Rail positioning device and rail positioning method

Abstract

To provide a rail positioning device capable of adjusting the position of a guide rail irrespective of the structure of a hoistway.SOLUTION: This rail positioning device for adjusting the positions of a pair of guide rails arranged along two opposing walls among the inner peripheral walls of a hoistway of an elevator comprises: a long member provided to extend from a work car suspended between the guide rails toward the walls; and an actuator having both ends freely fixed between the long member and the walls so that the extension / retraction direction is parallel to the walls.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rail positioning device and a rail positioning method. [Background technology]

[0002] When installing an elevator in a hoistway, a guide rail centering operation is performed. A technology related to a rail positioning device used in this operation is disclosed in the following Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes that "the device includes a pair of front wall distance adjustment members, which are fixed to a work car accommodated in a hoistway so as to be movable up and down, and adjust the position in the first direction of the guide rail clamped by a guide shoe fixed to the work car from the first direction, and a side wall distance adjustment member, ... the front wall distance adjustment members are fixed to the work car and can freely expand and contract toward the front wall side while pressing the front wall, and adjust the distance between the front wall and the work car by expanding and contracting, ... the side wall distance adjustment members are fixed to each guide rail and can freely expand and contract toward the side wall side while being fixed to each guide rail, and adjust the distance between each guide rail and each side wall by expanding and contracting." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-3465 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the front wall distance adjustment members described in Patent Document 1 adjust the position of the guide rail by expanding and contracting the tips of the members while they are in contact with the inner wall of the elevator shaft. In this case, the position of the guide rail connected to the work car is adjusted by tilting the center of gravity of the work car toward the front wall and moving the work car using the reaction force from the front wall. Therefore, if the inner wall of the elevator shaft is made of a fragile material such as a plasterboard structure, the reaction force from the front wall distance adjustment members cannot be received, making it difficult to adjust the position of the guide rail.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS An object of the present invention is to provide a rail positioning device and a rail positioning method that are capable of adjusting the position of a guide rail regardless of the configuration of the elevator shaft. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configurations described in the claims are adopted. The present application includes multiple means for solving the above-mentioned problems. One example is a rail positioning device for adjusting the position of a pair of guide rails arranged along two opposing wall portions of the inner circumferential wall of an elevator shaft, the rail positioning device comprising: a long member extending from a work car suspended between the pair of guide rails toward the wall portions; and an actuator whose both ends can be fixed freely between the long member and the wall portion so that the extension and contraction direction is approximately parallel to the wall portions. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The present invention can provide a rail positioning device and a rail positioning method that can adjust the position of a guide rail regardless of the configuration of the elevator shaft. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a top view showing the overall configuration of a rail positioning device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a rail positioning device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a connecting structure between the work basket and the guide rail. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a fixing structure of the front / rear actuator and the side wall actuator according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a fixing structure of the slide frame according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a fixing structure on the tip side of the front-rear actuator according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a stored state of the rail positioning device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments to which a rail positioning device and a rail positioning method according to the present invention are applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] <Rail positioning device> FIG. 1 is a top view showing the overall configuration of a rail positioning device 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the rail positioning device 100 according to an embodiment. The rail positioning device 100 described with reference to these figures is a device for positioning a guide rail 3 based on a piano wire 2 suspended in an elevator hoistway 1. Such a rail positioning device 100 is attached to the guide rail 3, a work car 4 in the hoistway 1, and a fixed member 1b fixed to an inner peripheral wall 1w of the hoistway 1. The work car 4 is suspended in the hoistway 1 by a hanging rope 5.

[0011] In Fig. 1, the X direction is the left-right direction (width direction) when the elevator is viewed from the landing side, and the Y direction is the front-rear direction (depth direction) when the elevator is viewed from the landing side. In Fig. 1, the landing side of the elevator is written on the lower side. Next, before describing the configuration of the rail positioning device 100, the installation environment of the rail positioning device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 1.

[0012] <Installation environment for rail positioning device> [Elevator 1] The elevator shaft 1 is a space provided in a building to install an elevator. The elevator shaft 1 is a space surrounded on all four sides by inner walls 1w. The inner wall 1w is composed of side walls 1ws on the left and right, a front wall 1wf on the landing side, and a rear wall 1wb opposite the front wall. If the building is made of reinforced concrete, the entire surface will be covered with concrete walls, except for the entrance / exit 1a on the elevator landing side. If the building is made of steel, a steel frame will be set up, and the areas without the frame will be spaces without walls. Each of the two side walls 1ws of the elevator shaft 1 is provided with fixing members 1b, which are used to fix the guide rails 3.

[0013] The fixing member 1b is an iron metal fitting. If the building is made of reinforced concrete, a hole is drilled in the concrete wall surface and an L-shaped metal fitting is bolted to the hole to form the fixing member 1b. If the building is made of steel frame, a flat metal fitting is abutted against the top surface of the steel frame and fastened with a bolt or welded to form the fixing member 1b. The fixing member 1b is installed protruding from the wall surface of the side wall 1ws into the hoistway 1. As such a fixing member 1b, what is used is what is called a wall bracket or fastener. Also, such a fixing member 1b may be bolted or welded to another member fixed to the wall surface or the top surface of the steel frame.

