Field of the invention

The present invention relates to elevators and, in particular, to an elevator the height of whose inner cabin remains constant if a floor panel of a different thickness is used.

Review of the known art

With reference to Figures 1 and 1A, cabins of present-day elevators, such as that in Figure 1, are generally of a parallelepiped form, the structure consisting of a rectangular box-shaped metal bottom 2 joined on three sides to three walls, two lateral, 3 and 4, and one at the front 5 (Figure 1A) standing on the bottom 2 and surmounted by a roof 6. These elements together bound a space access to which is made through two doors 7, 8 that slide horizontally to open or close, either automatically, or manually by means of a press button. A floor panel 9 (Figure 1 A), of a standard thickness of a few millimetres, or according to the type of finish, is laid on the metal bottom 2. _. Each wall usually consists of a light metal frame 10 of a single panel or of panels joined together if more than one 1 1. The walls are finished by two transversal elements 12, 13 respectively for connections to the bottom 2 and to the roof 6. Corner uprights 14, standing on the bottom 2, join the roof 6 to the panels 1 1 forming the walls. A lighting system is mounted on the inner surface of the roof on whose outer surface the mechanism (not shown) for opening and closing the doors is mounted. Figure 2 shows up a detail of how the side wall 3 is fixed to the bottom 2. It will be seen that the side walls and the front wall are fixed to the bottom 2 by screws 15 penetrating from below through holes 16. In the edges of the corner uprights 14 are holes 17 and 18 for bolting them 19 to the frame 10. In designing an elevator cabin, usually rectangular, the dimensions of edges inside the inner passenger cabin must be decided. The overall bulk of the cabin is obtained by adding to the internal dimensions of the inner cabin the thicknesses of the corresponding walls, the height of the bottom and of the roof, the doors and the space occupied by the motor-driven device for opening and closing them. When the overall bulk is known, the correct size can be calculated for the lift shaft in brickwork within which the elevator will travel inside the building. The width and depth of the inner cabin depend to a great extent on the use to which the elevator will be put. For example in supermarkets elevators are also used for mixed transport of passenger with trolleys and goods to be put on sale. Such elevators are obviously larger than those needed in a block of flats. As regards the inside height of the inner cabin, measured from the upper surface of the bottom (net of the thickness of the floor panel fixed to the metal bottom of the cabin), this is normally in line with the more or less standard dimensions observed by the various makers. The height is usually about two metres and eighteen centimetres and is established according to the following criteria:

- to guarantee a suitable distance between the roof and the head of a passenger of medium height to ensure a reasonable degree of comfort;

- to conform with the more or less standard dimensions of floor structures in apartments blocks.

Elevator makers design the various parts of cabins on the basis of these factors. Manufacture and assembly of cabin walls represent a fairly high percentage of the cost of an entire cabin and it would be useful if walls of a fixed height could be produced. In present cabins this cannot be done because the walls stand on the metal bottom to which they are screwed, while the thickness of the floor panel may vary on the inside the cabin according to the drawings of the surface finish, or for other and more purely engineering requirements. It follows that if a floor panel of a thickness greater than standard is used, the height of the cabin walls will have to be altered to maintain a constant height for the inner cabin.

All this creates problems both during manufacture and in use. In the first case parts have to be made that differentiate according to the thickness of the floor panel; in the second case, replacement of the floor panel with a thicker one would also imply replacing the old walls with higher ones and as the old panels are joined together at the cabin corners, the automatic door mechanism, joints to the elevator frame and the cabin roof would all have to be disassembled in order to be able to remove the walls from the frame and from the bottom of the cabin.

The technical problems and the drawbacks described for rectangular cabins also apply to polygon-shaped cabins with a different number of walls, or to circular cabins though not many of them are installed. These latter are cylindrical in shape with access to the inner cabin by curved sliding doors of the same circular profile. Similar problems exist in the larger elevators used for mixed transport of passengers and goods.

Purpose of the present invention is therefore to overcome the drawback of having to alter the height of the cabin walls of the different sizes of elevators, if a variation is desired in the thickness of the floor panel laid on the metal bottom of fixed height as, in practice, this means having to disassemble the entire elevator cabin to replace the old walls with the new ones.

