Different Types of Elevators

1. Passenger Elevators: Designed for transporting people between floors in buildings.

2. Service Elevators: Used for transporting goods and employees, often found in
hotels and hospitals.
3. Freight Elevators: Built to carry heavy loads, such as cargo in industrial buildings.
4. Dumbwaiters: Small elevators used for transporting food or small items, commonly
found in restaurants12.
Different Types of Escalator Layouts
1. Parallel Escalators: Escalators that run side by side in the same direction.
2. Multiple Parallel Escalators: Several escalators running parallel to each other,
often in opposite directions.
3. Crisscross Escalators: Escalators that intersect each other, saving space and
providing efficient movement34.
Parts of an Elevator (Two Types) and Their Functions
1. Traction Elevators:
o Hoistway: The vertical shaft that houses the elevator car and counterweight.
o Elevator Car: The cabin where passengers ride.
o Counterweight: Balances the weight of the elevator car.
o Guide Rails: Ensure smooth movement of the car.
o Hoisting Cables: Lift and lower the car.
o Pulley System: Facilitates the movement of the car56.
2. Hydraulic Elevators:
o Hydraulic Ram: Pushes the elevator car up from below.
o Pump Unit: Supplies hydraulic fluid to the ram.
o Control System: Manages the movement of the elevator56.
Parts of an Escalator and Their Functions
1. Top and Bottom Landing Platforms: House the gears and motors that move the
steps.
2. Tracks: Guide the step chain and ensure smooth movement.
3. Steps: The moving parts that passengers stand on, usually made of aluminum.
4. Handrails: Provide support and safety for passengers78.

Parts of Elevator and Its Function

In this article, we will tell you about the various parts of elevators and its function.
Elevators have been around for many years.Let’s here take a closer look at parts of
elevators and its function.
Speed Governors
The speed regulating system of elevators is known as the speed governor.If the elevator
runs more than the speed limit, the speed governor controls the speed. It is usually
attached to the bottom of the car and is also known as governor rope.
Electric Motor
In case the lift faces any serious condition, Electric Motors helps in preventing it and
provides a smooth functioning of lifts.
Elevator Rails
Sliding up and down in the elevators is possible with the proper functioning of Elevator
Rails.
Cabin
This is the main part of Elevator which is designed for the shipment of goods and
services or the passage of persons.
Elevator Shaft
Lift cabin moves in this space. Depending upon the type of elevator, the location of the
shaft can be varied.
Doors
As normal doors, elevator doors are also meant for entry and exit. Elevator door is of two
types: Manual doors and Automatic doors.
 Manual doors: These types of doors are opened with the help of a person who
wants to enter the lift.
 Automatic doors: Automatic doors are the type of doors which are automatically
opened as it is powered by a door operator.
Drive unit
Everything that works under electricity must have a motor attached for the functioning.
Drive unit is the part which contains a motor that drives the lift.
Buffers
The buffer is an apparatus located at the bottom of elevator designed to protect people.
Buffers can stop a descending car by accumulating or dissipating the kinetic energy of
the car.
Safety device
This is a mechanical device attached to the elevator for safety reasons. In case the lift
travels downward with a maximum speed or over the speed limit, safety device can
maintain a safety and secure traveling.
Cabin/ Car
This is the main part of Elevator which is designed for enclosed transport of
passengers & goods
Cable (Rope)
it is used to support the car (passing over the drive sheave to the counterweight)
& pull the car. Usually number of lays depends on load & speed.
Elevator Machine
A traction machine is used on all traction elevator equipment types. A standard
traction machine consists of a motor, drive sheave, brake and machine bed plate.
The traction machine motor turns the drive sheave shaft to turn the drive sheave. As
the sheave turns the hoist ropes pass over the drive sheave and pull the car through
the hoistway.
Controller
An Elevator controller is a system to control the elevators, either manual or
automatic.
The controller usually tune down the voltage between 12V to 24V to the controlling
 system, only the motor needs 3-phase power supply. The low voltage power supply is
for the controlling component and the fixtures to control the elevator
Drive unit
Everything that works under electricity must have a motor attached for the
functioning & driven by VVVF drives.
The counter weight
In practice, elevators work in a slightly different way from simple hoists. The
elevator car is balanced by a heavy counterweight that weighs roughly the same
amount as the car when it's loaded 40%-50% (in other words, the weight of the car
itself plus 40–50 percent of the total weight it can carry). When the elevator goes up,
the counterweight goes down—and vice-versa, which helps us in four ways:
 The counterweight makes it easier for the motor to raise and lower the car—just
as sitting on a see-saw makes it much easier to lift someone's weight compared
to lifting them in your arms. Thanks to the counterweight, the motor needs to use
much less force to move the car either up or down. Assuming the car and its
contents weigh more than the counterweight, all the motor has to lift is the
difference in weight between the two and supply a bit of extra force to overcome
friction in the pulleys and so on.
 Since less force is involved, there's less strain on the cables—which makes the
elevator a little bit safer.
 The counterweight reduces the amount of energy the motor needs to use. This is
intuitively obvious to anyone who's ever sat on a see-saw: assuming the see-saw
is properly balanced, you can bob up and down any number of times without ever
really getting tired—quite different

