Guide to Elevator Maintenance and Safety Terminology Explained

Elevators, as indispensable vertical transportation systems in modern architecture, feature intricate internal structures and operating mechanisms. During routine maintenance, inspections, or troubleshooting, the frequent use of specialized terminology can often leave individuals perplexed. Have you ever felt confused by the technical jargon used by elevator maintenance personnel? This guide aims to break down the professional barriers in the elevator industry by providing a detailed yet accessible glossary of elevator terms, empowering you to confidently navigate various elevator-related scenarios.

• Access Device: A specialized tool used to unlock hoistway door locks from the landing side, enabling maintenance or emergency rescue operations. It ensures only authorized personnel can open hoistway doors, safeguarding elevator operation.
• Access Door: Doors leading to machine rooms or overhead machine spaces, always kept locked to prevent unauthorized entry and ensure equipment security.
• Alarm Bell: Installed on the car top and controlled by a button on the car operating panel. In emergencies, passengers can activate it to alert external responders.
• Automatic Operation: An elevator mode where the system responds to momentary activation of landing or car operating devices, automatically traveling to and opening doors at designated floors.
• Battery Backup: Emergency power supply that safely lowers elevators to the nearest floor during power failures, preventing passenger entrapment.
• Brake: An electromechanical device that prevents elevator movement when stationary and unpowered. In some systems, it also stops elevators when power to the hoisting motor is interrupted.
• Brushes: Conductive components (typically carbon/graphite composites) that maintain electrical contact between circuits and rotating parts (commutators) in DC motors/generators.
• Buffer: Safety device preventing elevators from exceeding normal downward travel limits by absorbing and dissipating kinetic energy.
• Call: A service request signal generated from car operating panels or landing buttons.
• Call Button: Landing-mounted buttons summoning elevator service.
• Capacity: Maximum allowable weight an elevator can carry.
• Car/Cab: The passenger compartment, available with prefabricated finishes or custom designs.
• Car Frame: Structural framework supporting the car platform, upper structure, guide shoes, safety gears, and hoisting ropes/pulleys/hydraulic plungers.
• Gate Switch: Safety switch activated when car doors fully close, forming part of multiple car safety circuits.
• Car Operating Panel (COP): Interior control panel containing floor selection buttons, alarm, emergency stop, and other operational controls.
• Car Position Indicator: Display showing current floor position, typically mounted above doors using illuminated digits.
• Car-Top Inspection Station: Control panel on car roofs enabling inspection-speed operation independent of normal functioning.
• Electromechanical Interlock (EMI): Safety lock preventing hoistway door opening when elevators aren't present at that floor.
• Final Limit: Mechanically operated switches at shaft extremes that cut power if elevators exceed terminal floor limits.
• Nudging: System that warns and gently closes doors remaining open beyond preset durations.
• Overtravel Limit Switch: Post-directional limit switch that opens safety circuits, requiring technician reset.
• Safety Circuit: Control circuit incorporating multiple series-connected mechanical/relay switches (final limits, emergency stops, governor contacts, door locks, safety gear switches) that halt operation upon unsafe conditions.
• Safety Edges: Aluminum door-edge sensors that reverse closing doors upon obstacle contact.
• Seismic Switch: Earthquake-activated switch disabling potentially unstable elevators.
• Slack Rope Switch: Safety switch stopping operation when hoisting ropes become loose.

• Compensating Chain: Welded chain compensating for weight differences between car and counterweight.
• Counterweight: Counterbalancing weight in traction elevators.
• Counterweight Guard: Wire mesh protecting personnel beneath counterweight paths.
• Drive System: Power mechanism propelling elevator movement.
• Geared Traction Machine: Hoisting mechanism transmitting motor power through reduction gearboxes to drive sheaves.
• Gearless Traction Machine: Direct-drive mechanism where sheaves form integral motor armature components.
• Governor: Mechanical speed regulator activating safety devices during excessive downward speeds.
• Hoisting Ropes: Steel/fiber-core wire ropes (typically 4-6) sized according to speed, load, and travel height.
• Hydraulic Elevator: Fluid-pressure-driven piston elevator.
• Hydraulic (Roped): Hybrid system combining hydraulic jacks with hoisting ropes.
• Jack: Hydraulic piston mechanism lifting/lowering cars.
• Machine Room: Housing for elevator power machinery.
• Machine Room-less: Systems with machinery mounted in hoistways without dedicated rooms.
• Sheave: Grooved pulley guiding ropes.
• Traction: Friction-based movement where ropes "pull" elevators via drive sheaves.
• Traction Drive: Friction-dependent motorized lifting system.
• Winding Drum Elevator: System utilizing ropes wound around rotating drums.

• Guide Rails: Machined steel T-rails vertically installed to direct car/counterweight paths.
• Guide Shoes: Devices minimizing lateral movement along guide rails.
• Hoistway: Vertical shaft for elevator travel.
• Hoistway Door: Landing access doors.
• Machine Beams: Steel beams supporting hoisting machinery loads (non-structural to buildings).
• Pit: Below-lowest-floor space ensuring platform alignment.
• Rail: Structural guide components mounted on hoistway walls.
• Sling: L-shaped steel supports connecting cars to rail systems.

• Hall Station: Landing-mounted call button panels.
• Hall Lantern: Directional indicators showing approaching elevator movements.
• Independent Service: Key-activated mode bypassing all landing calls for exclusive car control.
• Landing: Term for elevator-stopping floors.
• Landing Zone: 18-inch above/below landing alignment area.
• Leveling: Automatic platform-to-landing alignment process.
• Leveling Zone: Limited distance allowing automatic alignment adjustments.
• Rated Load: Design-specified maximum carrying capacity.
• Rated Speed: Design upward travel speed at rated load.
• Duplex Operation: Coordinated two-elevator control from shared landing buttons.
• Simplex Operation: Single-car controller operation.

• Dumbwaiter: Small freight elevators (50-500 lb capacity) for items like firewood or laundry.
• Existing Installation: Term for pre-installed elevators being replaced.
• FPM (Feet Per Minute): Elevator speed measurement.
• Generator: Device converting mechanical energy to DC power for motor speed control.
• Isolation Pads: Vibration-dampening rubber pads beneath machine beams.
• Interlock: Physical hoistway door locks enabling car operation signals.
• Layout Drawing: Scaled mechanical diagrams showing installation dimensions.
• Load: Safe handling capacity (in pounds).
• Muntz: Bronze-tone finish name for hall/car operating panels.
• Operation–Constant Pressure: Control requiring continuous button pressure for movement.
• Operation–Momentary Pressure: Simple operation processing one call at a time.
• Operation–Selective Collective: Standard passenger elevator operation sequentially serving multiple calls.
• Operation–Single Automatic: Non-collective operation executing one function per call.
• Overhead Machine: Power units mounted above hoistways.
• Parking: Feature returning elevators to preset landings after completing all calls.
• Power Door Operator: Motorized door opening/closing mechanisms.
• Service Disconnect: Main power switch near machine room controllers.
• Underslung Car: Rope connection method where hoisting ropes pass under two car-mounted sheaves.
• CMR 524: Massachusetts elevator safety regulations.