Some applications that others won’t touch include building controllers that have to be mounted far away from the elevator motor it is controlling, 400 plus feet.  I’m happy to report that with the assistance of the G7 Drive from Yaskawa and some pretty cleaver controller engineering we’ve been extremely successful with doing this on four projects this past year.  We’ve outlined the general information below.

Job: Refinery – Saudi Arabia – Two issues at hand, heat and the fact that this was an explosion proof application. The client wanted to mount the elevator controller at the bottom of the tower, where they could air condition it and not in the machine room.  CJA Controller and Fixtures Provided.

Job: Cement Facility – USA  – Again, with two issues at hand, heat and cement dust the best solution was to mount the controller at the bottom floor in a space that could be controlled easier. Two units were installed at this location. CJA Controller and Fixtures Provided. This controller is pictured. It also utilizeds the Allen Bradley PLC and LCD Diagnostic Screen.

Job: Rocket Engine Test Tower – USA  – This elevator was a Rack & Pinion Elevator, three motor controls and encoder feedback. The elevator controller needed to be installed the base of the elevator and had a NEMA 4X Cabinet and air conditioned.   CJA Controller and Fixtures Provided.

Long Range VFD Specifications

• Ratings: 0.5 to 150 HP, 240 VAC
  0.5 to 500 HP, 480 VAC
• Overload capacity: Heavy duty, 150% for 1 minute, 200% peak
• Starting torque: 150% at frequency;
  1.0Hz (V/f), 0.5Hz (open loop vector), 0.0Hz (closed loop vector)
• Output frequency: 0.01 to 400 Hz
• Output frequency resolution: 0.001 Hz
• Speed control range:
  40:1 (V/f), 200:1 (open loop vector), 1000:1 (closed loop vector)
• Speed regulation:
  1.0% (V/f), 0.2% (open loop vector),
  0.01% (closed loop vector)
• Speed response: 60 Hz
• Torque response: 300 Hz
• Speed reference resolution:
  0.01 Hz with digital reference,
  0.03 Hz with analog reference,
  0.01 Hz with network reference
• Speed/Torque/Position control
• Zero-servo mode
• Adjustable accel/decel: 0.01 to 6000 seconds
• S-Curve: 0.00 to 2.50 seconds, adjustable for each corner
• Stall prevention: Accel / decel / running
• Power loss ride-thru: Auto-restart or inertia ride-thru

When you think about these kinds of projects think about the length that the motor cable must travel.  If you have a unique application that requires a solution that others don’t feel comfortable   It’s almost twice the length of the you think about how long this cable was, it was almost twice the travel of the elevator, plus the run down to the controller itself.  Call us toll free at 1-800-252-1910 for pricing on your next controller project!

Richard started as a Mechanical Engineer and moved his way up to one of the main Mechanical Engineers. He handled sales, engineering and now can find almost any archived document in our facility. He also is one of our engravers, working with a computer which he learned back in the late 1980’s. Before computers everything was drawn by hand. This art has left our industry unfortunately but I still enjoy looking at some of his original drawings from the 1950’s. A few of which we have framed as artwork in his office.

So remember you’re only as old as you feel and who says you have to retire from work at 65. I personally think working keeps you young and your mind challenged. So if you’d like to give Rich a call and wish him a Happy Birthday, please call him at 1-800-252-1910.

- Tom Sybert

What’s most enjoyable about heading into the archives room is the sense of history of thousands of job files cataloged. We have two locations where we keep our older job files. The first room has four vertical olive green metal cabinets. Each cabinet has five shelves with ten to fifteen 4” three ring binders from back in the day. Each binder has a company name on it and is filled with thin pieces of paper with job records on them. There have to be close to 1000 jobs in each binder.

If it’s a really old job, we’ve got another room that has file cabinets with thousands of job cards that date back to the 1910’s -1930’s. The smell of thumbing through these cards and folders brings me back to the days when I’d explore books in the library. It’s one of those smells that you just never forget.

The attached job file was for a customer who wanted to update the star wheel selector system. From the serial number he gave me I was able to find the following information.

1. Serial Number: 22602
2. Job Record File: 1931
3. Installer of Elevator: S. Heller
4. Location of Elevator: Milwaukee, WI
5. Serial Number of Wiring Diagram
6. Type of Fixtures/Selector System Used.

Again, it’s amazing the records we still have on file. While all current projects are archived both on paper and electronic format I wonder what it will be like in another 100 years when people are still calling wanting information on old C.J. Anderson Elevator installations. Whether it’s like for like or parts for an old system, C.J. Anderson continues to provide wiring diagrams and certain parts for years to come!

