ELEVATOR ▪ 236 B.C.
– Greek mathematician and engineer Archimedes invented first elevator that was based on
What is an elevator?
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between
floors (levels, decks) of a building, vessel or other structures.
A modern steel and glass elevator.
A typical, modern, electronically controlled elevator. If you wait for the cars to move out of the way, you
can often see some of the workings and figure out which bits do what.
How elevators use energy
To a scientist, an elevator is simply a device that increases or decreases a person's potential
energy without them needing to supply that energy themselves.
How much energy does an elevator use?
Elevators don't just hang from a single cable: there are several strong cables supporting the
car in case one breaks. If the worst does happen, you'll find there's often an emergency intercom
telephone you can use inside an elevator car to call for assistance.
In fact, the elevator wouldn't be 100 percent efficient: all the energy it took from the
electricity supply wouldn't be completely converted into potential energy in rising elephants. Some
would be lost to friction, sound, heat, air resistance (drag), and other losses in the mechanism. So the
real energy consumption would be somewhat greater.
There’s a huge amount of energy involved. But much of it can be saved by using a
counterweight.
THE COUNTERWEIGHT
Counterweight on wheels and tracks inside an elevator shaft.
THE SAFETY BRAKE
Each car ran between two vertical guide rails with sturdy metal teeth embedded all the way
up them. At the top of each car, there was a spring-loaded mechanism with hooks attached. If the cable
broke, the hooks sprung outward and jammed into the metal teeth in the guide rails, locking the car
safely in position.
HOW THE ORIGINAL OTIS ELEVATOR WORK
The elevator compartment, is raised and lowered by a hoist and pulley system and a moving
counterweight. You can see how the elevator is moving smoothly between vertical guide bars: it doesn't
just dangle stupidly from the rope.
The cable that does all the lifting wraps around several pulleys and the main winding drum. Don't forget
this elevator was invented before anyone was really using electricity: it was raised and lowered by hand,
at the top of the elevator car, there's a simple mechanism made up of spring-loaded arms and pivots. If
the main cable breaks, the springs push out two sturdy bars called "pawls" so they lock into vertical
racks of upward-pointing teeth on either side. This ratchet-like device clamps the elevator safely in place.
Wheels guiding an elevator car.
According to Otis, the key part of the invention was: "having the pawls and the teeth of the
racks hook formed, essentially as shown, so that the weight of the platform will, in case of the breaking
of the rope, cause the pawls and teeth to lock together and prevent the contingency of a separation of
the same."
ELEVATOR HISTORY TIMELINE
▪ 2900 B.C. – The Great Pyramid of Egypti an emperor Cheops at Giza was made from over 2 million
stone cubes. Each cube weighted over 5 tons and was lifted to the height of 481 feet.
▪ 2500-1500 B.C – Egyptian farmers transferred water from the Nile to irrigation channels using the
counterweighted lever.
▪ 600 B.C. – Roman temple of Dianna was built in Ephesus. They used sandbag ramp bridges to erect over
2.000 stone columns that supported the main temple roof.
ropes, weights and wrenches. Basics of his elevator theory became the foundation for all elevators in
next 2.000 years.
▪ 80 B.C. – Roman Colosseum was built with integrated network of 24 elevator cages that carried
gladiators and wild animals to the arena floor. Elevators were powered by the work of over 200 slaves.
▪ 50 B.C. – Invention of water wheel with a horizontal axis. It enabled it to be powered by the force of
flowing water.
▪ 1203 – Abbey of Mont St. Michael used monkeys to power its treadmill hoisting elevator.
▪ 1690-1707 – French inventor Denis Palpin developed the theory of a steam pump that would play the
key role in the future hydraulic and pneumatic elevators. He also invented high pressure water steam
boiler.
▪ 1743 – One of the first elevator that was intended for passenger use was installed in French king Luis
XV’s villa at Versailles, called “flying chair”.
▪ 1765 – James Watt patented steam engine.
▪ 1823 – “Ascending room” was built in London, giving the 20 people opportunity to view the London
panorama from the height of 37 meters.
▪ 1829 – First electric motor prototype was built by American physicist John Henry.
▪ 1845 – Englishman Sir William Thompson patented idea of hydraulic crane.
▪ 1854 – Elisha Grave Otis presented his first cabin that contained self-locking door gear, which protected
passengers from falling from elevator.
▪ 1857 – Year in which Otis Elevator Company built and installed first steam driven elevator intended for
public use in a five story department store in New York City.
▪ 1870 – Nine story building in New York City became first building that was purposely built with the
elevator shafts. On a first day over 2000 people used its elevators.
▪ 1872 – First gas engine with 2 cylinders was built by German engineers Nickolas August Otto and
Eugene Langen.
▪ 1887 – African American inventor Alexander Miles patented automatic elevator door system.
▪ 1878 – First electric elevator was built in Germany.
▪ 1909 – 41 building in New York City got the first elevators with installed telephones.
▪ 1926 - Ruth Safety Garages in Chicago had the elevators that could transport the cars in all 3
dimensions.
ELEVATOR TYPES
❖ According to hoist mechanism.
❖ According to building height.
❖ According to building type.
❖ According to elevator Location.
❖ According to Special uses.
ACCORDING TO HOIST MECHANISM
Elevators will be classified according to hoist mechanism to 4 main types as follows:
1. Hydraulic Elevators
2. Traction Elevators
3. Climbing elevator
4. Pneumatic Elevators
1. HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS (PUSH ELEVATORS)
Hydraulic elevators are supported by a piston at the bottom of the elevator that pushes the elevator up.
They are used for low-rise applications of 2-8 stories and travel at a maximum speed of 200 feet per
minute. The machine room for hydraulic elevators is located at the lowest level adjacent to the elevator I. Passenger Elevators- Domestic elevators which are intended to move passengers up and down stairs in
shaft. a multilevel residence are quite similar to those used in large public buildings.
II. Stairway Elevators-Stairway elevators are generally installed in homes where someone in the family
Hydraulic elevators have many two main types as follows: has problems with mobility.
a. Holed (Conventional) Hydraulic Elevators III. Vertical Wheelchair Elevators-Interior vertical wheelchair elevators can easily be installed when space
b. Hole-less Hydraulic Elevators is limited.
i. Telescopic Hydraulic Elevators IIII. Wheelchair Elevators on an Incline-Wheelchair elevator on an incline are generally installed when the
ii. Non-telescoping (single stage) Hydraulic Elevators staircase simply goes up one level or perhaps two.
iii. Roped Hydraulic Elevators V. Dumbwaiters Elevators-They are small freight elevators intended to carry objects rather than people ,