from lifting someone in your arms, which tires you very quickly. This point also
follows from the first one: if the motor is using less force to move the car the
same distance, it's doing less work against the force of gravity.
 The counterweight reduces the amount of braking the elevator needs to use.
Imagine if there were no counterweight: a heavily loaded elevator car would be
really hard to pull upwards but, on the return journey, would tend to race to the
ground all by itself if there weren't some sort of sturdy brake to stop it. The
counterweight makes it much easier to control the elevator car.
Hoistway
The space enclosed by fireproof walls and elevator doors for the travel of one or
more elevators, dumbwaiters or material lifts. It includes the pit and terminates at
the underside of the overhead machinery space floor or grating, or at the underside
of the roof where the hoistway does not penetrate the roof.
Guide Rails
Steel T-shaped or formed sections with guiding surfaces installed vertically in a
hoistway to guide and direct the course of travel of an elevator car and elevator
counterweights.

Buffers
The buffer is an apparatus located at the bottom of elevator designed to protect
people. Buffers can stop a descending car by accumulating or dissipating the kinetic
energy of the car.
Speed governors
Most elevators have an entirely separate speed-regulating system called a
governor, which is a flywheel with mechanical arms built inside it. Normally the arms
are held inside the flywheel by springs, but if the lift moves too fast, they fly outward,
pushing a lever mechanism that trips one or more braking systems.
The safety brake

Each car ran between two vertical guide rails with sturdy metal teeth embedded all the way
up them. At the top of each car, there was a spring-loaded mechanism with hooks attached.
If the cable broke, the hooks sprung outward and jammed into the metal teeth in the guide
rails, locking the car safely in position.
Doors
As normal doors, elevator doors are also meant for entry and exit. Elevator door is
of two types: Manual doors and Automatic doors.
 Manual doors: These types of doors are opened with the help of a person
who wants to enter the lift.
 Automatic doors: Automatic doors are the type of doors which are
automatically opened as it is powered by a door operator and usually have a
full height photo-electric curtain to sense the entry/exit of persons.

Hydraulic
 Car
 Power pack/ Piston
 Elevator Machine
 Controls
 Hoist way
 Rails
 Car Buffer

Different Types of Elevators

1. Passenger Elevators:
o Function: Transport people between floors in buildings.
o Common Uses: Residential buildings, offices, hotels.
2. Service Elevators:
o Function: Transport goods and employees.
o Common Uses: Hotels, hospitals, commercial buildings.
3. Freight Elevators:
o Function: Carry heavy loads.
o Common Uses: Warehouses, factories, industrial buildings.
4. Dumbwaiters:
o Function: Transport small items like food.
o Common Uses: Restaurants, libraries, private homes.
 Different Types of Escalator Layouts
1. Parallel Escalators:
o Description: Escalators running side by side in the same direction.
o Common Uses: Shopping malls, airports.
2. Multiple Parallel Escalators:
o Description: Several escalators running parallel, often in opposite directions.
o Common Uses: Large commercial spaces, transit hubs.
3. Crisscross Escalators:
o Description: Escalators that intersect each other, saving space.
o Common Uses: Multi-level retail stores, complex buildings.

Parts of an Elevator (Two Types) and Their Functions

Traction Elevators
 Hoistway: The vertical shaft that houses the elevator car and counterweight.
 Elevator Car: The cabin where passengers ride.
 Counterweight: Balances the weight of the elevator car.
 Guide Rails: Ensure smooth movement of the car.
 Hoisting Cables: Lift and lower the car.
 Pulley System: Facilitates the movement of the car.

