BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimate that over 40,000 fires occur in multi-story buildings each year. Most large buildings are equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system designed to provide adequate water coverage of a building fire. During a building fire water from the activation of these sprinkler systems and over spray from the fire fighting efforts of the fire department make the elevator system unsafe as a means of egress and evacuation.

Historically, elevator systems in multi-story buildings have dealt primarily with providing a safe means of vertical transportation of people during non-emergency conditions and development of the elevator systems has not addressed the issue of safely utilizing the elevator during a building fire. Use of elevators by non-fire department personnel during a fire was found to be problematic.

Prior to 1973, elevators remained fully operational during a building fire.

Building security personnel investigating a signaling smoke detector could find themselves faced with the fire as the elevator doors opened on the fire floor. Building occupants on the fire floor trying to quickly escape a fire would push the elevator hall call station buttons and inadvertently call an elevator full of people to the fire floor.

High temperatures from the fire or water contamination from automatic fire sprinkler activation could short circuit the elevator hall call station buttons and call the elevators to the fire floor, jeopardizing fire department personnel trying to utilize the elevators to stage personnel and equipment or to evacuate building occupants.

In order to eliminate this dangerous situation, all modern elevators are equipped with a recall function initiated either automatically by the detection of smoke or manually by building security personnel. Once sent into alarm, all elevators are automatically recalled to a predesignated floor of the building and parked with their doors open such that the elevators are temporarily out of service. Upon arrival, the fire department can override the recall function to utilize each elevator car individually.

The basic configuration and operation of an elevator system is well known. A multiple story building contains a vertical hoistway shaft defined by top, bottom and vertical structural walls through which an elevator cab travels between floor levels. An opening in the structural wall adjacent to each floor level forms a hoistway entrance through which building occupants can safely pass when the elevator cab is adjacent to the hoistway entrance and registered with the lobby floor. An interlock mechanism connects the elevator cab door to the hoistway door for movement between open and closed positions when the elevator cab is positioned adjacent to a floor and the elevator cab door is opened and closed.

The hoistway entrance comprises a hoistway door head frame attached to a head wall and a pair of hoistway door lateral jambs attached to the jamb walls. A head panel extends from the head wall toward an inner hoistway door to generally fill the space between the head wall and the inner hoistway door when a series of doors is utilized. A sill is positioned below the hoistway door at the floor adjacent to the hoistway entrance opening.

Conventional hoistway doors include one or more door panels that are movably supported on a horizontal support rail that is connected to the head wall above the hoistway entrance. The hoistway door substantially covers the hoistway entrance opening when it is in the closed position. Clearance gaps are provided between the hoistway door and the door frame and between multiple door panels, if the hoistway door is a multiple panel door, to allow the hoistway door to open and close without excessive resistance. The hoistway door generally moves laterally parallel to the hoistway door opening such that the clearance gap is maintained as the hoistway door moves between the open and closed positions. The hoistway door and frame

combination is a fire rated assembly to limit the migration of fire and smoke into or out of the hoistway shaft.

Even though recognized industry standards limit the clearance gap between the elevator hoistway door and the hoistway entrance to 0.375-inch, large quantities of water can flow through the clearance gap into the elevator shaft, for example when a fire sprinkler system is activated in the floor lobby. During a building fire, the over spray from fire department hoses can also cause water to strike the hoistway doors and flow through the clearance gap into the hoistway. This water in the hoistway often damages electrical components within the hoistway and the car control system and presents the risk of electrocution or power shortages, thereby jeopardizing the functional reliability of the elevator system.

In tall buildings, above about 6 floors in height, the fire department must deal with the fire and the evacuation effort from within the building, rather than from the exterior of the building. The standard hook and ladder type fire apparatus can only reach about 75 feet to the highest occupied level. It is not practical to evacuate building occupants from the roof, and evacuation of occupants, particularly the non-ambulatory occupants, is very difficult via the stairs.