2. TRACTION ELEVATORS (PULL ELEVATORS) 3. AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS

I. Bucket Elevators- used to move crops which have been newly harvested up and into silo.
Traction elevators are lifted by ropes, which pass over a wheel attached to an electric motor above the II. Centrifugal discharge elevators-Bucket elevators are sometimes referred to as conveyor
elevator shaft. They are used for mid and high-rise applications and have much higher travel speeds than buckets, most often when the movement is horizontal or on an incline.
hydraulic elevators. A counter weight makes the elevators more efficient. III. Vertical bucket Elevators- usually have buckets that are well spaced with bottoms that are
rounded, and are often referred to as grain legs.
Traction elevators have 3 main types as follows:
a. Geared Traction Elevators 4. INDUSTRIAL ELEVATORS
b. Gear-less Traction Elevators The most common types of industrial elevators are hoist elevators and incline elevators.
c. Machine-Room-Less Elevators These types of elevators are built to carry huge amounts of weight effortlessly, therefore the term
industrial elevators. This type of elevators is used in construction, warehouses, and shipyards.
3. CLIMBING ELEVATOR
They hold their own power device on them, mostly electric or combustion engine. Climbing I. Hoist Elevators
elevators are often used in work and construction areas. Hoist elevators are operated by a pulley or series of pulleys and they can be a simple platform or a cage
in which humans or heavy materials are moved up and down during industrial applications.
4. PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS II. Incline Elevators
Pneumatic elevators are raised and lowered by controlling air pressure in a chamber in which The equipment and supplies are placed on a form of conveyor belt that continues turning bringing the
the elevator sits. cargo up to its destination where it is quickly unloaded as the belt continues turning around.