Hydraulic Elevators
 Hydraulic Ram: Pushes the elevator car up from below.
 Pump Unit: Supplies hydraulic fluid to the ram.
 Control System: Manages the movement of the elevator.

Parts of an Escalator and Their Functions

 Top and Bottom Landing Platforms: House the gears and motors that move the
steps.
 Tracks: Guide the step chain and ensure smooth movement.
 Steps: The moving parts that passengers stand on, usually made of aluminum.
 Handrails: Provide support and safety for passengers.

An escalator is a moving staircase – a be permanently the same, or be controlled

conveyor transport device for carrying by personnel according to the time of day,
people between floors of a building. or automatically be controlled by whoever
arrives first, whether at the bottom or at
Escalators are powered by constant-speed the top (the system is programmed so that
alternating current motors and move at the direction is not reversed while a
approximately 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m) per passenger is on the escalator).
second. The maximum angle of inclination
of an escalator to the horizontal floor level The benefits of escalators are many:
is 30 degrees with a standard rise up to
about 60 feet (18 m). Modern escalators  They have the capacity to move
have single piece aluminum or steel steps large numbers of people.
that move on a system of tracks in a  They can be placed in the same
continuous loop. physical space as one might install
a staircase.
Direction of movement (up or down) can
  They have no waiting interval
(except during very heavy traffic).
 They can be used to guide people
toward main exits or special
exhibits‫ز‬
 They may be weatherproofed for
outdoor use.
 They can help in controlling the
traffic flow of people For example,
an escalator to an exit effectively
discourages most people from
using it as an entrance, and may
reduce security concerns.

Crisscross Es
calators
(Minimizes structural space requirements
by "stacking" escalators that go in one
Escalators have four typical configuration
direction, frequently used in department
options:
stores or shopping centers)
1- Parallel

3- Multiple parallel

Parallel Escalators

Up and down escalators "side by side or

separated by a distance," seen often in
metro stations and multilevel motion
picture theaters)

2- Crisscross
Multiple parallel Escalators

(two or more escalators together that

travel in one direction next to one or two
escalators in the same bank that travel in
the other direction).

4- “Up” Escalator next to Staircase

It is preferred that staircases be located

adjacent to the escalator if the escalator is
the primary means of transport between
floors.

Escalators Basic Components

The Escalator consists of the following 2. Truss.

components: 3. Tracks.
1. Landing Platforms. 4. Steps.
 5. Handrail. 9. Braking system.
6. Escalator Exterior (Balustrade). 10. Safety devices.
7. Drive system. 11. Electrical & Control Systems
8. Auto-Lubrication System.
12. .

First: Landing Platforms

` Landing Platforms
These two platforms house the curved sections of the
tracks, as well as the gears and motors that drive the stairs.
The top platform contains the motor assembly and the main
drive gear, while the bottom holds the step return idler
sprockets. These sections also anchor the ends of the
escalator truss.

In addition, the platforms contain a floor plate and a

combplate. The floor plate provides a place for the
passengers to stand before they step onto the moving
stairs.

This plate is flush with the finished floor and is either hinged
or removable to allow easy access to the machinery below.
The combplate is the piece between the stationary floor plate and the moving step. It is so
named because its edge has a series of cleats that resemble the teeth of a comb. These
teeth mesh with matching cleats on the edges of the steps. This design is necessary to
minimize the gap between the stair and the landing, which helps prevent objects from
getting caught in the gap.

Major components of Landing Platforms are:

 Combplates also known as walk-on plates are an entrance and exit for the
passengers to the steps. It provides mounting for the comb segments and combplate
(comb impact) switch actuator.
 Comb Segments are replaceable sections, usually between 6” to 8” in width or
maybe narrower, with teeth that mesh (comb) into the step treads. Comb segment
may also be called a combplate by non-standard noun name. A left hand, a right
hand, or a middle section comb segment can be identified by the pattern of the
combs on their sides and by the width or number of combs.
 Access Covers used as an access to the pit area for inspection, maintenance, and
repairs. The lower landing access cover plates provide access to the reversing station
and step removal. The upper access cover plates may provide an access to the
driving machine, bull gear, and sometimes the controller.
 Comb Lights are an optional safety device used to illuminate the area where steps
and comb segments meet, mounted at the upper and lower landing above the comb
segments. They are from a different power source that stays on always even if the
unit is not running.
Second: Truss
The escalator
truss

The escalator truss is the structural frame of the escalator and consists of three major
areas:
 The lower section,
 Incline section,
 Upper section.