[0014] [Piano wire 2] The piano wire 2 is a steel wire used in building standards, and is hung from the top of the building with a weight attached and fixed in a vertically stretched state. The piano wires 2 are installed at a fixed distance on the left and right sides of the elevator 1, and are used as reference lines when centering to adjust the position of the guide rails 3.

[0015] [Guide rail 3] The guide rail 3 is a steel rail (T-shaped steel) with a T-shaped cross section. The guide rail 3 has a wide flange portion 31 and a blade portion 32 protruding from the middle portion of the flange portion 31 in the width direction. The pair of guide rails 3 are arranged along two opposing walls of the hoistway 1 with the flange portion 31 facing the side wall 1ws and the blade portion 32 protruding inside the hoistway 1. Here, the two walls are typically the side wall 1ws, and the pair of guide rails 3 are installed along the side wall 1ws. These guide rails 3 are erected inside the hoistway 1 by connecting guide rail members supplied in a constant length from the lowest floor to the highest floor. In the state where the guide rails 3 are erected inside the hoistway 1, they are positioned and fixed at a predetermined position on the lowest floor, and are not fixed at any part other than the lowest floor, so that they are inclined forward, backward, left and right.

[0016] Each guide rail 3 has a raceway surface and a cutting edge surface formed on the tip side of the blade portion 32 that protrudes toward the center of the elevator shaft 1. The raceway surface and cutting edge surface of the guide rail 3 are reference planes with guaranteed dimensional accuracy for centering the guide rail 3. A worker measures the distance between these surfaces and the piano wire 2 to perform centering work for the guide rail 3, i.e., rail positioning work.

[0017] [Work basket 4] The work car 4 is a mobile scaffolding on which a worker gets in order to install the guide rails 3. The work car 4 utilizes part of the elevator's permanent car, and is provided with a work floor 4a on which the worker gets in. The work car 4 is suspended and supported in the hoistway 1 by a hoisting rope 5 at a position sandwiched between the two guide rails 3. The hoisting rope 5 is wound up by a winder (not shown), allowing the work car 4 to move up and down freely. The worker gets into the work car 4, raises and lowers the work car 4 along the guide rails 3 to a predetermined height in the hoistway 1, and performs rail positioning work.

[0018] The above-described work cage 4 is slidably connected to the guide rails 3 at a position sandwiched between the two guide rails 3, as described below. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing the connection structure between the work cage 4 and the guide rails 3. With reference to Figs. 1 and 3, slings 41 made of channel steel are fixed upright on the work floor 4a (see Fig. 1) of the work cage 4 at positions facing each of the pair of guide rails 3. The slings 41 are arranged so that their openings face the guide rails 3 side.

[0019] A hanging bracket 42 is fixed to the work cage 4 via a sling 41, and a rail holding bracket 43 is fixed to the hanging bracket 42. The hanging bracket 42 is a plate-like member with a plurality of holes, and is arranged parallel to the side wall 1ws. The plate-like surface with the plurality of holes arranged thereon is fixed to the upper end of the sling 41 with the plate-like surface parallel to the work floor 4a of the work cage 4. The rail holding bracket 43 is fixed to this hanging bracket 42.

[0020] The rail retaining bracket 43 is fixed to the work cage 4 via a sling 41 and a hanging bracket 42, protruding from the work cage 4 in the direction of each side wall 1ws, and clamps the blade portion 32 of the guide rail 3 with a gap from the front wall 1wf and rear wall 1wb directions (i.e., the Y direction), connecting the work cage 4 and the guide rail 3.

[0021] Here, the suspending rope 5 (see FIG. 1) is connected to the work cage 4 at two points, left and right, near the rear of the work cage 4 (near the rear wall 1wb) so as not to interfere with the guide rail 3. Due to the positional relationship between these connection points and the center of gravity G of the work cage 4, the work cage 4 tilts toward the front wall 1wf or the rear wall 1wb, and maintains balance while leaning against the guide rail 3 via the rail holding fittings 43 described above.

[0022] Furthermore, handrails 44 are raised up inside slings 41 (see FIG. 3) on the periphery of the work floor 4a of the work cage 4. The handrails 44, the slings 41, the hanging fittings 42, and the rail holding fittings 43 are fixed integrally to the work cage 4 and become a part of the work cage 4.

[0023] <Configuration of rail positioning device 100> Next, the configuration of the rail positioning device 100 that is installed in the above-mentioned environment will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the rail positioning device 100 has a rail centering rod 6 and two piano wire position detectors 7 (the above are only shown in Fig. 1). Furthermore, the rail positioning device 100 has a single tube 8, a slide frame 9, a front and rear actuator 10, a storage slide frame 11, a side wall actuator 12, a reinforcing stay 13, a control circuit 14, and an operation panel 15. These are configured as follows:

[0024] [Rail centering job 6] The rail centering gauge 6 is a jig (gauge) that maintains a predetermined distance between the left and right guide rails 3 prepared for the centering work. The rail centering gauge 6 has a predetermined length and is fixed across a pair of guide rails 3. Both ends of such a rail centering gauge 6 are provided with gripping parts that hold and grip the guide rail 3. The gripping parts are provided with L-shaped metal fittings that abut against the cutting edge surface and raceway surface of the guide rail 3. The rail centering gauge 6 can be connected to the guide rail 3 with high precision via these metal fittings. The left and right guide rails 3 are integrated by being connected to the rail centering gauge 6.

