Hydraulic elevator with plunger brakes

A brake for a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• a pressure plate encircling the plunger, the pressure plate being movable along the axis generally parallel with an axis of the plunger and the pressure plate having axial apertures with counter bores;
• a first brake ring encircling the plunger with an inner flat surface for engagement with the plunger, the brake ring having a second upper surface for contact with the pressure plate and the brake ring having an outer frustal conical wedge surface, and the first brake ring having a radial slot and being fabricated from a metal softer than a metal of the plunger;
• a first wedge plate, the first wedge plate having a first wedge surface for engagement with the wedge surface of the first brake ring, the first wedge plate having pins fixably attached thereto which are aligned with the apertures of the pressure plate;
• a second brake ring positioned adjacent and contacting to the first wedge plate, the second brake ring encircling the plunger with an inner flat surface for engagement with the plunger, the second brake ring having a second surface for contacting the first wedge plate and the second brake ring having a frustal conical outer wedge surface, and the second brake ring having a radial slot and being fabricated from a metal material being softer than the plunger;
• and
• a second wedge plate having a first wedge surface engaged with the wedge surface of the second brake ring wherein relative movement of the pressure plate towards the second wedge plate causes the first and second brake rings to circumferentially grip the plunger and prevent axial movement of the plunger.

A brake for a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• a collar encircling the plunger and being selectively clamped onto the plunger;
• a pressure plate encircling the plunger, the pressure plate being positioned adjacent the collar and being movable along an axis generally parallel with the axis of the plunger;
• a first brake ring encircling the plunger with a first surface for force engagement with the plunger, the first brake ring having a second surface for force engagement with the pressure plate, and the brake ring having a wedge surface, and wherein the first brake ring is fabricated from a metal that is softer than a metal which is utilized to fabricate the plunger;
• and
• a first wedge plate, the first wedge plate having a wedge surface for engagement with the wedge surface of the first brake ring wherein clamping of the collar with the plunger causes the collar to move with the plunger and to urge the pressure plate to have relative movement with respect to the first wedge ring to cause the brake ring to circumferentially grip the plunger and prevent further movement of the plunger.

A brake for a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• a split collar encircling the plunger and selectively clamped therewith, the collar being spring biased by a horizontally mounted adjustable force adjustable spring to clamp onto the plunger, the collar also having a hydraulic cylinder which is pressurized to normally prevent the collar from being clamped onto the plunger;
• a pressure plate encircling the plunger, the pressure plate being movable along an axis generally parallel with an axis of the plunger;
• a first brake ring encircling the plunger with a first inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the first brake ring having a second surface for contacting the pressure plate, and the brake ring having an outer frustal conical wedge surface;
• a first wedge plate, the first wedge plate having a frustal conical wedge surface engaged with the frustal conical surface of the first brake ring;
• a second brake ring encircling the plunger with an inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the second brake ring having a second surface for contacting the first wedge plate, and the second brake ring having an outer frustal conical wedge surface;
• and
• a second wedge plate, the second wedge plate having a frustal conical wedge surface engaged with the frustal conical wedge surface of the second brake ring, wherein clamping of the collar with the plunger causes the collar to move with the plunger and to urge the pressure plate towards the second wedge plate and to cause the first and second brake rings to circumferentially grip the plunger and prevent further movement of the plunger.

A brake for a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• a collar encircling the plunger, collar being selectively clamped to the plunger;
• a first brake ring encircling the plunger with an inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the first brake ring having a second surface for contacting the collar, and the first brake ring having a wedge surface, and wherein the first brake ring is fabricated from a metal that is softer than a metal utilized to fabricate the plunger;
• and
• a first wedge plate, the wedge plate having a wedge surface engaged with the wedge surface of the first brake ring, wherein clamping of the collar upon the plunger and subsequent movement of the plunger towards the first wedge plate causes the first brake ring to circumferentially grip the plunger and prevent further movement thereof.

