Assignment 2

Description of a conceptual process: Elevators

1- Mohamed Hicham Gaballah 4683

2- Zeyad Mostafa 4569
3- Zeyad Tallal 4565
4- Abdelwahab Hamdy Mira 5081
 Elevators
An elevator (Fig (1)) is a platform, either open or enclosed, used for lifting people to
upper floors within a building. Elevators are a standard part of any tall commercial or
residential building.
Elevator is a mechanical device that increases or decreases a person's potential energy
without them needing to supply that energy themselves: the elevator gives you potential
energy when you're going up and it takes potential energy from you when you're coming
down.
Scientifically, elevators are all about energy. To get from the ground to the 18th floor walking
up stairs you have to move the weight of your body against the downward-pulling force of
gravity. The energy you expend in the process is (mostly) converted into potential energy, so
climbing stairs gives an increase in your potential energy (going up) or a decrease in your
potential energy (going down). This is an example of the law of conservation of energy in
action. You really do have more potential energy at the top of a building than at the bottom,
even if it doesn't feel any different. [1]

Fig (1) – simple picture of elevator. [5]

 Elevators began as simple rope or chain hoists. An elevator is essentially a platform
that is either pulled or pushed up by a mechanical means (fig (2)). A modern day elevator
consists of a cab (also called a "cage" or "car") mounted on a platform within an enclosed
space called a “shaft” (or in Commonwealth countries called a "hoistway"). Most elevators
work just like a pulley. A very strong metal rope is joined to the top of the elevator car and
goes up through a “sheave” in the engine room above the elevator. The sheave is like a
pulley wheel with grooves in it to hold the rope tightly. On the other side of the rope is a
weight, which is about as heavy as the elevator car when it is half full. This balances the
car, so that not too much energy is needed to move it. [2]

Fig (2) - Elevator and its components. [6]

Elevator way of process (Fig 4): [3]
The elevator compartment (1) is raised and lowered by a hoist and pulley
system (2) and a moving counterweight. The elevator is moving smoothly between
vertical guide bars: it doesn't just dangle stupidly from the rope!
The cable that does all the lifting (3) wraps around several pulleys and the main
winding drum. This elevator was invented before anyone was really using electricity: it
was raised and lowered by hand!
At the top of the elevator car, there's a simple mechanism made up of spring-
loaded arms and pivots (4). If the main cable (3) breaks, the springs push out two sturdy
bars called "pawls" (5) so they lock into vertical racks of upward-pointing teeth (6) on
either side. This ratchet-like device clamps the elevator safely in place.

Fig 4 – Elevator components. [7]

Speed governors (Fig 5):
Most elevators have an entirely separate speed-regulating system called
a governor, which is a heavy flywheel with massive mechanical arms built inside it.
Normally the arms are held inside the flywheel by hefty springs, but if the lift moves too
fast, they fly outward, pushing a lever mechanism that trips one or more braking
systems. First, they might cut power to the lift motor. If that fails and the lift continues
to accelerate, the arms will fly out even further and trip a second mechanism, applying
the brakes. Some governors are entirely mechanical; others are electromagnetic; still
others use a mixture of mechanical and electronic components. [4]

Fig 5 – Elevator speed governors. [7]

Finally we can conclude what we said that elevators has simple way of working
but with great purpose. Its process consist mainly of pulleys and counterweights. The
motor control the counterweights up and down to move the car of the elevator with the
help of pulleys.
References:
Text:
1- www.explainthatstuff.com
2- http://discoverykids.com
3- www.newworldencyclopedia.org
4- www.madehow.com

Pictures:
5- www.antique-elevator.com
6- www.madehow.com
7- www.explainthatstuff.com