Elevator Locking Bolt Segmentation for Belt Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Slip-type elevators face high 'belt forces' that can damage latches and doors, leading to structural and operational failures, making it difficult to handle large loads effectively.
Innovation Solution
A slip-type elevator assembly with a locking system featuring a bolt that moves between unlocked and locked positions, interlocking first and second doors with protrusions, and a locking system that mitigates high belt forces by distributing the load across multiple shear points, reducing the need for a conventional door latch and allowing simultaneous door closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional door latch is used to lock the doors together, then the elevator can support tubulars, but the high belt forces can damage the latch and doors, leading to structural failures and operational failures
Solution Approach 1:
The door locking mechanism is segmented into multiple independent bolt assemblies (first bolt assembly and second bolt assembly) distributed across different doors. Each bolt assembly independently resists belt forces, eliminating the single-point failure risk of a conventional latch. The bolts are positioned at multiple locations to distribute the high belt forces across multiple shear points, preventing concentrated stress damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism transitions from a single-plane latch to a three-dimensional bolt system that extends through door cavities and engages with protrusions on opposing doors. The bolts protrude from cavities in first and second doors to engage with corresponding cavities in opposing doors, creating a multi-dimensional locking structure that better resists the radial belt forces from multiple directions.
2Ease of operation
If the doors are locked together with a latch, then the elevator can operate, but the damage to the latch or doors can result in structural failures and decreased reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The door cavities are designed with sufficient depth to accommodate the bolt assemblies, providing a buffer zone that protects the bolts from excessive stress during door closing and opening operations. The cavity depth ensures that bolts remain properly positioned and engaged, preventing premature wear or failure from operational variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The bolt assemblies act as intermediary elements between the doors, mediating the locking function while protecting the door structures from direct contact and damage. The bolts engage with cavities in opposing doors, creating a controlled interaction that distributes forces through the bolt shear points rather than directly between door surfaces.
3Force
If slip-type elevators use a conventional latch system, then they can handle basic loads, but it is difficult for them to handle large loads due to high belt forces
Solution Approach 1:
The load-bearing locking function is segmented into multiple bolt assemblies positioned at different locations on the doors. Each bolt assembly independently carries a portion of the belt forces, allowing the elevator to handle larger total loads than a single latch could support. The segmented structure transforms one high-stress point into multiple lower-stress points.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking system employs a composite structure combining multiple bolt materials and door cavity configurations to create a unified locking system with enhanced load-bearing capacity. The interaction between multiple bolts, door cavities, and protrusions creates a composite mechanical system that distributes and manages high belt forces more effectively than homogeneous single-latch systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to elevator locking system apparatus and methods, and associated components thereof. In one implementation, a slip-type elevator assembly includes an elevator body including one or more slips configured to grip a tubular, and a first door pivotably coupled to the elevator body. The slip-type elevator assembly includes a second door pivotably coupled to the elevator body, the first door and the second door movable between an open position and a closed position. The slip-type elevator assembly also includes a locking system including a bolt movable between an unlocked position and a locked position. In the unlocked position the bolt is disposed in a first cavity formed in the first door. In the locked position a first portion of the bolt is disposed in the first cavity and a second portion of the bolt is disposed outside of the first cavity.