The standard incident command procedure utilized by most metropolitan fire departments require evacuation of building occupants via the stairs from the fire floor and from two floors above and below the fire floor. This evacuation procedure permits a level of safety from the fire for the occupants within five levels. The fire department typically uses an elevator to stage fire fighting personnel and equipment to a location two floors below the fire, if the fire department's Incident Commander determines an elevator is safe to use. If the elevators are unsafe, the fire fighting personnel must use the stairs to haul hoses, air tanks and equipment to the fire floor, which can exhaust the fire fighting personnel just preparing for the fire attack.

The fire fighting personnel also establish a fire suppression staging area in a stairway close to the source of the fire below the fire floor. This staging area essentially closes one stairway for egress and forces the building occupants to use other stairways in the building. Such evacuation does not provide an acceptable level of safety

for the building occupants, and especially the non-ambulatory occupants who cannot utilize extended flights of stairs.

The adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act assures non- ambulatory occupants equal opportunity to safety during a building fire. Prior to the adoption of these regulations, people were afforded access to all public buildings but not necessarily given a protected means of egress from the building under emergency situations. Since the elevator hoistway shaft of a conventional building will likely be contaminated with water during a building fire, these non-ambulatory people must wait within the building to be rescued. One costly solution to this problem has been to require a separate elevator be dedicated to fire department use only. This solution is often economically unfeasible, and other safe and economical solutions are needed to allow for egress of all building occupants during a building fire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed toward an elevator hoistway door seal structure and drainage system. The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system for restricting the passage of water into the elevator hoistway shaft during a building fire thereby reducing the hazard to building occupants and limiting the extent of water damage created in a building upon extinguishing a building fire. The preferred embodiment further provides a substantially water-free environment within the elevator hoistway shaft enabling use of the elevator system for the evacuation of building occupants and to stage fire fighting personnel and equipment at a selected location in the building without fear of electrocution or power shortage.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of hoistway door seal structures are provided at each hoistway door that block the flow of water through a hoistway opening when the hoistway door is in a closed position. A water drainage system is provided with a drain located at the hoistway door, and the door seal structures direct the flow of water to the drain and into the water drainage system. Each drain is connected to a main drain line, which is connected to a conventional building plumbing system so as to direct water from the hoistway door area to the building plumbing system without contaminating the hoistway and damaging electrical and other

components in the hoistway. The door seal structures and drainage system in the preferred embodiment are located at all elevator hoistway doors on all floors within a multiple level building. All hall call stations and position indicators are likewise sealed from water penetration.

Accordingly, the instant invention provides an effective barrier to the passage of water between the hoistway door and the hoistway. The invention maintains a high level of safety for the passengers traveling in the elevator system. Furthermore, this invention allows the fire department or building personnel to utilize the elevator car to efficiently stage fire fighting personnel and equipment, and to evacuate the building occupants in a safe and timely manner even though a fire sprinkler system or a fire hose is pouring water onto a fire floor to control or extinguish a fire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention, along with its many attendant advantages and benefits, will become better understood by reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of a multiple level building, showing an elevator system with an embodiment of the elevator hoistway door seal structure and drainage system in accordance with the present invention at hoistway entrances on each level adjacent to an elevator lobby.

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevation view of an elevator hoistway door assembly and the drainage system of Figure 1, the hoistway door assembly being shown in solid line in a closed position and shown in phantom line in an open position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 2 illustrating a door sill and a water drainage system.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional top view taken substantially along line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing a trailing edge seal structure at a trailing edge of the hoistway door.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional top view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 2 showing a meeting-edge seal structure at meeting edges of a pair of hoistway doors.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a first alternate embodiment having a single hoistway door, showing a leading edge seal structure at a leading edge of the single hoistway door.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a second alternate embodiment having a hoistway door with multiple door panels, and having an interdoor sealing structure between the door panels.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a third alternate embodiment having a gutter mounted below the sill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, there is shown a multiple level building 1 with an elevator hoistway 4 having an upper limit 6 and a lower limit 8, with a wall structure 10 extending therebetween. A hoistway opening in the wall structure 10 occurs at each level, defining a hoistway entrance 14 which is closable by a movable hoistway door assembly 16. When an elevator cab 18 is adjacent to an elevator lobby floor 20 and directly adjacent to the hoistway entrance 14, the hoistway door assembly 16 is moved by a conventional interlock system to an open position to allow passengers to pass through the hoistway entrance, and when the elevator cab is not adjacent to the elevator lobby floor, the hoistway door assembly remains in a closed position.

