Manabat, Ezekiel B.

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TERM PAPER #2 (MENGR 3100)

Various machineries in workplaces, or any building for that matter, does certainly aid with easy
transportation of several people from one floor to the next, such as the elevators and escalators. And
what is not to love; they make climbing up less of a hassle than doing stairs, and is most certainly far
more convenient and accessible in that regard.

 ESCALATORS

Escalators are transportation machines which are practically moving staircases attached to a belt
driven by a motor to carry people or other objects from one floor to another. Even when it is
nonfunctional, it may still be used like a normal staircase. It does not get as easily crowded, as people
may easily just fall in line to get to use it, ensuring a linear flow.

Escalators are built with a 30-degree angle, and are comprised of a few components, such as the
landing platforms where the curved section of the track system along with the motors and gears that
make the steps move and form into staircases as they move along are located. Supporting the entirety is
the truss that bridges both landings. Then there is the balustrade, which is comprised of the hand
railings, the balustrade panel that supports the handrails, and the skirt panel where the balustrade is
attached.

Various types of elevators exist, which largely just vary in design or as building design and layout
consideration requires, based on the building’s physical constraints, location, volume of people, safety
consideration, or aesthetic value. These are as follows:

1. Parallel Escalators

These escalators are, as the name suggest, designed in

parallel, reverse directions. Often these are the most
convenient designs, and takes up the least space for
buildings that are quite lacking in floor area, however
they are found to be less efficient and more expensive
compared to other types of elevators, and may be
more favorably stacked. These are usually used in
malls and other public buildings.

2. Spiral Parallel Escalators

 These escalators are arranged and installed in such a way that often forces users to walk around.
However, unlike parallel escalators, it is only preferrable for use in places with a single flow of
traffic.

3. Criss-cross Escalators

Elevators are oriented in a way that seems to intersect

with other elevators from lower or upper floors, or
with adjacent elevators, giving a criss-cross pattern
This arrangement is commonly employed as it has
relatively less installation price and takes up less floor
space.

Escalators, while convenient for travel, are still very much prone to various safety and fire
concerns. Various documented cases of people accidentally getting pulled under hand rails or steps,
resulting in severe injuries, and various cases of elevators catching fire due to build-up of small debris.
Thus, various design changes are in the works to minimize these risks. However, as far as we know,
these risks may never completely be mitigated, hence safety measures must be practiced when utilizing
escalators, such as being careful where one steps, avoiding contact with the steps or skirt, holding firmly
to the railings, and ensuring that there are no loose, hanging, or dangling articles of clothing when
boarding escalators. Maintenance and cleaning of the escalator must also be done on a regular basis in
order to prevent the build-up of small debris inside. Altogether, these measures make for safer use of
elevators.

 ELEVATORS

Elevators, also known as lifts, are yet another convenient transportation machine in common use in
most buildings, especially multistorey ones, where moving by escalators on so many levels would most
certainly prove to be a tedious task. Elevators are comprised of a platform that is being moved vertically
up or down by an electric-powered mechanism, which may either be cable-, hydraulic- or roller-assisted,
with a counterweight attached to balance the weight of the car. Elevator doors are installed per floor in
order to prevent users from falling, entering, or tampering with the shaft. Typically, elevators can service
a good amount of people, depending on its capacity.

Elevators come in a variety of types, more or less varying on their moving or hoisting
mechanism.

1. Traction Elevator

Traction elevators operate by means of AC or DC electric motors, with ropes that pass over a
wheel above the shaft which provides the traction – hence, the name. Counterweights are in place
to even out the weight of the occupants to ease the work the motor needs to do to raise the car. It
is usable for mid- and high-rise buildings, and can travel faster than hydraulic elevators.

These elevators may either have gears to rotate the wheels or none. Geared elevators make use
of gears to control the movement by winding the steel hoist around the drive sheave that is
attached to an elevator. Generally, these are the best option for speeds of up to 3m/s. On the other
hand, gearless elevators have the drive sheave attached directly to the motor, together with brakes.
Without gears to regulate the speed, these elevators are low-speed (as in low-RPM) but high-
torque, hence capable of traveling speeds of up to 20m/s.

Elevators having greater than 30m of travel have compensation systems, comprised of separate
sets of cables or chains attached to the bottom of both the counterweight and the cab to
compensate for the weight difference. Elevators may also employ regenerative drives, making use of
a principle similar to regenerative braking in vehicles via an additional functionality for the electric
motor to be able to act as a generator to capture some of the gravitational potential energy from
the descent of a cab when it is at full capacity, or its ascent when it is empty, effectively returning
some of the energy into the electrical system of the building.

2. Hydraulic Elevator

Hydraulic elevators, as the name suggests, make use of hydraulic cylinders to facilitate
movement of the cart. Conventionally, these types of elevators are supported by a piston placed at
its bottom, and uses electric motors to force hydraulic fluid down the piston to push the elevator
upward, which is then released to make the elevator descend, with a sheave beneath the floor of
the pit to support the piston as the elevator drops. These are only often used in low-rise buildings
ranging from 2 to 8 stories or up to 60 feet with low user volume, and is capable of travel at a
maximum of 1m/s

Other variations of hydraulic elevators exist. There are hole less ones which make use of above
ground cylinders, with telescoping pistons at the base of the pit to cushion the elevator, making it
cheaper and cost less for maintenance. There are also roped hydraulic elevators which combines the
hydraulic system with ropes to assist with the elevator motion.
 However, these types of elevators are in less common use nowadays due to being less energy-
efficient, which may raise electricity costs, on top of posing potential hazards to the environment
due to risk of hydraulic fluid leakage.

