Elevator

An elevator system, named elevator, Elevator or lift, is a plant can be transported with the persons or loads in a moving car, a car or on a platform in vertical or oblique direction between two or more levels. Elevator systems include in conveying to the discontinuous conveyors.

The actual definition for an elevator is:

Head at least 180 cm
Partially guided elevator car
Fixed access points.

3.2.1 Einkabinenaufzüge
3.2.2 Double-deck elevators
3.2.3 More cabin lifts ( twin system )
3.2.4 Paternoster lifts

3.3.1 Vertical Lifts
3.3.2 inclined lifts
3.3.3 special form Schmid- People Mover

5.1 traction elevator
5.2 Hydraulic elevator
5.3 Rack and pinion lift
5.4 Vacuum Elevator
5.5 rope -less elevator

6.1 General components
6.2 Specific components of a cable lift
6.3 Specific components of a hydraulic elevator

7.1 Hand Control
7.2 Collective control
7.3 push button control
7.4 destination selection control

8.1 Safety concept
8.2 emergency
8.3 Internal doors and stopping accuracy

Distinction between

The word also referred to lift equipment to oblique to carry skiers up, see the ski lift, ski tow and chairlift.
A person transport basket on a crane is no elevator, because it does not meet the preceding requirements.
Escalators are separated from elevators by the fact that they are not subject to the Lifts Directives, but the own European Directive EN 115, Safety of escalators and moving walkways.
Shaft hoisting systems are in principle similar to the elevators, they apply technology historically the elevators as a model and how these are attributable to the discontinuous conveyors. Differences to elevator systems exist in dimension and arrangement of the essential plant elements. Shaft hoisting systems not subject to the elevator but the mining regulations.
Cable cars are a separate division of means of transport and are subject to the cable car laws.
Funicular railways are a sub- type of cable cars and are occasionally referred to as inclined elevator because of the similarity of the guide on an inclined plane and not always clear distinctive way.

History

Small goods lifts were used early on to order goods from the kitchen to transport in the dining rooms. Only later also passenger lifts were built.

Decisive for the breakthrough was the invention of the crash- lift in 1853 by the Americans and founder of the Otis Elevator Company Elisha Graves Otis. At a demonstration in front of a large audience Otis was in an elevator and had cut through by an assistant whose only support cable. The elevator stopped himself from himself, and the security was so impressively demonstrated. With the now established ability to use safe passenger lifts, the triumph of the skyscraper, whose upper floors were only easily accessible by elevators began. Starting in 1891 was the Leonardsatz (Ward -Leonard- converter ) of the U.S. electrical engineer Harry Ward Leonard, especially in industrial elevator facilities, used for speed control. This type of motor control was replaced only with the industrial tires introduction of the thyristor set.

In Europe, elevators prevailed until the 1870s, after a hydraulic lift was in Paris for the first time been presented at the World Exhibition in 1867. 1880 was presented by Werner von Siemens, the first electric elevator in Mannheim. The Otis Elevator Company delivered in 1903, the first gearless elevators for the Beaver Building in New York and the Majestic Building in Chicago.

As a result, changed the architectural design of large residential and office complexes. Were previously more than four floors as downright dangerous to health, has now virtually unlimited built the elevator to the height and the upper floors are still easily reached. The significance of the different levels returned also to " the elevator ended the era of Bel Etage and establishes the the Penthouse" (Andreas Bernard ).

The formerly widespread open lattice design of the cabin in an equally open shaft, usually in the middle of these stairs surrounding, is not built for security today, but such plants outside Germany are also in Europe still in operation, as appropriate, the old open cabin by a new closed was replaced in the old shaft.

The elevator is the safest means of mass transportation. In 72 hours driving, statistically, every person on earth even lift. Today, the elevator industry is evolving, and special equipment such as elevators without machine room or systems with frequency-controlled drives are spreading more and more.

Types and types of elevators

Depending on type of investment and use lift equipment can be divided into:

Types by purpose

Elevator

The elevator is mainly used for the transport of persons. It is the most commonly used are coming Lift type.