As best seen in Figure 2 from the hoistway side, the hoistway door assembly 16 is movably supported by a support rail 21 and door support members 23 to define a plurality of spaces or gaps between edge portions of the hoistway door assembly and the wall structure 10. A hoistway door seal structure 22 of the preferred embodiment is adjacent to each hoistway entrance 14. The hoistway door seal structure 22 is positioned to provide seals between the hoistway door assembly 16 and the wall structure 10 around the hoistway entrance 14 to block the migration of water or other liquid through the gaps and into the hoistway. The hoistway door seal structure 22 is also positioned to restrict the flow of smoke and gas into and out of the hoistway 4.

The hoistway door assembly is movable between an open position, shown in phantom line, and a closed position, shown in solid line. The hoistway door seal structure 22 seals the gaps between the hoistway door assembly 16 and the wall structure 10 when the hoistway door assembly is in the closed position to limit the flow of water through the hoistway entrance 14. Accordingly, the hoistway door seal structure 22 restricts the passage of water between the hoistway door assembly 16 and the wall structure 10, for example in the event of a fire and activation of the fire- sprinkler system or spray from a fire hose used to extinguish the fire. A hoistway drainage system 24 is connected to the hoistway door seal structure 22 and positioned to contain and direct water away from each hoistway door seal structure to a building drainage system 26 (Figure 1) coupled to the hoistway drainage system. Accordingly, the hoistway door seal structure 22 restricts water flow into the hoistway 4 and the hoistway drainage system 24 carries the water away from the vicinity of the hoistway entrance 14, thereby affording an increased level of safety to the passengers of the elevator cab within the hoistway in the event of a building fire. This increased level of protection allows the elevator system to be utilized as a reliable means to evacuate building occupants during a fire and to stage fire fighting personnel and equipment to selected locations in the building 1.

The hoistway door seal structure 22 and hoistway drainage system 24 are discussed herein with respect to blocking water from passing through the gaps and draining the water away from the hoistway entrance 14, although it is to be understood that the hoistway door seal structure and hoistway drainage system also block and drain other liquids to prevent the liquids from entering the hoistway 4.

The hoistway door seal structure 22 in accordance with the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention is positioned adjacent to each hoistway entrance 14 and extends the length and width of the hoistway door assembly 16 to provide a seal in the gaps at the hoistway entrance 14. As best seen in Figure 2, the hoistway entrance 14 is a rectangular opening defined by a left lateral jamb 30a, a right lateral jamb 30b, a door sill 50, and a headwall 27 opposite the door sill. The hoistway door assembly 16 adjacent to the hoistway entrance 14 moves laterally relative to the hoistway entrance in a generally vertical plane between the open position, which permits access to the

elevator hoistway 4 and the elevator cab 18 therein, and the closed position. In the closed position, the hoistway door assembly 16 substantially covers the hoistway entrance 14.

In the illustrated embodiment of Figure 2, the hoistway door assembly 16 includes a pair of opposing left and right hoistway doors 28a and 28b, respectively, that are laterally movable relative to the hoistway entrance 14. The hoistway doors 28a and 28b are interconnected by a conventional interlock mechanism, such that the lateral movement of each of the hoistway doors between the open and closed positions is synchronized. The pair of opposing hoistway doors 28a and 28b are movably supported outwardly adjacent to the hoistway entrance 14 on the support rail 21, which is securely mounted to the headwall 27 in a generally horizontal position above the hoistway entrance 14. Although the illustrated embodiment includes a pair of opposing hoistway doors 28a and 28b, the hoistway door assembly 16 of alternate embodiments has other configurations, such as a single door, or a pair of opposing doors with multiple door panels, as discussed below.

