Rope climbing elevator

An elevator system comprising:

• a vertical hoistway;
• an elevator car, disposed within said hoistway, including first and second spaced apart sheaves having parallel axes of rotation;
• a first and a second rope, each rope extending vertically in the hoistway through a range of travel of said car, each rope secured at a vertically upward end thereof,
• wherein said first rope passes laterally under said first sheave, vertically upward between said first and second sheaves, and laterally over said second sheave, said second rope passes laterally under said second sheave, vertically upward between said second and first sheaves, and laterally over said first sheave, and
• wherein said car further includes
• means for driving one of said first and second sheaves.