Certified combs for escalators and safety segments
Passenger safety in close transportation is an absolute priority during the design, operation, and maintenance of installations in public spaces. At the forefront of protection against serious accidents are combs for escalators. These seemingly inconspicuous, toothed segments installed on exit and entrance platforms are responsible for the smooth and collision-free sliding of footwear, carts, or luggage from the surface of the tread. In our wholesale offer, you will find top-quality combs for escalators that guarantee full compliance with the norms of the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT) and ensure the stable, quiet operation of the entire drive system.
Escalator Combs - FAQ
Escalator comb plates are key safety elements installed on the edges of the entrance and exit of the moving walkway. Their profiled teeth fit into precise grooves (ribs) on the steps. The main function of the comb plates is to remove dirt and physically prevent the possibility of footwear, clothing, luggage, or fingers being pulled into the gap of the escalator's rotating mechanism.
Depending on the manufacturer and specifications of the escalator, comb plates for escalators are most commonly made of tough, impact-resistant plastics (often in a bright, yellow warning color) or pressure die-cast aluminum. These materials are chosen so that in case of emergency entrapment, a tooth on the comb plate would break instead of damaging the entire drive system.
According to the requirements of the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT), the combs for escalators must be immediately replaced if even one tooth is broken, the base of a segment is cracked, or the edges are bent. Operating the device with damaged comb teeth poses a direct threat to the life and health of passengers and is grounds for shutting down the device.
No, movable staircase combs are absolutely not universal. They differ in terms of the angle of inclination relative to the step, the length of the teeth, their spacing (pitch), thickness, and the method of attachment (screw arrangement on the comb plate). When ordering, it is necessary to select a replacement strictly dedicated to a specific model and brand of the manufacturer.
In order for the combs for movable stairs to last as long as possible, the service company must take care of the correct geometry of the carrying belt and replace worn step rollers – a descending or vibrating step will quickly break teeth off the segment. It is also crucial to regularly clean the grooves of the steps and the combs themselves from stones, mud, road salt, and foreign elements that can cause jamming.
How do comb plates for escalators work and why are they so important?
Mechanically, the principle of operation of a system based on comb plates and comb teeth steps is extremely precise. At the edge of the contact between moving steps and the stationary platform, a crucial working gap is created. Professional comb plates for escalators are designed so that their teeth penetrate deeply into the indentations (grooves) of the moving steps. Properly selected and calibrated comb plates for escalators act as a shield preventing soft objects (such as shoelaces, coat hems, soft rubber soles) from being pulled into the motor and chains rotating area.
What materials are reliable comb plates for escalators made of?
Manufacturers use specific materials that have a particular fatigue strength against impacts while also maintaining a degree of emergency brittleness. In our offer for service companies, we have two main types of this equipment:
- Aluminum comb plates for escalators - produced by high-pressure die-casting from aluminum alloys. They are characterized by excellent durability and high resistance to compressive loads. They are usually installed in nodes with extremely high traffic intensity in heavy footwear, such as metro stations or railway stations.
- Comb plates for escalators made of plastic - usually in a bright yellow color, serving a demarcation function and visually warning passengers of the approaching end of the runway. Made of highly resistant resins or polymeric composites.
An important technical aspect is that in the event of a hard, foreign element (e.g., a steel screw) becoming wedged between the step rib and the comb tooth, comb plates for escalators should break, activating the safety sensor (comb plate contact) and stopping the device. This deliberate breaking mechanism prevents significant and costly damage to the gearbox and main shaft.
When should a service replace comb plates for escalators?
Our offer - comb plates for escalators from global manufacturers
We are aware of the immense variety of devices operating in Poland. Each brand has its geometry, tooth pitch, and screw system. In the MPPR wholesale, we have OEM spare parts with precise parameters. You will find left, right, and center comb plates for escalators dedicated to systems of giants such as Otis, Schindler, Kone, ThyssenKrupp, or O&K. We encourage maintenance engineers and professionals to contact our advisors. Before placing an order, prepare the brand, year of the device, or catalog number, and we will deliver comb plates for escalators that will perfectly fit into the mechanism of your machine.