Escalator Combplates are Safety Devices

The escalator combplates are actually those base plates you step on with a number of teeth on them arranged parallel to one another. With the provided grooves, these mesh together with an upper side that is exposed and a hidden lower side. 

It is equipped with an electric tooth-break monitor that gives a warning signal when two adjacent teeth are broken. This type is used to prevent objects (clothes, pens, keys, etc.) from accidentally being snagged inside the contraption and cause harm or other damages. The teeth are designed to move objects away and prevent it from being crushed or destroyed.

Escalator movements 

Escalators mostly move people up or down floors or different level areas. In this exposed surface of the movement’s pathway, people are carried along, either walking or standing still, to the level of their destination. This is called the step belt or a stair belt. 

In a moving sidewalk, people are transported to their destination on the same level (plate belt). These have their plate bodies connected with one another. Both types have combplates working for the safety of the passengers.

Safety measure

When in motion, the steps come into contact with the fixed parts at the entrance and exit landings. This is where the steps will pass through the comb plates. The natural (or painted) yellow color of the material adds another visual warning for passengers to know the change in moving parts and fixed parts. 

Escalator combplates have two conducting paths located at the lower side. Each of these conducting paths goes through one of the two adjacent teeth in the area where it is vulnerable to breaking. 

This is the point where the signal is applied into the conducting paths (either a tooth breaks or not). The monitoring device is designed in such a way that when two adjacent teeth are broken, a warning signal is sent through.

Materials 

Combplates are usually made from cast tin or cast aluminum with 80 teeth in each one which are about 2 millimeters wide and 4 centimeters long. These teeth are small and are specially designed to easily break. Some new plates now are made of cast polyamide with good abrasion properties. This ensures a longer service life as these cannot be abraded fast.

Replacements and updating the combplate teeth are designed for easy installation. Removal and replacement of the damaged teeth are easily completed by technicians with simple screw drivers. The only question is determining the right type and model of the machine. 

Safety standard

EN 115, the legal European standard, stipulates that checking of these combplate teeth shall be done on a daily basis. Most important is that the escalator should not be made to run if at least two directly adjacent teeth of the plates are broken. 

At present, there is now the REM (Remote Escalator Monitoring) where the functional operations of the escalator’s mechanical and electrical parts are checked. With EN 115, the checking of broken teeth in the combplates has to be done physically by a control person.

With the standard in place, escalator combplates help make riding escalators safe and harm-free.