[0025] [Piano wire position detector 7] The piano wire position detector 7 is a means for measuring the distance between the track surface and cutting edge surface of the guide rail 3 and the piano wire 2. The piano wire position detector 7 is composed of a position sensor that detects the piano wire 2, a housing that holds the position sensor, and a rail clip that fastens the housing to the guide rail 3.

[0026] The position sensor is composed of an X-direction position sensor that detects the position of the piano wire 2 in the X-direction, and a Y-direction position sensor that detects the position of the piano wire 2 in the Y-direction. The position sensor is configured using, for example, a photointerrupter. The photointerrupter is an optical sensor in which a light emitter and a light receiver are arranged facing each other in a U-shaped sensor housing. The photointerrupter can detect the presence or absence of an obstruction between the light emitter and the light receiver, as well as the position of the obstruction. By using this photointerrupter as a position sensor, it is possible to determine whether the position of the piano wire 2 is within the detection range between the light emitter and the light receiver. In addition, by using multiple photointerrupters, multiple detection ranges can be arranged consecutively, making it possible to detect the position of the piano wire 2 in greater detail over a wider range.

[0027] The housing acts as a gauge to maintain a specified distance from the guide rail 3 to the position sensor, and also houses a communication device that transmits information about the distance between the guide rail 3 and the piano wire 2 measured by the position sensor to the outside, as well as a battery.

[0028] The rail clip is structured to be attached by means of a magnet, clamp, or the like to the cutting edge surface and the track surface of the guide rail 3, and is detachable. Piano wire position detectors 7 are attached to the left and right guide rails 3, respectively.

[0029] [Single Pipe 8] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a fixing structure of the front-rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 according to the embodiment, and shows the fixing structure of the front-rear actuator 10 using a single pipe 8. The single pipe 8 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 is a member for fixing the front-rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 to the working car 4. Such a single pipe 8 has a hole 8a for fixing various members. This single pipe 8 is extended in a direction parallel to the working floor 4a of the working car 4 along the side wall 1ws of the elevator 1, and is fixed to the hanging metal fitting 42. The single pipe 8 is also arranged in a state where it protrudes from the hanging metal fitting 42 toward the front wall 1wf.

[0030] As described above, the rail holding metal fitting 43 is fixed to the hanging metal fitting 42 (see FIG. 3). Therefore, the single pipe 8 is fixed to the hanging metal fitting 42 by the pipe fixing metal fitting 81 so as to straddle the rail holding metal fitting 43 via a base (not shown).

[0031] [Slide frame 9] The slide frame 9 is a long member extending from the work car 4 toward the side wall 1ws. This slide frame 9 allows the fixing position of the front and rear actuator 10 with respect to the work car 4 to be changed in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the front wall 1wf (see FIG. 1) of the elevator shaft 1. Such a slide frame 9 has fitting grooves 9a provided along the longitudinal direction of the long member, and has fitting grooves 9a on each of four side peripheral surfaces of a long rectangular prism shape, for example. This slide frame 9 is used by being fixed to the tip 8b of the single tube pipe 8 on the front wall 1wf side of the work car 4.

[0032] FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part showing a fixing structure of the slide frame 9 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 4, the slide frame 9 is fixed to the single pipe 8 by a frame gripping member 91 that grips the slide frame 9 and a pipe gripping member 92 that can freely grip the single pipe 8. The frame gripping member 91 and the pipe gripping member 92 may be, for example, an integral structure. The slide frame 9 is fixed to the frame gripping member 91 by a bolt 93 screwed into a fitting groove 9a through a hole provided in the frame gripping member 91. The pipe gripping member 92 grips the single pipe 8, thereby fixing the slide frame 9 to the single pipe 8. In addition, in the slide frame 9, a fitting groove 9a other than the fitting groove 9a into which the bolt 93 is screwed is used, and a T-bolt is inserted into this fitting groove 9a to prevent it from coming off, so that the slide frame 9 does not fall off the frame gripping member 91 even when the bolt 93 is pulled out.

[0033] The length of the slide frame 9 that protrudes from the work cage 4 toward the side wall 1ws (see FIG. 1) can be freely adjusted by loosening the bolts 93 of the frame gripping member 91. This makes it possible to adjust the length of the slide frame 9 that protrudes from the work cage 4 toward the side wall 1ws (see FIG. 1) according to the distance between the work cage 4 and the side wall 1ws.