Summary of the invention

To achieve the above purpose, subject of the present invention is an elevator cabin comprising:

a bottom and a roof having an upper surface and sides;

a floor panel laid on the upper surface of the bottom;

uprights in each corner of the bottom to support the roof and the walls of the inner cabin,

wherein according to the invention the cabin also includes: first means for connecting the ends of pairs of adjacent corner uprights, delimiting the walls of the inner cabin, to the sides of respective crosswise elements for structural rigidity, hereinafter called crosspieces; second means for connecting the crosspieces to the sides of the bottom or of the roof, or of both;

slots lying parallel to the corner uprights, passing through the sides to which the crosspieces are joined, or passing through the crosspieces themselves, or through both said sides and said crosspieces, said slots being passed through by longitudinal threaded elements in the second means of connection at a distance, from one end or from the other end, that varies in accordance with variation of the thickness of the floor panel in relation to an established value, allowing the bottom or the roof to translate inside the inner cabin to keep its internal height unaltered, as described in claim 1.

Further characteristics of the present invention considered as innovative are described in the dependent claims.

According to one already realized form of the invention, the longitudinal threaded elements of the second means of connection are initially aligned with the lower end of the slots, allowing the fixed height of the inner cabin to be restored, based on a minimum thickness of the floor panel.

According to another already realized form of the invention, the longitudinal threaded elements of the second means of connection are initially aligned with the upper end of the slots, allowing the fixed height of the inner cabin to be restored, based on a maximum thickness of the floor panel.

According to another realized form of the invention, the longitudinal threaded elements of the second means of connection are initially aligned in the centre of the slots, allowing the fixed height of the inner cabin to be restored, based on a medium thickness of the floor panel.

The advantage which the invention offers is that, by loosening the screws that fix the lower crosspieces to the sides of the bottom, the entire structure above the bottom can be moved upwards or downwards to reach the desired position, after which it can once again be fixed to the bottom. Recovery of the difference in thickness between different floor panels is therefore greatly simplified and, most of all, there is no need to replace uprights and cabin wall panels. A similar advantage may be obtained by loosening the screws that fix the upper crosspieces to the sides of the roof and proceeding in the same way with the whole structure below the roof.

Short description of the figures

Further purposes and advantages of the present invention will be made clearer by the following detailed description of an example of its realization and by the attached drawings provided solely for explanatory reasons and in no way limitative, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a simplified view in perspective of an elevator cabin according to the known art;

Figure 1A shows a cross section view of the cabin in Figure 1 ;

Figure 2 shows a view in perspective of a detail in Figure 1 ;

- Figure 3 is a simplified view in perspective of the load-bearing structure of an elevator cabin realized according to the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a view in perspective of the lower part of the structure in Figure 3 with a floor panel of standard thickness;

Figure 5 shows a view in perspective of the lower part of the structure in Figure 3 with a floor panel of a thickness greater than standard;

Figure 6 shows a lateral exploded view of Figure 5, with special emphasis on a detail of the connection between the lower crosspiece and the bottom and with the corner upright;

Figure 7 shows a partial view in perspective of the upper part of the structure in Figure 3, without a corner upright, giving emphasis to the connection with the upper crosspiece;

Figures 8 and 9 show exploded views in perspective of the connections in Figure 6, of the corner upright and the bottom respectively.

Detailed description of some preferred forms of realizing the invention

In the following description the same elements that appear in different figures may be marked with the same symbols. In describing a figure reference may be made to elements not indicated in that figure but in preceding ones. The scale and proportions of the elements shown do not correspond to actual size.

Without imposing any limitations on the invention, the description will only concern a rectangular cabin; the same constructional principle may be applied to polygonal cabins having a number of sides other than four, and also to circular cabins with walls formed of panels curved at an arc of a circle and crosspieces curved in like manner.

Figure 3 shows the load-bearing structure 20 of an elevator cabin standing on a box-shaped bottom 21 of bent plate, its fixed height being irrespective of the size of the load carried, within the limits of the project, on which is laid a floor panel 22. Visible along three side of the bottom 21 are three respective lower crosspieces 23, 24, 25 fixed to the sides of the bottom 21 and to the respective pairs of corner uprights 26, 27, 28 and 29, at 90° on two sides. Expressed more precisely, crosspiece 23 is joined to one side of the bottom 21 and to uprights 26 and 27; crosspiece 24 is fixed to another side of the bottom 21 and to uprights 27 and 28 and crosspiece 25 is fixed to yet another side of the bottom 21 and to uprights 28 and 29. The side of the bottom without a crosspiece is that side which gives access to the inner cabin. There is thus no direct connection between the bottom 21 and corner uprights 26, 27, 28, 29 which do not rest on the bottom but include the corners in the concavity formed by curvature of the longitudinal wall;

