Lifts can be essential for providing vertical circulation, particularly in tall buildings, for wheelchair and other non-ambulant building users and for the vertical transportation of goods. Some lifts may also be used for firefighting and evacuation purposes.
The working principle of an elevator or lift is similar to the pulley system. A pulley system is used to draw the water from the well. This pulley system can be designed with a bucket, a rope with a wheel. A bucket is connected to a rope that passes throughout a wheel.
Pulleys with large metal cables are used in modern elevators. The cable is wrapped around a groove in the wheel and axle. An electric motor pulls the cable, lifting the car between floors. Several pulleys can be combined to reduce the necessary work to lift a load.
Generally, a residential elevator will be 36 inches wide by 48 inches deep; this is a nominal, clear platform size. An elevator of this size will require approximately a 48-inch wide by 60-inch deep hoistway.
Essential Lift Components:
- Cabin: a lift unit designed for transportation of persons and goods.
- Shaft: a space in which the lift cabin moves.
- Machine Room: a room in which the drive unit (or units) and the connected equipment are situated, e.g. control elements.