FUNDAMENTALS OF ELEVATORS AND ESCALATORS IN THE WORKPLACE

I. INTRODUCTION

Elevator, regularly known as a lift, could be a car that moves vertically in a shaft to
transport or carry travelers or cargo between the levels of a multistory building. Most present-
day lifts are moved by electric engines through a framework of wires and parcels with the help of
a counterweight (pulleys). The lift way door interlock was a fundamental security component of
all lift frameworks that requires the external (shaft) entryway to be closed and secured before the
car could move. Modern elevators come in a number of shapes and sizes, and they’re employed
in a wide range of applications, including ships, dams, and specialized structures like rocket
launchers.

A fireman’s elevator (firefighting lift) is a type of elevator that allows firefighters to

rescue individuals who may be trapped on upper floors during a fire in a building. It’s usually
found in a tall building, a complex building, or a structure with a deep basement. Its purpose is to
create or provide a facility that allows firefighters to move with more ease vertically around a
building. The lift car, the lift well, and the lift machinery space, as well as the lift control system
and the lift communications system, make up a firefighting lift installation. Unlike a regular
passenger lift, a firefighting lift is designed to work for as long as possible when there is a fire in
parts of the building beyond constraints of the firefighting shaft, as it is used to transfer
firefighters and their equipment to a floor of their choice. The lift can be used as a passenger lift
by the occupants during normal hours, however it should not be used for transferring trash or
goods to avoid the chance of the entry being obstructed when the lift is required to go into
firefighting mode.

On the other hand, escalators are mechanical device that carry people vertically between
building floors. They usually take the form of a moving staircase, consisting of a ‘chain’ of
single-piece aluminum or stainless steps guided by a continuous loops or rails. They are widely
used in buildings where a big number of people is required, such as shopping malls, airports,
transit systems, hotels, arenas and public buildings. They take up the same area or space as a
staircase, have no waiting time (unless during periods of congestion), allow for a larger flow of
people, and are sometimes more practical than elevators or lifts.
 II. OBJECTIVES
1. To identify the role of Elevators and Escalators in a workplace.
2. To enumerate the different types of Elevators and Escalators.

III. METHODOLOGIES

TYPES OF ELEVATORS BASED ON THEIR USE

1. Passenger Elevator

Any elevator designed to move people through a building is referred to as a

passenger elevator. They may carry loads of 225, 300, 320, 400, 500, 630, 1000, and 1275
kg and move at speeds of up to 2 meters per second. They are designed to be installed in
dwelling houses, administrative and residential buildings, hotels, banks, and offices, and
have upper and lower machine rooms.

2. Freight Elevators

A freight elevator is used to transport very heavy items in industrial facilities, such
as cars or cargo. The interiors of these elevators are centered on sturdy design, with hefty
steel walls and floors, rather than more appealing interiors, because they are not intended
for passenger travel and are engineered to handle tougher operating conditions. The load
that they can carry ranges from 2000 to 4500 kilos. Electric engines are their most common
source of power.

3. Sidewalk Elevators

A sidewalk elevator is a sort of freight elevator that is special. Sidewalk elevators

transport products from a basement to a ground-level region, which is usually the sidewalk
directly outside the building. They are activated by an outside switch and emerge from a
ground-level metal trap door. Sidewalk elevator cars have a distinctively designed top that
allows the door to automatically open and close.
4. Stage Elevators (Stage Lifts)

Stage elevators are frequently used in theaters to raise the entire stage, which is
usually occupied by musicians and performers, to the main level. They are often powered
by hydraulics and their lift distance is usually limited to one or two building floors.

5. Vehicle Elevators

Vehicle elevators are used to lift cars into parking garages or manufacturer's storage
within buildings or regions with restricted space (instead of ramps). There are no
counterweights and the platform is lifted by geared hydraulic chains. The platform may
rotate to meet building designs and increase accessibility so that the driver just has to drive
forward. The weight capacity of most vehicle elevators is 2 tons.

6. Aircraft Elevators

Aircraft elevators transport aircraft between the flight deck and the hangar deck
aboard aircraft carriers for operations or repairs. These elevators are capable of carrying up
to 91,000 kg (200,000 lb.) of aircraft and equipment, well exceeding the capability of
existing elevators. Smaller elevators transport weapons to the flight deck from deep within
the ship's stores.

7. Boat Elevators (Boat Lift)

A boat lift, also known as a ship lift or lift lock, is a machine that transports boats
between two levels of water. It is an alternative to the canal lock. It could move vertically,
rotate, or work on an inclined plane.

8. Residential Elevators

A residential elevator, often known as a home lift, is typically allowed to be less

expensive and difficult than a commercial scale elevator. They may include distinctive
design features, such as hinged hardwood shaft-access doors rather than the conventional
metal sliding doors used in commercial elevators, that are better suitable for home
 furniture. Safety systems such as locks on shaft access doors, fall arrestors, and emergency
phones must all be present in the case of a malfunction.

9. Service Elevators

Many commercial buildings have a service elevator, which is used to convey things
through the facility by employees, such as housekeeping staff moving cleaning carts around
a hotel. In hospitals, service elevators are also utilized to move patients in hospital beds.
These elevators are often more sturdy and deeper than normal passenger elevators to meet
code standards, allowing them to transport heavier things through the building.

