When an armature (17) is attracted while resisting against a spring (7) by energizing a brake coil (16) and a brake shoe (9) pressing a brake wheel (6) is released to generate brake force in the released brake of an elevator, energization of the brake coil (16) is reduced, at first, by a first brake coil control means (38) to release attraction of the armature (17). When the reduction rate of a brake coil current (Ib) slows down to a specified level or below or the brake coil current (Ib) begins to increase during the attraction releasing process of the armature (17) by the first brake coil control means (38), a switching is made to a second brake coil control means (39) and the brake coil (16) is energized within such a range as the armature (17) is not reattracted thus suppressing impact sound of the brake shoe (9) against the brake wheel (6) generated by the force of the spring (7).