Goods lift

A freight elevator is an elevator system for priority transport of loads and, if necessary escorts. The use is only the operator of the elevator system and its employees allowed.

For freight elevators were simplified versions in terms of construction, at the suggestion of the industry. Industrial buildings are often not freely accessible facilities with a solid group of people who will be trained regularly. So could be dispensed with in the past on the car doors. After many serious accidents with sometimes fatal consequences goods lifts often had to at least be retrofitted with light curtains as a backup. New freight elevators need to DIN EN 81 now basically car doors.

Goods lift

A freight elevator is according to the previous German Regulation lift an elevator system which is intended solely for the transport of goods without the supervision of people. Entering - except for loading and unloading - and who are passengers are prohibited. For this reason, goods lifts may be fetched and operated from the outside. In the cabin there is no control panel may be located.

Special forms of freight elevators are small freight elevators as they are used in office buildings to transport files or as a laboratory for use lifts, as well as dumbwaiters in villas or catering undertakings. Frequently encountered in the streets are furniture lifts that apply to the transportation of furniture moves, preferably from higher floors, application.

Car Lift

Car lifts are specially designed for the carriage of motor vehicles, particularly passenger vehicles. They are subject, in addition to the normal rules, in particular rules regarding the installation and operation of the facilities. They are designed with a load capacity from 2000 kg.

The Shanghai World Financial Center is a car elevator was installed to supply the exhibition hall on the 94th floor at 423 meters with cars and other loads. It is designed for a payload of 3 tons and reached the exhibition hall in about two minutes. It probably involves acting to the currently longest and the highest altitude for a car elevator floor in the world.

Construction elevator

A construction lift is a form of an elevator system which is installed on tall buildings for the transport of persons and goods during construction.

Many construction site lifts work since the 1980s, according to the rack - and-pinion system. This means that most of pylons, which are screwed together, the toothed racks are mounted. These racks are of the elevator cars, usually with the aid of electric motors, driven by the pinion. They are therefore referred to as climbing elevators. The conveyor speeds are very different. Depending on the transport capacity and head they are generally 24-100 m per minute. Elevators in this embodiment may be used only by specially trained personnel, because they must be free from the cabin in case of interruption itself.

The viability of construction site hoist begins at about 100 kg, and comes in special cases up to 10,000 kg, the drive execution of the / of the motor / electric motor is provided with supportive measures ( hydraulic support / frequency converter), in particular the high starting currents during start-up with high load to decrease.

Heads of at least 75 m height are the rule, heights up to 450 m can be reached with special lattice towers. In construction site lifts you also distinguishes between a single car plant and a double car plant. This indicates the number of cars that can drive up to a pole. For double car equipment racks are mounted on two opposite sides of the pylons. These allow the independent driving of each elevator car. Mostly, this variant is used for cost savings in taller buildings, since only a lattice mast must be maintained and installed. Examples can be found at Enka, Moscow City project and exhibition Tower Frankfurt.

Besides are - especially when roofers - skip hoists for material handling equipment in use from which to develop the furniture lifts. They are fast and without major attachment measures temporarily opened, but only for loads up to 500 kg.

Special form Schiffshebewerk

→ Main article: Boat Lift

A special form represents a boat lift in cross promotion and vertical promotion where the boat lift as a vertical or inclined elevator works. The water trough fulfills the function of the cabin. As an example called: Boat Lift Saint-Louis/Arzviller.

Designs to booth system

Einkabinenaufzüge

Elevators with a cabin for a floor have always been and still standard.

However, the ever-higher buildings require for rapid coarse and fine distribution of people and loads more complex lift systems in the single shaft. Cabins with more than one door are called by handlers. They allow you to get in and out in different directions, thus making the room layout on the floors flexible.

Double-deck elevators

Double-deck elevators - also: double-deck elevators and double -deck elevators (the three terms are applied equally ) - have two firmly connected cabins and thus take two floors at the same time. In this case, a flexible control is possible, but also a pairwise grouping, so that one of the odd lifts, another moves to the stories straight. On hold with high passenger volumes as entrance halls or Sky lobbies the same time approached the elevator floors via escalators are developed to be made available both decks of the elevator.