As best seen in Figure 3, the door sill 50 is positioned below the hoistway doors 28a and 28b at the hoistway entrance 14 and is in flush alignment with the elevator lobby floor 20. The door sill 50 is supported by a sill support angle 52 which is mounted to the wall structure 10 below the hoistway entrance 14 within the hoistway 4. A bottom edge 54 of each hoistway door 28a and 28b is positioned above the door sill 50 at a selected distance that defines a horizontally extending sill space 56 between the respective hoistway door and the sill.

The door sill 50 has an elongated drain channel 55 that is substantially parallel with the hoistway doors 28a and 28b. The drain channel 55 is defined by opposing sidewalls 57 and a bottom surface 70 extending between the sidewalls, such that the drain channel has a generally U-shaped cross section with an open top portion 59. A plurality of spaced apart, rigid grate bars 64 are positioned within the open top portion 59 of the drain channel 55, and the grate bars extend along the length of the drain channel to form a slotted walking surface 66 upon which people can step when passing through the hoistway entrance 14. The grate bars 64 are parallel to each other and the sidewalls 57 of the drain channel 55 to define drainage openings 62 therebetween

and between the outermost grate bars 64 and the sidewalls 57 of the drain channel 55.

The drainage openings 62 are sized to receive and direct a flow of water into the drain channel 55, while preventing large-sized debris from falling into the drain channel.

The drainage opening 62 farthest from the wall structure 10 (indicated by reference numeral 62a) is directly below the bottom-edge 54 of the hoistway doors 28a and 28b as the hoistway doors move between the open and closed positions, and also serves as a guide slot extending the length of the drain channel 55. An elongated water shield 60 is attached to the bottom edge 54 of each of the hoistway doors 28a and 28b and extends downwardly through the sill space 56 and into the drainage opening 62a.

Accordingly, the water shields 60 travel laterally along the drainage opening 62a as the hoistway doors 28a and 28b move laterally between the open and closed positions. The water shield 60 of the preferred embodiment is a substantially rigid blade that is sized and shaped to direct water through the drain openings 62 into the drain channel 55 and to block water from passing from the elevator lobby floor 20 through the sill space 56 and into the hoistway 4.

The drain channel 55 has a drain outlet 72 located at one end thereof which is connected to a drain pipe 71. The bottom surface 70 of the drain channel 55 is sloped downwardly toward the drain inlet 72 so that water in the drain channel is directed through the drain inlet into the drain pipe 71 and carried away from the hoistway entrance 14. The drain pipe 71 is connected to an elongated, vertical downspout 74 securely connected to the wall structure 10 within the hoistway 4 and extending substantially along the length of the hoistway 4. The downspout 74 is connected to the building drain system 26 (Figure 1), such that the downspout receives the water from the drain pipe 71 and carries it downwardly to the building drain system.

In the preferred embodiment, a single downspout 74 extends from the drain pipe 71 of the upper-most level of the building 1 (Figure 1) to the bottom of the hoistway 4, and all of the drain pipes 71 of the hoistway drainage system 24 are connected to the downspout in a conventional manner. The drain channels 55, drain pipes 71, and downspout 74 are sized to contain and carry away a maximum expected volume of water from a fire sprinkler system and fire hose over spray from the elevator

lobby floors in the event of a fire, thereby the water is prevented from entering the hoistway 4 and damaging electrical and non-electrical components within the hoistway.

