US 4,240,537 A · Accelerating and decelerating handrail

Abstract

A handrail having accelerating and decelerating regions whereat people board and alight from an accelerating and decelerating walkway is disclosed. The handrail comprises a plurality of overlapping handrail elements. The elements move in a vertical, oval track having lengthy sides joined by curved ends. Acceleration of the handrail is synchronized with the acceleration of the moving walkway, and occurs immediately subsequent to the entry of people on the moving walkway. Deceleration of the handrail is synchronized with the deceleration of the moving walkway, and occurs just prior to the exit of people from the moving walkway. Pairs of adjacent overlapping handrail elements are operably connected together by an extendable and retractable member. Each extendable and retractable member is also connected to a cam follower. The cam followers follow acceleration and deceleration cams located internal to the vertical, oval track that defines the handrail path of travel. Through the extendable and retractable member, cam action causes the amount of handrail element overlap to increase or decrease to create deceleration or acceleration, respectively.

An accelerating and decelerating handrail comprising:

(1) a path of travel defining means for defining a vertical, oval path of travel;
(2) a plurality of overlapping flexible handrail elements mounted on said path of travel defining means for movement about said vertical, oval path of travel, said plurality of handrail elements including a plurality of interleaved first and second handrail elements;
and,
(3) overlapping control means for controlling the amount of overlap between adjacent elements of said plurality of handrail elements, said overlapping control means comprising:
(a) cam means mounted inside of said path of travel defining means for controlling the position of cam follower means associated with said plurality of handrail elements, said cam means comprising a cam rail that converges toward said vertical, oval path of travel in an acceleration zone wherein the amount of handrail element overlap decreases and diverges from said vertical, oval path of travel in a deceleration zone wherein the amount of handrail element overlap increases;
(b) cam follower means associated with said plurality of handrail elements and projecting inwardly from said path of travel defining means so as to contact and be adjustably positioned by said cam means, said cam follower means comprising a plurality of arms, one arm rotatably attached at one end to each of said plurality of first handrail elements, and a plurality of rollers, one roller rotatably mounted on the opposite end of each of said arms, said rollers riding on said cam rail and acting to rotate their associated arms with respect to their associated handrail elements;
(c) flexible connecting means running between pairs of adjacent handrail elements and operatively connected to said cam follower means, such that the position of said cam follower means controls the length of said flexible connecting means running between pairs of adjacent handrail elements to thereby control the amount of handrail element overlap, said flexible connecting means comprising a plurality of first and second flexible members running between trios of adjacent handrail elements, each of said trios including two of said first handrail elements and one of said second handrail elements spaced between said two of said first handrail elements, one end of said first flexible member being affixed to one of said first handrail elements of said trios, and the other end of said first flexible member being affixed to said cam follower arm associated with said one of said first handrail elements, one end of said second flexible member being affixed to the same cam follower arm and the other end of said second flexible member being affixed to the other of said first handrail elements forming said trio, said flexible connecting means also including sheave means for coupling said first and second flexible members to said second handrail element of said trio in a manner such that when said arm associated with said one of said first handrail elements is rotated by its associated roller impinging on said cam rail, the length of said first and second flexible members running between said trio of handrail elements is varied whereby the amount of overlap between said trio of handrail elements is varied;
and,
(d) drive means for moving said plurality of overlapping elements about said vertical, oval path of travel.

6 more elements

Accelerating and decelerating handrail

Life of this patent

Accelerating and decelerating handrail

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13