Elevator Traction Machine

This invention relates to improvements in an elevator traction machine, especially to improvements in the grounding system.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional elevator traction machine driven by an electric motor controlled by a thyristor Leonard system. In FIG. 1, reference characters R, S and T designate a three-phase AC supply. An armature 2a of a DC motor M (the field not shown) has the applied voltage controlled by a semiconductor switching circuit 1, such as a thyristor converter. The motor M has an electrical conductive shaft 3. The shaft 3 is supported by electrically conductive bearings 7, 8 that are supported by electrical conductive bearing stands 71, 81 disposed on an electrically conductive machine beam 4. The machine beam 4 is set through vibration-proof, non-conductive rubber members 5 in a machine room.

A grounding line 6 is used to ground the machine beam 4. This is in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standards for Electrical Equipment Installation. Accordingly, the shaft 3 is grounded through the bearings 7, 8, the bearing stands 71, 81, the machine beam 4, and the grounding line 6. A conductive traction sheave 9 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 3. A deflection sheave 10 is mounted on and fixedly secured to a shaft 11. Bearings 12 and 13 support the shaft 11 on the machine beam 4. A main rope 14 is wound on both the traction sheave 9 and the deflection sheave 10. A cage 15 and a counterweight 16 are connected to the main rope 14 at respective ends thereof. The shaft 3 is also grounded through the traction sheave 9, the main rope 14, the deflection sheave 10, the shaft 11, the bearings 12, 13, the machine beam 4, and the grounding line 6.

A stray capacitance 17 may be formed between the armature 2a and the shaft 3 thereof and stray capacitances 18, 19 and 20 may be formed between the supply lines L.sub.R, L.sub.S, L.sub.T and ground. This is well known in the art.

It is well known in the art that, when an electric motor is controlled by a high-speed switching element such as a thyristor, then shaft current flows in the electric motor. More specifically, when the thyristor convertor 1 is operated, a pulsive current flows through a circuit ##STR1## and/or a different circuit ##STR2## In general, the bearings 7, 8, 12 and 13 are ball-and-roller bearings. Therefore, when the shaft current flows in these bearings, the surfaces of the balls or the rollers are electrolytically corroded, and the balls or the rollers are quickly damaged.

In order to prevent or lessen the flow of the shaft current through the bearings 7, 8, 12 and 13, a current collector 22 is provided, as shown in FIG. 2. The current collector contacts with the shaft 3 of the electric motor 2 and is grounded through a grounding line 23.

However, this method is disadvantageous in that the current flowing in the bearings 7, 8, 12 and 13 is not significantly decreased depending on the contact resistance of the current collector 22. Also, maintaining the contact resistance at desired low value is troublesome.

According, an object of this invention is to eliminate all of the above-described difficulties in the prior art.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide an elevator traction machine having a grounding device in which the shaft current of the electric motor does not substantially flow through the bearings.

It is another object of this invention to provide an elevator traction machine where the shaft bearings are protected from damage due to electrolytic corrosion.

These objects of the present invention have been attained by providing an elevator traction machine comprising a main rope connected to an elevator cage and a counterweight at both ends thereof respectively. A traction sheave has the main rope trained thereover and a motor controlled by a semiconductor switching circuit drives the traction sheave to vertically move the elevator cage and the counterweight in opposite directions. A brake wheel is coupled to a shaft of the motor and is frictionally forced to brake the motor during the stop of the cage. Bearings for supporting the motor shaft are provided. A current collector is in contact with the motor shaft or a rotary member, such as the sheave or the brake wheel, for collecting shaft current. A first grounding circuit is employed for grounding the shaft through the shaft via the current collector. A second grounding circuit grounds the shaft through at least one of the bearings. Hence, the impedance of the second grounding circuit is greater than that of the first grounding circuit.

The invention may be better understood, and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, taken with the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a explanatory diagram showing one example of the arrangement of a conventional elevator traction machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view showing another example of a conventional machine;

FIG. 3 is a explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of one embodiment of an elevator traction machine having a device for grounding, according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view from the righthand side showing the arrangement of the elevator traction machine of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental elevational view, partially in section, showing the arrangement of the current collector of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view from the lefthand side showing the arrangement of a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmental elevational view, partially in section, of the arrangement of FIG. 6, taken between and in the direction of arrows VII--VII.

FIGS. 3 through 5, show a first preferred embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 a current collector (22) includes a conductive brush holder (24), spring (25), and brush (221). The brush holder (24) holds a brush (221) in a brush housing (241) in sliding contact with an end portion of the shaft (3). One end of the brush holder (24) is fixed on the bearing stand (71) using a fastener means, such as a bolt. The brush holder (24) is directly grounded by a grounding line (23). The spring (25) disposed in the housing (241) presses the brush (221) toward the shaft (3) to make and maintain good electrical contact. The brush (221), which is slidedly retained by the holder (24), contacts to the holder (24) directly or via the conductive spring (25). The current collector (22) and the grounding line (23) compose a first grounding circuit to ground the shaft.

A brake wheel (26) integral with the sheave (9) as shown in FIG. 3 is frictionally forced at its outer round surface by braking elements, such as brake-shoes (not shown), for stopping the cage (15).

The machine beam (4) is grounded through a grounding resistor (27) serially connected in the grounding line (6). The resistor (27) has a resistance, preferably several ohms, which is permitted in third or special third class grounding work (EEIS, Japan). The other components shown in FIGS. 3 through 5 are similar to those in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The bearings (7) and (8), the bearing stands (71) (81), the machine beam (4), the grounding line (6), and the grounding resistor (27) compose a second grounding circuit to ground the shaft (3). The second grounding circuit, however, may be either of the circuit beginning from the bearing (7) or the bearing (8).

In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, the total resistance of the first grounding circuit including contact resistance between the shaft (3) and the current collector (22) is much smaller than that of the second grounding circuit including the grounding resistor (27).

Accordingly, the shaft current flows primarily to ground through the first grounding circuit, and does not substantially flow through the second grounding circuit.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of this invention. In this arrangement of the current collector (22), the electrically conductive brush (221), such as carbon-brush, is held slidably in the cylindrical housing (241) of the conductive brush holder (24) secured to the bearing stand (81). The brush is pressed on the circular inner surface of the conductive brake wheel (26) by the spring (25). The other components shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are similar to those in FIGS. 1 through 5.

In the arrangement, the shaft current flows from the shaft (3) to ground primarily through a first grounding circuit composed of the sheave (9), brake wheel (26), brush (221), brush holder (24), and grounding line (23).

The second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has advantages in that the longitudinal dimension of the shaft (3) is smaller than that of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 through 5. This results in easy installation of the traction machine.

In the other embodiments of this invention, the first grounding circuit may be composed of a high impedance grounding line without any resistor. That is resistor (27) may be eliminated. Furthermore, the brush (221) may be pressed on the outer or side surface of the brake wheel (26) or the surfaces of the sheave (9). In other words, the brush (221) may be in contact with any of the conductive rotary members, such as the brake wheel or the sheave, coupled to and driven by the motor shaft since these elements are all electrically coupled. Furthermore, an A.C. motor controlled by the thyristor converter may be used instead of the D.C. motor in the embodiments of this invention.

In accordance with this invention, the first grounding circuit for grounding the motor shaft, including the current collector in contact with the motor shaft or the rotary member, has a smaller impedance than that of the second grounding circuit through the bearing. Then, the shaft current induced by the switching operation of the semiconductor switching device does not substantially flow through the bearings. Therefore, the bearings are protected from damage due to electrolytic corrosion.

It is apparent that numerous additional modification of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings.