One to two stroke roped elevator pit buffers

A pit buffer assembly for use in an elevator system comprising a cab and counterweight interconnected by traction cables, said buffer assembly being operable to intercept the cab or counterweight in the hoistway pit, said buffer assembly comprising:

• a) a pair of cooperating fluid operated piston and cylinder buffer assemblies, one of said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies being positioned on one side of the path of travel of said cab or counterweight, and the other of said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies being positioned on an opposite side of the path of travel of said cab or counterweight, said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies being positioned so as to avoid direct contact with said cab or counterweight,
• b) cable means extending between said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies, said cable means having opposite ends thereof dead hitched to a fixed portion of the pit, and being reeved across an upper part of each of said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies whereby the medial portion of said cable means is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane containing said upper part of each of said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies when said cab or counterweight is upwardly offset from said cable means;
• and
• c) said cable means being operable, when contacted by a descending cab or counterweight, to drop below said upper parts of said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies to provide a buffer stroke for decelerating said descending cab or counterweight which buffer stroke is greater than a corresponding downward stroke of said piston and cylinder buffer assemblies.