To allow the use of double-deck elevators in buildings with different floor heights, there are designs where the two cabins are connected by screw drives or scissors-like links. The controller adjusts the cabin while driving distance each floor distance between the two approached floors to.

Double-deck elevators are more and more often in tall buildings for use. Examples:

One of the oldest and most famous double decker equipment since its opening in 1889, the double-deck elevators in the pillars of the Eiffel Tower.
In Burj Khalifa, currently the ( early 2010) the highest building in the world were also built double-deck elevators with a speed of ten meters per second.
The Shanghai World Financial Center, the Otis Elevator Company Company and ThyssenKrupp Elevator 32 double -deck elevators were placed as high-speed elevators as a community order. With a load capacity of 2,000 kilograms and a top speed of ten meters per second (36 km / h) they use the Sky Lobby at 240 meters above sea level. Before these systems were the fastest double deck elevators in the world in July 2009.
In Taipei 101, they provide the visitor platforms in the 89th and 91st floor.

Also on ships are occasionally double-deck elevators are used, such as on the train ferries the Railship AG, where the rapid distribution of railway wagons double-decker lifts have been used ( Railship I and II) or ( Railship III).

Theoretically, according to this principle systems with three or more firmly connected cabins conceivable.

More cabin lifts ( twin system )

Since 2003, ThyssenKrupp AG elevators in an otherwise conventional traction sheave art in which run two cabs in the same shaft. The lower car is carried by support cables that run past the upper cabin side. Through a destination selection control the host computer start and finish every journey have been known before the journey begins; Collisions are excluded in the control. Compared to two elevators one above the other in the same shaft, the system has the advantage that there is no rigid limit which can not be crossed by the cabins. By dodging the cabs in a recessed pit or increased headroom, it is possible that both cars will continue serving all floors. This is a time saving of 65 % can be achieved.

Theoretically, according to this principle also plants with three or more cars in a shaft possible.

Paternoster lifts

→ Main article: paternoster

Distinction according to the direction of movement

Vertical lifts

The standard direction of motion of elevators, as they can be found in buildings of all kinds, is in the perpendicular direction (vertical).

Inclined lifts

→ Main article: inclined elevator

Often found in buildings elevators, where the cabins have to cover an inclined relative to the vertical distance. Sometimes in such systems are combinations of inclined, vertical and leadership in sheet form for use. One of the best known systems of inclined lifts of this type are double-deck elevators in the pillars of the Eiffel Tower.

A special form of inclined lifts represent those systems in which a distinction from funicular railway is no longer clear. To resolve this problem of demarcation, the term " inclined elevator " clearly defined at the European level with the European Lift Directive (Directive 95/16/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 June 1995 on the approximation of the laws of Member States relating to lifts ). Thus, an inclined lift is a means of transport which, pulled by ropes or chains, is intended for the transport of persons or persons and goods and the between guide rails inclined at a maximum angle between 15 ° and 75 ° from the vertical, without restriction of the travel moves (European standard for inclined elevators - prEN 81-22 ).

→ Main article: Stair lift

Another special form of people are inclined lift to mention the stairlifts for overcoming stairs. They are designed as platform or hanging lifts for wheelchair transport or as a seating and standing lifts.

Special form Schmid- People Mover

A special form of the Schmid People Mover ThyssenKrupp elevators for bridging of roads, railways, waterways and the like. The cabin is guided in a combination in the vertical direction in two towers and in the horizontal direction via a bridge. The drive sits on the cab roof. The cab is mounted on a trolley, which takes over the management task on the guide rails. Inside the towers the car drives like a normal elevator vertically along the guide rails. In the horizontal part of the bridge, the cabin is hanging out on the trolley. The Schmid People Mover shall legally lift.

