Smart pit for hydraulic elevators and other products using pressurized hydraulic fluids

A system for use with a pit which has a pit floor and which contains a hydraulic elevator or other equipment which uses pressurized hydraulic fluid and which can leak hydraulic fluid from a predetermined location within the pit, wherein said elevator or other equipment is located outside of the pit and are supplied with hydraulic fluid from a fluid reservoir which is also located outside of the pit, said system comprising:

• a tap communicating with a space holding fluid which has leaked from the elevator or other equipment, which tap is located inside the pit;
• a fluid sump for holding hydraulic fluid which is located inside the pit;
• a fluid communication line coupled between said tap and said fluid sump for allowing fluid to leak from said space to said sump;
• an air line having one end in the fluid sump and extending out of the pit to a fluid sump level sensor;
• a water sump located below the pit floor and including a second air line having one end in the water sump and extending out of the pit to a water level sensor;
• and
• an electronic control panel which includes a processor which receives signals from the water level sensor and fluid sump level sensor and is programmed to interact with a remote computer to provide a remote user with information concerning operation of the system including communicating the levels of fluid and water in the sumps.

A system for use with a shaft with a pit which contains a hydraulic elevator or other equipment which uses pressurized hydraulic fluid and which can leak hydraulic fluid from a predetermined location within the pit, wherein said elevator or other equipment is supplied with hydraulic fluid from a fluid reservoir which is located outside of the pit, said system comprising:

• a tap communicating with a space holding hydraulic fluid which has leaked from the elevator or other equipment, which tap is located inside the pit;
• a fluid sump for temporarily holding hydraulic fluid and which is located inside the pit;
• a first fluid communication line coupled between said tap and said fluid sump for conducting fluid from said space to said fluid sump;
• a second fluid communication line coupled between the fluid sump and the fluid reservoir;
• a pump located outside of the pit and operable to selectively pump fluid from the fluid sump to the fluid reservoir over the second fluid communication line;
• an actuating valve located along the second fluid communication line which selectively opens to allow hydraulic fluid from the fluid sump to flow into the fluid reservoir;
• and
• an electronic control panel located outside the pit which includes a processor programmed to interact with a remote computer to provide a remote user with information concerning operation of the system and to allow the remote user to monitor and control at least certain operations of the system, and which processor also controls operation of the pump and actuating valve.

A system for use with a shaft having a pit which contains a hydraulic elevator or other equipment which uses pressurized hydraulic fluid and which can leak hydraulic fluid from a predetermined location within the pit, wherein said elevator or other equipment is supplied with hydraulic fluid from a fluid reservoir, said system comprising:

• a tap communicating with a space holding hydraulic fluid which has leaked from the elevator or other equipment;
• a fluid sump for temporarily holding leaked fluid;
• a fluid communication line coupled between said tap and said fluid sump for allowing fluid to leak from said space to said fluid sump;
• a pump;
• a fluid communication line between the fluid sump and the pump so that the pump is operable to pump fluid from the fluid sump to the pump;
• a hydraulic fluid recapturing holding tank;
• a second fluid communication line between the pump and the holding tank such that hydraulic fluid at the pump is pumped to the holding tank;
• a third fluid communication line between the holding tank and an inlet into the fluid reservoir;
• an actuating valve located in the third fluid communication line which selectively opens to allow hydraulic fluid in the holding tank to flow into the fluid reservoir;
• and
• an electronic control panel which includes a processor programmed to interact with a remote computer to provide a remote user with information concerning operation of the system and to allow the remote user to monitor and control at least certain operations of the system, and which processor also controls operation of the pump and actuating valve.