FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to elevator guides used for guiding the movement of a component (e.g., an elevator car and/or counter weight) along elevator guide rails installed in a shaft or hoist way of a building structure wherein the elevator guides include a hub moveable in an internal bore or cavity of a guide mounting bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Elevator guides typically guide movement of a component (e.g., an elevator car or a counterweight) along a pair of opposing elevator guide rails located in a shaft or hoist way of a building structure. It is customary to employ a plurality of elevator guides to guide movement of the component along the elevator guide rails as the component moves in a shaft or hoist way of a building structure. Typically, two of the elevator guides are secured to the upper portion of the component in such a manner as to engage the corresponding elevator guide rails and two elevator guides are secured to the lower portion of the component to engage the corresponding guide rails. Typically, elevator guides have a plurality of rollers/wheels or other guide components that engage and travel along the corresponding elevator guide rail.

One type of elevator guide employs a hub moveable in an internal cavity or bore of an elevator guide support bracket connected to a corresponding portion of the elevator component. The hub slides in an inner cavity or bore of the bracket. A hub spring controls relative movement of the hub and bracket. Preferred forms of the present invention are designed to significantly improve hub and bracket type elevator guides. Preferred forms of the present invention include an adjustable spring force member and an adjustable stop that are independently adjustable so that the hub spring force can be adjusted without affecting a setting of the adjustable stop and the adjustable stop can be independently adjusted to vary the amount of relative motion between the hub and bracket permitted by the elevator guide without affecting a setting of the adjustable spring force member. Another preferred form of the present invention provides a self-centering hub spring that centers the hub spring in an internal cavity or bore of the hub when a force is applied to the hub spring. A further preferred form of the present invention provides a hub spring bore or cavity and a hub spring that are configured to facilitate or ensure centering of the hub spring and significantly reduce or eliminate the hub spring rubbing against wall portions of the hub spring bore or cavity as the hub spring expands or contracts. A further preferred form of the present invention includes a hub having a spring receiving or insertion opening which requires the hub spring to be threaded through the spring receiving or insertion opening to insert the hub spring in the hub spring bore or cavity to prevent the hub spring from falling out of the hub spring bore or cavity during assembly, disassembly or other manipulation of the elevator guide or components thereof. Another preferred form of the present invention includes a hub that includes one or more lubricant receiving members configured to enhance distribution of a lubricant around and along the hub. Still another preferred form of the present invention includes initial set-up markings that readily allow a user to position one or more components (e.g., the hub, spring force adjustment member and/or an adjustable stop) of the elevator guide in an optimal initial set-up position.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and unobvious elevator guide that guides movement of a component (e.g., an elevator car or a counterweight) along a pair of opposing elevator guide rails located in a shaft or hoist way of a building structure.

Another object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an elevator guide that includes a self-centering hub spring that centers itself in a hub spring cavity or bore.

A further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an elevator guide having an adjustable spring force member and an adjustable stop each of which can be adjusted independent of the other.

Yet another object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an elevator guide with a hub having one or more lubricant receiving members configured to enhance distribution of a lubricant around and along a portion of the hub.

Still another object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide one or more initial set-up markings on one or more components of the elevator guide (e.g., hub, adjustable spring force member and/or adjustable stop) which allow an individual to readily position the one or more components in an optimal initial set-up position.

Yet still another object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an elevator guide which significantly reduces or eliminates friction caused by rubbing of a hub spring on a wall portion of the hub spring cavity or bore when the hub spring is expanded or contracted.

Another object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an elevator guide having a spring and hub spring cavity or bore each having tapered ends to facilitate proper positioning of the hub spring in the hub spring cavity or bore.

A further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide a hub of an elevator guide having a spring receiving/insertion opening that requires the hub spring to be threaded through the spring receiving/insertion opening to prevent the hub spring from falling out of the hub when the hub or elevator guide are handled by an individual, e.g., during assembly, disassembly or other manipulation.

Still a further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an a hub spring and a spring force adjustment member configured such that the spring force adjustment member engages an outer end of the hub spring to eliminate or significantly reduce extension of the spring force adjustment member into the hub spring.

A further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an adjustable spring force member spring force concentrically aligned with the hub spring cavity or bore and an adjustable stop vertically offset from the adjustable spring force member.

Yet a further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an internal cavity of the elevator bracket that is sufficiently sized and/or configured to a portion of an adjustable stop.

It must be understood that no one embodiment of the present invention need include all of the aforementioned objects of the present invention. Rather, a given embodiment may include one or none of the aforementioned objects. Accordingly, these objects are not to be used to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention.

