Door keyhole (also known as a escutcheon tube[1]) is an elevator device used to unlock the landing doors interlock in elevator maintenance or in the event of an emergency like entrapment, usually preformed by elevator technicians and firefighters[2].
Most elevators have their door keyhole located on one door panel and aligned to the edge of the door, while some others may be located on the upper door jamb (like modern day Schindler (mainly Sematic Group), Kone (including Wittur Group) and TK elevators). Some of them may only be available in the highest or lowest landings.
Different elevator manufacturers have their own keyhole type, except all are triangle-shaped or drop key for some country code[2].
The information on this page is for educational purposes only. DO NOT enter an elevator shaft unless you are a skilled elevator technician. Not only can it be extremely dangerous, but unauthorized entry to an elevator shaft is illegal in most countries[2].
List of door keyhole shape by elevator manufacturers[]
- This list is for automatic doors only, manual doors are not included.
- C-shaped - used in 1980s and sometimes 1990s Hyundai elevators.
- S-shaped - used in some 1970s Mitsubishi elevators[2].
- T-shaped - used in most Mitsubishi elevators from the 1970s to present day[2].
- Triangle-shaped - used in Fujitec since late-1980s, most Kone, Guangri since 1990s, some Hyundai, some Sigma since mid-2000s, all non-American Schindler since 1960s, and all non-proprietary elevator door components.
- U-shaped - used in older Express Lift (or GAL), Elevators Pty. Ltd., American Schindler and GEC-branded elevators.
- Square U-Shaped - Used in O&K and Keighley lifts in the UK, and very few 1990s LG elevators.
- V-shaped - used in some 1960s and 1970s Otis elevators in the UK. This keyhole has a small rectangular metal plate.
List of standard escutcheon key[]
Drop key[]
Drop key is one of the industrial standard escutcheon key in North America, also used for some older used in some 1960s and 1970s Otis and Toshiba elevators in Hong Kong, China before the standardized triangle-shaped escutcheon key established[2].
Triangle-shaped[]
Triangle-shaped escutcheon key is a industrial standard in Hong Kong, China since late-1970s[3], with its standardized size[2]. This is now the standard elevator door keyhole for many countries, including the UK and New Zealand. All Elevators in the countries that were built after a certain time are required to have triangle keyholes for all landing doors. Interestingly, however, Elevator manufacturing/maintenance companies are not required to replace the door locks/keyholes as part of modernization - even when the doors themselves are replaced.
Video[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Basic Elevator Components - Part Two
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 每部升降機外門都設有「緊急開鎖裝置」(俗稱撬門匙),除用於緊急救援外,也是升降機工程人員進入機頂的必要裝置。早年法例亦未有規定所有層站都需裝設「緊急開鎖裝置」。由於拯救程序不時需由消防員進行,故近年的升降機設計實務守則已規定,每層升降機外門都設有統一尺寸的三角形「緊急開鎖裝置」,以方便進行拯救。特別注意的是,「緊急開鎖裝置」只限升降機從業員及救援人員使用,一般市民胡亂使用除違反《條例》140(2)章(干擾升降機)外,也有機會影響自身或其他人士的安危。上月於中國大陸發生的人體下墮事故,就是物業工程人員胡亂打開外門引致。 (Facebook page: hkelev.com)
- ↑ hkelev - Elevator door structures