Elevators as transport

General lifts are considered the safest and most trafficked transport in the world. A statistical average each person uses every three days a lift. Chance of elevators serve as transportation in the public transport (PT ), they can be used for free on payment of a transport charge or. Typically, free-standing facilities on a mountain slope, the upper level is usually reached via a bridge:

The Lacerda linked since 1873 the lower city with the upper city of the Brazilian city of Salvador da Bahia
Katarinahissen in Stockholm Slussen connects since 1883 with the 38 meters higher Södermalm, but in 2001 this was out of service
On the island of Helgoland since 1885 connected by an elevator as the only public transport the lowlands to the Oberland
The Mönchsbergaufzug since 1890 connects the old town of Salzburg with the monk mountain
In the Swiss capital Bern lift the mat leads since 1897 by the Badgasse to the cathedral platform
In Lisbon, the Santa Justa connects since 1902 the lower city with the upper city
The elevator Bad Schandau promoted since 1904 people on the so-called Ostrava disc
The Completed in 1905 Hammetschwand lift in Switzerland opens up a vantage point on the Bürgenstock
Monaco: Monte Carlo In you can take the elevator from one district to another.
Marburg: Four plants (one private, the rest of the public) with a total of eight elevator cars connect the upper to the lower parts of the city (see transportation in Marburg # lifts)
In Stuttgart, a glass lift connects the Castle Square with the Kleiner Schlossplatz.
In Baden the Limmatsteg and promenade lift connects the community Ennetbaden with bathing station

Drive systems for lifts

Used in accordance Depending on the application and the prior art, there are currently four types of systems of power transmission to drive in head to implement. This is not the same for all four types of systems with actuator types, because there are different types of drives when traction elevator and gave. Another, which is currently " rope -less elevator ," said drive system is still state of research and still far from the maturity phase.

Cable lift

When the roped elevator car is suspended on suspension ropes. The oldest form of the traction elevator was the drum elevator in which the ropes were wound on a drum, similar to a fishing line. The ropes are secured to the one end fixed to the drum. The counterweight is suspended from a second cable to be unwound from or to a counter-rotating drum which is located on the same shaft. The first drum elevators were built in the mid 19th century and driven by steam engines. Since the length of the cables is limited by the size of the drum, and the drum lift is not suitable for high heads, he was increasingly replaced by the traction sheave elevator. Another disadvantage is the use of only a single carrying cable, the less security than the use of multiple ropes as the traction elevator. Another advantage is the lack of shelter.

When traction elevator, the suspension ropes, carrying a counterweight at one end of the cabin and at the other end, on a driven roller, the drive pulley out. The cables are not fixed to the drive pulley, but are held by friction and moved. To increase the contact surface and thereby the friction, the drive pulley having grooves, such as V-groove (V -shaped) or circular groove - with or without the undercut - in which the cables are pressed by the tension. The advantage of the traction sheave elevator is that almost any long suspension ropes can be used ( by the weight of the ropes, however, is required from a certain rope mass a rope compensation chain, which, no matter what the Verfahrstand counterbalances the weight ) and this energetically economical to operate as a drum lift. This type of lift is suitable for high-rise buildings.

The drive pulley principle was invented by the German mining engineer Carl Friedrich Koepe, in 1878 a hoisting plant of the Zeche Hannover fitting out for the first time.

As drive types in rope elevators steam engines were used in the early days, and later the steam engines were replaced by electric drives. Power is transferred to the drive pulley via a combination of electric motor-gear (formerly also of drum elevators ) with 0.1 m / s to 2.5 m / s or gearless lift machines with 0.63 m / s to about 10 m / s.

The engine room is usually above the shaft, in the shaft head. It can also be placed in the middle or at the bottom of the elevator shaft via deflection rollers. The load is at any rate taken from overhead components. By using mostly gearless permanent magnet motors and space-saving sizes have been around since about 1995 (controlled with the introduction of the EN81 1999) and machine- room-less (MRL ) traction elevators with a motor with the frequency inverter in the bay area and a remote control. They are usually used up to 80 m, but not at load lifts. The maintainability is somewhat difficult, and each manufacturer has his own patent, which is still protected. For greater heights, the drive is indeed often without gears, but in an engine room.

There are different types of suspension:

In 1:1 suspension the car and the counterweight are each attached directly to the cable ends. In the 2:1 suspension rope ends to the ceiling ( headroom ) are attached to the elevator shaft while car and counterweight according to the cords by pulleys. Such a simple pulley is generated with twice the load can be lifted ( at half speed). Other possible suspensions are 4:1 and 6:1. However, you will find rare, and almost exclusively in freight elevators, application.

