ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS

Introduced: September 1968

Last revised: January 1985

Classification Context

Section:: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Class:: HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
Subclass:: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS

Description

B66B covers elevators, escalators, and moving walkways—mechanical systems for vertical or horizontal transport of persons and goods in buildings and public spaces. This subclass includes structural components (cars, cabins, counterweights, guide rails), driving mechanisms (motors, pulley systems, ropes, chains), safety devices (brakes, buffers, door interlocks), and control systems (electrical controls, sensors, emergency features). Also encompassed are escalators with moving steps and inclined or horizontal moving walkways for passenger conveyance. Related technologies for lift mechanisms in other contexts (e.g., vehicle lifts, industrial hoists) are classified separately under B66C and related subclasses.

Additional Content

Glossary

Cable cables a flaccid, elongated, flexible element that can transmit force (e.g., rope, wire, chain, push-chains). Drive means means for supplying motive force to an element to be moved which includes both force generating means (e.g., motor) and structural linkage (e.g., gears) needed to transmit the force from the generating means to the element. Landing landings an in situ floor within a structure (e.g., building) (a) that is located adjacent to an elevator shaft or the entrance or egress points of the conveying apparatus’ path and (b) to or from which a load (e.g., passenger, cargo, pedestrian) transfers during the charging or discharging of the load-underlying support surface of an elevator or conveying apparatus. Shaft a long, narrow, in situ passageway within a structure (e.g., building, ship, mine) which defines the fixed path between the vertically spaced load entrance and exit levels traveled by the load-underlying support surface of an elevator.

Limiting references

Life-saving devices used as an alternative to normal egress means (e.g., stairs) during rescue to lower persons in cages, bags, or similar supports from buildings or other structures Equipment for handling freight or for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like to aircraft Braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels for capstans, hoist, or winches Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts

Application references

Hoisting or lowering devices for coffins Vessels arrangements of ammunition stores or handlers Transport or storages devices Storage articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines Ship-lifting devices or mechanisms Garages with mechanical means for shifting or lifting vehicles Feeding or loading of ammunition, magazines or guiding means for extracting cartridges

Related Keywords

ELEVATORS [= lifts]LIFT(S)PASSENGER liftsPLATFORM(S) lifts

17 direct subcodes

Child Classifications

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B66B 1/00 Control systems of elevators in general
B66B 11/00 Main component parts of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures
B66B 13/00 Doors, gates, or other apparatus controlling access to, or exit from, cages or lift-well landings
B66B 15/00 Main component parts of mining-hoist winding devices
B66B 17/00 Hoistway equipment
B66B 19/00 Mining-hoist operation
B66B 20/00 Elevators not provided for in groups
B66B 21/00 Kinds or types of escalators or moving walkways
B66B 23/00 Component parts of escalators or moving walkways
B66B 25/00 Control of escalators or moving walkways
B66B 27/00 Indicating operating conditions of escalators or moving walkways
B66B 29/00 Safety devices of escalators or moving walkways
B66B 3/00 Applications of devices for indicating or signalling operating conditions of elevators
B66B 31/00 Accessories for escalators, or moving walkways, e.g. for sterilising or cleaning
B66B 5/00 Applications of checking, fault-correcting or safety devices in elevators
B66B 7/00 Other common features of elevators
B66B 9/00 Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures

Top Applicants

Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B66, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

INVENTIO CH 3,843
OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY US 3,709
SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 2,987
KONE CORPORATION FI 2,922
TOSHIBA ELEVATOR COMPANY 2,922
HITACHI 2,321
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION JP 2,287
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION 1,870
HITACHI BUILDING SYSTEMS COMPANY 1,700
ANHUI HELI COMPANY 1,325