As best seen in Figure 4, when in the closed position, the hoistway doors 28a and 28b are positioned away from the adjacent respective upright jambwall 30a and 30b to define a vertically extending, trailing edge lateral space 32. The hoistway door seal structure 22 includes a trailing edge seal structure 34 that has an L-shaped first seal portion 35 extending along the entire height of a trailing edge 38 of the respective hoistway door 28a and 28b. The door-mounted seal portion 35 includes an attachment leg 36 secured to the trailing edge 38 of the respective hoistway door 28a and 28b and extending toward the respective upright jambwall 30a and 30b. An extended leg 40 of the door-mounted seal portion 35 connects to the attachment leg 36 and extends toward the hoistway entrance 14. The trailing edge seal structure 34 has a wall-mounted seal portion 37 having an essentially Z-shaped cross section, with an attachment leg 42 secured to the respective jambwall 30a and 30b. A water-block leg 46 of the wall- mounted seal portion 37 extends into the trailing edge lateral space 32 and toward the respective hoistway door 28a and 28b, and a return leg 48 of the wall-mounted seal portion extends from the water block leg 46 away from the hoistway entrance 14 and substantially parallel with the attachment leg 42, so the return leg is spaced apart from the respective jambwall 30a and 30b. The wall-mounted seal portion 37 is shaped and sized so the return leg 48 is in an overlapping relationship and in close proximity with the extended leg 40 of the door-mounted seal portion 35 and extends into a space between the extended leg 40 and a side of the respective hoistway door 28a and 28b toward the respective jambwall 30a and 30b, when the respective hoistway door 28a and 28b is in the closed position. Accordingly, the extended leg 40 is positioned between the return leg 48 and the respective jambwall 30a and 30b.

When the hoistway doors 28a and 28b are in the closed position, the extended leg 40 of the door-mounted seal portion 35 does not contact the return leg 48 of the wall-mounted seal portion 37, thereby minimizing frictional resistance to lateral movement of the hoistway doors. The door-mounted seal portion 35 and the wall- mounted seal portion 37 are positioned to define a water passageway 39 that extends along the height of the respective hoistway door 28a and 28b and that communicates

with the drain channel 55 in the door sill 50. Water or other liquid encountering the closed hoistway doors 28a and 28b from the lobby floor side is blocked and trapped by the trailing edge seal structure 34 and the door-mounted seal portion 35 from entering the hoistway 4 and is directed downwardly along the water passageway 39 into the drain channel 55, thereby preventing water contamination of the hoistway. The trailing edge seal structure 34 also restricts smoke and gas from flowing into or out of the hoistway 4 through the trailing edge lateral space 32.

As best seen in Figure 5, the left hoistway door 28a has a left meeting edge 80a, and the right hoistway door 28b has a right meeting edge 80b that face toward and are adjacent to each other when the hoistway doors are in the closed position to define a meeting edge space 78 therebetween. The meeting edge space 78 extends along the height of the left and right hoistway doors 28a and 28b and it communicates with the drain channel 55 in the door sill 50 (Figure 3).

The hoistway door seal structure 22 includes a meeting edge seal structure 76 attached to the left and right meeting edges 80a and 80b to block water from flowing through the meeting edge space 78. The meeting edge seal structure 76 has an elongated left seal portion 82a attached to left meeting edge 80a and extending along the entire length of the left meeting edge. The left seal portion 82a extends into the meeting edge space 78 and projects toward the right meeting edge 80b. The meeting edge seal structure 76 also has an elongated right seal portion 82b attached to the right meeting edge 80b and extending along the entire length of the right meeting edge. The right seal portion 82b extends into the meeting edge space 78 and projects toward the left meeting edge 80a in a spaced apart, overlapping relationship with the left seal portion 82a when the left and right hoistway doors 28a and 28b are in the closed position. In one embodiment, the left and right seal portions 82a and 82b are integrally connected to its respective left and right hoistway door 28a and 28b. In an alternate embodiment, the left and right seal portions 82a and 82b are securely fastened to their respective left and right hoistway door 28a and 28b, such as during a retrofit modification to existing hoistway doors.