As a supporting means of various embodiments are generally used steel cables. Find use for some time but also coated steel belts (coated polyurethane ) coated steel wire (coated polyurethane ) and ropes made of synthetic fibers (aramid).

Hydraulic elevator

In hydraulic elevators, the car is moved by one or more hydraulic pistons, which are typically mounted vertically at the bottom of the hoistway. If the cab fixed to the piston, it is called a direct hydraulic lift. If the force is transmitted through suspension ropes and pulleys, he is referred to as indirect hydraulic lift. When roped hydraulic elevator is basically a reversed -driven pulley, in which the loose pulley is moved by the hydraulic system. In direct drive systems, the piston may be (in- ground) or next ( borehole- free ) of the cabin are always next to it in indirect systems.

Unlike traction elevators are more suitable for smaller heads. Meanwhile heights of 15 to 25 m possible about it is uneconomical compared to the rope. Free direct hydraulic borehole is usually used up to 10 m height. The engine room is usually located next to the lowest level. For problematic space he may also be ordered removed by the hydraulic transmission, usually in up to 15m distance. In and / or under the elevator shaft there is usually only the piston. Meanwhile, there are systems where the drive is also installed in the elevator shaft, so-called machine- room-less (MRL ) systems. Advantages it offers for lifts, since almost all of the floor and not the ceiling will be charged. This is advantageous in locations without space or sufficient stability for a well head as well as additional supports, such as optically to be maintained or cramped buildings. Top speed is limited, it is a maximum of 1 m / s, typically at 0.63 m / s

Rack and pinion hoist

In a rack and pinion hoist the elevator car is equipped with its own drive. The drive can be an electric motor or an internal combustion engine according to the rack / pinion gear principle.

Rack and pinion hoists are used among other things as construction hoist, crane operator lifts, emergency lifts or maintenance lifts to transport materials and people. They are installed in guyed masts or similar structures in order to maintain flight safety lamps or other parts of the system more easily. Examples of installed rack lifts in the maintenance area, the support poles of the Elbe crossing 2 or the radio mast of WDR in Velbert- Langenberg with petrol engine. As a crane operator lifts the Erzumschlager Hansaport in Hamburg or as rescue elevators for firefighters at the railway tunnel Zurich - Thalwil. For many he is also known from tours and excursions as driveway way to the roof of Cologne Cathedral.

Vacuum lift

As exotic special variant of the vacuum elevator exists. The actuation is accomplished via a pneumatic. An air pump or turbine raises or lowers the base plate of the elevator, depending on the floor height. In this respect, not from a vacuum, but rather by a " compressed air-driven " lift would be more accurate as similar to the previous pneumatic tube to speak. Advantages include the small dimensions (a ring of about a meter in diameter is sufficient) and other ultra smooth start and stop operations. Disadvantages are the low production capacity ( 1 to max. 2 persons) and the low overall height. Modern installations are lift up to 10 meters. The tube type in his futuristic vacuum elevator finds his niche product especially for one-and two -family houses as well as in boat building.

Rope -less elevator

At RWTH Aachen University in the Institute of Electrical Machines a rope- less elevator has been designed and built a prototype. The cabin is in this case driven by two electromagnetic synchronous linear motors and thus held only by a vertically movable magnetic or moved. This work is intended to serve the development of lift systems for very tall buildings. A goal is the use of several cabins per shaft, which can be controlled independently. When you select your destination, before departure, that is, still outside of the elevator, a certain car is selected in one of the elevator shafts for the ride, with which the planned transport can perform the fastest. The space required for the entire elevator system could thus be reduced by one or more shafts. Since the cabins are operated without ropes, a shaft change is also conceivable. This additional operational strategies can be developed for the rope -less elevator system, for example, a modern paternoster elevator with independently moving each other cabins.

As part of the research on the rope -less elevator is also working on the development of electromagnetic linear bearings to minimize wear of the rope -less elevator system at high driving comfort. Worldwide is working on various research institutions to ropeless drive solutions for elevators.

