Elevator Training 2003

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Elevator Training 2003
Content

• Elevator terminology and components

• Types of elevators

• Safety features

• Types of Emergencies

• Rescue methods

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Please note
Remember, all elevators are not built the same.
Elevators installed at different time periods
conform to different requirements or codes.
Elevator features and operation may vary from
one elevator to another.
Get to know the elevators in the buildings that
you respond to during pre-fire inspections.
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Counterweight
A tracked weight that is suspended from cables
and moves within its own set of guide rails along
the hoistway walls.
This counterweight will be equal to the dead
weight of the car plus about 40 of the rated
load.
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Counter weight
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Counter weight
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Counter weight
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Hoistway
The shaft that encompasses the elevator car.
Generally serving all floors of the building.
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Hoistway
In high-rise buildings hoistways may be banked.
With specific hoistways serving only the lower
floors and others serving only middle or upper
floors while traveling in a blind hoistway until
reaching the floors that it serves. A blind
hoistway has no doors on the floors that it does
not serve.
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Elevator car
A heavy steel frame surrounding a cage of metal
and wood panels. The top of the car frame is
called the crosshead. Cabled elevators are
usually suspended from the crosshead.
The bottom of the frame is usually referred to as
the safety plank.
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Cross head
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Safety plank
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Elevator car
The elevator car door travels through the
hoistway with the car.
A toe guard is present at the bottom of some
cars. This guard protects the passengers from
being exposed to the open hoistway under the car
if the doors are opened when it is not at the
landing. The guard is between 21 and 48 long.
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Toe guard
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Elevator door
These doors can sometimes opened on the inside by
hand, except where anti-egress devices are
installed.
This will also break the electrical interlock
which will cut the power to the car.
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Complements of The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers
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Anti-egress lock
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Hoistway doors
Horizontal operating hoistway doors are generally
hung from the top on rollers that run in a track,
with the bottom of the door running in a slot.
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Interlock opening mechanism
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Hoistway doors
Forcing these doors at the middle or at the
bottom will cause damage to the doors and their
mounting hardware. The doors can also be knocked
out of their track and fall into the hoistway.
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Complements of The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers
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Hoistway door interlock
The hoistway door locking mechanism provides a
means to mechanically lock each hoistway door.
They are also interconnected electrically to
prevent operation of the elevator if any of the
elevators hoistway doors are open.
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Hoistway door interlock
Hoistway door interlock
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Interlock for freight elevator
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Hoistway emergency door keys
Carried on trucks and the squad, permit the
unlocking of the hoistway door interlock.
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Escutcheon tube
The keyhole on the upper portion of a hoistway
door that accepts a hoistway emergency door key
and permits unlocking of the hoistway door
locking mechanism.
These keyholes are usually located at the bottom
and top floors, but may also be on other selected
floors or all floors.
You may find a lock covering these keyholes on
some new elevator installations. Locate these
keys during pre-fires.
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Escutcheon tube
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Escutcheon tube
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Car top operating station
Provided on some cars for operating the car from
the car top. To be used by the elevator
technician when servicing the car.
This station should only be operated under the
direct supervision of the elevator technician.
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Operating station
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Photo-electric and infrared sensors
A sensor between the hoistway and car doors that
detects objects in their path and prevents the
doors from closing.
Photo-electric eyes were problematic and are
being phased out.
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Infra-red sensor
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Roller guides
A set of three wheels that roll against the guide
rails.
Usually mounted to the safety plank and
crosshead. They keep the car in contact with the
guide rails and prevent sway.
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Roller guides on Cross head
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Roller guides on Safety plank
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Safeties
Emergency braking mechanism that stops the car by
wedging into the guide rails when over speeding
