WE CLAIM:
[Claim 1] A safety gear for an elevator, comprising:
a frame body provided on an ascending/descending body that moves while being guided along a guide rail;
a normal wedge guide member, which has a normal wedge guide surface becoming closer to the guide rail as extending upward, and is movable with respect to the frame body in a horizontal direction;
a pressing spring device, which is provided between the frame body and the normal wedge guide member, and is configured to apply a resistance force against movement of the normal wedge guide member in a direction of moving away from the guide rail;
a normal wedge member, which is provided on the guide rail side of the normal wedge guide member, and is pulled upward at the time of emergency braking of the ascending/descending body to be moved along the normal wedge guide surface;
a reverse wedge member, which is provided on the guide rail side of the normal wedge member, and is pulled upward together with the normal wedge member at the time of emergency braking of the ascending/descending body to be pressed against the guide rail; and
a vertical-direction spring device,
wherein the normal wedge member has a reverse wedge guide surface becoming more distant from the guide rail as extending upward,
wherein the reverse wedge member is movable with respect to

the normal wedge member along the reverse wedge guide surface,
wherein the vertical-direction spring device is configured to apply a resistance force against upward movement of the reverse wedge member with respect to the normal wedge member,
wherein a spring constant of the vertical-direction spring device is lower than a spring constant of the pressing spring device, and
wherein the vertical-direction spring device has a characteristic of having a region in which a rate of change in force generated along with increase in upward displacement amount of the reverse wedge member with respect to the normal wedge member decreases as compared to that in initial displacement.
[Claim 2] A safety gear for an elevator, comprising:
a frame body provided on an ascending/descending body that moves while being guided along a guide rail;
a normal wedge guide member, which has a normal wedge guide surface becoming closer to the guide rail as extending upward, and is movable with respect to the frame body in a horizontal direction;
a main pressing spring device provided between the frame body and the normal wedge guide member, and configured to apply a resistance force against movement of the normal wedge guide member in a direction of moving away from the guide rail;
a normal wedge member, which is provided on the guide rail side of the normal wedge guide member, and is pulled upward at the

time of emergency braking of the ascending/descending body to be moved along the normal wedge guide surface and pressed against the guide rail;
a reverse wedge guide member provided on the frame body on an opposite side of the normal wedge member with respect to the guide rail;
a reverse wedge member provided on the guide rail side of the reverse wedge guide member; and
a vertical-direction spring device,
wherein the reverse wedge guide member has a reverse wedge guide surface becoming more distant f rom the guide rail as extending upward,
wherein the reverse wedge member is movable with respect to the reverse wedge guide member along the reverse wedge guide surface,
wherein the vertical-direction spring device is configured to apply a resistance force against upward movement of the reverse wedge member with respect to the reverse wedge guide member,
wherein a spring constant of the vertical-direction spring device is lower than a spring constant of the main pressing spring device, and
wherein the vertical-direction spring device has a characteristic of having a region in which a rate of change in force generated along with increase in upward displacement amount of the reverse wedge member with respect to the reverse wedge guide member

decreases as compared to that in initial displacement.
[Claim 3] The safety gear for an elevator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertical-direction spring device includes a Belleville spring.
[Claim 4] The safety gear for an elevator according to claim 3, wherein the vertical-direction spring device includes a deformation regulating portion conf igured to mechanically regulate deformation of the Belleville spring, to thereby prevent buckling of the Belleville spring.