Main components of an elevator installation

General components

Crash cushion ( buffer, springs or oil dampers )
Landing stations
Digital Display
Landing door
Direction Gong
Guide rails
Limit switch (limit switch)
Pit control (including emergency calls)
Cabin interior panel
Inspection control
Cabin door statements
Cabin fan
Photocell or light grid
Emergency
Emergency call station
Door control unit

Specific components of a cable lift

Drive ( elevator machine ) with constituents Operational and safety brake
Possibly frequency
Motor in combination with a possible transmission
Traction sheave
Catching device ( in both directions)

Specific components of a hydraulic elevator

Drive with the components Heberabsinkverhinderung
Hydraulic jacks
Hydraulic control block including solenoid valves
Motor with pump
At rope Hydraulic: pulley
Possibly soft start ( soft start )

Any safety gear (only down)

Control concepts

Hand Control

By the middle of the 20th century elevators were mainly hand-operated ( control lever ). An elevator operator 's attention with a call system for passengers, opened and closed the doors, operated a travel switch and ran the stories on oral request.

Collective control

The controller saves external calls and internal commands. These are, as long as they are in the current direction of travel of the car, run on the road in turn.

We distinguish between upward and downward collective control and full collective control. The latter uses two push buttons ahead (up and Absammelnd ). After entering a journey wish to the outer panels (call) or from the car operating panel (command ), the direction of selection in the controller determines (call above or below the respective cabin location ). In elevator Groups collecting controllers can be used, which are also designed as buck, boost or full collective control.

Push-button control

In contrast to the control group only one command or call is stored in each case, with cabin commands take precedence over external callbacks. After entering a command or call it is stored and blocked until the end of the ride, all further inputs. The push button control is now used only for smaller houses to about five stops.

Destination selection control

The destination control was invented in 1997 by Schindler Elevator Ltd. Ebikon / CH. In the destination selection control when calling the elevator the destination floor must already be entered. This allows the control of a targeted scheduling and increases the capacity significantly. A system with express and Nahaufzügen can be operated more flexibly: The passenger does not need to know more, which is a lift of the express elevator, and restrictions as " stop only at every 10th floor " are not necessary. Destination selection control result in more non-public buildings sense, where multiple elevators are combined into a so-called " group " and the passengers are familiar with the operation, because the operation of the conventional type is different. Each lift of the group is a fixed term ( numbered or lettered from A -...) provided. When manually entering the destination floor or by card (badge with fixed allotted floor in commercial buildings ) in the central terminal to the passenger, the corresponding lift in this central terminal is displayed. The passenger embarks on this lift. When you next open the doors he enters the car and is driven to his destination floor. In the cabin there are no floor buttons. The control panel consists only of an emergency call button, a door open, and optionally a door - to button. Should the passenger want to change his driving desire, he must first leave the existing drive and desire to enter its goal a return trip request to the central terminal. Intelligent destination selection control systems feature a wheelchair option, so that the controller takes into account the increased space requirements of a wheelchair and allocates fewer people than usual the next available cab.

For multi- cabin lifts (two cars in one shaft ) this control is a prerequisite for the efficient use.

Security

Technical rules for elevators are controlled by the European Directive 95/16/EC. This Directive was transposed in Germany by the elevator Regulation ( 12 GPSGV ) into national law. In addition, elevators are classified installations for the purposes of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and must be checked at least every two years by an authorized body. The generally designated main examination recurring examination held not later than every two years; between two main tests, but is still an intermediate examination requirement. In this respect, the test cycle is about twelve months. In Austria elevator law is not regulated national law but at the provincial level. Thus, there are nine in Austria elevator laws or regulations within the Building Law (Wiener elevator Act of 2006, NE Elevator 1995 Regulations, Vorarlberg elevator regulation, etc.). In Vienna, all elevators to carry passengers must be checked every 12 months and those with only a supporting cable every six months.

