Technical terms

Machine room elevator (MRA)

A room on the top of the shaft for installing traction machine. Traction type can be gearbox or gearless machine, depending on the roping and the height of the machine room.

Machine roomless elevator (MRL)

The shaft structure without machine room on the top for installing traction machine. Traction type can only be gearless machine, depending on the roping and the height of the overhead (OH).

Gearbox machine

A traction type combining by 2 components: AC motor and gearbox. Gearbox machine can only be used for the shaft with machine room on the shaft top. Gearbox type operates with low speed, high noise emission, high maintenance cost, and high energy consumption. However, it is a good solution for lower cost in comparison to gearless machines.

Gearless machine

A traction machine type without gearbox, using advanced technology motor, permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Gearless machines can be used for both the shaft with and without machine room, operating speed can be low, high and very high. Gearless machines operate very low noise emission, no maintenance required, and very low energy consumption (up to 60% smaller than gearbox type). However, it is more expensive solution in comparison to gearbox machines.

Hoistway

The Hoistway also known as the Shaft, is the space designated for the support and travel of an elevator. It is characterized by four main dimensions: Machine room, Overhead, Travel distance, and Pit.

Machine room

Usually located above the elevator shaft, where the elevator machine and some electric/electronic and control system components are located.

Overhead (OH)

Distance of measurement from top-most floor landing to top of hoistway, normally characterized by building rafters over hoistway.

Travel

Movement distance of the elevator car measures from bottom-most floor landing to top-most floor landing.

Pit

Section of the hoistway below the bottom-most floor landing. The Pit is required to make room for the sling assembly when the car is sitting at the bottom-most floor.

Elevator car

“Cabinet” located inside the elevator shaft, enclosure that passengers ride in.

Car walls

Safety plates or panels assemble surrounding inner of car frame. Materials for car walls can be painted steel plates, stainless steel, tempered glass, wooden, etc., or a combination of them.

Car ceiling

Located under the car roof, making the car aesthetics, for installing lighting and ventilator. Materials used for the ceiling can be painted steel, stainless steel.

Car floor

Car floor finish can be natural granite, marble, PVC, checked steel plate, etc.

Handrail

A hand-holding support component mounted on the walls of an elevator car.

Car operation panel (COP)

Car operation panel (COP) is a control component mounted inside an elevator car, on which necessary items for user’s monitoring and controlling operation of the car, including direction and floor position indicators, floor selection buttons, forced open and close buttons, alarm button, intercom system. On some COPs, they provide buttons and switches that are used for some special functions such as priority operation, maintenance service by operators, and independent operation from group.

Car door operator

A device mounted on the car-top frame for driving car door panels to open and close, including driving mechanical system, motor, and inverter (VVVF). Car door panels are mounted on car door operator. There are two main types of door operator, center opening (CO) and side opening (SO).

Landing door device

A device mounted on the lintel beam of the hall door for driving door panels to open and close. Landing door panels are mounted on landing door device. There are two main types of door device, center opening (CO) and side opening (SO).

Landing door jamb

Steel or painted plates, or stainless steel bars mounted surrounding the landing doors. There are two type of door jamb, wide and narrow door jamb.

Transom

Decorative steel or stainless steel plate mounted on landing door frame for creating an aesthetic view for the elevator hall.

Landing operation panel (LOP)

A calling panel, including push buttons with up and down arrows, floor and direction indicator display. Press up arrow button for going up, and down arrow button for going down as your desire. The up/down buttons can also be used for reopening the landing door when the door is closing.

Elevator controller

Electronic board(s) with CPU and other electronic components which performs many computer functions by which it operates an elevator, serves to control, in a predetermined manner, the apparatus to which it is connected. An elevator controller consists of drive and control functions.

Main elevator control cabinet (MCB)

An electrical cabinet, usually including controller, inverter, relays, contactors, power supply, etc. installed in the machine room or the top floor, for controlling all elevator functions.

Car-top inspection box

A control box is mounted on car roof, used for installation and maintenance of elevator.

Automatic rescue device (ARD)

A safety and protection device, including control unit, charging circuit, and battery or UPS for automatic passenger evacuation when power grid goes down. When activated the car moves to a nearest floor and open the door.

1:1 roping

An arrangement of suspension ropes in which the car speed and rope speed are equal.

2:1 roping

An arrangement of suspension ropes in which the car speed is one half of the rope speed.

Alarm bell

A bell used to call attention and assistance, operated by pushing the Alarm button on the car operation panel.

Alarm button

A button for activating the alarm bell. Also activates voice connection if remote monitoring is used. Located in the car, with additional buttons on the car roof, pit, and machine room.

Anchor bolts

Bolt designed to fasten rail brackets, door sills, and other components to beams or hoistway walls.

Auxiliary car operating panel (ACOP)

A second car operating panel, typically containing only floor buttons. This auxiliary panel can be used for dual entrance car, hospital elevator, for disable passengers, freight lift, and car lift.

