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 Art

[0002] When installing an elevator in a hoistway, centering work of guide rails is carried out. As a technique related to a rail positioning device used for this work, there is a technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. In this Patent Document 1, it is described that "fixed to a work cage that is vertically movably accommodated in a hoistway,... a pair of distance adjusting members for the front wall that adjust the position of the guide rail in the first direction sandwiched by a guide shoe fixed to the work cage from the first direction,... and a distance adjusting member for the side wall are provided,... the distance adjusting member for the front wall is fixed to the work cage and is stretchable and contractible toward the front wall side while pressing the front wall, and adjusts the distance between the front wall and the work cage by stretching and contracting,... the distance adjusting member for the side wall is fixed to each guide rail and is stretchable and contractible toward the side wall side, and adjusts the distance between each guide rail and each side wall by stretching and contracting".

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the front wall distance adjustment member described in Patent Document 1 adjusts the position of the guide rail by extending and retracting its tip while it is in contact with the inner wall of the elevator shaft. In this case, the position of the guide rail connected to the work basket is adjusted by tilting the center of gravity of the work basket toward the front wall and moving the work basket 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 gypsum board structure, it will not be able to receive the reaction force from the front wall distance adjustment member, making it difficult to adjust the position of the guide rail.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a rail positioning device and rail positioning method that enable the position adjustment of guide rails regardless of the configuration of the elevator shaft. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, for example, the configuration described in the claims may be adopted. The present invention includes several means for solving the above problems, but 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 perimeter wall of an elevator shaft, the rail positioning device comprising a long member extending toward the wall portion from a work cage suspended between the pair of guide rails, and actuators whose ends can be fixed between the long member and the wall portion such that their extension and contraction directions are substantially parallel to the wall portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention provides a rail positioning device and rail positioning method that enable the position adjustment of guide rails regardless of the configuration of the elevator shaft. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a top view showing the overall configuration of the rail positioning device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram of a rail positioning device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the connection structure between the work basket and the guide rail. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged perspective view of the main parts showing the fixing structure of the front and rear actuators and the side wall actuator according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the fixing structure of the slide frame according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged view showing the fixing structure on the tip side of the front and rear actuators according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the stored state of the rail positioning device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments applying the rail positioning device and rail positioning method of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] Rail positioning device Figure 1 is a top view showing the overall configuration of the rail positioning device 100 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a block diagram of the rail positioning device 100 according to the embodiment. The rail positioning device 100, which will be described using these figures, is a device for positioning the guide rail 3 based on a piano wire 2 suspended in the elevator shaft 1. Such a rail positioning device 100 is attached to the guide rail 3, the work cage 4 in the elevator shaft 1, and a fixing member 1b fixed to the inner peripheral wall 1w of the elevator shaft 1. The work cage 4 is suspended in the elevator shaft 1 by a suspension rope 5.

[0011] In Figure 1, the X direction is the left-right direction (width direction) when viewing the elevator from the landing side, and the Y direction is the front-back direction (depth direction) when viewing the elevator from the landing side. In Figure 1, the elevator landing side is shown at the bottom. Next, before explaining the configuration of the rail positioning device 100, the mounting environment of the rail positioning device 100 will be explained based on Figure 1.

[0012] <Installation environment for rail positioning device> [Elevator 1] The elevator shaft 1 is a space provided in the building for installing the elevator. The elevator shaft 1 is a space enclosed on all four sides by inner walls 1w. The inner walls 1w consist of left and right side walls 1ws, 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 space is covered with concrete walls except for the entrance 1a on the elevator landing side. If the building is made of steel frame, a steel frame is constructed, and the areas without a frame become open spaces without walls. Fixing members 1b are provided on each of the two side walls 1ws of the elevator shaft 1 and are used to fix the guide rails 3.

