More than 3 million lifts are in use today in EU and EFTA and almost 50% were installed more than 20 years ago. Existing lifts were installed to the safety level appropriate at the time. Thankfully, today’s safety standards are much higher and current lift regulations reflect this. To comply with the harmonised version of EN81, a lift must be prevented from allowing uncontrolled movement in either the upward or downward direction. The VG family of safety gears and the VG rope brake have been specifically designed to meet these requirements. Compliance is achieved by fitting either the VG5 bi-directional safety gear (2 independent braking mechanisms within a common housing) or the VG2a, 4 or 6 in the conventional manner to arrest downward movement and inverting an additional gear to arrest the upward movement. Alternatively, the VG rope brake can be used with either the existing downward operating safety gear or a new VG safety gear.   A “CE” certified device operating on the lift ropes to control upward overspeed of the lift car, combining proven “drop jaw” technology with the patented VG linkage mechanism. Requiring activation by a bi-directional overspeed governor the simple installation of the VG rope brake provides a cost effective solution to the problem of “upward falling” according to EN81-1:1998 and EN81-80. more info ...   A “CE” certified device operating on the guide rails to control overspeed of the lift car in either or both directions. Both bi-directional and combined safety gears can be operated from a single friction type bi- directional overspeed governor, offered as a complete package by Atwell International. more info ...