[0034] In addition, the slide frame 9 can be changed in the extension direction from the work cage 4 in the elevation angle direction by loosening the grip of the single tube pipe 8 by the pipe gripping member 92. As a result, for example, the slide frame 9 can be extended in a downward hanging direction from the work cage 4 to be stored.

[0035] Furthermore, the fixed position of the slide frame 9 in the front-rear direction (Y direction) relative to the work basket 4 can be changed by loosening the grip of the single-tube pipe 8 by the pipe gripping member 92. This makes it possible to expand the variation in the fixed state of the front-rear actuator 10, which will be described next.

[0036] [Front and rear actuator 10] Returning to Figures 1 and 4, the front-rear actuator 10 is a rod-shaped linear actuator that expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction. As the linear actuator, an actuator that expands and contracts using electricity, hydraulics, or air as a driving force can be used. In particular, an electric linear actuator has the characteristic that it can self-maintain its length even if an external force is applied after the power supply is cut off due to a ball screw mechanism, which is advantageous for saving power when fixing the actuator after the centering operation. Fixing metal fittings can be attached to the front end 10a and rear end 10b of the front-rear actuator 10.

[0037] The rear end 10b side of the front-rear actuator 10 is fixed to the slide frame 9 via, for example, an L-shaped plate-shaped metal fitting 101 and a fixing portion 102. The fixing portion 102 and the bolt 102a function as a rotary joint. The plate-shaped metal fitting 101 has a hole. The plate-shaped metal fitting 101 is fixed to the slide frame 9 by screwing the bolt 101a into the hole and a T-nut inserted into a fitting groove 9a of the slide frame 9, and then tightening the bolt 101a.

[0038] The fixing part 102 is attached to the rear end 10b of the front-rear actuator 10, and is fixed to the plate-shaped metal fitting 101 by a bolt 102a. When the front-rear actuator 10 is fixed to the slide frame 9 via the plate-shaped metal fitting 101, it can change its orientation within the horizontal plane and in the elevation angle direction.

[0039] In addition, the position of the rear end 10b of the front-rear actuator 10 can be slid in the extension direction of the slide frame 9 by loosening the bolt 101a of the plate-shaped metal fitting 101. This allows the worker to easily change the rear end 10b of the front-rear actuator 10 according to the work scene, making the device highly flexible in operation.

[0040] On the other hand, a clamp 103 and a rotary joint 104 are attached to the tip 10a side of the front-rear actuator 10. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a fixing structure on the tip 10a side of the front-rear actuator 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, a clamp 103 is attached to the tip 10a side of the front-rear actuator 10 via a rotary joint 104. The clamp 103 is a part that grips the fixed member 1b fixed to the side wall 1ws (see FIG. 1) of the elevator 1, and is composed of a U-shaped metal fitting 103a with a groove formed therein and a bolt 103b that crosses the groove of the U-shaped metal fitting 103a. By tightening the bolt 103b, the clamp 103 pinches the fixed member 1b between the tip of the bolt 103b and the inside of the groove of the U-shaped metal fitting 103a, and grips and fixes it. The bolt 103b is, for example, a sword-point bolt with a sharp tip, and by biting into the fixed member 1b, it has sufficient gripping force even with a weak axial force.

[0041] The rotary joint 104 is a joint in which two members are connected by a shaft and can be bent, and a universal joint that can be turned in all directions can be used. In such a rotary joint 104, two members connected by a shaft are fixed between a clamp 103 and the rod tip of the front-rear actuator 10. This rotary joint 104 allows the angle and direction of the longitudinal axis of the front-rear actuator 10 relative to the fixed member 1b to be freely adjusted, and the clamp 103 provided at the tip 10a of the front-rear actuator 10 can reliably grip the fixed member 1b. In addition, the bending of the rotary joint 104 makes it possible to attach the front-rear actuator 10 to the fixed member 1b even if there is a difference in height between the fixed member 1b and the slide frame 9 to which the rear end 10b (see FIG. 4) of the front-rear actuator 10 is fixed.

[0042] As described above, the longitudinal actuator 10 fixed between the slide frame 9 and the fixed member 1b extends and retracts substantially parallel to the lateral wall 1ws. As a result, the longitudinal actuator 10 moves the work cage 4 in the longitudinal direction (Y direction) by extending and retracting. This movement of the work cage 4 causes the guide rail 3 (see FIG. 4) connected to the work cage 4 by the rail holding metal fitting 43 to move in the longitudinal direction (Y direction).

[0043] [Storage slide frame 11] Returning to Figs. 1 and 4, the storage slide frame 11 is a member that allows the side wall actuator 12 to be stored on the work car 4 side. The storage slide frame 11 is also a member that allows the fixed position of the side wall actuator 12 relative to the work car 4 to be changed in a substantially vertical direction toward the side wall 1ws of the elevator shaft 1. Such a storage slide frame 11 has a similar configuration to the slide frame 9, and has a fitting groove 11a along the longitudinal direction of the elongated member. This storage slide frame 11 is used by being fixed to the single pipe 8 in the vicinity of the guide rail 3.

