Escalator system with a drop-down step
AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMatsuhiko Ishida, Shosaku Inoue
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An escalator system comprises an endless loop of chain links extending between two landings, a plurality of steps pivotally connected to the chain link loop, a guide rail system for guiding the steps, and a drive means for driving the chain link along the chain link loop with the steps thereon. At least one of the escalator steps comprises a step main body pivotally connected to a chain link loop and guided by a guide rail system, and a drop-down portion pivotally mounted to the main body and movable between a horizontal position in which the main body and the drop-down portion together forms a usual step tread and a drop-down position in which the drop-down portion is dropped down for allowing a wheel chair to be carried on the steps.
Claims3
An escalator system comprising;
- an endless loop of the chain links extending between two landings having horizontal loop path portions to form two turn-around portions and a load bearing run therebetween;
- a plurality of steps pivotally connected to said chain link loop, each of said steps having a tread portion and a guide roller;
- guide rail means for guiding said guide roller of said steps to maintain the tread portion of said steps in a horizontal position while said steps are in the load bearing run;
- and
- drive means for driving said chain link along said chain link loop with said steps thereon;
- at least one of said steps comprising a step main body connected to said chain link loop and guided by said guide rail means, said step main body having formed thereon a main body tread portion, and a drop-down portion mounted to said main body and movable between a first and a second position, said drop-down portion having formed thereon a drop-down tread portion and a riser portion, said first position being a position in which said drop-down tread portion forms, in cooperation with said main body tread portion of said step main body, a step tread portion for supporting the load thereon, and said second position being a position in which said drop-down portion is dropped-down from its first position until its riser portion is substantially located below the tread portion of the adjacent step;
- said drop-down portion having a retractable guide wheel selectively engageable with a guide track for moving said drop-down portion between said first and said second positions when engaged with said guide track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.