[0013] The fixing member 1b is a metal fitting made of iron. If the building is made of reinforced concrete, a hole is drilled in the concrete wall, and an L-shaped fitting is bolted into it to serve as the fixing member 1b. If the building is made of steel frame, a flat metal fitting is brought into contact with the upper surface of the steel frame and fastened with bolts or welded to serve as the fixing member 1b. The fixing member 1b is installed so as to protrude from the wall surface of the side wall 1ws into the elevator shaft 1. Such fixing members 1b are called wall brackets or fasteners. Alternatively, such fixing members 1b may be bolted or welded to other members fixed to the wall surface or the upper surface of the steel frame.

[0014] [Piano wire 2] The piano wire 2 is a steel wire used in building codes, and is suspended from the top of the building with a weight attached, fixed in a vertically taut state. The piano wire 2 is installed at a fixed distance on both the left and right sides of the elevator shaft 1, and is used as a reference line when centering the position of the guide rail 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 in the width direction of the flange portion 31. The pair of guide rails 3 is arranged along two opposing wall portions of the lifting path 1 with the flange portion 31 facing the transverse wall 1ws and the blade portion 32 protruding inside the lifting path 1. Here, the two wall portions are typically the transverse walls 1ws, and the pair of guide rails 3 is installed along the transverse walls 1ws respectively. These guide rails 3 are erected inside the lifting path 1 by adding guide rail members supplied in a certain length from the lowest floor to the highest floor. In the state of being erected inside the lifting path 1, the guide rail 3 is positioned and fixed at a predetermined position on the lowest floor, and is not fixed at parts other than the lowest floor, so it is inclined in the front-back, left-right directions.

[0016] In addition, on the tip side of the blade portion 32 protruding toward the center side of the lifting path 1 of each guide rail 3, a track surface and a cutting edge surface are formed. The track surface and the cutting edge surface of the guide rail 3 are reference planes with dimensional accuracy guaranteed for centering the guide rail 3. The operator measures the distances between these surfaces and the piano wire 2 to perform the centering operation of the guide rail 3, that is, the rail positioning operation.

[0017] [Working cage 4] The working cage 4 is a mobile scaffold for the operator to board in order to install the guide rail 3. The working cage 4 uses a part of the main cage of the elevator and has a working floor 4a for the operator to board. This working cage 4 is suspended and supported in the lifting path 1 by a wire suspension rope 5 at a position sandwiched between the two guide rails 3. The suspension rope 5 can be wound by a winder (not shown), enabling the working cage 4 to move up and down freely. The operator boards this working cage 4, moves the working cage 4 up and down along the guide rail 3 to a predetermined height inside the lifting path 1, and performs the rail positioning operation.

[0018] The work basket 4 as described above is slidably connected to the guide rail 3 as described below at a position sandwiched between the two guide rails 3. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the connection structure between the work basket 4 and the guide rail 3. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, on the work floor 4a (see FIG. 1) of the work basket 4, slings 41 made of grooved steel are raised and fixed at positions facing each of the pair of guide rails 3. The sling 41 is arranged such that the opening faces the guide rail 3 side.

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

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

[0021] Here, the suspension rope 5 (see FIG. 1) is connected to the work basket 4 at two points on the left and right near the rear of the work basket 4 (near the rear wall 1wb) so as not to interfere with the guide rail 3. Due to the positional relationship between this connection point and the center of gravity G of the work basket 4, the work basket 4 tilts toward the front wall 1wf side or the rear wall 1wb side, and maintains balance in a state of leaning against the guide rail 3 via the above-described rail holding fitting 43.

[0022] Furthermore, a handrail 44 is raised inside the sling 41 (see FIG. 3) at the periphery of the work floor 4a in the work basket 4. The handrail 44, the sling 41, the hanging fitting 42, and the rail holding fitting 43 are fixed to be integral with the work basket 4 and are part of the work basket 4.

[0023] <Configuration of rail positioning device 100> Next, the configuration of the rail positioning device 100, which is installed in the environment described above, will be explained. As shown in Figure 1, the rail positioning device 100 has a rail centering rod 6 and two piano wire position detectors 7 (shown only in Figure 1). Furthermore, the rail positioning device 100 includes a single pipe 8, a slide frame 9, front and rear actuators 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 have the following configuration.

