NME 4401 - ACTIVITY NO.

2: ESCALATORS

DUERO, AEROL CEDRIC D. SEPTEMBER 10,2022

4ME-1A

1. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ELEVATOR AND AN ESCALATOR?

The distinction between an escalator and an elevator is often not understood. They are two very
separate things that bear no resemblance to one another. The fact that both of them are ways of getting
from one floor of a building to another is the only thing they have in common. Shopping centers and
hotels are the two locations where escalators and elevators are utilized most frequently.

Escalators, which transport people from one floor to another, are essentially moving staircases. They
are fairly comparable to steps, however the primary distinction is that they move. Elevators, on the
other hand, essentially function as closed cabins that move people from one floor to another.

Comparatively speaking, escalators move at a slower pace than elevators. Maintaining a healthy
balance for the users of them may be the key motivation behind this. If they are moving at a faster
speed, there is always a danger of suffering an injury. However, as elevators are enclosed vehicles that
move vertically, they do not experience this problem.

Escalators are perfect for areas with higher traffic. They can be employed in locations including
shopping centers, airports, and train stations. Elevators, on the other hand, are typically employed in
areas with less traffic. These might include multi-floored establishments like hotels and malls.

The use of energy is one of the key contrasts between the two. Elevators only require electricity while
they are in use, whereas escalators run continuously regardless of how many people are using them.
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2. BRIEF HISTORY OF ESCALATORS

Early Development
During the 19th century, many engineering advancements were made in the western world thanks to
the Industrial Revolution. The elevator was developed around the middle of the century, and quickly
became a useful form of transportation for both people and goods.
While the escalator was not formally introduced until the end of the 19th century, early prototypes
emerged around the time of the elevator’s development. The design for the first escalator was patented
in 1859 by Massachusetts-based designer, Nathan Ames. Even though he designed an early escalator, it
was never built.
In 1889, Leamon Souder established a patent for a escalator-like device. But, just like Ames’ design,
Souder’s never left paper. It was never built.
In the 1890s, designs for escalators were created and patented by Jesse Reno and George Wheeler.
Reno’s design debuted on Coney Island in 1896. Dubbed the “inclined elevator,” it was a simple
inclined conveyor belt that transported people from one short level to another. The inclined elevator
was a smash hit on Coney Island, and paved the way for other improvements on the idea of the
escalator.
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2. BRIEF HISTORY OF ESCALATORS

The Modern Escalator

Even though Reno’s inclined elevator was the first to be built, Wheeler’s patent was actually created
before Reno’s. It is also much closer to the modern escalator, because it featured steps instead of a
conveyor belt. A man named Charles D. Seeberger bought Wheeler’s patent and decided to build it. He
joined forces with Elisha Otis, credited as one of the early inventors of the elevator. They continued
working on the design and debuted their escalator at the 1900 Paris Exposition.
Like Reno’s design, Wheeler’s was a hit. Otis went on to buy Reno’s patent and cornered the market
for escalators entering the 20th century.
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3. WHO ARE THE INVENTORS AND MANUFACTURERS OF ESCALATORS?

Jesse Wilford Reno

(August 4, 1861 – June 2, 1947) was an American inventor
and engineer. He invented the first working escalator in
1891 (patented March 15, 1892) used at the Old Iron Pier,
Coney Island, New York City. His invention was referred to
as the "inclined elevator." An earlier escalator machine,
termed "revolving stairs" by its inventor Nathan Ames, was
patented March 9, 1859, but was never built. Reno was born
in 1861 in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was the son of
American Civil War notable Jesse L. Reno. He graduated
from Lehigh University in 1883 with an engineering degree
in mining, later a metallurgical degree, where he was a
member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. It has been said that
Reno's inspiration for the escalator stemmed from his time
as an undergraduate. Not only does Lehigh's campus feature
the highest residence hall east of the Mississippi, but also
there are approximately three hundred stairs that must be
climbed to ascend 100+ meters from the lowest point on
campus to the Chi Phi fraternity house on South Mountain.