In summary, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to an elevator guide configured to ride along an elevator rail having a base member and a rail member. The rail member of the elevator rail has a front face, a first side and a second side. The rail member of the elevator rail further extends substantially perpendicular to the base member of the elevator rail. The elevator guide comprises an elevator guide support bracket configured to be attached to a component that rides along one or more elevator rails. The elevator guide support bracket has an internal cavity. The elevator guide further includes a hub having a first section and a second section. The first section of the hub is connected to a guide assembly that rides along a corresponding portion of the rail member. The guide assembly includes one of the following: (i) a plurality of elevator guide arms including an elevator face guide arm and a pair of opposing elevator guide side arms, the elevator guide face arm and the pair of opposing elevator guide side arms each include at least one guide member (e.g., rollers or wheels) for engaging and riding along a corresponding portion of the rail member of the elevator rail, and (ii) a rail gib assembly. The second section of the hub is configured to move in the internal cavity of the elevator guide support bracket. The second section of the hub includes an internal spring bore for receiving a hub spring. A hub spring is configured to be disposed in the internal spring bore of the hub. A spring force adjustment member is configured to engage the hub spring when the hub spring is disposed in the internal spring bore of the hub to vary a spring force of the hub spring wherein at least one of the internal spring bore of the hub and the hub spring are configured to center the hub spring when a predetermined force is applied to an outer end of the hub spring by the spring force adjustment member.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to an elevator guide configured to ride along an elevator rail having a base member and a rail member. The rail member of the elevator rail has a front face, a first side and a second side. The rail member of the elevator rail further extends substantially perpendicular to the base member of the elevator rail. The elevator guide includes an elevator guide support bracket configured to be attached to a component that rides on one or more elevator rails. The elevator guide support bracket has an internal cavity. The elevator guide further includes a hub having a first section and a second section. The first section of the hub is configured to be positioned closer to the elevator rail than the second section of the hub. The first section of the hub is connected to a guide assembly that rides along a corresponding portion of the rail member. The guide assembly includes one of the following: (i) a plurality of elevator guide arms including an elevator face guide arm and a pair of opposing elevator guide side arms, the elevator guide face arm and the pair of opposing elevator guide side arms each include at least one guide member (e.g., rollers or wheels) for engaging and riding along a corresponding portion of the rail member of the elevator rail, and (ii) a rail gib assembly. The second section of the hub is configured to move in the internal cavity of the elevator guide support bracket. The second section of the hub has an internal spring bore for receiving a hub spring. A hub spring is configured to be disposed in the internal spring bore of the hub. A spring force adjustment member is configured to engage the hub spring when the hub spring is disposed in the internal spring bore of the hub to vary a spring force of the hub spring. An adjustable stop is configured to be moveable relative to the elevator guide support bracket to vary a distance which the hub can move in a direction away from the elevator rail.

A further preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to an elevator guide configured to ride along an elevator rail having a base member and a rail member. The rail member of the elevator rail has a front face, a first side and a second side. The rail member of the elevator rail further extends substantially perpendicular to the base member of the elevator rail. The elevator guide comprises an elevator guide support bracket configured to be attached to a component that rides on one or more elevator rails. The elevator guide support bracket has an internal cavity and a lubricant port. The elevator guide further includes a hub having a first section and a second section. The first section of the hub is configured to be positioned closer to the elevator rail than the second section of the hub. The first section of the hub is connected to a guide assembly that rides along a corresponding portion of the rail member. The guide assembly includes one of the following: (i) a plurality of elevator guide arms including an elevator face guide arm and a pair of opposing elevator guide side arms, the elevator guide face arm and the pair of opposing elevator guide side arms each include at least one guide member (e.g., rollers or wheels) for engaging and riding along a corresponding portion of the rail member of the elevator rail, and (ii) a rail gib assembly. The second section of the hub is configured to move in the internal cavity of the elevator guide support bracket between an innermost position and an outermost position wherein when the hub is in the innermost position the hub extends into the internal cavity of the elevator guide support bracket a distance greater than when the hub is in the outermost position. The second section of the hub has an internal spring bore for receiving a hub spring. The second section of the hub further has at least one lubricant groove formed in an exterior surface of the second section of the hub. The at least one lubricant groove is in fluid communication with the lubricant port to receive a lubricant from the lubricant port.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is directed to an elevator guide configured to ride along an elevator rail having a base member and a rail member. The rail member of the elevator rail has a front face, a first side and a second side. The rail member of the elevator rail further extends substantially perpendicular to the base member of the elevator rail. The elevator guide comprises an elevator guide support bracket configured to be attached to a component that rides on one or more elevator rails. The elevator guide support bracket has an internal cavity. The elevator guide further includes a hub having a first section and a second section. The first section of the hub is configured to be positioned closer to the elevator rail than the second section of the hub. The first section of the hub is connected to a guide assembly that rides along a corresponding portion of the rail member. The guide assembly includes one of the following: (i) a plurality of elevator guide arms including an elevator face guide arm and a pair of opposing elevator guide side arms, the elevator guide face arm and the pair of opposing elevator guide side arms each include at least one guide member (e.g., rollers or wheels) for engaging and riding along a corresponding portion of the rail member of the elevator rail, and (ii) a rail gib assembly. The second section of the hub is configured to move in the internal cavity of the elevator guide support bracket. The second section of the hub has an internal spring bore for receiving a hub spring. A hub spring is configured to be disposed in the internal spring bore of the hub. At least one adjustment member is configured to control relative movement between the hub and the elevator guide support bracket. The elevator guide further has at least one of the following: (i) an initial set-up marking formed on the hub identifying to an individual an initial set-up position of the hub relative to the elevator guide support bracket; and, (ii) an initial set-up marking formed on the at least one adjustment member identifying to an individual an initial set-up position of the adjustment member relative to the elevator guide support bracket.