In Vienna, the number of accidents from 1951 to 1996 remained the same for more and more existing plants, the probability of an accident has decreased it. Starting in 1997 the trend turned around suddenly. It resulted after evaluating two possible explanations:

On the one hand, more and more lifts on a contemporary high standard and people are thus not familiar with the specific risks of old elevators.
On the other hand, today's society has become more joyous suit. Persons who have suffered harm, lay claim more often for damages. The insurance ( health insurance ) in turn try costs incurred in connection with accidents, demand in accordance with the polluter pays principle.

Security concept

Elevators are provided today due to high security requirements with a safety system that deviations from normal operation, such as excessive speed or even a crash of the elevator car is prevented even if all the suspension ropes should break.

Moreover, the elevator cars in rope suspended structures by several hung usually three to ten, parallel ropes. The cables are dimensioned so that the breaking of one or more cables will not lead to fracture of the entire cable sets. The ropes are designed until 1999, with 14 -fold and, since 1 July 1999, 12 - fold safety at least three ropes. In an elevator with only two supporting cables, a 16 -fold safety rope is required in accordance with EN 81-1. This means that an elevator could easily keep up with only a rope the loaded car safely. This applies to lifts in which a passenger is allowed, so only passenger and freight elevators. For pure freight elevators, the required cable security is lower.

It is also important that the drive cable of the system / traction sheave is designed correctly. At too high driving capability, there is excessive wear on the ropes. At too low drive capability the ropes slip through (slip), so that the car does not start up properly, slow down or come to its normal speed. Under certain circumstances, the car then does not blow at the floor level, but between floors to stand still; at worst, slipping the car slowly up or down to the lower or upper end point, depending on whether the car or the counterweight is heavier.

A too quick ride up to the up or crash the car is prevented by a speed limiter. When it exceeds a limit, the drive is switched off electronically and mechanically braked the car to a halt. This safety device is independent of other parts of the elevator and works mechanically, so even during a power failure.

The apparatus consists mainly of a cable loop that extends between a respective deflection roller at the lower and the upper shaft end, and a catch device, which is fixed to the elevator car. The safety gear is usually made of jaws which grip the elevator guide rails and clamp in case of tripping. With a movement of the elevator car, the diverting pulleys in the upper and lower end of the shaft to be rotated about the sling. One of the guide rollers is provided with a centrifugal force- controlled device that triggers when the pulley is rotating too fast. When triggered, the lift motor is turned off. Regardless of the deflection roller blocked in their rotation and thus stops the cable run. The car is moving then even further, which now attracts immovable rope the brake pads on the car is together to the elevator. The braking of the car by the brake device must not exceed a delay of 1 g ( simple gravity ).

For hydraulic elevators, which are driven directly, ie in which no ropes are needed, a pipe rupture is installed directly to the port of the cylinder. This prevents a biased check valve that the car is moving too fast down.

Emergency call

Breakdowns of lifts can cause the car doors can not be opened, such as when " stuck" between two floors. The trapped in the car people have no way to extricate themselves usually. Therefore, an emergency call button in the car is any, to notify the lift attendant. In many elevators that were built before 1999, the emergency button but triggers only a horn or bell or in the elevator shaft, which is to draw attention to people trapped. Therefore, it is quite uncertain whether the emergency is really a part of, especially pedestrians know for sure to interpret the noise does not equal right. This version is not longer acceptable for newly constructed elevators, existing elevators may, however, be operated unchanged in the context of preserving the status quo.

After the Vienna elevator Act are staggered by the year to March 2012, the very latest in March 2013 to provide all elevators with a suitable alarm device. Which was responsible for emergency rescue person has to reach the scene within 30 minutes. If an elevator system 24 hours a day in operation ( as usual in houses ), at least two lift attendant must be present. This means a mandatory conversion of older systems, if it is not ensured that during the operating period at any time a lift attendant is reached. It is based on the standard EN 81-80: Safety rules for the construction and installation of lifts - Existing lifts - Part 80: Rules for the improvement of safety of existing passenger and goods passenger lifts

Internal doors and stopping accuracy

New and rebuilt elevators, except for small freight elevators, need according to the standard EN 81 now basically car doors / interior doors.

