Elevator: The Most Significant Invention Made By Humans
The most significant invention made by humans. The elevator is the most significant invention made by humans. The elevator is an electric powered device used to transport people to another floor. Elevators are a significant invention as they help the physically disabled people to access other floors in a given building. The elevator also saves time and energy for workers to reach their workplaces in tall buildings. The elevator is also useful in lifting heavy equipment and machinery to be moved to other floors. The elevator has also shaped modern cities and social hierarchy. The essay will show the significance of the elevator by demonstrating ways in which it has impacted on the disabled, workers, building construction and the industries.
Elevators are a standard part of any tall commercial or residential building. In recent years the improvement of elevators came about from existing designs. Manually operated elevators were used for lifting freight in manufacturing industries as early as the 1600. The earliest elevators used human and animal power to function. The lifts required skill workers to operate the lift. The first elevators were moved by the use of steam which turned the cable drums of the elevator mechanism. In 1871 the first hydraulic elevators were introduced. The hydraulic elevators used pressure of fluids as the source of power. The hydraulic elevators involved a complex mechanism where a hole had to be dug under the elevator shaft as deep as the elevator was to be high. The hydraulic elevator was limited in the height to which it could rise. The first commercially successfully electric elevator was introduced in 1889. The electric elevator resulted in electricity becoming the accepted source of power.
In addition, the electric elevator was upgraded with safety features that made it possible for faster traveling time and a reduction in elevator associated injuries. The electric elevator was able to reach great heights using a simple mechanism of a cable and pulley system. The use of automatic control systems on elevators replaced the need for human operators saving time and money. In the modern society the design of the first lifted gave rise to various types of lifts that are used internationally.
Elevators are significant as they help the disabled and old age people to access other floors within a tall building. People that are disabled are unable to use their limbs to climb stairs which becomes a problem when these people have to move to other floors. The people that use wheelchairs may find it uncomfortable riding down the stairs. Old people suffer from various ailments such as joint pains that may affect them when using the stairs. Old people require assistance to climb the stairs. The elevator is convenient for people using wheelchairs as they do not have to use the stairs which is difficult to climb and uncomfortable to descend. The use of elevators has saved old people from potential injury when using stairs. It is therefore that without personal elevators the disabled and old people will not be able to move to other floors easily. In addition, the elevators are convenient when people have to carry loads and shopping bags. The use of stairs when in possession of shopping bags can be exhaustive. It is therefore that without elevators carrying heavy loads would be inconvenient.
Elevators help the workers to save time and energy from taking stairs to the other floors in a building. It has been found that taking a flight of stairs result in the consumption of calories. A person who regularly takes stairs burns about fifteen calories per three flights of stairs. The average flight of stairs is twelve stairs. The loss calories is also associated to weight. It is therefore the more the weight the more loss of calories. The loss of energy which is due to taking a flight of stairs can result in tiredness when the destination is about sixteen floors. Elevators save time when a worker has to be at very upper floors of a building. Without elevators people would have to take a flight of stairs which is time and energy consuming. Industrial elevators have helped many manufacturing companies and business with their ability to lift heavy equipment. Hydraulic elevators help to move heavy equipment that is usually difficult to relocate using man power. The hydraulic elevator also ensures there is a safe working environment in workplaces and reduces the possibility of injuries caused by the lifting of heavy and hazardous goods. The elevators are user friendly making them easy to operate so heavy parts or load is shifted from one area to another. The result is improved productivity in the workplace which is good for the industries. Without the hydraulic elevators heavy equipment that are manufactured for specific demands would be impossible to move to another location. The lack of hydraulic elevators would also affect the mining businesses which require elevators to transport workers underground with their equipment.
Many industries that produce heavy and large equipment would have to compromise the size of their products as they would not have the man power to lift the finished goods to a new location. Elevators have been a significant contributor to the construction industry. Buildings during the past were limited in their height. The height restriction was due to the flight of stairs people managed to take. The introduction of the electric elevator resulted in buildings that could be built to greater heights. The construction of tall buildings enabled some availability of ground space for the construction of other buildings or infrastructure. The elevator helped shape the modern cities that comprise of very tall buildings. It is therefore that without the elevators buildings of great height would not exist. Elevators have also changed the social hierarchy. Since the existence of tall buildings the wealthy used to stay at lower floors and the lower class stayed at the top floors. Higher floors were usually inferior in size and quality which were given to low rent tenants in apartments.
The elevator marked the start of new hierarchy were the wealthy would usually occupy the top floors and the lower class occupy the lower floors. It is due to the emergence of very tall buildings in which higher floors can be reached through the use of the elevator that the hierarchy changed. It is therefore that without elevators building floors of great height would be inaccessible and the wealthy would not appreciate the advantages of a beautiful birds eye view.
Elevators occupy less space than staircases and are least expensive to install. Elevators have been built to different sizes according to their specific requirement. Elevators do not require much space in a building as they move vertically. Stairs need designated spaces which takes a significant amount of space of the building. It is therefore convenient to install elevators in buildings as there is space that can be saved for other uses. Elevators are less expensive than the construction of stairs. Elevators use materials that are available and require less construction than stairs. Elevators are also manufactured in large amounts. Staircases are require a vast amount of materials and workforce wherein lifts require less workforce and materials.
Elevators allow people to navigate easily. Buildings that are more than ten floors can be difficult to find the right place. People who are unfamiliar to a building without navigational signs can get lost easily. The elevator takes its occupants to the floor of interest. Without the elevator people would require a navigational system to find their way to certain floors. It is therefore that elevators are essential for a stress free journey. Elevators have to be properly maintained as they are mechanical machines that have to meet the requirements of the safety regulations. The use of moving parts in elevators can be hazardous to users in case of accidents. Elevators that use electricity as the power source become non-functional when there are power cuts. Hydraulic elevators require oil to be functional which can be expensive. However, elevators are important to the modern society and industries.
Since the first elevator concept to the upbringing of advanced variants that have different purposes and the electric elevator, the world has benefited from the use of elevators. The modern society has been impacted by significance of the elevator. Industries that produce heavy equipment such as heavy duty parts of airplanes are able to lift and relocate their finished goods. The use of stairs would be difficult to relocate the parts to their desired location. The lack of hydraulic lift helps the miners to go underground and work. The use of stairs in mines would be costly and it will affect mine companies as the companies would have to engage in open cast mining. The use of elevators has helped physically disabled and old age people to move to different floors within a given building. The construction of tall building would have been impossible without the elevators to transport people to great heights. The elevator has helped shape social hierarchy as the high class people appreciate the top floor views which lower class people used to be at. It is therefore that the elevator is important in the modern society.
