Transportation

Systems in
Buildings
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 3.1 Elevators - Are generally used in 3. Cables - are the means for lifting or
buildings where several peak periods of lowering the car, usually 3 to 8 cables
traffic occur each day, (ie. In office placed in parallel fastened to top of car
buildings, hospitals, apartment buildings) by cable sockets passing over a motor
driven cylindrical sheave to the
As defined by the NBC, it is a hoisting counterweights.
and lowering mechanism equipped with a
car or platform which moves in guides in
a vertical direction serving two or more
floors of a building or structure.
Movement of the car may be controlled
by gravitational, manual or mechanical
power.
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ELECTRIC ELEVATORS – the actual

mechanism that turns the machine’s
sheaves is powered by electricity.

Parts of an Electric Elevator (See

illustration)
1. Shaft - vertical passageway for car
and counterweights.

2. Car - a cage of light metal supported

on a structural frame, the top
member of which the cables, that
carry the car, are fastened.

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 4. Counterweights - these are
rectangular blocks of cast iron stacked in
one frame which is fastened to the
opposite ends of the cables to which the
car is fastened.
5. Guide Rails - are vertical tracks that
guide the car and the counterweights.
6. Machine Room - a room usually
placed directly above the shaft in which
the elevator machine is housed. It
contains the motor-generator (MG) set
shaft of the elevator machine.
b) Safety Switch - is designed to stop an
elevator car automatically before car
speed becomes excessive. On overspeed,
the speed governor will cut off power to
the motor and set the brake. This usually
stops the car, but should speed still
increase, the governor will actuate rail
clamps mounted at the bottom of the car
one on each side. This will clamp the
stop.
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guide rails bringing the car to a switch

which supplies energy to the elevator

machine, the control board and the
control equipment.

7. Elevator Machine - turns the sheave

that lifts and lowers the car.

8. Controls - a combination of push

buttons, contacts, relays, and devices,
operated manually or automatically to
initiate door opening, starting
acceleration, retardation, leveling and
stopping of the car.

9. Safety Devices
a) Main Brake - mounted directly on the
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 c) Electric Final Limit Switches
are located a few feet below and above
safe travel limits of elevator car. If car
over-travels, either down or up, these
switches de-energizes the motor and sets
the main brake.
d) Oil or Spring Buffers
are placed at the bottom of the elevator
pit, not to stop a falling car, but to bring
it to a partially cushion stop if the car
should overshoot the lower terminal.
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Methods of Arranging Elevator
Machines, Sheaves and Ropes
1) Single Wrap Traction Machine
supporting cables pass over the sheave
in grooves and connect to the
counterweights. The lifting power is
exerted by the sheave through the
traction of the cables in the grooves.
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2) One-to-One Double Wrap
Traction Machine
cables first wrap over the traction
sheave T, then around the
secondary or idler sheave S, and
once more going around T and S to
the counterweights. This provides
greater traction and is used in
many automatic high-speed
installations.
 One-to-One Double Wrap Traction
Machine

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4) Underslung System
is used where the elevator machine is
located at the basement.

Two-to-One Double Wrap Traction

Machine (for freight elevators)

This 2:1 roping, has a mechanical

advantage of 2, which results in a high-
speed, low-power and therefore, low-cost
traction machine.

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 Types of Elevator Machines

1) Gearless Traction Machine

consists of a DC motor, the shaft of which
is directly connected to the brake wheel
and to the driving sheave. The elevator
cables are placed around this sheave.
This type of machine is used for medium
and high speed elevators for office and
residential condominiums of 10 stories or
more; where high speeds and smooth
quality operation are desired. Arch 502

2) Geared Traction Machine

this type of machine employs a worm
and gear between the driving motor and
the sheave. It is considered to be less
superior to the gearless traction machine
since it has more moving parts and
requires more maintenance. Used for low
and medium speed passenger and freight
elevators.