ARC Retiring Cam – MCP – Maintenance Control Plan

• Lubricate at least once a month plunger shaft and all pivot points. You may need to lubricate more often if the equipment is located in a very demanding, both physical and environmental location. i.e. Outdoor, exposed to the elements
• When elevators sit for extended periods of time and are in locations where they are exposed to the elements you’re going to find that corrosion is going to quickly set in.

We recommend a lanolin based lubricant for all of our products because it’s thick and it coats well. We call it a rust prohibitor, the trade name for it is FluidFilm. Cool thick stuff it’s actually used to coat the inside of ships to prevent corrosion from occurring. CJA sells the stuff in a Non Aresol pump bottle for $4.95 (as of 4/6/2010) and containes 3.5 oz. of the carmel colored coating. To order by part number reference 636-650.

By protecting as much equipment as you can you’ll ensure that you extend the life of your elevator equipment while at the same time preventing accidents from occuring due to equipment that may seize up and not function correctly.

Click the following link to view the ARC Retiring Cam Data Sheet: 790-501 – ARC Retiring Cam.PDF

The next time a custom project turns up, turn to CJA and we’ll be happy  assist. These are the types of projects that we truly enjoy working on.

We can prove this fact!  The percentage of our Annual Sales for replacement components for our  all of our fixtures is less than 1% of our total yearly sales!

Ask whomever is providing your fixtures what their percentage of replacement parts for installed fixtures is and see what their numbers are.  You might be saving money up front, but are you really saving money down the road?

As a building owner I’d prefer to pay a little more up front instead of having to pay for service calls throughout the year.  We’re in the business of manufacturing equipment that lasts, not on making money off equipment that breaks after it’s installed.

So consider more than just price. Consider serviceability, longevity and the owner of the elevator system.  Specify and make sure you’re getting the most reliable elevator equipment on the market today!  Choose C.J. Anderson & Company for your next fixture project and you’ll be glad you did!

The project mentioned in the attached letter was for some elevator pushbutton fixtures that were manufactured in about 2 days.  The project was drawn, approved and production started the same day.  There were five people involved with the project which truly made the difference. 

We often get phone calls from people telling us they’ll pay extra for quicker service which we always turn down. If we can get your material to you quicker we’re simply going to do it because we value you as a customer and don’t see it as an opportunity to pad our bank account.  

The team here at C.J. Anderson is here to help you what ever you need. From quick turn around times to custom fabrication, we’ve helped more companies over the last 100 years than most with this and we look forward to helping you.  Give us a call and see how we can assist with your next project at 1-800-252-1910!

Along the photos Jack added the following history behind it.

The background for this unique piece was my Dad worked at Lietelt elevator works in Grand Rapids Michigan from 1959 until 1960 building the controllers for Montgomery Elevator. One day the construction Super talked him into going to work for them.

Dave Otten gave me, Jack Jr.,  the fixture in 1996 to give to my dad.  My Dad built the lamp in 1998. When my dad past away in 1999 my mother gave it to me to keep in the family. Underneath it is my dad’s original gang box that Montgomery gave him to work out of. I remember as a kid the thing always being in our garage somewhere piled high with junk. My dad made it into a table as you see there around the same time as the lamp.

All I can say is very cool!  I hope this piece stays in the Bultman family but if you’re ever looking for another home for it please let us know.

If you’ve got old photos that you’d like to share please send them our way.  We’ll be happy to post them along with the story behind them.

Remember that that the dials shown are cast yellow brass and are antiqued to match our clients request. We also refurbish indicators when possible and can provide electronics only packages for units that do not have face plates. For more information please visit the link below or call us toll free at 1-800-252-1910.

http://www.cjanderson.com/elevatordialindicators.aspx 

The mechanic called letting me know that the controller was not running and hadn’t been for 14 months. After asking what inputs on the PLC were lit up he indicated he provided me the point numbers, which I was able to pull the original file and determine that the following were connected and working.

• SAFE  -  Safe to Run
• AUTO – Automatic Operation
• DOOR ZONE – Elevator at a Floor
• TSD – Top Slow Down Switch – Elevator At Top Floor

The missing two items that were preventing the elevator from running were the DGL and RCI Inputs.

• DGL – Door Gate Limit Contact
• RCI – Retiring Cam Circuit.

With the both front and rear doors closed DGL was not lighting up. Without this contact RCI would never pick and allow the elevator to run. With the retiring cam down as well the door lock contact was not made up.

Remember, free support goes a long way. I’m glad that the PLC wasn’t burned up and am happy that we were able to assist. Toll free support is something we’ve always provided and for all of our equipment.

***WARNING: Only licensed elevator technicians are to work on elevator and escalator equipment. If you do not knowwhat you’re doing you will seriously injure or kill someone or yourself! Elevators are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! ****