Counterweights
271
Fig. 168 Lift brake (Courtesy of Dewhurst & Partners Ltd.)
Except for very small installations it is now almost universal practice to have an emergency telephone in the car. It can be connected either as a direct line to the public telephone network or as an extension of the private branch exchange in the building. It is generally fitted in a recess in the wall of the car with a hinged door over it. All electrical connections to a car are made through a multi-core hanging flexible cable. One end of this is connected to a terminal box under the car, and the other end to a terminal box on the wall of the well approximately half way down. A separate hanging cable may be needed for the telephone. COUNTERWEIGHTS A counterweight is provided to balance the load being carried. As the load carried varies, the counterweight cannot always balance it exactly; it is usual for the counterweight to balance the weight of the car plus 50% of the maximum load to be taken in the car. A typical counterweight is shown in Fig. 169. It consists of cast iron sections held in a steel framework and