A mechanical device that fixes the end of a suspension or governor rope to a structural anchor point — typically the car frame, counterweight frame, or shaft overhead beam — transferring rope load to the building structure.
Full Definition
Rope clamps (rope end terminations) are used at the dead-end anchorage of the elevator suspension ropes. Common types include: wedge-socket clamps (the rope is threaded through a tapered socket and a matching wedge is driven in, jamming the rope), U-bolt (fist) clamps (two U-bolts compress a formed loop with a saddle), and swaged ferrule sockets (the rope end is swaged into a steel cup with a molten zinc or resin fill). EN 81-20 clause 5.5.4 requires that each rope end termination retain at least 80 % of the catalogue minimum breaking force of the rope. The rope clamp must be accessible for inspection and replacement. During installation, wedge and swaged sockets are preferred over U-bolt clamps in elevator work due to their higher efficiency. Clamps are inspected at each maintenance visit for loosening, rope distortion at entry, and corrosion.
