Elisha Otis is described as a ceaseless tinkerer. He created the first safe elevator. Otis grew up on a Vermont farm in 1811. However the young Elisha preferred hanging around the blacksmith forge to working on the farm. His passion for tools and tinkering with inventions led him to innovate everywhere he worked. Otis made several attempts at establishing a business. However, he was chronically sick, which led to continual financial troubles. In 1845 he moved to Albany, New York where he where he work at a bedstead factory. It was here that he invented a railway safety brake, which could be controlled by the engineer, and ingenious devices to run rails for four-poster beds and to improve the operation of turbine wheels. He helped his brother design a hoist system to transport materials two to three stories high. He built a machine that sped the production time by four times.
Hoist systems had existed since the time of ancient Romans. But none of them were safe. When Otis lived in Yonkers, New York, he worked converting sawmill into a factory. It was at this time that he needed to lift heavy building materials, and he designed the first safe elevator. His intention was to create a device that would prevent the elevator from falling if the rope broke. He made toothed wooden guide rails to fit into opposite sides of the elevator shaft, and fitted a spring to the top of the elevator, running hoisting cables through it. The cables guided the elevator up and down, but if they broke, the release of tension would throw the spring mechanism outward into the notches, preventing the cabin from falling.
Otis demonstrated his invention at New York’s Crystal Palace Exhibition in 1853. Otis’s alarming demonstration increased orders for his hoist machines. This simple safety device changed the attitude of the public towards being lifted within multi-storied buildings. Over the years Otis made several improvements to his elevator and patented other inventions, but he never managed to run a successful business. In 1857 Elisha Otis and the Otis Elevator Company began manufacturing passenger elevators. While Otis did not invent the first elevator, he did invent the brake system used in modern elevators, and his brakes made skyscrapers a practical reality. The first public elevator was installed by Otis in a five story department store owned by E.W. Haughtwhat and Company of Manhattan. Otis’s safety elevators would be used in tall landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, becoming a brand name and key component in the skyscrapers that defined modern cities.
Otis had two sons, which helped him found the Elevator Union and General Machine Works Company. He died on 1861, leaving his sons to run the business with better business skills. Elisha Otis’s sons went on to found Otis Brothers and Company in Yonkers, New York. Eventually they achieved mass production of elevators in the thousands!
This weekend on our adventurer series we will be going to Berlin! We will be staying at the Radisson Blu Hotel! Have you stayed there? Inside the Radisson is the Berliln Sea Life Center. The main attraction is an 82 foot cylindrical acrylic glass aquarium. Can you guess what is at the center of this aquarium? Inside the center is a transparent glass elevator!
The aquarium is 36 feet across. This is the largest cylindrical acrylic aquairuim in the world. It holds almost 100 different species of tropical sea life. The feeding and cleaning of the aquarium is performed daily by a few divers. The price to ride the elevator is included in the admittance fee of the Sea Life Center. It takes about five minutes to ride to the top.
There are amazing elevators all over the world! Some of these elevators were designed to be a work of art, while others were designed to be part of a work of art. In this series we will explore some these elevators. So pack your bag darling!
Bonjour! This week on our adventure series, because it is my anniversary, we will be traveling to the most romantic city in the world! Paris, France. Have you been? I have my passport ready let’s go!
There are so many things to do in France, it is going to be hard to fit it all in! I want to visit the Louvre, and see the city from the top of Notre Dame! Please take me ice skating at Champs Elyeese! I want to walk through the Pere Lachaise Cemetery, I’ve heard it’s gorgeous!
The elevator that we will tour is in the Eiffel Tower! Did you know they have a “lift” in the Eiffel Tower? There are actually several! There is one in each pillar that takes you to the first level, which is where the ice skating rink is, then another that takes you to the second level, then a third that takes you to the top. It is possible to climb the stairs to the top, but it is 1665 steps to the top!
The Eiffel tower was built in 1889. The Eiffel tower is the most enduring iconic symbol of Paris. It is also called the Iron Beauty. It is 324 meters, or 1063 feet tall, which is about the height of an 81 story building. It is one of the most visited monuments on earth.
Since the beginning in 1889 visitors have been able to ride a lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower to see all of Paris. We may take elevators for granted today, but this was a great achievement for the time. The first elevator was designed by Roux, Combaluzier and Lepape. The car or lift, was pushed from below, rather then pulled from above, to prevent chain buckling. The second lift to the second level was more of a challenge. Otis Brothers and Company were the only ones willing to undertake the work. They designed the car into 2 superimposed compartments holding 25 people each, and was powered by an inclined hydraulic ram. The third lift was built by Leon Edoux and had a hydraulic ram also.
The elevators today have been revised, and some have been replaced. They are subject to harsh treatments, including wind, rain, snow, and daily use. The elevators combined journey annually equal to going around the world two and half times!! Because the elevators are essential to the monument, the cabins, electrical computer systems along with the historical machinery behind the elevators receive the greatest care. They are constantly checked by technicians.
People are always surprised to hear I work for a residential elevator company. This may be surprising to the people close to me because I have a young family and live in the suburbs. My son, however, plays football for a league in Scottsdale, and he has several friends that have elevators in their home. In Phoenix and surrounding areas, like Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Prescott, Sedona and Tucson, it comes as no surprise that home elevators are a growing trend.