Charles D. Seeberger
(May 14, 1857 – September 13, 1931) was an American
inventor. In 1899, he joined the Otis Elevator Company. The
Seeberger-Otis partnership produced the first step-type
escalator made for public use, and it was installed at the
Paris Exhibition of 1900, where it won first prize. Mr.
Seeberger eventually sold his patent rights to Otis in 1910.
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3. WHO ARE THE INVENTORS AND MANUFACTURERS OF ESCALATORS?

Manufacturers of escalators
At about the same time that Elisha Otis was figuring out the safety brake that would make elevators for public
use practical, others were tinkering with the moving stairway contraptions that would evolve into the modern
escalator.

The first escalator-like machine appeared in the mid 19th century, two years after the first passenger elevator.
In 1859, Nathan Ames of the state of Michigan in the United States invented something he called Revolving
Stairs, enshrined in history as US patent number 25,076, and generally acknowledged as the world’s first
escalator. But Ames was unable to put the invention into practical use; he died in 1860, and in fact the thing
was never built. The installation design formed an equilateral triangle that required passengers to jump on the
stairway at the base and jump off at the top.

The earliest working type of escalator was patented in 1892 by Jesse W. Reno, and was actually introduced in
1896 as a novelty ride at Coney Island, a theme park in New York. Also during that decade George H. Wheeler
patented a moving stairway with a moving handrail and flat steps that had to be boarded and exited from the
side. Charles D. Seeberger bought Wheeler’s patent in 1898 and went to work at the Otis Elevator Company
developing the first step-type moving stairway. It was Seeberger who created the name “escalator”, from the
word scala (Latin for steps), and the word elevator, which was already in general use in the US by this time,
and registered it as a trademark for a moving stairway.

Around the same time, moving walks made their debut, most notably in the form of special demonstration
exhibitions at the Chicago Exposition of 1893 and the Paris Exposition of 1900.

Both Reno and Otis would emerge as the two driving forces behind escalator development. In 1900 Reno
raised the problematic heel of the inclined wheel tread, and succeeded in the practical installation of cleat-type
moving stairway in an elevated station in New York City. In that same year the Otis Company exhibited a step-
type moving stairway at the Paris Exposition, and later brought them back to the US and installed them in a
department store in Philadelphia. In 1911, Otis absorbed Reno and became the sole manufacturer. The
company sold both step-type and cleat-type escalators and between 1900 and 1920 installed some 350 units,
mainly at department stores and public transport institutions.

In the 1930s Mitsubishi Electric entered the escalator business, and began installing the devices in department
stores and other major facilities in Japan. By the turn of the millennium the company has emerged at the
forefront of escalator innovation and design, culminating in the spectacular multiple curved escalator
installation at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas.
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4. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF ESCALATOR FOR HUMANS

Benefits of Escalators
1. Capacity to move large numbers of people at a time
2. Can be placed in the same physical space as one might install a staircase
3. Can be used to guide people toward main exits or special exhibits
4. Escalators have no waiting interval (except during very heavy traffic)
5. Their harmonized designs for shopping malls, office buildings, hotels, and entertainment centers result is a
streamlined appearance that can be incorporated more easily into a building?s design scheme.
6. Modern designs take even less space than previous ones and allow for multiple applications with the same
look, without the need for costly custom design.
7. Noise and vibration levels are carefully monitored in test environments to ensure the smoothest, quietest
ride possible. Enhanced noise reduction packages are used in extremely quiet applications.
8. Excellent Ride Quality as New drive systems are aimed at improvement in ride quality in terms of both
vibration and noise. Noise and vibration levels are carefully monitored in test environments to ensure the
smoothest, quietest ride possible. Enhanced noise reduction packages are used in extremely quiet
applications.
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4. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF ESCALATOR FOR HUMANS

ADVANTAGES OF ESCALATOR

Moving People
The escalator’s primary attribute is its ability to move large numbers of people at once from one area to
another, with some escalators, such as those in the London Underground, spanning particularly long distances.
People can move both upward as well as downward when a pair of escalators are typically deployed next to
each other. That is an advantage over an elevator, which can only go one way at a time with generally a much
smaller capacity.