has occurred.
It is activated by the speed governor sensing
over speeding of the elevator car.
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Safeties
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Safeties
Governor rope
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Hoisting cables (or ropes)
Used on traction type elevators, usually attached
to the crosshead and extending up into the
machine room looping over the sheave on the motor
and then down to the counter weights.
Hoisting cable are generally 3 to 6 in number.
They are steel with a hemp core to keep them
pliable and lubricated.
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Hoisting cables (or ropes)
These cables are usually 1/2or 5/8 in diameter.
The 1/2cables have a breaking strength of
14,500lbs and the 5/8 23,000lbs each.
However, at 900 degrees the wire steel rope
contains only about 13 of its original tensile
strength.
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Nickel Babbitt
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Hoisting cables
Wedge clamp
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Counter weight
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Sheave
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Guide rails
Tracks in the form of a T that run the length
of the hoistway, that guide the elevator car.
Usually mounted to the sides of the hoistway, at
the middle of the elevator car.
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Guide rail
Guide rail
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Governor sheave
Provided to detect over speeding of the car.
Usually a cable is attached to the safeties on
the under side of the car, called the governor
rope. This rope runs down through a pulley at
the bottom of the shaft and back up to the
machine room and around the governor sheave.
When over-speeding is detected, the governor
grips the cable which applies the safeties that
wedge against the guide rails and stops the car.
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Governor sheave
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Governor rope
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Governor rope
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Car emergency exit
Usually located at the top of the elevator cars,
sometimes on the side, other times not present.
Top exits open from outside the car.
Side exits are extremely dangerous to use and are
no longer being installed. Existing side exits
have been disabled by being permanently bolted
shut.
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Top emergency exit
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Top emergency exit
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Machine room For electric traction type
Usually located above the hoistway in a penthouse
or two floors above the highest floor it serves,
but may be in the basement if overhead space is
unavailable.
Generally containing hoisting machines,
controllers, generator, speed governor and the
main electrical disconnects to the elevators.
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Elevator car number
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Elevator car number
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Elevator car number
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Fire phone
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Intercom
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Machine room For hydraulic plunger type
Usually located in the basement or first floor,
but could be anywhere.
Generally containing the electric motors, pumps,
oil reservoirs, controllers and electrical
disconnect to the elevators.
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Phase I
A mode of operation activated by a smoke detector
located in an elevator lobby, elevator machine
room, elevator hoistway or by a keyed recall
switch.
This activation returns all cars to the main
egress lobby or an alternated designated landing,
opens the elevator doors and removes the cars
from service.
If the car is on independent service, the
elevator will revert to Phase I recall in about
60 seconds.
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Phase I
The keyed recall switch has an On, Off and
sometimes a Bypass position. The key is
removable in the On and Off positions only.
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Phase I
On - Puts elevators into phase I recall.
Off - Puts elevator back into normal service.
Bypass Put elevator back into service
regardless of whether the smoke detectors are
reset. The key must be kept in switch when it is
in the bypass position.
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Phase I
Note The bypass feature is being replaced with
a reset feature for elevators installed or
altered under ASME A17.1a, 2002.
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Phase I keyed switch
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Phase I keyed switch in alarm room
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Phase II
A mode of operation activated by the firefighters
independent service key switch inside the
elevator.
This can only be activated when a phase I recall
of the elevators is in effect and with the
elevator at the lobby or designated floor with
the doors open.
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Phase II
The Phase II keyed switch in the car has an
Off, On and sometimes a Hold position.
The Hold position allows fire personnel to
remove the key and search a floor while the
elevator car is waiting with the doors open.
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Phase II
Off - Puts elevator back into phase I control,
unless elevator is not in phase I, then the
elevator will stay at that location with doors
open until it is put into phase II again,
returned to lobby and then switched to the off
position.
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Phase II
On - Puts the elevator into firefighters
independent service.
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Types of elevators

