Method for evaluating elevator performance

Claim 1

A process for determining the individual and cooperative performances of a plurality of automatic elevators serving a plurality of common landings in a multiple-landing structure, all of said elevators being interconnected and controlled by a common supervisory system, and for evaluating the performance of said supervisory system, said process comprising: A. Simultaneously for each of a plurality of elevators in said group: a. deriving a rotary motion signal corresponding continuously to the position, direction and speed of the elevator in its shaftway from a moving element of the elevator lift mechanism by connecting means adapted for separable connection with said moving element; b. transmitting said rotary motion signal to the drive member of a multi-turn potentiometer having a movable contact correspondingly positioned by movement of said drive member, so as to produce a variable electrical output signal corresponding continuously to the position of said movable contact; c. transmitting said variable electrical output signal to a continuously indicating and recording device responsive to the changing electrical output signal from said potentiometer, thereby to produce a permanent visual record of the elevator position on a surface moving uniformly with time; and B. Comparing the position records so produced, in order to evaluate the performance of the elevators and the control system.