Safety brake apparatus for an elevator car or counterweight

An elevator, comprising:

• a hoistway;
• a vehicle, for travel within said hoistway;
• a governor rope assembly, having an overspeed brake and a governor rope extending throughout said hoistway;
• a pair of safety brakes, each having an actuator arm for actuating said brake on one of said guiderails, wherein one of said brakes is attached to a first side of said vehicle and the other of said brakes is attached to a second side of said vehicle, said first and second sides being opposite one another;
• and
• a safety apparatus, comprising:
• a first link, pivotly attached to said first side of said vehicle, said first link also attached to said governor rope;
• a connector rod, extending through said first side and a second side of said vehicle, and pivotly mounted in said sides;
• a pair of second links, one of said second links fixed to said connector rod on said first side and the other of said second links fixed to said connector rod on said second side, wherein each said second link is attached to said actuator arm of said safety brake on the respective side of said vehicle;
• an intermediate link for connecting said first and second links on said first side of said vehicle;
• wherein in an overspeed condition, said overspeed brake brakes said governor rope and thereby causes said governor rope to actuate said first link, said intermediate link, and said second links, said second links in turn actuating said safety brakes, thereby causing said safety brakes to brake said vehicle.

A counterweight for travel in a hoistway, comprising:

• a frame, having a first side and a second side opposite one another;
• a pair of frame extensions, one of which is removably attached to said first side and the other removably attached to said second side;
• a pair of safety brakes fixed to the frame extensions, one on each side, each of said safety brakes having an actuator rod;
• and
• a linkage for operating said safety brakes, said linkage comprising:
• a first link, pivotly attached to said first side;
• a connector rod, extending through said first and second sides, and pivotly mounted therein;
• a pair of second links, one of said second links fixed to said connector rod on said first side and the other of said second links fixed to said connector rod on said second side, wherein each said second link is connected to said actuating rod of said safety brake on that respective side of said frame;
• an intermediate link for connecting said first and second links on said first side of said counterweight;
• wherein actuating said first link causes said intermediate link to rotate said connector rod and second links, said second links in turn actuating said safety brakes, thereby causing said safety brakes to brake said counterweight.