The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-06-26
The Otis Elevators at the Paris
Exposition.

The fact that hy dfanlic passenger ele-
yators OF This weli-known American type
are 10 be used ia The 1000 foot high
Eiifel tower at Paris js matter of salts
faction to all who watch with interest
the progress constantly being made by
our mechanics and inventors. There are
two Of these elevators to be used, in two
Of the four legs Of the tower, rising to
the height of 40 feet. and we recently
noted the fact of the shipment of S00,-
600 pounds Of machinery to run them,
which was all made at the company S
factory, at Yonkers, n. Y.
There are three systems OF elevators to
be used in the Eitfel tower From the
ground TO what may be called the first
story, where great restaurants viii be
established, there wih be four elevators,
two Of the Otis pattern and two of the
system of Roux, Combaulzier, and Le-
pape, in which the car is elevated by
means of a jointed piston, which has
heen compared to 4 yertebral column
From this story to the next one about
400 feet from the ground, the Otis eleva-
tors only are employed, in two of the
legs of the tower The cars of the
French system in the two bottom lifts
are adapted to carry one hundred pas
sensers each, while the cars Of the Otis
elevators carry only fifty each, but their
speed is doubly that of the others. The
top lift, vertical distance of 493 feet, is
made by elevators on the Edoux system,
in which the carriage is worked by an
enormous piston. Those who go above
the distance to the lantern will have to
climb spiral stircasa.
The total height Of the tower is 9S424
feet, or 300 meters, bnt the inclined or
curved part Of the legs considerably IN
creases portions, a vertical height thers-
in of 3T2 feet making an actual length of
the curved part Of 49s feet The angle
of inclination in this portion varies from
81 degrees at the start to about so degrees
at the finish, but the carriages are so
hung as to always accommodate them
selves to the varying angle, so that their
floors will be kept even. The steps lead
ing to the different landing places are
to fold up when the ear is travelling.
The great hydraulic cylinder of the
Otis elevator, which IS placed in the foot
of the tower, perpendicu.arly to the
cross pieces, is IS inches in diameter and
Al feet long, while the circulating pipe,
valve, and water chest are all 8 inches in
diameter. In this cylinder is piston
fed with water from reservoirs placed on
the stage where the vertical portion of
the tower commences, or at vertical
height of 572 feet above the lower end of
tie cylinder. The piston rod operates
on carriage bearing guide wheels and
multiplying puIleys, cables thence con-
necung with stationary multiplying pull
leys, and the carriage being suspended
by six ropes of steel wire. One of these
ropes alone is designed to have sufficient
strength to bear the carriage full of pas
sengers without breaking. The carriage
is partly counterbalaneed. and rises or
falls twelve feet for one foot movement
Of the piston. Under the cabin is
safety break, with the jaws working
automatically in case of rupture of the
elongation of one of the ropes. -.Scie,itifc
.1Blericun