[0024] [Rail alignment employment 6] The rail alignment jig 6 is a jig (gauge) that maintains a predetermined distance between the left and right guide rails 3, which are prepared for alignment work. The rail alignment jig 6 has a predetermined length and is fixed by being placed across the pair of guide rails 3. Both ends of the rail alignment jig 6 are provided with gripping parts that hold and grip the guide rails 3. The gripping parts are provided with L-shaped fittings that contact the cutting edge surface and the track surface of the guide rails 3. The rail alignment jig 6 can be connected to the guide rails 3 with high precision via these fittings. The left and right guide rails 3 are integrated by being connected to the rail alignment jig 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 consists of a position sensor for detecting the piano wire 2, a housing for holding the position sensor, and a rail clip for securing the housing to the guide rail 3.

[0026] The position sensor consists 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 constructed using, for example, a photointerrupter. A 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. Furthermore, by using multiple photointerrupters, multiple detection ranges can be arranged consecutively, enabling more detailed and wider detection of the position of the piano wire 2.

[0027] The housing acts as a gauge to maintain a predetermined distance from the guide rail 3 to the position sensor. It also houses a communication device that transmits the distance information between the guide rail 3 and the piano wire 2, measured by the position sensor, to an external source, as well as batteries and other components.

[0028] The rail clips are designed to be attached to the cutting edge surface and track surface of the guide rail 3 by means of magnets or clamps, and are detachable. The piano wire position detectors 7 are attached to the left and right guide rails 3, respectively.

[0029] [Single pipe 8] Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the fixing structure of the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuator 12 according to the embodiment, and shows the fixing structure of the front and rear actuators 10 using a single pipe 8. The single pipe 8 shown in Figures 1 and 4 is a member for fixing the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuator 12 to the work cage 4. Such a single pipe 8 has holes 8a for fixing various members. This single pipe 8 extends along the side wall 1ws of the elevator shaft 1 in a direction parallel to the work floor 4a of the work cage 4 and is fixed to the mounting bracket 42. The single pipe 8 is also positioned so as to protrude from the mounting bracket 42 toward the front wall 1wf.

[0030] As mentioned above, the rail retaining bracket 43 is fixed to the hanging bracket 42 (see Figure 3). Therefore, the single pipe 8 is fixed to the hanging bracket 42 by the pipe fixing bracket 81, straddling the rail retaining bracket 43 via a base which is not shown in this illustration.

[0031] [Slide Frame 9] The slide frame 9 is a long member that extends from the work cage 4 toward the side wall 1ws. This slide frame 9 allows the fixing position of the front and rear actuators 10 relative to the work cage 4 to be changed in a horizontal direction that is approximately parallel to the front wall 1wf (see Figure 1) of the elevator shaft 1. Such a slide frame 9 has fitting grooves 9a along the longitudinal direction of the long member, for example, a rectangular prism-shaped long member having fitting grooves 9a on each of its four side surfaces. This slide frame 9 is used by fixing it to the tip 8b of the single pipe 8 on the front wall 1wf side of the work cage 4.

[0032] Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the fixing structure of the slide frame 9 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 5 and the previous Figure 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 integrated structure. The slide frame 9 is fixed to the frame gripping member 91 by a bolt 93 that is screwed into a fitting groove 9a through a hole provided in the frame gripping member 91. In addition, the slide frame 9 is fixed to the single pipe 8 by the pipe gripping member 92 gripping the single pipe 8. Note that in the slide frame 9, by using a fitting groove 9a separate from the fitting groove 9a into which the bolt 93 is screwed, and inserting a T-bolt into this fitting groove 9a to prevent it from coming loose, the slide frame 9 can be configured so that it does not fall off the frame gripping member 91 even when the bolt 93 is pulled out.