The corner uprights are made of bent plate or section bar, or alternatively of extruded aluminium, and provide an aesthetic finish to the corners outside the cabin. The figure shows that the corner uprights depart flush from the upper surface of the bottom 21 and rise to the top of the roof 30 of the cabin. This roof is made of bent plate, its crosswise dimensions being the same as those of the bottom 21. To join the roof 30 to the load-bearing structure 1, three upper crosspieces 31 , 32, 33 are used as already described for the bottom 21. Expressed more precisely, crosspiece 31 is fixed to one side of the roof 30 and to uprights 26 and 27; crosspiece 32 if fixed to another side of the roof 30 and to uprights 27 and 28 and crosspiece 33 is fixed to yet another side of the roof 30 and to uprights 28 and 29. The side of the roof without a crosspiece is that for access to the inner cabin. There is thus no direct connection between the roof 30 and corner uprights 26, 27, 28. 29 which do not touch the roof neither do they include the corners in the concavity formed by curvature of the longitudinal wall. Each corner upright is so shaped as to provide the two longitudinal flat walls for fixing the sides of the lower 23, 24, 25, and the upper 31, 32, 33 crosspieces converging in the corner, said walls being contiguous with two lateral L-shaped configurations extending longitudinally and set at 90°.

Each corner upright is joined along its whole length to a respective longitudinal element 34, hereinafter called an angle-profiled element, made of bent plate, section bar or, if of extruded metal, preferably aluminium. The form of these elements also constitutes the aesthetic finish to the internal corners of the cabin. The angle-profiled element 34 in turn includes two further pairs of longitudinal L-shaped walls, at angles one to another like the L-shaped structures of the corner upright, to which they are moveably coupled so forming two U-shaped seats that receive and lock the longitudinal edges of the cabin walls. Without imposing any limit on the invention, the angle-profiled elements 34 coupled in this way can be made to slide out though angular apertures in the roof 30, so freeing the wall panels of the cabin. For this purpose there are angular openings in the roof 30 closed by plugs 35.

More generally speaking the U-shaped seats, that receive the longitudinal edges of the wall panels, together form an angle a corresponding to the apex angle of the base polygon of the bottom 21. The transversal elements PZ, on which the wall panels rest, are visible in said seats.

In conclusion, the lower horizontal crosspieces, fixed to the bottom of the cabin and to the lower parts of the corner uprights on each side closed by a wall, form the joining elements between the bottom of the cabin and the uprights, their function being to render the structure rigid, support the wall panels, block the lower side of the walls and contain the apertures for ventilating the cabin. In the same way, the upper horizontal crosspieces fixed to the roof of the cabin and to the upper part of the corner uprights on each side closed by a wall, form the joining elements between the roof of the cabin and the uprights, their function being to render the structure rigid, lock the upper side of the panels forming the walls, and contain the apertures for ventilating the cabin.

Figures 4 and 5 show the various configurations assumed by the load- bearing structure in Figure 3 in the event of having to mount, on the metal bottom 21, a floor panel 22 of standard thickness (Figure 4) and of a floor panel 36 thicker than the standard (Figure 5). It will be seen in Figure 4 that the lower end of the lower crosspieces 23, 24, 25 and the lower ends of corner uprights 26, 27, 28, 29 are all flush with the lower edge of the metal bottom 21. On looking at Figure 5, however, it will be seen that said ends are raised from the upper surface of the metal bottom 21 by a space equivalent to the difference in thickness between the floor boards 22 and 36. This is made possible by the type of join between the lower crosspieces and the bottom as well as by the type of join between the lower crosspieces and the corner uprights, both diagrammatically drawn in Figure 6.

With reference to Figure 6, it will be seen that the lower crosspiece 25 is detached from the bottom 21 and from the corner upright 29 to show the presence of a slot 37 in the side of the metal bottom 21, and of two holes, 38 and 39, present in the visible side of the lower crosspiece 25. The slot 37 is a non-circular hole, lengthened parallel to the shorter side of the bottom 21 (vertical direction). The lower crosspiece 25 is fixed to the side of the bottom 21 by screws 40, exemplified by the single screw shown. From the inside of the bottom 21 of bent plate, a screw 40 passes through the slot 37 in the side of said bottom and then engages with a threaded insert 40a included in a side of the lower crosspiece 25 and at a short distance from a corner. Through slot 37 the screw 40 can be screwed in at a variable height allowing the lower crosspiece 25 to translate vertically before the screw is tightened against the side of bottom 21. To enable the same to be done with the remaining lower crosspieces 23 and 24, the bottom 21 includes three slots similar to slot 37 on each side, placed centrally and at a short distance from the corners; a greater number of slots can be made as required for a similar number of fixing screws.