Comfort
An escalator transports people automatically when switched on, with individuals simply standing still. As such,
traveling on an escalator requires little physical exertion. People who experience pain or difficulty when
walking are thus able to traverse longer distances with ease and in relative comfort. Escalators offer plenty of
space, too, especially when compared to an elevator or narrow staircase where people may be squashed
together.

Efficiency
The purpose of an escalator is to transport people. It performs this task efficiently, allowing individuals to
move between potentially many floors of a building in a relatively short amount of time, when compared to a
staircase, for instance. Because escalators are generally quite long, they allow a large group of people to get on
at once and reduce the need for waiting periods typical of elevators.
Guidance
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4. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES OF ESCALATOR FOR HUMANS

ADVANTAGES OF ESCALATOR

Guidance
Escalators are effective when used as a means of guidance and circulation. In a complex transport situation,
such as a city’s subway hub, people need to be kept on the go, particularly at busy times, to reduce congestion
and avoid excess waiting. Escalators are efficient at keeping people moving from one point to another. When
used as part of a museum or similar building, an escalator is able to direct visitors to exhibitions or exits simply
by its appearance and the direction in which it’s traveling.

Adjustable Speed
As part of its ability to reduce and control congestion, an escalator offers an advantage to building managers in
that its speed can be adjusted to reflect how quickly crowds need to move. In a busy situation for example, an
escalator can be made to run slowly, so that passengers don’t arrive in the same area as an already substantial
crowd. Escalators can also save energy during quiet periods, since they can be turned off, essentially becoming
a staircase.
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5. WHAT ARE THE METHODS TO PREVENT FIRE FROM SPREADING THROUGH

THE ESCALATOR OPENING? DISCUSS IT.

Escalator Fire Protection

When an escalator pierces more than two floors, there are several methods to prevent a fire from spreading
through the escalator opening. One approach calls for a fire shutter, activated by temperature and smoke
detectors, to shut off the wellway of a given floor, thus preventing drafts and the spread of fire up through the
building.
In a second method, fireproof baffles surround the wellway and hang 51 cm (20 in.) from the ceiling, creating a
smoke and flame deflector. An automatic curtain of water from sprinkler heads on the ceiling then further
isolates the escalator.
Another way to isolate the fire is with a spray-nozzle curtain of water similar to a smoke guard. The close-
spaced, high-velocity water nozzles create a compact water curtain, preventing smoke and flames from rising
through the wellways. Automatic thermal or smoke relays open all the nozzles simultaneously.
In a final method, a sprinkler-vent fire control system uses a fresh air intake on the roof. A blower drives air
down through the escalator floor openings, and an exhaust fan on the roof creates a strong draft upward through
the exhaust duct. This draws air from just under the ceiling of each floor opening. The system includes spray
nozzles on the ceiling.
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5. WHAT ARE THE METHODS TO PREVENT FIRE FROM SPREADING THROUGH

THE ESCALATOR OPENING? DISCUSS IT.