• Hydraulic

• Electric traction

• Drum

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Hydraulic
Found in two types
Plunger type and Roped hydraulic
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Hydraulic Roped hydraulic
This type is similar to the electric traction
type but uses a hydraulic machine for power.
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Hydraulic Roped hydraulic
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Hydraulic - Plunger type
This type is the most common and consists of an
elevator car mounted on top of a long hydraulic
piston. The piston is generally not telescopic,
so there must be a hole in the ground as long as
the distance the elevator travels.
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Hydraulic Plunger type
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Electric - Traction type
This is the most common type of elevator for
high-rise buildings. It consists of a driving
sheave, over which the hoisting ropes pass coming
from the elevator crosshead and going to the
counter weights.
Electric traction type elevators can be used in
buildings of any height.
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Electric - Traction type
- Controller
Machine room -
- DC motor with sheave
- Speed governor
- Guide rails
- Counter weights
Hoistway doors -
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Drum type
Drum Consists of a large drum in the machine
room around which hoisting cables and counter
weights ropes are wound. Not used in tall
buildings because of the large drum size that
would be necessary.
This is an old type of elevator and obsolete.
The machine room for this type of elevator could
be located on the first floor next to the shaft,
in the basement or overhead.
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Drum type
Drum with hoisting cables
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Safety features
Safeties a stopping mechanism for an over
speeding car.
Interlocks Cuts power to the car if this
electrical/mechanical interconnection is broken.
Anti-egress Allows car doors to open only 4
inches unless car is near landing.
Emergency stop switch The red switch inside
some cars that cuts off the power to the car
except for the lights, alarm and communication
system.
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Safety features
Seismic switch - A motion sensing device on some
elevators installations. If it is activated the
elevator will move away from the counter weights
to the next landing with its doors open and
inoperable.
This device overrides phase I and phase II
operation unless phase II operation is already in
effect.
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Safety features
If this device has been activated it can mean
that an unsafe structural condition exists.
This device is located in the machine room.
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Safety features
Seismic valve for hydraulic elevators - A valve
located in the pit close to the jack that is
designed to hold pressure if the hydraulic line
is broken due to seismic activity.
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Seismic valve
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Elevator emergencies
In many cases an elevator technician can correct
a problem faster than we can initiate a rescue.
Elevator technicians are on call 24hrs a day and
can usually respond within an hour.
When dispatched on a elevator emergency, verify
that an elevator technician has been notified.
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Types of emergencies

• Person trapped in elevator car

The 3 most common reasons

• Power failure
• Malfunction of control components
• Activation of safety equipment

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- Power failure
If its going to be short term, its best not to
attempt a rescue. Explain the situation to the
occupant. Calm and reassure them and let them
know that they are not in danger and steps are
being taken to remove them safely.
If emergency power is available, it can be used.
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- Power failure
Some newer elevators will return to the lobby one
at a time where the doors will open
automatically.
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- Power failure
If there is no emergency power, then shut off the
power to that elevator in the machine room.
This will prevent any unexpected movement of
traction type elevators when the power is
restored.
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- Malfunction of control components
Shut off the power to the elevator in the machine
room.
This will prevent any unexpected movement of the
car when the power is restored.
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- Malfunction of control components
However, if you have a true emergency, try a
Phase I recall or turning the power off and on to
see if the system will restart correctly.
Remember, do not restart an elevator without
consulting an elevator technician.
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- Malfunction of control components
If this does not work leave the power to the
elevator off in the machine room.
Whenever you turn the power off to an elevator,
leave a member with a radio and fire phone (if
available), to guard the switch.
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- Activation of safety equipment.
If one of the elevators safety devices has been
activated, it is often indicating a serious
malfunction in the hoistway or operating
machinery.
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- Activation of safety equipment.
In this situation you should wait for an elevator
technician. Leave the power on to the elevator.
This will help the technician in determining the
problem. However, if you have to perform a
rescue, turn off the main power to the elevator
in the machine room.
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Remember

• Let your presence be known to the trapped
  occupant when you arrive. Calm and reassure the
  them and let them know that there is no danger
  and steps are being taken to remove them safely.

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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

Locate the stalled car by observing the floor
indicator in the lobby or voice contact with
occupant.
Ask them which direction they were going and
which floor they stopped at last.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

Try sending a member to the last floor that the
car came from to shake and physically make sure
the hoistway doors are fully closed and that the
interlock switch is making contact. All of the
hoistway doors must be closed for the car to
operate.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

If that does not work you can try calling the car
to the floor above or below its location in the
opposite direction it was traveling.
Sometimes its necessary to try this on several
floors to get the call to register.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

Remember, always shut off the power to the
elevator in the machine room before attempting
passenger removal and leave a member with a radio
(and fire phone if available) guarding the switch.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

And after a rescue has been performed leave the
power off and a member onscene to inform the
elevator technician what measures were taken to
remove the occupant.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

If these attempts to correct the problem fail,
shut off the main power to the elevator in the
machine room and station a member with a radio
(and a fire phone if available). Remember to
maintain a 4 clearance around the switching
equipment with the radio.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

If the occupant has activated the emergency stop
switch, instruct them to turn it off. This will
help to calm them.
If the hoistway door has an escutcheon tube,
insert the appropriate key and release the
hoistway door interlock, and open the doors.
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Inside hoistway
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

If the hoistway door at this floor does not have
an escutcheon tube, you may have to go to the top
floor and work your way down.
Open the hoistway doors at the top floor, then
lay down and look down into the hoistway holding
a pike pole.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