The side of the lower crosspiece 25, seen in the figure, rests against a wall of the upright 29, said wall including two threaded inserts (not shown) that engage two screws 41 and 42 passing through holes 38 and 39 from the inside of the crosspiece 25 (also of bent plate). This fixes the upright 29 to one side of the lower crosspiece 25. In the same way the uprights are fixed to the sides of their respective lower crosspieces, each upright being therefore shaped so as to provide two walls, one perpendicular to the other. Translation of the bottom 21 in relation to the rest of the framework involves loosening all the screws 40 that fix the crosspieces onto the sides of the bottom.

Figure 7 shows how the upper crosspiece 33 is joined to a corner upright 29, and to the roof 30, in the same way as seen in Figure 6. Corner upright 29 has been removed to show two holes, 43 and 44, in the side of the upper crosspiece 33. Through these holes a wall of upright 29 is fixed against the side of the upper crosspiece 33 by screws, 45 and 46, that enter from the inside of the cross piece (of bent plate) and penetrate through threaded seats in the wall of upright 29. In the same way the uprights are fixed to the sides of the other upper crosspieces, 31 and 32. For the upper crosspiece 33, screws 47 are used, as seen in the single example shown.

Starting from inside the roof 30 (of bent plate), a screw 47 passes through a slot 48 in the side of the roof, and then engages a threaded insert 47a included in a larger wall surface of the upper crosspiece 33, at a short distance from a corner. The slot 48 enables the screw 47 to occupy a variable position for connection so allowing the upper crosspiece 33 to translate vertically before being fixed against the side of the roof 30. To allow the same to be done with the remaining upper crosspieces 31 , 32, the roof 30 includes three slots on each side, similar to slot 48, placed centrally and at a short distance from the corners; if desired, more slots can be made for a similar number of screws. Figure 8 gives a view from inside the inner cabin in which the bottom 21 has been removed to show how the corner upright 28 is joined to the sides of the two lower crosspieces, 24 and 25. It will be seen from the figure that the corner upright 28 is a longitudinal wall curved round the corner, terminating at the two sides with two flat surfaces, 28a and 28b, facing towards the inside of the corner perpendicular to the sides of the bottom to match with the sides of crosspieces 24 and 25. Walls 28a and 28b include two threaded inserts, 41a and 42a, to engage the screws 41 and 42. The figure shows the box-shaped structure of crosspieces, 24 and 25, open at the back for insertion of screws 41 and 42 through holes 38 and 39. It will also be seen that the angle-profiled element 34 is shorter than the corner upright 28 by the thickness of the bottom so that the transversal element PZ can be laid on the floor panel, 22 or 36, and fix it in place.

Figure 9 is a view from underneath the bottom 21, showing how crosspiece 23 is joined to one side of said bottom. The figure also shows the box-like structure of the bottom 21, open on the upper surface for insertion of screws 40 through slots 37 in the side, engaging with their respective threaded inserts 40a in the wall of crosspiece 23.

From the above description it will be clear that the system for fixing the crosspieces to the bottom and roof of the cabin is so designed that if the thickness of the floor panel varies, the dimensions of the structural components do not need to be altered and the internal dimensions of the cabin remain unchanged. The crosspieces are joined to the bottom through vertical slots cut in the side of the bottom of the cabin so that said crosspieces can be fixed to the bottom at a height depending on the thickness of the floor panel. It follows that the vertical position of the corner uprights, rigidly fixed to the cross pieces, will also vary with a change in the thickness of the floor panel. In this way the internal height of the cabin will be guaranteed simply by moving up or down the point in the slots at which the lower crosspieces are fixed to the bottom of the cabin. The same concept is followed for fixing the upper crosspieces to the roof of the cabin. More generally speaking, the result, consisting in maintaining a constant internal height of the inner cabin if the thickness of the floor panel is altered, can be obtained in one of the following ways:

a) The slots are cut in the sides of the bottom 21 and the threaded inserts are included in the walls of the lower crosspieces matching with the sides of bottom 21.

b) The slots are cut in the walls of the lower crosspieces matching with the sides of the bottom 21 and the threaded inserts are included in the sides of bottom 21.

c) The slots are cut both in the sides of the bottom 21 and in the walls of the lower crosspieces matching with the sides of bottom 21, and in that case nuts are used for tightening.

d) The slots are cut in the sides of the roof 30 and the threaded inserts are included in the walls of the upper crosspieces matching with the sides of roof 30.

e) The slots are cut in the walls of the upper crosspieces matching with the sides of the roof 30 and the threaded inserts are included in the sides of roof 30.

f) The slots are cut both in the sides of the roof 30 and in the walls of the upper cross pieces matching the with the sides of roof 30, in which case nuts are used for tightening.

In accordance with this description of an example of a preferred realization, it is clear that changes can be made by an expert in the field without thereby departing from the sphere of the invention as will appear from the following claims.