In the preferred embodiment, the left and right seal portions 82a and 82b do not contact each other as the left and right hoistway doors 28a and 28b move toward

or away from the closed position, thereby minimizing frictional resistance to lateral movement of the hoistway doors. The meeting edge seal structure 76 substantially prevents water from passing into the hoistway 4. Water encountering the left and right meeting edges 80a and 80b of the closed left and right hoistway doors 28a and 28b, for example from a fire sprinkler system, is blocked by the meeting edge seal structure 76 and directed downwardly along the meeting edge space 78 and into the drain channel 55 for draining through the drain pipe 71 connected thereto (Figures 2 and 3). The meeting edge seal structure 76 also restricts smoke and gas from flowing into or out of the hoistway 4 through the meeting edge space 28.

Accordingly, the hoistway door seal structures 22 of the present invention are shaped and sized so as to create a seal at the respective portion around the hoistway entrance 14 and/or between the hoistway doors 28a and 28b. The hoistway door seal structure 22 effectively creates a barrier that substantially prevents water present during a fire from moving into the hoistway shaft 4. The hoistway drainage system 24 is adapted to drain water from activated fire sprinklers or fire hose over spray that encounters the elevator hoistway doors 28a and 28b downwardly toward the drain channel 55 (Figure 3), into the drain pipe 71 and then the downspout 74, and eventually into the building water drainage system 26 (Figure 1). The hoistway shaft 4 remains substantially water free, so the elevator can safely be used by the fire department for staging of fire fighting personnel and equipment, as well as use for evacuation of building occupants.

An alternate embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 6 is provided with a single hoistway door 84 that is sized to cover the hoistway entrance 14 when the hoistway door is in the closed position. The hoistway door 84 has a leading edge 86 that is positioned outwardly away from a corresponding one of the vertical jambwalls 30a/30b to define a leading edge space 88 between the hoistway door and the jambwall. The leading edge space 88 extends along the height of the hoistway door 84, and the leading edge space 88 communicates with the drain channel 55 in the door sill 50 (Figure 3). A leading edge seal structure 90 is provided to block water from entering the hoistway 4 when the hoistway door 84 is in the closed position.

The leading edge seal structure 90 has a jambwall-mounted seal portion 91 with an essentially Z-shaped cross section formed by an attachment leg 92 securely fastened to the jambwall 30a/30b, a water block leg 94 extending away from the attachment leg, and an extended leg 96 extending away from the water block leg 94 substantially parallel with the attachment leg and toward the leading edge 86 of the hoistway door 84. Accordingly, the extended leg 96 is spaced apart from the jambwall 30a/30b. The leading edge seal structure 90 has an elongated door-mounted seal portion 98 connected to the leading edge 86 of the hoistway door 84 and extending along the height of the door. The door-mounted seal portion 98 projects toward the water block leg 94 of the jambwall-mounted seal portion 91 and is sized to extend into a space between the extended leg 96 and the jambwall 30a/30b when the hoistway door 84 is in the closed position. Accordingly, the door-mounted seal portion 98 is in an overlapping relationship with the jambwall-mounted seal portion's extended leg 96.

The door-mounted seal portion 98 does not contact the jambwall- mounted seal portion 91 when the hoistway door 84 moves into and out of the closed position, thereby minimizing frictional resistance to lateral movement of the hoistway door. The leading edge seal structure 90 substantially prevents water from passing into the hoistway 4. Water encountering the portion of the hoistway door 84 toward leading edge 86 of the closed hoistway door 84 is blocked by the leading edge seal structure 90 and directed downwardly along the leading edge space 88 and into the drain channel 55 for drainage through the drain pipe 71 connected thereto (Figures 2 and 3), thereby preventing water contamination of the hoistway 4. The leading edge seal structure 90 also restricts smoke and gas from flowing into and out of the hoistway 4 through the leading edge space 88.