A hydraulic elevator comprising:

• an elevator car;
• a plunger operatively connected with the car;
• a powering cylinder receiving the plunger;
• a brake for the plunger, the brake including:
• a pressure plate, the pressure plate being movable along an axis generally parallel with an axis of the plunger;
• a first brake ring encircling the plunger with an inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the first brake ring having a second surface for force engagement with the pressure plate, and the brake ring having a wedge surface, and wherein the first brake ring is fabricated from a metal softer than said plunger;
• and
• a first wedge plate, the wedge plate having a first wedge surface engaged with the first brake ring wedge surface wherein relative movement of the pressure plate towards the wedge plate causes the brake ring to circumferentially contact the plunger to prevent movement of the plunger along its axis.

A method of braking a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• moving a pressure plate along an axis generally parallel with an axis of the plunger;
• encircling the plunger with a first brake ring fabricated from a metal softer than the plunger and having an inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the brake ring having a second surface for force engagement with the pressure plate, and the first brake ring having an outer wedge surface;
• and
• engaging the wedge surface of the first brake ring with a wedge surface of a first wedge plate while the pressure plate is moving toward the first wedge plate to cause the brake ring to circumferentially engage the plunger to prevent movement of the plunger along its axis.

A brake for a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• a collar encircling the plunger and being selectively clamped onto the plunger;
• a pressure plate encircling the plunger, the pressure plate being positioned adjacent the collar and being movable along an axis generally parallel with the axis of the plunger, said pressure plate being a unitary member with said collar;
• a first brake ring encircling the plunger with a first surface for force engagement with the plunger, the first brake ring having a second surface for force engagement with the pressure plate, and the brake ring having a wedge surface;
• and
• a first wedge plate, the first wedge plate having a wedge surface for engagement with the wedge surface of the first brake ring wherein clamping of the collar with the plunger causes the collar to move with the plunger and to urge the pressure plate to have relative movement with respect to the first wedge ring to cause the brake ring to circumferentially grip the plunger and prevent further movement of the plunger.

A method of braking a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• moving a pressure plate along an axis generally parallel with an axis of the plunger;
• encircling the plunger with a first brake ring having an inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the brake ring having a second surface for force engagement with the pressure plate, and the first brake ring having an outer wedge surface;
• engaging the wedge surface of the first brake ring with a wedge surface of a first wedge plate while the pressure plate is moving toward the first wedge plate to cause the brake ring to circumferentially engage the plunger to prevent movement of the plunger along its axis;
• and
• encircling the plunger with a second brake ring similar to the first wedge ring, the second brake engaging the second wedge ring with a second wedge plate similar to the first wedge plate to cause the second brake ring, to circumferentially engage the plunger with a force greater than the first brake ring to prevent movement of the plunger along its axis.

A brake for a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• a pressure plate encircling the plunger, the pressure plate being movable along the axis generally parallel with an axis of the plunger;
• a first brake ring encircling the plunger with an inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the brake ring having a second upper surface for contact with the pressure plate and the brake ring having an outer frustal conical wedge surface;
• a first wedge plate, the first wedge plate having a first wedge surface for engagement with the wedge surface of the first brake ring;
• a second brake ring positioned adjacent and contacting to the first wedge plate, the second brake ring encircling the plunger with an inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the second brake ring having a second surface for contacting the first wedge plate and the second brake ring having a frustal conical outer wedge surface;
• and
• a second wedge plate on a side of the second brake ring opposite the first wedge plate, the second wedge plate having a first wedge surface engaged with the wedge surface of the second brake ring wherein relative movement of the pressure plate towards the second wedge plate causes the first wedge plate to transfer force to the second brake ring and for the first and second brake rings to circumferentially grip the plunger and prevent axial movement of the plunger.

A brake for a plunger of a hydraulic elevator comprising:

• a pressure plate, the pressure plate being movable along an axis generally parallel with an axis of the plunger;
• a first brake ring with a single slot, said first brake ring encircling the plunger with a first inner surface for engagement with the plunger, the first brake ring having a second surface for force engagement with the pressure plate, and the first brake ring having a third wedge surface;
• a first wedge plate, the wedge plate having a wedge surface engaged with the first brake ring third wedge surface wherein relative movement of the pressure plate towards the wedge plate causes the first brake ring to circumferentially contact the plunger to prevent movement of the plunger along its axis;
• and
• wherein the first brake ring self releases from engagement with the plunger upon movement of the pressure plate away from the wedge plate.