It is a hollow metal structure that bridges

the lower and upper landings. It is
composed of two side sections joined
together with cross braces across the
bottom and just below the top.

The ends of the truss are attached to the

top and bottom landing platforms via steel
or concrete supports. The truss carries all
the straight track sections connecting the
upper and lower sections. The structural
steel truss members are designed to carry
the entire load of the escalator equipment
and the steel covering without shifting more
than specified by the contract
requirements. The entire structure is rigid
enough to maintain close operating
tolerances but will allow for building shift
and vibration because of a built-in system
of shift- plates and Teflon pads.

Third: Tracks

Tracks syste
m
The track system is built into the truss to guide the step chain, which continuously pulls the
steps from the bottom platform and back to the top in an endless loop. There are actually
two tracks:
  One for the front wheels of the steps (called the step wheel track).
 One for the back wheels of the steps (called the trailer-wheel track).
The relative positions of these tracks cause the steps to form a staircase as they move out
from under the combplate. Along the straight section of the truss, the tracks are at their
maximum distance apart. This configuration forces the back of one step to be at a 90-degree
angle relative to the step behind it. This right angle bends the steps into a shape resembling
a staircase.

At the top and bottom of the escalator, the two tracks converge so that the front and back
wheels of the steps are almost in a straight line. This causes the stairs to lay in a flat sheet-
like arrangement, one after another, so they can easily travel around the bend in the curved
section of track.

Three major assemblies of the tracks are:

 Upper.
 Incline.
 Lower.

Track assembly major components are:

Track assembly major

components
a. Circle Tracks or Crab tracks (A) are c. Chain Wheel, Upper Upthrust (hold
located at the top and bottom pits. Most of down) Track (C) is used to hold down
the outer circle tracks have access and guide chain wheels to and from the
windows for easy step removal. Some are transition.
mounted on a removable or replaceable
curve plate. The Montgomery &
Montgomery KONE escalators circle tracks
at the lower reversing station are part of d. Chain Wheel, Upper Line Track
the “make-up track” that travels with the (D). Used to support the chain wheels
carriage. Circle tracks provide smooth step to/from the bull gear sprockets' top end
travel at the end of the tracks. The through the incline area down to the
distance of the inside circle track from the carriage sprockets' top, or vice versa.
carriage shaft of Westinghouse escalator is
used to measure the wear of the step e. Step Wheel, Lower Upthrust Track
chain. (E). A few feet of track used to hold down
and guide step wheels to and from the
b. Beveled Track (B) provides smooth transition area.
transition of chain wheels to and from the
carriage sprockets. Beveled track f. Step Wheel, Lower Line Track or
eliminates the bumping effect of the chain Flat Track (F) works in conjunction with
wheels to the tracks, thus minimizing the lower upthrust step wheel track. Flat
premature wear and damage to the track supports the step wheels in either
wheels. ascending or descending through the
incline. h. Step Wheel, Return Track
(H). Slightly above the chain wheel return
g. Chain Wheel, Return Track (G) is track at the incline section of the non-
used to support the chain wheels from the passenger side. Step wheel return track is
bull gear lower end to the carriage lower used to position the step treads to run in
end, or vice versa. parallel with the chain wheel return track.

Forth: Steps

The steps are solid, one piece,

die-cast aluminum or steel.
Yellow demarcation lines may be
added to clearly indicate their
edges.

The steps are linked by a

continuous metal chain that
forms a closed loop. The front
and back edges of the steps are
each connected to two wheels.
The rear wheels are set further
apart to fit into the back track
and the front wheels have
shorter axles to fit into the
narrower front track. As
described above, the position of the tracks controls the orientation of the steps.

Steps Major Components

Steps Major
Components

 The Step Plate (Tread) is the surface area of the step people step on. The step
plate is usually made of an aluminum plate with longitudinal cleats or grooves that
run through the combs and provide secure footing.
 The Step Riser is the vertical cleat cast into the front of a step, designed to pass
between the cleats of adjacent step, thus creating a combing action with minimum
clearance for safety.
 The Demarcations are yellow strips or may be in bold color around the step tread
but mostly located at the front and at the rear ends of the tread. They are used to
visually locate the step separation and visual contrast between the steps and the
combs.
 Frame/Yoke - main support for riser, step tread, and step wheels
 Trail Wheels are used to guide the step and support its load on the track and
prevent it from being out of plane.
  Step Hook normally attached to the end of the yoke by the step wheel used to
activate the step up thrust safety device when the steps are not on their plane of
travel at the top and bottom inclines.

