Glossary of Terms

2 SPEED VALVE
An electrical/hydraulic device on pumping unit that controls the normal flow of oil to and from the jack such that a slow speed is used to approach a landing and a fast speed is used between floors.
ARRIVAL GONG
An Audiable "Gong" noise to notify you when the car arrives.
ARRIVAL LIGHT
A visual indicator light that notifies you when the car arrives
AUTO LIGHTS
The cab lights can be wired to turn on only when the elevator is called and these will turn off by a timer.
BRASS STRIKE
The surface within the cab, which is met by the closed gate, is known as the strike. The particular finish or color of wall material chosen by the designer could be stainless, brass or plastic laminate.
CAB MOUNTED MASTER DOOR OPERATOR
This motor-driven device is mounted on the car roof and will open the door at each landing but not the car gate. There would be an operator on each side of the car to operate opposite openings.
DRIVE TYPE
Means to move the elevator (hydraulic, hydraulic & cable, cable, and cable with counterweights.)
FINISHED SIZE
The hoistway size AFTER completed finishing (drywall or wall covering).
GAL N
The N type door lock has four electrical switches within it known as contacts, made by the GAL Corporation in NY. Typically this lock is used in combination with a retiring cam.
GALVANIZED STEEL
plain carbon steel that has been Electro-plated with a zinc alloy to create a "rust-proofing" barrier on the base metal.(bright silver with speckled appearance)
HOIST CABLES
The high strength, flexible woven steel wires that suspend the car with rated load and possibly counter weights
HOISTWAY
The part of the building that houses the elevator (elevator shaft).
INDIVIDUAL POWER DOOR OPERATOR
This motor device is at each door on every landing to open that particular door but not the car gate.
INSPECTION
This takes place by a local elevator inspector to verify that an elevator or dumbwaiter is in compliance with standard codes applicable to that device.
LANDING
See stop.
MAGNETIC LANDING SYSTEM
this is an Electro-magnetic device which moves with the car along a thin steel tape for the purpose of informing the controller about the car location
in the hoistway. It also automatically re-levels the car if it moves up or down from floor level
MELAMINE
A plastic like material giving appearance of deep rich paint; very durable and hard, bonded to both sides of Particleboard.
METAL FLUSH SWING ENTRANCE
This is the door through which the passengers gain access to the elevator from the building. Being metal gives the advantage of having the proper fire rating and the flush fit of the frame to the hoistway inside wall gives the correct running clearance.
OPENINGS
Number of openings in the cab (car).
OVER SPEED GOVERNOR
This device actuates the safety by sensing that the car is traveling too fast downward.
PARTICLEBOARD
Granulated pinewood that has been bonded together under high pressure and temperature.
PLATFORM
Elevator cab floor.
PLC
(Programmable logic controller) a control device that uses a programmable microprocessor and is typically programmed IIEC 61131 programming languages. The number of I/O ports they provide often categorizes PLC. This device controls the motion of the elevator based on the call of the passenger.
POSITION INDICATOR (P.I.)
Visual LED indicator showing the position of the car at any time.
POWER GATE OPERATOR
A motor-driven device mounted on the car roof, which opens and closes the car door automatically.
PRESSURE SWITCH
This electrical/hydraulic device is attached to the control valve to scene when there is low pressure in the oil line and prevents the car from being operated.
RELAY CONTROLLER
A relay is an electromagnetic switch used to control multiple circuits on the elevator. There is many of these type switches in a typical controller.
RETIRING CAM
This electrical/mechanical device is used to activate the door locks when the elevator is at floor level and it will retract when the elevator is moving between floors.
ROUGH OPENING
The unfinished framed area.
RUPTURE VALVE
This hydraulic device is attached to the inlet of the jack and it will limit the speed of car decent if an oil line should brake open.
SAFETY
A mechanical device, which will stop and sustain the elevator and its rated load if either of the hoisting cables becomes slack or breaks.
SHEAVE
This is a heavy-duty pulley, which is used with the hoist cables so as to drive the cables by traction or suspend the cables. In either case the direction of the cable is changed and this device supports the weight of the elevator.
SILL
This is the gate track on the floor of the cab, which serves to guide the gate. It is typically metal located between the floor of the cab and the threshold of the building door.
SINGLE SPEED VALVE
An electrical/hydraulic device on pumping unit that controls the normal flow of oil to and from the jack such that a single car speed occurs up or down.
STAINLESS STEEL
High carbon, low iron content, high nickel resulting in a material, which is corrosion resistant and has a smooth pewter (silver-gray) appearance.
STOP
Landing location where car stops.
T-RAILS
The stationary steel members of an elevator system who guide the car vertically through the hoistway and resemble a "T" in a cross-section view.
TRANSOM
A horizontal crosspiece over a gate that is attached to the ceiling and two adjacent walls of the cab that serves to hide the upper gate track and complements the strike and return portion of the cab interior. Since gates are normally 80 inches tall and cabs can be 7 or 8 feet tall the transom makes up the height difference for the opening.
TRAVEL DISTANCE
The distance from lowest landing to highest upper landing.
TRAVEL RESTRICTOR
Limits the travel distance in hoistway and allows the unit to be worked on without endangering the person repairing the unit.