10. Dumbwaiters

Dumbwaiters are small freight elevators used to transport food, books, and other
small freight loads instead of passengers. They are frequently used to connect kitchens to
rooms on different floors. They frequently lack the same safety safeguards as passenger
elevators, such as several redundancy ropes. They have a smaller capacity and can stand up
to one meter (3 feet) tall. Every stop has control panels that look like those in passenger
elevators and allow for calling, door control, and floor selection.

11. Paternoster

Paternoster, a constantly moving chain of boxes, is a unique sort of elevator. A

special type of elevator that works on the basis of rotating cabins. Several mobile cabins
are placed in motion on a single rotating chain.

12. Scissor Lift

Another type of elevator is the scissor lift. These are usually mobile work platforms
that can be relocated to where they're needed, but they can also be placed in areas where
counter-weights, machine rooms, and other amenities are limited. The mechanism that lifts
and lowers them is similar to that of a scissor jack.

13. Rack-and-Pinion Elevator

A motor drives a pinion gear to power a rack-and-pinion elevator. They are the
most commonly utilized type of elevator for structures under construction since they may
 be positioned on the outside of a building or structure and do not require a machine room or
hoist way (to move materials and tools up and down).

TYPES OF ELEVATORS BASED ON THEIR HOIST MECHANISMS

1. Geared and Gearless Traction Elevators

Geared and Gearless Traction Elevators can be separated into three different categories:

- Traction Elevator

Ropes pass across a wheel attached to an electric motor placed above the
shaft in this elevator. The ropes' primary duty is to raise and lower the elevator
car. It's suitable for both mid- and high-rise buildings, and it's significantly faster
than hydraulic elevators. This system, like other elevator systems, uses a
counterbalance to remove the weight of the passengers and the car, making it
easier for the motor to move the elevator load.

- Geared Traction Elevator

The geared elevator is constructed comprised of a motor connected to a

gearbox. The gears' primary use is to drive the wheel that moves the ropes. This
sort of elevator is capable of reaching speeds of 500 feet per minute. It can travel
a maximum distance of 250 feet.

- Gearless Traction Elevator

Elevators without a gear for speed regulating are known as gearless

elevators. This explains why they can move at speeds of up to 2,000 feet per
minute and cover a distance of up to 2,000 feet. They are the most suitable
material for skyscrapers.

2. Hydraulic Elevator

A bottom-placed piston is usually used to support hydraulic elevators. The goal is

to raise the elevator car while a hydraulic fluid is forced down the piston by an electric
motor. The valve releases the hydraulic fluid from the piston when the elevator is ready to
descend. This type of elevator is typically found in buildings with two to eight stories and
 has a maximum speed of 200 feet per minute. The following is a more in-depth look into
hydraulic elevators:

- Roped Hydraulic Elevator

To improve the motion of the elevator vehicle, this type uses both ropes
and a piston. It has a maximum travel distance of around 60 feet.

- Conventional Hydraulic Elevator

It is equipped with an elevator pit and a sheave that extends beneath the
pit's floor. The pit supports a retracting piston as the elevator descends. A typical
hydraulic elevator may require a shallower hole below the pit in some
configurations to accommodate a collapsing telescopic piston when the elevator
drops. It has a maximum travel distance of 60 feet.

- Hole-less Hydraulic Elevator

The Hole-less Hydraulic Elevator works similarly to a traditional

hydraulic elevator, except it does not require a hole or sheave to be installed
beneath the pit. At the bottom of the pit are telescopic pistons. The elevator car
can travel up to 50 feet thanks to these pistons. There's also a variant with non-
telescoping pistons that only allows for a 20-foot travel range.

3. Machine-Room-Less (MRL) Elevators

A machine room is usually positioned above the elevator shaft in most elevators.
When maintenance is needed, this type of elevator has a machine installed in the override
space that can only be accessed through the top of the elevator car. This sort of elevator
has a maximum speed of 500 feet per minute and can only travel a distance of 250 feet.

4. Vacuum (Air Driven) Home Elevators

Vacuum elevators, which were first introduced to the elevator industry in 2005,
work without the usage of cables or pulley systems. The natural principles of physics
govern the operation of these air-driven elevators. This lift system is just a tube in a
 sealed vacuum, made of polycarbonate and aluminum materials. Movement is aided by
the air beneath and above the elevator car. When you press the up button, the system
decreases the pressure above the tube, allowing the air pressure below to push it higher.
As you descend, however, the pressure below decreases, pushing the elevator to descend.

TYPES OF ESCALATORS

1. Parallel Escalators

Parallel escalators are escalators that have the same direction of travel. These
escalators take up more floor space than typical escalator designs, but they have a more
spectacular appearance. However, when compared to other escalators, these are shown to
be less efficient and more expensive. Spiral or stacked parallel arrangements can be used
in parallel escalators, depending on the practical circumstances of the location. By just
turning around at the end of the journey, the user can continue to use the adjacent
escalators. They are commonly used in places like shopping malls and public buildings.

