Elevator – industrial lift truck – or stationary lift for vehicle – With barrier for regulating access to load support – Including barrier mounted at landing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-21
2001-03-20
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3651)
Elevator, industrial lift truck, or stationary lift for vehicle
With barrier for regulating access to load support
Including barrier mounted at landing
C187S325000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202798
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to building construction and more particularly to a sliding entrance door assembly for an elevator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Two types of elevator entrance assemblies that are commonly used to provide access to elevators are swing entrance doors and sliding entrance doors. Swing entrance doors open by pivoting about a hinge when the door handle is pulled. Sliding entrance doors open by traveling along a linear track in tandem with an elevator cab door. This invention relates to an improved sliding entrance door assembly for an elevator and to the method of installing the improved sliding door assembly, especially in constructing new buildings.
At the present time the construction of a sliding door assembly for elevators is relatively labor intensive, time-consuming, expensive and may present safety hazards. An elevator door entry assembly refers to the frame and sliding door which separates a hallway (corridor) from the elevator shaft (hoistway or shaftway). As the separate door on the elevator cab opens, or closes, it drives the entry door open or closed.
One problem with the installation of an elevator door entry assembly is that there is an opening to the elevator shaft until the entry door is installed, which is almost the last step in the installation procedure. Generally that gap is filled with a temporary barrier, such as a plywood sheet, installed at the site. However, particularly in new construction, the plywood sheet may be carelessly installed, installed late or not covering the entire opening. If tools, loose bolts, etc. should fall down the elevator shaft, they may injure those below.
In addition, the door, and possibly parts of the frame and other components of the entry assembly are generally lifted and installed from the elevator cab or moving platform. The moving platform (work platform) is lifted and lowered in the elevator shaft and is used during construction. That procedure makes the moving platform and elevator shaft unavailable for other work. For example, if it requires two days to install the door, etc. of each entry assembly of an elevator shaft and the building is 20 floors high, the moving platform must be used for 40 work days for installation of entry assemblies on that shaftway. Often the moving platform must be operated by a special, and costly, operator and is required for other construction tasks, which must wait until the moving platform is no longer needed for the installation of entry door assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the shortcomings of the aforementioned construction method and system have been overcome through a new and improved sliding entry door assembly and installation process. Specifically, it is now possible to construct a sliding entry door assembly for an elevator shaft with minimum noise, dirt, disruption, and delay as well as with greater safety. In one embodiment a sliding entry door assembly includes one or more stationary panels affixed to the frame. The stationary panels are comprised of a side panel and a transom panel. The side panel replaces the wall adjacent to the elevator opening. The transom panel is located above the sliding entry door and the side panel. In its open position, the sliding entry door is positioned behind the stationary side panel. By using the stationary panel, which is thinner than a conventional wall having the same fire rating, the sliding entry door assembly uses less of the hallway space.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, two sliding entry doors are installed in the frame. They are in separate planes so that one of the doors can slide behind the other. One of the sliding entry doors slides faster than the other so that both sliding entrance doors complete the slide approximately simultaneously behind the side stationary panel. Another embodiment is of a center opening sliding entry door assembly which includes left and right sliding doors which open from the center to the left and right, respectively. This embodiment may use a left, and a right, stationary panel.
It has now been found that a superior elevator entry door assembly may be constructed according to the present invention. Its main advantage is that the entire assembly, including hanging the door (or doors) may be performed from the hallway. No use is made of the moving platform. This permits the moving platform to be used for other purposes and saves the labor cost of its operation.
Another of its advantages is that the entry door assembly may be installed in a building in less time than conventional elevator entry door assemblies. It is possible to install this new elevator entry door assembly in a single day.
Another advantage of this new door assembly is that it requires less space than conventional elevator entrance door assemblies. It fits within the wall without protruding into the hallway or elevator shaftway (hoistway).
Another advantage is that it closes the gap to the shaftway as soon as it is installed, without a temporary barrier, such as a plywood sheet barrier. In addition, that closure, consisting of the door (or doors) and stationary panel (or panels) has a fireproof rating. That closure of the opening to the shaftway is an important safety feature as it prevents persons and objects from accidentally falling down the shaftway.
This elevator entrance door assembly may be installed either in a new building (“new construction”) or as a replacement of an existing entry door (“modernization”). It has a frame having (as viewed from the hallway) a left post, a right post and a top header connecting the left post to the top post. The entry door assemblies, which do not open from the center, also have a center post. A transom panel is located on the top portion of the entrance frame and is fixed to the top side. A stationary side panel is located on one side of the entrance frame and is affixed to the adjacent post and the sill and the transom. The transom and the vertical posts (left, right and center) may be exposed to the hallway. A sliding elevator entrance door slides within the elevator entrance frame. In its open position, the sliding elevator entrance door slides behind the stationary panel.
This assembly requires about three to five fewer inches in space (thickness) than conventional elevator door assemblies Thus, in buildings that have elevators on both sides of a hall, a total of about six to ten inches may be saved on each floor.
Additionally, this elevator entry door assembly is safer to install and provides a safe elevator shaft during construction of a building. It can be installed in a building without leaving the shaft open for an extended period of time. Open shafts pose a great danger because people can fall down the shaftway or objects can fall down the shaft and strike a worker.
To reduce the danger posed by open shafts, conventional elevator door assemblies often require the erection of temporary partitions, such as a sheet of plywood. These partitions take time to erect, are aesthetically undesirable in modernization and, through carelessness, may be omitted. They are not fire rated. The entry door assembly of the present invention completely closes the shaft and provides a fire rating as soon as it is installed.
Finally, the present elevator entrance assembly provides a savings of indirect costs because of reduced field costs, i.e., there is no use made of the moving platform; the assembly is quicker to install; the sequence of trades, i.e., carpenters, electrical workers, etc. is simplified so that it is less costly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3447637 (1969-06-01), Berkovitz
National Elevator Cab and Door Corp., Mar. 25, 1996.*
Tyler Company, “Elevator Cars, Elevator Entrances,” (Cleveland 1927), pp. 10, 11, 18, 19.
National Elevator Cab & Door Corp., “‘Secure Slide’ The Accessible Elevator Entrance, ” (Mar. 25, 1996).
Carosella Steven
Friedman Harold S.
Michalik Richard
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