Position the end of the pike pole on the hoistway
door interlock mechanism on the floor below.
Open the interlock and have a member on that
floor open the hoistway doors.
Repeat this procedure until you have opened the
hoistway doors at the level of the stalled car.
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Interlock
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

Remember, be sure to close or guard all hoistway
doors at each floor on the way down. Never leave
an open hoistway unattended.
Now you may be able to open the elevator doors by
hand by exerting 30 to 50 pounds of force, except
where anti-egress devices are installed.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

On newer installations, if the car is stalled
within 18 of the landing zone, usually the
hoistway doors will open if the car doors open.
If not, the car doors will only open 4 due to
the anti-egress mechanism.
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

In this case you may be able to release the
mechanism from the outside.
If this isnt possible, you may have to force the
doors with a port-a-power or rabbit tool toward
the top of the doors.
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Anti-egress lock
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Rescue methods

• Person trapped in elevator car

If you use a rabbit tool to force the hoistway or
elevator doors and anti-egress is present, you
may need to use cribbing. Anti-egress allows the
doors to open 4, while the spreading capability
of the rabbit tool is only 3 1/2.
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Rescue methods

• Opening the hoistway doors from an adjacent car.

-Bring the adjacent car to the floor nearest the
stalled car and open its doors.
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Rescue methods

• Opening the hoistway doors from an adjacent car.

-Set the main power switch in the machine room
for both cars to the off position.
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Rescue methods

• Opening the hoistway doors from an adjacent car.

-Extend a pike pole through the opening between
the car and hoistway doors to the interlock
roller of the stalled car.
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Rescue methods

• Opening the hoistway doors from an adjacent car.

-Activate the interlock mechanism while a member
opens the hoistway doors.
-Rescuer enter elevator and remove one occupant
at a time.
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Rescue methods

• Opening the hoistway doors from an adjacent car.

Guard any opening to the hoistway that exists.
Be careful not to extend the pike pole into the
hoistway of an elevator still in service.
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Rescue methods

• Car more than 3 from landing.

It is inadvisable to remove passengers through
the elevator doors if it is more than 3 above
the landing, because of the possible danger of
falling into the hoistway.
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Rescue methods

• Car more than 3 from landing.

It is also inadvisable to remove passengers
through the elevator doors if the car is more
than 3 below the landing because of the limited
size of the access opening for rescue.
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

Do not use top emergency exits in unenclosed
hoistways. Also, some elevators do not have
these exits.
The preferred method is to have an elevator
technician move the car to a landing level.
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

The following should only be performed if a real
emergency exists.
-Set the main power switch in the machine room to
off and station a member to guard the switch with
a radio (and a fire phone if available).
-If there are elevators in adjoining shafts, set
their power switches to off also.
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

-Open the hoistway doors at the nearest landing
level above the stalled car. The opening of the
hoistway doors can be accomplished as described
previously.
-A ladder with non-skid feet should be lowered
and securely positioned to the car top. The
ladder should be long enough to have at least 3
rungs above the landing.
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

-One member of the rescue team wearing a safety
belt and properly tied off to a secure line
descends to the top of the car.
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Complements of The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

-A second ladder should be lowered through the
emergency top exit, long enough to extend at
least 3 rungs above the car top.
-A second rescuer should descend to the car top
wearing a safety belt and a secured line.
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

-The second rescuer should carry a second safety
belt for the victim.
-One rescuer should enter the stalled car and set
the emergency stop switch to off (if available),
while the other stays on the car top.
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

-A third member should be at the landing used to
gain access.
-The occupants should then be assisted up the
ladder from the car wearing the safety belt, one
at a time.
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Complements of The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers
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Rescue methods

• Removal of occupants through the top emergency
  exit.

-Remember, do not restore power to the stalled
car. Have a member stand by to inform the
elevator technician the measures that were taken
to perform the rescue.
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Elevators

• The information covered in this presentation are
  some, but not all of the methods of elevator
  rescue. For more in-depth information on
  elevator function and methods of elevator rescue,
  refer to
• PFR Training Bulletin 19, Elevators and
  Elevator Emergencies.
• ASME A17.4, Guide for Emergency Personnel.
• The Chief Elevator Inspector, Oregon Dept. of
  Consumer and Business Services.

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Thank you
DRILL CODE 20-07.ELEV