Circulation transport system

An elevator car transfer apparatus comprising:

• a transfer cage receptive of at least one elevator car;
• and
• one or more transfer rails extending from a first elevator system hoistway to a second elevator system hoistway and operably connected to the transfer cage;
• wherein the transfer of the at least one elevator car received in the transfer cage is achieved by movement of the transfer cage along the one or more transfer rails from the first elevator system hoistway to the second elevator system hoistway.

A method of operating an elevator system comprising:

• moving one or more elevator cars substantially vertically in a first direction along a first hoistway;
• moving an elevator car of the one or more elevator cars into a transfer cage substantially aligned with the first hoistway;
• and
• translating the elevator car and transfer cage substantially horizontally along a transfer rail extending from the first hoistway to a second hoistway;
• and
• moving the elevator car substantially vertically in a second direction along the second hoistway.

An elevator system comprising:

• at least three hoistways;
• a plurality of elevator cars disposed in the at least three hoistways;
• and
• an elevator car transfer mechanism including:
• a transfer cage receptive of an elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars;
• and
• one or more transfer rails extending from a first hoistway of the at least three hoistways to a second hoistway of the at least three hoistways, the transfer cage connected to the one or more transfer rails is configured to transfer an elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars received in the transfer cage by movement of the transfer cage along the one or more transfer rails from the first hoistway to the second hoistway;
• wherein a direction of elevator car travel in one or more hoistways of the at least three hoistways is in a first direction and the direction of elevator car travel in one or more hoistways of the at least three hoistways is in a second direction.

An elevator system comprising:

• two or more hoistways;
• one or more independently-controlled elevator cars disposed in the two or more hoistways;
• and
• two or more lateral transfer mechanisms to move an elevator car of the one or more elevator cars from a first hoistway of the two or more hoistways to a second hoistway of the two or more hoistways;
• wherein a direction of travel of elevator cars in a hoistway of the two or more hoistways is uniform among all elevator cars in the hoistway.