter for passengers. A layer of the sound insulating fiberglass nylon insulation is also adhered to the underside of the inner deck panels to insulate the latter from noise produced by the step rollers and step roller tracks.

Sound insulation for escalator balustrade

A compensating rope sheave tie down assembly prevents the compensating rope sheave from sudden upward movement if the elevator car suddenly jumps upward. The compensating rope sheave assembly comprises a strap, an inertia reel that permits the strap to follow slow movement of the compensating rope sheave, and a spring retaining mechanism that maintains the strap taut at all times. By restricting the upward movement of the sheave, the sheave tie down prevents further upward movement of the elevator car as well.

Compensating rope sheave tie down

The guide rail for a moving handrail on an escalator or moving walkway is mounted on a glass balustrade by a mount assembly which includes a vibration-isolating gasket between the balustrade and the guide rail. The gasket is preferably formed from a closed cell foam material which isolates vibrations so that vibrations of the guide rail and handrail engendered by operation of the handrail do not cause the glass balustrade to vibrate. Controlling vibration of the glass balustrade quiets the escalator since the glass, if allowed to vibrate, will act as a loudspeaker which magnifies and broadcasts escalator handrail noise.

Moving handrail guide mount with vibration isolation

A means for controlling a rotor of a helicopter utilizes cyclic pitch chas to its rotor blades, accomplished with a cyclic control stick. Cyclic control sticks have been a matter of concern in crashing situations. Prior art cyclic sticks are hinged to that they can be pulled out of the way of a pilot thrown forward and down by an impact. A lanyard actuated by the movement of the pilot's seat pulls the cyclic stick away from the pilot. Since such systems require various mechanisms and pulleys there is a need for an improved cyclic stick. A crashworthy cyclic control stick which is pilot actuated to overcome these difficulties is provided herein.

Growing community of inventors

Burlington, CT, United States of America

Mukunda B Pramanik