Article 37 -Escalator Fire Hazards of Escalators and Ways to Prevent Them

Fire Hazards of Escalators and fire protections

The risk of fire in escalators is another hazardous situation and is also considered a type of escalator accident,
which could happen due to different reasons. The Escalator truss is a place where there could be an
accumulation of some combustible materials such as grease, oil, dust, fuzz, etc., which increases the potential
of fire risks.
High levels of grease inside escalators coupled with dust and only a spark from activating the emergency
brakes or a passenger carelessly dropping a match or cigarette would start a fire inside the escalator.
A lit cigarette dropped by the passengers who disobey smoking prohibitions could fall into the escalator and
ignite the petroleum products that lubricate the moving parts. The cigarette could also ignite any debris that is
gathered on the system of moving parts.
The constant movement of the metal causes a huge amount of heat. To avoid overheating, which could cause
sparks and ignite a fire, routine lubrication of all the moving parts is necessary.
Moreover, because insulation material applied for cables and overloading of drives is combustible as well, the
fire risk due to inflammation of such materials would increase if fire protections are not considered.
The possibility of cleaning the inner part of the escalator is one of the mandatory regulations to decrease fire
hazard. Therefore, sufficient maintenance and a routine escalator inspection for checking the risk of fire
guarantees the safety of escalators.
In general, fire protection protocols for escalators differ from country to country; therefore, the standard cannot
include specific requirements for fire protection and building requirements.
However, escalators and moving walks are recommended, as far as possible, to be made of materials that do
not create an additional hazard of fire.
Installing a fire detector option on the escalator is also recommended to detect fire due to different reasons
including harsh environmental conditions that are present.
The damage and high cost of repair or replacement, as well as minimizing the impact of potential pollution and
possibly toxic fumes, would be possible by applying fast and reliable heat detectors. As a result, the
responsibility of fire detection system is not only saving lives but also protecting the building and
infrastructure.
Another fire hazard could occur during escalator installation while the building construction is not over yet.
Since some components of the escalator (e.g. handrail) are so combustible, these parts must be adequately
covered until the end of the project.
This way, they would be protected against fire especially when some construction activities, such as welding
are being done.
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6. WHERE IS THE LONGEST ESCALATOR IN THE WORLD?

Jubilee Street, Central, Hong Kong

Central Mid-level Escalator is the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system, opened in 1993. It runs for
over 800m and rises over 135m in elevation, from Queen’s Road Central up to Conduit Road. It was built to
ease traffic congestion in the residential Mid-levels district, and comprises 20 escalators and three inclined
moving walkways. The system runs downhill from 6am-10am to cater to commuters, and uphill from 10:30am-
midnight. It is not only residents who utilise it – it has become a popular tourist attraction as it takes visitors
through a historical district and up to the Soho dining and nightlife hub.
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7. WHERE ARE THE 10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD?

10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD

1.(Tie) Ploshchad Lenina Metro Station // St. Petersburg, Russia (453 feet)
is a station on the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya Line of the Saint Petersburg Metro, located between
Chernyshevskaya and Vyborgskaya. The station was opened on June 1, 1958, on the second line of
the metro between Ploshchad Vosstaniya and Ploshchad Lenina. It was named after Lenin Square,
the location of its surface vestibule. In the early plans, it was named "Finland Station."

2. Tie) Chernyshevskaya Metro Station // St. Petersburg, Russia (453 feet)

is a station on the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya Line of Saint Petersburg Metro, opened on September 1,
1958. It is a deep underground pylon station at 67 metres (220 ft) depth with a short central hall.
The station is named after Chernyshevsky Prospekt, which is in turn named after Russian
materialist philosopher and writer Nikolai Chernyshevsky. This station was part of the second
stretch of the Saint Petersburg Metro built. While construction was about to start, a rule was created
that no more stations should be ornately decorated, such as the stations between Avtovo and
Ploshchad Vosstaniya (the first stretch built).
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7. WHERE ARE THE 10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD?

10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD

3. (Tie) Admiralteyskaya Metro Station // St. Petersburg, Russia (453 feet)
is a station on the Frunzensko-Primorskaya Line of the Saint Petersburg Metro. Opened on 28
December 2011, it is designed to relieve congestion at the Nevsky Prospekt and Gostiny Dvor
stations, as well as to provide a more direct link to the Hermitage and other notable museums.
However, the completion of the stations was hampered by the lack of funds and ongoing
controversy over the placement of station's exit.

