Hydraulically activated shutoff valve for a hydraulic elevator system

A hydraulic elevator system, comprising:

• an elevator car;
• a hydraulic plunger associated with the elevator car;
• a fluid reservoir;
• a conduit coupling the fluid reservoir and the hydraulic plunger;
• a pump that causes fluid movement through the conduit between the fluid reservoir and the hydraulic plunger to cause selective movement of the elevator car;
• a shutoff valve associated with the conduit, the shutoff valve being between the pump and the hydraulic plunger, the shutoff valve having a closed position in which the shutoff valve prevents fluid movement to or from the hydraulic plunger to prevent movement of the elevator car, the shutoff valve having an open position in which the shutoff valve permits fluid movement between the hydraulic plunger and at least one of the pump and the reservoir to permit movement of the elevator car;
• and
• a valve actuator that operates based on pressure in the hydraulic plunger for selectively causing the shutoff valve to be in the open position, the valve actuator also operating based on the pressure in the hydraulic plunger for selectively causing the shutoff valve to be in the closed position,
• wherein
• the shutoff valve has a handle for manually moving the shutoff valve between the open and closed positions;
• the handle is at least partially visible from outside the shutoff valve;
• the valve actuator is coupled to the handle for moving the handle;
• and
• the valve actuator is coupled to the handle in a manner that allows for visual observation of a position of the handle indicative of a position of the shutoff valve.

An assembly for controlling whether an elevator car can move in a hydraulic elevator system in response to a change in hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic plunger associated with the elevator car, the assembly comprising:

• a shutoff valve configured to selectively allow or prevent a flow of elevator system hydraulic fluid through the shutoff valve to thereby selectively allow or prevent movement of the elevator car, respectively;
• and
• a valve actuator including
• a ram coupled to the shutoff valve in a manner that movement of the ram opens or closes the shutoff valve, and
• at least one control valve associated with the ram to selectively allow pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic plunger to cause movement of the ram for selectively opening the shutoff valve and selectively closing the shutoff valve,
• wherein
• the shutoff valve has an external handle adapted for manual manipulation to open or close the shutoff valve;
• and
• the ram is coupled to the handle in a manner that the movement of the ram causes movement of the handle.

An assembly for controlling whether an elevator car can move in a hydraulic elevator system in response to a change in hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic plunger associated with the elevator car, the assembly comprising:

• a shutoff valve configured to selectively allow or prevent a flow of elevator system hydraulic fluid through the shutoff valve to thereby selectively allow or prevent movement of the elevator car, respectively;
• and
• a valve actuator including
• a ram coupled to the shutoff valve in a manner that movement of the ram opens or closes the shutoff valve, and
• at least one control valve associated with the ram to selectively allow pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic plunger to cause movement of the ram for selectively opening the shutoff valve and selectively closing the shutoff valve,
• wherein
• the valve actuator includes a chamber and a piston situated for movement in the chamber;
• the piston is connected to the ram for movement with the ram,
• the control valve selectively controls pressure on opposite sides of the piston to control a position of the ram and whether the shutoff valve is open or closed.