Glossary
Roping
The arrangement of hoist ropes, sheaves, and attachment points that connects the car, counterweight, and drive sheave, described as 1:1 (direct) or 2:1 (with a mechanical advantage that halves rope speed relative to car speed).
Roping configuration is a fundamental design decision in traction elevators. In a 1:1 roping arrangement, the ropes run directly from the car hitch plate, over the drive sheave, and down to the counterweight. The rope speed equals the car speed, and the full car-side load is carried by the ropes.
In a 2:1 arrangement, the ropes pass from a fixed point at the top of the hoistway, down to a sheave on the car, back up and over the drive sheave, down to a sheave on the counterweight, and back up to another fixed point. This doubles the mechanical advantage: the motor sees half the load but must turn at twice the speed (or use a sheave twice the diameter) to achieve the same car speed. 2:1 roping is standard in MRL installations because it allows a smaller, lower-torque motor to be used.