[0033] The slide frame 9's protrusion length from the work basket 4 towards the side wall 1ws (see Figure 1) can be freely adjusted by loosening the bolt 93 of the frame gripping member 91. This allows the protrusion length of the slide frame 9 from the work basket 4 towards the side wall 1ws (see Figure 1) to be adjusted according to the distance between the work basket 4 and the side wall 1ws.

[0034] Furthermore, the slide frame 9 can be adjusted in the direction of elevation by loosening its grip on the single pipe 8 by the pipe gripping member 92. This allows it to be stored, for example, by extending it downwards from the work basket 4.

[0035] Furthermore, the slide frame 9 allows for variable fixing positions in the front-rear direction (Y direction) relative to the work basket 4 by loosening the grip of the single pipe 8 by the pipe gripping member 92. This expands the variations in the fixing state of the front-rear actuator 10, which will be explained next.

[0036] [Front and rear actuator 10] Returning to Figures 1 and 4, the front and rear actuators 10 are rod-shaped linear actuators that extend and retract in the longitudinal direction. As linear actuators, actuators that extend and retract using electricity, hydraulics, or pneumatics as driving forces can be used. In particular, electric linear actuators have the advantage of being able to maintain their length even when an external force is applied after the power supply is cut off by a ball screw mechanism, which is advantageous for saving power during fixing work after centering work. Fixing fittings are attached to the front end 10a and rear end 10b of the front and rear actuators 10.

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

[0038] The fixing part 102 is attached to the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuator 10 and is fixed to the plate-shaped fitting 101 by bolts 102a. The front and rear actuator 10 can change direction in the horizontal plane and in the elevation direction while fixed to the slide frame 9 via the plate-shaped fitting 101.

[0039] Furthermore, the position of the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuators 10 can be slid in the extending direction of the slide frame 9 by loosening the bolt 101a of the plate-shaped fitting 101. This allows the operator to easily change the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuators 10 to suit the work scene, resulting in a device with a high degree of work flexibility.

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

[0041] The rotary joint 104 is a flexible joint in which two members are connected by an axis, and a universal joint that can change direction in all directions can be used. In such a rotary joint 104, the two members connected by the axis are fixed between the clamp 103 and the rod tip of the front and rear actuator 10. With this rotary joint 104, the angle and orientation of the front and rear actuator 10 in the longitudinal axis direction relative to the fixed member 1b are freely adjustable, and the clamp 103 provided on the tip 10a of the front and rear actuator 10 securely grips the fixed member 1b. Furthermore, the bending of the rotary joint 104 makes it possible to attach the front and rear actuator 10 to the fixed member 1b even if there is a height difference between the fixed member 1b and the slide frame 9 to which the rear end 10b (see Figure 4) of the front and rear actuator 10 is fixed.

[0042] As described above, the front-rear actuator 10, fixed between the slide frame 9 and the fixing member 1b, has an extension and retraction direction that is approximately parallel to the side wall 1ws. As a result, the front-rear actuator 10 moves the work basket 4 in the front-rear direction (Y direction) by extending and retracting. This movement of the work basket 4 causes the guide rail 3 (see Figure 4), which is connected to the work basket 4 by the rail holding fitting 43, to move in the front-rear direction (Y direction).

[0043] [Storage slide frame 11] Returning to Figures 1 and 4, the storage slide frame 11 is a component that allows the side wall actuator 12 to be stored on the work cage 4 side. The storage slide frame 11 is also a component that allows the fixing position of the side wall actuator 12 relative to the work cage 4 to be changed in a direction approximately perpendicular to the side wall 1ws of the elevator shaft 1. Such a storage slide frame 11 has the same configuration as the slide frame 9 and has a fitting groove 11a along the longitudinal direction of the long 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 mounted via a fixing part 111 so as to be able to protrude approximately perpendicularly from the side wall 1ws (see Figure 1). The length of the storage slide frame 11 should 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 the same configuration as the front and rear actuator 10, and is a rod-shaped linear actuator that extends and retracts in the longitudinal direction.