According to the Home Safe Campaign the demand for home elevators has grown dramatically over the last decade due to an aging population and the falling installation costs[1]. More and more homeowners are recognizing the benefit of installing an elevator in their homes. There are three main reasons why your home will benefit from having an elevator. These reasons are functionality, increase in property value, and style.
Functionality
My father owns a home that is built on a hill. They have a very steep set of stairs leading from the garage on to the first level of their home, then a second set of stairs leading to the main living area. A home elevator simplifies their life. Can you imagine lugging 20 bags of groceries up two flights of stairs? NO thank you! At the holidays they decorate every room for Christmas, which means tons of holiday boxes. Up and down, up and down the stairs all day. Home elevators simplify life. Elevators can be helpful with everyday tasks such as carrying laundry and groceries.
A home elevator makes all rooms accessible to a person in a wheelchair, or someone who has trouble using stairs. They offer independence, to freely move between floors with ease. Installing a home elevator gives you the option of being able to stay in your home long after you retire. If you are in the market for a new home it is important to think long term and prepare for a day when you may have trouble going up and down stairs. Another benefit of owning a home elevator is that it allows relatives or friends with limited mobility to enjoy your home.
Increase Property Value
The second main benefit of owning a home elevator is that they increase a home’s value. Mary Beth Klatt, on realtormag.org says elevators add value to real estate listings because they allow buyers to maximize the use of their home for years to come. Installing an elevator or buying a home with an existing elevator is a growing trend. According to relatormag.org the desire to be able to age in place, is the major driver behind baby boomers’ spending on home improvements. These home improvement’s include making their home more accessible with chairlifts, elevators, etc. Home improvements are expected to be about 325 billion dollars by the end of 2015. About half of this spending is due to declining mobility.
Style
Homes are an extension of your lifestyle. Home elevators can add functionality in perfect symmetry with its surroundings. Elevators can be made the center show piece of a home, or can blend in seamlessly. Entrances are framed to look like a door. They can be simple or extravagant. Home elevators can be customized to fit your personal style, whether that is a gorgeous modern glass and steel elevator or a very traditional rich wood cab. It is the convenience of a home elevator while also making it an eye catching statement that makes home elevators appealing.
Elevator World recently announced winners of their photo contest for the most beautiful home elevators. Two of the winning pictures are posted here. Elevator World will start taking picture submissions for 2016, in January.
Home elevators enhance style and market value, while also delivering improved accessibility and functionality. Recently a Tucson home owner, Doug M. made the comment to me:
“Anecdotally, my wife had hip replacement surgery last week and our elevator is now not just a luxury; it is a necessity. And it works flawlessly. See you guys next time around.”
Does your residential elevator require maintenance?
That depends, do you want your elevator to last a long time? Do you want peace of mind that it is operating safely? Yes? Every residential elevator requires regular maintenance. The owner of Celtic Elevator, Shaun Leary, recommends a maintenance every six months. Our maintenance plans provide the highest quality and most reliable service to keep it operating at its optimal performance, in compliance, and up to the highest safety standards.
I recently bought a new car. It is shiny black, with leather interior …I am a little in love with it. During closing the dealer went over the importance of tune ups, including oil changes, tire rotations, checking fluids, etc. To get the longest life span possible of my new car, it is my responsibility to follow through with scheduling to have the tune ups done. If I don’t do these simple tune ups regularly, it will not be able to perform, and there will be expensive repairs.
This is an example, but there are many others, such as an air conditioner, a furnace, a pool. I wouldn’t spend thousands of dollars on new equipment, and then forget about it. Or even think that because it is new, that it will simply work indefinitely. When it comes to elevators waiting to think about a maintenance until something breaks, can be a dangerous mistake. As the home owner it is our responsibility to ensure that our home is safe. We have young children, friends and family that visit often, it could be potentially hazardous, not to mention mortifying, to have something happen when they are in my home, simply because I was negligent on taking care of the maintenance of my home.
This is not a scare tactic. My intention is not for you to call me in a panic to schedule your maintenance. I just don’t want you to call me in a panic on Friday night when your elevator is broken …but it’s OK, you may, I will take care of you. My goal is to inform you of the importance of scheduling regular residential elevator maintenance.
Now that we have established the importance of residential elevator maintenance, you may be wondering what happens during a maintenance? A residential elevator maintenance includes an inspection of all the equipment, including but not limited to rails, rollers, doors and or gate, buttons, lights, batteries and phone. It also includes adjustments and lubrication. These are at the foundation of our maintenance plans. During a maintenance we ensure that everything is in working order, and we will identify any safety issues. Regular residential elevator maintenances keep your elevator functioning at its optimal level, as well as a proactive way to avoid high repair costs.
A properly maintained elevator will continue to enhance your lifestyle and delivers peace of mind.
Keep it running, keep it safe, and keep it maintained.
The purpose of this blog is to keep you, our customers, informed on the latest trends in residential elevators.
We will explore the most current products on the market that are designed to simplify and beautify your life.
We will also explore the lighter side trending in the elevator industry. Do you know how many times elevators made headlines last year? I think you would be surprised! Elevators are seen everywhere (quietly in the background) in pop culture, including video games, music videos, big screen movies, and television. Stay tuned and we will learn new, amazing, and possibly completely random facts about elevators together!
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