In addition to the retraction of limbs are keyed load a cause for many serious accidents. These are mitbeförderte rigid objects that arrive or fall on the passing outer wall so stuck to wedge and thus become ever more space. People can be crushed between the object and the cabin wall and / or ceiling of the cabin. The object may be, for example, a piece of furniture, a stroller, a paper container or a hand truck.

After many serious accidents with sometimes fatal consequences existing freight elevators in Germany had to be retrofitted often at least with light curtains as a backup. It is based on the standard EN 81-80 to increase security. In Vienna, was in the years 1994 to 2003, the proportion of reported accidents with doorless car openings with over 19 % in third place. Arranged according to year of construction have here to the very latest 2013, all - for existing equipment and passenger lifts - be equipped with an inner door, and it is funded by the city. The value of such accidents has been reduced by 2009 to 9%. ( At the same time reports of jamming in automatic car doors have doubled and lead the statistics with 39 % interest, but there is there is usually less severe injuries such as pinched fingers and bruises. ) Also in Geneva is a retrofit requirement.

About 20% of accidents are due to inaccurate stopping the cab, so that a step is formed. It consists fall risk and the possibility of fractures or other serious injuries. The stage is mainly produced in single-stage, non-controlled drives, in which the brake is applied from full speed after switching off the engine. The braking effect is achieved differently depending on the load, braking state and the current air temperature. In multistage drives is switched just before the breakpoint to a slower speed. Again mandatory refurbishment of old systems are provided in Vienna and Geneva.

Environment

On the whole, use the lifts more energy for resting and waiting as for up and down: Almost 60 % of the electricity goes unused lost because the machinery and the exterior panels continuously energized ( standby mode) - and also because many Lift cabins are not equipped with a passenger sensor and remain lit, even if no one is in it.

Record systems

The fastest and longest lifts

The smallest elevators

The smallest elevator in Europe is in a hotel in Böblingen. The hexagonal cabin has a floor area of only 0.5 square meters and is therefore only approved for the carriage of a person. The elevator was installed in the middle of a spiral staircase. The contours of the doors are accordingly adjusted the stairs course.

The largest elevator manufacturer in the world

Kone
Otis Elevator Company
Schindler lifts
ThyssenKrupp Elevator

In 2007, the EU Commission imposed on five major manufacturers a penalty in the amount of 992 million euros. The company had made price-fixing in violation of the antitrust laws. ThyssenKrupp had to pay 1.8 million euros 479.7 million euros, 225 million Otis, Kone 142 million, Schindler 143 700 000 and a Mitsubishi subsidiary. This was the hitherto highest penalty that the EU Commission had imposed (see also lift cartel).

Test facilities

There are towers for research and testing of lifts and lift components. Such test towers are like buildings ( skyscrapers, towers of all kinds ) also constructed analogous ever higher.

In the reverse direction, there are vertical test wells in abandoned mines. The longest such test well in the world is 333 m in depth, which the company Kone operates in Finland. Among other tests, the current second fastest elevators in the world with up to 17 m / s ( about 61 km / h) there are performed.

Measuring

The inter- lift takes place every two years in Augsburg as a world leading trade fair for elevator technology. At the last exhibition in 2011, 499 exhibitors from 36 countries (with an export share of 70 percent) to a gross area of 42,000 sqm total 18,781 expert visitors.

Projects

Elevator into space

The concept of a space elevator was already considered by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1895 ), Yuri Arzutanow (1960) and Arthur C. Clarke ( 1979). Today such projects due to cost considerations become interesting again. Expensive missile launches could be superfluous. Transport costs could fall from the current tens of thousands of dollars to under $ 200 per kilogram of cargo. Therefore, there are also competitions that are co-financed inter alia by the U.S. space agency NASA.

A cable connects a present on the surface of the earth station to a geostationary space station. The earth station is a huge floating pontoon on which below the water surface the cargo is loaded. The gondola lurches 36,000 km high on a very thin but strong rope of nanotubes. The development of this rope is currently the biggest problem of this project dar.

Porta Alpina

With the Porta Alpina had the longest elevator in the world to be built in Switzerland: In the middle of the Gotthard Base Tunnel - the longest tunnel in the world - should the deepest station created with the highest and fastest lift in the world.

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