Guide rail installation arrangement and a method for installing guide rails

1. A guide rail installation arrangement for installing guide rails in an elevator shaft, the guide rail installation arrangement comprising:

at least one vertically moveable working platform within the elevator shaft for reaching an installation height, wherein the at least one working platform is vertically moveable by a working platform hoist;

a material hoist for moving guide rail sections and for installing the guide rail sections;

a transport frame for transporting the guide rail sections vertically within the elevator shaft; and

a frame hoist that is attachable to the transport frame for vertically moving the transport frame and for optionally moving the guide rail sections and for loading the guide rail sections into the transport frame,

wherein the material hoist is provided independent of the frame hoist.

2. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least two guide rail sections are transported simultaneously by the transport frame.

3. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the transport frame and the working platform are configured to run along guide rails.

4. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the transport frame and the working platform are configured to run along different guide rails.

5. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the transport frame is configured to run along counterweight guide rails and the working platform is configured to run along elevator car guide rails.

6. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the material hoist and the frame hoist are suspended from at least one lifting beam.

7. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the material hoist is moveable in a horizontal direction for moving the guide rail sections.

8. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the guide rail sections are transported within the transport frame.

9. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the transport frame comprises a guide for guiding the movement of the transport frame along the guide rail.

10. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the transport frame is controlled semi-automatically or automatically.

11. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the guide rail along which the transport frame moves, has at least one of a stationary limit switch at a bottom end of the guide rail and a moveable limit switch at a top end of the guide rail.

12. The guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least six guide rail sections are transported simultaneously by the transport frame.

13. A method for installing guide rails in an elevator shaft comprising the steps of:

a) installing at least one of the bottom-most guide rail sections and constructing the guide rail installation arrangement according to claim 1 simultaneously or sequentially in any order;

b) loading a predetermined number of guide rail sections onto the transport frame;

c) moving the transport frame and the working platform simultaneously or sequentially in any order to a first height for installing the next guide rail sections;

d) moving one guide rail section by the material hoist from the transport frame and installing the guide rail section;

e) repeating step d) for all the guide rail sections to be installed on that height; and

f) moving the working platform to a next height for installing the next guide rail sections and, simultaneously or sequentially in any order, either:

moving the transport frame to the next height for installing the next pair of guide rail sections; or

moving the transport frame to a predetermined position for loading a predetermined number of guide rail sections onto the transport frame, loading the guide rail sections onto the transport frame, and then moving the transport frame to the next height for installing the next pair of guide rail sections.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein at step f), the transport frame is kept at the first height while the working platform is moved to the next height at least once and the guide rail sections are installed at the next height.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein steps d)-f) are repeated at least once.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein both counterweight and elevator car guide rail sections are installed at each height.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the frame hoist is used in at least one of step b) and step f) when loading a predetermined number of guide rail sections.

18. The method according to claim 13 , wherein counterweight guide rails are installed at the same time that elevator car guide rails are installed.

19. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the guide rail sections are loaded onto the transport frame in at least one of steps b) and f) at a bottom floor of the elevator shaft or at an intermediate floor of the elevator shaft.