2. Spiral Parallel Escalators

Another common style of elevator is the spiral parallel escalator. Long distances
are best served by this sort of escalator. It makes the user walk properly and over long
distances. Users can simply access the it without difficulty. This style of escalator will
always be ideal in places like shopping malls, train stations, and metros. This style of
escalator can be used in both domestic and commercial settings.

3. Multiple Parallel Escalators

The Multiple Parallel Escalator is a type of escalator that always travels in the
same direction. Its primary function is to travel in one direction only. In an escalator, a
moving handrail that keeps up with the movement of the steps is required. The
movement's direction remains constant throughout, and it can be regulated manually or
automatically depending on the situation. The major aim is to transport people and
relocate them from one location to another. Because it covers a large area, it saves time.

4. Crisscross Escalators
 Crisscross escalators are the most popular type of escalator, with the higher and
lower ends at opposite ends of the escalator. Crisscross escalators or crisscross escalators
are two terms for this type of setup. The cost of installing this sort of escalator is quite
low. It also takes up very little floor space. It also has the least number of structural needs.
People can simply move from one location to another by using this escalator. Such an
escalator can be readily installed up to five levels. They can easily be found at areas like
cinema halls and airports.

5. Curved Escalators

A curved escalator is one that is designed in a special manner, such as a curved or

helical shape with curved steps. This escalator curves to the left or right depending on
your preference. These escalators are typically seen in locations where the steps must be
connected with the aid of a landing. Curved escalators are used to enhance the
architectural splendor of a building or to conserve space. The escalator is sloped at a 30-
degree inclination. It has a carrying capacity of roughly 6500 persons per hour. Its average
rated speed is roughly 25 meters per minute, and the vertical climb in meters ranges from
3500 to 6600 meters.

6. Step Type Escalators

This is the most prevalent sort of escalator. Metal steps are used nowadays,
whereas wood steps were used previously and were not as successful. Step escalators are
popular because they can go up and down, flatten out, and then go up and down again.
The escalator's steps are mounted on hinged circles, which track their appearance in
addition to the steps that are visible from all above steps. When compared to other types of
escalators, this one is designed to be much safer.

7. Wheelchair-Accessible Escalators

A wheelchair-accessible escalator is one form of escalator that allows you to

transport a wheelchair. This sort of escalator has a dedicated attendant. When a wheelchair
user enters the escalator, the escalator enters a special mode in which three steps level out
and a platform form. Some spikes protruded from the back of the step, closer to the
wheelchair's lower landing. As a result, the lower landing of the wheelchair is prevented,
 and the person never falls. This sort of escalator is ideal for physically challenged people,
since it allows them to easily move from one floor to another.

8. Belt Type Escalators

The most recent style of escalator is the belt type escalator, commonly known as
moving walkways. There are no stairs on this sort of escalator. It will move smoothly if
you simply hold the grip and stand. This moving walkway has been implemented in a
number of retail stores, shopping malls, restaurants, airports, and hotels. It has numerous
advantages. You may simply transport your luggage up and down using moving
walkways. You don't have to take the stairs or the elevator. You will be able to reach
extremely easily by using this moving walkway. 

9. Cleat Type Escalators

Cleat type escalators include cleated metal and later wood trends, and are one form
of escalator. There are certain escalators that resemble a belt, and this style of escalator is
ideal for moving up and down smoothly. People can easily ascend and descend in this
style of elevator. This is a sanitary elevator with a number of advantages. Several
shopping malls have already installed this type of escalator to make it easier to get up and
down.

IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Elevators and escalators are utilized in a variety of places, and they might even be
considered an essential feature of a mobile and modern civilization. People can move around
more quickly and easily using these. As a result, it is critical to implement the proper safety
mechanisms and components of elevators and escalators. Their movement and speed should be
controlled by the safety devices. The elevator and escalator should be tested on a regular basis to
ensure its safety. Firefighter services should be included in them to ensure passenger safety in the
event of a fire. Elevator hydraulic systems must also be tested on a regular basis to verify their
performance. Finally, to reduce the risk of safety issues, elevator and escalator manufacturers
should guarantee that they meet with levelling criteria.
REFERENCES:

 Elevator. (09 December 2019). Retrieved from

https://www.britannica.com/technology/elevator-vertical-transport
 Fireman’s Elevator. (24 July 2019). Retrieved from
https://elevation.fandom.com/wiki/Fireman%27s_elevator
 Escalator. (10 November 2021). Retrieved from
https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Escalator
 Differences Between Elevator Types. (2021). Retrieved from
http://www.elevatorhistory.net/elevator-facts/elevator-types/
 The Four Main Types of Elevators. (14 April 2021). Retrieved from
https://www.schindler.com/ph/internet/en/about-us/news/2021/types-of-
elevators.html#button
 A Guide for Choosing the Type of Elevator You Need. (2021). Retrieved from
https://www.vacuumelevators.com/a-guide-for-choosing-the-type-of-elevator-you-need/
 9 Different Types of Escalators. (25 August 2021). Retrieved from
https://www.delfarelevator.com/amp/9-Different-Types-of-Escalators-id3900599.html