Remotely resettable ropeless emergency stopping device for an elevator

A brake system for an elevator car (16) comprising:

• a ropeless and sheaveless stopping mechanism (10) responsive to an electronic control signal to automatically stop an elevator car (16) under predetermined conditions;
• and
• at least one spring for moving said stopping mechanism from a non-deployed position to a deployed position in response to said electronic control signal wherein said at least one spring is resettable from a remote location in response to an electronic reset signal, and wherein said electronic control signal is generated in response to an excessive speed condition when an elevator car speed exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• at least one set of safety wedges adapted to be positioned on opposing sides of a guide rail and a safety housing that cooperates with said set of safety wedges to apply a braking force to said guide rail when said safety wedges move from the non-deployed position to the deployed position;
• said stopping mechanism including a first latching device for holding said safety wedges in the non-deployed position and a second latching device for locking said safety wedges in the deployed position, and wherein said at least one spring is associated with said safety wedges to move said safety wedges from the non-deployed position to the deployed position once said first latching device is released in response to said electronic control signal;
• an actuator operably coupled to said at least one spring to return said at least one spring and the safety wedges to the non-deployed position in response to said electronic reset signal;
• and
• a connector for connecting the at least one spring to said actuator, wherein said connector is automatically disengaged from said actuator when said safety wedges are in the non-deployed position and is automatically engaged to said actuator when said safety wedges are in the deployed position.

A method for activating a braking system for an elevator car comprising the steps of:

• (a) identifying a need for an elevator braking operation;
• (b) generating an electronic control signal to activate a ropeless and sheaveless stopping mechanism to prevent movement of an elevator car subsequent to step (a);
• (c) moving the stopping mechanism from a non-deployed position to a deployed position with at least one spring in response to the electronic control signal;
• (d) resetting the at least one spring to a non-deployed position from a remote location in response to an electronic rest signal;
• and
• (e) coupling an actuator to the at least one spring to return the at least one spring and the stopping mechanism to the non-deployed position in response to the electronic reset signal wherein the at least one spring is selectively decoupled from at least one of the stopping mechanism and the actuator.