Glossary term
governor
A speed-sensing wheel in the shaft that triggers the safety gear if the car ever descends too fast.
What it means
The governor watches how fast the car is moving. A rope loops around a wheel and follows the car up and down, so the wheel turns at car speed. If the speed passes a set limit, weights in the wheel fly out, the wheel locks, and the rope pulls the safety gear on. It is purely mechanical, so it works even with the power off.
Where you see it
Usually at the top of the shaft or in the machine room, with a tensioning weight at the bottom of the shaft.
How it works
The trip speed is set slightly above the lift's rated speed, so normal travel never comes near it. An electrical switch on the governor also cuts the drive slightly before the mechanical trip, which is why a governor problem often shows as a lift that stops rather than a lift that grips.
Once tripped, both the governor and the safety gear must be reset by an engineer, and the cause investigated before the lift is returned to service.
Why it matters
Governors are tested during thorough examination. An owner can never confirm one is working, which is why the examination interval matters so much on traction lifts.
Commonly confused with
The governor is regularly confused with the safety gear it operates. The governor senses speed; the safety gear grips the rails. A governor trip is not a failure of the lift so much as proof the protection works, and after any trip both parts have to be inspected before the lift runs again.
Wear, service and lifespan
Governors are tested on a set schedule and at thorough examination, because a device that only acts in an emergency has to be proved to still act. Testing checks the tripping speed and the electrical switch that stops the drive first. Governor rope tension and sheave condition are checked at service visits.
Signs to watch for
- The lift stopped hard mid-travel and will not restart.
- An engineer reports a governor trip.
- The examination report raises the governor or its rope.
- Repeated unexplained mid-shaft stops.
- The lift was reset after a hard stop without investigation.
Troubleshooting governor
The lift stopped hard and now will not move at all
What it usually means: The governor may have tripped and set the safety gear
Safe check: If anyone is inside, treat it as an entrapment and call the emergency number immediately.
A repeated tick from the shaft that matches car speed
What it usually means: Governor rope or sheave running out of true
Safe check: Listen from the landing and say whether the tick is faster when the car is faster.
The lift was released after a trip but feels different
What it usually means: Guide or rail damage may remain from the gripping event
Safe check: Report the change in ride quality; do not judge it acceptable yourself.
How to report it
State that the stop was sudden rather than gradual, whether anyone was inside, and whether the car is level with a floor. A suspected governor or safety gear event is never a reset-and-run job, so say clearly that the stop was violent.
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Related terms
Definitions that usually come up alongside governor when you are describing a fault.
- safety gear
Mechanical jaws under the car that grip the guide rails and hold the car if it ever descends too fast.
Safety devices
- traction lift
A lift raised and lowered by friction between ropes or belts and a driven sheave, balanced by a counterweight on the other end.
Drive and machine
- thorough examination
An independent safety examination of lifting equipment carried out at set intervals and reported in writing.
Service and compliance
- interlock
A lock and switch combined, so a door cannot be opened unless the car is there and the lift cannot move unless the door is locked.
Safety devices
- safety edge
A sprung or sensitive strip on the leading edge of a door that reverses it the moment it touches an obstruction.
Safety devices