Safety device for securing minimum spaces at the top or bottom of an elevator shaft being inspected, and elevator having such safety devices

A safety device for an elevator system, comprising:

• a bracket;
• a support carriage mounted on the bracket so as to slide along a vertical direction;
• at least two retractable elements mounted on the support carriage, each having a respective catch portion, the two retractable elements being vertically offset with a fixed distance therebetween, each retractable element having a stopping position in which the catch portion of said retractable element projects from the support carriage to engage a triggering member of a safety brake associated with an elevator car as the elevator car traveling in a selected direction approaches a respective vertical position, and a retracted position;
• a spring arrangement to accommodate a vertical sliding movement of the support carriage when the catch portion of one of the two retractable elements engages the triggering member of the safety brake;
• and
• actuators respectively associated with the retractable elements, each actuator selectively controlling the position of the respective retractable element.

An elevator comprising:

• a car movable vertically within an elevator shaft;
• an elevator control circuit for controlling movement of the car;
• a safety brake for stopping the car when triggered;
• at least one retractable element mounted on a support, the retractable element having a stopping position in which a catch portion of the retractable element projects from the support to engage a triggering member of the safety brake as the car traveling in a selected direction approaches a selected vertical position, and a retracted position;
• an actuator that selectively controls the position of the retractable element;
• and
• a position sensor responsive to the position of the retractable element,
• wherein the actuator is controlled to put the retractable element in the stopping position when the elevator is in an inspection operation, and the position sensor is coupled to the elevator control circuit to prevent movement of the car in the inspection operation when the retractable element is not in the stopping position.

An elevator comprising:

• a car movable vertically within an elevator shaft;
• a safety brake for stopping the car when triggered;
• and
• at least one safety device for triggering the safety brake in response to detection of the car traveling in a selected direction in an inspection operation,
• wherein the safety device comprises:
• a bracket fixed within the shaft;
• a support carriage mounted on the bracket so as to slide along a vertical direction;
• at least two retractable elements mounted on the support carriage, each having a respective catch portion, the two retractable elements being vertically offset with a fixed distance therebetween, each retractable element having a stopping position in which the catch portion of said retractable element projects from the support carriage to engage a triggering member of a safety brake associated with an elevator car as the elevator car traveling in the selected direction approaches a respective vertical position, and a retracted position;
• a spring arrangement to accommodate a vertical sliding movement of the support carriage when the catch portion of one of the two retractable elements engages the triggering member of the safety brake;
• and
• actuators respectively associated with the retractable elements, each actuator selectively controlling the position of the respective retractable element.