[0046] Such a side wall actuator 12 is fixed to the storage slide frame 11 such that its extension and retraction direction is substantially 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 its 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 tightening a bolt 123, which is screwed into the hole and a T-nut inserted into the fitting groove 11a of the storage slide frame 11.

[0047] The side wall actuator 12 can change its fixed position on the storage slide frame 11 by loosening the bolt 123. This allows the tip 12a of the side wall actuator 12 to extend outwards from the work cage 4 so that it is close to the side wall 1ws (see Figure 1) of the elevator shaft 1 during rail alignment work. When the rail alignment work is completed and the work cage 4 is raised or lowered, the side wall actuator 12 can be stored inside the work cage 4.

[0048] Here, the bolt 123 has a knob formed on its screw head, allowing for easy tightening without a jig. This improves the workability of moving the side wall actuator 12.

[0049] Furthermore, the side wall actuator 12 can be fitted with an extension rod 125 on its tip 12a side, which allows it to push a wall at a distance within the dimensions of the elevator shaft 1.

[0050] [Reinforcement stay 13] The reinforcing stays 13 shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5 are reinforcing members that prevent deformation of the single pipe 8 during the operation of the front and rear actuators 10. Specifically, the front and rear actuators 10 are fixed via a slide frame 9 between a fixing member 1b fixed to the inner circumferential wall 1w (in this case, the side wall 1ws) of the elevator shaft 1 and a single pipe 8 fixed to the work cage 4, and are configured to extend and retract while fixed. Due to the extension and retraction of the front and rear actuators 10 in this manner, stress is applied to the tip 8b of the single pipe 8 in the left-right direction (X direction). The reinforcing stays 13 are members that prevent 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. This flat plate member 131 is fixed to the slide frame 9 and the single pipe 8 by tightening a wing bolt 132 that is screwed in so as to pass through the hole in the flat plate member 131, the hole in the frame gripping member 91, and a T-nut inserted into the fitting groove 9a of the slide frame 9.

[0052] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reinforcing stay 13 is configured to be extendable and retractable according to the dimensions of the work basket 4. Such a reinforcing stay 13 consists 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, thereby fixing the length of the reinforcing stay 13 consisting of the frame member 13a and the housing member 13b.

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

[0054] [Control circuit 14] Returning to Figures 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 microcontroller or the like capable of handling a variety of input and output signals. The wireless communication unit is a wireless device 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 motors that serve as the drive source for the front and rear actuators 10 and the motors that serve as the drive source for the side wall actuators 12. The control circuit 14 receives the detection signal transmitted by the piano wire position detector 7 and, based on the received detection signal and commands from the control panel 15, outputs drive signals to the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12, respectively.

[0055] This allows the control circuit 14 to control the drive of the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 based on the position signal from the piano wire position detector 7, thereby automating tasks that were previously performed manually by an operator. Specifically, it automates tasks such as measuring the distance between the piano wire 2 and the guide rail 3 using a scale or the like, and adjusting the position of the guide rail 3 by tapping it with a hammer or the like while checking the measured value. This enables high-precision rail positioning in a short time, reducing the workload on the operator.

[0056] [Operation panel 15] The control panel 15 has switches for manually operating the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12, as well as for executing automatic control of rail positioning. The control panel 15 also has an indicator that displays the status of the rail positioning device. The control panel 15 is directly connected to the control circuit 14 and provides commands to the control circuit 14 based on the operator's operations.

[0057] <<Installation of guide rails>> Next, the guide rail installation work, including the rail positioning method of the guide rail using the rail positioning device 100 described above, will be explained. The guide rail installation work mainly consists of the work of installing the rail positioning device 100 in the work cage 4, the rail positioning work of operating the rail positioning device 100 at each floor in the elevator shaft 1 to position the guide rail, and the rail fixing work of fixing the guide rail 3 to the elevator shaft 1. Of these, the rail positioning work and the rail fixing work are performed repeatedly, with work related to the movement of the work cage 4 in between. The procedure for installing the guide rail will be explained in order below.

