Foldable handrail and safety switch arrangement on top of an elevator car

An elevator comprising:

• a car movable vertically within an elevator shaft;
• a drive system coupled to a traction system for controlling movement of the car;
• a foldable handrail mounted on top of the car, wherein the foldable handrail includes first and second handrail parts respectively hinged on first and second lateral sides of the car top so as to be unfoldable by a user from a front side of the car top after having manually opened a landing door of the elevator;
• a plurality of safety switches associated with the foldable handrail, the safety switches comprising a first safety switch closed only when the handrail is folded in a fully retracted position and at least one second safety switch closed when the handrail is unfolded in a fully deployed position;
• and
• a safety chain comprising a normal operation branch including said first safety switch for supplying power to the drive system in a normal operation of the elevator and an inspection operation branch including said at least one second safety switch for supplying power to the drive system in an inspection operation of the elevator;
• and
• wherein each one of the handrail parts cooperates with a respective second safety switch which is closed only when said one of the handrail parts is fully unfolded.

An elevator comprising:

• a car movable vertically within an elevator shaft;
• a drive system coupled to a traction system for controlling movement of the car;
• a foldable handrail mounted on top of the car, wherein the foldable handrail includes first and second handrail parts respectively hinged on first and second lateral sides of the car top so as to be unfoldable by a user from a front side of the car top after having manually opened a landing door of the elevator;
• a plurality of safety switches associated with the foldable handrail, the safety switches comprising a first safety switch closed only when the handrail is folded in a fully retracted position and at least one second safety switch closed when the handrail is unfolded in a fully deployed position;
• and
• a safety chain comprising a normal operation branch including said first safety switch for supplying power to the drive system in a normal operation of the elevator and an inspection operation branch including said at least one second safety switch for supplying power to the drive system in an inspection operation of the elevator;
• and
• at least one third safety switch, each third safety switch being coupled with a respective second safety switch so as to be open when the respective second safety switch is closed and vice versa, each third safety switch being connected in series with the first safety switch in the normal operation branch of the safety chain.