[0044] The storage slide frame 11 is attached to the side wall 1ws (see FIG. 1) so as to be able to protrude in a substantially vertical direction via a fixing portion 111. The length of the storage slide frame 11 may be approximately the same as the length of the side wall actuator 12, which will be described next.

[0045] [Side Wall Actuator 12] The side wall actuator 12 may have a similar configuration to the front-rear actuator 10, and is a rod-shaped linear actuator that expands and contracts in the longitudinal direction.

[0046] Such a side wall actuator 12 is fixed to the storage slide frame 11 so that the extension / contraction direction is approximately perpendicular to the side wall 1ws. The side wall actuator 12 is fixed to the storage slide frame 11 by an L-shaped plate-shaped fixing member 122 attached to the rear end 12b. The plate-shaped fixing member 122 has a hole. The plate-shaped fixing member 122 is fixed to the storage slide frame 11 by screwing a bolt 123 into the hole and a T-nut inserted into the fitting groove 11a of the storage slide frame 11, and by tightening the bolt 123.

[0047] The fixed position of the side wall actuator 12 on the storage slide frame 11 can be changed by loosening the fastening of the bolt 123. This allows the tip 12a of the side wall actuator 12 to be protruded outside the work car 4 so as to be close to the side wall 1ws (see FIG. 1) of the elevator shaft 1 during the rail centering work. In addition, when the rail centering work is completed and the work car 4 is to be raised or lowered, the side wall actuator 12 can be stored inside the work car 4.

[0048] Here, the bolt 123 has a knob formed on the screw head, and can be easily tightened without a jig, which improves the workability of moving the side wall actuator 12.

[0049] In addition, the side wall actuator 12 can have an extension rod 125 attached to the tip 12a side, which allows it to push the far wall depending on the dimensions of the elevator shaft 1.

[0050] [Reinforcement stay 13] The reinforcing stay 13 shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 is a reinforcing member for preventing deformation of the single pipe 8 when the front / rear actuator 10 is driven. That is, the front / rear actuator 10 is fixed between a fixed member 1b fixed to the inner peripheral wall 1w (here, the side wall 1ws) of the elevator shaft 1 and a single pipe 8 fixed to the work car 4 via a slide frame 9, and is configured to expand and contract in a fixed state. As the front / rear actuator 10 expands and contracts in this manner, a stress is applied to the tip 8b of the single pipe 8 in the left / right direction (X direction). The reinforcing stay 13 is a member for preventing deformation of the single pipe 8 due to this stress.

[0051] The fixing structure of the reinforcing stay 13 is as follows: The reinforcing stay 13 is fixed to the slide frame 9 via a flat plate member 131, and is fixed to the single pipe 8 via the slide frame 9. The flat plate member 131 is fixed to the reinforcing stay 13, and has a hole. The flat plate member 131 is fixed to the slide frame 9 and the single pipe 8 by fastening a wing bolt 132 that is screwed through the hole of the flat plate member 131, the hole of the frame gripping member 91, and a T-nut inserted into the fitting groove 9a of the slide frame 9.

[0052] Moreover, it is preferable that the reinforcing stay 13 is configured to be expandable and contractible according to the dimensions of the work cage 4. The reinforcing stay 13 is composed of a long frame member 13a having a fitting groove similar to the slide frame 9, and a housing member 13b that houses the frame member 13a while sliding it. The housing member 13b has a hole. The housing member 13b fixes the frame member 13a protruding from the housing member 13b by tightening a bolt 133 screwed into the hole, and fixes the length of the reinforcing stay 13 composed of the frame member 13a and the housing member 13b.

[0053] In addition, if the strength of the single pipe 8 is sufficient, it may not be necessary to provide the reinforcing stay 13.

[0054] [Control circuit 14] Returning to Figs. 1 and 2, the control circuit 14 includes, for example, a signal processing unit, a wireless communication unit, a motor driver, and a power supply. The signal processing unit uses an embedded microcomputer or the like capable of handling a variety of input and output signals. The wireless communication unit is a radio for receiving the position signal of the piano wire 2 sent from the piano wire position detector 7. The motor driver is a driver IC for controlling the motor that serves as the drive source for the front-rear actuator 10 and the motor that serves as the drive source for the side wall actuator 12. The control circuit 14 takes in the detection signal sent by the piano wire position detector 7, and outputs drive signals to the front-rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12, respectively, based on the taken-in detection signal and a command from the operation panel 15.

[0055] As a result, the control circuit 14 controls the driving of the front / rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 based on the position signal from the piano wire position detector 7, making it possible to automate tasks that have been performed manually by an operator. Specifically, it is possible to automate the task of measuring the distance between the piano wire 2 and the guide rail 3 with a scale or the like, and the task of adjusting the position of the guide rail 3 by hitting it with a hammer or the like while checking the measured value. This makes it possible to achieve highly accurate rail positioning in a short time, and reduce the workload of the operator.

[0056] [Operation panel 15] The operation panel 15 has switches for manually operating the front / rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 and for executing automatic control of rail positioning. The operation panel 15 also has indicators that display the status of the rail positioning device. The operation panel 15 is directly connected to the control circuit 14, and gives commands to the control circuit 14 based on the operator's operations.

