Wikijunior:How Things Work/Elevator
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A lift known throughout the world, is known as an elevator in the United States. The term "elevator" is actually the brand name of a lift by a company within the United States. The company was so successful and installed in so many places, that people started to refer to lifts as elevators. This in turn caused the company to lose its "Elevator" trademark and it became the common name in the United States for a lift.
A lift/elevator is designed to transport vertically in a controlled manner. The most common lift/elevators are used to move people between floors in buildings all over the world. They are also used in mines and manufacturing processes to move material and personnel.
A lift/elevator is made up of 4 major components: The lift/elevator cab or platform, the shaft or hoistway, the drive system and the counterweight.
The Cab is moved vertically inside the shaft using either a hydraulic piston or a pulley system, normally the weight of the cab is balanced by counterweights so that the drive system uses minimal energy.
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[edit] Who invented it?
Elisha Graves Otis. Otis actually invented a safe way of braking a hoisting machine, making it safe for people to use. This enabled the development of the passenger elevator/lift.
[edit] How does it get power?
Elevator is powered by electricity drawn from the power grid.
[edit] How does it work?
An elevator is really just a cab (or box) attached to a pulley or hydraulic system, which you will read about later, with some counterweights thrown in to make it easier to lift. When you push a button, it tells the pulley how much to turn, and the elevator moves to where you want it to.
[edit] How dangerous is it?
Elevators can be dangerous. For instance, if the pulley or hydraulic system moves the wrong distance, people can get stuck inside the elevator, and they have to call the firemen. Actually being stuck inside an elevator which has stopped past a floor isn't dangerous. Trying to get out yourself prior to having the licensed elevating mechanic open the door for you is. The doors can't close on you these days either, there is either a mechanical arm which travels with the door that when hit will cause the door operator to re-open. Or there is what is called a door detector placed on the car door, which uses light rays, and should the light rays be broken the door re-opens as well.
Some people are scared that if the power goes out an elevator will fall. This is not true, as an elevator has a brake that will stop the elevator from falling.
[edit] What does it do?
The elevator/lift transports people to different floors of a building.By moving vertically upwards or downwards.
[edit] How does it vary?
[edit] How has it changed the world?
The elevator has changed the world dramatically. Without elevators you would not have mid/high rise buildings. The NYC skyline would be a series of 5 story buildings. Donald Trump would probably not be famous!