3. Machine-Room-Less (MRL) Elevator

These are elevators that are designed in such a way that all the moving mechanisms of the
elevator fit in the over-ride space on top of the elevator car. Thus, this elevator setup saves floor
area for the construction of a machine room, consumes 70-80% less energy, has no above-ground
component such as hydraulic cylinders, and can travel at greater speeds than hydraulics, and on an
even less cost. However, the only caveat is that they may be somewhat harder and more dangerous
to maintain and service.

4. Vacuum Elevator

These types of elevators may only be used exclusively on low buildings such as houses. This
elevator is constructed around a vacuum-sealed tube, with the cart capable of only carrying at most
three passengers. They allow vertical motion by creating a vacuum on top of the elevator, causing
the air from below to push the elevator upwards due to the difference in air pressure. The opposite
happens with descending – a vacuum is created below, forcing the air downwards and pushing the
elevator with it.

5. Pneumatic Elevator

These elevators make use of steam to move the cart. These types of elevators are relatively
obsolete, now that steam engine type machines are phased out, and more efficient electric motor-
driven elevators are in common use.

6. Electromagnetic-Propulsion Elevators

These elevators make use of electromagnetic propulsion, with magnetized coils around the shaft
that repels the magnets that are located in the elevator car, pushing it into a certain direction. It is
capable of moving not only vertically, but also horizontally. These are used for high-rise, high-density
buildings.

Besides the moving mechanism, elevators may also contain special modes in their controls for
use in certain situations, emergency or otherwise.

- Anti-crime protection modes allow the elevator to stop at a specific floor where guards or
receptionists may examine the passengers.
- Up peak mode focuses the elevator cars to the lobby to deal with the influx of people during
peak entry hours.
- Down peak mode sends cars to the highest floor to optimize carrying capacity and speed for
people leaving the building.
- Independent service mode overrides hall calls, and allows for only people in the floor where it is
stopped to use it. This is used often for transport of goods and groups of people.
- Inspection service mode is used for maintenance and repair. This mode allows access to the top
of the car where the hoistway is situated for the elevator mechanic to inspect, and also gives
 them control on elevators with lowered speeds. During this mode, hall calls are redirected to
other operating elevators.
- Fire service modes activate upon smoke and fire detection, or when the alarm is tripped. Upon
activation, the elevator is recalled to a designated floor, where firefighters can take control of
the elevator to rescue people from other floors and establish their base.
- Medical emergency mode is most commonly used in hospitals used for urgent intervention.
Here, personnel can activate the mode with a key, which allows them to override the elevator
which can respond quickest, where passengers will be informed to alight for use of the medical
personnel.
- Emergency power operations mode activate in the event of power loss, where the elevator
draws from an uninterruptible alternative power supply in order to be able to transport the
passengers to the ground floor before fully shutting down.

Elevators are indeed very convenient machines for easy and fast transport through multi-story
buildings. But as with any other heavy machines, they come with their own share of risks and dangers.
Being mindful of one’s steps, clothes, and belongings are necessary in order to avoid getting objects
stuck when the elevator doors close. Also, observe proper traffic flow, by allowing all the passengers to
vacate the car first before boarding it. Elevators, statistically, experience less accidents compared to
other forms of floor-to-floor travel means, thanks to safety brakes that prevent elevators from plunging
downwards, on top of the other protective systems that ensure the elevator would still function in the
event of power loss or other such emergencies. Regardless, on top of observing elevator safety and
etiquette for the passengers, proper and regular maintenance of the moving mechanisms, as well as the
integrity of the car of the elevator remains of paramount importance lest even these fail-safes will fail as
well.

SUMMARY

Escalators and elevators are handy machines of the modern times that allows us to scale floors
with relative ease and convenience. Escalators function like mobile stairs that transport us diagonally
from one floor to another through a mechanism of conveyor belts and steps being driven by an electric
motor, while elevators are purely vertical (and sometimes horizontal) in travel, and consists of a car that
is being carried from floor to floor by a joisting mechanism which makes use of traction, hydraulics,
electromagnets, or other means, which are still being driven by electric motors. Various types according
to design, utility, efficiency, and transport speed exist for both utilities alike.

CONCLUSION

Marvelous machines though they may be, they – as with any other mechanical equipment –
have their fair share of dangers and hazards. Thus, users – customers and employees alike, must
exercise caution when it comes to using these machines, such as being mindful of their surroundings
and themselves, and avoiding contact with parts of these machines that have risk to pull loose articles
in. Additionally, regular preventative maintenance and repairs must always be done on these machines
to ensure that they are working all prim and proper, to ensure no failure would ensue that might lead to
loss of life and limb. Only a combination of precautionary measures and regular inspection and
maintenance can mitigate any hazard, after all.