The convenience and ease of taking an elevator up and down in a building are usually taken for granted. However, the elevator today is a marvel of modern technology.
Elevators possess the ability to carry thousands of pounds skyward in a matter of seconds, seamlessly defying gravity in the process.
A Brief History of Elevators
The history of how today’s elevators came to be is rooted in the need to transport raw materials through vertical space or steep terrain. During the Industrial Revolution, workers needed a streamlined way to transport commodities such as coal and lumber down from hillsides.
need led to the development of antiquated steam-powered “elevators” used primarily to transport raw materials in bulk. This technology quickly became common in factories and mines. As time progressed, different ways to power elevators began to take form.
Engineers developed belt-driven applications and added counterweights to give elevators an extra surge of power. In 1852, Elisha Otis introduced the most innovative elevator system to date. Otis’ design stood out because he installed a safety mechanism—now known as a “safety governor”- to stop the elevator from free-falling if the cables broke. The 1852 safety innovation remains in use today, refined and perfected over time. Today, elevators serve as the most widely used form of transportation, with millions of applications worldwide.