Brackets

The steel plates with angles, or beams used to attach the rails firmly to the hoistway.

Brake

An electro-mechanical safety device used for preventing elevator car from moving when the car is reaching a floor level and the machine power is off automatically by the controller.

Buffer

A safety device designed to stop a descending car or counterweight beyond its normal limit and to soften the force with which the elevator runs into the pit during an emergency.

Bypass

A feature that makes the elevator car to bypass the registered landing calls when the car is recognized to be loaded over a certain limit. Usually the limit is 60-80% of the rated load.

Capacity

The load rating, measured in kilograms, for which an elevator is designed and powered. The actual weight on the elevator should never exceed its rated capacity.

Arrival gong

A notification device, making chime to indicate that a car is arriving at a desired level.

Car call button

Floor numbering buttons on COP for selecting passenger's destination floor. When selected, button led will be lit up, the call is registered by a signal memorized in the controller, which instructs the car to make stops at the floors called by selected car buttons.

Car call cancelling

A useful function is designed for the elevator system to eliminate redundant calls or change destinations. This function is very useful for high-rise buildings, apartments with many children. By pressing twice selected button, the call will be removed from the controller memory, and the cancelled floor will be ignored.

Car emergency lighting

A battery powered light in the elevator car to serve as emergency light during power failure.

Car overload indicator

A set of devices to detect and inform passengers of an overload in the elevator car, trigging the car overload indicator, and overload bell will be rang.

Car safety gear

A mechanical device usually attached to the car sling, ensuring to stop automatically the elevator car in the event the car exceeds the allowed speed.

Clips for rails

Special clip designed to fasten guide rails to guide rail brackets, clamping rails firmly in place.

Compensating chain

Dedicated steel chain used to compensate the weight of hoist rope, making the elevator runs more smoothly when accelerating and decelerating. One end of the chain attaches under the elevator and one end is fastened to the counterweight.

Counterweight (CWT)

Added weight on traction elevators which counterbalances the weight of an elevator car plus approximately 40% of the capacity load.

Door close button

A button located on the COP to close the elevator doors, used when doors need to be closed before they close automatically.

Door open button

A button located on the COP to open the doors or to keep the doors opened, used when closing doors need to be opened.

Door interlock

Preventing operation of elevator when car door and landing door are not synchronized, ensuring passenger safety. The car door and hall door can be opened only if the car floor and hall floor are at the same level. The elevator can be operated only if the car door and hall door on the same level and fully closed.

Dot matrix position indicator

A display module that uses small light emitting diodes (LED) to display characters such as letters, numbers, and different symbols for indication.

Dual entrance car

An elevator car with two entrances. The car entrances can be arranged straight or perpendicular position according to user requirements.

Emergency exit in car

A small removable panel located on the car top for evacuating passengers from the car in emergency situation.

Fish plates

A steel plate uses to join 2 end of the rails together.

Governor

The governor is a mechanical mechanism to control elevator speed to ensure the passengers are safe while riding. If the car travels too fast in the down direction, the governor will activated and safety devices will act to stop the car immediately.

Group operation

An elevator group consists of two or more elevators which are sharing the same landing call buttons, and running under the same group controller.

Guide rails

Steel rail with “T” or “Ω” shape installing vertically along the hoistway to guide elevator car and counterweight in travels.

Guide shoes

Devices installed on the car sling and counterweight frame which slide or roll on the rails to guide the elevator moving through the hoistway. Guide shoes include 2 types: Sliding guide shoes and roller guide shoes.

Leveling

A slow rate of operation speed used for the final approach to a floor to ensure an accurate floor stop.

Lubricator

A plastic box containing oil for feeding oil to the guide rails and guide shoes, ensuring the guide shoes slide smoothly and safety on the guide rails.

Main floor

The floor providing the main access to a building.

Parking

A function for a single elevator or a group of elevators, return to the predefined landing floor as parking floor after predefined idle time, or after all the car or landing calls have been completely served.

Push button

Button with contacts to command elevator when pressed.

Safety gear

A safety device attached to car frame, in some cases it also attached to the counterweight frame, when activated by the overspeed governor, the brake will be operated to grip its clamping jaws into the guide rails and makes the car to stop immediately.

Machine sheave

A pulley made by cast-iron or nylon material with the defined diameter, grooves, rope type. The sheave is attached to the traction machine for driving elevator.

Deflector (Deflection pulley)

A pulley system aligned with the drive sheave, attached to machine chassis, car frame and counterweight frame, which provides a path for the cables to drop straight to the counterweight.

Door sill

Aluminum or steel bearing bars installed at the bottom of the car door and landing doors, usually maded with grooves to guide the bottom of the car and landing doors. The sill length must be more than the door travel.

Torque

The pulling effort generated by the traction machine, will determine the load and speed of the elevator.

VVVF – Variable voltage, variable frequency

A method of controlling an AC motor to vary the torque and speed by varying voltage amplitude and frequency. It helps elevator to change the speed smoothly and save energy consumption.