A second alternate embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 7 is provided with multiple panel hoistway doors 99 having opposing left and right inner hoistway door panels 1 00a and 100b, respectively, and opposing left and right outer hoistway door panels 102a and 102b, respectively. Only the left inner and outer hoistway door panels 100a, 102a and the right inner and outer hoistway door panels 100b, 102b move together between an open position that permits access to the elevator cab 18 (Figure 1) through the hoistway entrance 14, and a closed position wherein the

inner and outer hoistway door panels substantially cover the hoistway entrance. Only one pair of the inner and outer hoistway door panels are shown in Figure 7. The left inner hoistway door panel 100a has a trailing edge 104a that is positioned outwardly adjacent to a leading edge 106 of the left outer hoistway door panel 102a to define a left interdoor space 1 08a therebetween when the hoistway doors 99 are in the closed position. Similarly, the right inner hoistway door panel 100b has a trailing edge 104b that is positioned outwardly adjacent to a leading edge 106 of the right outer hoistway door panel 102b to define a right interdoor space 108b therebetween when the hoistway doors 99 are in the closed position. Each of the interdoor spaces 108a and 108b extend along the height of the respective inner and outer hoistway door panels 100a, 100b and 102a and 102b, and communicate with the drain channel 55 in the door sill 50 (Figure 3).

The hoistway door seal structure 22 for this second alternate embodiment includes an elongated interdoor seal structure 110 that is supported between each of the inner and outer hoistway door panels 100a, 102a and 100b, 102b to fill the respective interdoors spaces 108a and 108b. For the purpose of clarity, only the interdoor seal structure 110 at the left inner and outer hoistway door panels 100a and 102a is described below, with the description being equally applicable to the interdoor seal structure at the right inner and outer hoistway door panels 100b and 102b.

The interdoor seal structure 110 includes a first seal portion 111 attached to the left inner hoistway door panel 1 00a and extending along the entire height of the left inner hoistway door panel. The first seal portion 111 has a substantially L-shaped cross section defined by an inner attachment leg 112 secured to the trailing edge 104a of the left inner hoistway door panel 1 00a and extending toward the left outer hoistway door panel 102a. The first seal portion 111 also has an inner return leg 114 extending from the inner attachment leg 112 toward the leading edge 106 of the left outer hoistway door panel 102a.

The interdoor seal structure 110 includes a second seal portion 113 attached to the left outer hoistway door panel 1 02a and extending along the entire height of the left outer hoistway door panel. The second seal portion 113 has a substantially L-shaped cross-section oriented in an inverted position relative to the first seal portion 111. The second seal portion 113 has an outer attachment leg 116 secured to the

leading edge 106 of the left outer hoistway door panel 1 02a and extending toward the left inner hoistway door panel 100a. The second seal portion 113 has an outer return leg 118 extending from the outer attachment leg 116 toward the trailing edge 1 04a of the left inner hoistway door panel 100a. Each of the left inner and outer return legs 114 and 118 is spaced apart from its respective left inner and outer hoistway door panels 1 00a and 102b, such that when the hoistway doors 99 are in the closed position, the inner and outer return legs are in an overlapping relationship, with the first seal portion's inner return leg 114 extending toward the second seal portion's outer attachment leg 116 between the outer hoistway door panel 102a and the second seal portion's outer return leg 118. The second seal portion's outer return leg 118 extends between the inner hoistway door panel 100a and the first seal portion's inner return leg 1]4 toward the first seal portion's inner attachment leg 112.

When the hoistway doors 99 move into and out of the closed position, the inner return leg 114 does not contact the outer return leg 118 thereby minimizing frictional resistance to lateral movement of the hoistway doors. The interdoor seal structure 110 substantially prevents water used to extinguish a building fire from passing into the hoistway 4. Water encountering the closed hoistway doors 99 is trapped by the interdoor seal structure 110 and directed downwardly along the interdoor lateral spaces 108a and 108b and into the drain channel 55 for drainage through the respective drain pipe 71 connected thereto (Figures 2 and 3), thereby preventing water contamination of the hoistway 4. The interdoor seal structure 110 also restricts smoke and gas from flowing into or out of the hoistway 4 through the interdoor spaces 108a and 108b.

