Elevator car and counterweight safety

A braking device for an elevator having a governor that actuates above a tripping speed for braking an elevator car or counterweight that is guided on a vertical guide rail, the braking device comprising:

• a safety housing attached to the elevator car or counterweight and at least partially surrounding the guide rail, the safety housing including opposite, facing wedge guides on opposite sides of the guide rail;
• a pair of wedges, each wedge being received between the guide rail and one of the wedge guides;
• a pair of plastic inserts, each being sandwiched between one of the wedge guides and the wedge received therein, the inserts having a low coefficient of friction;
• and
• an actuator linked to the governor and the wedges for driving the wedges into the safety housing to produce a clamping force on the guide rail, in response to actuation of the governor.