, 1873-02-16
THE WATER-BALANCE ELEVATOR.

| What is accomplished and Offered by tht
Baldwin futent-An Hour with the 1Iessrs
I iElc.
|, Among the first Of the beautiful blocks thai
are to characterize our new Chicago. was the
lofty and splendid building of Messrs. Hale 4
Emerson, on the corner Of Washington md
State streets. It is 4 fne probably the finest,
instance yet exhibited OF the utility and beauty
I Of the Frear stone. It's facades are among the
most striking in this city. It is very tall, and
the obacrrer instantly asks, what are you to do
| with the upper stories? The passenger elevator
comes in to answer all such questions, and no.
where in Chicago moro notably than in this
building, whore the Watcr-Balance Elevator is
! in use. It is so signal IN advance on any and
| all other elevator systems tha. it is
no wonder that it is visited by
rnultitudes, not merely of curious gazers, but
those interested to know it's principles, and
ready to adopt them if approved. In all other
! elevators the elevator ia literally wound up and
unwound, in its rise aud fall, by steam-driyeu
machinery. There is more or less noise insep-
arabic from the reciprocating crank movement,
and the play.of cogs, and in all cases the move
ment of the elevator is known by clatter and jar
extendingto ell parts Of the building. There
are numerous f1r5t-class hotels, where the rooms
adjacent to the elevator shafts are almost un-
tenantanle from this cause, and eren the most
perfect elevator of the ordinary kind is not
entirely free from this objection. All this
is done away with in tho Water Balance
Elevator, 80 completely and perfectly that it
seems certain that it will be the only ono
admitted to use in localities where these features
nro demanded. We cannot better illustrate the
principle than by laying our hand upon one Of
the large, heavy plate-glass windows Of The
TRIBUNE Building. L touch Of the finger slides
it easily up and down, because it is equally bal
anced by concealed window-wcight. Note the
emoothness Of the rise and fall. Then imagine
the inevitable jerkiness of O window-sash raised
and lowered by turning crank. There you
haye the best comparison of the elevators.
But here difference arises that must be met.
The weight Of window sash is constant guam
tity, that Of q passenger elevator varies. Some
times it has 8 single passenger, sometimes
dozen. The balance must be adjusted perfectly
to each demand. The ascending and descending
balance is in m iron cylinder or bucket contain
ing water. This slides smoothly inside closed
standing iron column, that rises from top to
bottom Of the building. The water is received
and discharged in an instant. The adjust
ment is such that the water is shut
off, and the elevator starts when an exact bal
ance is secured, and this actually takes no more
time than is required to bring steam engine
into play. This is the Water-Dalance Elevator.
As to its motion. it is the perfection Of smooth
ness. Tho iron cables play nolseless1y over tho
great sheaTes at the top of the shaft, and the
speed is q matter Of easy regulation at the
brakes. Tho Water-Balance can go up and de-
ecend L. third sooner than any in use without
perceptible jar, and all absence of strain for the
descent of the balance-weight is not q dead fall,
bnt Is beautifully cushioned by tho air in the
cylinder shaft below the water bucket, or, in the
reverse motion, the VACUUM above the bucket
has the sumo effect, at the same time acting as
an additional safety. We cannot describe all the
mechanism, simple and beautiful as it is. which
belong to this Water-Balance Elevator, but in the
matter of checks and brakes and safeguards
ugaiust all possible accident from arrangement
or fracture, it is perfect.
As to safety appliance, there is no dependence
placed in the usual springs, which, from long
dlsuse, become unreliable, this, should the
ropes break, relying ON the falling motion Of the
car, acting on safety cord which brings into
action the PATENT SAFETY ROLLER, in which
there is no failure possible it having been
brought into trisl-tests orer ten thousand times
70 be understood, the Watez-Balance Ele-
yator must be seen. But how about
ths water7 Simply this: The Water.
81 per cent OF the expense Of the steam elevator,
even where the supply is raised by q small steam
engine from the city service mains to the supply
tank ut tho top Of the building. But the Water
Balance Elevator is only completely happy when.
Us in the building Of the 3Iessrs. Hale, the water
from the artesian well actually pumps itself to
the si1th floor by its o,on pressure, and gives
constant supply ut IN expense 30 merely nominal
that it only adds slightly to the interest account
Of construction. We find that practical men re-
gard this combination the most wonderfully per-
feet, cheap. and simple that has sTer been real
lzed in mechanism here. And it is worth the |
while Of any reader interested in the subject Of
elevators to consult Messrs. W. E. Hale & Co., I
at their office US above. and find the whole sub
ject of elevators exhausted in single visit. |
Very many &ill look no further. The artesian |
veil is becoming SO common in Chicago and |
other cities that it naturally enters into the !
question Of elevator service, now made so
thoroughly practicable, while the Waterfall |
ance Elevator, as We hnye shown, may be intro
luced BY any one ut the small outlay for power |
.oqulsito to carry the water to the top OF the I
ouildlng..
CHICAGO HOTEL ACCOMMODATION.