ACCORDING TO BUILDING HEIGHT 5. COMMERCIAL ELEVATORS

A. Low-Rise buildings (1- 3 stories) - Buildings up to about (1 to 3) stories typically use hydraulic elevators I. Commercial passenger elevators
because of their lower initial cost. A passenger elevator is designed to move people between a building's floors. Passenger elevators
B. Mid-Rise buildings (4 -11 stories )- Buildings up to about (4 to 11) stories typically use Geared Traction capacity is related to the available floor space.
Elevators . II. Freight elevators
C. High-Rise buildings (12 + stories) -Buildings up to about 12+ stories typically use Gear-Less Traction A freight elevator, or goods lift, is an elevator designed to carry goods, rather than passengers. Freight
Elevators elevators are generally required to display a written notice in the car that the use by passengers is
prohibited (though not necessarily illegal), though certain freight elevators allow dual use through the
ACCORDING TO BUILDING TYPE use of an inconspicuous riser.
III. Commercial Dumbwaiter
➢ Hospital Elevators. They are economic solution for moving material from floor to floor in a multi-level commercial
➢ Residential /Domestic Elevators. environment. They can carry loads up to 750 lbs. Commercial Dumbwaiter used to Save manpower, save
➢ Agricultural Elevators. space, save time, save energy and help avoid workplace injuries. Typical materials handled in a
commercial environment can be Food, Dishes & Cutlery, Documents, Clothing, Carts or Shoes.
➢ Industrial Elevators.
➢ Commercial Elevators.
ACCORDING TO ELEVATOR LOCATION
➢ Parking buildings Elevators. 1. OUTDOOR ELEVATORS-Common types of outdoor elevators are cargo elevators, platform elevators,
and incline and vertical elevators.
1. HOSPITAL ELEVATORS
I. Hospital Bed Elevators- Hospital bed elevators generally transport patients who are not well A. Observation elevator- puts the cab on the outside of the building. Glass-walled elevator cars allow
enough to sit up even in a wheelchair. passengers to view the cityscape or the building’s atrium as they travel.
II. Hospital Stretcher Lift- they usually are smaller than bed elevators. I. Incline Elevators- Outdoor elevators built on an incline can also be used to transport
2. RESIDENTIAL /DOMESTIC ELEVATORS passengers or goods. Incline elevators are most often recognized as passenger elevators called ski lifts.
They are usually just on a much smaller scale than industrial or commercial elevators. However, outdoor elevators that move cargo on an incline are generally constructed with a conveyor
belt and most often seen when loading cargo on ships and some types of aircraft.
 II. Platform Elevators-Platform elevators usually are not enclosed by having a have a fence or THE PARTS OF AN ELEVATOR
gate running around the perimeter to keep cargo from slipping off during transport.
III. Freight Elevators- are almost always outdoor elevators even though some smaller versions
are designed for indoor use such as those used in warehouses.

B. INDOOR ELEVATORS
All elevators installed inside a building which usually need a hoist ways and pits.

ACCORDING TO SPECIAL USES

1. HANDICAP ELEVATORS
In reality, any type of elevator that can assist a handicapped person in going up and down various levels
of the building could be considered a handicap elevator

2. GRAIN ELEVATORS
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity
to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility.

3. DOUBLE-DECK ELEVATOR
Double-deck elevators save time and space in high-occupancy buildings by mounting one car upon
another. One car stops at even floors and the other stops at the odd floors.

4. Sky Lobby
In very tall buildings, elevator efficiency can be increased by a system that combines express and local
elevators. The express elevators stop at designated floors called sky lobbies. There, passengers can
transfer to local elevators that will take them to their desired floor.
5. LIMITED USE / LIMITED APPLICATION (LU/LA)
The limited-use, limited-application (LU/LA) elevator is a special purpose passenger elevator
used infrequently, and which is exempt from many commercial regulations and accommodations. For
example, a LU/LA is primarily meant to be handicapped accessible, and there might only be room for a
single wheelchair and a standing passenger
Elevators have been around for hundreds of years, but work on a very basic principle. Although the
basics of elevator engineering has not changed significantly over the decades, small tweaks have been
made to make the ride smoother and efficiency has been increased using computer control systems to
facilitate quicker transport.
Elevator Car and Shaft
The elevator car holds people and objects for transport and is encased in the elevator shaft. Elevator cars
can be of various sizes have at least one door and are pulled up and down using a motor or a hydraulic
system. Motorized elevators are the most common and offer the best value for building construction.
Elevator shafts also contain guide tracks for the elevator itself as well as the counterweight, both of
which help reduce strain on the elevator motor.

The Sheave and Motor

Motorized elevators are raised and lowered using steel ropes that are attached to the elevator car as
well as a counterweight. The counter simulates the weight of the elevator car at 40 percent capacity in
order to help reduce the overall strain on the motor. The sheave is simply a pulley that has groves and
moves the rope to lift and lower the elevator. The motor moves the sheave in the direction that the
elevator needs to go in to move passengers up and down

Control Unit
The control unit is housed with both the motor and the sheave in the control room, usually located
above the elevator shaft. It receives the signal from each floor's controls and translates that to
movements for the motor, either up or down. When the elevator car reaches its destination, the control
receives a signal to stop the elevator car to allow passengers to enter or exit. The control unit also has a
computer built-in to monitor travel patterns and specific instructions that are programmed into it for
rest locations and signal priorities.
Counterweight and Guide Rails
The counterweight is used to reduce strain on the motor as it creates constant energy that can be used
to lift or lower the elevator car similar to the action of a children's seesaw. The motor uses the
counterweight or the elevator car to propel the elevator car in either direction. The guide rails are in
place for both the elevator car and counterweight to keep them from swaying — thereby creating a
smooth elevator ride in either direction.

DIMABAYAO, APRIL
DUNGAO, ALJAY
ELARIOG, MARK NESLER
ESCAPE, DIANNE PEARL
FAULVE, RIZALYN
GACUL, JOHN DAVE