[0057] <Guide rail installation work> Next, a guide rail installation work will be described, including a rail positioning method for a guide rail using the above-mentioned rail positioning device 100. The guide rail installation work mainly includes a work of installing the rail positioning device 100 on the work car 4, a rail positioning work in which the rail positioning device 100 is operated on each floor in the hoistway 1 to position the guide rail, and a rail fixing work in which the guide rail 3 is fixed to the hoistway 1. Of these, the rail positioning work and the rail fixing work are repeatedly performed with work accompanying the movement of the work car 4 in between. Below, the steps of the guide rail installation work will be described in order.

[0058] <Installation of rail positioning device> [Installation of rail retaining bracket 43] First, as shown in Fig. 3, a worker installs the rail holding fitting 43. The rail holding fitting 43 is fixed to the hanging fitting 42 of the work cage 4 using a bolt. At this time, in order not to interfere with the raising and lowering of the work cage 4, the rail holding fitting 43 is pulled toward the cage with the blade portion 32 of the guide rail 3 gently sandwiched between the tip ends of the two fittings constituting the rail holding fitting 43, and the base end side is fixed to the hanging fitting 42 of the work cage 4. In this way, the rail holding fitting 43 is installed so as to be freely slidable relative to the guide rail 3.

[0059] [Installation of side wall actuator 12] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a stored state of the rail positioning device according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, a worker installs the side wall actuator 12 to the work cage 4. The side wall actuator 12 is delivered in a state fixed to the single pipe 8 via a storage slide frame 11. The single pipe 8 is in a state where a pipe fixing metal fitting 81 is attached. This allows the worker to fix the single pipe 8 to the hanging metal fitting 42 of the work cage 4 using the pipe fixing metal fitting 81, thereby fixing the side wall actuator 12 to the work cage 4. By performing this installation work on the left and right sides of the work cage 4, the installation of the side wall actuator 12 to the work cage 4 is completed.

[0060] When the side wall actuator 12 is installed in the work cage 4, the storage slide frame 11 and the side wall actuator 12 are stored inside the work cage 4. In addition, when the extension rod 125 is attached to the side wall actuator 12, the extension rod 125 is folded vertically.

[0061] [Installation of front and rear actuators 10] Next, the worker installs the front / rear actuator 10 to the work cage 4. The front / rear actuator 10 is delivered in a state where it is fixed to the slide frame 9. In this case, a clamp 103 and a rotary joint 104 (see FIG. 6) are fixed to the tip 10a of the front / rear actuator 10, and a frame holding member 91 and a pipe holding member 92 (see FIG. 4) are fixed to the slide frame 9. This allows the worker to fix the front / rear actuator 10 to the work cage 4 by fixing the slide frame 9 to the single tube pipe 8 using the pipe holding member 92. By performing this installation work on both the left and right sides of the work cage 4, the installation of the front / rear actuator 10 to the work cage 4 is completed.

[0062] When the front and rear actuator 10 is installed in the work basket 4, the slide frame 9 and the front and rear actuator 10 are stored in a state where they are suspended vertically from the single pipe 8.

[0063] [Installation of control circuit 14 and operation panel 15] Next, referring to Fig. 1, the worker installs the control circuit 14 and the operation panel 15. The control circuit 14 and the operation panel 15 are installed by hanging a hook connected to the control circuit 14 and the operation panel 15 on the handrail at the rear of the work cage 4. After the control circuit 14 and the operation panel 15 are installed, the cables of the front / rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 installed on the left and right sides of the work cage 4 are wired and fixed inside the work cage 4 and connected to the control circuit 14. The control circuit 14 is powered on by connecting it to an AC power source drawn into the work cage 4.

[0064] As described above, the front and rear actuator 10, the side wall actuator 12, the control circuit 14 and the operation panel 15 are separated, so that the size and weight of each component can be reduced and a single worker can install them. In addition, the installation work can be easily performed, which contributes to reducing the workload and time required.

[0065] The rail positioning device 100 can be removed by simply reversing the installation procedure described above, and this can also be completed by a single worker in a short amount of time.

[0066] <Rail positioning work> The rail positioning work is carried out by lifting and lowering the work cage 4 to the rail fixing position with each component of the rail positioning device 100 attached to the work cage 4 in a stored state as described above.

[0067] [Installation of rail centering lever 6] First, referring to Fig. 1, the rail positioning work starts with the installation of the rail centering device 6. The worker uses the gripping mechanisms at both ends of the rail centering device 6 to grip and connect the left and right guide rails 3, thereby integrating the two guide rails 3.

[0068] [Preparation of front and rear actuator 10] Next, the worker performs preparation work for the front and rear actuator 10. When the work cage 4 is raised or lowered, the front and rear actuator 10, together with the slide frame 9, is in a stored state suspended from the single pipe 8 (see FIG. 7). Then, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the worker unfolds the slide frame 9 toward the outside of the work cage 4 and fixes the slide frame 9.