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 Systems of Elevator Controls
1) Single Automatic Push Button
Control
this is the simplest of passenger operated
automatic control system. It handles only
one call at a time providing an
uninterrupted trip for each call.
2) Collective Control
control is arranged to collect all waiting
up calls on the trip up and all waiting
down calls on the trip down. The control
system, stalls all calls until they are
answered and automatically reverses the
direction of travel at the highest and the
lowest calls. When all calls have been
cleared, the car will remain at the floor
of its last stop awaiting the next call.
3) Electronic Group Supervisory
Dispatching and Control
this system is used to control not only
single elevators but an entire group or
bank of cars. During peak periods, all
cars are in operation; automatically, the
system shuts down successively cars as
the number of passengers reduces and
return them to service as the number of
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passengers again increases to a high
peak.
The system of Otis Elevator Company is
called “autotronic elevatoring”. The
system of Westinghouse Electric Co. is
called the “selectomatic elevator system”.
Oil Hydraulic Elevators
also called plunger elevators. It is raised
by means of a movable rod nor plunger
rigidly fixed to the bottom of the car. The
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system is hydraulic and operates the
same way as a hydraulic automobile jack.
Oil from a reservoir is pumped under the
plunger thereby raising it and the car.
The pump is stopped during downward
motion, the car being lowered by gravity
and controlled by action of bypassed
valves which also controls the positioning
of the car during the upward motion.
The absence of cables, drums, MG set
and penthouse equipment, makes this
system inexpensive and often the choice
for low speed, low rise applications
where construction of the plunger pit
does not present difficulties and where
absence of a penthouse is desirable.
 Oil Hydraulic Elevators DUMBWAITERS – defined by the NBC
as A hoisting and lowering mechanism
equipped with a car not to exceed 3861
sqcm in area and a maximum height of
1.20m, the capacity of which does not
exceed 277 kilos, used exclusively for
carrying materials. (See illustration)

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 Escalators - used where large numbers
of people are scattered throughout a
given area and on a large number of
floors. These people being interested in
moving about almost constantly to
various locations for short periods of
time. Thus traffic is constantly on the
move both up and down. Examples are
department stores and terminal buildings.

Typical Specifications
Width of Escalator = 32” and 48”
Angle of inclination = 30degrees
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Length or run = variable Speeds = 90fpm
and 120fpm

Parts of an Escalator Installation

1) Truss
a welded steel frame which supports the
moving stairway equipment. It comes in
3 sections: the middle straight section
maybe of any desired length to provide
rises of different heights.

2) Tracks
are steel angles attached to the truss on
which the step rollers are guided thus
controlling the motion of the steps.

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 3) Sprocket Assemblies, Chains, and Drive
Machine
provide the motive power for the unit. An
emergency brake located on the top
sprocket will stop a loaded escalator
safely in the event of a break in the
chain.
4) Controller - consists of contactors,
relays and a circuit breaker. Usually
located near the drive machine, an
emergency stop button wired to the
controller and placed in or near the
escalator, will stop the drive machine and
apply the brake. Key operated control
switches, at the top and bottom newels,
will start, stop, and reverse the direction
of travel of the stairway.
5) Handrail and Balustrade Assembly
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Safety Features of Escalators
1) Handrails and steps travel at the same
speed to ensure steadiness and balance,
and to aid naturally in stepping on and
off the comb plates.
2) Steps are large, steady, and are
designed to prevent from slipping.
3) Automatic controls of a service brake
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will bring the stairway to a smooth stop,
if electric power or mechanical parts
should fail. Passengers would then walk
the steps as they would any stationary
stairway.
4) In case of over-speed or under- speed,
an automatic governor shuts down the
escalator, prevents reversal of direction
and operates the service brake.
5) An emergency stop switch is located
near the comb plate which may be
manually operated to stop the escalator.
The electric controls are also designed to
shut down the stairway, if by some
accident, it is caused to reverse direction.
 Moving Sidewalks or Electric People Mover
Any of various forms of mass transit, as
Walks
moving sidewalks or automated
While escalators are used to transport
driverless vehicles, used for shuttling
people vertically, electric walks are used
people around airports or in congested
to transport people horizontally at any
urban areas
inclination from 0 deg to 15 deg.

