Hitachi High Speed Elevators (1980s)

This article is about a high speed elevator model of Japanese elevator manufacturer Hitachi which was manufactured between the late 1970s and late 1980s. There is no confirmed model name yet.

Overview

Interior of a high rise 1980s Hitachi elevator in Jakarta.

This is a model of high speed passenger elevators for mid to high rise buildings produced by Japanese elevator manufacturer Hitachi Ltd. from the late 1980s until the late 1980s. It uses a DC gearless motor and a microcomputer controller (CIP-3800 type).

The CIP-3800 (Computerized Information Processing) microcomputer controller, developed by Hitachi in 1978 and employs a real-time high speed information processing by computers, could reduce average waiting time up to 10-20% and waiting probability by half compared to conventional elevator systems. It also had the ability to regulate individual elevator cars according to traffic volume. According to Hitachi, the system could save energy consumption by 35% as it is combined with a "Ward Leonard" thyristor control which replaced motor generator (MG) sets in the elevator machine room.

The model name is assumed to be "DCGL" (or "DC-CV-GL-P") but it has yet to be confirmed.

In Indonesia, this model was mainly installed in mid to high rise office buildings built in the 1980s. They are now rare to see as many installations have been modernized or replaced into brand new and more energy efficient elevators.

Characteristics

• These elevators generally levels quick. The doors open just before the elevator stops.
• Car ventilation fan sound is louder but distinctive.
• Arrival chime is typically a standard Hitachi mechanical bell sound, usually located on the hall lantern panel or hidden under the landing transom panel above the door. Some later installations use a newer two-tone mechanical sound.

Known specifications

• Type: Traction, with machine room
• Use: Passenger, service
• Drive: DC gearless
• Control system: Microprocessor, Hitachi CIP-3800
• Capacity: To be confirmed
• Max. landings: ?
• Max. travel height: ?
• Speed: To be confirmed
• Max elevator car: ?
• Doors: Center opening doors
• Fixtures: No official names (see next section below)

Fixtures

Buttons

There are two types of buttons; a round touch sensitive and a round push button. The touch sensitive button is a silver button with engraved lettering and illuminating halo. The push button lights up entirely when pressed. For elevators with touch buttons, the door control buttons are always push.

Emergency intercom button is a red colored protruding push button, located on a white square below the speaker.

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  Touch sensitive call buttons.

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  Touch sensitive call buttons, plus a keyswitch.

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  Touch sensitive call buttons with rare green/red light.

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  Typical 1980s Hitachi car station with touch sensitive buttons.

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  1983 Hitachi car station with touch sensitive buttons.

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  1980s Hitachi car operating panel with touch sensitive buttons (featuring custom typeface).

Floor indicators and hall lanterns

The floor indicators are mostly analog with a set of illuminating circles above the door. Some later installations use a 7-segments digital display but this is extremely rare in Indonesia. There was also a very rare long horizontal analog display which is currently only found in Ratu Plaza, Jakarta.

Hall lanterns are round white circles (with an arrow) and lights up entirely. There was also a very rare variant of black lanterns with an illuminating arrow which is currently only found in Ratu Plaza, Jakarta.

Most elevators have a combination of analog floor indicator and hall lanterns on the ground/main floor.

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  Two Hitachi elevators in Ratu Plaza, Jakarta.

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  The same elevators, on the 1st floor.

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  Rare rectangle analog car floor indicator.

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  High rise elevators at Plaza Sentral, Jakarta. All of these have been modernized by Schneider (Chinese brand).

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  Low rise elevators at Plaza Sentral, Jakarta.

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  Hall lanterns (green)

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  Hall lanterns (red)

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  Standard analog car floor indicator with round lights.

Known installations in Indonesia

All of these installations are in Jakarta, unless otherwise stated.

• Ratu Plaza Office Tower (1979)
• Gajah Mada Tower (1981)
• Plaza Sentral (1983, modernized by Schneider Elevator)
• Atrium Mulia
• Plaza Kuningan (1984, some have been modernized by Hitachi in the 2010s)
• Ministry of Industrial (1982, low rise elevators modernized by LINES, high rise elevators replaced into Hitachi VFH in 2015)
• Plaza Argo Manunggal (1983, some have been modernized by Otis in the 2000s)
• Wisma Sudirman (1979-2016, building demolished)

Gallery

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  1984 Hitachi elevators at Plaza Kuningan, Jakarta.

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  Interior of one of the 1984 Hitachi elevators at Plaza Kuningan, Jakarta.

External links and resources

TBA