[0069] Next, the worker loosens the bolt 102a at the rear end 10b of the front / rear actuator 10, and adjusts the position of the rear end 10b of the front / rear actuator 10. After that, the worker grips the fixing member 1b on the side wall of the hoistway 1 with the clamp 103 attached to the front end 10a of the front / rear actuator 10, and fixes the front end 10a of the front / rear actuator 10. The worker also tightens the bolt 102a at the rear end 10b of the front / rear actuator 10, and fastens the rear end 10b of the front / rear actuator 10 to the slide frame 9. The worker performs this operation on both the left and right sides of the work car 4.

[0070] [Installation of reinforcing stay 13] Thereafter, the worker installs the reinforcing stay 13 between the left and right single pipes 8. In this case, first, the worker adjusts the length of the reinforcing stay 13 to match the width of the work cage 4. Then, referring to FIG. 5, the worker screws in and tightens the wing bolt 132 so that it passes through the hole of the flat plate member 131 fixed to the reinforcing stay 13, the hole of the frame gripping member 91, and the T-nut inserted into the fitting groove 9a of the slide frame 9. By performing this operation on both ends of the reinforcing stay 13, the installation of the reinforcing stay 13 between the left and right single pipes 8 is completed.

[0071] [Preparation of side wall actuator 12] Next, referring to FIG. 7, the worker performs preparation work for the side wall actuator 12. When the work car 4 is raised or lowered, the side wall actuator 12 is in a state of being suspended along the work car 4. Then, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the worker slides the side wall actuator 12 along the storage slide frame 11 to make the side wall actuator 12 protrude outside the work car 4. Then, by tightening the bolt 123 at the rear end 12b, the side wall actuator 12 is fixed to the storage slide frame 11 via the plate-shaped fixing member 122. At this time, a gap is left between the tip of the side wall actuator 12 (or the extension rod 125) and the side wall 1ws (here, the fixing member 1b) of the elevator 1 so as not to interfere with the positioning of the rail in the front-rear direction (Y direction).

[0072] [Installation of piano wire position detector 7] Next, the worker fastens the piano wire position detector 7 to the guide rail 3 and turns on the power to the control circuit 14, completing the preparation work for rail positioning.

[0073] [Rail positioning work] An operator operates the buttons on the operation panel 15 to control the extension and retraction of the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12. An operator can manually operate the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 to perform rail positioning work, or the rail centering can be performed automatically by software.

[0074] Automatic positioning of the rails is performed by controlling the operation of the front / rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 based on the position information of the piano wire 2 transmitted by the piano wire position detector 7.

[0075] In this type of rail positioning work, first, rail centering is performed in the front-rear direction (Y direction) by extending and retracting the front-rear actuator 10. Next, rail centering in all directions is performed by extending and retracting the front-rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12. Once rail centering is complete, the front-rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 maintain that state by self-holding.

[0076] <Rail fixing work> Next, the rail fixing work is carried out in the following order: temporary fixing, storing the rail positioning device 100, and fixing the guide rail.

[0077] [Temporary Fixation] First, the worker attaches an L-shaped rail bracket to the back surface of the flange portion 31 of the guide rail 3, and installs it so that it overlaps with the fixing member 1b fixed to the side wall 1ws of the hoistway 1. Then, the worker temporarily fixes the rail bracket and the fixing member 1b fixed to the side wall 1ws of the hoistway 1 by tightening it with a clamp.

[0078] [Storage of rail positioning device 100] In the provisionally fixed state, the guide rail 3 is firmly fixed to the fixing member 1b, so there is no need for the rail positioning device 100 to hold the guide rail 3. For this reason, the worker stores the rail positioning device 100 so that it does not get in the way of the fixing work of the guide rail 3. At this time, first, the worker removes the reinforcing stay 13 from the single pipe 8 with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

[0079] Next, the worker loosens the clamp 103 at the tip 10a of the front-rear actuator 10 to remove it from the fixing member 1b. Also, the bolt 102a at the rear end 10b of the front-rear actuator 10 is loosened, the rear end 10b of the front-rear actuator 10 is moved along the slide frame 9 toward the work cage 4, and the bolt 102a is tightened again to fix the front-rear actuator 10 to the slide frame 9 as one body. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the worker loosens the holding state of the single pipe 8 by the pipe holding member 92, and the slide frame 9 integrated with the front-rear actuator 10 is hung down from the single pipe 8.

[0080] Next, as shown in Fig. 4, the worker loosens the bolt 123 at the rear end 12b of the side wall actuator 12 to release the fixation by the plate-shaped fixing member 122. Then, as shown in Fig. 7, the side wall actuator 12 is stored in the work basket 4. If an extension rod 125 is attached to the tip of the side wall actuator 12, the extension rod 125 is suspended from the tip of the side wall actuator 12.

[0081] 1 from the guide rail 3, and stores it in the work basket 4. By storing each component of the rail positioning device 100 in the work basket 4 in this manner, a work space is secured around the guide rail 3.

