Elevators | Lifts
Elevators, or lifts, are vertical transportation devices that move people and goods to various levels and floors of a structure. Designed with a cab (also known as a car, carriage, or cage) that is either pushed or pulled vertically through space via a combination of machines and hoists, elevators are essential building technologies that facilitated the development of skyscrapers. Elevators are commonly distinguished by being either Traction Elevators that use hoist ropes or Hydraulic Elevators that are driven by a hydraulic cylinder.
Elisha Otis invented the ‘safety elevator’ in 1852 which was the first system that demonstrated that it was safe for passengers and widespread use in buildings.
The need for an elevator depends on the situation, but an elevator is typically needed when a building has three or more floors and is more than 3,000 ft2 | 279 m2.
The two most common elevator types are Traction and Hydraulic Elevators. Traction elevators are raised and lowered by steel hoists, while hydraulic systems use pistons.