Elevator Rope Anchor with Releasable Wedges for Hoistway Construction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rope anchors for elevators, particularly in jump-lifts, face challenges with unreliable grip and difficulty in easy rope supply during construction, making it hard to construct the top part of the elevator hoistway simultaneously with the bottom part in use.
Innovation Solution
A rope anchor with a wedge housing and wedge members, actuated by a releasing mechanism, that securely grips and easily releases ropes, allowing for quick rope supply and hoisting machine relocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clamp structure is used as a rope anchor, then the device is simple in structure, but the grip reliability is poor and rope supply is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The rope anchor is divided into separate functional components: a housing containing the tapering nest, individual wedge members that can move independently, and spring members for each wedge. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The wedge members are designed to be extractable from the housing through the open wide end, enabling easy rope supply and replacement without disassembling the entire anchor structure. This extraction capability directly addresses the rope supply difficulty while maintaining grip reliability during operation.
2Ease of operation
If a clamp structure is used, then manufacturing is simple, but ease of operation for rope supply is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge members are designed to be movable within the housing, transitioning between a locked position (for secure gripping) and an extracted position (for easy rope supply). This dynamic capability enables easy operation during maintenance while the manufacturing process remains relatively simple using conventional machining techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
Spring members act as intermediaries between the wedge members and the housing, providing automatic retraction force and facilitating smooth movement. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the operation of rope supply while the springs themselves are simple components that do not significantly complicate manufacturing.
3Productivity
If the hoisting machine is relocated higher in the hoistway, then productivity increases by enabling simultaneous construction and elevator operation, but additional rope supply is required
Solution Approach 1:
The wedge members are pre-positioned in the housing and the system is designed to accommodate incremental rope supply. When the hoisting machine is relocated higher, additional rope can be supplied through the same anchor point using the existing wedge mechanism, eliminating the need for complete rope replacement and reducing the total rope quantity needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor structure allows for selective replacement of only the additional rope section needed for the height increase, while the existing anchored portion remains in use. This partial replacement approach reduces the total rope quantity required compared to complete replacement, while enabling the productivity gain from simultaneous construction and operation.
4Ease of operation
If a releasable anchor is used for rope supply, then ease of operation improves, but grip reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor operates in periodic cycles: the wedge members are held in the locked gripping position during normal operation, then temporarily moved to the extracted position for rope supply, and finally returned to the locked position. This periodic action between locked and extracted states enables easy operation during maintenance while maintaining grip reliability during operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring members provide self-service by automatically retracting the wedge members to the locked position after rope supply is complete, without requiring additional actuation. This self-service mechanism ensures grip reliability is restored automatically, while the initial extraction can be easily initiated by the operator for maintenance operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates reliable and efficient rope anchoring and supply, enabling simultaneous construction of elevator hoistway parts and smooth operation of construction elevators.
Implementation Method 1
one or more spring members for urging and/or arranged to urge the one or more wedge member towards the narrow end of the tapering nest
Implementation Method 2
one or more wedge members mounted in the tapering nest for being wedged against a rope passing through the tapering nest
Implementation Method 3
a releasing mechanism actuatable to move the one or more wedge members towards the wide end of the tapering nest
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a rope anchor for anchoring one or more ropes of an elevator, comprising at least a wedge housing comprising a tapering nest shaped to have a narrow end which is open towards a first direction, and a wide end which is open towards a second direction; and one or more wedge members mounted in the tapering nest for being wedged against a rope passing through the tapering nest; and one or more spring members for urging and/or arranged to urge the one or more wedge member towards the narrow end of the tapering nest; and a releasing mechanism actuatable to move the one or more wedge members (2,3) towards the wide end of the tapering nest. The invention also relates to an elevator arrangement comprising said anchor, as well as to a method implementing the arrangement.