The Cornerstone to Our Success
Fish plates in an elevator rail system serve the crucial role of connecting and precisely aligning adjoining guide rail sections. They help maintain straight, stable rail joints, ensuring the elevator car and counterweight travel smoothly without vibration or misalignment. By reinforcing structural continuity and evenly distributing loads at the connection points, fish plates are essential for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the elevator.
The term "fish plate" originates from an old nautical term used in shipbuilding, where a “fish” referred to a wooden or metal piece used to strengthen or join parts of a ship’s mast or spar. These pieces were often flat, elongated, and tapered at the ends—resembling the shape of a fish.
When similar connecting components were later introduced in railway and elevator systems to join and align rail sections, the term was carried over. Despite modern changes in materials and usage, the name "fish plate" remained due to its similar shape and reinforcing function.
People also call them joint plates, connecting plates(this is what we say), and slice plates.
Hollow fish plates, on the other hand, are designed to match the hollow guide rails, often featuring a lighter structure and sometimes partially open or shaped to fit the rail profile. While not as robust as solid ones, they provide adequate strength for mid-rise or residential elevators where the structural demands are lower.
Solid fish plates are made from a single, solid piece of metal (typically steel) and are used to connect solid guide rails. They offer higher strength, rigidity, and durability, making them ideal for high-load or high-speed elevator systems where maximum stability is required.
