The earliest known reference to an elevator is in the works of the Roman architect Vitruvius, who reported that
The … See more

Some people argue that elevators began as simple rope or chain hoists (see Traction elevators below). An elevator is essentially a platform that is either pulled or pushed up by mechanical means. A modern-day elevator co… See more

In 1901, consulting engineer Charles G. Darrach (1846-1927) proposed the first formula to determine elevator service.
In 1908, Reginald P. Bolton published the first book devoted to this subject, 'Elevator Service'. T… See more

Elevators can be rope dependent or rope-free. There are at least four means of moving an elevator:
Geared traction machines are driven by AC or DC electric motors. Geared machines use worm gears to … See more

In the first half of the twentieth century, almost all elevators had no automatic positioning of the floor on which the cab would stop. Some of the older freight elevators were controlled by switches operated b… See more