Note: The length of the step is measured from both ends of the step tread (front and rear)
and the width is from both sides of the step.

Sixth: Handrail

Handrail Assembly

The Handrail provides a convenient handhold for passengers while they are riding the
escalator. In an escalator, the handrail is pulled along its track by a chain that is connected
to the main drive gear by a series of pulleys.

The Handrail is constructed of four distinct sections:

Handrail Compon
ents
 At the center of the handrail is a "slider “also
known as a "glider ply," which is a layer of a
cotton or synthetic textile. The purpose of the
slider layer is to allow the handrail to move
smoothly along its track.
  The next layer, known as the “tension member” consists of either steel cable or
flat steel tape and provides the handrail with tensile strength and flexibility.
 On top of the tension member are the inner construction components which are
made of chemically treated rubber designed to prevent the layers from separating.
 Finally, the outer layer, the only part that passengers actually see is the cover
which is a blend of synthetic polymers and rubber, this cover is designed to resist
degradation from environmental conditions, mechanical wear and tear, and human
vandalism.

Seventh: Escalator Exterior (Balustrade)

Escalator Exterior
(Balustrade)

The Balustrade consists of the

handrail and the exterior supporting
structure of the escalator. It is the
escalator exterior components
extending above the steps and it
supports the handrail. It is either
designed as Interior Low-deck or
Interior High-deck.

The balustrade may also refer to the

individual interior panels, skirt
panels, and deck covers of the
escalator. Each interior balustrade panel section is individually removable to allow easy
access to the escalator interior for cleaning, maintenance, and component replacement.

Escalator Exterior (Balustrade) Components:

1. Interior Low-deck has interior or side between the side of the steps and the
panels that are usually glass panels that skirt.
support the handrail base.
b. Interior Panel - commonly called
2. Interior High-deck is the side panel “side panel" by mechanics. The central
and is usually aluminum or steel alloy point of the balustrade that supports the
sheets, sometimes called solid panels. The handrail base and sets the proper
major components of interior high-deck elevation for handrails on a glass
are: balustrade. It provides access to the
handrail; driver, idlers, sheaves, skirt
a. Skirt Panel - commonly called a switches in interior high-deck balustrades,
“Skirt." It is the interior covering of the and various components.
balustrade located alongside the steps. It
houses the actuator for the skirt safety c. Handrail Stand - the handrail tracks or
switch. Side Safety Brushes are installed guides located above the side panels or
slightly above the step level on the skirt maybe the upper deck.
panel to provide passenger safety
d. High-deck Interior - the top most, normally houses the following switches;
inner part of the balustrade that supports emergency stop, on/off, up/down or
the handrail track or guide. directional indicator lighting, Entry to and
exit from the escalator normally occurs at
e. High-deck Exterior - top most outer one of the newels and several important
covering of the balustrade outside and features are conveniently located at each.
above the side panels. Supports the outer
side of the handrail guide. If the outer j. Newel Base or Front Plates -
edge of the deck is greater than 12 inches supports the newel stand and it may
from centerline of the handrail, an anti- house the Handrail Inlet (Guard) Safety
slide device or sometimes called baggage Device.
stops (like a hockey puck) must be
installed. k. Emergency Stop Button is the most
important feature at each Newel. The
f. Low-deck Interior or Inner Decks - Emergency Buttons are located so that
the inner covering of the balustrade anyone can stop the escalator if there is a
located between the glass panels and the need. These switches have a lift cover that
skirts. Provide access to the handrail will sound an audible alarm when lifted.
drivers and skirt switches in interior low- When either button is pushed, power to
deck balustrades. the electrical drive motor is shut off and
the escalator brake is applied.
g. Low-deck Exterior or Outer Decks -
the outer covering of the balustrade l. Key Operated Switches are located
located outside the glass panels. on each Newel and they are used to
control the “ON” and “OFF” operation and
h. Exterior Panel is an outer covering the direction of escalator travel. These
below the high-deck exterior. switches are intended for the use of
authorized personnel only.
i. Newel - is the balustrade termination at
the upper and the lower landing of the
escalator in a semi-circle shape. It