Development of Elevator Position Locking Mechanism

The load capacity of an elevator is based on its floor area, and this means that large elevators are often over specified for their load application. Elevators with large floor areas without the increased load capacity are good for transporting low-density goods like insulation. However, this approach increases the possibility of overloading, resulting in straining of hoisting ropes and elevator’s downwards movement. This research aims to prevent this by developing a set of pins installed on the car’s ceiling. These pins extend from both sides into the slots on the guide rails before the elevator is to be loaded. In this way, they mechanically stop the elevator from lowering down more than 20 mm. The device’s robustness is tested through finite element analysis, and a multibody simulation and laboratory scale testing is done to prove its functionality.