Each of the inner and outer hoistway door panels 100a, 100b, 102a and 102b have an elongated water shield 60 attached to the bottom edge 54 of the respective door panel. In a third embodiment shown in Figure 8, the sill 50 has an elongated inner channel 200 that receives a portion of the water shield 60 of the inner hoistway door panels 100a, 100b, and an elongated outer channel 202 that receives a portion of the water shield ofthe outer hoistway door panels 102a, 102b. The water shields 60 extend across the horizontally extending sill space 56 and into the respective inner and outer channels 200 and 202 so as to block water from passing from the elevator lobby floor through the sill space 56 and into the hoistway 4.

In this third alternate embodiment, the sill 50 and sill support 52 have a plurality of drain holes 204 extending therethrough that communicate with the inner and outer channels 200 and 202. The drain holes 204 are positioned above a drain gutter 206 mounted to the wall structure 10, and the drain gutter is connected to the downspout 74. The drain holes 204 are sized and positioned to allow water to drain therethrough and into the drain gutter 206, and the drain gutter directs the water into the downspout 74. The drain holes 204 are sized and spaced apart so they do not compromise the fire rating of the hoistway door assembly. In other alternate embodiments having a pair of opposing hoistway doors or a single hoistway door, the sill 50 has a single line of drain holes 204 that communicate with an elongated channels formed in the sill to drain water into the drain gutter 206 to the downspout 74 and eventually to the building drainage system 26. (Figure 1). Accordingly, existing elevator systems can be retrofitted to provide drain holes in the existing sills, gutters mounted below the drain holes, and a downspout connected to the gutters. The seal structures discussed above are also mountable in a retrofit manner for existing hoistways.

In other alternate embodiments of the present invention, the hoistway door seal structure 22 includes trailing edge seal structures, meeting edge seal structures, leading edge seal structures, interdoor seal structures, a transverse seal structure provided at the top of the hoistway doors, for the selected hoistway door assembly 16 configuration to fully close the gaps around the hoistway doors. These seal structures that fully close the gaps around the hoistway doors prevent water, smoke, and gas from moving into or out of the hoistway 4 when the hoistway doors are in the closed position.

These seal structures include the hoistway seal structure disclosed in applicant's copending U.S. patent application Serial No. 08/423,958, entitled "Hoistway Door Seal Structure," filed April 18, 1996, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, and the hoistway seal structure disclosed in applicant's copending continuation-in-part <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> patent application Serial No. ~~~~~~~~~~, , entitle entitled "Multiple Level Building With Elevator Hoistway Seal Structure," filed October 18, 1996, which also is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The door sill 50 is provided with a sill seal and has the hoistway drainage system 24 attached thereto, as discussed above, that carries

water away from the door sill so the water does not flow into and contaminate the hoistway 4.

Accordingly, any water encountering the closed and fully sealed hoistway doors 28a and 28b is blocked from passing through the gaps around the hoistway doors and the water flows downwardly to the sill area. The water is then drained from the door sill via the hoistway drain system 24, as discussed above, to remove the water from the elevator floor lobby in the event of a fire or other building emergency.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the elevator hall call stations and position indicators located within each of the elevator floor lobbies are sealed from water penetration in a conventional manner. Accordingly, these electrical components of the elevator system are protected from water damage to insure continuous and controlled operation of the elevator cars 18 (Figure 1) can be provided during a building fire or other building emergency.

Numerous modifications and variations of the hoistway door seal structure and drainage system of the present invention disclosed herein will occur to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. Therefore, it is to be understood that these modifications and variations, and equivalents thereof, may be practiced while remaining within the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.