[0082] [Fixing guide rail 3] After the rail positioning device 100 has been stored, the worker welds the joint between the fixed member 1b fixed to the side wall of the elevator shaft 1 and the rail bracket (not shown) fixed to the guide rail 3, thereby fixing the guide rail 3 to the side wall of the elevator shaft 1.

[0083] After welding, the rail centering lever 6 is removed, and the work cage 4 can be raised and lowered. After that, the work cage 4 is raised and lowered to the next rail fixing position, and thereafter the above-mentioned rail positioning work and rail fixing work are repeated.

[0084] Effect of the embodiment According to the embodiment described above, the front-rear actuator 10 is configured to be fixed to the slide frame 9 protruding from the work car 4 toward the side wall 1ws and to the side wall 1ws. This allows the front-rear actuator 10 to move the work car 4 in the front-rear direction (Y direction) to position the guide rail 3 without using a reaction force from the front wall 1wf. Therefore, even if the front wall 1wf of the hoistway is made of a fragile material such as a plasterboard structure, rail alignment is possible, and rail positioning is possible regardless of the configuration of the hoistway 1.

[0085] Furthermore, with this configuration, regardless of the state of inclination of the work cage 4 due to an unbalanced load, the work cage 4 can be moved in the front-rear direction by the extension and contraction of the front-rear actuator 10 fixed to the left and right sides of the work cage 4, and the guide rail 3 connected to the work cage 4 can be centered. In other words, if the tip of the front-rear actuator 10 is not fixed and is configured to press the front wall 1wf, it is impossible to center the guide rail 3 in the front-rear direction when the center of gravity G of the work cage 4 is inclined toward the rear wall, but this is possible with the rail positioning device 100 of this embodiment.

[0086] Furthermore, since the front / rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 are configured to be fixed to the work car 4 via the slide frame 9 and the storage slide frame 11, the extension of the front / rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 can be compensated for by the slide frame 9 and the storage slide frame 11. As a result, even if the distance between the work car and guide rail and the inner wall of the hoistway is large, there is no need to increase the size of the front / rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12.

[0087] 7, when the work cage 4 is moved to a specific floor, the front / rear actuator 10 and the side wall actuator 12 can be simply stored together with the slide frame 9 and the storage slide frame 11 without being removed from the work cage 4. This eliminates the need to remove the rail positioning device 100 when repeatedly moving the work cage 4 and fixing the guide rail 3.

[0088] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and further includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] Elevator 1. Elevator shaft 1b…Fixing member 1w…Inner peripheral wall 1ws…Side walls (two opposing walls) 3...Guide rail 100...Rail positioning device 4. Work basket 6...Rail centering 8…Single pipe 9...Slide frame (long member) 10...Front and rear actuators 11...Storage slide frame 12...Side wall actuator 13…Reinforcement stay 43…Rail retaining bracket 92...Pipe gripping member 103b...Bolt (sword-tip bolt) 104...Rotary joint 102...Fixed part (rotary joint) 102a...Bolt 102a (rotary joint)

Claims

1. A rail positioning device for positioning a pair of guide rails arranged along two opposing wall portions of the inner peripheral wall of an elevator hoistway, comprising: a long member extending from a work cage suspended between the pair of guide rails toward the wall portion; an actuator having both ends fixable between the long member and the wall portion such that the expansion and contraction direction is substantially parallel to the wall portion. The rail positioning device.

2. The long member is a slide frame capable of changing the fixing position of the actuator, and the slide frame is capable of adjusting the extension length from the work cage. The rail positioning device according to Claim 1.

3. Both ends of the actuator are fixed to the work cage and the wall portion via rotary joints. The rail positioning device according to Claim 1.

4. The actuator is fixed to a fixing member fixed to the wall portion for fixing the guide rail by tightening a bayonet bolt provided on the tip side. The rail positioning device according to Claim 1.

5. Comprising a single pipe extending in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the wall portion while being fixed to the work cage, the long member is fixed to the work cage via a pipe gripping member that grips the single pipe, and the pipe gripping member makes the extension direction of the long member from the work cage variable by loosening the grip on the single pipe. The rail positioning device according to Claim 1.

6. Comprising a reinforcing stay disposed between two single pipes fixed to the work cage corresponding to the two wall portions. The rail positioning device according to Claim 5.

7. The reinforcing stay is telescopic. The rail positioning device according to Claim 6.

8. Comprising another actuator fixable to the work cage such that the expansion and contraction direction is substantially perpendicular to the wall portion. The rail positioning device according to Claim 1.

9. Comprising a long slide frame capable of changing the fixing position of the other actuator with respect to the work cage in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wall portion, and the other actuator is fixable to the work cage via the slide frame. The rail positioning device according to Claim 8.

10. A rail positioning method for positioning a pair of guide rails arranged along two opposing wall portions of the inner peripheral wall of an elevator hoistway, extending a long member from a work cage suspended between the pair of guide rails toward the wall portion, fixing an actuator between the long member and the wall portion so that the expansion and contraction direction is substantially parallel to the wall portion, adjusting the position of the guide rail connected to the work cage by the expansion and contraction of the actuator Rail positioning method.

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