An
elevator installation includes an
elevator car located in a hoistway and having a floor, and a rear wall extending upward from the floor. A counterweight is located in the hoistway adjacent to the rear wall of the
elevator car. An underslung sheave
assembly is located generally below the floor and preferably forms a V-shaped configuration that operatively engages the elevator car. A drive
machine is mounted in the upper portion of the hoistway, and a drive sheave operatively engages the drive
machine and is located above the counterweight, with the drive sheave having a
front edge. A deflector sheave is also mounted in the upper part of the hoistway generally below the drive sheave and has a rear edge that vertically overlaps with the
front edge of the drive sheave. A first
rope and a second
rope each have a first end attached to one of a first and a second dead end hitch in the upper portion of the hoistway, with the underslung sheave
assembly operatively engaging the first and second ropes to support the elevator car and the counterweight operatively engaging the first and second ropes as the first and second ropes extend from the drive sheave to the counterweight, and with the first and second ropes extending from the underslung sheave
assembly around the rear edge of the deflector sheave and the
front edge of the drive sheave such that the first and second ropes
wrap around the drive sheave greater than 180 degrees.