Elevator

Claim 1

An elevator comprising an elongated framework said framework including a pair of laterally spaced generally parallel elongated units, each unit having an upper elongated track-defining beam, a lower beam paralleling said upper beam in spaced relation therebelow, and brace means interconnecting said upper and lower beams, transverse brace means extending between and interconnecting said lower beams in spaced relation below said upper beams, a carrier mounted on the track-defining upper beams for travel therealong, drive means mounted between said units and in engagement with said carrier for moving said carrier along said track beams, said carrier including a generally horizontal base, upstanding generally encircling walls on said base, and means for angularly adjusting the orientation of the carrier relative to the framework so as to maintain a generally horizontal orientation of the carrier base throughout a range of angular adjustment of the elongate framework, said carrier base including a rear edge portion immediately adjacent the track beams, said base projecting horizontally forward from the rear edge portion, and wheel means on said rear edge portion rollingly engageable with said track beams, said carrier being generally cantilevered forward from said track beams, upper wheel means engaged with said track beams above said first wheel means and longitudinally spaced therealong, and arm means engaged with and between said upper wheel means and the rear portion of the carrier in spaced relation above the base, said arm means including telescopically adjustable sections which, through an adjustment thereof, can rotatably position the upper position of the carrier about the track mounted lower wheel means, thereby defining the means for angularly adjusting the orientation of the carrier relative to the framework, terminal column means affixed to the upper ends of said track beams and depending therefrom into engagement with the upper ends of said lower beams so as to define a structure-abutting surface, and base-forming means rigid with the lower end of said track beams and projecting rearwardly therefrom into attached engagement with the lower ends of said lower beams so as to define a ground-engaging base, said drive means comprising a pair of endless drive chains, one located laterally inward and below each of said track beams between said track beams and said lower beams, power means mounted on said base-forming means, drive sprockets on said power means receiving said drive chains thereover for a synchronized driving thereof, and upper sprockets mounted on said column means immediately below the point of engagement of the track beams thereof, said drive chains generally paralleling said track beams, and a platelike walkway pivotally mounted to said framework generally between said track beams, said waLkway projecting laterally through said column means whereby movement from the track beams through the framework thereover can be effected.