4. Khreshchatyk Metro Station // Kyiv, Ukraine (432 feet)

is a station on the Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska Line of the Kyiv Metro. The station is named for the
Khreshchatyk street, the most central street in Kyiv. The station was opened in 1960 along with the
first stage of the Metro. It The station is pylon trivault (architects Yu.Tyahno and I.Maslenkov) that
features ceramic Ukrainian ornaments framed by metallic grills on the central hall sides of the
pylons. White marble is used elsewhere, particularly for the walls and the main pylon frames. The
ceiling is covered in white plaster and lighting comes from hidden lamps in the niches of the central
vault and a central row of lamps.
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7. WHERE ARE THE 10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD?

10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD

5. Trampe // Trondheim, Norway (426 feet)

Bicycling is a cheap and healthy way to get around, but a steep hill can become a casual cyclist’s
Achilles’ heel. Luckily, the Norwegian city of Trondheim has a solution to this problem – a bike
escalator. yclists who place one foot on the escalator’s angled platform will be pushed uphill at a
speed of 5mph. Up to 5 people can use it simultaneously and it is not limited to bicycles, as it can
carry basically any small wheeled transport with its owner, be it a kid with scooter or a mother with
a baby stroller.

6. Park Pobedy Metro Station // Moscow, Russia (416 feet)

is a station of the Moscow Metro in the city's Dorogomilovo District. It is on two lines: the
Arbatsko–Pokrovskaya line and the Kalininsko–Solntsevskaya line. At 84 metres (276 ft)
underground, according to the official figures, it is the deepest metro station in Moscow and one of
the deepest in the world (after Kyiv Metro's Arsenalna, Chongqing Rail Transit's Hongtudi station
and Saint Petersburg Metro's Admiralteyskaya).
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7. WHERE ARE THE 10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD?

10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD

7. Sirkeci Metro Station // Istanbul, Turkey (~400 feet)

This train station in Istanbul was once the last stop of the famed Orient Express. Today, there is
much less traffic but you can catch a train to other parts of Turkey or certain areas of Europe.

8. Rustaveli Metro Station // Tbilisi, Georgia (394 feet)

s a station of the Tbilisi Metro on the Akhmeteli–Varketili Line. It is located at Rustaveli square at
the northern end of Rustaveli Avenue. The station was opened on 11 January 1966 as part of the
first metro line with six stations from Didube to Rustaveli. Located between Tavisuplebis Moedani
station and Marjanishvili station, Rustaveli is 60 metres underground (and an escalator length of
120 meters) the deepest station of the Tbilisi metro system.
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7. WHERE ARE THE 10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD?

10 LONGEST ESCALATORS IN THE WORLD

9. Huangguan Escalator // Chongqing, China (367 feet)

112 meters long, 1.3 meters wide and 52.5 meters high — runs at a speed of 0.75 meters per second
on an incline of 30 degrees. Total time from top to bottom is 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Each side
can carry up to 13,500 passengers per hour. It is Asia's second-longest single-grade escalator.

10. Khatai Metro Station // Baku, Azerbaijan (328 feet)

is a Baku Metro station. It was opened on 22 February 1968. It was formerly called Shaumyan and
is named after the Shah Ismail I Khatai.
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REFERENCES:
https://www.stepbystep.com/difference-between-escalator-and-elevator-100045/
https://www.elevatorinjurylawyer.com/escalator-and-elevator-basics/the-history-of-the-
escalator/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_W._Reno
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_W._Reno
https://www.mitsubishielectric.com/elevator/overview/e_m_walks/history.html
https://itstillworks.com/12539664/how-to-roll-on-shadow-of-the-colossus
https://apexelevators.com/escalators_usage.html
https://www.northernarchitecture.us/interior-designers/escalator-fire-
protection.html#:~:text=One%20approach%20calls%20for%20a,51%20cm%20(20%20in.)
https://la-grazia.com/e-learning/fire-hazards-of-escalators/
https://www.landmark.hk/en/visit/around-central/central-mid-level-escalator
https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/longest-escalators-in-the-world