CPC B66B 11/0005 (2013.01) [B32B 17/10036 (2013.01); B32B 17/10091 (2013.01); B32B 17/10119 (2013.01); B32B 17/10137 (2013.01); C03B 27/012 (2013.01); C03C 3/04 (2013.01); C03C 4/18 (2013.01); C03C 21/002 (2013.01); E04C 2/02 (2013.01); B32B 2419/00 (2013.01); B66B 9/04 (2013.01); B66B 11/004 (2013.01); B66B 13/30 (2013.01); C03C 2204/00 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |
1. An elevator hoistway apparatus comprising:
a multi-section hoistway that is an air-tight shaft and includes a lower section of the multi-section hoistway, which comprises first one or more glass panels, and an upper section of the multi-section hoistway, which comprises second one or more glass panels;
wherein each glass panel, of the first one or more glass panels, a) has a corresponding vertically uniform inner panel surface, and b) is a load-bearing panel that carries at least its own weight and weight of one or more above structures, including weight of the second one or more glass panels, and conveys its own weight and the weight of the one or more above structures to one or more below support structures of the lower section of the multi-section hoistway of the elevator hoistway apparatus;
a belt frame, wherein the belt frame is of a rigid material, and wherein the first one or more glass panels are a) coupled to the second one or more glass panels at least through the belt frame, and b) are circumferentially supported at least by the belt frame; and
wherein the belt frame conveys weight of the upper section to the first one or more glass panels.
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