Apparatus and method for aligning guide rails in an elevator shaft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9714156-B2
Application number	US-201514818037-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 4, 2014
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

The apparatus includes a positioning unit and an alignment unit. The positioning unit extends across the elevator shaft in a second direction and comprises at each end a first attachment mechanism movable in the second direction for supporting the positioning unit on opposite wall structures in the elevator shaft. The alignment unit extends across the elevator shaft in the second direction and is supported with support parts on each end portion of the positioning unit. Each end portion of the alignment unit is individually movable in relation to the positioning unit in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction. The alignment unit includes further at each end a second attachment mechanism movable in the second direction for supporting the alignment unit on opposite guide rails in the shaft. The second attachment mechanism includes a gripper for gripping on the guide rail.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for aligning guide rails in an elevator shaft, a lifting machinery moving an elevator car in a first direction upwards and downwards in the vertically extending elevator shaft being restricted by wall structures, the elevator car being guided by guide rails supported on the wall structures in the elevator shaft, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a positioning unit extending horizontally across the elevator shaft in a second direction and comprising a first attachment mechanism movable in the second direction at each end of the positioning unit for supporting the positioning unit on the opposite wall structures or other support structures in the elevator shaft; and
an alignment unit extending across the elevator shaft in the second direction and being supported with support parts on each end portion of the positioning unit so that each end portion of the alignment unit is individually movable in relation to the positioning unit in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction, and comprising a second attachment mechanism movable in the second direction at each end of the alignment unit for supporting the alignment unit on opposite guide rails in the shaft, said second attachment mechanism comprising a gripper for gripping on the guide rail,
whereby opposite guide rails can be adjusted in relation to each other and in relation to the elevator shaft with the apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning unit and the alignment unit comprises a centre portion and two opposite end portions, whereby the centre portion is changeable in order to change the length of the positioning unit and the alignment unit and thereby adapt the apparatus to elevator shafts of different dimensions.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the two opposite end portions are mirror images of each other.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the alignment unit is attached with articulated joints to the support parts.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper is formed by jaws being movable in the third direction, whereby the jaws grip on the side surfaces of the respective guide rail.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , that each of wherein the first attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the first attachment mechanism individually in the second direction.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the second attachment mechanism individually in the second direction.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the support parts is connected to an actuator in order to move the support parts individually in the third direction.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein each of the jaws at both ends of the second attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the jaws individually in the third direction.

10. A method for aligning guide rails in an elevator shaft, comprising the steps of:
using an apparatus comprising:
a positioning unit extending horizontally across the elevator shaft in a second direction and comprising a first attachment mechanism movable in the second direction at each end of the positioning unit for supporting the positioning unit on opposite wall structures or other support structures in an elevator shaft; and
an alignment unit extending across the elevator shaft in the second direction and being supported with support parts on each end portion of the positioning unit so that each end portion of the alignment unit is individually movable in relation to the positioning unit in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction, and comprising a second attachment mechanism movable in the second direction at each end of the alignment unit for supporting the alignment unit on opposite guide rails in the shaft, said second attachment mechanism comprising a gripper for gripping on the guide rail, for aligning opposite guide rails in an elevator shaft;

whereby the alignment unit is used to align the two opposite guide rails in relation to each other and the positioning unit is used to align the two opposite guide rails in relation to the elevator shaft.

11. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the alignment unit is attached with articulated joints to the support parts.

12. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the alignment unit is attached with articulated joints to the support parts.

13. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the gripper is formed by jaws being movable in the third direction, whereby the jaws grip on the side surfaces of the respective guide rail.

14. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the gripper is formed by jaws being movable in the third direction, whereby the jaws grip on the side surfaces of the respective guide rail.

15. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the gripper is formed by jaws being movable in the third direction, whereby the jaws grip on the side surfaces of the respective guide rail.

16. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the first attachment mechanism individually in the second direction.

17. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the first attachment mechanism individually in the second direction.

18. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the first attachment mechanism individually in the second direction.

19. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the first attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the first attachment mechanism individually in the second direction.

20. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second attachment mechanism is connected to an actuator in order to move the second attachment mechanism individually in the second direction.

Assignees

• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Valkama Peetu
• Mäkinen Harri
• Haag Mikael
• Mertala Antti

Classifications

• B66B7/1246

  specially adapted for guides · CPC title

• B66B5/0087 Primary

  Devices facilitating maintenance, repair or inspection tasks (devices incorporated in the buffer B66B5/288; railings on top of the car B66B11/0226) · CPC title

• G01B5/25

  for testing the alignment of axes · CPC title

• B66B19/002

  installing or exchanging guide rails (details of rails B66B7/02) · CPC title