Protection assembly for elevator braking assembly speed sensing device and method

A brake assembly for an elevator system comprising:

• a guide rail configured to guide movement of an elevator car;
• a safety brake operatively coupled to the elevator car and having a brake surface configured to frictionally engage the guide rail;
• and
• a safety brake actuation mechanism operatively coupled to the safety brake and configured to actuate the brake member to a braking position, the safety brake actuation mechanism comprising:
• a sensing device disposed at a distance from the guide rail to determine a speed of the elevator car relative to the guide rail;
• and
• a first guiding pad having an inner surface disposed at a distance from the guide rail that is less than the distance that the sensing device is spaced from the guide rail, said first guiding pad configured to prevent the sensing device from contacting debris disposed on the guide rail.

A method of protecting a speed sensing element of an elevator system comprising:

• disposing a sensing device on a safety brake actuation mechanism at a distance from a guide rail;
• disposing a rigid plate on the safety brake actuation mechanism at a distance from the guide rail that is less than the distance that the sensing device is spaced from the guide rail;
• and
• scraping debris disposed on the guide rail with the rigid plate to prevent the sensing device from contacting debris disposed on the guide rail.