Elevators - 10 facts you didn’t know you needed

An elevator can be described as an installation used to vertically transport people and goods between different floors in buildings. Used in public buildings and residences, hotels, business buildings and hospitals, elevators have brought about both ease and convenience in our daily lives.

There are two major types of elevators: traction elevators and hydraulic elevators. The major difference between both elevators is in the inner workings of their systems - how they move through the cabin.

Traction elevators work via a system of pulley, ropes, and counterweights. Two major advantages of this kind of elevators are that it is energy efficient and it has a high speed rise. That means, it is faster than most.

Hydraulic elevators, on the other hand, operate via a piston and pump system. The major advantage of hydraulic elevators is that they use up less shaft space which makes room for a bigger cabin. Additionally, they are quite economical.

Without further ado, we move on to the 10 facts about elevators that you didn’t know you needed.

Fact #1 - Elevators are the safest way to travel

Through statistics and research, it has been found that elevators are much safer to travel in than motor vehicles. They are twenty times safer than escalators. They are even safer than climbing stairs. So, with elevators, you never have to worry about accidents, because chances are - you are more than likely to get to your destination in one piece.

Fact #2 - Without elevators, there would be no mega cities

A major element of mega cities and metropolises is its elegant skyscrapers. The NECOM House in Lagos and The Dakkada Towers in Akwa Ibom boast of 32 and 21 floors, respectively. Seeing as an elevator is mandatory for a building which has more than four to five floors, buildings would be no more than this amount of stories tall eliminating the existence of skyscrapers and ultimately mega cities.

Fact #3 - The average user uses elevators 4 times a day

Studies reflect that the average amount of times elevators are used daily by a single user is four. Elevators are an easy and practical way to move around, especially in multiple-story buildings such as Cocoa House in Ibadan. Need to get to the 7th floor—use the elevator. Need to see someone on the 3rd floor—use the elevator. Need to get lunch on the ground floor—use the elevator. Forgot my keys in the parking lot—use the elevator. You can relate, can’t you?

Fact #4 - Elevator music first came to light in the 1920s

Imagine entering an elevator for the first time: you’re unsure how it works, if it will take you to your destination safely. It’s only natural to feel afraid. This was the case in the early days of elevators and in the 1920s, relaxing music known as elevator music was introduced to calm fearful passengers who were using elevators for the first time.

Fact #5 - The first written record of an elevator comes from Greece

This record dates back to 236 B.C. and the elevator in this record was invented by the Greek mathematician known as Archimedes. The primeval elevator was operated by hoisting ropes wound around a drum which was then rotated by manpower.

Fact #6 - The maximum altitude that a one cable-hoisted elevator can achieve is 1700 feet

This means than an elevator can travel roughly up to 156 floors, which is higher than the Empire State Building in New York which stands proudly at 102 floors.

Fact #7 - Without elevators, there would be no penthouses

The concept of the penthouse emphasizes the splendid view that can only be seen from the upper floors of a building. Without elevators, it would be difficult to reach and even create these upper floors - ultimately eliminating the chances of penthouses.

Fact #8 - The world’s first successful passenger elevator was designed by Elisha Otis in 1857

Elisha Otis’s design was a hydraulic elevator for the E.V. Haughwout Building in New York. Today, the Otis Elevator Company is still the world’s largest maker of elevators.

Fact #9 - The “Close Door” button on an elevator doesn’t actually work

We all enter elevators and click on the “close door” button so we can make a safe trip, but the fun fact about this is that the button is only there to give the passengers an illusion of control. The door has been timed and programmed to close on its own, and the only time the button is enabled is in emergency situations.

Fact #10 - Some elevators are world-renowned for their distinguishing characteristics

The Lacerda Elevator in Brazil is the busiest elevator in the world. It transports about 900,000 people every month.

The Umeda Hankyu Building in Osaka, Japan has five elevators that can hold up to 80 passengers.

The St. Louis Gateway Arch in Missouri has its elevator cabins travelling in an arch.

Voila! You have reached the end of this article, 10 times more knowledgeable about elevators.

On a final note, if your elevator needs repairs, or maybe you are looking to install an elevator, feel free to contact our Daibau experts for the finest solution.