Elevator travel blocking apparatus

1. A travel blocking apparatus for blocking the movement of a car movably disposed in a hoistway, the travel blocking apparatus comprising:

a flapper mechanism attached to the car and configured, when deployed, to extend an arm outside of an outer side periphery of the car;

a prop device disposed in the hoistway and configured to contact the arm when said arm is extended so as to stop the car from moving downwardly in the hoistway;

a cable attached to the arm, which, when tensioned, is configured to move the arm into a deployed state; and

a handle attached to the cable and disposed at least one of underneath or adjacent the car, and configured to permit a user to access the handle from a position outside the hoistway and tension the cable when the handle is pulled by the user.

2. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm is configured to pivot.

3. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 2 wherein the arm, when deployed, is horizontal.

4. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 2 wherein the arm, when retracted, is vertical.

5. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm comprises an elongate tube pivotally mounted to a frame member of the car.

6. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electromechanical apparatus attached to the cable and configured to tension the cable by electromechanical actuation without the need to manually pull the handle.

7. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 1 wherein the prop device includes a rigid tube affixed to a sidewall of the hoistway.

8. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 7 wherein the prop device extends into a pit area of the hoistway.

9. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 8 wherein the prop device includes an upper end comprising a biasing element.

10. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 9 wherein the biasing element is a coil spring.

11. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 10 wherein the prop device further includes a spring support movably disposed at the upper end, the spring support configured to support the spring thereon.

12. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 11 wherein the spring support further comprises a plate affixed thereto at an upper end of the prop device, the spring support and plate configured to retain the coil spring atop the tube portion of the prop device.

13. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plate is disposed so as to contact the arm of the flapper mechanism when the arm is extended.

14. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 13 wherein the coil spring and spring support is configured to cushion movement of the car when the arm is extended upon contact.

15. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 1 wherein when the flapper mechanism is deployed and the car is positioned so as to permit contact of the arm with the prop device a refuge is maintained in the hoistway under the car.

16. The travel blocking apparatus of claim 15 wherein the refuge is sized and shaped to permit access thereto.

17. An elevator system, comprising:

a hoistway;

an elevator car configured to move vertically within the hoistway;

a flapper mechanism attached to the elevator car and configured, when deployed, to extend an arm outside of an outer side periphery of the car;

a prop device disposed in the hoistway and configured to contact the arm when said arm is extended so as to stop the car from moving downwardly in the hoistway;

a cable attached to the arm, which, when tensioned, is configured to move the arm into a deployed state; and

a handle attached to the cable and disposed at least one of underneath or adjacent the car, and configured to permit a user to access the handle from a position outside the hoistway and tension the cable when the handle is pulled by the user,

wherein the flapper mechanism and the prop device are disposed so as to maintain a refuge area within the hoistway underneath the elevator car.

18. The elevator system of claim 17 wherein the refuge area is sized and shaped to permit access thereto.