[0058] <Installation work of rail positioning device> [Installation of rail retaining bracket 43] First, as shown in Figure 3, the worker installs the rail retaining bracket 43. The rail retaining bracket 43 is fixed to the hanging bracket 42 of the work cage 4 using bolts. At this time, in order not to obstruct the raising and lowering of the work cage 4, the rail retaining bracket 43 is pulled towards the cage with the two metal tips of the rail retaining bracket 43 gently gripping the blade portion 32 of the guide rail 3, and the base end is fixed to the hanging bracket 42 of the work cage 4. This allows the rail retaining bracket 43 to slide freely relative to the guide rail 3.

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

[0060] When the side wall actuator 12 is installed in the work basket 4, the storage slide frame 11 and the side wall actuator 12 are housed inside the work basket 4. Also, if an 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 and rear actuators 10 onto the work cage 4. The front and rear actuators 10 are delivered fixed to the slide frame 9. In this case, a clamp 103 and a rotary joint 104 (see Figure 6) are fixed to the tip 10a of the front and rear actuators 10, and a frame gripping member 91 and a pipe gripping member 92 (see Figure 4) are fixed to the slide frame 9. This allows the worker to fix the front and rear actuators 10 to the work cage 4 by fixing the slide frame 9 to the single pipe 8 using the pipe gripping member 92. By performing this installation work on both the left and right sides of the work cage 4, the installation of the front and rear actuators 10 onto the work cage 4 is completed.

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

[0063] [Installation of control circuit 14 and control panel 15] Next, referring to Figure 1, the worker installs the control circuit 14 and the control panel 15. The control circuit 14 and the control panel 15 are installed by hooking the hooks connected to the control circuit 14 and the control panel 15 onto the handrail at the rear of the work cage 4. After installing the control circuit 14 and the control panel 15, the cables of the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 installed on the left and right sides of the work cage 4 are routed and secured inside the work cage 4 and connected to the control circuit 14. The control circuit 14 is powered on by connecting it to the AC power supply that is brought into the work cage 4.

[0064] As described above, the separate structure of the front and rear actuators 10, the side wall actuators 12, the control circuit 14, and the control panel 15 allows for smaller sizes and weights for each component, enabling installation by a single worker. Furthermore, the installation process is simplified, contributing to reduced workload and shorter installation times.

[0065] Furthermore, the removal of the rail positioning device 100 can be done in the reverse order of the installation process described above, and this can also be completed by one worker in a short amount of time.

[0066] <Rail positioning work> The rail positioning operation is performed by raising and lowering the work basket 4 to the rail fixing position, with each component of the rail positioning device 100 attached to the work basket 4 in its stored state, as described above.

[0067] [Installation of rail alignment tool 6] First, referring to Figure 1, the rail positioning work begins with the installation of the rail alignment tool 6. The worker uses the gripping mechanisms at both ends of the rail alignment tool 6 to grip and connect the left and right guide rails 3, thereby integrating the two guide rails 3 into one unit.

[0068] [Preparation of front and rear actuators 10] Next, the worker prepares the front and rear actuators 10. When the work cage 4 is raised or lowered, the front and rear actuators 10, along with the slide frame 9, are in a stored state, hanging down from the single pipe 8 (see Figure 7). As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the worker then unfolds the slide frame 9 toward the outside of the work cage 4 and fixes the slide frame 9 in place.

[0069] Next, the worker loosens the bolt 102a at the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuator 10 and adjusts the position of the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuator 10. Then, the worker grasps the fixing member 1b on the side wall of the elevator shaft 1 with the clamp 103 attached to the tip 10a of the front and rear actuator 10 and fixes the tip 10a of the front and rear actuator 10. Also, the worker tightens the bolt 102a at the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuator 10 and fastens the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuator 10 to the slide frame 9. The worker performs this operation on both the left and right sides of the work basket 4.

