The invention relates to an
elevator, in particular to a variable travel
elevator comprising a
machine room, a car, a counterweight and a
wire rope unit. The
machine room comprises a main unit, a control cabinet and a main unit bearing beam. A
wire rope winder is disposed on the main unit bearing beam. The
wire rope winder comprises a base, two wire
rope winding drums, two gear discs, two gear disc shafts, a
rope retainer disc, a gear disc
locking mechanism and a gear disc rotational direction control mechanism. The gear disc
locking mechanism comprises a fixture, a toothed bar, a nut, a locking toothed block and a lifting
handle. The gear disc rotational direction control mechanism comprises a support, a rotating
handle, a spindle and a driving gear. When the variable travel
elevator is applied to a construction in process, the functional requirements of the construction elevator can be met; after a floor is constructed, the wire
rope winder pays off a wire rope to the maximum length; the variable travel elevator can be used as a final official elevator just by making certain corresponding decorations and modifications partially to the car and the like. Constructional safety and constructional efficiency can be evidently improved, and cost can be reduced.