The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1893-12-09
ORIGIN OF THE LIFT" y
Vclayer Invented and Used ..Flying
= Chair in Paris $50 Years Ago. 80

SSAaJer invented ana Used ssFIy(ng
- Chair in Paris $50 Years Ago.
We are now informed that the ..lift''
or ''elevator" the apparatus which
takes us from the ground floor to the.
top OF the house in a few seconds, is
not modern invention, says Brus-
sells paper.
An ingenious continuance of SINH
lar nature was constructed in the
middle of the seventeenth century,
In Paris. by man named Velayer,
who called his invention a hying
chair
Velayer's lift was not merely a tcy.
1t became very fashionable among
rich people on account of it's utility.
1t was simply chair attached to o,
rope, which was passed over pulley.
or something which did duty for one,
and had a weight at it's other end to
counterbalance the chair and the.
occupant.
1t continued in fashion until a mis-
hap occurred to the kings daughter
at Versailles. On one occasion the
machinery failed to work when she:
was hall way up, and there she stuck
for three good hours before she could:
be rescued by her servants, who had
to break away the wall to release her.
"Flying chairs'' were not much used
at the court afterward.
Some years later certain NJ.
Thonier, who dabbled in mechanics
in his leisure time, made a similar
chair, which he worked from tho
balcony outside his window He thus
escaped the danger of being shut up
in a shaft, as the kings daughter
Was.
M Thonier kept his arrangement
secret, and had many laughs at the
expense of his friends who came to
visit him. When they left him he
would make some excuse for not 90
ing downstairs with them, but when
they reached the courtyard they
were amazed to find him standing
there await ng them.
10 their questions he would return
jesting replies, and then seat himself
in his chair and go up so quickly
tnat they were quite unable to dis
cover how he did it.
But Nemesis overlook him. One
day, instead of surprising his friends,
agreeably. he did so disagreeably,
for the machinery broke and he came
greatly to grief He used the stair
case after his recovery.
In book published about 1886,
thee is an article on the .'hying
chai.:" The author expresses sur
prise that such a useful invention
is not employed. to a greater extent, &C.
but concludes that this is due to the
fact that the rapidity of descent can
not be regulated.
He. therefore, gives an explanation
of the manner in which the chairs
should be constructed in order to-
obtain full power over the machinery.
and enable the occupant of the chair
to regulate the movement and STOP
when he likes.
Imagine a square shaft in the corner
of the building lighted by lateral
openings in the outer wall, and con-
tanning on one side tube or small
shaft for the leaden counterpoise.
This latter is attached to a rope
which is passed two or three times
round a horizontal cylinder of wood
fixed above the shaft; the other end
is fastened to square cage, in which
is comfortable chair with a foot
board.
There is an arrangement of wheels
and pulleys, and two cords or straps
which pass over movable pulIeys st
the top and fixed pulleys at the
bottom of the shaft; the cords also.
pass through the footboard of the:
chair: A catch, worked by servant,
at the top OF the shaft, keeps the
chair still at any required spot. i;
The principle is the same as in.
Nelayer's chair, but the two cords:
act as regulator; by p essing against
them the speed can be moderated
and the chair even brought to a stand
STILL
A kind of latch. which the occupant
OF the chair moves with his foot,
secures the chair to the step OF the.
door where he wishes 60 get out
Although all this has been in print
for so many years, very few people
seem to know it. In 1860, or there
abouts. somebody brought out a.
'*new' invention, which was nothing
but Velayer's primitive lift. -