Elevator control system

A vibration sensing means for use in a building which occasionally experiences vibratory motion caused by wind, comprising:

• a weight;
• a support including a clamping means mounted in said building at a height at which said vibratory motion of a predetermined magnitude occurs;
• a cable clamped to said clamping means and freely suspending said weight from said clamping means, said cable having a free length between said clamping means and said weight such that said weight can move a predetermined distance from an equilibrium position in response to said vibratory motion of said predetermined magnitude being sustained for a predetermined time interval;
• an electrically conductive annular member vertically aligned with said clamping means and horizontally mounted on said building at a height to encircle said weight and make contact therewith upon said weight moving said predetermined distance from said equilibrium position;
• a source of electrical energy;
• and
• circuit means coupling said source of electrical energy to said annular member and said weight whereby an electrical current flows through said circuit means upon said weight contacting said annular member.

An elevator control system for use in a building which occasionally experiences vibratory motion caused by wind, said vibratory motion having a limited bandwidth centered at a frequency corresponding to a predetermined period of said vibratory motion, said elevator control system including a drive motor for moving an elevator through a hoistway in said building to any one of a plurality of landings at which it can be stopped, said elevator control system also including a source of energizing potential and further comprising:

• speed control means controlling said motor so that said car can move at a maximum velocity having a first predetermined magnitude;
• a bracket detachably affixed to said building at said height at which said vibratory motion of a predetermined magnitude occurs;
• a first member pivotally suspended from said bracket and pivotable in one of a pair of orthogonal planes;
• a second member pivotally suspended from said first member and pivotable in the other of said pair of vertically disposed orthogonal planes;
• a cable;
• a clamping device for relasably clamping said cable to said second member so that angular translation of said cable in a direction having components in each of said pair of orthogonal planes causes angular translation of said first and second members to reduce flexing and abrading of said cable;
• a weight freely suspended from said second member by said cable to provide said cable with a free length between said second member and said weight such that said weight can move a predetermined distance from an equilibrium position in response to said vibratory motion of a predetermined magnitude being sustained for a predetermined time interval;
• an upper support means mounted above said bracket, said upper support means supporting said cable and said weight when said cable is released from said clamping device, said upper support means when so supporting said cable and said weight, providing said cable with a free length which if possessed by a pendulum would provide it with a period of free vibration substantially equal to said predetermined period;
• an electrically conductive annular member vertically aligned with said second member and horizontally mounted on said building at a height to encircle said weight and make contact therewith upon said weight moving said predetermined distance from said equilibrium position;
• a source of electrical energy;
• circuit means coupling said source of electrical energy to said annular member and said weight whereby an electrical current flow through said circuit means upon said weight contacting said annular member, said electrical current operating to produce a vibration signal;
• relay means having a control terminal and being transferrable between an actuated and unactuated condition, said relay means in said actuated condition controlling said speed control means to limit the maximum velocity at which said motor moves said car to a second predetermined magnitude which is less than said first predetermined magnitude, said relay means being in said actuated condition while energizing potential is applied to said control terminal;
• first coupling means coupling said source of energizing potential to said control terminal in response to the production of said vibration signal when said motor is moving said car at a velocity less than a third predetermined magnitude;
• and
• second coupling means operating in response to said relay means being in said actuated condition and coupling said source of energizing potential to said control terminal as long as said motor is moving said car.