Typical applications

For exhibit halls, where management

desires that persons move smoothly
through or pass a particular area without Arch 502
Moving Sidewalk
stopping or boarding.
A power-driven, continuously moving
surface, similar to a conveyor belt, used
For airport terminals.
for carrying pedestrians horizontally or
along low inclines.
Typical Specifications
Standard width = 27” and 36” Speeds =
Inclined Lift
120 fpm and 180 fpm
A platform mounted on a steel guide rail
and driven by an electric motor used for
Types of installations
raising or lowering a person or moving
• Horizontal or level
along a stairway. Also called a stair lift
• Bi-level
• Overpass installation
• Underpass installation

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 CHUTES - assemblies that are used for
the quick evacuation of materials from an
elevated work location. They use gravity
to guide the flow of materials into a bin.

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Types
There are many different types of chutes.

Examples include:
debris chutes
linen chutes
garbage chutes
waste chutes

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 Mechanical
Regulations by
PD1096
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Provisions in the NBC
Concerning Transportation
Systems
3.4.1 Definitions
Accidental Contact - Any inadvertent
physical contact with power transmission
equipment, prime movers, machines or
machine parts which could result from
slipping, falling, sliding, tripping or any
other unplanned action or movement.
Balustrades - The frames on either side
of the moving steps of an escalator.
Buffer - A device designed to stop a
descending car or counterweight beyond
its normal limit of travel by absorbing
and dissipating the kinetic energy of the
car or counterweight.
Cage/Cab - An enclosure for housing the
operator and the hoisting mechanism,
power plant and equipment controlling a
crane.
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Capacity of Works, Project or Plant -
The total horsepower of all engines,
motors, turbines or other prime movers
installed, whether in operation or not.
Car - The load carrying unit of an
elevator including its platform, frame,
enclosure and door or gate.
Crane - Means a machine for lifting or
lowering a load and moving it
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horizontally, the hoisting mechanism
being an integral part of the machine.
Dumbwaiter - A hoisting and lowering
mechanism equipped with a car not to
exceed 3861 sqcm in area and a
maximum height of 1.20m, the capacity
of which does not exceed 277 kilos, used
exclusively for carrying materials.
Elevator Landing
That portion of a floor, balcony or
platform for loading or discharging
passengers or freight to or from the
elevator.
 Elevator Wire Ropes - Steel wire ropes
attached to the car frame or passing
around sheaves attached to the car frame
from which elevator/dumbwaiter cars
and their counterweights are suspended.
Enclosed - Means that the moving parts
of a machine are so guarded that physical
contact by any part of the human body is
precluded or prevented. This does not
however prohibit the use of hinged,
sliding or otherwise removable doors or
sections to permit inspection, lubrication
or proper maintenance.
Escalator - A power driven, inclined,
continuous stairway for raising or
lowering passengers.
Guarded - Shielded, fenced or otherwise
protected by means of suitable enclosure
guards, covers or standard railings, so as
to preclude the possibility of accidental
contact or dangerous approach to
persons or objects.
Machine house - An enclosure for
housing the hoisting mechanism and
power plant.
Machine Parts - Any or all moving parts
of a machine.
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Hoist - An apparatus for raising or
lowering a load by the application of a
building force, but does not include a car
or platform. It may be base-mounted,
hook suspension, monorail, overhead,
simple drum type or trolley suspension.
Hoistway - A shaftway for the travel of
one or more elevators or dumbwaiters.
Machine - The driven unit of an
equipment.
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Moving Walk - A type of horizontal
passenger-carrying device on which
passengers stand or walk, with its
surface remaining parallel to its direction
of motion and is uninterrupted.
Power Transmission Machinery
A shaft, wheel, drum, pulley, system of
fast and loose pulleys, coupling, clutch,
driving belt, V-belt sheaves and belts,
chains and sprockets, gearing, torque
connectors, conveyors, hydraulic
couplings, magnetic couplings, speed
reducers or increasers or any device by
which the motion of an engine is
transmitted to or received by another
machine.

