# US 2014/0190774 A1 · Circulation transport system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190774 A1 - Document ID: US20140190774A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/116,209 - Filed: 2011-05-11 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-11 - Assignees: Otis Elevator Company - Inventors: Arthur C. Hsu; Andrzej Ernest Kuczek - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190774A1 ## CPC - B66B 11/0005: {Constructional features of hoistways} - B66B 9/003: {for lateral transfer of car or frame, e.g. between vertical hoistways or to/from a parking position} - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract An elevator system includes two or more hoistways. One or more elevator cars are located in a first of the two or more hoistways and movable to a second hoistway of the two or more hoistways. The system further includes one or more elevator car transfer mechanisms including a transfer cage receptive of an elevator car of the one or more elevator cars and one or more transfer rails extending from the first hoistway to the second hoistway. The transfer cage is connected to the one or more transfer rails and is configured to transfer the elevator car 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An elevator system comprising: two or more hoistways; one or more elevator cars disposed in a first of the two or more hoistways and movable to a second hoistway of the two or more hoistways; and one or more elevator car transfer mechanisms including: a transfer cage receptive of an elevator car of the one or more elevator cars; and one or more transfer rails extending from the first hoistway to the second hoistway, the transfer cage connected to the one or more transfer rails is configured to transfer the elevator car 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1, further comprising one or more rollers connecting the transfer cage to the one or more transfer rails. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the transfer cage includes one or more cage rails substantially alignable with one or more elevator car guides disposed in the first hoistway to guide the one or more elevator cars into the transfer cage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The elevator system of claim 3, further comprising a locking mechanism disposed at the elevator car engagable with the one or more cage rails to hold the one or more elevator cars in the transfer cage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the transfer cage is receptive of two or more elevator cars. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1, wherein the one or more elevator car transfer mechanisms are disposed in at least one of a top or bottom of the two or more hoistways. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1, further comprising one or more intermediate elevator car transfer mechanisms disposed between a top and a bottom of the two or more elevator hoistways. ### Claim 8 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The transfer apparatus of claim 8, further comprising one or more rollers connecting the transfer cage to the one or more transfer rails. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The transfer apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transfer cage includes one or more cage rails substantially alignable with one or more elevator car guides disposed in the first elevator system hoistway to guide the at least one elevator car into the transfer cage. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The transfer apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transfer cage is receptive of two or more elevator cars. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The transfer apparatus of claim 8, wherein the elevator car transfer mechanism is disposed in at least one of a top or bottom of the first elevator system hoistway or the second elevator hoistway. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein moving the elevator car into a transfer cage substantially aligned with the first hoistway further comprises: moving the elevator car along one or more elevator car guides disposed in the first hoistway; and moving the elevator car from the one or more elevator car guides to one or more transfer rails of the transfer cage, the one or more transfer rails substantially aligned with the one or more elevator car guides. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising holding the elevator car in the transfer cage via application of a locking mechanism to the one or more transfer rails. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first direction is substantially opposite the second direction. ### Claim 17 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The elevator system of claim 17, wherein the first direction is substantially opposite the second direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The elevator system of claim 17, wherein elevator cars in one or more outer hoistways travel in the first direction, and elevator cars in one or more inner hoistways travel in the second direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The elevator system of claim 17, wherein a direction of travel of elevator cars in the at least three hoistways is reversible. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The elevator system of claim 17, wherein the transfer cage includes one or more cage rails substantially alignable with one or more elevator car guides disposed in the at least three hoistways to guide the elevator car into the transfer cage. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The elevator system of claim 21, further comprising a locking mechanism disposed at the elevator car engagable with the one or more cage rails to hold the elevator car in the transfer cage. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The elevator system of claim 17, wherein the transfer cage is receptive of two or more elevator cars. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The elevator system of claim 17, wherein the elevator car transfer mechanism is disposed in at least one of a top or bottom of the at least three hoistways. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The elevator system of claim 17, further comprising one or more intermediate elevator car transfer mechanisms disposed between a top and a bottom of the at least three hoistways. ### Claim 26 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.