Transferring elevator cabs between non-contiguous hoistways

An elevator system, comprising:

• a first elevator hoistway;
• a group of second elevator hoistways;
• a carrier adapted to receive an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a hoistway, and adapted to deliver a cab to an elevator car frame in a hoistway;
• and
• a plurality of intersecting horizontal paths, including a plurality of first paths, one for each of said first and second hoistways, each extending outwardly from a corresponding one of said hoistways, and a second path interconnecting each of said first paths, each path comprising means for propelling said carriage along said paths.

An elevator system, comprising:

• a first elevator hoistway;
• a group of second elevator hoistways;
• a plurality of intersecting horizontal paths, including a plurality of first paths, one for each of said first and second hoistways, each extending outwardly from a corresponding one of said hoistways, and a second path interconnecting each of said first paths;
• a carrier moveable along all of said paths and adapted to receive an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a hoistway, and adapted to deliver a cab to an elevator car frame in a hoistway;
• and
• means for moving said carrier along all of said paths.

An elevator system, comprising:

• a first elevator hoistway;
• a group of second elevator hoistways;
• a plurality of carriers, each adapted to receive an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a hoistway, and adapted to deliver a cab to an elevator car frame in a hoistway;
• and
• a plurality of intersecting paths, including a plurality of first paths, one for each of said first and second hoistways, each extending outwardly from a corresponding one of said hoistways, and a plurality of second paths intersecting each of said first paths, said second paths being mutually separated sufficiently to permit one of said carriers on one of said second paths to pass the other of said carriers on the other of said second paths, said paths each comprising means for guiding said carriers therealong.

An elevator system, comprising:

• a first elevator hoistway;
• a group of second elevator hoistway;
• a plurality of carriers, each adapted to receive an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a hoistway, and adapted to deliver a cab to an elevator car frame in a hoistway;
• and
• a plurality of intersecting paths, including a plurality of first paths, one for each of said first and second hoistways, each extending outwardly from a corresponding one of said hoistways, and a plurality of second paths intersecting each of said first paths, said second paths being mutually separated sufficiently to permit one of said carriers on one of said second paths to pass the other of said carriers on the other of said second paths, said paths each comprising means for propelling said carriers therealong.

An elevator system, comprising:

• a first elevator hoistway;
• a group of second elevator hoistways;
• a plurality of intersecting paths, including a plurality of first, mutually parallel paths, one for each of said first and second hoistways, each extending outwardly from a corresponding one of said hoistways, and a second path extending perpendicularly to said first paths and intersecting each of said first paths;
• a carrier moveable along said paths and adapted to receive an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a hoistway, and adapted to deliver a cab to an elevator car frame in a hoistway;
• and
• a LIM for moving said carrier along said paths, said LIM having a primary portion and a secondary portion, one of said portions extending along said paths and the other of said portions being disposed in the shape of an orthogonal cross on said carrier in proximity with said one portion.

A method of moving an elevator cab between a car frame in one hoistway of a building to a car frame in another hoistway which is not contiguous with said one hoistway, comprising:

• offloading an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a first hoistway onto a carrier;
• moving said first cab to a second hoistway on said carrier along a pathway on a floor level of said building which includes a plurality of distinct paths, each of which connect said first hoistway with a selected one of a plurality of hoistways, including said second hoistway;
• and
• loading said cab from said carrier onto a second elevator car frame in said second hoistway.

Apparatus for offloading an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a first hoistway of a building onto a carrier, moving said first cab to a second hoistway, which is not contiguous with said first hoistway, on said carrier along a pathway on a floor level of said building which includes a plurality of distinct paths, each of which connect said first hoistway with a selected one of a plurality of hoistways, including said second hoistway, and loading said cab from said carrier onto a second elevator car frame in said second hoistway, comprising:

• a plurality of carriers, each adapted to receive an elevator cab from an elevator car frame in a hoistway, and adapted to deliver a cab to an elevator car frame in a hoistway;
• and
• a horizontal pathway extending from each one of said hoistways to a plurality of other ones of said hoistways, said pathway comprising a plurality of intersecting horizontal paths, including a plurality of first, mutually parallel paths, each extending outwardly from a corresponding one of said hoistways, and a plurality of second paths extending perpendicularly to said first paths and intersecting each of said first paths, said second paths being mutually separated sufficiently to permit one of said carriers on one of said second paths to pass the other of said carriers on the other of said second paths, said paths each comprising means for guiding said carriers therealong;
• and
• a LIM for propelling said carriers along said paths, said LIM having a primary portion and a secondary portion, one of said portions extending along said paths and the other of said portions being disposed in the shape of an orthogonal cross on said carriers in proximity with said one portion.