Process Machine - An equipment
designed and operated for a specific
purpose.
Travelling Cable - A cable made up of
electric conductors which provides
electrical connection between an elevator
or dumbwaiter car and a fixed outlet in
the hoistway.
Guarding of Moving and
Dangerous Parts
All prime movers, machines and machine
parts, power transmission equipment
shall be so guarded, shielded, fenced or
enclosed to protect any person against
exposure to or accidental contact with
dangerous moving parts.
Cranes
1. Access to the case or machine house
shall be by means of a conveniently
placed stationary ladder, stairs or
platforms requiring a step-over that no
gap exceeding 300 mm is allowed.
2. Adequate means shall be provided for
cranes having revolving cables or
machine houses, to permit the
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operator to enter or leave the crane cab
and reach the ground safely, irrespective
of its position.
3. Cages, cabs or machine houses on
cranes shall be enclosed to protect
operator during inclement weather.
4. A gong or other effective warning
device shall be mounted on each cage or
cab.
5. Temporary crane operation without
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warning device may be allowed provided
there is a flagman whose sole duty is to
warn those in the path of the crane or
its load.
6. The maximum rated load of all cranes
shall be plainly marked on each side of
the crane. If the crane has more than one
hoisting unit, each hoist shall have
marked on it or its load block, its rated
capacity clearly legible from the ground
or floor.
Hoists
1. Operating control shall be plainly
marked to indicate the direction of travel.
2. Each cage controlled hoist shall be
equipped with an effective warning
device.

3. Each hoist designed to lift its load
vertically shall have its rated load legibly
marked on the hoist or load block or at
some easily visible space.
4. A stop, which shall operate
automatically, shall be provided at each
switch, dead end rail or turntable to
prevent the trolley running off when the
switch is open.
5. Each electric hoist motor shall be
provided with an electrically or
mechanically operated brake so arranged
that the brake will be applied
automatically when the power is cut off
from the hoist.
Elevators
1. Hoistways for elevators shall be
substantially enclosed throughout their
height, with no openings allowed except
for necessary doors, windows or
skylights.
2. Ropes, wires or pipes shall not be
installed in hoistways, except when
necessary for the operation of the
elevators.
3. Hoistway pits shall be of such depth
that when the car rests on the fully
compressed buffers, a clearance of
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not less than 600 mm remains between
the underside of the car and the bottom
of the pit.
4. When four or more elevators serve all
or the same portion of a building, they
shall be located in not less than two (2)
hoistways and in no case shall more than
four (4) elevators be located in any one
hoistway.
5. Where a machine room or penthouse
is provided at the top of a hoistway, it
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shall be constructed with sufficient room
for repair and inspection. Access shall be
by means of an iron ladder or stairs
when the room is more than 600 mm
above the adjacent floor or roof surface.
The angle of inclination of such ladder or
stairs shall not exceed 60o from the
horizontal. This room shall not be used
as living quarters or depository of other
materials and shall be provided with
adequate ventilation.
6. Minimum number of hoisting ropes
shall be three (3) for traction elevators
and two (2) for drum.
7. The minimum diameter of hoisting
and counterweight ropes shall be 30 mm.
8. Elevators shall be provided with
overload relay and reverse polarity relay.

9. In high rise apartments or residential
condominiums of more than five (5)
stories, at least one passenger elevator
shall be kept on 24 hour constant
service.
Escalators
1. The angle of inclination of an escalator
shall not exceed 35o from the horizontal.
and located within sight of escalator
steps.
7. Emergency buttons shall be
conspicuously and accessibly located at
or near the top and bottom landings but
protected from accidental contact.

2. The width between balustrades shall

not be less than 558 mm nor more than
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1.20 m. This width shall not exceed the
width of the steps by more than 330 mm.

3. Solid balustrades of incombustible

material shall be provided on each side
of the moving steps. If made of glass, it
shall be of tempered type glass.

4. Each balustrade shall be provided with

a handrail moving in the same direction
and at the same speed as the steps.

5. The rated speed, measured along the

angle of inclination, shall be not more
than 38 mpm.
6. Starting switches shall be key operated
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