2007-07-28 10:49:40 · 7 answers · asked by Laurie 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Primitive elevators were in use as early as the 3rd century BC, operated by human, animal, or water wheel power. From about the middle of the 19th century, power elevators, often steam-operated, were used for conveying materials in factories, mines, and warehouses.
In 1853, American inventor Elisha Otis demonstrated a freight elevator equipped with a safety device to prevent falling in case a supporting cable should break. This increased public confidence in such devices. Otis established a company for manufacturing elevators and patented (1861) a steam elevator. In 1846, Sir William Armstrong introduced the hydraulic crane, and in the early 1870s, hydraulic machines began to replace the steam-powered elevator. The hydraulic elevator is supported by a heavy piston, moving in a cylinder, and operated by the water (or oil) pressure produced by pumps.
Electric elevators came into to use toward the end of the 19th century. The first one was built by the German inventor Werner von Siemens in 1880.
2007-07-28 10:56:59 · answer #1 · answered by Kalikina 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Otis invented the modern elevator and founded the Otis Elevator company which still exist today.
Main difference between his and ealier elevators was safety stops to stop the elevator from falling in case the cables broke.
2007-07-28 18:44:00 · answer #2 · answered by JUAN FRAN$$$ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
STONE AGE AMN ... loonnnnggg ago ... but the modern elevator was the job of ... Elisha Graves Otis invented the elevator and also the elevator brake, which was the start of the regular usage of elevators. Elisha was born on August 3,1811. He was born on a farm near Halifax, Vermont. He was the youngest of six children. Otis tried over and over at establishing businesses in his early years. Otis had a poor health and had many financial problems also. In 1852, he moved to Yonkers, New York to put in machinery for the firm of Maize & Burns. Josiah Maize, of Maize & Burns, needed to move heavy items to higher floors. Otis was intrigued with the safety problems of the equipment. In 1853, Otis had put together an elevator in a one sided shaft. He did this using, a tough steel wagon spring machine with a ratchet. The spring would catch and hold, if the rope happened to give away. Otis familiarized his safety device on the floor of the Crystal Palace Exposition, in New York. With a large audience watching, Otis went up in the elevator. Halfway up, he had the hoisting cable cut with an ax, and it had torn the rope in half. Otis proved to the audience, that even though the rope was cut, the spring would be there to catch the elevator. Now people are using elevators regularly, without many dangers. This is due to the inventor of the safety- device, Elisha Graves Otis.
2007-07-28 17:56:40 · answer #3 · answered by ritukiran16 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Elisha Graves Otis
2007-07-28 17:58:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Elijah Otis.
You have probably heard of his company, Otis Elevators.
2007-07-28 17:55:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Someone named Otis.
LOL....Thanks Dluv1126.
2007-07-28 17:56:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
a guy who didn't like stairs?
2007-07-28 17:56:40 · answer #7 · answered by BURNZ 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