Sheave

The sheave is the piece of equipment that holds the ropes or belts in place in a traction system.

Powered by the machine, the hoist ropes of the elevator pass over the sheave to move the cab. The word traction is defined as the adhesive friction of a body on a surface on which it moves, so without the sheave, there is simply no traction. The sheave is a grooved wheel that is bearing-mounted on the sheave shaft — part of the pulley system. The sheave must be designed carefully for the ropes to safely fit inside the grooves and supply the optimum amount of traction on the ropes. The drive sheave is mounted above the hoistway.

After frequent use, the sheave will begin to display signs of wear and tear. It’s essential that the sheave is inspected and serviced frequently to guarantee its safe and productive operation.

Different sheave types can consist of the following:

• Compound Sheave
• Deflector Sheave
• Drive Sheave
• Secondary Sheave