From about the middle of the 19th century , elevators were powered, often steam-operated, and were used for transporting materials in factories, mines, and warehouses. In , two architects named Burton and Homer built an "ascending room," as they called it.
This crude elevator was used to lift paying tourists to a platform for a panoramic view of London. In , architects Frost and Stuart built the "Teagle," a belt-driven, counter-weighted and steam-driven lift was developed in England.
In , Sir William Armstrong introduced the hydraulic crane and by the early s, hydraulic machines began to replace the steam-powered elevator. The hydraulic elevator is supported by a heavy piston, moving in a cylinder and is operated by the water or oil pressure produced by pumps.
It was the owner of the company, Josiah Maize, that inspired Otis to start designing elevators. Maize needed a new hoisting device to lift heavy equipment to the upper floor of his factory.
In , Otis demonstrated a freight elevator equipped with a safety device to prevent falling in case a supporting cable broke. This increased public confidence in such devices. In , Otis established a company for manufacturing elevators and patented a steam elevator.
During the demonstration, Otis hoisted the elevator car to the top of the building and then deliberately cut the elevator hoisting cables. However, instead of crashing, the elevator car was stopped because of the brakes that Otis had invented. While Otis did not actually invent the first elevator, his brakes, used in modern elevators, made skyscrapers a practical reality. In , Otis and the Otis Elevator Company began manufacturing passenger elevators.
A steam-powered passenger elevator was installed by the Otis Brothers in a five-story department store owned by E. Around this time, Otis Elevator began winning contracts to supply elevators for new buildings in Cleveland, Ohio.
The company remained at this location until the s, when its operations were moved to a building at Payne Avenue. In the s, Otis Elevator began diversifying its product offerings.
These devices for transport goods up and down represent first elevators. Elevator history begins several hundred years before Christ. The earliest elevators were called hoists. They were powered by human and animal power, or sometimes water-driven mechanisms. They were in use as early as the 3rd century BC. Modern elevators were developed during the s. These crude elevators slowly evolved from steam driven to hydraulic power. The first hydraulic elevators were designed using water pressure as the source of power.
They were used for conveying materials in factories, warehouses and mines. Hydraulic elevators were often used in European factories. Please enter a valid email address. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now. An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check here if you would like to receive subscription offers and other promotions via email from TIME group companies. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
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