[0070] [Installation of reinforcing stay 13] Next, the worker installs the reinforcing stay 13 between the left and right single pipes 8. In this case, the worker first adjusts the length of the reinforcing stay 13 to match the width of the work basket 4. Then, referring to Figure 5, the worker screws in the wing bolt 132 so that it passes through the hole in the flat plate member 131 fixed to the reinforcing stay 13, the hole in the frame gripping member 91, and the T-nut inserted into the fitting groove 9a of the slide frame 9 and tightens it. By performing this work 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 the side wall actuator 12] Next, referring to Figure 7, the worker prepares the side wall actuator 12. When the work cage 4 is raised and lowered, the side wall actuator 12 hangs down along the work cage 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the worker slides the side wall actuator 12 along the storage slide frame 11, causing the side wall actuator 12 to protrude to the outside of the work cage 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 extension rod 125) and the side wall 1ws of the elevator shaft 1 (in this case, the fixing member 1b) so as not to interfere with the rail positioning in the front-rear direction (Y direction).

[0072] [Installation of piano wire position detector 7] Next, the worker attaches 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] The operator controls the extension and retraction of the front / rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 by operating buttons on the control panel 15. The operator can manually operate the front / rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 to position the rails, or the system can automatically align the rails using software.

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

[0075] In this rail positioning operation, first, the rail is aligned in the front-rear direction (Y direction) by extending and retracting the front-rear actuators 10. Next, the rail is aligned in all directions by extending and retracting the front-rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12. Once the rail alignment is complete, the front-rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 maintain that position through self-holding.

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

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

[0078] [Storage of rail positioning device 100] Since the guide rail 3 is firmly fixed to the fixing member 1b in the temporarily fixed state, it is unnecessary for the rail positioning device 100 to hold the guide rail 3. For this reason, the worker will store the rail positioning device 100 so as not to interfere with the fixing work of the guide rail 3. At this time, first, referring to Figures 4 to 5, the worker will remove the reinforcing stay 13 from the single pipe 8.

[0079] Next, the worker loosens the clamp 103 at the tip 10a of the front and rear actuator 10 and removes it from the fixing member 1b. Also, the worker loosens the bolt 102a at the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuator 10, moves the rear end 10b of the front and rear actuator 10 toward the work basket 4 along the slide frame 9, and tightens the bolt 102a again to integrate and fix the front and rear actuator 10 to the slide frame 9. After that, as shown in Figure 7, the worker loosens the holding state of the single pipe 8 by the pipe gripping member 92, and leaves the slide frame 9, which is integrated with the front and rear actuator 10, hanging down from the single pipe 8.

[0080] Next, as shown in Figure 4, the worker loosens the bolt 123 at the rear end 12b of the side wall actuator 12 to release the fixing by the plate-shaped fixing member 122. Then, as shown in Figure 7, the side wall actuator 12 is stored inside 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 left hanging down from the tip of the side wall actuator 12.

[0081] Furthermore, the worker removes the piano wire position detector 7 shown in Figure 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 way, a workspace is secured around the guide rail 3.

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

[0083] After welding, remove the rail alignment tool 6 and make it possible to raise and lower the work cage 4. Then, raise and lower the work cage 4 to the next rail fixing position, and thereafter repeat the rail positioning work and rail fixing work described above.

[0084] <<Effects of the Embodiment>> According to the embodiment described above, the front and rear actuator 10 is fixed to the slide frame 9 that protrudes from the work cage 4 toward the side wall 1ws direction and to the side wall 1ws. As a result, the front and rear actuator 10 can move the work cage 4 in the front and rear direction (Y direction) and position the guide rail 3 without using the reaction force from the front wall 1wf. Therefore, even if the front wall 1wf of the elevator shaft is made of a fragile material such as a gypsum board structure, rail alignment is possible, and rail positioning is possible regardless of the configuration of the elevator shaft 1.

[0085] Furthermore, with this configuration, regardless of the degree of tilt caused by uneven load on the work basket 4, the work basket 4 can be moved in the front-rear direction by extending and retracting the front-rear actuators 10 fixed to the left and right sides of the work basket 4, thereby enabling the centering of the guide rail 3 connected to the work basket 4. In other words, if the tips of the front-rear actuators 10 were not fixed and instead pressed against the front wall 1wf, it would be impossible to center the guide rail 3 in the front-rear direction when the center of gravity G of the work basket 4 is tilted towards the rear wall, but this is possible with the rail positioning device 100 of this embodiment.

[0086] Furthermore, since the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 are fixed to the work cage 4 via the slide frame 9 and the storage slide frame 11, the extension of the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 can be compensated for by the slide frame 9 and the storage slide frame 11. As a result, even when there is a large distance between the work cage and guide rails and the inner wall of the elevator shaft, there is no need to enlarge the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12.

[0087] Furthermore, when moving the work cage 4 to a specific floor, the front and rear actuators 10 and the side wall actuators 12 can be easily stored without removing them from the work cage 4 along with the slide frame 9 and the storage slide frame 11, as shown in Figure 7. Therefore, the effort of removing the rail positioning device 100 can be eliminated during the repeated operation of moving the work cage 4 and fixing the guide rail 3.

[0088] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, and includes a variety of further modifications. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] elevator 1…Housing 1b… Fixing member 1w…Inner peripheral wall 1ws…side wall (two opposing wall sections) 3… Guide rail 100... Rail positioning device 4…Work basket 6... Rail alignment employment 8... Single pipe 9…Slide frame (long component) 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 (pointed bolt) 104... Rotary joint 102...Fixed part (rotary joint) 102a... Bolt 102a (rotary joint)

Claims

1. A rail positioning device for adjusting the position of a pair of guide rails arranged along two opposing wall sections of the inner perimeter wall of an elevator shaft, A long member extending toward the wall from a work basket suspended between the pair of guide rails, The system includes actuators, whose ends can be fixed between the elongated member and the wall, such that their extension and contraction directions are substantially parallel to the wall. Rail positioning device.

2. The aforementioned elongated member is a slide frame that can change the fixed position of the actuator. The sliding frame's extension length from the work basket can be freely adjusted. The rail positioning device according to claim 1.

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

4. The actuator is fixed to the fixing member fixed to the wall for fixing the guide rail by tightening a pointed bolt provided at the tip. The rail positioning device according to claim 1.

5. The work basket is fixed in place and includes a single pipe that extends horizontally in a direction substantially parallel to the wall, The long member is fixed to the work basket via a pipe gripping member that grips the single pipe. The pipe gripping member allows for adjustment of the extension direction of the long member from the work basket by loosening its grip on the single pipe. The rail positioning device according to claim 1.

6. The device includes a reinforcing stay positioned between the two single pipes fixed to the work basket, corresponding to the two wall sections. The rail positioning device according to claim 5.

7. The reinforcing stay is extendable and retractable. The rail positioning device according to claim 6.

8. The work basket is equipped with another actuator that can be fixed to it so as to be substantially perpendicular to the wall in the direction of extension and retraction. The rail positioning device according to claim 1.

9. The fixing position of the other actuator relative to the work basket is provided with an elongated sliding frame that can be changed in a substantially vertical direction toward the wall, The other actuator is fixed to the work basket via the slide frame. The rail positioning device according to claim 8.

10. A rail positioning method for adjusting the position of a pair of guide rails arranged along two opposing wall sections of the inner perimeter wall of an elevator shaft, A long member is extended from the work basket suspended between the pair of guide rails toward the wall, The actuator is fixed between the elongated member and the wall portion such that the direction of expansion and contraction is substantially parallel to the wall portion. The position of the guide rail connected to the work basket is adjusted by extending or retracting the actuator. Rail positioning method.

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